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Posts for: June, 2019

By Bruce A. Leonard, DDS
June 28, 2019
Category: Oral Health
Tags: oral health  
4WaysDairyCanBoostOralHealth

Dairy foods have played a role in human diets for thousands of years. More than one kid—whether millennia ago on the Mesopotamian plains or today in an American suburb—has been told to drink their milk to grow strong. This is because milk and other dairy products contain vitamins and minerals that are essential for a healthy body, including healthy teeth and gums. In honor of National Dairy Month in June, here are four ways dairy boosts your oral health:

Dental-friendly vitamins, minerals and proteins. Dairy products are an excellent source of many vitamins and minerals that are important for good dental health. They are packed with calcium and phosphorus, two minerals that work together to strengthen tooth enamel. In addition to the vitamins they contain naturally, milk and yogurt are fortified with vitamin D, which aids in calcium and phosphorus absorption; cheese contains a small amount of vitamin D naturally. What's more, dairy proteins have been shown to prevent or reduce the erosion of tooth enamel and strengthen the connective tissues that hold teeth in place.

Lactose: a more tooth-friendly sugar. Sugars like sucrose or high fructose corn syrup, which are routinely added to processed foods, are a primary trigger for tooth decay. This is because certain oral bacteria consume sugar, producing acid as a by-product. The acid weakens tooth enamel, eventually resulting in cavities. Dairy products—at least those without added sugar—are naturally low in sugar, and the sugar they contain, lactose, results in less acid production than other common sugars.

The decay-busting power of cheese. We know that high acidity in the mouth is a major factor in decay development. But cheese is low in acidity, and a quick bite of it right after eating a sugary snack could help raise the mouth's pH out of the danger zone. Cheeses are also rich in calcium, which could help preserve that important mineral's balance in tooth enamel.

Dairy for gum health. A study published in the Journal of Periodontology found that people who regularly consumed dairy products had a lower incidence of gum disease than those who did not. And since gum health is related to the overall health, it's important to do all we can to prevent and manage gum disease.

For those who cannot or choose not to consume dairy products, there are other foods that supply calcium naturally, such as beans, nuts and leafy greens—and many other foods are fortified with calcium, vitamin D and other nutrients. It may be wise to take a multivitamin or calcium with vitamin D as a supplement as well.

If you would like more information about nutrition and oral health, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Nutrition & Oral Health” and “How to Help Your Child Develop the Best Habits for Oral Health.”


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By Bruce A. Leonard, DDS
June 18, 2019
Category: Dental Procedures
5WaystoaBeautifulWeddingDaySmile

Since the early Roman times, couples have prized the month of June as the most favorable time to exchange their marriage vows. If you and your betrothed are planning a June wedding this season, you no doubt want everything to be beautiful. That would include your smile—and with the appropriate techniques we can help you make it as bright and attractive as possible.

Here are 5 ways to a more attractive wedding day smile.

Dental Cleaning and Teeth Whitening. A routine dental cleaning right before the ceremony can remove stains and dental plaque that dull your teeth's appearance. For an added level of brightness, we can also whiten your teeth in time for your big day.

Repairing defects with bonding. Do you have a chipped tooth, or a broken or discolored filling? We may be able to repair minor defects like these in a single visit by bonding lifelike dental materials directly to the tooth. We color-match and sculpt these materials so that they blend seamlessly with your natural teeth.

Advanced enhancements. In whatever ways your teeth may be flawed, there are dental solutions to transform your smile. We can correct minor to moderate chips, stains or slight gaps with porcelain veneers that cover the teeth's visible surface. We can cap a viable but unsightly tooth with a life-like crown. Missing teeth? A fixed bridge or dental implants could restore them like new.

Plastic gum surgery. Teeth may be the stars of your smile, but your gums are the supporting cast. Smiles with too much of the gums showing can be corrected through various techniques, including periodontal plastic surgery that reshapes the gums and can help the teeth appear more prominent.

Orthodontics. The original "smile transformer," braces and other orthodontic methods move misaligned teeth to better positions. Not only can orthodontic treatment result in a more attractive appearance, it can improve overall dental health.

You have an array of options for enhancing your wedding day smile, and we're more than happy to help you develop an individualized treatment plan. One caveat, though: some of these techniques could take weeks or months to complete, so don't delay!

If you would like more information about what you can do to have the most attractive smile for your wedding day, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Beautiful Smiles by Design” and “Planning Your Wedding Day Smile.”


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By Bruce A. Leonard, DDS
June 08, 2019
Category: Oral Health
Tags: celebrity smiles   retainer  
FanofSuperheroFilmBlackPantherBreaksSteelWirewithHerMouth

Some moviegoers have been known to crunch popcorn, bite their fingers or grab their neighbor’s hands during the intense scenes of a thriller. But for one fan, the on-screen action in the new superhero film Black Panther led to a different reaction.

Sophia Robb, an 18-year-old Californian, had to make an emergency visit to the orthodontic office because she snapped the steel wire on her retainer while watching a battle scene featuring her Hollywood crush, Michael B. Jordan. Her jaw-clenching mishap went viral and even prompted an unexpected reply from the actor himself!

Meanwhile, Sophia got her retainer fixed pronto—which was exactly the right thing to do. The retention phase is a very important part of orthodontic treatment: If you don’t wear a retainer, the beautiful new smile you’re enjoying could become crooked again. That’s because if the teeth are not held in their new positions, they will naturally begin to drift back into their former locations—and you may have to start treatment all over again…

While it’s much more common to lose a removable retainer than to damage one, it is possible for even sturdy retainers to wear out or break. This includes traditional plastic-and-wire types (also called Hawley retainers), clear plastic retainers that are molded to fit your teeth (sometimes called Essix retainers), and bonded retainers: the kind that consists of a wire that’s permanently attached to the back side of your teeth. So whichever kind you use, do what Sophia did if you feel that anything is amiss—have it looked at right away!

When Black Panther co-star Michael B. Jordan heard about the retainer mishap, he sent a message to the teen: “Since I feel partly responsible for breaking your retainers let me know if I can replace them.” His young fan was grateful for the offer—but even more thrilled to have a celebrity twitter follower.

If you have questions about orthodontic retainers, please contact our office or schedule a consultation. You can read more in the Dear Doctor magazine articles “The Importance of Orthodontic Retainers” and “Bonded Retainers.”


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