Recently, we shared a number of dental health care resources for your family, including coloring projects, games and other activities. Today, you’ll discover another terrific web site for your family that features interactive family fun: the National Museum of Dentistry . Go to the site, click on the “Let’s Go” button (available in English or Spanish) and then you can let the fun begin!

A cute character named Mouthie - who looks like teeth and gums - guides you through dental care info through a series of games and challenges.

At the start of the game, you will be assigned a game code. If you decide to stop playing the game for a while, you can pick up where you left off by entering the game code. Mouthie then guides you and your children through his laboratory, where children who learn something important about dental care receive a tooth. Win all the teeth in the lab and be awarded a certificate of achievement.

Learn about the negative effects tobacco has on a person’s overall dental health care, and then you get to create a fun anti-smoking poster.

You could also choose to enter the Dental Time Warp and discover which tools a 19 th-century family dentist had at his disposal and all the vastly improved dental care tools your modern-day family dentist has. Then, discover how the shift has changed from removing unhealthy teeth to preventive dental health care.

Use the National Museum of Dentistry web site to reinforce your message about how a proper diet helps your family’s overall dental health care.

In one section of the interactive laboratory, Mouthie provides information about a well balanced diet and portion control - and also the importance of exercise.

The American Dental Association has a terrific dental care resource for your family: an interactive story targeted for preschoolers through second graders.

Head to the relevant section of the ADA dental care web site and then click on the image provided. You and your children can then follow along with the story, “Visit the Dentist with Marty.” Note that you may need to download the latest version of Macromedia Flash Player before enjoying the illustrated story.

Enjoy videos together that promote quality dental health care and habits, featuring Dudley the Dinosaur and his friends!

These dental health care videos are provided by the ADA and include fun, catchy jingles that may cause your children to sing along. Topics include:

• Brush and Floss
• Brotherly Advice: Mouthguards
• Dental Quiz
• Dudley and Gramps Brush and Floss
• Dudley Tells the Story
• Dudley’s Dental Island
• Smile Scrapbook
• Healthy Snacks with Dudley
• Losing Your Baby Teeth with Dudley and Charlie

Here’s a bonus resource to share with your children before a visit to your family dentist.

The Apples4TheTeacher site provides the following sections:

• About Dental Health Month
• How to Brush Teeth
• Coloring Pages
• Poems and Rhymes for Kids
• Word Search
• Kids Books: Thematic Reading List

Enjoy! Happy smiles to you.

Use this information to find out more about what helps keep your family’s teeth and gums healthy - and to discover ways to share the news about dental services with people of all ages in your family. Here goes!

1. The quality of dental care products that you choose can make a big difference in the oral health of your entire family

   . To help you with your shopping list, here’s a list of more than 400 dental health care products with the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance. These products include “toothpaste , dental floss , manual and electric toothbrushes , mouth rinse and chewing gum.”

2. Find fun ways to share dental care tips with your children.

   One of the easiest ways is to print out dental pictures that your children can color. Use this coloring time as a way to talk about dental health without being pushy or too obvious about your goal. This will also be a great time to chat about an upcoming family dentist visit and what dental services your child should expect. Coloring pages can be found in many places online, including:
   

   • Coloring.ws
   • Preschool coloring book
   • First school

3. Enjoy dental health care games and activities with your elementary school aged children.

   Luckily, there are many web pages offering quality games for you to play that provide information about what a family dentist does and how he or she helps your family. Games and activities can be found at these sites:

   • Colgate
   • Kiddy House
   • American Dental Association
   • Crest

4. Address dental health care issues that worry your teenagers.

   If you have teenagers at home, then you don’t need us to tell you that what concerns them now is different from what mattered when they were in elementary school. Fortunately, About.com has provided information about many of these teenage concerns, including:

   • how to have fresh breath when at school or out with friends
   • whether or not oral piercings are safe
   • how to brush while wearing orthodontic braces
   • how to floss while wearing orthodontic braces

You can also find great sources of dental care information for the grown-ups in your family!

Check these out today:

• Crest’s overview of dental hygiene
• Dental health care tips by OralB
• An explanation of the ADA Seal of Acceptance
• Glossary of dental terms

Finally, be sure to choose the professional dental care team that provides just what you and your family need.

