The Benefits Of Drinking Straws

Did you know that just a few cent drinking straw can have many benefits when it comes to your oral health?

• Drinking straws help prevent your teeth from staining. By using a straw, you're avoiding constant contact between your teeth and dark colored beverages. 
• Using a straw to consume liquids can promote good hygiene. This is especially true when drinking out of a can or bottle. Using a straw can also limit exposure to germs on restaurant drinkware. 
• Drinking through a straw reduces the exposure your teeth have with that food or drink. This results in less of the surgery substance and bacteria sticking to the front of your teeth, causing erosion. 
• It has been said that using a straw reduces the risk of choking. People tend to sip from straws, rather than gulping down a liquid from a glass. 

For more useful tips on keeping your smile healthy, contact Baltimore Dentist Dr. Robert Jacobson today at 410-665-5205.

Dr. Robert A. Jacobson, DDS
8109 Harford Road
Suite 3
Parkville, Maryland 21234
Ph 410-665-5205
Fx 410-665-5208
baltobestdds@yahoo.com
www.affordable-dentistry.com

How To Improve Your Child's Oral Hygiene Habits

Taking kids to the dentist can be a daunting task. It can sometimes involve kicking, screaming, begging, and pleading. Kids can develop a fear of dentists that carry on in to adulthood. Which then leads to major health issues when avoiding dentists. Early on, children should learn that dentists are there to help and not to hurt. Life without a dentist is an exceedingly scarier scenario than a biannual visit.

Teaching children the value of dental maintenance at an early age is the key to a life of good dental health. Start by being unafraid as a parent. A parent who is afraid of the dentist surely has bestowed this fear on their child. Why not? "If Mom and Dad are afraid of Dentists, I should be terrified!" -- That's the message one would be sending. "Do as I do" is the key to making oral hygiene a positive daily practice.

Brush and floss twice daily. Rinsing after a meal is best, along with chewing sugar free gum for 20 minutes. Studies show sugar free gum can help reduce tooth decay and aid in digestion. However, gum isn't a replacement for brushing and flossing.

At home, make a fun game of brushing. Sing a song and brush along. It's time spent together that simultaneously promotes good health.

Get new tooth brushes often. Kids love anything that's packaged and new. Instead of buying bubble gum at the grocery store, why not a new toothbrush? For the younger ones, something with a colorful, cool handle. Spiderman and Hello Kitty make brushing more fun for all.

Be mindful with your kids about procedures they are facing. Assure them that the end result will greatly benefit them. Also understand that Pediatric Dentists are well versed in a vernacular that will explain procedures to children without scaring them. In short, they "speak kid." Cleaning cooties off of your teeth is a procedure any kid would want done. A root canal? Not so much.

Start the game today. Get excited about it and your kids will follow suit. The result? A family with a healthy and bright smile. Contact Baltimore Dentist Dr. Robert Jacobson today at 410-665-5205 for more information on how to improve your child's oral hygiene habits.