|
|
|
|
 |
Comprehensive Family Dentistry • Mark Weglos, DMD •
215-860-0738
Summit Square Center • Suite 28C, Route 413 • Newtown, PA 18940
| Introducing Miles of Smiles!
 Welcome to the first edition of Miles of Smiles, the latest effort in our office to keep you all updated on the latest and greatest the world of dentistry has to offer, and how you can access those benefits through our office! You probably get our “smail mail” newsletter already, full of news and the trivia questions you must solve to win one of our dinner gift certificates.
We’ve launched this monthly e-mail newsletter to help reach our more digitally oriented patients, as well as to address specific issues concerning mouth care and dental health with more in-depth articles. It will include news concerning oral health issues, systemic health matters, and special inside reports about new advances in dental technology.
Oral Fixations will feature my own monthly blog, and a seasonal recipe that can be easily achived in about an hour. I hope you enjoy, and feel free to respond with any comments or questions about any of our content to me at maweglosdmd@verizon.net.
Dr. Mark
|
Oral Health: A Bountiful Blessing
It's that time of year when we count blessings…food, family, oral health. Oral health? Absolutely. Many folks consider visits to the dentist as something to endure, when in reality, we have much for which to be thankful.
Keeping teeth and gums healthy in the twenty-first century isn't the chore it once was. Regular checkups are important, but no more so than what you can do for yourself on a daily basis.
Keep It Simple
Simple choices can make a noticeable difference.
Take toothbrushes: There's a toothbrush for every size and shape of mouth out there. Beyond soft, medium, and hard bristles, look for those brushes designed for sensitive teeth, those for use after dental surgery, compact heads for smaller mouths, even ones that are battery powered. Toddler toothbrushes are available, with extra-long handles so parents can easily brush those tiny teeth.
And when it comes to toothpaste, the choices are almost as extensive. There just isn't any good reason not to have a clean mouth. For the freshest breath possible, use a tongue scraper and dental floss. You'll be surprised at the plaque you remove from your tongue.
Mouthwash is another convenient and inexpensive oral care product of immeasurable value. Some recipes merely mask mouth odor, while others contain ingredients that actually help prevent and kill odor-causing bacteria and avoid gingivitis (inflammation of the gums). These same, foul-smelling culprits also play a role in cavity formation, so if something as easy as rolling the stuff around in your mouth can kill them, why not do it?
If the slight stinging sensation of alcohol in your mouthwash isn't for you, choose one of the many natural brands on the market. Oils such as clove and tea tree have excellent antiseptic properties without chemicals, and herbals are soothing and healing to minor mouth wounds. They also work just as well as any everyday rinse.
At the Office
Thanks to scientific and technological advancements, dental appointments no longer strike terror into the hearts of millions. Lasers are now common treatments for gum and bone disease, which affect 80% of the population. Swollen, bleeding gums, recurring cold sores, and even some cavities can be treated painlessly with lasers. Air abrasion is another option in place of the traditional drill, when it comes to filling some types of cavities. Patients requiring fillings now have alternatives to silver amalgam, which contains mercury that can slowly poison unsuspecting patients.
The list of newfound comforts in the dentist's office is long and varied. We want your visit to be anxiety-free, so we do what we can to take off the edge.
| November Special Offer
Chairside Power Bleaching – $250 (Regularly $350)
Less than thrilled with the brightness of your smile? Tired of the constant hassle and inconvenience of tooth bleaching strips? Try our Chairside Power Bleaching! This procedure is done chairside, right here in our office — no special appointments or trips. It takes less than 90 minutes, so you're in and out in no time, with fantastic results!
Doctor Mark places a thick bleaching gel on your teeth, then activates the power light with a crystal. This light exposure enhances and accelerates the whitening process, giving most patients—on average—a smile 6 to 8 shades lighter than they started with! Long-lasting effects.
Schedule before the end of November to qualify for this special pricing.
| Short and Sweet
Do the holidays conjure up images of forbidden foods, laden with sugar, fat and all those things we've come to simultaneously revile and crave? If so, you're not alone. As a society, we equate holiday gatherings with friends, family and food.
High-sugar foods are responsible for the recent increase in childhood obesity, diabetes and tooth decay. Aside from pleasing your tongue—the smallest organ in your body, by the way—sugar really has nothing positive to offer.
What we don't always realize is that sugar is not the only ingredient that makes food tasty. Spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg are used in abundance in holiday cooking, and that's because they taste good. Many spices have medicinal qualities, too, so eating them actually benefits your body.
Keep in mind these simple tips to keep your holidays merry and light:
- Replace one-third to one-half the sugar called for in your recipes with cinnamon, vanilla or almond extract.
- Forego high fat content by replacing half the sugar in your cookie and cake recipes with applesauce, prune puree, or bananas.
- Attend gatherings armed with a plan as to how many treats you'll allow yourself to eat. One slice of pumpkin pie? Three cookies? Be realistic, but stick to your plan.
