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They say you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but it turns out there's one area where you can make a pretty accurate assumption based on a person's looks. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association, people with naturally red hair have a gene variation that also causes them to be resistant to subcutaneous anesthetic. In fact, a red head may need about 30% more anesthetic than someone without that gene variation. The study suggests that as a result of this phenomenon, possibly because of negative experiences with dental pain, naturally red haired people tend to have increased anxiety about visiting the dentist and are more likely to avoid keeping up on their dental work. As Anne Shirley (one of our favorite redheads) lamented, "People who haven't red hair don't know what trouble is." The good news is that knowing about this particular kind of trouble means we can address it. To read the JADA article, click here. To all our redheads (and those who love them) - we'd love to hear your response. Have you found this to be true in your own experience?

Candy, candy, candy! If you're like us, it's only a matter of hours until you'll find yourself facing a huge heap of sugary goodness and some little ghosts and goblins (or Napoleon Dynamite characters, in our case) eager to dive in. While there's something pretty appealing about a good reese's peanut butter cup or a handful of laffy taffy, it's no secret that it's not so great for your teeth. So how to you keep your kids healthy without becoming the Halloween grinch?

We have heard of lots of strategies over the years and hope you'll find something that works for you.

1. Bargain! When our kids were little (this worked well until they were 8 or 9), we would let the kids choose their 10 favorite pieces to keep and then they would sell the rest of the stash to us for $1. Pretty great deal for us, eh? Once the goods had fallen into our clutches, the kids didn't argue about our controlling when they could have some and how much could be eaten. The downside is that a LOT of it was eaten by Sarah and me after the kids had gone to bed. Good for the kids; not so good for us.

2. Sell/donate some. Lots of dentists and other organizations will buy candy back from the kids - often at a better rate than $1 for the whole pile :)  - and then ship it overseas in care packages for soldiers. This year our office is partnering with BizX in their candy buyback program and exchanging gift certificates for milkshakes at Lunchbox Laboratory for excess candy. Have you ever tried their milkshakes? Trust me - they're pretty excellent! Stop in on Nov 1 (between 11 am and 4 pm) to make the trade and receive a fun goodie bag as well.

3. It's all in the timing. Now that our kids are too old to be pleased with selling all their candy for $1, we usually just let them have at it on Halloween night and eat to their little hearts' content. After the free-for-all, they brush and floss and then mom and dad are in charge of the candy. This way we can use it for special occasions - maybe bringing it out on family movie night, putting a piece or two in a school lunch once or twice a week, or even saving some for stocking stuffers. One of the worst things you can do with sugar is snack on it consistently throughout the day. Every time you eat something sugary, there is a 15 minute period when your teeth are coated with enamel weakening sugar and bacteria will have a field day in your mouth. If you eat the candy all at once, you have about 15 minutes of this and then it's over. If, however, you eat one piece of candy every 15 minutes, you've got dental damage going on all day.

4. Get rid of of gross stuff. Seems pretty straightforward,no? We haven't tried this one but I recently read about it and it makes sense to me. The idea is to have your kids go through their loot right away and separate out the candy they don't like (I can imagine myself rescuing a few pieces that I like). Getting rid of the candy they don't like can help your kids learn that when they do indulge in a treat, it should be when it's something they really like and not to just eat any old thing (i.e. peanut butter taffy, bit-o-honey, and starlight mints) because it happens to be available.

These are the strategies we have used - what has worked for you?

We love our neighborhood - the vibrant energy, bustle, and things to do and see. We are guessing you do too, and know that with all that bustle things can get a little hectic. We can help make it easy to get the care you need.

WE ARE NEARBY: located in the Medical Dental Building at 5th and Olive, we are easily accessible by foot, trolley, bus, or monorail. We also validate parking in the Pacific Place garage across the street.

INSURANCE EXPERTISE: Our financial coordinator is excellent at navigating insurance. We bill most insurances and are Preferred Providers for many. For details about your particular insurance, click here.

FREE WHITENING FOR LIFE: Because maintaining long term relationships with our patients is important to us and the best way to ensure good oral health, we are offering you a lifetime of free in-office whitening with us. We will make you a set of custom whitening trays and keep you stocked with professional grade whitening gel for as long as you keep current with your cleanings and exams. That way you get the healthy mouth you need and and pretty teeth you want.

LEADING EDGE TECHNOLOGY: from digital x-ray and ultrasonic cleanings to online patient account login and text message appointment reminders, we are set up to make sure your experience with us is top notch. For your convenience, click below to book online now!

If you watch any commercial on TV, you know that one of the hot trends in personal care is teeth whitening. Teeth whitening is promised to perform miracles – from making ex-boyfriends jealous to taking Hollywood by storm.  While these things may not happen, removing stains and discoloration from your teeth can boost your confidence and help you show off your smile.  The question is, how do you go about it?  Cheaper, over-the-counter applications, take home kits or an in-office procedure?  Here are the things you need to consider when making your choice.

In-Office

Procedures offered at the dentist’s office offer more dramatic color change in a shorter period of time.  Dentists use a safely applied high concentration of the bleaching agent to teeth.  One visit, usually under two hours, can yield much whiter teeth.  In-office procedures also address more teeth, not just the front teeth as some over-the-counter products do.

Enlisting the dentist to whiten your teeth has the added benefit of having a professional work to make sure your teeth are natural looking.  Artificial surfaces, such as bonding or crowns, will not change color with a whitener.  If you incorporate whitening into your overall dental care program, you avoid the risk of mis-matched teeth.

(Our Office offers Zoom® - find answers about this procedure here )

Take Home Kits

Take home kits are a less-expensive option to the professional application at a dentist’s office.  They contain a higher concentration of the whitening agent than over-the-counter kits offer.  Take home kits also use a custom tray, similar to a mouth guard, which provides a more comfortable fit and covers more teeth than a store kit. We find that sensitivity is reduced with custom trays since more of the gel stays on your teeth and off your gums.

Over-the-Counter

OTC kits provide the cheapest option for teeth whitening.  These kits can contain a generic bite tray, brush-on whitener, or adhesive strips.  Often the kits are designed to only whiten the front, most visible, teeth.  This means your teeth will not match in color.  Because the kits are available without professional supervision, the concentration of whitener is lower and less effective.  This means it takes much longer to see visible results from the whitening. We also observe that these products cause an increased sensitivity to whitening, likely due to the difficulty of controlling where the gel goes and keeping it away from areas that will increase your discomfort.

If you are considering whitening your teeth, you should start by consulting your dentist.  Your dentist will go over your options and realistic expectations.  Once you have the necessary information, you will need to decide what you want and how quickly you want it.  Then you can move forward with whitening your beautiful smile.