Energy, Health, Smiles, & White Peach Tea.  Sodas, energy drinks, and coffee are being consumed in record-breaking numbers. Our society absolutely craves energy boosts to get us through our “lives on the go”. Let’s face it…most of us are addicted to caffeine and will consume it in one way or another at some point every day!

So here’s the question: Is there a way to obtain your caffeine fix that’s actually good for you?

Actually….Yes. Ever thought about a good cup ah’ tea?

Energy, Health, Smiles, & White Peach Tea

Tea typically contains more caffeine than a coke, but less than a brew of coffee. It is also sugar-free, unless you choose to add some. Tea has long been known to have many systemic health benefits including: decreasing your risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, and boosting your immune system. More recently though, tea has been linked to GREATER ORAL HEALTH.

White tea is the least processed form of tea. Basically, the leaves are picked, dried, and that’s it. Because of this, it is the most antioxidant-rich tea there is, even more antioxidants than green tea. Recent research has found that consuming white tea can help prevent cavities and periodontal disease by suppressing the growth of cavity causing microbes and interfering with the bacteria’s ability to stick to teeth. People who drank a cup of tea or two between meals were found to have lower bacterial counts and less plaque than those who did not. A caffeine fix that promotes oral health….a dentist’s dream! The other great news is that white tea is not going to cause erosion of the teeth and unlike coffee and darker teas, white tea will cause minimal to no staining of those pearly whites.

There are many options for obtaining that small boost throughout your day. Consider replacing some of your other options with a nice cup of white tea. Not only will it give you a dose of caffeine, it will promote overall systemic and oral health.

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Do Cavities Hurt? Yes, no, sometimes, always, never…it just depends. They are different for everyone. Cavities in Hoover AL dental patients do not present with any symptoms until they are quite large.

In fact, I have seen many teeth with cavities so large that they were abscessed and yet there was never any pain or sensitivity present. Of course there are those on the complete other side of the spectrum as well.

My wife is a great example. She told me she had a cavity about a year before I could detect anything (and we use magnified vision and the most modern equipment to detect cavities). Some people are just like that though. One of the biggest complaints I have as a dentist is when I get the response, “it doesn’t hurt.”

I can detect a cavity and even show pictures, x-rays, etc to the patient, so they can see the cavity for themselves and then the response I get is: “it doesn’t hurt.” And this is used in the context of, “it doesn’t hurt, therefore it doesn’t exist.” This is very poor reasoning.

Cavities Hoover Dental Patients

I believe it doesn’t hurt…it may never hurt, but there is a problem that needs addressed while it still can. There are so many factors involved that determine whether or not there will be pain associated with a cavity. So the presence (or absence) of pain should never be the deciding factor.

One of the biggest struggles I face as a dentist is the daily battle to convince people that they need to floss. I tell patients that if they are not flossing, then about 40% of their teeth surfaces are not getting cleaned.  Flossing in the shower can be an easy remedy.

I tell them that bacteria are just continually sitting there breeding, eating, and growing. I tell them about the cavities, periodontal disease, bad breath, and systemic complications that not flossing leads to. Rarely does this pleading make a difference.

People know they need to floss more and they know the reasons why; they just aren’t doing it. Why? It’s mostly because they haven’t taken the time to make it a habit. Will power alone will only get people to floss regularly for a very short period of time. They have to form a habit, so it becomes a natural part of their daily routine.

So what do I suggest? Well, here’s one idea:

Flossing In The Shower.

Here are a few reasons why:

1. Showering is most likely a natural part of your daily routine. By flossing in the shower you can “piggyback” onto this already natural habit in order to develop a new one.

2. By sitting a floss package in your shower it will stay visible and remind you that it needs to be done.

3. People often feel that they do not have time to floss. I can relate to this. However, people rarely feel rushed in the shower. If you don’t feel rushed, you are more likely to do the things you need to do.

I know it sounds kind of goofy, but give it a try. The result could literally be life-changing.

Hoover Dental X-rays are a crucial part of diagnosis and treatment in oral health.  Dental x-rays allow a dentist to view structures that are not visible to the naked eye.  This could be, because they are between teeth, under soft tissue, or within the bone.  Having  x-rays taking, some conditions can be detected or diagnosed.

Hoover Dental x-rays help check for:

• Cavities
• Periodontal Disease
• Infections and abscesses
• Cysts
• Tumors
• Cancer

What about the radiation?

In addition, with advancements in technology, especially digital systems, x-rays require very low dose radiation.  A typical dental x-raytaken digitally exposes a patient to less than 0.5 mrem.

Finally, to put things in perspective, an average resident of the U.S. receives over 360 mrem every year from background sources. This comes from all over the place: outer space, radioactive materials in the earth, small amounts of radioactive material in foods and products that we use, even over people. Variances in lifestyle likewise cause variances in each individual’s total exposure. For example: an individual who flies often is exposed to more background radiation than someone who does not.

Why are dental x-rays important

You should always limit x-ray radiation exposure, when possible. Dental x-rays are very low dose and are crucial for proper diagnosis. By being proactive, x-rays can detect much of the oral cavity in your mouth.