How Do Your Dental Habits Stack Up?

The experts say that dental habits are built from a young age, but can be implemented at any time in order to improve the health of your smile. Taking time each day to improve your dental health does pay in dividends later on. But have you ever wondered how your dental habits stack up against the recommendations of your dentist? Answer this 5-question quiz to see where you stand.

1.     Do you brush 2x a day?

2.     Do you floss at least 1x a day?

3.     Do you consume high carbohydrate foods at every meal?

4.     Do you consume caffeinated beverages or soda regularly?

5.     Do you smoke or use tobacco products?

If you answered yes to questions 1 and 2, and no to the others you are well on your way to having and keeping a smile that can last for decades. If you answered no to 1 and 2, and yes to 1 or more of the questions below, your smile and health may need to be looked at a little more closely. It is recommended that you schedule a consultation appointment with Dr. Judy Strutz and her team to ensure you do not have any problems with your smile that are going untreated. The health of your smile matters to our team, let us help you achieve optimal dental health today.

Reduce Your Risk of Tooth Pain By Implementing These 3 Habits

Tooth pain can come out of no where and disrupt your entire day. Once you begin to feel it, it is not something to try and wait out. The longer you go without getting it taken care of the more risk you have of long term impact later on. But if you follow these three habits you can significantly reduce your chance of having tooth pain.

1.     Brush and floss regularly. You have probably heard this your entire life, but still don’t necessarily have it as a part of your daily routine. There are multiple ways you can go about changing this. One: brush and floss at the same time every day. This helps to build it into your day. Use a toothbrush, floss and toothpaste that you like. Make it fun, by playing music, or listening to a comedian while you do it. Anything to change it from a boring routine to something you look forward too.

2.     Reduce acidic foods from your diet. While a lime or orange can seem like a great idea the acid negatively impacts your enamel which can lead to problems and dental pain later on.

3.     Visit the dentist regularly. Problems can begin with small and left untreated can cause cavities to form. Decay not taken care of can lead to more extensive dental procedures needed to fix the problem.

Don’t let dental pain take and put you on the bench of life. Get your smile taken care of today by contacting Dr. Judy Strutz and her team.

You Deserve Better!

Your dental health may have been inherited by your parents and the gene pool may be causing problems for the overall health of your smile, but now you don’t have to live with it. If you are having trouble with cracked, or broken teeth that seem to be causing you pain every day, now is the time for you to call Dr. Judy Strutz and her team.

Your smile is the gateway to your health but it is also a way for you to share your happiness with the world. When people smile, there whole body benefits and it changes the way your day is going to go. Try it sometime, when you are feeling down. Just begin to smile. You will instantly notice a difference in your thoughts and the way your body feels. But an unhealthy smile, can be the root cause of you hiding from others. Don’t wait. Get help today and start living the best life you can.

While the smile you want may seem out of reach to you today, it can be at the forefront of your tomorrow by scheduling an appointment and coming up with the best plan to meet your needs.

For information on cosmetic dental procedures that can improve your smile, contact Dr. Strutz and her team today.

It Is Only One Tooth; Does It Really Matter?

If you have lost one tooth due to a dental emergency or other dental problem, you may not think it matters much. As it is, you have thirty-one other teeth that can support your food habits and keep your smile in shape. However, this is just not the case.

Research shows that once a person loses one tooth they are likely to lose a few more at least within the year of losing the other one. The smile also begins to compensate for the tooth that is missing. The teeth begin to shift into place where they do not belong. While this may seem like a great thing in the beginning, it can create jaw problems, alignment issues and eventually lead to you cracking or breaking another tooth because the alignment is off.

Taking care of your smile is critical to ensure that it will last a lifetime. If you have a missing tooth, contact Dr. Judy Strutz and her team in order to schedule a consultation. Just sitting down with a cosmetic dental team can help to decide what is the best course of action moving forward to get you the smile you deserve.

