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The Smiles For Everyone Foundation believes in improving people’s lives through dentistry – if you recall, I wrote about our mission trip to Paraguay a few months ago where we did just that by providing basic dental services to underprivileged children in orphanages and nutrition centers.

This spring, we’re renewing that promise with our next mission trip to Thailand. We’ll be going to Chiang Rai, bringing a team of dentists and employees to provide support to the children of the surrounding communities. We’ll work with the local medical teams there and leave behind equipment that will help keep kids’ mouths healthy for the long term.

We truly feel it is both our individual and our collective responsibility to extend our mission beyond the walls of our dental offices. By traveling to Thailand and visiting local communities with little or no access to proper dental care, we really can bring smiles to everyone.

I’m looking forward to sharing more from my trip, as well as some photos from the experience. Check back soon for more.

That one aisle in the supermarket sure can be intimidating. You know which one I mean – the one with all the different kinds of toothpaste. Whitening! Cavity prevention! Minty fresh! Organic! At any one time, retailers will be selling 300-400 different kinds of toothpaste. It’s hard to know which one to pick.

Well, here’s the big picture truth from a dental professional – it doesn’t really matter which kind you buy, as long as you use it regularly to keep your teeth clean.

Secondarily, look for one with fluoride – that’s what prevents cavities – and the American Dental Association seal. Those both tend to be a good sign that it’s a worthwhile product to purchase.

Beyond that, it comes down to preference. If there’s a certain flavor you like (or can’t stand), look for that. If whitening your teeth is a priority for you, there’s no harm in opting for a whitening type. If you have sensitive teeth, look for a toothpaste that caters to that need. And some folks really like the feeling of baking soda-based pastes – if so, nothing wrong with picking up that kind.

Ultimately, the brand doesn’t matter either – what matters most when picking a toothpaste is whether or not you’re going to use it twice a day, every day.

While marijuana won’t have as dramatic, serious effects on your teeth as a drug like methamphetamines, it can still mean bad news for your oral health. Similar to smoking tobacco, regular marijuana smoking can cause gum disease and other dental health issues.

For example, Tetrahydrocannibol (THC), the main ingredient in marijuana, is known to interfere with the process of calcium absorption. Healthy teeth need calcium to stay strong, and long-term use of marijuana can lead to decay or tooth loss.

Other studies have shown that heavy marijuana use can more than triple the likelihood of gum disease, which as we know can lead to all kinds of medical problems like cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Habitual marijuana users are also more likely to consume large quantities of sugary or fatty foods while not following up with proper oral care, which can also lead to cavities and periodontal disease.

The risks for your dental health are simply not worth the temporary high.

There are so many options out there that are quick and easy to throw into our kids’ lunchboxes in the morning, so it’s easy to find ourselves relying on pre-packaged items that are full of preservatives and other additives that are not only unhealthy, but negatively impact kids’ teeth as well. Teaching them to eat well while they’re young is one of the best ways I’ve found to inspire them to be healthy eaters as adults. All it takes is a little extra thought and planning to make those lunches healthy and yummy for your kids.

One of the most successful tips that I almost always recommend as a first step towards creating healthy eaters is to pack your kids’ lunches at night. We all know how rushed mornings can be, and even with the best of intentions, sometimes we find ourselves running late and running out of time. In this case, one of the first things that often falls by the wayside is the kids’ lunches. We either give them lunch money, and we all know how that can turn out, or we throw some of those easy, pre-packaged items into their lunchbox. Planning ahead and packing lunches the night before can dramatically increase your kids’ chances of eating well the next day.

Having some go-to lunch ideas can make the process even easier. I’ve listed several ideas below that are easy to make the night before and will keep your kids healthy and happy. Now go get rid of those bags of cookies and chips!

• Tuna salad wrap with light mayonnaise and pickles
• Egg salad sandwich on whole grain bread
• Peanut butter, cashew, or almond butter with a 100 percent fruit spread on whole grain bread
• Sliced deli meat with light mayonnaise, mustard, and a slice of cheese.
• Leftovers from last night’s dinner. If theyloved it, serve it again!

Any other lunch ideas you’d like to share? We’re always looking for healthy,

We often think about what to pack for our children for lunch, but what about what we pack for our own? Many Americans don’t pack a proper lunch, which leaves them to choose unhealthy options like fast food or vending machine munchies. Not only are these option unhealthy, they can also really put a strain on your pocket book. Consider this, if you spend just $7 per day on lunch, (and good luck finding lunch for just $7) it will cost you $35 per week, $140 per month and $1,680 for year! That’s even taking weekends and vacation days into account.

Here are a few things you can try to keep your costs low and your health high:

1. Try packing the night before. If you’re anything like me, there’s never enough time in the morning to prepare a healthy lunch. Try packing what you plan to bring the night before so you can just grab it and go.

