There are a lot of dental products in the pharmacy aisles these days, and it can be hard to know what you really need. Commercials and ads make it seem like some products have nearly magical properties, whitening your teeth and killing bacteria while making your breath smell amazing. One thing that you probably don't need, however, is mouthwash.

The doctors and hygienists here agree that mouthwash does not provide the benefits that their advertisements claim, and in some cases, can actually be detrimental. No mouthwash has been proven to whiten teeth, and whereas mouthwash with alcohol in it can in fact kill bacteria, it does not kill the type of bacteria that cause gum disease or tooth decay. In fact, we have seen with increasing frequency, mouthwash with blue or green dye added can significantly stain teeth, making your hygienist work overtime just to get your teeth back to their normal color. If you like the way it makes your breath smell, there is no harm in using a colorless mouthwash if you want.

What you really need for a healthy mouth is to brush twice daily, with an electric toothbrush if you can, floss once a day with whatever device works best for your, and to wear a night guard if you clench or grind. Those simple tasks plus twice yearly visits with your friendly dental team can go a long way towards a healthier mouth and a healthier you. You can safely leave mouthwash out of your rotation and maintain a health smile.

Jennifer Idziorek D.D.S.

Hello everyone!  I hope this post finds you well as we continue through these strange times.  
Most days of the week, I field questions about what people should or should not be eating.  Is coffee bad for my teeth? Do sticky things cause more cavities? What should I not eat?  The short answers to these questions are no, yes, and eat whatever you want. Just be careful; read on.
Drinking 3-4 cups of coffee a day has been shown to have a wealth of potential health benefits from helping prevent dementia and depression to lowering risk of Type II diabetes. Coffee is not inherently bad for your teeth; the main issues are that it stains, which is harmless but undesirable, and that many people add sweeteners to their coffee. Coffee's pH is not significantly different from most unsweetened beverages.  Sipping black coffee all day is fine from a dental health standpoint. Sipping coffee with added sugar and/or milk all day will have similar effects to drinking soda or juice all day- it continuously lowers the pH of them mouth and introduces food for the mouth's bacteria to create decay. If you can't drink your coffee black, try an artificial sweetener, or try to limit consumption to around meal times as a treat.
Foods that stick to your teeth tend to hang out in your mouth longer that those that do not.  For example, if you have a caramel, little bits may stay stuck in between your teeth for an extended time while the saliva dissolves them; chocolate on the other hand, breaks down much faster, leaving the mouth sooner and allowing the pH of the saliva to return to the mouth to a healthy state. Sticky foods are not just limited to candies however- dried fruits can stick around for a while too, feeding the mouth's normal bacteria.  It's not that you can't have candies, but if you have a choice, your dentist would prefer that you pick chocolate;-)
The only things I routinely tell people not to put in their mouths are non-food items: fishing line, price tags, metal hangers, flashlights, etc. Teeth are tools, but only for chewing.  The only food I have told someone not to eat at all was to a lady who was eating lemons and holding them in her front teeth- the acid from the lemons had eroded all of her enamel and left her six front teeth yellowish and chipped. She needed a lot of work to help fix that seemingly harmless habit. 
I won't tell my patients not to eat popcorn, but I see so many popcorn-related emergencies that I won't eat it myself- do with that what you will!

Take care everyone,
Dr I

Happy fall to everyone! It's a strange year, and a lot of our normal patterns have been completely blown to the wind.  One thing that we have heard patients tell me regularly is that they have been snacking differently: eating more snacks and less healthy ones, just by virtue of being home more often and wanting to eat comfort foods.  Many patients have reported weight gain, and some folks who have not had cavities in years are showing up with several!  
The pandemic is stressful for us all. Whether it barely effected our schedule or has landed us at home with the kids, we are all finding new ways to go through life.  We'd like to offer some tips for trying to mediate the little voice that tells you to eat candy.
First of all, if there are no healthy options in the house, you won't have much of a choice when you get hungry! Cut carrots, celery and bell peppers can be bought in the produce section of the grocery store, and last for about a week. They are fabulous dipped in hummus, or a spinach/artichoke dip.  Roasted nuts are another great option (yes, your dentist approves!) that last even longer, and because they have a good serving of protein, they will help keep you full longer.  Fresh fruit is another good choice- apples and mandarins keep for several weeks in the fridge, and are very portable as well. Lastly, small amounts of dark chocolate are filling and a great treat.
We're not saying you can't eat chips and cookies (we would never!), but next time you feel peckish in between meals, see if you can't get yourself to first eat an apple or some carrot sticks with hummus before you open that bag of chips. Small changes can lead to better habits and better health.
​--Dr Jennifer Idziorek

We had another great Veteran's Smile Day!  What a wonderful surprise from our Puyallup VFW Post 2224 for the Commander’s Appreciation plaque!! Thank you very much! We are very happy to serve our veterans!
Thank you to Dirk’s Truck Repair, Courtney Bell, Marilyn Norton, Glen Davis, Paul and Susan Blinn, Farrelli’s and Mountain Mist for helping make our Veteran’s Day event a success!! We are happy to see this community come together to help those who served!