Love Your Smile From The Inside Out

Did you know that the health of your body is contingent on the health of your smile? By loving and taking care of your dental health, it can help keep your liver, heart and other organs working to their full capacity. It can be easy to take shortcuts with your dental health, not realizing that overtime not brushing and flossing actually is a contributing factor of heart disease.

Eating and consuming healthy foods are a great way to fuel your smile and your body. The water from the fruit and vegetables can rinse carbohydrates and sugar from your tooth enamel in between brushing and they are essential for your healthy bodies.

Spend time looking over the food that you are consuming. If they are high carbohydrate foods plan ahead and either brush right after consuming them or avoid them altogether. While some carbohydrates are essential to fuel your brain, simple carbohydrates turn to high sugar foods.

While it can be easy in our day – to – day busyness to forget the importance of keeping our smile healthy, they can last a lifetime without major dental procedures when we make the health of our smile a top priority.

For more information on healthy dental habits, contact Dr. Judy Strutz and her team!

7 Dental Health Risks You Might Be Taking Every Day

It can be easy to take your smile for granted. You wake up, maybe brush for two minutes, maybe you decide to wait till after breakfast. You might forget even altogether in the rush of the morning. We always assume that our smile is going to carry us through and we’ll just get things done the next time. But here are 7 dental risks you make be taking every day that are causing problems for your smile.

1.     Not brushing in time. When you consume high sugar foods or drinks and high carbohydrate foods, the length of time that the substances stay on the surface of your teeth the longer the opportunity for problems to arise.

2.     Consuming food that is too cold.  

3.     Not flossing. Removing food from between the gums is essential to your gum health. If you’re starting to see your gums bleed during routine brushing and flossing sessions that can be the sign of worse things to come.

4.     Chewing on Ice can damage the enamel causing cracked and broken teeth.

5.     Consuming less than 8 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

6.     Eating foods that are high in acid.

7.     Consuming several sodas, a day.

Your dental health is so critical to your body health. Keep your smile in great shape and kick these habits to the curb.

Don’t Wait!

Tongue and lip tie problems could be impacting your student and now is the time to get it checked out. So what are the signs? Tongues that are not released often result in children with orthodontic needs. Also, many times the effect of having a tongue tie shows up in posture and the relationship of jaw. These possible signs could mean a tongue tie is impacting them.

Students who are learning to read and talk need to be able to move their tongue in the proper position in order to be able to say certain words and to pronounce certain sounds. When the tongue tie is tight, it inhibits them from being able to pronounce the words they need to in order to do the job they need to do. This can lead to read difficulties and other speech concerns as they get older. If left untreated, students who struggle to read are more likely to have behavioral challenges in school as well.

The technology today for these procedures is far more advanced then it was a few years ago.

So, don’t waste time, get your child’s tongue tie checked and help them get back on track with their education. For more information or to schedule your consultation, contact Dr. Judy Strutz and her team.

Are You An Adult That Stutters?

You may have had a stutter throughout your entire life that impacts your social life now. Maybe you have found ways to get around it and work through it, until you are in the middle of a bunch of people staring at you. It is okay, there now may be a procedure that can help. If you have tried other things and stuttering is still a problem you are facing, contact Dr. JudyStrutz and her team and schedule a consultation for Lip or Tongue tie laser surgery.

It was believed a few years ago that lip and tongue ties only impacted babies when they were breastfeeding, but recent research shows us that not only can a tongue tie that goes untreated cause problems for a little one trying to learn to read and talk, it can have long lasting problems for individuals as well, and one of those problems is stuttering.

The piece of skin that holds the tongue down is necessary so that there is structure in place and that your tongue just doesn’t flop around in your mouth, but when this tissue is too tight, it can lead to a host of problems for individuals. New laser procedures can help release this and allow you to live the life you have wanted, free of stuttering.

For more information or to schedule a consultation, contact Dr. Judy Strutz and her team today.

