Ok… we try to remain positive in this Blog but today we are going to talk about some dental bad habits that you really need to try and stop doing.

1. Sipping on a sugary beverage all day long.  Don’t sip on pop all day (yes Mountain Dew lovers we are talking to you) It will destroy your teeth.  You are feeding the bacteria in your mouth a constant diet of sugar.  This converts to acid and destroys your teeth.
2. Skip Flossing.  You’ve heard it before… and I’m saying it again.  If you brush your teeth faithfully but skip the flossing you’ve cleaned only 1/2 of each tooth.  The space between your teeth is the most decay prone part of the tooth.  If you don’t floss, you aren’t cleaning it.  Make flossing a part of your routine and you will be amazed at how much better your teeth feel.  Flossing also helps keep your breath fresh.  Floss your teeth… smooch more! 
3. Eating Sugary Food just before bed.   If you are a diligent, efficient brusher and flosser and you’ve removed all the plaque from your teeth before “lights out” then this is a minimal bad habit.  But… it might be easiest just to skip the sweet tooth right before bed.
4. Taking care of only your visible teeth.  As the saying goes “You don’t have to brush all your teeth…. just the ones you want to keep!”  That goes for flossing too.
5. Ignoring Dental Problems.  The persistent tooth pain or throb, bleeding gums, pain on one side of your mouth so you chew on the other.  This stuff is NOT temporary and will not go away if you ignore it.  Things that you use, need to be maintained…you use your teeth so make sure you see a dentist 2 times per year and if your tooth hurts… call your dentist!

Having a healthy mouth is important to a person’s overall well being.  As you know the office staff at Grandview Dental Care is compromised of all women….. except for Dr. T.  We all like to snack and are constantly on the lookout for things that taste good, are quick, and have some redeeming value from a health perspective.

Women’s Health Magazine has just put out their 2nd annual 125 Best Pre-Packaged Foods.  http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/premium-packaged-foods Check it out and let us know your favorites.

Some of our office favorites which may or may not be on this year’s list:

• Doctor Kracker Snack Chips (amazon.com)
• Fiber One Granola Bars
• Glenny’s 100 Calorie Brownie
• Zone Perfect Snack Bar (80 calories)
• Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwiches 

If you are concerned about what you put in your mouth, make sure you are also as concerned about taking care of your smile health too by scheduling regular visits at your dentist.