With the holidays just around the corner, knowing what can cause halitosis (also known as bad breath) and what can be done to prevent or treat it can make those impromptu holiday gatherings more pleasant.  First off let me explain the majority of halitosis issues are caused by conditions in the mouth; the warm, moist environment is perfect to grow millions of bacteria that can lead to bad breath.  That being said one of the best defenses against bad breath is good oral hygiene, including brushing and flossing the teeth and brushing and scraping the tongue.
Cases of chronic bad breath should be investigated more thoroughly as they can be an indicator of a more serious condition.  About 25% of bad breath comes from systemic issues that can be chronic or acute but either way they should be addressed by a medical professional especially if they are accompanied by fever, swollen glands, sore throat, post nasal drip, productive cough and/or discolored discharge from the nose.  Bad breath can accompany systemic conditions such as a medical infection, allergies, diabetes, liver malfunction, kidney failure, lung diseases, sinus conditions, and/or gastrointestinal disorders.  
The majority of bad breath that comes from the oral cavity can be caused by a variety of factors, however if symptoms of painful or swollen gums that bleed easily or loose teeth are present you should see your dentist as soon as possible.  These additional symptoms may indicate an oral infection or disease that needs immediate attention.
Conditions in the mouth that can contribute to increased bacteria count and in turn increased halitosis range from external factors (food, drinks, smoking, etc.) to dry mouth.  Diets with inadequate hydration or high in sugars or high in foods with strong odors or high in alcoholic beverages are more likely to lead to enduring bad breath.  Additionally, poor oral hygiene (not brushing and flossing, cleaning the tongue and cleaning any dental appliances daily), or having crevice areas on the tonsils that trap food, can also lead to a battle with bad breath.  
So what is to be done to win the battle and keep the holidays merry?  Here are some tips.  

1. Brush and floss your teeth and clean your tongue to reduce bacteria and the food particles it uses to make bad odors. This includes cleaning any dental appliances like partials or dentures, orthodontic appliances, and occlusal/ night guards.  
2. Keep hydrated.  Drink water especially if you are having cocktails containing alcohol, drink water between cocktails. 
3. Place lemon wedges in your water and then bite into the lemon slice to help stimulate saliva. Saliva can help kill bacteria and clear the mouth of odor causing bacteria.
4. Chew sugarless gum or mints to cover the odor caused by foods and to stimulate saliva flow.
5. Snack on raw vegetables. They are usually high in water content and some contain vitamin C, which can help kill odor-causing bacteria.
6. Get regular dental check-ups and cleanings. Have cavities, gingivitis, and periodontal disease treated to reduce bad odors caused by oral infections and diseases. 

Hopefully this information helps you have halitosis free holidays.  Enjoy the time spent with friends and family, eat, drink, and be merry.  Just remember to brush, floss and scrape to keep your breath from being the topic of conversation.  

​

​The popular football season is nearly here. That means it’s time to consider a mouth guard. There are several reasons to wear a mouth guard, like most importantly, keeping all of your teeth to keep your beautiful smile. Although football is a popular sport to use a mouth guard, a mouth guard should be considered when participating in any contact sport to protect the teeth and supporting structures.
The obvious purpose of a mouth guard is to protect the teeth but a proper fitting one also protects the jaw, joints and neck upon impact by providing a cushion effect that absorbs the impact. It also protects the soft tissue from injury and can reduce the chance of a sports related concussion.
It’s not just for football that athletes should be wearing a mouth guard, Basketball, Hockey, Volleyball, and Soccer athletes should also wear them. A mouth guard should be a part of your necessary sports equipment for children and adults in any sport where there is a chance of contact to the face or head.
There are several types of sports mouth guards available. You can buy over the counter ones at most sporting goods stores, they are big and bulky and can make it difficult to breathe. A custom sports mouth guard can be made specifically for your mouth.
Please give our office a call (253-531-1177) if you have any questions about the sports mouth guards as we want to be sure and protect those pearly whites. 

It’s a common condition that causes your mouth to feel uncomfortably dry. Some people call it “cotton mouth”. It can occur when your body doesn’t produce enough saliva to keep your mouth moist. Saliva is important for your oral health as it maintains oral ph balance and tooth integrity, having anti-microbial properties and protects the mouth’s soft tissue. It also aiding in proper digestion and taste.
                                
