Blog | Ridge Dental Care

Mommy! Mommy! Can We Go to the Dentist?

If you haven’t been to the dentist lately, you really should go check one out. With all of the new technology that is now available and all of the advancements that are being done in dentistry, going to the dentist is almost like going to a spa.

Have you ever had a mouth that just didn’t feel right, no matter how many times you brushed or flossed? Like a body that is just a little bit out of whack sometimes – a day when you focus on your body is exactly the kind of day your mouth occasionally needs.

Of course you will not be able to take a mud bath at the dentist or have hot stones placed on you back. But, you can have lovely people taking care of your mouth, toys and activities for your kids, and most dentists now have Wi-Fi and music available not to mention healthy snacks and beverages.

This isn’t to say that if you need a root canal that you will not feel it. However, with Sedation Dentistry and other medications available, it will be more pleasant than not.

What’s more is when you take your children for their dental care, a pediatric dentist who specializes in children will do their best to make sure that your child and you are in the happiest place on earth that is not Disneyland and where oral health is focal point.

If you are unsure of which dentist to go to, look online; most dentists have pretty nice websites that introduce them, their team and their office. Seriously, compare the dentist websites to the website of your local spa, I think you’ll notice several similarities.

So treat yourself and your family to a mouth day; visit your local dental office, even if you don’t have a dentist yet, and just check out the office. You’ll find that the bygone era of pain dentistry is all but gone. Most dentists go out of their way to insure that the entire family will be comfortable and have fun while they are at the dental office.

Image Used under Creative Commons license. Photo Credit: Marilyn_Monroe_Kids by mustafasoydan

The Great Wall in Your Mouth

The definition of plaque is really very interesting as described by Wikipedia:

Dental plaque is a biofilm, usually a pale yellow that develops naturally on the teeth. Like any biofilm, dental plaque is formed by colonizing bacteria . . . It has been speculated that plaque forms part of the defense systems of the host by helping to prevent colonization of microorganisms that may be pathogenic.

It is not a huge leap to compare plaque to the Great Wall of China. The building of plaque never ceases and the Great Wall took centuries to build and it’s still not complete. The Great Wall was built to keep attackers out while at the same time keeping people in. The Great Wall of China can be seen from space; if you have a lot of plaque build-up, it can be seen pretty easily, too.

If we heed only Wikipedia’s definition above, one might wonder what is so bad about plaque. The above definition is only a partial one and there are many more resources available online or at your local dental office that will point out the drawbacks of plaque. While building up its defenses the same material that protects erodes the enamel of the teeth. Of course the erosion does not take place over night. And, neither will the “take down.”

Like the Great Wall, plaque is very formidable. Both will never be totally deconstructed however, the Great Wall is maintained and cleaned for its millions of visitors. Plaque helps protect against billions of visitors, too (microorganisms). However, if you do not keep the plaque at bay (it occurs naturally, and can not be cleaned 100% away) it will destroy your teeth.

So, get into see your dentist, help them help you control plaque. Ask your dentist if the recommended twice-yearly cleaning is all you need, or, if there are other issues to deal with like periodontal disease or gingivitis. Remember your dentist is the expert and they love helping people get the oral care they should have; it’s what they do!

Used under Creative Commons Licensing courtesy of Rob Boudon

Dental Sleep Apnea Munster | Ridge Dental Care | (219) 836-1111

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Ridge Dental Care
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(219) 836-1111
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Hiking Happiness

Looking for a reason to hit the trails? Hiking sounds fun, a lot of people do it, but how do you know if it is right for you?

You know that being out-of-doors puts you at risk of bug bites, blisters, encounters with wildlife, including snakes. Maybe that presents more of a challenge to overcome than you might like. But let’s look at the benefits of going hiking and see if they might convince you to try it as a new favorite activity.

Improving Creativity. People who walk or hike in nature have been proven to be far more creative in their approach to problems than other people. Research has shown that spending time outdoors increases our attention span as well as our creative problem solving skills by as much as fifty percent. It’s very possible that when going hiking, we tend to “unplug” from the world. We might have our smartphone with us, but we don’t pull it out and check email or text messages as we hike. The proven benefits of interacting with nature and our creative problem solving skills should be enough to persuade you to give it a try. Moving is more inspirational than sitting in place.

Improving Fitness. It is hard to hike any length of time unless you have worked at improving your overall physical fitness. A single hour of hiking can burn up to 500 calories per hour. It’s a great way to work out and not put too much pressure on our joints. Dirt and hiking trails are much easier on our joints than concrete or blacktop. When hiking up and down hills, you might even see unexpected weight loss benefits as well. You can also expect to see improvements in both your blood pressure and cholesterol numbers. The up and down movement of hiking is also a huge benefit for those who are working to balance their blood sugars and their insulin response.

Hiking Trail by James WardlawBailey

Improved Level of Happiness. Hiking has been shown to help people suffering from depression or even those having suicidal thoughts. Being in nature allows people to connect with nature and themselves in a way that brings about a greater sense of peace and well-being.

Start small when taking up hiking. You can start by tackling a small hill in a pair of sneakers in your own back yard by hiking locally. But as you build endurance and have bigger hills and mountains in your future, you’ll want to get a very comfortable pair of hiking boots to protect feet and ankles from turns and twists.

Dental Implants Munster | Ridge Dental Care | (219) 836-1111

Dental implants have proven to be so successful that they have changed many of the options you have today. We can do everything from replacing a single tooth to replacing all of your teeth if needed.

Ridge Dental Care
619 Ridge Rd Munster IN 46321
(219) 836-1111
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