Acid Erosion! Learn How to Avoid It.

The main focus of dieting for dental health tends to be to avoid sugar. However, it is also very important to limit the amount of acidic foods and drinks in your diet in order to protect your teeth from erosion. Access Dental and Dentures is has the best dental clinics in southern Missouri, and we are here to help identify some common foods and drinks that may be causing acid erosion of your tooth enamel. We also have some great tips to help you know if this is happening to you, and how to prevent it. Keep reading to learn more!

Acidic Drinks

Soda

Carbonated drinks are notorious bad for your health. Not only are they full or artificial flavors and coloring, they also contain a significant amount of harmful sugars and acid. The acid in soda is incredibly harmful to teeth and makes regular and diet soda equally as bad for your dental health. Instead of ordering soda at the restaurant, try replacing it with water or another less-acidic beverage.

Juice

Juice might seem healthy because it comes from fruit, but it can actually be deceiving. Juice from the grocery store is concentrated and high in sugar and acidity. Instead of drinking a glass of apple juice, try eating fresh apple slices to give yourself a boost without the adding calories, sugar, and tooth-destroying acid. 

Food & Other Acid Sources

Citrus

Citrus fruits (lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit, etc.) can have a lot of overall health benefits, but they are also very high in acid. This acid can erode the enamel on your teeth, causing them to be sensitive and more prone to cavities. To get the health benefits of these fruits without causing too much damage to your teeth, try drinking water when you eat them. Drinking water can help to wash away some of the acid so your teeth aren't exposed for as long.

Sweets

Who doesn't love treating themselves every once in a while? While some treats are okay in moderation, an excessive amount of sweets is very bad for your teeth. Sour candy can be particularly bad because of the high levels of acid used to make that sour taste. Sugar itself is bad enough, but it can also cause more issues by providing food to acid-creating bacteria in your mouth.

Stomach Acid

This is clearly an acid that you want to avoid. If you get frequent upset stomachs or acid reflux, then your enamel could be suffering from erosion due to the additional exposure to acid. If you suffer from these conditions, it is important to seek professional, medical help.

Signs of Erosion

If you consume a lot of acidic foods and drinks as part of your diet, then you could be on the path to some serious dental issues. Check out these signs and symptoms to see if your enamel may already be experiencing erosion. 

• Tooth Sensitivity - Hot, cold, and overly sweet items will cause tooth pain.
• Discoloration - Teeth will become more and more yellow.
• Rounding - Teeth may start to look rounded as corners wear away.
• Transparent Teeth - Teeth might start looking somewhat see-through, especially at the edges.
• Cracks & Cupping - Small cracks and dents may appear on your teeth.

How to Prevent Erosion

To help protect your teeth from acid erosion, try following some of these great tips: 

• RINSE with water when you eat or drink something acidic.
• SIP through a straw so that acidic drinks have less contact with your teeth.
• LIMIT sugar intake so that acid-creating bacteria won't thrive in your mouth. 
• WAIT to brush your teeth. Brushing right after consuming something acidic will scrub the acid into your teeth even more. 
• NEUTRALIZE acidic foods and drinks with foods that are on the basic end of the acidity spectrum.
• WEAKEN drinks that are highly acidic, like juice, by watering them down so they're less intense.
• VISIT the dentist. Regularly visiting the dentist's office for checkups is important to make sure your teeth aren't becoming eroded. 

Your Local Dentist

If you are concerned about the health or strength of your teeth, give Access Dental and Dentures a call. We would love to help educate you on what can help improve your dental health, as well as provide a cleaning and check-up to keep your teeth as healthy as possible. Call today!

We want to be your dentist because your family deserves a great smile! 

1-877-DENTIST

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How to Cultivate Good Habits

We've probably all heard the phrase "practice makes perfect". While it's impossible to be completely perfect with our everyday life, it is important to develop regular, good habits to make sure you are staying as healthy as possible. Access Dental and Dentures prioritizes your health, so we are here to help give you tips on how to create healthier habits in your life. Keep reading to learn more!

Start Small

If you are looking to create a healthier lifestyle, it's important to approach it with the long-term in mind. Take your health journey step by step by tackling one goal at a time. If you try to add a gallon of water a day, 5 servings of fruits and veggies daily, cutting out sugar, exercising for 30 minutes/day, waking up an hour earlier, and more, then it will be very easy for your to get burnt out before you can make a real positive change in your life. 

Instead of trying to change everything at once, start with one small goal. For example: Flossing your teeth every day. We all know that it is an important habit, but it can be one of the easiest to blow off. Make this simple, 5-minute task your first priority for adding healthy habits to your life and see what happens!

Plan for Success

Help remember the habit by giving yourself reminders. Set up alerts on your phone alarm and calendar, or tape notes for yourself in areas you will regularly see them. Visual reminders can be incredibly helpful in keeping you on track.

Replace bad habits with good ones to reduce the temptation of going back to them. Giving up soda and other sugary drinks? Replace that liquid consumption with water. For extra flavor to help prevent boredom, infuse your water with cucumber or lemon and basil. Trade candy for fresh fruit. Berries make a great substitute for that sour candy craving!

Reward each step of the process by keeping track of your new habit with a bullet journal or sticker chart. It may seem juvenile at first, but the feeling you get from regularly rewarding yourself for accomplishing the day’s goal can be a great motivation and reminder to help keep you going strong.

Forgive Yourself

As you set out to start your new habit this season, remember that no one is perfect. If you stumble and drink a bunch of sugary lemonade, or if the day gets away from you and you forget to floss, it’s not the end of the world. Remind yourself why you’re working toward your new healthy habit and get back to killing it the next day. You can do it!

Timing is Everything

Studies have shown that it takes a full 30 days to form a long-lasting habit. During that first month, it is important to perform the habit every day. If you allow yourself “cheat days” within that time frame, it can make it significantly more difficult to solidify the habit.

