The Bad Habits

There are some dental that we ALL know are harmful to our teeth and mouth. But then there are some that are definitely more surprising.

Wed MD is sharing the 19 Bad Dental Habits that wreck your teeth and we wanted to share it with you! One of the biggest offenders is chewing ice! Who knew? One of the more obvious ones is not wearing a mouthguard while playing sports. We all know that not protecting your teeth during a game can certainly lead to some major injuries. So check out the entire list here and make sure you're not doing any of them! :)

New Year, New You!

Welcome to a New Year! The start of a fresh calendar always inspires a fresh beginning for health and wellness. It's a great time to get focussed on improving yourself on the inside and out. And at Toms River Family Dental, we definitely support that. We believe that self-improvement is a key component to overall happiness. 

Recently, the Huffington Post asked their fans on Facebook and Twitter to submit their goals for improving themselves in the new year. In this article, they shared the top 5 submissions. And today, we will share those with you too, along with one we've added ourselves (we couldn't resist). So here are the 6 tips for 2014 self-improvement...

1. Meditate more. Meditation has been around since the dawn of time. It's been proven to help your immune system, lower blood pressure, and enhance concentration. A great habit to get into, it's a calming way to center yourself on a daily basis.

2. Stay in 'the today'. Being in the moment is a great way to live day-by-day. Staying the moment can help create gratitude for the little things in life that may otherwise have passed you by.

3. Be more Optimistic. Everybody can feel the difference between a positive and negative perspective on the same subject. Taking an optimistic approach and attitude always makes a huge difference, especially in your emotional well-being and overall state-of-mind. 

4. Do yoga. Getting in the habit of practicing yoga (even if it's at home for 10 minutes a day) can make a huge difference in your life. Aside from increasing your strength and flexibility, it can also lower your blood pressure and risk for heart disease.

5. Take a break from online. We understand how addicting it can be to stare at a screen every moment- whether it be a computer screen or your phone. But the truth is, it's easy to waste time and not stay in the moment when so much of your life is spent surfing the web. So designate certain times of the day to be "offline times" and try to stick to it.

6. Keep your mouth healthy. This one is our addition to the Huffington Post list, and we simply couldn't resist. Having a clean, healthy mouth affects not only the way you look on the outside, but how you feel on the inside. Your oral health is directly linked to your overall health, and coming in for cleanings regularly plus brushing and flossing at home will make the difference!

Hello Santa!

Well, Christmas is officially less than one week away! Feels unbelievable how quickly the holidays crept up on us - but boy are we glad they're here. Though it's cold outside, especially here in New Jersey, it's also one of the most beautiful times of year. So make sure you're bundled up to get outside and see it all. 

The lights on the trees and buildings, the sledding and ice skating, the overall cheer in the air. It's all what makes the holidays so magical. Also, the treats are definitely plentiful. And while it's always the time of year to indulge, we just don't want you to forget about your teeth! Brush and floss twice a day as always, and remember to come see us for cleaning.

From the entire Tom's River Family Dental group, we want to wish you a very, very merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year! 

Tips To Keep Your Breath Jolly!

You're not hearing it first from us, but the holidays are right around the corner! Literally. With Christmas and New Years fast approaching, we know that our patients are busy preparing for family and friends gatherings. Attending holidays parties is always a fun perk of this time of year - seeing old and new friends, getting together with close and distant family. Always a great time.

But with so many opportunities to see and speak to people you don't see enough year round, we want to me sure your mouth is prepared! With so many opportunities for close talking, we wanted to share five tips to keep your breath in tip top shape. Because there's nothing worse that catching yourself with bad breath at a holiday party, or speaking to someone else who is having that issue.

So here are the things you can do to keep your breath at it's best:

1. Don't Smoke! For many reasons we ask that our patients don't smoke. It is extremely unhealthy and damaging. But one of the other side effects is the bad breath it leaves you with.