When choosing a family dentist, you’ll want one who is:

• welcoming and who explains procedures in a clear, understandable manner
• willing to answer your dental health care questions
• able to provide the range of dental services that your family needs, which may include orthodontic braces to tooth whitening and other cosmetic dentistry services to partial dentures or dentures
• able to provide dental services at an affordable price and who offers payment options and finance plans that suit your budget
• a preferred provider for most dental insurance plans - especially yours!

You’ll also want a family dentist who believes strongly in preventive dental care and who has the goal of providing care that gives you a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.

We blogged about Zoom teeth whitening and how this process can significantly whiten your teeth . As a follow up to that post, here is more info on the importance of partnering with a dental health care professional when whitening your teeth, whether you choose Zoom teeth whitening or another whitening process.

The American Dental Association ( ADA) recommends that patients consult with their dentist when choosing a tooth whitening treatment – and then throughout any professional whitening process.

More specifically, the ADA recommends that your dentist “supervises the use of bleaching agents within the context of a comprehensive, appropriately sequenced treatment plan ” This is especially important, according to the ADA, if you have “many fillings, crowns, and extremely dark stains.”

Benefits of having teeth whitened by a dental care professional include:

• you will receive a thorough cleaning before having your teeth whitened
• your dentist will check to see if there are any potential problems, such as open cavities, or issues with gum tissue, before proceeding
• you will have your teeth whitened with professional strength products

If you have any questions about whitening your teeth, including Zoom teeth whitening, and how it fits into your overall dental care, request an appointment with your dental health care team today.

If, after an examination and cleaning, your dentist recommends fillings to prevent further tooth decay (fillings are placed in teeth to ‘fill the hole’ created by decay), ask him or her about natural colored fillings. These fillings are crafted from composition resins and, because they match natural teeth in color and texture, they are much less noticeable than traditional fillings - and can even improve the appearance of your smile.

Your dental care professional may advise traditional fillings, rather than tooth colored ones, for back teeth.

Tooth colored fillings may be right for your children’s teeth as well as adult teeth.

Talk to your family dentist to find out what is recommended for your children’s teeth. Be sure to also ask about dental sealants to protect your children’s teeth, as well.

Wondering how to care for tooth colored fillings?

It’s simple! You need to brush daily with a soft-bristled toothbrush; use toothpaste with the American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance; and visit your family dentist every six months.

Because of this core belief, we:

• Set reasonable prices for all dental services
• Accept the following forms of payment: cash, check, VISA®, MasterCard®, Discover® and American Express®. Select DentalWorks offices located inside Sears also accept Sears Card®.
• Offer you the choice among multiple financing plans, including:
  • 24-month financing with no interest from ChaseHealthAdvance
  • Three-, six- or 12-month financing with no interest on services of $300 or more from Care Credit
  • Three-, six-, 12- or 18-month financing with no interest from Capital One Healthcare Finance

You can choose whichever payment or financing plan best suits your budget!

We are a preferred provider for a wide assortment of dental health care insurance plans.

To save you the hassle, we can even file your insurance paperwork for you. Plus, at the time of your dental services, all you need to pay is your estimated deductible or co-payment.

If you have any questions about payments or insurance for your dental services, call us at 1-888-56-TOOTH (1-888-568-6684) today.

This is a great question, one that is often asked by parents wishing to provide their children with the best dental care possible. Dental sealants are applied to the back teeth of children, their molars and premolars, shortly after the teeth come in. This material is “painted on” and it protects teeth from bacteria that can cause decay, which leads to cavities.

Here is another question we’re often asked: how complicated is it to apply dental sealants?

The answer is that it isn’t complicated to apply sealants and it only takes a few minutes per tooth. First the dentist cleans the teeth and then slightly roughens them so that the sealant will adhere well. After it’s applied, the dentist may use a curing light to quickly harden the material. Typically, this material will need reapplied every few years, and can be done as part of your child’s ongoing dental care.

Sealants, though, are just part of an overall dental health care plan for your family.

It’s important that your children also:

• Brush their teeth completely twice a day using toothpaste with an American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance
• Floss every day
• Limit sugary snacks
• Schedule regularly dental health care appointments with their dentist

If you have any questions about sealants or your children’s overall dental care strategy, it’s important to discuss them with your dentist. A team approach works best!

Attention, moms! Your life is hectic. We know that.