Don’t Take Your Smile for Granted

It may have been awhile since you really took a step back and evaluated the health of your smile, but it is critically important that your teeth and gums are in great shape. Often times people go to the doctor and get regular check-ups. You may spend time working out, or eating right, but then forget to floss on a regular basis. Or you skipped that pesky dental appointment because something more fun and exciting came up, but it is important not to skip these appointments, in fact they are essential to your health.

The health of your teeth and gums can impact the entire body and while more and more research has been conducted on this, they are finding there is more than a correlation to heart disease and periodontal disease. Why spend hours ensuring you eat the right food and exercise if you are not going to spend the time taking care of your teeth and gums also?

Next time you feel like skipping the floss, or run out the door and decide against going to the dentist, think about the fact that your smile is the backbone to your health. Without teeth you cannot consume the foods that you enjoy. Bleeding gums and bad breath can lead to a breakdown in relationships and lead to depression. Don’t take your smile for granted.

For more information on how to keep your smile healthy, contact Dr. Judy Strutz and her team.

Step Back & Relax

Life is stressful enough, you don’t want to be more stressed when you have to get that crown done or that broken tooth fixed. Thousands of patients a year skip their dental appointments due to anxiety and fear around visiting the dentist. Now is your chance to change all that. You don’t have to be afraid because you can apply these 5 tips to control your dental anxiety.

1. Take a step back and imagine the most calming place that you have ever been. Research shows that visualization can help put your mind into a state of relaxation and enjoyment.
2. Listen to calming music before and during your visit. There is no reason for you to be in a state of fear. Sit back, relax and enjoy the blissful sound of waves or a mediation.
3. Do something that relaxes you before your visit. You don't’ want to do something that is over exciting, but you also don’t want to sit around thinking about the upcoming appointment.
4. Tell your dentist. You are not alone in this and therefore, there is no reason to go through this by yourself. Enjoy a calming and relaxing chat with your dentist so they know what is going on with you.
5. Go for a walk. Walking can help to increase endorphins and decrease negative emotions.

This dental visit is critical. For more information on how to decrease your dental anxiety. 
Contact Dr. Judy Strutz and her team.

Tips To Decreasing Your Fear

Cosmetic dental teams sometimes get a bad rap, but they are the quiet heros behind the scene cheering your healthy habits and your smile on. They are the ones that can help you to become the best version of yourself because the health of your body starts with your smile. If you have broken or damaged teeth, or periodontal disease, these problems can drastically decrease not only the health of your smile, but negatively impact your organs as well.  We also understand the fear you may have about visiting the cosmetic dentist is real, so here are 5 tips to decrease your fear at the dentist.

1.. Schedule your appointment in the morning. This gets it out of the way and doesn’t give you much time to dwell on the fear you feel.

2.Before your appointment do something calming, such as listening to music, taking a bath or going for a walk. Anything that is going to refocus your mind on happy thoughts.

3. Tell your dentist. You do not have to carry this burden of fear alone. They can help you through this in order to ensure you have the least amount of anxiety going into the procedure as possible.

4. Take care of your smile in between visits. Brush, floss, and eat healthy foods. This can help decrease the procedures you need to keep your smile looking great.

5.Get to know your dental team and the procedure you are going to have done. This can help put your mind at ease.

Dr. Judy Strutz and her team always enjoy helping patients achieve the look they are going for with their smile. For more questions about how to manage your dental fears contact Dr. Strutz and her team.

A Letter from Your Smile to You

  

A recent dentist was asked, “What do you think my teeth would say if they could talk?” So, here’s a letter from your teeth to you,

Dear human, I know your life is so busy and you always assume I will be there for you, but unfortunately because you only spend quality time brushing two to three weeks before that crucial dental appointment and your flossing routine is even more sparse, I may not be able to stick around for long.

I remind you of your habits by causing you minor pain but even that doesn’t seem to change your habits or perceptive. I love you and it will be hard for you at first, but you must first repay me in better ways. This neglect I feel is causing me to bleed. Soon, it will be inflammation city and once that sets in, there will be a need for more serious smile fixes to get us back on track.

