What's fleshy and pink and is located between your teeth?

  Did you guess it? It’s your tongue!  Did you know your tongue is key in many vital roles?  You mean it’s not just for biting on, or curling into a tube, or sticking out at disagreeable people?  No, no our tongues are used for much more important things.  It moves the food around the mouth and toward the throat for swallowing.  Can you imagine how tough chewing gum would be?  It would be impossible without the tongue. 

It covers the special sense of taste.  Humans have approximately 9 to 10 thousand taste buds on the top of their tongues.  Giving us the ability to differentiate from sweet, sour, bitter, and salty foods.  Think about that the next time you lick a lollipop. 

And it helps us with our speech production.  The way we can shape our words with our lips and tongue is incredible.  We wouldn’t be able to do fun things like comical tongue twisters or rolling our R's. 

Like a fingerprint, tongue prints are all different and unique. It would be interesting if we identified people with tongue prints instead of fingerprints.  There’s an idea for the future. 

 Your tongue is the primary source of bad breath so it too must be brushed every day.  It’s not just about keeping your teeth clean but your entire mouth.  Teeth, gums, tongue; all should be kept clean and healthy. 

So as you can see the tongue plays an important role for humans.  Without it we would not be able to eat, spit, speak, or swallow.  All we have to do is take care of it. 

References:

http://www.funshun.com/amazing-facts/tongue-human-body-facts.html

http://12learn.blogspot.com/2006/07/human-tongue.html

http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/tongue.aspx

The doctors and staff at Northview Dental Associates all agree. We have the best patients on the planet. We want to thank you for making our jobs as enjoyable as they are. In the past we have worked on expressing our thanks to you by giving back to you with Jazz tickets, ipads and gift cards for referrals. We intend to continue thanking you in the future.

We want you to know about some of the coming events Northview is planning.

1. When you refer your friends August and September we are putting their name in a drawing for an ipod touch. We did this last month and want to congratulate Rick Payne for being the lucky winner.

2. We will also do a drawing for you great referrers out there who keep sending your friends and family to us. When you refer someone to our office you will automatically be entered in a drawing for an ipad2! Just make sure your friend mentions your name as a referral and that they have their appointment by December 15^th.

3. You can help us with our September Service month. We want to give back to the community and help those in real need. If you know of anyone down on their luck and who really needs dental care, please email their name and story to office@northviewdental.com and they may be chosen for free dental services at Northview Dental! Leave your contact information so we can talk more with you if your nominee is selected.

Again, thank you so much. Stay in touch on facebook or our blog so you don’t miss out on fun and prizes in the future. Every Friday check out our facebook page and play TGIF Trivia and have a chance to win great gift cards to local businesses.

Celebrate Your Smile

Everybody loves a beautiful smile.  To get a great smile ones dental hygiene needs to be in top notch.  How much do you care about your teeth?  We should be aware of our dental health to prevent any oral diseases.  So, how does a Love Your Teeth Day sound?  Would you be in favor for a having a “tooth” day?  On September 20^th China celebrates “Love your Teeth Day” – a national holiday promoting oral awareness among its 1.2 billion people.  Awesome!  A whole day dedicated to teeth.  China started this in 1989 for the intent to get the whole China population more informed with oral health education.  They are coming up on their twentieth year and the public awareness of oral health has improved drastically. 

What about America? Do we have a national holiday where we celebrate our teeth?  The American Dental Association sponsors National Children’s Dental Health Month with the same goal as China–to spread oral awareness among the vast and growing population.  This goes on during the month of February.

Then there is the American Dental Hygienists’ Association that celebrates in October with National Dental Hygiene Month.  So it looks like America is doing their best to educate as many people as they can about oral health education.  Two whole months of the year are dedicated to teeth.

I had no idea that there were so many people out there trying to get dental hygiene on the top of the list of important things to have in not just America but all over the globe.  Start today and make your smile a priority. 

http://www.bioportfolio.com/resources/pmarticle/116526/love-Teeth-Day-Campaign-In-China-And-Its-Impact-On-Oral.html  

http://www.ada.org/2714.aspx

http://www.adha.org/ndhm/index.html

Some people are afraid of heights, some germs, others…DENTISTS

Sweaty, shaky hands, short, quick breaths, sick, and somewhere in the back of your mind a little voice begging you to run away.  Did you know that about 35 million people feel this way when they have a dentist appointment? It’s true!

Dental phobia or fear of dentists is quite common.  This anxiety can emerge for different reasons, either rooted from previous bad experiences, the anticipation of pain, or even the smell of the dental office can take its toll. 

I’m here to let you know that even with these fears dental hygiene is very important and avoiding your appointments is not the best thing to do.  Most people find that it becomes easier to attend their appointments once they get to know their dentist better.  You’ll find that Northview Dental has some of the best doctors who are very friendly and take extremely good care of their patients.  You’ll quickly find that there is nothing to fear!             

Visit Northview Dental, get to know your dentist, establish a healthy dentist-patient relationship, and soon the little voice in the back of your mind will disappear. 

References: http://www.deltadentalins.com

                      http://www.docshop.com

Sports Mouthguard Facts

Dental injuries are very common among athletes.  Participating in sporting activities greatly increases your risk of dental or orofacial injuries.  By wearing a mouthgard, you GREATLY reduce your risk of major injury to not only your teeth, but your brain as well.  Wearing a properly designed and well-fitted mouthguard reduces your chance of concussions and damage to the brain and skull by evenly distributing the impact on the teeth.  According to www.jawzz.com every athlete involved in a contact sport has about 10% chance per season of an orofacial injury.
Pro athletes have a great chance (approximately 48%) of sustaining such an injury during their athletic career.

