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.