Get to Know the Affleck Team!

How well do you know your friendly Affleck staff? Did you know that Jaime raises cattle and that Kacie has raised horses? Read on for more exciting info…maybe you share something in common with Jamie, Kacie, Tana, or all three!

Jamie: Jaime has been at Affleck Dental from the very beginning- 2002- the same year as the Olympics in Salt Lake. She loves any outdoor activity, including riding horses, camping, boating, both in Utah and the surrounding states. Summer is an especially exciting time as she can enjoy lots of outdoor activities. Jamie has been married for 20 years and has two beautiful 13 and 15-year-old daughters. 

Kacie and Jamie have been long-time family friends. Kacie started at Affleck Dental in 2009, and has always been interested in the health field. What she loves best about working at Affleck Dental is helping people, watching the transformations, smiles, and seeing them get their lives back. Like Jamie, Kacie also enjoys camping and hunting. She also has fun playing softball and dodgeball. 

Tana is one of the newest members of the Affleck Team and has been at Affleck Dental for 13 months. She enjoys helping make Affleck Dental patients happy and has had an interest in the health field throughout her life. Tana also loves anything outdoors, such as boating, ATVing, and snowboarding at Powder Mountain.

Hope you enjoying getting to know the Affleck Team! We hope to see you in the office and look forward to helping you however we can. Hope you have a great day and Labor Day weekend!

How Often do You Really Need to Brush?

Brushing is a technique that we learn at a young age, and the habits we pick up early in life often carry into adulthood. We’ve likely all heard the recommendation, “brush twice a day”, but is this really true? And is there anything else we should know about brushing besides simply brushing twice a day? The short answer to brushing twice a day is: Yes. Both the American Dental Association and world-renown Mayo Clinic recommend to brush at least twice a day. 

Brushing in the morning helps eliminate the bacteria that has accumulated overnight. Brushing in the evening helps eliminate the bacteria that has accumulated throughout the day due to all the food and drink that has been consumed. Some people even brush after every meal, or in the middle of the day, and this can easily be accomplished with a mini toothbrush and toothpaste at hand. 

In addition to brushing twice a day, you may want to take particular note when you have just eaten or are about to eat acidic foods. Acidity weakens tooth enamel, which protects our teeth. Foods higher in acidity than others contain a relatively low pH, to include lemons and lemon juice, apples, berries, pineapple, grapefruit, cherries, plums, nectarines, peaches, pears, pimentos, tomatoes, and vinegar. 

Brushing before eating the foods above

helps add a protective coating to your teeth. However, immediately after eating these foods, hold off on the toothbrush. It is recommended to wait at least 30 minutes after eating acidic foods to brush so your teeth have some time to recover after the acidity.

When you do brush, be sure to make it count and do it well. If you’re a little bored, hum or sing a song in your head, or listen to music. Try doing squats! And don’t forget to floss at least once a day as well. Flossing not only removes debris, but also stimulates gums which helps protect teeth and fights off gum disease. What are your favorite times to brush during the day? Any favorite toothpastes or floss?

Toothpaste Brands - Why Some are Better Than Others

The toothpaste aisle at the store can be rather daunting. Of all the toothpastes out there, which one should you choose? Or, are they all the same?

Which toothpaste is best for you depends entirely upon what you need. Flouride is the most important ingredient when a person needs extra help avoiding cavities. Fluoride not only hardens the important outer enamel layer of your teeth, but it can also restore it in the early stages of damage.

Other toothpaste characteristics you may want to consider are: whitening and tartar control. The ingredients in tartar control toothpaste reduce the amount of hard build-up that collects on your teeth. Too much tartar can harm your gums, which are important to the overall health of your teeth and mouth. And while the whiteness of your teeth doesn’t impact your health, many people find that white teeth make them more confident and able to smile in social settings.

Some people suffer from tooth sensitivity. If you’re one of those people, you may want to choose toothpaste that offers relief from tooth pain over long periods of use.

What about abrasiveness? Some toothpastes are “rougher” or “harsher” than others and can wear down the outer surface of your teeth, cause sensitivity or damage gums over time if used frequently. If this is a concern for you, look for toothpaste with baking soda, which cleans the teeth and gums more gently.

You have options with Affleck Dental!!

Tooth replacement options are comparable to the growth of computers. What may seem ages ago, computers filled an entire room. Thankful for us, tooth replacement options back then didn’t take up your entire mouth. However, they weren’t as seamless, comfortable and flexible in choices as they are now. Some of these choices include dental implants, permanent fixed bridges and bonded bridges. Each option is specifically designed for the individual needs of the person and to increase overall health.

Dental implants tend to be the primary choice for replacing a missing tooth. The implants are made of pure titanium that is completely safe. A screw is first implanted into the jaw bone where the missing tooth is. This screw is specially designed to promote bone adherence. Once it has healed, a cap or crown is attached that has the appearance of a real tooth. This option has a 95% success rate and will last a long time.

Fixed bridges have been around for over 50 years. Even though it may seem like an archaic option with how far medical treatments have come, it remains to be a predictable procedure for patients who have little bone or have loose adjacent teeth. This procedure involves the drilling of the enamel of adjacent teeth, taking an impression and making a permanent bridge across the area where the tooth is missing. Treatment is completed quicker and there are no surgical procedures involved.

There are a few choices for temporary restorations that may also cost less. Affleck Dental recommends visiting a specialist in tooth replacement to determine your options and what will best meet your needs, lifestyle and your budget. Affleck Dental understands the importance of feeling good about yourself and one place to begin is your beautiful smile.