- Many beverages are high in sugar: soda, energy drinks, fruit juice "cocktails." Allow yourself one of these treats if you must, but stick to water, unsweetened cold or hot herbal teas, or naturally sweet drinks such as apple cider as a general rule.
- Understand that every time sugar is introduced into the mouth, the bacteria are nourished for about 20 minutes, as acid attacks your teeth. This causes tooth decay and gingivitis (swollen, sore gums). So if you continually ingest sugar over the course of a day, your oral health will rapidly decline.
- If you do eat or drink sugar-laden treats, swish and rinse your mouth with water afterwards. Better yet, give those teeth a quick brushing to remove bacteria and acid.
No one wants you to deprive yourself of what makes the holidays sweet. But a periodical reassessment of how and what you eat is just plain smart. Do your best and remember that good health is the most rewarding gift you can ever give yourself. Happy Holidays!
| Yes, Virginia, There Is A National Flossing Day
The National Flossing Council in Washington, DC, is a professional organization dedicated to advancing the use of dental floss in oral hygiene regimens. In 2003, they created National Flossing Day to call attention to the benefits of flossing. The observance always falls on the day after Thanksgiving, which this year is November 23.
According to the Proclamation issued for last year’s observance, during the offical observance day, “each and every person is encouraged to consider the role flossing has played in his or her life during the previous year, and make plans to help spread "Peace of Mouth" in their own lives and the lives of others around them, in ways with and without floss."
Many creative methods of celebrating National Flossing Day have been devised, some of them quite imaginative. For instance, in recognition of the first NFD, the Council held the MouthWatch Grande Prix, a contest to see who could come up with the best billboard design to promote flossing. The winner, designed by Kat Gantt, owner and creative director of Paragon Studios in Charlotte, NC., is shown here.
 
In 2004, the Flossy was awarded to comedian Ellen Degeneres for helping spread Peace of Mouth by advocating flossing in her book and on her TV show.
Each year, the Council sponsors a Floss/Food Art Party at its national headquarters in Washington, including a formal dinner and judging of all entries in the contest. The entries must all contain both food and floss in some combination, and display a flossing theme. One of the 12 entries from 2005, "Flossitosh,I a sushi creation" by Don Anderson, was voted Best Looking.
Some more literary artists celebrate National Flossing Day by writing Haiku with a flossing theme. Here’s an example of the playful poetry:
A man's ode to floss
Winter, Spring, Summer and fall
Floss teeth or lose all.
– Sean Dix
More flossing-oriented tidbits await visitors to the Council’s website at www.flossing.org.
|
Give the Gift of a Beautiful New Smile
The world of dentistry has progressed at an astronomical rate in the past few centuries. Serious illness stemming from severe oral infection and dental abscesses are not nearly as commonplace as they were in America’s Colonial days. Thank Heaven for that. As we continued to mature as a civilization, our hygiene practices improved, our medical and dental practices advanced, and we got better at the way we implemented those advances.
People today can now address how they look—or at least how their smile looks—without worrying about pain and the fear of a stressful situation. In this new era of dentistry, we can design and deliver a whole new smile with minimal to no pain, and the most incredible results.
One facet of this new technology is called Lumineers by Cernate, a patented process for correcting a wide range of tooth appearance issues with dental veneers. If you have crooked teeth, Lumineers can fix that with. If you have fractured or discolored teeth, we can fix those, as well.
What makes Lumineers so great is that, unlike traditional caps, the process requires little to moderate tooth reduction to give great results. Most patients don’t even need the dreaded dental needle to help them through the procedure. It’s that simple. Minimal to no pain, with no needles and no numbness, to achieve the smile you always dreamed of.
The Lumineers experience takes just two visits. During the first, we perform any necessary cosmetic contouring and impressions. The following visit, we cement the Lumineers in. Think about it: In a mere two weeks, you can have a total smile makeover!
Our office has been delivering Lumineers smiles for the past two years, and patients have been ecstatic with their results. They have told us they’re no longer embarrassed to smile, talk or laugh in front of other people. These patients have much more confidence on the job, and in personal relationships. They just wonder why they didn’t do it sooner. Lumineers truly transform one's life.
Lumineers are truly remarkable. Are they for you? Don’t just wonder, find out! It’s quick, it’s easy and—best of all—it costs nothing for a customized, personal consultation. As with all our other services here at Weglos Family Dental, we don’t try to fit you into some established program, we tailor our programs to your individual needs.
Call Patti today (215) 860-0738 to make your appointment. Come find out if you’re a candidate to have this truly amazing procedure change your life for the better. You could have a whole new smile in about two weeks. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
Yours for a more beautiful smile,
Dr. Mark
| We hope you enjoy receiving our newsletter, but if not, please unsubscribe. We respect your privacy.
|
|
|
Phone:
215-860-0738 |
|
|
|
