Zoom!® Whitening

A whiter smile is one just one dentist visit away! ZOOM!® Smile Whitening brightens and whitens your teeth in just 45 minutes. Once you have gone through the Zoom!® treatment we will send you home with an at home whitening bleaching kit with custom made trays. Using the take home trays will allow you to maintain your desired level of whitening over several months.

While Zoom!® Smile Whitening is a great way to enhance the appearance of your smile, it's not always for everyone. Those with deep, dark stains that remain unaffected by whitening treatments and patients with regular tooth sensitivity may not be good candidates. Find out more about Zoom!® Smile Whitening at our web site; and when you are ready to have a whiter, brighter smile contact Stiles Dentistry for an evaluation, at 240-252-1032!

Bottled Water May Be Behind Tooth Troubles

We at Stiles Dentistry want you to know that as more families turn to bottled water and away from the tap, they may be missing out on one important ingredient that most brands of bottled water fail to include: fluoride!

As of 2005, bottled water is second only to soft drinks as the most popular drink in the United States, beating out milk, juice, and – more significantly – tap water. Between 2001 and 2006, the amount of bottled water sold in the U.S. rose an average of 10% per year. And many dental health specialists point to bottled water’s increased popularity as the culprit behind rising rates of cavities.

Because fluoride helps strengthen teeth, it is an important component of maintaining good oral health. The benefits of fluoride were noticed in the early part of the twentieth century, when researchers found communities with low levels of tooth decay. It turned out that these towns had measurable levels (around 1 part per million) of fluoride in their drinking water.

Beginning in the 1940s, communities have fluoridated their water supplies, and dentists have seen a significant decline in cavities ever since. The American Dental Association endorses both community water fluoridation and the use of fluoride-containing products as a safe means of preventing tooth decay. Between tap water and toothpaste, most of us get sufficient amounts of fluoride.

But if your family avoids fluoridated tap water in favor of ever-more-popular bottled water, you could be missing out on the levels of fluoride necessary to make a difference in your oral health.

If bottled water is your water of choice, check the label to make sure that your brand contains fluoride. As of a 2006 decision, the FDA allows bottled water containing .6 to 1.0 milligrams per liter of fluoride to carry a label stating that fluoridated water may reduce the risk of dental cavities or tooth decay. The ADA has backed this decision.

Of course, simply drinking fluoridated water is not a magic ticket to perfect teeth. To keep your choppers in tip-top shape, it’s important to brush and floss daily and avoid sugary sweets, in addition to maintaining your fluoride intake and visiting us at Stiles Dentistry regularly.

Regular Checkups are Important

Is your child brushing his/her teeth twice a day? If yes, that’s great; but, don’t forget that it’s also important for your child to visit us at Stiles Dentistry every six months in addition to brushing their teeth a couple times a day. If your child will be visiting the dentist for the first time, it’s important to bring them in after their first tooth comes through, and no later than their first birthday. Regular dental checkups are important for maintaining good oral health. We can:

• Check for problems that might not be seen or felt
• Detect cavities and early signs of decay
• Treat oral health problems early
• Show your child how to properly brush and floss their teeth

During an oral exam the doctor will check the health of your child’s mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks and tongue. Checkups will also include a thorough teeth cleaning and polishing. If your child has not been to a dentist in the last six months, it’s time for you to schedule an appointment at Stiles Dentistry! Give us a call at 240-252-1032

Sleep Apnea Treatment in the Kentlands

Do you frequently wake up, out of breath, in the middle of the night? Do you snore loudly, or find yourself drowsy during the day? You may be affected by sleep apnea, a condition that affects more than twelve million Americans. Sleep apnea is caused by a blockage of your airway during sleep, and can cause you to periodically stop breathing 20-30 times an hour while sleeping. Your brain then wakes you up to start breathing again, and though you may not remember it,these frequent disturbances can prevent you from getting a good night's sleep!

There are a few solutions out there, and one of the most popular is the CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) device. While this solution works for some Sleep Apnea patients, we at Stiles Dentistry offer Sleep Apnea appliances as an alternative to the CPAP device. Watch this brief video, where Dr. Dennis Stiles explains how the retainers work to open your airway, and how they can help you sleep better! Do you have questions? Leave a comment here on the blog for others to see, and check out additional Sleep Apnea information on our web site!

National Dental Hygiene Month

Did you know that October is National Dental Hygiene Month? Fall is here, and Halloween is coming soon, but now it is more important than ever to maintain good oral hygiene.

All those sweet, sour and sticky candies may taste great, but these treats can damage your teeth and braces too! Did you know sour candies can be acidic to your teeth, and actually wear down the enamel that protects them? This can cause tooth decay and cavities! After eating these candies, be sure to wash your mouth out with water, drink milk or eat a few slices of cheese. These 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)

Besides cavities and tooth decay, many people do not realize that good oral health and hygiene are important to your overall health too! Research is discovering the connection between periodontal disease and other major health concerns, such as heart disease! Therefore, it is important to maintain a good oral hygiene routine: see your dentist every six months, brush and floss daily and use an antibacterial mouthwash.

Make a resolution to improve your oral health for October, the National Dental Hygiene Month!

--Drs. Dennis and Marie Stiles

Stiles Dentistry Around the Web

If you've ever visited us at Stiles Dentistry, you already know that we love connecting with our patients. We love the ability to communicate with all of you online too! Besides our web site and our blog, Drs. Dennis and Marie Stiles is on many other networks too!

* Share a video with us, or watch one of ours on YouTube

* Become a Fan of Stiles Dentistry on Facebook

* Follow our tweets on the Stiles Dentistry Twitter


See you around the web!