1. Make enough dinner for leftovers. The great thing about leftovers is that they require almost no extra effort; just add a little more to your recipe. When you put away the food after a meal, just portion-out enough for lunch in a separate container so it’s easy to grab in the morning.

Have other ideas for lunch? Share them in the comments below.

The most common thought people have when they damage a tooth is, “Now what?”

Thankfully, tooth injuries are fairly uncommon, but you need to know what to do when one occurs. 

Start by assessing the damage. If it’s only chipped, there is probably no need for immediate concern; however, you should still call your dentist to schedule an appointment to get it looked at. Keep in mind, some of the damage may not be visible without an X-ray.

If the tooth is severely fractured to the point of exposing the dentin, (the inside of the tooth) call your dentist immediately. Whatever caused the fracture may have also loosened the tooth, so avoid chewing on that side until you have seen the dentist.

If a permanent tooth is knocked out, you need to act quickly! The root of a tooth begins to die within minutes, so time is of the essence. Rinse the tooth with clean water (or milk, believe it or not) and place it back in the socket. Take care to only handle the tooth by the crown. If it is too painful to place in the socket, hold the tooth inside your cheek until you get to the dentist. Needless to say, call your dentist and head to their office right away.

It seems like not so many years ago, the oral hygiene section at the store consisted of just toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss. Fairly new to the “toothpaste aisle” is the wide variety of tooth whitening treatments. Trays, strips, toothpastes, mouthwashes, gels; there are almost enough options to fill an entire section, and those are just the over the counter options. You might think that all these treatments do the same thing, but they don’t. Before you choose a teeth whitening treatment, consider the following:

There is no such thing as the “best” option. The ideal option varies from person to person, because not everyone has the same stains, nor the same goals. For example, some people simply want to lighten their smile a few shades and will get satisfactory results with an inexpensive, over the counter treatment. On the other hand, if you have spot-stains, lightening treatments can sometimes make those problem areas look even more noticeable rather than less. 

Before you go out and try a whitening treatment, ask your dentist for their advice. They can assess any stains or shading and recommend the right treatment based on your specific smile and goals.

Every dental hygienist has heard this phrase: “I don’t floss very often, but I use mouthwash.” While mouthwash is great, it is not a substitute for proper flossing. One has nothing to do with the other. Mouthwash is great for rinsing away food particles missed by brushing and flossing, it fights cavity causing bacteria and freshens your breath, but it’s just one part of the equation.

Mouthwash is just one of the many tools that can help reduce your risk of gum disease by fighting plaque causing bacteria, but it can’t do it alone. Be sure to choose a mouthwash that’s ADA approved, and use it at least once per day. If you have children, they should be using it too. Just make sure you choose a mouthwash that’s safe for their age.    

Mouthwash does a lot, but make sure you understand what it doesn’t do. It cannot remove food particles that are wedged between your teeth, nor adequately clean the surface. As I said, mouthwash doesn’t replace your other oral hygiene tools like a toothbrush and floss. To be fair to my patients, mouthwash commercials are partly to blame for the confusion. The way it looks in the commercials, you would think 30 seconds of swishing and gargling is about the same as a dental visit. It’s not.

There are few things more frustrating than trying to brush your teeth with braces. Trust me, I feel your pain. Wires, rubber bands, spacers and the various appliances orthodontists use are a real challenge to brush around. As frustrating as it can be, though, proper care is the only way to ensure a healthy, bright smile at the end of your orthodontic treatment.  Remember if plaque doesn’t get adequately removed throughout the course of braces, the teeth around the bands may actually get discolored so the beautiful smile that you were hoping to create may need additional work.

Try these five tips to make the process easier:

1. Floss first. By flossing at the beginning of your teeth cleaning, you’ll ensure that food particles are cleaned from between your teeth and brushed away immediately after. If you save flossing for last, these particles can get caught in you braces and remain until your next brushing.  

1. Use your regular brush before your proxabrush. Even though you’ll miss the places between your braces, your primary toothbrush will get most of the surfaces and help dislodge particles that are wedged under your wires.

1. Use your proxabrush every time. The proxabrush, (sometimes called a Christmas tree brush) is not just for removing hard to dislodge particles, it is an essential tool for cleaning the surfaces between your braces.

1. Invest in a power toothbrush! These brushes are designed specifically to help you reach those hard to reach areas and there are a lot of those when you have braces. There are several different types of power tooth brushes on the market so ask you dental professional which one is best for you.

Everyone loves gadgets and ortho patients are no different. There are several “tricks of the trade” available that will make your life (and flossing) a lot easier so be sure to ask your dental professional before frustration sets again.

Though it may take some getting used to, with a little practice you’ll soon be brushing almost as fast as you did before braces.