dentist Seattle WA

Just as there are so many different types of toothbrushes to choose from, each brush also has a different type of bristle! There are generally three different types of bristles; hard, medium, and soft. I always recommend that my patients, especially children and seniors, use a soft bristled toothbrush.

Using a hard and medium bristled brush can actually harm your teeth and gums by stripping the enamel from the teeth and irritating the gums so that they become red and sore, and can even cause gum recession. If you do use a hard or medium bristled brush as a personal preference, I recommend using an electric toothbrush.

Soft bristles are much gentler on your teeth and gums, and while patients of all ages are recommended to use soft bristled brushes, they are particularly great for children, seniors, patients recovering from a dental procedure, and patients wearing braces.

Soft bristles, and even extra-soft bristles are every bit as effective when it comes to cleaning your teeth; in fact, if you currently use a hard or medium bristled brush, try a soft bristled brush next time you buy a toothbrush and we bet you won’t even notice a difference.

Happy brushing!

From your very first visit to my dental office, I strive to provide superior treatment in a pleasant, friendly atmosphere. I thought we’d ask you, our wonderful patients: Have you been especially impressed by our work? Did my team go out of their way to make your day? Are you in love with your new smile?

Whether you’ve just come in for an appointment or your family has been visiting my office for years, I’d love to hear your feedback. You can write a review on my Google Place Page. Or, you can tell me by posting on Facebook.

Thank you!

Dentistry isn’t just about teeth anymore! As I have shared in previous blog posts, oral health issues have been increasingly linked to other health concerns, such as heart disease. Studies are beginning to suggest that patients with periodontal disease are believed to have an elevated risk of heart attack and stroke. Since most patients are not regularly visiting a heart specialist, their regular visits to my Seattle dental office can help detect early warning signs of heart issues or disease.

If it’s been more than six months since your last visit, give me a call!

Does the sound of a drill make you flinch or cringe? Do you worry about your twice-yearly dental checkup? Trust me when I say that you’re not alone! In fact, the Journal of the American Dental Association has estimated that 30 to 40 million people have a fear of visiting the dentist.

To eliminate some of that fear, I’ve put together six steps to help you or your child overcome your dental anxiety before visiting my dental office.

1. What are you most afraid of? Is it the sound of the drill? Do you have needle phobia? Have you been traumatized by previous dental visits? Write down your fears, one by one.

2. Don’t wait. The more frequently you visit my office, the less work needs to be done at any one visit. Simply having your teeth cleaned professionally twice a year—or as recommended—prevents many, if not most, problems.

3. Bring a distraction to your appointment. Bringing along an iPod is a great idea. Just plug in those earphones, close your eyes, and get lost in the music. Listening to music can also be a pain killer.

4. Relax. Inhale slowly, and count of five. Hold your breath for 10 seconds, and then exhale slowly to the count of eight. Repeat. It's easier if you're not totally focused on the work going on inside your mouth.

5. Ask. Before any procedure, ask me about the tools I’m using. Ask me what I’m doing, what the tool is used for, and how it will benefit you during the appointment. Also, please ask about anti-anxiety medications that I may prescribe to help you relax during your appointment.

6. I’m here to help you. Remember, I’m a health care professional who wants to improve your oral health, and will never judge you or the state of your mouth. I’ll do all that I can to ensure you have a trauma-free and pain-free experience, so please let me know if there is something I can do to make your visit more comfortable!

I hope this helps! For more on dental anxieties, I encourage you to visit this helpful article. Or, you can always ask me any questions on Facebook.

Maintaining a healthy diet over the holiday season can prove a difficult task. After all, who can resist the tasty treats of Christmas? With Grandma and everybody else offering you candy, chocolate logs or Christmas pudding, you just can’t say “I’ll pass” each time. But trouble lurks: every time you chow down on that chocolate or candy, the bacteria in your mouth have a feast on the sugar—at your expense. The sugar turns into acid, and the acid eats away at the enamel on your teeth. Then, you start getting cavities.

Instead, my friends at the American Dental Association recommend nuts or dried fruit, which are nice alternatives to sugars and have greater nutritional value—also satisfying your sweet tooth! Both nuts and fruit are a great source of fiber and act as an appetite suppressant. In addition, nuts are a great source of Vitamin E, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B9, nutrients that contribute to a healthy immune system. Nuts are also a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked with reducing heart disease and lower blood pressure.

If you must go for the chocolaty goodness this Christmas or holiday season (and probably all of us will), it’s a good idea to decide what you’re going to indulge in and then eat it all at once instead of grazing. Every time you eat something sugary, you increase that enamel-eating acid in your mouth for about 15 minutes. So, if you eat a piece of candy every 15 minutes your mouth will be in a constant state of elevated acidity. It is better for your teeth to eat your sugar all at once and then let your mouth return to a more enamel-friendly state. Also remember to brush your teeth about 15 minutes after eating sugary treats (once the acidity level has returned to normal). Happy holidays!

Here in Seattle, I know most folks enjoy a hot-brewed coffee or tea in the morning, followed by a cola (or more coffee) in the afternoon. But what many don’t know is that both coffee and tea are especially tough on your teeth, because tannic acid (the substance that makes the dark color) etches into the pits and grooves of tooth enamel, and can stain your pearly whites brown.

So, if you can't give up that morning cup o’joe, what can you do? I suggest rinsing with a glass of water after every cup. If you enjoy iced coffee or tea, drink your beverage with a straw so that tannins don’t make contact with your front upper and lower teeth. Even if you’re not a big coffee drinker, I encourage you to swish and swallow some water at the end of each meal. Water, after all, helps neutralize acids left in your mouth after eating and also reduces cavity-causing bacteria.

I also invite you to visit my convenient downtown Seattle office for whitening options. I can help bleach your teeth with proven and professional products. Please give me a call to learn more about Zoom! teeth whitening at my office.

I hope you are not a part of the 51 percent of Americans who don’t floss every day. And I definitely hope you're not part of the 10 percent who never floss at all. I’m sure that you’ve heard before that proper flossing is just as important for your dental health as brushing regularly. Flossing, you see, cleans food and plaque that builds up between teeth and below the gumline, key areas that brushing simply cannot reach.

Flossing 3-to-5 minutes each day is recommended, but even 60 seconds of flossing has a great benefit over not flossing at all. Also, make sure to always brush your teeth after you floss, and to rinse with water or mouthwash. When you begin flossing you may experience gum pain or bleeding, but with daily flossing and brushing this should stop within a week or so.

Lastly, has it been at least six months since your last dental checkup? If the answer is yes, I encourage you to schedule an appointment!