• More than 5 million teeth are knocked out each year during sport-related activities. This can help be prevented by wearing an athletic mouthguard.
• An athlete is sixty times more likely to sustain damage to their teeth when not wearing a protective mouthguard.
• The cost of a fractured tooth is many times greater than the cost of a dentist diagnosed and professionally designed mouthguard.
• The cost to replant a tooth and follow up dental treatment can run costly.
• A properly fitted mouthguard reduces the chance of the athlete sustaining a concussion from a blow to the jaw.

At Northview Dental, we want you to have a healthy, happy smile!  Give us a call @ (801) 782-6681 to make an appointement to discuss your sports mouthguard options with your doctor! 


References:  http://www.jawzz.com/

Wisdom Teeth: To remove... or not to remove?

Wisdom teeth- quick facts:

• Also known at third set of molars
• Come in between the ages of 17 and 23
• Majority of population will have, or should have wisdom teeth removed to prevent problems and pain

According to the ADA, Wisdom teeth are a valuable asset to the mouth when they are healthy and properly positioned. Often, however, problems develop that require their removal. When the jaw isn't large enough to accommodate wisdom teeth, they can become impacted (unable to come in or misaligned). Wisdom teeth may grow sideways, emerge only part way from the gum or remain trapped beneath the gum and bone.

Extraction of wisdom teeth is generally recommended when:

• Wisdom teeth only partially erupt. This leaves an opening for bacteria to enter around the tooth and cause an infection. Pain, swelling, jaw stiffness and general illness can result.
• There is a chance that poorly aligned wisdom teeth will damage adjacent teeth.
• A cyst (fluid-filled sac) forms, destroying surrounding structures such as bone or tooth roots.
• The jaw isn't large enough to allow all the wisdom teeth to fully erupt in an alignment that is useful for chewing and crushing food.

Patients should ask the dentist about the health and positioning of their wisdom teeth. The dentist may make a recommendation for removal. 
Your dentist may recommend that your wisdom teeth be extracted even before problems develop. This is done to avoid a more painful or more complicated extraction that might have to be done a few years later. Removal is easier in young people, when the wisdom teeth roots are not yet fully developed and the bone is less dense. In older people, recovery and healing time tend to be longer.
Give us a call today if you or a loved one would like a wisdom teeth evaluation.  We would love to help!  It is always best to keep an eye on wisdom teeth, resolving issues before they cause problems and pain.

http://www.ada.org/
http://www.webmd.com/

Preventing Childhood Tooth Decay

In honor of National Children's Dental Health Month, we would like to help spread the word on ways to prevent childhood tooth decay and other oral health problems in children.

According to the American Dental Association, your child’s baby teeth are at risk for decay as soon as they first appear-which is typically around age six months. Tooth decay in infants and toddlers is often referred to as Baby Bottle Tooth Decay or Early Childhood Caries (cavities). It most often occurs in the upper front teeth, but other teeth may also be affected. In some unfortunate cases, infants and toddlers have experienced decay so severe that the teeth cannot be repaired and need to be removed. The good news is that decay is preventable (http://www.ada.org/)

Prevention

According the the American Dental Association, the good news is that tooth decay is almost completely preventable. The ADA has put together a list of tips to follow that can help prevent tooth decay for your child:

• Lower the risk of the baby’s infection with decay-causing bacteria. This can be done two ways – by improving the oral health of the mother/caregiver which reduces the number of bacteria in her mouth and by not sharing saliva with the baby through common use of feeding spoons or licking pacifiers and giving them to babies.
• After each feeding, wipe the baby’s gums with a clean, damp gauze pad or washcloth. This will remove plaque and bits of food that can harm erupting teeth. When your child’s teeth begin to erupt, brush them gently with a child’s size toothbrush and water. (Consult with your child’s dentist or physician if you are considering using fluoride toothpaste before age two.)
• When your child can be counted on to spit and not swallow toothpaste (usually not before age two), begin brushing the teeth with a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. The American Dental Association recommends fluoride toothpaste; ask your dentist about your child’s fluoride needs.
• Brush your child’s teeth until he or she is at least six years old.
• Place only formula, milk or breastmilk in bottles. Avoid filling the bottle with liquids such as sugar water, juice or soft drinks.
• Infants should finish their bedtime and naptime bottles before going to bed.
• If your child uses a pacifier, provide one that is clean — don’t dip it in sugar or honey, or put it in your mouth before giving it to the child.
• Encourage children to drink from a cup by their first birthday and discourage frequent or prolonged use of a training (sippy) cup.
• Encourage healthy eating habits that include a diet with plenty of vegetables, fruit and whole grains. Serve nutritious snacks and limit sweets to mealtimes.
• Ensure that your child has adequate exposure to fluoride. Discuss your child’s fluoride needs with your dentist or pediatrician.

(http://www.ada.org/)

Flossing

Did you know that if you don't floss, you miss cleaning 35% of your tooth surfaces?

The American Dental Association's directions on...

How do I floss my teeth?

• Break off about 18 inches of floss and wind most of it around one of your middle fingers. Wind the remaining floss around the same finger of the opposite hand. This finger will take up the floss as it becomes dirty. Hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers. 
• Guide the floss between your teeth using a gentle rubbing motion. Never snap the floss into the gums.
• When the floss reaches the gum line, curve it into a C shape against one tooth. Gently slide it into the space between the gum and the tooth.  
• Hold the floss tightly against the tooth. Gently rub the side of the tooth, moving the floss away from the gum with up and down motions.
• Repeat this method on the rest of your teeth.
• Don't forget the back side of your last tooth.  

Watch the brushing and flossing animation to learn more.
People who have difficulty handling dental floss may prefer to use another kind of interdental cleaner. These aids include special brushes, picks or sticks. If you use interdental cleaners, ask your dentist about how to use them properly, to avoid injuring your gums. (ADA.com)