Welcome to the Salins Orthodontics Blog! We hope that you enjoy our posts and maybe even learn a little bit about...well...everything! We will explore the world of orthodontics, tell fun and interesting stories and share a bit of our fun personality. Please feel free to interact, ask questions, make comments and share your insight!

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Researchers say the best teeth whitener is fruit


A recent study by Harvard University revealed that eating fruit daily is the best way to whiten teeth. Through a three-month clinical study, it was determined that strawberries, orange peels, and lemon juice are the most effective teeth whiteners in the world.

Strawberries can be made into a puree and smothered on the teeth.
Strawberries have a natural enzyme that removes tooth stains, according to TeethWhitener.net. Orange peels can be used to remove tooth stains, just by rubbing the inside of a peel against tooth surfaces.
A little lemon juice and salt work very well to remove stains just wash your mouth out with this, or even rock salt and warm water will work at night to remove stains.

Baking soda has long been known to work wonders for smiles. It may taste awful, however adding baking soda on a toothbrush along with mouthwash can help alleviate the negative taste. Also a strawberry mixture added to baking soda/peroxide not only adds a sweet taste to the concotion, but is yet another effective whitener.
It is best to not drink coffee, tea, colas or red wine, which are all known to stain teeth and cause some decay of the enamel. Apples and potatoes can cause discoloration, but they also tend to clean off the teeth. Mouth washing is important after eating apples.

Also, stop or slow down tobacco use, as both dipping and smoking can cause tooth discoloration. Avoid mouthwash, as it sometimes will stain teeth. Finally, remember that an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure. Going to the dentist once or twice a year for a cleaning and checkup is strongly suggested.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Smoke Screen with Dr. Salins


Everybody knows that smoking causes lung cancer, but did you also know that smokers and tobacco are susceptible to a variety of oral health problems at a faster rate than non-smokers?

It’s true! Smoking is responsible for almost 75% of gum disease in adults; and, similar to smokers, adults who smoke pipes and cigars, as well as those using smokeless tobacco, are just as susceptible to gum disease and other tobacco related health problems.

As soon as you use tobacco products, you become more likely to experience any of these oral-health problems:

• Oral cancer
• Gum disease
• Tooth loss
• Loss of bone in the jaw
• Gum recession
• Delayed/impaired healing process after oral surgery or any other treatment
• Decreased success rate of dental implant (tooth replacement) procedures
• Mouth sores
• Loss of your sense of taste and smell
• Bad breath
• Tooth and tongue stains

If you are interested in protecting your oral health we strongly recommend you quit using tobacco products! The following steps are recommended by the Surgeon General to help you quit smoking and using tobacco:

• Get ready – set a quitting date and remove all materials from your home, car and office
• Get support
• Learn new skills and behaviors
• Get medication and use it correctly
• Be prepared for relapse or difficult situations

For support, start with Salins Orthodontics We can help by recommending different options to help you quit, and above all we will support you throughout the quitting process. We are dedicated to helping you protect your oral health – and quitting smoking is significant step in the right direction.