I see your pain and sadness when you hide me from the world and as you walk by the mirror. I want to be healthier for you but the sugar levels in the soda that you are consuming is so acidic and it is wearing me down. Take a deep breath today and get us back on track, by keeping your dental appointments and taking better care of me.

For more information, contact Dr. Judy Strutz

Do You Take Time For Your Smile?

It may be the last thing you think of after a crazy busy day, or in the morning when you are trying to get ready, but keeping these 5 rules at the forefront of your brain can change your dental routine to improve the health of your smile.

1.     Always brush your teeth at least 2x a day. Your teeth deserve to be free of food debris. You are really only committing to 4 minutes a day to this routine. You can do anything for 4 minutes a day.

2.     Floss isn’t recommended because you dentist is trying to trick you into spending 2.00 dollars on floss. It is the only way to keep your gums healthy and looking fantastic.

3.     Show it off. Your teeth work hard every day for you. Don’t hide them behind your lips, sharing your toothy smile more not only improves your mood but it also improves the day for others around you.

4.     Think about your teeth throughout the day and reward them by drinking water. Water helps to rinse leftovers from your teeth so you don’t get embarrassed when you smile in that business meeting with lettuce stuck to your teeth.

5.     Schedule and keep you dentist appointments. Your smile would like to be out with friends, but your regular dental commitments are a sure way to keep your smile looking awesome in order to do just that.

Your teeth are really designed to last a lifetime, don’t cut their life short with unhealthy dental habits. For more information on improving your smile, contact Dr. Judy Strutz and her team.

Love Your Smile From The Inside Out

Did you know that the health of your body is contingent on the health of your smile? By loving and taking care of your dental health, it can help keep your liver, heart and other organs working to their full capacity. It can be easy to take shortcuts with your dental health not realizing that over time not brushing and flossing actually is a contributing factor of heart disease.

Eating and consuming healthy foods is a great way to fuel your smile and your body. The water from the fruit and vegetables can rinse carbohydrates and sugar from your tooth enamel in between brushing and are essential for healthy bodies.

Spend time looking over the food that you are consuming. If they are high carbohydrate foods, plan ahead and either brush right after consuming them or avoid them altogether. While some carbohydrates are essential to fuel your brain, simple carbohydrates turn to high sugar foods.

While it can be easy in our day – to – day busyness to forget the importance of keeping our smile healthy, our teeth can last a lifetime without major dental procedures when we make the health of our smile a top priority.

For more information on healthy dental habits, contact Dr. Judy Strutz and her team!

7 Daily Habits

It can be easy to take your smile for granted. You wake up, maybe brush for two minutes, or maybe decide to wait until after breakfast. You might forget altogether in the rush of the morning. We always assume that our smile is going to carry us through and we’ll just get things done the next time. But here are 7 dental risks you make be taking every day that are causing problems for your smile.

1.     Not brushing in time. When you consume high sugar foods or drinks and high carbohydrate foods, the length of time that the substances stay on the surface of your teeth provides a longer opportunity for problems to arise.

2.     Consuming food that is too cold.  (example)

3.     Not flossing. Removing food from between the gums is essential to your gum health. If you’re starting to see your gums bleed during routine brushing and flossing sessions that can be the sign of worse things to come.

4.     Chewing on Ice can damage the enamel causing cracked and broken teeth.

5.     Consuming less than 8 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

6.     Eating foods that are high in acid. (example)

7.     Consuming several sodas a day.

Your dental health is so critical to your body health. Keep your smile in great shape and kick these habits to the curb.

Protect Your Teeth With A Mouthguard for Bruxism

Bruxism is also known as grinding. When someone bites down and moves the surface of their upper teeth across the surface of their lower teeth it is called Bruxism, or grinding and it can be very damaging to your smile. While you may be inclined to run to the store and find the cheapest mouthguard you can, getting one from the dentist that is a proper fit is a better and safer idea.

