Artificial sweeteners and your child’s health, from Dr. Dunn

Dr. Dunn knows that there is always a lot of debate in the health community about the health effects of artificial sweeteners, and aspartame is most surely one of the most controversial food additives to ever be approved by the FDA. Here at Advanced Dental Care, we try to provide you with the most up to date information on topics relating to the health of our patients and their loved ones. That is why we want to share with you a few facts that we recently learned in a Huffington Post article.

Did you know that aspartame is now sold under many commercial names, including NutraSweet, Canderel, and AminoSweet? Yes, that’s right. When checking nutrition facts, it is important to keep an eye out for all of these ingredients! This sweetener can be found in diabetic foods, jams, breakfast cereals, chewing gum, soda, and even prescriptions and vitamins.

What’s so harmful about aspartame?
With over 10,000 official complaints, aspartame reactions are more commonly reported than that of all other food additives combined. Of these reports, two-thirds consist primarily of headaches, mood alterations, and hallucinations. Determining your nutritional type and the foods that your body craves is key to satisfying sugar cravings. The recommended fructose level is below 25 grams per day, which includes both natural and artificial sweeteners.

Next time you're in for an appointment with Dr. Dunn, let us know if you have any questions about aspartame or this article. As always, please remember to use a straw if you choose to sip soda, coffee, or other dark colored beverages to take care of that beautiful smile!

Getting social with Advanced Dental Care of Las Colinas!

At Advanced Dental Care of Las Colinas, we embrace technology, whether it’s through the innovative treatments we offer, our high-tech web site or our Facebook fan page. As you can probably tell, we love connecting with our patients online, whether it’s by sharing news on our blog or communicating ideas on our fan page. For social media to work, we understand that conversation is vital, and that’s why we invite you to join in and tell us what’s on your mind. Although social networks are hugely popular these days, we know they’re unpredictable and ever-changing.

While Dr. Dunn and our staff take a little time to research how to best use social media, we thought we’d ask you, our loyal patients: How would you like us to use our social networks? What would you like us to share on our blog? Please post your thoughts or give us a call!

October is National Dental Hygiene Month

Here in Irving, TX, Dr. Dunn and our team knows that with all of the excitement of fall and Halloween, it is often easy to forget about maintaining good oral hygiene. Did you know that October is National Dental Hygiene Month?

Your sweet tooth may enjoy all of those sweet, sour and sticky candies, but these treats can actually cause damage to your teeth! Did you know sour candies can be acidic to your teeth, and can actually wear down the enamel that protects them? This can cause tooth decay and cavities! After eating candy, it is best 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 a correlation between periodontal disease and other major health concerns, such as heart disease! Therefore, it is important to maintain a good oral hygiene routine: see Dr. Dunn every six months, brush and floss daily and use an antibacterial mouthwash.

We encourage you to make a commitment to improve your oral health for October, the National Dental Hygiene Month!

Your turn! From Advanced Dental Care

Each week, Dr. Dunn and our team at Advanced Dental Care in Las Colinas blogs about topics pertinent to dental care and your well-being, including the innovative dental techniques we offer. Today, we thought we’d step back and ask you, our loyal patients and readers: what’s on your mind? What would you like to know about the field of dentistry? What would you like us to focus on our blog in the coming months? Let us know by posting here or on our Facebook fan page!

So… take it away and we’ll try to answer any questions you may have!

Advanced Dental Care, your CEREC specialist in Las Colinas, TX

CEREC, a technology for restoring damaged teeth, can be completed in a single visit to Advanced Dental Care of Las Colinas. This short video explains how CEREC restorations make your teeth stronger and more beautiful — all while keeping your teeth looking natural. Dr. Dunn is your local CEREC dentist for single-visit tooth restorations in Irvine, Las Colinas and surrounding communities.

As always, feel free to give us a call at 972-506-9688 if you have any questions about CEREC, or if you would like to schedule an appointment at our office.

September is National Gum Care Month

Gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease, can be difficult to recognize. Ma”ny people do not recognize the warning signs - bleeding and swollen gums - as a precursor to gum disease. This month, a national campaign is underway to raise awareness about gum health and periodontal disease, and we at Dr. Dunn's office wanted to do our part to help spread the word!

Early recognition and action are the most important steps to health gums, and ultimately a health body too! Studies are published every year linking oral health, including the gums, to the health of other areas of the body, such as the heart. One of the most important steps to improving the care of your gums is recognizing the warning signs for gum disease. These can include:

• Gums that appear red or swollen
• Gums that feel tender
• Gums that bleed easily (during brushing or flossing)
• Gums that recede or pull away from the teeth
• Persistent halitosis, or bad breath
• Loose teeth
• Any change in the way teeth come together in the biting position

If you notice any of these signs, schedule an appointment with our office as soon as possible. We can take proactive steps to prevent gingivitis and gum disease, while showing you how to improve gum care in your daily oral hygiene habits.

My adventures in Africa, from Kim at Advanced Dental Care

Thank you so much to everyone for your support during my trip back to Africa. It was an amazing time and I definitely treasured every moment there. It's always a little hard for me to put into words all of the great experiences and express some of what I saw. Today, I wanted to share a few of the highlights with the staff and patients of Advanced Dental Care.

• Kenya is such a beautiful place! We were able to see much of the countryside and villages, even though we actually stayed in Nairobi. I was able to meet many hospital workers, hospital administrators and doctors.
• I had the opportunity to work with a dentist within the Kenya hospital. I loved it. I pulled my first tooth! I also had the chance to speak with the patients and educate them on proper oral health habits.
• In Uganda, we were able to volunteer at God Cares orphanage and school, which was such a blessing. We had the opportunity to lead their daily chapel and morning bible study, which was a great experience. It was really one of the trips highlights being able to spend time with the kids in class, hearing about their lives, playing games, and listening to them read.

There are just so many stories I wish I could share but just wanted to share a glimpse of my trip with all of our patients at Dr. Dunn’s office. Next time you’re in for an appointment; feel free to ask me about my trip if you have any questions or if you have had similar experiences traveling!

Thank you,

-Kim