Keeping Your Family Cavity Free This Halloween

Halloween is just around the corner- and while we're sure you are busy putting the finishing touches on your costume, carving pumpkins and decorating, we wanted to take a moment to remind you all of the importance of oral hygiene, especially this weekend. We know how tempting this time of the year can be on our sweet tooth, and can be equally challenging for parents in setting limits for the inevitable piles of candy their children will gather from trick or treating. However, for most people, no Halloween is complete without a little candy.

Sweets remain a huge part of Halloween for tens of millions of Americans each year. The National Confectioners Association says 93 percent of children in the United States go trick-or-treating, and estimates candy sales will be higher this year than ever. While not all bad in moderation, Candy can lead to big problems in excess, especially if good oral hygiene habits are not followed.

To help, we have found 5 tips from the American Dental Association for parents to help maintain good oral health for Halloween, and the rest of the year too!

1. Consume candy during meals, when saliva can help neutralize the acids that are present in some candies (particular the sour variety)

2. Avoid sticky or hard candies that stay in your mouth for a long time. These candies can result in constant exposure of acids to your teeth- a quick ticket to a cavity!

3. Ensure the water your family drinks is fluoridated- which has been shown to help prevent cavities.

4. Stick to your daily oral hygiene habits- brush twice a day, and floss at least once too!

5. Maintain regular dental checkups and cleanings with us. We can help catch problems like cavities early to reduce their severity, as well as give you tips for improving your oral health.

Hope these tips help!

All of us at Stiles Dentistry wish you a happy, safe, and spooky Halloween!

Dr. Dennis Stiles Lectures on Sleep Apnea at The UMB Dental School

As we've discussed before, both Drs. Dennis & Marie Stiles are active participants in the dental community, and both volunteer time to teach at the University of Maryland Dental School in Baltimore on Fridays. Earlier today, Dr. Dennis Stiles gave a one hour lecture to UMB Dental School graduate students (in the advanced general dental residency) on sleep apnea. The focus of the lecture was on working with medical doctors and sleep specialists to help treat patients with the sleep apnea disorder.

We are please to help patients in the Gaithersburg area get a better night's sleep using oral appliance therapy, rather than the more traditional CPAP machine. We are able to work closely with your sleep specialist to custom-create an oral appliance that can serve as an effective treatment for sleep apnea. To learn more about how these appliances work, be sure to check out the video we created of Dr. Stiles explaining the device, as well as a video testimonial from Judy, one of our patients, who had a great experience with this form of treatment.

Dr. Marie Stiles Inducted into the International College of Dentists

Last weekend, both Drs. Stiles traveled to Orlando, FL for the International College of Dentists 2010 Convocation. Dr. Marie Stiles, along with several other members of the Washington DC chapter, was inducted as a fellow of the ICD. As we've mentioned before, The ICD is a worldwide organization of dentists, with membership only extended to dentists for significant contributions to the field of dentistry. On a local level, however, the Washington DC chapter gives out leadership awards to students in dental school, holds screening exams for people serving in the Peace Corps, and sponsors student exchange programs and white coat ceremonies at Howard Dental School. Dr. Dennis Stiles is currently serving as an officer in the Washington DC chapter of the ICD as Deputy Regent, and is responsible with programming for the chapter members.

Drs. Stiles at the Ballpark

Though they didn't produce the championship season we all hoped for, we still had a great time attending the Washington Nationals Baseball games this past season. We also had a great time giving out tickets to a few lucky patients this season- we hope you enjoyed your time at the ballpark too! We snapped a few photos at the final game of the season, check them all out on Facebook!

Stiles Dentistry Supporting the National Foundation for Cancer Research

A few weekends back, both Drs. Dennis and Marie Stiles participated in the 7th annual Golf for a Cure Classic, an annual fundraising event and auction to support the National Foundation for Cancer Research.

In addition to participating in the tournament itself, the doctors were also sponsors of the event, which was held at the Kenwood Golf & Country Club in Bethesda, MD. While both doctors are already very active in local charities and volunteer opportunities, this was one of the few chances to fit a little golf in at the same time! You can learn more about Golf for a Cure and the National Foundation for Cancer Research on their website, and sign up yourself for next year's event!

Continuing Education in 2010

Regardless of your career, continuing education is always important. Learning new skills, techniques and abilities, can help you advance in your job and improve the quality of your work. In dentistry, this is no different, and we spend many hours each year in ongoing continuing education courses to improve and expand our services to give our patients an even better dental experience.

We've been quite busy with CE in 2010. Below are a few highlights:

October will mark Dr. Marie Stiles' induction into the International College of Dentists at the annual American Dental Association national conference. The ICD is a worldwide organization of dentists working to share and contribute advances in the field of dentistry. Dr. Marie will join Dr. Dennis as a fellow of the ICD, an honor only extended to dentists for significant contributions to their profession. Dr. Marie Stiles will also be attending a sedation dentistry conference to further expand her expertise in this area.

Dr. Dennis Stiles has spent time in continuing education for a variety of specialties, including Implant Dentistry (38 hours), Prosthodontics (16 hours), as well as a 16 hour course on the brain and learning. Interestingly enough. its been found that some conditions related to the brain, such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can have an affect on sleep patterns and sleep disorders. Dr. Stiles' specialties is in customized sleep apnea devices, which may be prescribed by a sleep specialist to treat this disorder.

It is our goal to pass the value of continuing education courses like these to our patients, in the form of effective and long lasting dental health!

What do you love about Stiles Dentistry?

From your very first visit to our Kentlands dental practice, our doctors and team strive to provide superior treatment in a pleasant, friendly atmosphere. We thought we’d ask you, our wonderful patients: How have you enjoyed your experience? Did our 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 a consultation or your family has been visiting our office for years, we’d love to hear your feedback. Or, you can tell us by posting on our Facebook page or by giving us a call!

Thank you,
The Stiles Family Dentistry Team