If possible, perform the habit at the same time every day to get your mind in a subconscious routine. After a month of regularly performing your new habit - say, flossing - it should come naturally!

The Best Local Dentist

Our team knows that changing our bad habits into good ones for the betterment of our health and wellness can be difficult. Especially when donuts taste so good! But, we believe in you. Access Dental and Dentures is the best local dentist for a number of reasons. We have several convenient locations, we can help improve your smile and dental health, and most importantly ... we care about you. Believe in yourself and schedule an appointment with Access Dental to get started on the road to a healthier mouth.

We want to be your dentist because your family deserves a great smile! 

1-877-DENTIST

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Stay Healthy in Every Season!

Staying healthy has been a big theme for 2020, and Access Dental and Dentures is here to help in any way that we can. One important element of staying healthy is controlling the levels of stress in your life. If you are overly stressed for long amounts of time, it can really take its toll on your overall health and wellness. To help you live a happier, healthier life, Access Dental is sharing some tips on how to reduce daily stress and stay healthy no matter the season. Keep reading to learn more! 

Stay Active

Multiple studies have shown over the years that regular exercise helps boost the immune system, improve your mood, and reduce stress. As you exercise, your body releases endorphins - a hormone that can help stabilize your mood and works like a natural painkiller.

Get Sleep and Relaxation Too!

Practicing rest and relaxation can help reduce stress and promote positive feelings. There are several ways you can incorporate more mindfulness into your daily life. Join a yoga class, practice guided meditations with your favorite YouTube channel or podcast, learn deep breathing exercises, or schedule a relaxation massage.

Another great way to relieve stress and ensure your body has enough rest to function at maximum capacity is to make sure you are getting enough sleep. Losing just a couple hours of sleep each night for a week can cause the same level of sleep deprivation as staying awake for 48 hours straight. Take care of your self and make sure you get an average of 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

Learn to Say "No" 

Many people are familiar with the phrase "time is money", but it is actually a lot more than that. Time is one of your most valuable assets, so it is important to protect how you use your time. Know your limits and how much you are capable of before you take on more tasks, responsibilities, and events in addition to your normal routine. If your schedule is full, it's important to be able to harness the power of "no". By saying no to adding more to your plate, you are not being rude or failing as a friend or coworker. You are protecting your time, and in the end, your health.

If you become overwhelmed, don't be afraid to ask for help. Not only will this help you out, but it can also help you and your helper become closer and more connected.

Eat with Balance

Very few people truly enjoy dieting, but when it is done correctly it can vastly improve your life. While strict yo-yo dieting can be harmful, following a more balanced daily diet can help your body stay healthy and more relaxed.

A balanced diet should include your daily recommended amounts of necessary vitamins and minerals. If your body is seriously lacking in those important nutrients, then it can be easy for the imbalance to cause stress and anxiety.

Try to avoid processed foods and empty calories, opting instead for fruits, veggies, and lean proteins. Another ingredient that can increase stress is caffeine. Substitute caffeine-free alternatives to your favorite drinks for a less stress-inducing option.

Best Missouri Dentist

Through the ups and downs, good years and bad, Access Dental and Dentures is here to help you stay healthy. That's why we have so many wonderful clinics located throughout southern Missouri! Take a look at our website to learn more about how we can help you, and to find our dentist office near you!

We want to be your dentist because your family deserves a great smile! 

1-877-DENTIST

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Do I Really Have to See a Dentist?

It is recommended that you see a dentist at least once every six months. But do you know why that is? You may think that you can simply be careful and vigilant in your oral health care at home without visits to the dentist, but there are several reasons why that could be a bad idea. Access Dental and Dentures has the best dental clinics in Southern Missouri, and we are here to help explain why it's important to schedule regular dental check-ups. Keep reading to learn more!

Cavity & Health Check

Even if you consistently brush your teeth twice a day, floss every day, and eat a balanced diet, issues could still arise with your oral health that you may not notice on your own. Your wisdom teeth may be coming in at an angle from the back of your mouth, which can cause jaw pain and shifting teeth. Your brushing technique could be missing between the backs of your molars where plaque and tartar have started to build up. You could be brushing too hard and causing wear and inflammation on your gums. There are a lot of things that could be going on in your mouth you may not realize without a visit to the dentist. 

When you come in for a check-up, your dentist will inspect your teeth and the rest of your mouth to make sure there aren't any issues that need to be addressed. They are skilled at identifying weak spots in teeth where cavities may be starting to form. With a quick examination using simple tools, a dentist can tell you if you have cavities, or if there are any major issues that need to be addressed. 

Thorough Cleaning

At home, you can certainly remove a lot of debris, bacteria, and surface stains that have accumulated on your teeth throughout the day. However, plaque can harden into tartar and then there is nothing you can safely do from home to remove it. Tartar is a hard substance that sticks to your teeth until it is scaled off by a professional. If you try scraping it off yourself, you could very easily scrape through your enamel which would make your teeth even weaker than before and more prone to cavities. 

You dental hygienist will carefully scale off any tartar build up on your teeth, polish them with professional grade polish that helps break up anything stuck to the surface, floss between your teeth to remove any stubborn particles, and leave your mouth feeling fresher and cleaner than any home cleaning ever could.

Visit Your Local Dentist

Going to the dentist might not seem like the top priority, but it is actually incredibly important. Visit a local Access Dental clinic near you so we can help check on your dental health and keep you feeling as healthy as possible. We are here for you to help educate you on proper oral hygiene and health care tips as well as providing the best dental services available in Southern Missouri. Give us a call to set up your next appointment - we can't wait to see you!

We want to be your dentist because your family deserves a great smile! 

1-877-DENTIST

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