Reasons to Smile About Soup

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The weather is turning colder, and you may want to warm up your body with a nice bowl of soup. Approximately ten billion bowls of soup are consumed in the U.S. every year, most of which are consumed in January for National Soup Month. Although we only celebrate it in January, there are many benefits to eating soup all year long.

Convenient

The Greeks began selling soup on the street in about 600 B.C. They added peas, beans, and lentils to a bowl to make it a type of “fast food.”  Soup is quick and easy to eat because it’s usually already made for you. Most soups come in a can and just need to be heated up. You can also stock up when they go on sale for the winter, because soups tend to last a while in your pantry. Homemade soups are also convenient. You can just throw all your favorite ingredients into a pot, heat it up, and you’re ready to go. In contrast, many other “fast foods” are loaded with sugar and carbs that are bad for both your smile and your waistline.

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filed under: Healthy Living, Nutrition

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Tongue-Tying Twisters

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Your tongue is an important part of your oral health. It’s useful for tasting, swallowing, chewing, cleaning your teeth, and speaking. Almost half of the bacteria in your mouth and 90 percent of your taste buds live on the surface of your tongue. Although your tongue is the most flexible muscle in your body, sometimes it doesn’t shift fast enough, leaving you tongue-tied.

A tongue twister is a phrase or sequence of words that uses alliteration and rhyme. It is often difficult to pronounce quickly without blundering. Certain sound sequences require your tongue to change positions very quickly, and when trying to repeat the phrase your tongue begins to slow down. Some tongue twisters are used for games to produce amusing results and confusion. They can be used as a competition to see how many times you can repeat the phrase quickly without stumbling.

Tongue twisters are also used for articulation and learning purposes. Public speakers and actors may repeat an alliterated phrase several times to get their tongue flowing so they don’t flub their lines. People with speech difficulties may also use tongue twisters to practice their pronunciation and certain sounds.

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filed under: Just for Fun, Oral Health

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Happy Holidays From Your Dentist!

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Dr. Stewart and our team want to wish you a Happy Holidays filled with friends, family, fun, and smiles!

Remember to choose tooth-friendly treats and protect your smile through your holiday activities.

After your celebrations, be sure to stop by our office for a cleaning and checkup to keep your mouth safe into the New Year. It’s also a great time to maximize your insurance benefits before they reset, and get a jump start on using your freshly renewed benefits come January 1st. Call us today to reserve your appointments for 2012. The earlier you call in to schedule, the more likely you are to get the timeslots that fit into your busy lives.

Happy Holidays from Dr. Stewart and our team!

filed under: Dr. Stewart, Just for Fun

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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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filed under: Just for Fun

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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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