Image source: http://chanelbagsandcigarettedrags.com/

2. Mouthwash, mouthwash, mouthwash. Anti-bacterial mouthwashes protect against bacteria in your mouth and adds an extra layer of defense against bad breath. Mouthwash always smells and tastes good, so we don't imagine that this will be a hard sell.

Image source: http://www.realsimple.com/health/preventative-health/dental/best-mouthwash-00100000114106/page4.html?xid=df-11-25-2013

3. Brush, floss, and scrape your tongue twice daily. This is no secret. We always encourage patients to brush and floss twice a day, but often your tongue gets left out. Especially when patients are in a rush, scraping their tongue with a toothbrush seems like extra time and extra work. We're here to say that those extra few seconds can go a long way for your breath! So twice a day, scrape your tongue!

4. Avoid certain foods. While onions and garlic and notorious for giving bad breath, there are also some other sour foods that can do the same. As a rule of thumb, if it feels like the particular food your eyeing at a holiday party may leave you with a funny taste in your mouth, it probably means it will leave you with bad breath too.

Image source: http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/liver-cleanse-foods/

5. Come visit us! Last and finally, make it a point to come in for cleanings often. The more that we can do a full cleaning in your mouth, the better it is for your breath, teeth, gums, tongue, and everything in between!  HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Can You Guess The Smile?

In the same way every person is unique, every smile is unique too. It's how we express our happiness and it sets us apart from the rest. It's one of the first places our eyes focus on when we see someone. A smile truly sets us apart from the rest. 

We would bet that if you just saw the smiles of your family and friends (and nothing else), you'd know exactly who they belonged too. Don't know if you believe us? Try it out with celebrity smiles! You've seen them on the big screen and in the magazines, and without even knowing it you've grown to learn what their smiles look like. Take a look at this slideshow from Web MD with some famous smiles, and see if you can guess who they belong too! 

Tell us how you did in the comments section below! 

Happy Thanksgiving! Smile Central!

Happy Thanksgiving to all! One of our absolute favorite holidays of the year. A time to spend with great family and great food - what could be better? We hope your dinners are delicious and that everyone you're spending the holiday with is happy and healthy. There's really so much to be thankful for, and so smile to smile about.  

Speaking of, let's talk about smiling! We expect you'll be doing a lot of it today. According to the article is Spark People, smiling has great benefits for you and everyone around you. Here are the top 5 reasons to keep smiling...

1. Smiling can make you happy, even when you're not! 

By smiling, your body is sending a message to your brain that you're happy, and your brain in turn starts signaling endorphins to be released. Endorphins do actually make you happy. So the simple act of smiling really starts the chain reaction. 

Image source: http://smallearthvintage.blogspot.com/2011/11/street-style.html

2. Smiling makes you better looking!

Don't believe it? Well, according to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, 96% of adults in America believe that an attractive smile makes a person more appealing to the opposite sex. Ever think about why we smile in pictures? It's because that's when we look our best and our happiest.

3. De-stress with a smile. 

Next time you're feeling anxious, try taking a few deep breaths and smiling. It's just that easy. Smiling can help reduce symptoms associated with anxiety by sending a message to your brain that slows your heart rate and breathing. 

Image source: http://www.goodeyeblog.com/2011/02/christy-evans-yoga-teacher-portrait-photography/

4. Smile to make others happy!

Research shows that smiling is contagious. When someone smiles at you, it's really hard not to smile back. Sometimes you do so without even being aware of it!

5. It just feels good.

Smiling just feels right, and natural. Give it a try right now and you'll see what we mean :) 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! 

Germ Pop-Quiz!

We loved this Web MD quiz about the amount of germs that live in your mouth. It's a fun way to find out about your mouth and just how many germs are in there - and here's a little hint, there are a TON! Answer the 12 questions and we bet you'll be surprised by some of the results. 

Here's one giveaway, there's actually no such thing as the 5 second rule! The truth is, the longer your food is on the floor the more germs it will pick up, however, the second that food does touch the ground it starts to collect germs. 

So give the quiz a go and remember no cheating! :)