• Use ADA.org’s ADA Member Directory to search for dentists in your area.
• Ask family, friends, neighbors or co-workers for recommendations.
• Ask your family physician or local pharmacist.
• If you are moving, your current dentist may be able to make a recommendation.
• Call or write your local or state dental society.  In Sacramento, the Sacramento District Dental Society’s website www.sdds.org provides a comprehensive list of participating dentists.

Nowadays, more and more people are using the internet to find a dentist.  Not only can you search for a dentist, but you can also read testimonials from current or past patients. You can also look up these dentists’ individual web sites to find information about their specific services and procedures.

You may want to call or visit more than one dentist before making your decision. Dental care is a very personalized service that requires a good relationship between the dentist and the patient.  In my next blog I will list some guidelines to consider when determining if a dentist is right for you.

Thank you for reading.  I encourage you to leave questions or comments below.  To learn more about my practice, please visit www.elitesacramentodentist.com

Your friendly dentist,
Dr. Sarah Po
June 22, 2010

Source:  http://www.ada.org/2626.aspx#chosedentist

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced that it will allow bottlers to claim that fluoridated water may reduce the risk of tooth decay. “Whether you drink fluoridated water from the tap or buy it in a bottle, you’re doing the right thing for your oral health,” says ADA executive director James B. Bramson, D.D.S. “Thanks to the FDA’s decision, bottlers can now claim what dentists have long known—that optimally fluoridated water helps prevent tooth decay.”

The ADA agrees with the FDA that this health claim is not intended for use on bottled water marketed to infants for whom lesser amounts of fluoride are appropriate. The appropriate amount of fluoride is essential to help prevent tooth decay. But fluoride intake above optimal amounts creates a risk for enamel (dental) fluorosis in teeth during their development before they erupt through the gums.

To find out whether your community water supply is fluoridated in the Sacramento area, check out the geographic distribution on http://bit.ly/aSoEIQ

Thank you for reading.  I encourage you to leave questions or comments below.  To learn more about my practice, please visit www.elitesacramentodentist.com

Your friendly dentist,
Dr. Sarah Po
June 8, 2010

Source:  http://ada.org/3050.aspx?currentTab=1

For good dental health, keep these tips in mind when choosing your meals and snacks.

- To maintain a balanced diet, eat a variety of foods. Choose foods from each of the five major food groups:

• breads, cereals and other grain products
• fruit
• vegetables
• meat, poultry and fish
• milk, cheese and yogurt

- Limit the number of snacks that you eat. Each time you eat food that contains sugars, the teeth are attacked by acids for 20 minutes or more.

- If you do snack, choose nutritious foods, such as cheese, raw vegetables, plain yogurt, or a piece of fruit.

- Foods that are eaten as part of a meal cause less harm. More saliva is released during a meal, which helps wash foods from the mouth and helps lessen the effects of acids.

- Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste that has the American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance.

- Clean between your teeth daily with floss or interdental cleaners.

- Visit your dentist regularly. Your dentist can help prevent problems from occurring and catch those that do occur while they are easy to treat.

Thank you for reading.  I encourage you to leave comments or questions below.  For more information on my practice, please visit www.elitesacramentodentist.com

Your friendly dentist,
Dr. Sarah Po
May 18, 2010

Source:  http://ada.org/2984.aspx?currentTab=1

Here are some facts on oral cancer, taken from the American Dental Association’s fact sheet:

• Oral cancer strikes an estimated 34,360 Americans each year.  An estimated 7,550 people (5,180 men and 2,370 women) will die of these cancers in 2007.¹
• More than 25% of the 30,000 Americans who get oral cancer will die of the disease.²
• On average, only half of those diagnosed with the disease will survive more than five years.⁴

What is the number one risk factor for oral cancer?

You got it – Smoking.  This includes all forms of tobacco use including cigars, cigarettes, and chewing tobacco.

Other benefits to quitting smoking are:  decreased risk of lung cancer, heart disease, COPD, improved circulation and breathing, eliminating exposure of tobacco to those around you via second-hand smoking.  From a dental perspective, you will reduce staining of your teeth and bad breath, and the health of your gums will improve.

For the complete ADA articles on oral cancer and smoking, please refer to

http://www.ada.org/public/topics/cancer_oral.asp

http://www.ada.org/public/topics/smoking_tobacco.asp

In future blogs I will cover more on the specifics of oral cancer detection as well as other dental conditions linked with tobacco use.  Until then…

Your friendly dentist,
Dr. Sarah Po