Floss the teeth you want to keep!

A dentist inspires Nick Crocker to start the useful habit of flossing. In this video, the speaker discusses his difficulty in establishing this daily habit. How are habits developed (why are healthy habits so difficult to begin)? Enjoy!

Nick Crocker - Floss the Teeth You Want To Keep from Steven Dean on Vimeo.

First Aid for Seizures

My co-resident Ji Won had a memorable appointment a few years back by a patient with a history of seizures. The patient had a seizure during the dental procedure which certainly came as a surprise to Ji and the dental assistant. Ji handled it very professionally, and as our residency was based out of a hospital, the patient was given medical attention immediately.

I ran across this video that gives instructions for First Aid for Seizures on an epilepsy website based in the UK. This video is for the general audience, is approximately two minutes long, and well worth every second.

A Dental Poem by Dr. John Celes

Natural teeth are best for men;
See the dentist now and then;
Don’t eat more of sugar stuff;
Don’t chew tobacco or puff!

Brush your teeth, both morn and night;
Wear your dentures, smooth and light;
Floss your teeth to rid off food;
Keep your oral hygiene good.

Extract teeth that hurt the cheek;
Let gums not bleed nor turn weak;
Rinse your mouth after a café;
Keep your God-given teeth safe.
Do not drink hot tea / coffee;
Do not eat sweets like toffee;
Let your breath be fresh and free;
Keep your teeth strong and healthy!

Pay It Forward

This is a heart-warming news story about a dentist who helped out his fellow man.


The article talks about a man, Wayne Sabaj, who found $150,000 in his backyard and turned the money into the police. Now, when asked what he would do if he had that kind of money, he responded that he would get his teeth fixed! The article then turns to a dentist, Dr. Xhelo Shuaipaj, who was touched by the story, and offered to provide free dental work to Mr. Sabaj as a way to 'pay it forward.'

Enjoy the article, and don't be too shocked with the photos of Mr. Sabaj's teeth.









This is surprisingly not that uncommon. Remember that my best advice for preventative dental care and healthy teeth is to eat healthy, avoid tobacco, to thoroughly floss all of your teeth once per day, and to brush for two minutes at a time, twice per day. Also, don't forget your 6-month dental check-ups!

Seneca Nation

I'm excited to be starting my new job for the Seneca Nation, through Indian Health Services!

Tips for Healthy Teeth

The February 2011 edition of AGD Impact gave a list of 10 Ways to Treat and Prevent Tooth Decay, that I would like to share. The list was developed by Brian Novy, a dentist who won the 'ADA Adult Preventive Care Practice of the Year Award' in 2009.
1) Increase the amount of the amino acid arginine in your diet. Foods high in arginine include spinahc, soy, seafood and nuts.
2) Brush with baking soda (it is the least abrasive substance for brushing your teeth).
3) Apply fluoride and chlorhexidine varnishes onto exposed roots of teeth.
4) Suck on Salese(TM) lozenges (they contain xylitol which has anti-cavity properties, and baking soda).
5) For people with dry-mouth, offer prescription pilocarpine lollipops (this drug is a cholinergic agonist that is used to encourage saliva production).
6) GlyLic lollipops (they contain a compound from licorice root that fights bacteria causing cavities and periodontal disease).
7) Xylitol (a natural sugar alcohol sweetener). Chewing gum such as Trident and Orbit contain xylitol.
8) Rapid diagnostic tests for cavities (for instance, saliva analysis kit & monoclonal antibody test developed by GC America).
9) Alter the doses of fluoride in your home prevention regimine (brush with only baking soda for a week, then return to fluoride tooth-paste).
10) MI Paste (also developed by GC America), contains calcium & phosphate, is applied topically to the teeth, and combines with your saliva to help recalcify demineralized areas on the surfaces of the teeth.

Free sample!

For anyone who grinds their teeth at night who is looking for inexpensive treatment, Plackers is offering free samples of their 'Grind-No-More Dental Night Protectors.' I haven't used this product before, so I'm not really recommending it per se, but I can certainly appreciate free samples! The first 10,000 orders are free. If anyone orders and uses this product, let me know how it worked for you.