As a matter of fact, in 2005, Edelman Financial Services calculated that moms take on so many “jobs” that their salary would be more than $707,000 if they were paid for the countless tasks they perform to keep their children happy and healthy and their home life running smoothly.

It’s important, though, for moms to take a break every now and then. Did you know that you can get a dental makeover from cosmetic dentistry specialists located right in your family dentist office at DentalWorks?

You can select from a wide range of cosmetic dentistry services, ranging from Zoom tooth whitening to Lumineer dental veneers, and then you can relax and enjoy the results of your dental makeover.

There are several ways in which you can enjoy your makeover, but all of them will lead to an even brighter smile!

You can even schedule your cosmetic dentistry makeover during the evenings or on the weekends.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, there should be nearly 76 million working women by 2014, which means that millions of moms are busy at work during the times when many family dentist offices schedule patients.

At DentalWorks, we understand the demands you face with your time, and so we offer convenient hours at convenient locations for you and your entire family. For added convenience, you can even request a dental care appointment online .

Contact us for your dental care appointment and makeover today!

1. We provide family dentistry services to people and smiles of all ages. So, no matter your age, we can provide the dental health care services you want and need.
2. You shouldn’t have to choose between the care you need and the care that you can afford. That’s why we maintain reasonable prices and offer several payment and financing options. We can even help you determine which one is best for your budget.
3. You’ll find a wide range of dental services, from
   
   1. general care to cosmetic dentistry, including tooth whitening (at-home treatments and in-office Zoom teeth whitening), dental veneers, dental bonding, tooth colored fillings and more
   2. orthodontic braces to dental crowns and dental bridges
   3. TrueSmile™ dentures and partial dentures

In short, we have what you need!

• We’re a preferred provider for most dental health care insurance plans. To ask about yours, please call us at 1-888-56-TOOTH (1-888-568-6684) or at your local DentalWorks office . At the time of your appointment, all you pay is your estimated co-payment.
• DentalWorks offices are in convenient locations; open convenient hours; and offer walk-in care for dental care emergencies.

We look forward to becoming your dental health care provider!

You may be a good candidate for dentures with dental implants - and, with implants, you won’t need to worry about using messy dental adhesives or slippage. You simply snap your dentures or partials into place and you’re ready to enjoy the day.

You may be wondering why dental implants eliminate the need for dental adhesives.

Implants act as artificial roots and, after placed in your mouth, they attach themselves to your jaw as they heal. Then, it’s a simple matter to attach your dentures or partial dentures to the implants for a secure fit, an improved appearance, and a confident smile.

Additional benefits of using implants for your dentures / partial dentures include:

• an increased ability to chew; and with this enhanced chewing ability, you can eat more foods and better ensure a healthy, well-rounded diet
• the fact that you can eliminate the gum irritation and soreness caused by dentures that do not remain securely in place with the use of dental adhesives

The next step is to contact your dental care professionals to see if you’re a good candidate for dentures anchored by implants.

At DentalWorks, we offer a complementary consultation to discuss your options . Let us know how we can help!

Millions of Americans suffer from tooth sensitivity issues, usually in response to hot or cold, or to sour or sweet foods. To prevent this from happening or to reduce the sharp painful sensation associated with tooth sensitivity:

• Brush regularly with a soft bristled toothbrush, brushing gently along the gum line
• Floss regularly
• Use toothpaste specially formulated for people with sensitive teeth; you may need to experiment with more than one brand to find the right one for you
• Apply a small amount of this toothpaste on tooth roots before bedtime
• Avoid eating highly acidic foods and drinks
• Ask your dental health care professionals for products they can prescribe to help you decrease your tooth sensitivity.

It’s especially important for people with sensitive teeth to visit their dental care team every three to six months.

Keeping your teeth clean and as plaque free as possible helps reduce sensitivity – and regular visits to your dental health care team are an important component of cleanliness. Regular fluoride treatments are also key. Plus, if none of the self help recommendations work for you, your dentist can try more advanced treatments, such as:

• a special prescription fluoride gel
• fillings that correct decay that may be causing the sensitivity
• dental crowns that address flaws in the teeth that are causing sensitivity
• a surgical gum graft that covers tooth roots, which can reduce sensitivity

Ask your dental health care team to share the best strategy for you to reduce tooth sensitivity.