A Testimonial From a Happy Sleeper

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Sleep apnea is a breathing disorder than can interfere with your sleep. Your airwaves may become blocked while you sleep, offsetting your sleep-wake cycle and causing health problems. Fortunately, Dr. Stewart can help relieve your sleep problems by providing personal service to you and adjusting his treatments to solve your needs. Here’s one testimonial from a now-happy sleeper.

“Dr. Stewart,

I want to first thank you for your wonderful service. I’ve had severe sleep apnea for over nine years and have been using a mask with my CPAP machine. At a visit with my sleep apnea doctor, I explained how well the CPAP has been working for me, but that the mask sometimes puts pressure on my head and causes me to wake up with headaches. He suggested that I see a dentist that specializes in sleep apnea, because they made a dental appliance that had an attachment that would connect to my machine and my nose to replace my mask.

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Mouthwash Is Not Just For Your Mouth

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Mouthwash is an antiseptic that kills the bacteria in your mouth to leave your mouth fresh and clean. Dr. Stewart can show you how to incorporate oral rinsing into your hygiene behaviors. Keep the bottle handy, because you can also use the same mouthwash for other cleaning and medical uses.

  • Bruises: Mouthwash’s antiseptic properties promote faster healing. To help reduce the appearance of an ugly bruise, just dip a cotton ball in mouthwash and rub it on the area.
  • Itchiness: Poison ivy and bug bites can be painful, itchy, and very uncomfortable. Mouthwash will help dry out the infected area to make the healing process quicker. In addition, it will relieve the itchiness.
  • Sanitizer: The antiseptic properties don’t just work in your mouth. You can use mouthwash to clean and disinfect cuts, scrapes, and wounds. If your hands smell bad from cooking, cleaning, or any other activity, wash them with soap, water, and mouthwash to help mask the smell.

filed under: General, Healthy Living

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The Legend of the Tooth Fairy

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With the holidays right around the corner, everyone is talking about Santa Claus. But what about our other favorite character? When you lose a tooth, you are visited by a fairy who replaces your tooth with money. You may remember getting a few coins as a child, but in recent times, the Tooth Fairy is paying an average of $2 per tooth. Where did the tooth fairy legend originate?

Who is the Tooth Fairy?

Santa Claus lives in the North Pole with Mrs. Claus, has elves and reindeer to help him, and even has an established look. The Tooth Fairy, however, is based on individual imaginations. The fairy made her first appearance in the 1900s. The Tooth Fairy is most commonly believed to be a beautiful, small woman with wings, a magic wand, and a crown. When you place a lost tooth under your pillow at night, she comes in while you’re sleeping and replaces it with a reward. Since losing teeth is often a scary experience for young children, the prize helps make the process more fun. The Tooth Fairy is believed to have two different uses for teeth. One myth says that she turns teeth into stars in the sky, and the other says she uses the teeth she collects to help build a castle.

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How Much Do You Care About Your Smile?

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Do you skip your dental appointments with Dr. Stewart because you don’t have time or can’t afford it? Your teeth are not a luxury. Keeping a healthy smile is important to keep your mouth and overall body strong. Believe it or not, many people choose to neglect their dental health and spend their time and money on other luxuries, treats, and other less important habits.

If you find $100, what would you spend it on?

Americans spend about $2 billion on Halloween candy each year. It’s a little ironic that this is equal to the amount spent on dental products each year. About $1.8 billion is spent on toothpaste, $775 million on toothbrushes, and $885 million on oral antiseptics. It makes sense because you have to clean away all the candy you’ve eaten.

When you meet someone, what do you notice?

Usually the first thing someone notices about you is your eyes, followed by teeth and then hair. Since teeth seem to be more noticeable, you would think people would want to spend more money to make them look good. However, Americans only spend about $50 billion a year in the dental industry, including treatments and cleanings. On the contrary, $100 billion is spent in hair care.

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Licorice Helps Fight Cavities

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You may remember eating licorice candy as a kid. Licorice is used to flavor and sweeten candy, tobacco, and beverages. While you have probably heard that these sweet treats are bad for you, studies have found that compounds isolated from licorice root can actually be beneficial.

Protecting your mouth

Licorice candy is made from the dried root of the licorice plant. Extracts from this root have two compounds that can help inhibit the growth of Streptococcus mutans, the bacteria responsible for causing tooth decay. Chewing licorice root stimulates saliva and helps keep bacteria from sticking to your teeth.

In addition, licorice root extract can help cure canker sores. The herb’s main therapeutic compound, glycyrrhizin, has anti-inflammatory properties. Coating injured mouth tissues can help reduce pain and regenerate tissue cells to promote quicker healing.

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National Cocoa Day

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After spending a day outside in the cold weather, you’re going to want to warm up your body with a cup of hot cocoa. On December 13, you should celebrate National Cocoa Day by learning about the tooth benefits and risks of your hot beverage, and visiting Dr. Stewart to make sure your teeth stay protected.

