You knew regular cleanings with your dental office promote good oral hygiene, but did you know it can also prevent a multitude of diseases? That 2 o’clock chair-side rendezvous may not seem nearly as exciting as a late lunch with a friend, but it will be well worth it in the end. Here are 10 really great reasons to stick with your regular cleaning schedule! You should see your dentist at least every 6 months for a full cleaning. Your dentist can use specialized instruments and can review your dental records and health history to make specialized recommendations. Although this can be expensive, regular visits to your dentist will cost you much less than having expensive work such as crowns or root canals performed–both of which can be prevented by good oral hygiene. Your dentist can also give you special fluoride treatments, toothpaste or fluoride pills to help strengthen your teeth.

1. Helps in Preventing Oral Cancer. You may or may not realize that you’re screened for oral cancer during your regular dental cleaning. According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, an American dies of oral cancer every hour of every day. It’s a sad proposition, especially when you consider that it is highly curable with early diagnosis.
2. Fight Off Gum Disease. Gum disease, or an infection in the gum tissues and bone that keep your teeth in place, is one of the leading causes of adult tooth loss. It can be treated and reversed if diagnosed early. Unfortunately, not receiving treatment will lead to a more serious and advanced state of gum disease. Regular cleanings and check ups and daily brushing and flossing are key weapons in the fight against these conditions.
3. Goes Beyond Your Mouth. Sure, not getting regular check-ups may make you less kissable, but did you know that studies have linked heart attacks and strokes to gum disease associated with poor oral hygiene? A trip to your dentist every 6 months could reduce your risk of serious health problems!
4. Preserve Your Smile. As mentioned, gum disease is one of the leading causes of tooth loss in adults. To keep your pearly whites intact, stick with your cleaning schedule.
5. Detect Dental Problems Early. We’ve already touched upon early detection of gum disease and oral cancer, but don’t overlook more basic dental problems. Cavities and broken fillings are easy to treat. Without regular trips to the dentist, these problems can lead to root canals, gum surgery and tooth extraction.
6. Know You’re Doing it Right. Maybe you bought a fancy new electric toothbrush, or aren’t keeping up with what current research has to say about caring for your teeth. You should brush your teeth at least twice a day for 2 minutes at a time. You get best results when using an electric or ultrasonic toothbrush. Use a toothpaste approved by the American Dental Association. Look for toothpastes that contain fluoride, which helps strengthen teeth and prevent cavities. Brushing is an important step because it freshens breath and eliminates unsightly plaque (clumps of mouth bacteria). This boosts confidence and can even make you more likely to succeed in romance and in your career. Either way, check ups allow your dentist to examine your mouth and keep you on the right path.
7. Dental Insurance. Consider how much money you put into your insurance plan. Take advantage of it and save a lot of money in the long run by avoiding costly procedures that result from poor dental habits.
8. Prevent the Worst. If you’re already suffering from tooth decay or gum problems, regular appointments will allow our office to create a personalized treatment plan that will give you the best smile possible.
9. Show Your Best. Regular cleanings remove most tobacco, coffee and tea stains, polishing your teeth to a beautiful shine!
10. Get Some Me Time.  The time you spend in the waiting room and chair is really your time. You can forget about the office or the stresses of family life and just relax. Read a magazine or work through a crossword if you want. Take advantage of the time you’re given, rather than worrying about how to fit it in your tight schedule. Your health and well-being should never take a back seat to your daily planner.

If it’s been more than 6 months since your last check up and cleaning, call your dentist to schedule an appointment today!

Sources: http://www.1st-dentist.com/dentalhygiene/article146.htm

             http://www.ehow.com/facts_5163384_importance-teeth-cleaning.html

We all know that flossing is important and is something that we should teach our children. This article will give you some ideas and when and how to introduce flossing to your children. Because flossing removes food particles and plaque between teeth that brushing misses, you should floss for your children beginning at age four. They will require supervision and assistance until they are about 8 years old. Regular tooth brushing and flossing are important for maintaining healthy teeth and gums. The best way to insure that your child maintains good oral health through adulthood is to establish their oral hygiene routine early.

