It is pretty hard to go out shopping or to a restaurant and not have the opportunity to purchase a bottle of water. With water bottle sales increasing drastically over the last few years, it is estimated that 15.3 billion gallons of bottled water were bought in 2021 (which was greatly impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic).

As dental professionals, we encourage all of our patients to increase their water intake to not only promote oral health but overall wellness. Water has countless amounts of benefits for the human body. Here are just a few:

• Maintain the balance of fluids in your body
• Help your kidneys filter your blood
• Energize your muscles by delivering electrolytes
• Regulate body temperature
• Cushion the brain, spinal cord, and other sensitive tissues.

The question is, should you drink bottled water or is tap water better? Here are a few things to consider.

Tap Water Provides the Best Source of Fluoride

During the day we are constantly losing and taking in minerals. Phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, and fluoride are all known to be healthy minerals that keep your teeth strong and protect them from decay.

When it comes to keeping your teeth strong and healthy, fluoride is the most important mineral. Dental professionals recommend taking fluoride through both external and internal means. This is most commonly found in:

• Tap water
• Rinse
• Toothpaste
• Supplements

Most towns add fluoride to the local tap water. This allows the population to get their dietary fluoride needs from their tap water.

Many bottled water companies remove minerals and substances including fluoride from their water. The purpose of removing these minerals is to prevent the minerals from affecting the taste. Tap water isn’t just the best choice for your oral health, there are multiple reasons why you should say goodbye to bottled water.

4 Reasons to Stop Drinking Bottled Water

1. Bottled water has a terrible value. According to Food & Water Watch, tap water costs $0.005 per gallon while a bottle of water can cost upwards of $9.47. This is almost 2,000 times the price of tap water.
2. Bottled water is not environmentally friendly. Plastic bottles can take years to decompose in a landfill. If they are not brought to a landfill, they are incinerated and release toxic gases into the atmosphere.
3. Lots of bottled water brands are selling you tap water. The quality of bottled water will vary depending on the brand of water you buy. According to Natural Living, more chemicals and other unwanted compounds may go inside bottled water. Bottled water samples can contain phthalates, mold, microbes, benzene, trihalomethanes, and arsenic.
4. Bottled water is inconvenient. Tap water is everywhere, restaurants, public drinking fountains, and spigots. For bottled water you have to go to a store to buy it.

If you aren’t sure how tap water is treated in your area, take a look at your local water fluoride report from the CDC.

Whenever you get sick, you should automatically replace your toothbrush! This can help you avoid getting sick – again. You should also replace your toothbrush – at a minimum – every three months, even if you have been healthy. While many people store their toothbrushes with a cap or in a cabinet, bacteria, dust, and pathogens can find their way onto your toothbrush. The longer your toothbrush sits, the more likely this bacteria is to multiply and make you sick. But, when you go out to buy a toothbrush, how do you know which one will give you the best clean and keep your teeth healthy? We are glad you asked!

How to Choose a Toothbrush

At Alrez Family Dentistry, we have two favorite products we recommend to our patients. We love these toothbrushes so much that we even carry them in our office! If you don’t choose either of those, then we can definitely point you in the right direction for choosing a good-quality toothbrush that can help keep your teeth healthy. Here are the most important elements to consider when choosing a toothbrush:

• Size & Shape. It is very important that you clean the entire surface of your tooth (and in between with flossing). So, in order to cover the entire tooth, we recommend a small, round toothbrush head. The small size of these allows you to get into those tight little spots better – especially back behind your molars where many cavities can be missed. With a round head, you can also maneuver the toothbrush around the mouth better – ensuring a thorough, fresh clean!
• Comfort & Control. If you have arthritis or mobility issues, the shape of the handle and the grip are extra important. A rubber grip strip in the right place can prevent the brush from slipping and bruising your gums. Look for a toothbrush that fits comfortably in your hand, that’s easy to hold on to, and is easy to control.
• Bristle Hardness. Brushing with a hard (or even medium) bristled toothbrush can destroy your enamel. Dentists recommend choosing a toothbrush with soft or extra-soft bristles to avoid damage to the enamel, an increase in sensitivity, or even an increase in cavities.
• Manual vs. Electric. You may have seen the popularity of electric toothbrushes take off in the last several years, and there is a reason why! Not only do electric toothbrushes remove more plaque and tartar than a manual toothbrush, but many electric brushes also come with built-in timers – this is especially great for kids who may not brush for enough time or who don’t move the toothbrush around manually to reach all of the areas they need to. Electric toothbrushes are also a great option for elderly patients who may be suffering from arthritis or mobility issues.
• ADA Seal of Approval. For some people, buying products from dental experts is vital. Not only do we endorse the Oral B toothbrushes, but the American Dental Association also has an excellent list of ADA-approved products. Just look for the  ADA Seal of Approval.

Up Your Dental Health Game at Alrez Family Dentistry

Wondering how to buy a toothbrush that will give your teeth the best clean? At your next cleaning appointment, just ask our professional and friendly dental hygienist which type of brush would work best for you. Our office has ones in stock that we recommend, but we can also recommend others based on your unique dental health needs and lifestyle.

Our comfortable, Glen Mills dental office provides exceptional dental care. Join the Alrez Yearly Dental Plan for two cleanings, two exams, fluoride rinse, and any necessary digital x-rays – all for just $299 per year! Schedule an appointment today!

Bad breath is usually a major hit to your self-confidence, whether someone else pointed it out to you or you caught a random whiff when the wind blew just right, bad breath is never something you want coming out of your mouth. There are a lot of ways to avoid bad breath. For instance, practicing good dental habits and avoiding smelly food – but, then the pandemic threw a wrench into the situation. While they assist us in staying healthy, masks also make our breath terrible. Is there a reason for this? Yes, and unfortunately, it may not be something we can avoid – completely.