What is cocoa?

Cocoa is the dried, fermented seeds of the cacao tree. It takes about 300 to 600 cocoa beans to make just two pounds of chocolate. When you grind the seeds, it turns into a cocoa powder that can be used to make hot chocolate or baked goods.

Benefits of cocoa

Compounds in the cocoa bean husk have antibacterial agents that can help fight bacteria and plaque in your mouth. When you eat a piece of chocolate, the antibacterial agents can help protect your mouth from the sugar in the same product. Chocolate is also good for your heart, because flavonoids have antioxidants that help control your blood flow. Polyphenols in chocolate also help lower your blood pressure. Dark chocolate has a higher concentration of cocoa in it than milk chocolate, so it contains more of the beneficial antioxidants and compounds.

Also, cocoa butter is a common moisturizing treatment extracted from cocoa beans. Your lips and skin are prone to drying out in the winter time. Look for a lotion or moisturizer with cocoa butter in it to help keep your body smooth.

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National Hand Washing Awareness Week

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, “The most important thing you can do to keep from getting sick is to wash your hands.” The first full week of December (4-10) is National Hand Washing Awareness Week, a campaign focusing on hand washing at the beginning of flu season. Use this hand washing guide to keep your hands clean and prevent the spread of infection.

Why hand washing is important

  • One in three E. coli outbreaks is caused by poor hand washing by food preparers.
  • Germs are spread from unclean hands to food, and then to those who eat the food.
  • Germs can be spread from uncooked foods, like raw meat, to the hands, then from hands to other foods, like salad.
  • About 1/3 of American adults don’t wash their hands after using the restroom.
  • Less than half of Americans wash their hands after cleaning up after pets.
  • Only one in three people wash their hands after sneezing or coughing.
  • The biggest problems with hand washing are not using soap and not scrubbing long enough.
  • Hand washing can help prevent the spread of illnesses and bacteria.

The main principles of hand washing

  • Wash your hands when they are dirty.
  • Wash your hands before eating.
  • Do not cough into your hands.
  • Do not sneeze into your hands.
  • Do not put your fingers into your eyes, nose, or mouth before washing your hands.

When to wash your hands

  • Before, during, and after preparing food
  • Before eating
  • Before and after treating a wound
  • After using the toilet
  • After changing diapers
  • After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
  • After touching garbage
  • After touching an animal
  • After handling money
  • After touching many items in a public place (shopping, gym, playground, etc.)
  • After caring for someone who is sick

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Teeth Chattering in the Cold

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The cold weather is upon us, and you need to keep your body warm. When you’re cold, you may notice your body shivers and your jaw shakes, causing your teeth to bump against each other. This action, called chattering, helps your body stay warm.

What is chattering?

The hypothalamus part of your brain helps keep your body temperature steady at 98.6. When your body temperature drops to make you feel cold, your brain sends a message to your body to warm up. Muscle contractions help restore your body heat and produce shivering. Your lower jaw shakes and moves up and down, and when your teeth knock against each other, it produces a noise called chattering, which is your mouth’s way of shivering.

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filed under: Family Dentistry, Healthy Living

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10 Tips to Avoid Over-Indulging This Thanksgiving

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Overeating makes you feel sick, sluggish, and uncomfortable. After eating your large Thanksgiving meal, you may feel too full – and if you keep overindulging on leftovers, treats, and holiday sweets, you might pack on the holiday pounds. Here are 10 quick tips to help you avoid overindulging on Thursday and throughout the season.

  1. Watch what you eat. Many Thanksgiving foods are healthy for you, like cranberries, pumpkin, and turkey. Just be careful that you don’t cover the healthiness by adding sugar and butter. Most of your Thanksgiving selections should be whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Opt for fresh roasted veggies and fruit salads. When cooking traditional casseroles, use light versions of the ingredients and cut back on the butter and sugar. And remember, eat your turkey without the skin! 
  2. Don’t go hungry. Eat something before you head to the dinner party, so you won’t feel as hungry. Small, healthy meals throughout the day will prevent you from feeling starved and needing to overfill your stomach.
  3. Don’t snack. While eating beforehand is a good idea, don’t graze between meals or while waiting for food to cook. A healthy appetizer is fine, but calories and fat from snacking all day can add up fast. Snacking also gives the food more time to attack your teeth.
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The Legend of the Wishbone

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As a kid, did you always fight over the turkey wishbone so you could pull it apart and make a wish? This common Thanksgiving tradition has a story behind it.

What is the wishbone?

The v-shaped bone rests over the breastbone of a bird, like the collarbone in a human. It is most commonly found in the chicken and turkey. When one person pulls on each side of the bone, it will break and one piece will usually be bigger.

Why do we break the wishbone?

The tradition follows the idea that whomever gets the bigger piece of the bone gets “the lucky break,” or a wish that will come true. The ancient belief was that chickens were fortune tellers, and wishing on their clavicle would bring good luck. (more…)

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