Flossing should be performed at least once a day and should take about two minutes. Speak to your child’s dentist for specific suggestions about how and when to begin teaching your child to floss.

Floss comes in many colors and flavors, so it is a good idea to let your child pick one that they like. By making flossing something exciting to look forward to, you will increase the chance that your child will maintain the habit.

Three Easy Steps to Help Your Child Floss

Step One. To begin flossing, have your child cut off a piece of floss approximately 18 inches long.

Step Two. Have them wrap the ends around their middle or index fingers on both hands.

Step Three. Next, have them gently guide the floss between their teeth, carefully moving the floss around the tooth and under the gum line. Make sure they floss between the gum line and the side of each tooth.

Your dentist may also suggest that you use a prethreaded flosser or floss holder to make it easier for your child to maneuver floss around teeth. These can be found in almost all stores.

Source: http://www.1800dentist.com/school-age-kids-dentistry/kids-and-flossing

We want to help make your efforts to create fresh material for your Dental Health Month presentations easier so we have gathered a few videos that we hope you will find inspiring.

 Cullen’s ABCs is a top producer of children’s educational videos on Youtube and we are proud to have our StarSmilez products featured in many of Cullen’s oral health lessons.

Selected below are three very short videos about dental visits, brushing and cavities that can help you develop your own talk for children’s dental health month.

 You could even choose to present these videos in from of a classroom before presenting your very own Allie Gator to the classroom.

 Above all have fun teaching and your audience will have fun too.

Dental Visit

Cullen’s demonstration and discussion of the process which your dental office will go through in cleaning a child’s teeth.

Click Here to See Video

Brushing

A short and entertaining demonstration of proper brushing techniques for children using Allie Gator

 Click Here to See Video

Cavities

A discussion and demonstration of both the process and the logic behind filling cavities

Click Here to See Video

Each February, the American Dental Association (ADA) sponsors National Children’s Dental Health Month (NCDHM) to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. The American Dental Association held the first national observance of Children’s Dental Health Day on February 8, 1949. This single day observance became a week-long event in 1955. In 1981, the program was extended to a month-long celebration known today as National Children’s Dental Health Month.

Since 1941, the observance has grown from a two-city event into a nationwide program. NCDHM messages reach millions of people in communities across the country and at numerous armed service bases abroad. Local observances often include poster, coloring, and essay contests, health fairs, free dental screenings, museum exhibits, classroom presentations and dental office tours

Keeping a healthy smile starts with your child’s first tooth. February is a good time to make sure your kids have regular checkups and are brushing two to three times a day. The American Dental Association recommends that children have their first visit to a dentist by the time they get their first tooth or by the time they are a year old.

Whether you’re a member of the dental team, a teacher or a parent, You can find free online resources that can help you with oral health presentations, ideas for the classroom and coloring and activity sheets that can be used as handouts. We have posted some activities below:

Crafts to Make:

• Draw an open mouth shape on paper, outline the mouth with pink glue (gums),    and stick white beans onto the glue (teeth).
• Make a collage using pictures of mouths cut out of magazines. 
• Try your hand at Toothbrush Painting.

Other Things to do:

• Do you know why we need teeth?
• What do you think would happen if you never used a toothbrush to clean your teeth?
• Have you ever lost any teeth? Do you know why?
• Why are teeth important?
• Take a field trip to a dentist office.
• Go to the store and pick out your own sample-size toothpaste and toothbrush.

Sources:

• http://familycrafts.about.com/library/spdays/blfebmon2.htm
• http://www.ahealthyme.com/topic/kidsdentalmonth
• http://www.ada.org/prof/events/featured/ncdhm.asp
• http://www.sccds.org/public/resourcesfordentalcare/TeachersResources/dentalhealthmonth.asp