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We all know that brushing your teeth and flossing regularly keeps your smile sparkly and bright, but did you realize that cleaning your teeth can actually help your heart? Recent research suggests that people with periodontal disease also have a higher cardiovascular risk, which means they are more vulnerable to heart attacks or stroke. It’s probably not time to throw away those running shoes in favor of a new toothbrush, but this is an added incentive to maintain good oral hygiene.

Relationship between Periodontal Disease and Cardiovascular Health

In 2003, researchers from the University of Buffalo conducted analyses which suggested that patients with gum disease were also at elevated risk of cardiovascular problems. Furthermore, people with more severe cases of gum disease have even poorer heart health. Although the exact causes of this relationship remain unknown, scientists continue to explore the impact of oral hygiene on broader health.

One hypothesis is that poor oral hygiene leads to inflammation, which negatively affects the heart. Gum disease occurs when bacteria build up in the mouth, and feed off sugars found in food. These bacteria release compounds that contribute to inflammation and red, swollen gums. The same inflammatory compounds may affect the heart, increasing overall cardiovascular risk.

Protect Your Teeth, Protect Your Heart

Taking a few commonsense measures can go a long way to improving your oral health and your cardiovascular risk. Consider the following:

• Brush twice daily, and floss at least once per day. Brushing your teeth at least twice a day cleans away the harmful bacteria that contribute to gum disease. Similarly, flossing your teeth ensures that dangerous bacteria that build up between each tooth get swept away. These simple steps are the easiest ways to reduce your risk of periodontal disease.
• Eat healthy foods. Those sugary snacks that you love so much don’t help your teeth. Whenever possible, stick to a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain foods. For example, grab an apple or a few celery sticks for a mid-afternoon snack, rather than indulging in that candy bar.
• Drink water. Staying hydrated doesn’t just help your body – it also swishes bad bacteria away from your tooth and gum surface. Drinking plenty of water improves your overall oral health. It’s particularly helpful after eating a sugary or sticky snack, because water can reduce plaque buildup.
• Visit Elite Smiles Dental. Dr. Dale Scharine and Dr. Mark Pflum and our staff will monitor your mouth for signs of periodontal disease and can make specific recommendations to keep your mouth – and your heart – safer.

When it comes to keeping your smile looking its best, good oral hygiene is a must! Good oral health habits should start early and continue throughout your lifetime. Here, Dr. Dale Scharine and Dr. Mark Pflum and our team at Elite Smiles Dental suggest five habits worth adopting that will help keep your teeth healthy:

• Brush and floss regularly. Brush gently at least twice a day, paying special attention to the gum line to rid your mouth of food and bacteria that may lurk in between your teeth. Floss at least once a day. Replace your toothbrush every three to four months or sooner if the bristles are frayed.
• Make regular visits to see Dr. Dale Scharine and Dr. Mark Pflum. Regular checkups (twice yearly) will help diagnose any dental problems early on when they can be more easily treated.
• Stop smoking. Did you know smokers are four times as likely as nonsmokers to develop periodontal (gum) disease? Tobacco, whether in the form of cigarettes, pipes, cigars, or chewable tobacco, increases oral and throat cancer risks, and raises the risk for candidiasis, an oral fungal infection. Smokeless tobacco contains sugar, which furthers your risk for cavities.
• Limit your alcohol intake. Heavy drinking dramatically increases the risk of developing mouth and throat cancers.
• Eat healthy. Avoid snacking on foods that contain high levels of sugar or starch. We encourage you to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, which are known to help stimulate the flow of saliva to re-mineralize tooth surfaces and neutralize cavity-causing bacteria.

To learn more about the habits you should practice in between your visits to Elite Smiles Dental, or to schedule an appointment, please give us a call today!

Happy Holidays! Our dental office is all decked out for the festive season, as we celebrate both Christmas and New Year.

Please note our holiday hours: We will be closing on Christmas Eve at 1:00 pm and will be closed Christmas Day as well as the day after Christmas. Our office will re-open with regular hours on Mon. Dec. 30. We will be open New Year's Eve until 1:00 pm and we will be closed on New Year's Day. We will re-open with regular hours on Thur. Jan. 2.

If you have an extreme dental emergency over the holidays, you can always contact our team members on-call by dialing our main office phone number and following the prompts. We will attempt to triage any issues over the phone and will make an emergency visit to the office when needed.

As you enjoy the season's festivities, remember to indulge in holiday treats like cookies and candy in moderation. And always brush your teeth after enjoying these sugary delights to maintain good oral health.

We also highly suggest taking some time to take care of yourself. Make sure you are seeing your physician for regular checkups, following up with all age-appropriate testing, and seeing your dentist at least twice per year. This will ensure that health issues are caught early when they are treatable or even preventable!

This holiday season, we’re excited to offer a special deal on Go! whitening kits. These kits include 10 sets of professional-strength universal whitening trays, which can be used daily for 30 minutes to 2 hours. You may see your teeth brighten by up to 8 shades! While these are recommended for ages 14 and up, please note they won't lighten crowns or fillings. Originally priced at $91, they're now available for $69.95—a perfect gift for teens or as a stocking stuffer. Many of our team members have used the Go! trays and we decided to carry these in our office because we felt they worked much better than the Crest white strip professional strength or any other brand of universal trays on the market.

We can’t wait to hear how your holiday went at your next appointment and make sure to visit some of our favorite spots including the Christkindl Market on Broadway in Green Bay and the Green Bay Botanical Gardens for their "Garden of Lights".

We want to wish our family of patients a very Merry Christmas, a happy New Year, and joyful celebrations for all other holidays that your family celebrates at this time of year.

Many of our patients at Elite Smiles Dental have been asking us about brightening their teeth lately, and today we thought we would discuss the options available to you to put the sparkle back in your smile!

Over-the-counter products – You’ve probably seen over-the-counter whiteners such as whitening strips on store shelves. While whitening strips may work for some, they do have certain restrictions. For example, they are not nearly as effective when crowns or fillings are involved. Teeth that are stained gray instead of brown or yellow typically don’t respond as well to these types of whiteners. Whitening strips typically save you money but take longer to work and also require discipline on your part to keep them in place for the right amount of time each day.

Whitening at our office – This type of whitening can be done right at Elite Smiles Dental. A whitening agent is applied directly to teeth and a special light helps accelerate the whitening process. This may be accomplished in one session or take several appointments. You should expect to spend anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes at each session. If you have a mix of natural teeth and fillings or crowns, Dr. Dale Scharine and Dr. Mark Pflum may recommend bonding or veneers on your natural teeth instead of regular bleaching. Teeth whitening at our office can be used to correct many tooth discolorations which may have been caused by staining, aging, or chemical damage to teeth. Using the latest in whitening technology, we can offer a safe method for creating the beautiful smile you've always wanted.

At-home whitening – If you choose this option, Dr. Dale Scharine and Dr. Mark Pflum will take a mold of your teeth and create a custom-fit whitening tray. Gel whitening solution is poured in the mouthguard-like tray, and the tray is worn for a pre-determined amount of time, generally from a couple of hours a day to every day during the night, until you’re back in our office for an evaluation.

Give us a call at our convenient Appleton, WI office to schedule an appointment! Whiter teeth are one just one visit away at Elite Smiles Dental!