Everyone I know is complaining about the color of their teeth. They’re too yellow, they’re too brown, they’re not white enough.

When I ask, “When was the last time you had your teeth cleaned?” they can’t remember.  A friend said, “The teeth cleaning strips aren’t working and if they work at all, they leave vertical whitish lines on my teeth.”

1. Get your teeth professionally cleaned just before you get a whitening treatment.
2. Whitening a decaying tooth can allow the peroxide to sink into a cavity, causing nerve damage.
3. If your teeth are professionally cleaned first, there’s no tartar or plaque to interfere with the bleaching process.
4. Your teeth might be so white after a professional teeth cleaning that you won’t need a whitening treatment.

If you haven’t had your teeth cleaned this year, make your appointment now and make your next appointment before leaving the dental office.

What I know for sure is that it’s all connected.

Saundra Goodman
Got Teeth? A Survivor’s Guide
How to keep your teeth or live without them.
www.gotteethguide.com

Researchers have found that people tend to miss appointments for life-saving procedures like a mammogram, colonoscopy, and skin cancer screenings. Dental appointments can be life saving, too.

If you’re not consistent about keeping appointments, you can begin by choosing a memorable date. Any date reminiscent of time passing (two weeks before or after your  birthday, Christmas, Hanukkah, or New Years) can remind you to take care of yourself.

Bleeding or painful gums should not be the reason you make a dental appointment. Make your appointment before it’s too late.

What I know for sure is that it’s all connected.

Saundra Goodman
Got Teeth? A Survivor’s Guide
How to keep your teeth or live without them.
www.gotteethguide.com

Dental and periodontal cleanings help keep your teeth and gums healthy.

The bad news is that millions of Americans have lost their jobs along with their dental and health insurance. COBRA benefits are unaffordable for most people who can’t afford to pay out of pocket to see a dental professional even once a year.

The scary news is that there are hundreds of discount dental providers using scare tactics and jockeying to get your money. Know what your money is buying. Read the fine print.

The good news is that AARP’s Dental Insurance Plan offers three (3) free dental or periodontal cleanings every year. Rates average around $43 per month for single coverage with discounted premiums for two people and families. Plan prices, like all dental coverage, vary by state and region. [Read more →]

 Change a habit and stop drinking all sodas, including diet soda. Soda contains phosphoric acid that can make your teeth and bones soft. Dr. Robbin Quarterman, DMD, suggests that drinking soda may do as much damage as cigarettes to your teeth. Dr. Quarterman also suggests avoiding beverages high in salt.

Water, green tea, coffee, and lemonade with natural sugars may help you maintain healthier teeth. Prevention is a critical aspect for healthy teeth.

Water and green tea are my favorites. Okay, once a year on a special occasion I might have a soda, but only if ice cream accidentally falls into a glass of root beer  – and that hardly ever happens.

Keep smiling.

Saundra Goodman
Got Teeth? A Survivor’s Guide
How to keep your teeth or live without them.
http://www.gotteeth.blogspot.com/ for your Free Tips.

This year has been stressful and financially difficult for many of us.

In keeping with the holiday spirit, I want to express my gratitude for you, my readers. Your questions and comments let me know that I’m on the right track and that my subject is appreciated.

Share your smile with everyone. It will make you feel better.

Saundra Goodman
Got Teeth? A Survivor’s Guide
How to keep your teeth or live without them.
www.gotteethguide.com for your Free Tips.

If you don’t eat fresh fruits and vegetables, take vitamins to supplement your diet.

If you have, or will soon have dental or periodontal surgery, it is especially important to include Vitamin B-12 and Vitamin E.

1. Vitamin A: Beef, eggs, liver, salmon, shrimp, fortified milk, cheddar cheese and Swiss cheese.

2. Vitamin C: Bell peppers, broccoli, potatoes, spinach and fruits and fruit juices (especially citrus). Studies have revealed that people who consume less of Vitamin C tend to be 25% more likely to suffer from gum disease.3. Vitamin D: Fortified cereals, fortified milk, fatty fish (helps absorb Calcium).

4. Calcium: Cheese, fortified juices, milk, tofu, salmon, sardines with bones, yogurt, and leafy green vegetables (including broccoli and kale, but not spinach or Swiss chard, which have binders that lessen absorption). 99% of the calcium in your body is your bones and your teeth. Dietary calcium is needed to make sure they’re in good shape.5. Phosphorus: Almonds, broccoli, eggs, dairy products, green peas, fish, liver, meat, milk, potatoes, and poultry.

Keep smiling.

Saundra Goodman
Got Teeth? A Survivor’s Guide
How to keep your teeth or live without them.
http://www.gotteethguide.com/

More than 30 million denture wearers in the United States didn’t see a dental professional in time to save their teeth: 75% of new patients don’t know they have gum disease until they are diagnosed.

Don’t ignore the warning signs of gum disease:

1. Red, swollen or tender gums.
2. Gums that bleed when you brush (pink in the sink).
3. Recurring bad breath. [Read more →]

In 1960, Squibb introduced its Broxodent electric toothbrush to the United States.

In 1961, General Electric launched its cordless, rechargeable toothbrush, which was “more popular with consumers because of the lessened risk of electric shock.”

More than 50 styles of electric toothbrushes have been marketed. Clinical tests continue to maintain that electric toothbrushes are no better at cleaning teeth than properly used conventional toothbrushes (but it feels like they are).

Keep smiling.

Saundra Goodman
Got Teeth? A Survivor’s Guide
How to keep your teeth or live without them.
www.gotteethguide.com for your Free TIps.

You’ll get better results for energy expended if you brush your teeth for two full minutes at least twice a day.

Use a kitchen timer. Two minutes is longer than you think. This tiny change can improve your dental health.

If you have a full upper or lower denture, you only need to brush for one minute.

Keep smiling.

Saundra Goodman
Got Teeth? A Survivor’s Guide
How to keep your teeth or live without them.
www.gotteethguide.com

You have the right to be treated respectfully.

If you’ve had a bad dental experience, if you feel you are not getting proper treatment, are being treated roughly and/or disrespectfully, or you have any reservations for any reason about your dentist, your periodontist, or your prosthodontist, get another opinion but don’t put off treatment.

Be as proactive with your dental professional as you would be with your doctor, lawyer, or broker and tell him or her about any symptoms you’ve noticed.

You may be able to save your teeth and a great deal of money and heartache if you act immediately.

What I know for sure is that it’s all connected.

Saundra Goodman
Got Teeth? A Survivor’s Guide
How to keep your teeth or live without them.
www.gotteethguide.com