Flossing - Yes you need to floss!

Here's a tip on flossing from me: It takes 21 Days to make a habit, so..... need I say more. Do you shower once a day? Or at least 3-4 times a week? Get a suction-cup mirror and stick it in the shower. Leave your floss in the shower on the shampoo rack and floss in the shower as part of your daily hygiene regimen. Give it a try and see if you can make it a routine. Overall health will improve, and you'll have more energy by reducing inflammation in your body.


AGD:FACTSHEET Compiled for you by the Academy of General Dentistry


FLOSSING

Do I really need to floss?

Yes! Floss removes plaque and debris that sticks to teeth, polishes tooth surfaces, and controls bad breath. Flossing is the single most important weapon gainset plaque and, in some ways, more important than the toothbrush. By flossing your teeth daily, you increase the chance of keeping them for a lifetime and decrease the chance of getting gum disease. Many people don’t spend enough time flossing and many never have been taught the proper way to fl oss. Floss at least once a day and spend at least two or three minutes.

Which type of floss is the best?

Dental floss comes in many forms: waxed and unwaxed, flavored and unflavored, wide and regular. They all clean and remove plaque. Wide floss, also known as dental tape, may be helpful for people with a lot of bridgework and is usually recommended when the spaces between teeth are wide. Waxed floss might be easier to slide between tight teeth with very little space between. The unwaxed floss, however, makes a squeaking sound to let you know your teeth are clean. Bonded unwaxed floss does not fray as easily as regular unwaxed floss, but does tear more than waxed floss.

How should I floss?

The spool method: Take an 18-inch piece of floss and wind the bulk of the floss lightly around the middle finger. (Don’t cut off your finger’s circulation!) Wind the rest of the floss similarly around the same finger of the opposite hand. This finger takes up the fl oss as it becomes unusable. Maneuver the floss between teeth with your index fingers and thumbs. Bring the floss up and down several times forming a “C” shape around the tooth being sure to go below the gum line.

The loop method: This method is suited for children or adults with less nimble hands, poor muscular coordination or arthritis. Take an 18-inch piece of floss and make it into a circle. Tie it securely with three knots. Place all of the fingers, except the thumb, within the loop. Use your index fingers to guide the floss through the lower teeth, and use your thumbs to guide the floss through the upper teeth, going below the gum line forming a “C” on the side of the tooth.

Do I need a waterpick?

Waterpicks should not be used as a substitute for brushing and flossing. They are effective, however, around orthodontic braces that retain food in areas a toothbrush cannot reach. Unlike
flossing, waterpicks do not remove plaque. Dentists frequently recommend waterpicks for people with gum disease.

Steens Mountain Camping

We made it to see the Wallowas in July, and then over Labor Day, made it to the Steens. Phenomenal scenery - caught some fish from the float tube in Fish Lake. Other than the washboard gravel road that rattled my teeth and a few screws loose on the tent trailer, it was a great trip.

I Need Your Help! In-office Dental Implant Training Candidates needed!

I have finally decided to begin placing dental implants in my office. I waited until we had enough patients in our practice to start offering this service, and we have reached that benchmark. I diagnose quite a few implants, because of their extremely high success rate over the long term.

WHAT IS A DENTAL IMPLANT? Well, the picture to the left is what an implant looks like typically. If you are missing a tooth, the implant is placed gently where the root of your tooth was and is allowed to heal for a period of time before a crown is placed on top of it. A simple, beautiful solution because the teeth on either side of the missing tooth are not damaged. Implants would be my first choice WAY before a bridge for this reason. Implants do not get cavities, and success rates are near 99% at the 10 year mark, making it the most successful process in dentistry for the long term. They also are used to support dentures and can help them "click" or "snap" into place. This is a life changing process for denture wearers (or sufferers). Did you know that implants for denture wearers actually stops the bone loss and associated facial shrinkage that occurs after tooth loss?!

I need your help to get the ball rolling. I must identify 24 implant cases amongst our patients. The beauty of this process is that the implants are actually placed here in my office, AND I will be doing them at a HUGE DISCOUNT. The savings will be roughly $500-$1000 compared to the typical cost.

If you have any friends or relatives that are missing one or more teeth, or have loose dentures they hate wearing, I want to see them! I can do a free consultation which will take approximately 40 minutes to see if they're a candidate for dental implants. Thanks for your help! I am so excited to start offering this amazing service - I've been feeling like a little kid in a candy store since making the decision! :)

Back from Wallowa Lake Vacation

Other than 9 hours to get there with a fairly cooperative baby girl that cried off & on, our first visit to Northeastern Oregon was phenomenal. We stayed for 5 nights in Wallowa Lake Campground, complete with playground, water bumper cars, arcades, restaurants, and the town of Joseph only 6 miles away. Breathtaking views from every vantage point, and I woke early each morning and caught one fish each day out of the South Wallowa River. Perfect weather - their warmest week of the year and we didn't see a single cloud. Reminded me of when we have visitors to Bend on the nicest days and they think it's like that all the time. The locals of Joseph were very friendly and we liked this camping trip better than last year's to Yosemite. Enjoy your July 4th weekend & be safe!

Mountain Biking from Swampy to Home

Here's a short video of my Monday biking excursion: Swampy Snow Park to Swede Ridge Shelter to Shooting Star Shelter to Upper & Lower Whoops to Kent's to Ben's to Phil's TH and then 2 miles home. Great day today.