Brookside Dental Care Blog

A survey found that in 2022, the most popular New Year’s resolution is to lose weight. Other popular goals include traveling more, taking better care of mental health, and looking for a new job. What about you? What do you want to accomplish this year? Here’s a suggestion: Make a fresh commitment to taking care of your smile. Having great oral health will have a positive impact on other aspects of your life. Here are a few things you can do to benefit your smile in 2022:

You may have seen advertisements for SureSmile and other clear aligner treatments. Often, those ads feature young adults. If you have a few more years of life experience, you might even wonder, “Am I too old for SureSmile?” Fortunately, the answer to that question is a resounding no! Let’s talk about why there is no upper age limit for orthodontic treatment and why older adults are often excellent candidates for SureSmile.

When you brush your teeth, you only clean about 60% of their surfaces. It is vital that you also clean the sides of your teeth that face each other, which your brush may not be able to reach. Traditionally, dental floss has always been the go-to product for this portion of the oral hygiene routine. Today, though, many people use a Waterpik (also called an oral irrigator or water flosser) instead. Is one option better than the other? Both have their pros and cons. Let’s talk about how you can decide which one is right for you.

Are you planning to hit the gym hard after your family’s seasonal celebrations? Or maybe you love to exercise to support your mental health during the dreary winter months. Whatever the case, hopefully your fitness journey goes well! While you are working on your body goals, though, have you thought about how your workout routine might be affecting your teeth? Let’s talk about how fitness and oral health are related and how you can protect your smile.

Cold and flu season is upon us! Everyone should be taking precautions to protect themselves from illness, and this is especially true of SureSmile patients. Caring well for your clear aligners and your mouth can protect both your oral health and your overall wellness. Here are a few practical tips that can help:

Most people are familiar with some of the key factors that affect metabolism, including age, body composition, and sex. But did you know that your oral health can also affect your body’s metabolic processes? This blog post discusses some of the science behind how they are connected and what you can do to support both your metabolism and your smile.

Sunlight comes with several well-documented health benefits. For example, it can increase levels of the feel-good hormone serotonin. UV therapy has even been used to treat several skin conditions. But can the summer sun also benefit your smile? Yes. Let’s talk about how spending more time outside may promote healthy gums.

Misaligned teeth increase the risk of several oral health problems, including TMD, cavities, broken teeth, and more — and that is in addition to the aesthetic issues they present. If your teeth are not all in their proper places, you should certainly consider your orthodontic treatment options. SureSmile, a clear aligner system, offers discretion and convenience, while braces come with their own set of advantages. Which one should you choose? Let’s take a moment to compare SureSmile vs. braces.

SureSmile aligners are designed to be as comfortable as possible. However, that comfort is relative. Whenever you apply force to your teeth with the goal of moving them, a small amount of soreness is to be expected. This clear aligner discomfort might be especially noticeable when you first start out with SureSmile or you transition from one aligner to the next. How can you ease the ache? Here are some handy tips.

There is lots to love about springtime, from invigorating rain showers to colorful flowers and more daylight hours. But there are a few things about spring that aren’t so lovely — including seasonal allergies. The coughing, sneezing, nasal congestion, and watery eyes can sure cause some misery. Your allergies could even affect your oral health! Let’s talk about how that is so and what you can do to protect your smile.