Having a proper fitting mouthguard can ensure that your airway stays open properly when you are sleeping. Having a mouthguard that is too big can cause problems breathing and one that is too small may not prevent you from grinding your teeth.

A proper fitting mouthguard can also ensure that it is giving you the right protection. If you have a mouthguard that doesn’t fit your smile, you may still be grinding different surfaces causing damage that breaks or cracks one of your teeth. It can seem like a great idea to get a cheaper one from any store, but having a proper fitting mouthguard will better in the long run.

For more information on Bruxism and mouthguards, contact Dr. Strutz and her fantastic dental team.

Protect Your Toothbrush

Keeping your toothbrush dry and clean is essential to ensure it is capable of doing its job correctly. Do you know that your toothbrush is one of the most critical tools to keeping your body healthy? Without it so many things can go wrong, including dental decay, periodontal disease and other dental problems that are costly to repair. Here are 4 tips to keeping your toothbrush in great shape.

1. Always keep it away from other hygiene products. If your toothbrush is touching other items in a drawer it is more likely to get bacteria or other germs on it that will stay in the bristles until the next time you brush.
2. Keep it dry. Bacteria grows on the bristles when it is wet. This then can be transferred to your mouth as you are brushing.
3. Change out your toothbrush every six months at least. It is no coincidence that dental appointments for cleanings are two times a year and during this time you get a new toothbrush. Feel free to use it, that is why your dentist gives it to you.
4. Rinse any leftover toothpaste off of your toothbrush. Leftover toothbrush can have other bacteria and items stick to it. Keeping it clean will help prevent other bacteria being left behind when you brush.

Following these 4 tips will help you keep a healthy smile. For more information on healthy dental habits contact Dr. Judy Strutz and her team.

Is Stress Impacting Your Smile?

You may feel the stress of the day in your entire body. Your muscles may be tight, you may feel overly tired, and when you shrug your shoulders all you feel may be tight muscles pulling on everything. There are some other symptoms that you may not notice right away but could be impacting you as well. Have you heard of Bruxism?

Bruxism is grinding of your teeth at night or during the day. When your body is stressed out, this can seep into your nighttime habits causing extreme wear and tear on your jaw, teeth and overall smile.

If you wake in the morning and your jaw is sore, or you have cracked or broken teeth and you didn’t recently get into a competitive sport, we highly recommend that you contact Dr. Judy Strutz and her team in order to see if you are impacted by grinding your teeth at night. Don’t panic if you do however, there are plenty of options that can fix your smile.

For more information on Bruxism contact, Dr. Judy Strutz and her team!

Take A Break From The Hectic Pace Of Life

Do you find yourself running around all summer? Are you shuttling your children from one sport to a lesson of sorts to a play date to a water park to keep them busy and out of the house. You may find in the summertime your pace is more hectic than during the school year. Perhaps now is the time to take a deep breath and schedule a much-needed cosmetic dental appointment that you have been putting off. Climb into the comfortable chair, sit back, relax and let Dr. Judy Strutz and her team take care of you for a while. It can be so easy to get caught up in what everyone needs around us that we forget to take care of ourselves, but your dental health is critical to the health of your entire body and you do not have a better time than now to take care of it.

You may think that sitting in the dentist’s chair is not exactly the relaxing experience that you had in mind, but here are 4 reasons why Dr. Strutz and her team are worth the summer break.

1.     You do not have to look at your phone, answer an email or a text for the entire time of your visit. It’s okay, we give you permission to shut it off, read a book while you wait, or just close your eyes and bask in the quiet.

2.     You get to sit in a comfy chair with quiet. The chairs recline and all you have to do is sit back.. Someone is there for you to just recline you to luxury.

3.     You do not have to talk until the visit is over.

4.     Your smile will feel pampered and better when you leave, giving you an opportunity to share it with the world.

What are you waiting for? Schedule your appointment today and take a break from your daily businesses.