If you have dry mouth, you may experience any of these symptoms:

• Stickiness in the mouth
• Dryness in the mouth or throat
• Bad breath
• Cracked lips, or splits in the skin at the corners of the mouth
• Soreness in the mouth
• Raw, sore tongue, or inflammation of the tongue
• Dry nasal passages
• Increase in the need to drink when eating and attempting to swallow
• Changes in the sense of taste 
• Difficulty wearing dentures or partials

 Causes of Dry Mouth: 

• Chronic Mouth breathing 
• Medications used to treat conditions such as high blood pressure,       depression, anxiety, allergies, muscle relaxers, attention deficit disorder, pain, over active bladder and Parkinson’s disease just to name a few. 
• Medical treatments and procedures such as chemotherapy and radiation to the head and neck.
• Diseases and health conditions such as diabetes mellitus, Sjogrens syndrome, scleroderma, depression, and anxiety. 
• Lifestyle contributors, such as alcohol use, smoking, and consuming to much caffeine.   
• A decrease in the production of saliva due to the natural aging processes
• Blocked salivary ducts
• Stress and anxiety

If you suffer from dry mouth, be sure to discuss treatment methods with your dentists at Parkland Pacific Dental. 


Some recommendations for dry mouth, used in our office and available over the counter are:
 

• Biotene Dry Mouth Oral Rinse, a rinse that can be used up to 5 times per day. 
• Biotene Oral Balance Gel can be used anytime during the day or night. Extrude a sufficient amount of gel from the tube on the finger or use a cotton swab to   take the gel from the tube and apply up under the lips or on the tongue. 
• Xylitol products such as Spry Gum and Ice Chips. 
• Cool air Humidifier at night in your bedroom

Since dry mouth can also cause extensive decay or cavities, we recommend to:

• Avoid foods with high sugar content, especially candy
• Create good oral hygiene 
• Brushing and flossing at least twice daily
• Drink water throughout the day-most people do not drink enough water and this is a contributor to dry mouth.
• Use an over-the-counter, fluoride mouth rinse such as Act Restore.

Products we may recommend by prescription for high decay rate due to dry mouth:

• Colgate PreviDent mouth rinse
• Clinpro 5000 toothpaste

Dry mouth may not be completely preventable, but steps can be taken to ensure good oral health.


We at Parkland Pacific Dental are always here to help maintain your healthy smiles.

By Kelly (Hygienist at Parkland Pacific Dental)

This month we celebrate children’s dental health so I would like to cover a few frequently asked questions we get from parents.

One of the most common question we are asked is "do you take kids and at what age should I bring my child in for their first dental check up?"  Yes! We love kids at Parkland Pacific Dental.  As a general rule we usually suggest children begin having their teeth cleaned and checked around the age of 3.  However each and every child has different tolerance levels.  Some children we see will jump right in to our chair and allow us to treat them when they are just 2 where others require more encouraging and are not ready to allow us to look in their mouths.  The key here is that we never want to make it a scary experience for the child so we will work with them on an individual basis. We will never force a child to do more than they are ready for.  We will encourage the parents to bring them in every six months and work on gaining their trust until they are comfortable with us and are ready to have their teeth cleaned and checked.

Another commonly asked question is "when will my child start getting teeth?" The vast majority of children will get their two lower front teeth between the ages of 4-7 months.  However, some may not get their first tooth until they are a year old.  Don't panic as there is a huge range of normal when it comes to getting and losing baby teeth.  Although most children lose their first tooth at age 5 or 6 some will start as young as 4 where others wont get to meet the tooth fairy until 7.  Your child will usually be the first to know when a tooth is loose because they will feel it moving.  A common misconception is that if a baby tooth gets decay that it is not necessary to fix it since the tooth will fall out eventually anyway.  The truth is that baby teeth have nerves just like adult teeth do and as with adult teeth if decay is allowed to spread it can eventually reach the nerve of the tooth can cause your child a considerable amount of pain and possible infection.  Keep in mind that most children will not lose their last baby tooth until they are 10-12 yrs old, therefore it is just as important to treat decay in a baby tooth as it is an adult tooth.  As always, our goal is to prevent decay from happening in the first place through proper care.

"When should I let my child brush and floss his/her own teeth?"  You should continue to help your child brush their teeth twice a day until they can show that they can do a good job on their own.  For most children, this occurs between ages 6 and 8. Brush after breakfast and before bed.  Keep your child’s teeth free of food.  Molars in the back of the mouth have lots of little grooves and crevices and bits of food can hide in and cause bacteria to grow.  Once children have the coordination and dexterity, they can brush on their own.  However, be sure to inspect after each brushing and go over spots your child may have missed. We always recommend using a soft nylon brush or electric toothbrush with a pea-sized dab of fluoride toothpaste.  Begin flossing your child's teeth daily as soon as any teeth are touching together.  After about the age of 9 children should be able to floss their own teeth. There are many products for kids on the market to make brushing and flossing a fun experience for your child.  Good brushing and flossing habits are an important part of your child’s overall health. The earlier you instill good habits the better off your child will be, and the rewards will last a lifetime.

I hope I was able to answer some of your questions but as always whenever you have any questions about your childs teeth please give Parkland Pacific Dental a call @ 253-531-1177 or find us on facebook.  We look forward to providing you and your family with many years of healthy and beautiful smiles.