Parsley and Other Ways To Brighten Your Smile from Dr. Ray Partovy

At Dr. Ray Partovy's Office we see lots of patients concerned about their bad breath. So we want to educate you about what you can do to really keep your chompers clean and breath minty fresh!

Naturally, good oral hygiene is the first set. With proper brushing and regular dental checkups you can keep bad breath (halitosis) in check.

Certain foods, medications, smoking, sinus issues, or even gum disease cause most bad breath. If the stink lingers for longer than 24 hours, you should see us at Dr. Ray Partovy's Office. It might be something more serious, like dehydration, zinc deficiency, diabetes, liver failure, kidney failure, or even certain kinds of cancers!

In the meantime, here are some home remedies to keep you smiling bright from Dr. Ray Partovy's Office.

--Spice Up Your Life
Snack on some cloves, fennel, or anise after each particularly odorous snack.
--Don’t forget the tongue
Lots of people brush their teeth regularly, but leave the tongue alone. One of the main causes of bad breath is food and plaque residue on the surface of your tongue. So give it a nice gentle brush-over too!
--Watch your drinking habits
The worst options are coffee, wine, whiskey, and beer.
--Frequent brushing
Carry a toothbrush with you so brushing after each meal is convenient and refreshing! Trust us, you’ll love the way it makes you feel. If you can’t brush, still swish around a couple sips of water to remove any lingering food.
--Make your own Gargle
Gargling with a home mixture of sage, calendula, and myrrh gum extracts four times a day should ward off that bad breath potential.
--Parsley’s there for a reason
Finish your parsley after you finish your dinner and you’ll find a refreshing breath enhancer. Hate the texture? Throw a couple sprigs in a blender to sip after each meal.
--Sugarless Gum
Always a good idea to carry some mints or sugarless gum for that quick spruce up before you meet the boss.
--Don’t cut that cheese
The stronger the cheese, the stinkier your breath can become. Think about blue cheese and Roquefort? They really get the party started in your mouth and it’s hard to make them leave!

A Sour Smile Is Not A Happy Smile

It’s no secret that sweet, sugary candies and drinks have an adverse effect of the health of your smile, but what about sour or tart candies? We at Dr. Ray Partovy thought you might want to know what kind of an effect does eating or drinking something sour have on my smile?

Recent research from the Minnesota Dental Association suggests that the amount of acid in sour candies is enough to eat away at tooth enamel and cause cavities. Here are a few souring facts about sour candies, and some helpful tips on how to protect your teeth from Dr. Ray Partovy (even if you cannot give up sour candies all together).

Facts

-Sour candies can be very acidic, and may actually burn the gums and cheeks, while weakening and wearing down the enamel on your teeth. (Check the acid levels in some of your favorite candies)

-It can take almost 20 minutes for the acid in sour candies to become neutral. Holding the acid in your mouth by sucking on sour hard candies or chewing sour gummies can keep the acid active for more than 20 minutes.

-The acid in sour candies can cause cavities and severe tooth decay.

Protect your teeth

-Limit the amount of sour candies that you eat on a daily basis, and if you do indulge, remember not to suck or chew on sour candies for long periods of time.

-After eating sour candies, rinse your mouth out with water, drink milk, or eat a couple slices of cheese. This will help neutralize the acid in your mouth (wait at least one hour before brushing your teeth with toothpaste, as this can actually increase the effects of acid on your teeth)

-If tooth erosion has already begun, ask your dentist about ways you can help reduce sensitivity and continue to protect your teeth.

Hope this helps! From Dr. Ray Partovy.

Dr. Ray Partovy Found A Fun New Quiz

We at Dr. Ray Partovy's office want to know, where does all that soda pop go?

On average, the typical person consumes over 50 gallons of soda pop per year! The amount of acid and sugar found in a can of soda can cause serious tooth decay and lead to cavities, gum disease, and even tooth loss!

We at Dr. Ray Partovy's office know that you don’t want to lose your teeth, so take the soda pop quiz, presented by the Minnesota Dental Association, and learn more about how to keep your smile healthy.

It’s a fun interactive quiz, so enjoy! From Dr. Ray Partovy's office.

Break the Nail Biting Habit with Dr. Partovy's Help

A tooth’s duty is to chew food, but often we see patients at Dr. Partovy's office whose teeth have picked up an undesirable side job – chewing nails.

A familiar habit, nail biting is common in childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. Teenagers are the most frequent culprits, boys tend toward nail biting more than girls, and most adults have dropped the habit by the age of 30.

Adults can beat the nail-biting habit with a little will power. Follow these tips from Dr. Partovy:

--Keep nails trimmed and filed. Paying positive attention to your nails can help you overcome the urge to bite.

--Have regular manicures or paint nails regularly. Polish serves as a visual reminder to avoid biting, or a reward after a week of abstinence.

--Cover nails with a bitter-tasting polish. It’s difficult to bite your nails when they taste like pepper.

--Snap a rubber band on the inside of the wrist when nail biting occurs. Train yourself to stop biting with a negative physical response.

--Ask a family member for help. If you find yourself biting your nails without thinking about it, a family member can (kindly) point out your behavior to you.

--Carry a nail file and clippers. When the urge to bite strikes, file or trim instead.

You can help your children quit with some patience. Follow these tips:

--Be clear about the problems with nail biting. Explain that you don’t like nail biting because it’s unhealthy and it makes nails look bad.

--Provide simple alternatives to nail biting. When you find your child biting, suggest a different, age-appropriate activity.

--Avoid negativity. Children can respond to punishment or criticism by nail biting to spite parents.

--Embrace positive reinforcement. Designate a fun activity after a day without biting, and a larger reward for a week without biting.

--Get your child involved in the process. Ask him his opinion on the best way to quit.

--Make use of physical barriers. Use bitter-tasting nail polish during the day or bandages or socks on the hands at night to remind your child not to bite.

--Be patient. Habits don’t appear overnight, nor do they disappear quickly. Be prepared to handle relapses calmly.

Regardless of age, nail biting is often a stress-induced activity. Pay attention to your patterns or your child’s patterns. If nail biting regularly occurs in response to a stressful situation, it’s more useful to focus on removing or dealing with the stressor.

No matter what the underlying cause, nail biting is a habit best avoided or overcome. Aside from a set of beautiful nails, a recovered biter enjoys a hearty sense of accomplishment.

Dr. Ray Partovy Offers Outstanding Discounts On Superior Cosmetic Dentistry

Dr. Ray Partovy wants you to have the smile you deserve. So right now for a limited time, he is offering great discounts on popular cosmetic dentistry treatments.

Come in to the office in the months of May and June and receive:

$500 off Invisalign

$500 off Lumineers

$500 off Veneers

Also, if you refer a new patient, you will receive free Whitening Trays with solution!

So give us a call today at Dr. Ray Partovy's office and you'll be smiling this summer!