The Downside to the Mask

More people than ever before have been wearing masks, leading many to ask why their breath seems to be getting worse. Fortunately, with a mask – most people aren’t going to notice your breath can clear a room. It is true, however, that your mask may be causing an increase in the bacteria that causes odor in your mouth. As we wear a mask, we are more likely to breathe through our mouths. If we wear a mask for the majority of our day – breathing through our mouths – we become susceptible to a condition called dry mouth. As our saliva decreases in our mouth, we lose the neutralizing agent that protects against bacteria and tooth decay. The end result is bad breath. By the time you remove your mask at the end of the day, your mask may be ready for the trash bin just because of the stench it puts off.

Solving the Puzzle

Wearing a mask is an important element for staying healthy, but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer from bad breath every time you put on a mask. Since dry mouth causes bad breath, and masks inhibit dry mouth, the solution to solving the puzzle is preventing dry mouth. Here are some ways to do this:

• Good Dental Hygiene. The first step to good breath and a healthy level of saliva is making sure to have a good dental hygiene routine. Brushing and flossing twice per day and seeing your dentist twice a year will help keep your mouth healthy.
• Stay Hydrated. A smart choice to stay in good health, drinking enough water throughout the day will keep your saliva levels up and your body hydrated.
• Take a Break. Give yourself breaks during the day, in safe spaces, that allow you to remove your mask to breathe freely. Ideally, go outside and take a walk. This is great for your mental and physical health and will help keep bad breath at bay.

In Good Hands

For the time being, masks are going to be a part of all of our lives. As we adjust to this new normal, we encourage you to do your best to stay healthy. A great way to stay in good overall health is to stay on top of your dental check-ups. At Alrez Family Dentistry, we are committed to giving you a healthy, beautiful smile. We also have resources available to help you stay on the right track throughout the year. Schedule an appointment today – we look forward to taking care of your teeth!

5 Tips for Preventing Cavities

You may have noticed some changes now that you are often wearing a mask. Not only may your breath smell different, but we have recently seen an increase in cavities in patients who wear masks for much of the day. Although we stress the importance of wearing a mask at this time, we have put together a few tips to help prevent cavities when you wear a mask.

How To Avoid Mask Mouth

1. Make a conscious effort to seal your lips and breathe through your nose. Mouth breathing causes a decrease in the production and secretion of saliva, which provides a very important protective mechanism.
2. Chew gum to promote saliva. Saliva coats and protects your teeth and all the tissue inside your mouth. Without sufficient mineral-rich saliva, we see rampant decay and gum disease!
3. Remember to drink plenty of water. Wearing a mask has resulted in an obvious increase in dehydration and dry mouth. This is bad for your overall health, including oral health.
4. Before you put on a mask and after you eat, try flossing and brushing your teeth. This will help eliminate any extra bacteria that may have been able to grow while your mask was on otherwise.
5. Lastly, it is more important now than ever to visit your dentist for your routine cleanings. Your dentist will be able to properly clean your teeth and remove plaque build-up.

Visit Your Dentist

Here at Alrez Family Dentistry we have a modern and comfortable office and want to help patients with any concerns they may have. We can suggest additional and personalized tips for any changes you’ve noticed in your oral health. We are currently accepting new patients and we are following all COVID-19 guidelines to protect our staff and patients. Contact us today to make an appointment.

Every year, many people avoid the dentist until they feel pain or experience a dental emergency. This can be due to dental anxiety. According to a Harvard study, 24% of people suffer from dental anxiety.

To help those struggling with dental anxiety, we created a list of tips and tricks for patients to utilize when they start feeling dental anxiety.

6 Ways To Help Cope With Your Dental Anxiety

1. Communicate with your dentist. Voice your fears and explain your feelings to your dentist. If you are afraid of pain or needles they may need to be able to assess the situation and help you in the best way possible. Also, here at Alrez Family Dentistry, we can use laughing gas for patients that are feeling extra nervous. For more information, check out our laughing gas page.
2. Think of a communication system with your dentist. When you’re not able to talk and you feel confined to a chair, this can trigger some anxiety without even realizing it. If you feel like you relate to this, you and your dentist can come up with a system that when you raise your hand it means it’s time for a small break. That will help you feel more in control of the situation.
3. Feeling embarrassed Is a common emotion during a dental visit. Many feel embarrassed about the state of their dental health, but try and remind yourself that your dentist has seen it all. If you’re feeling embarrassed, remember that this is normally due to overthinking.
4. Distracting yourself is a great way to get some anxiety relief. This is easier said than done, but you can bring a book for the waiting room or headphones to drown out the sound of a drill while you listen to your favorite music or podcast. You can try using a stress ball or a fidget spinner to occupy your hands.
5. Address any past negative experiences you may have with your dentist. Dental anxiety sometimes stems from past negative experiences. This can be due to a careless dental staff or some pain you felt during treatment. If you’re experiencing these symptoms, try and pinpoint what experience upset you and how to work through that. Once you know, you can talk with your dentist so they can understand how to best help you and how to care for your dental anxiety.
6. If you’re still feeling anxious after trying all of these tips, try returning to the basics. Start by taking a few deep breaths while counting them. Count for how long you inhale and exhale for the same amount of time. Try and relax all your muscles one at a time. Start with your head and relax way down to your toes.

Comfortable and Clean Office Made For You

Alrez Family Dentistry wants to help ease any anxiety you might feel. We have a modern and comfortable office along with the supplies needed to give all patients a successful visit. Our staff and doctors are here for you and are happy to listen to any concerns. We are currently accepting new patients and we are following COVID-19 guidelines to protect our staff and patients, contact us today to make an appointment.