It's Flu Season!

It's flu season again, and with the H1N1 flu circulating around, it is more important than ever to keep your personal and work spaces clean! Dr. Greenberg and team are taking extra precautions at our office to avoid the spread of sickness. We are asking patients to use a hand sanitizer beside the check-in screen prior to entering the treatment area. We have taken extra precautions making sure to wipe own everything being touched by staff and patients. We are also paying extra attention to the tooth brushing area.

Have a happy, safe, and flu-free Halloween, from Dr. Greenberg and Team!

Bottled Water May Be Behind Tooth Troubles

Dr. Greenberg & team 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 also brush and floss daily and avoid too many sugary sweets.

Celebrate Halloween with Dr. Greenberg & Team

Halloween is just around the corner, and we are Dr. Greenberg's office want to wish everyone a fun, safe, and spooky Halloween. We will be celebrating Halloween too,
Our office is planning to wear Halloween costumes at the office the last working day before Halloween.

We are also handing out to our patients and mailing to the surrounding schools a safety handout for Halloween. It has information on costumes, braces friendly treats, foods to avoid and several recipes for Halloween treats that are fun to make. If you'd like one, give us a call at 214-503-0060!

October Patient Update

Once again its time for a patient update for October!

The following patients had their braces removed:

Evan P. (Pictured)
Joe G.
Jack N.
Alicia R.
Shelia S.
Regina P.
Ashley. P
Allison Z.
Ian B.

The following patients had their braces put on:

Asia. H
Brandon H.
Hope H.
Kristin B.
Holden T.


Congratulations to all!

Invisalign Tips

Many people know that Invisalign is a great solution to braces if you don't want to experience the look and feel of traditional metal braces. What few people know, though, is that just like traditional braces, Invisalign requires proper care to work effectively. Good oral hygiene is highly important, even when you are wearing something in your mouth that you can take out to eat with. It's still likely that your aligners can build up plaque if not treated properly. When wearing your Invialign aligners, ask yourself the following questions:

1.) Am I eating with my aligners on? - These aligners are removable and should be taken out when you eat.
2.) Am I drinking anything other than water with my aligners on? - Though it's not a necessity for you to take out your aligners while you drink, think about how sticky a soda is. If you take out your aligners when drinking a soda, you have a better chance of keeping your aligners clean.
3.) Am I brushing before putting the trays on? - The aligners have both an inside and outside. Keeping the outside clean is easy. Keeping the inside clean is also easy: just make sure you've brushed your teeth before putting the trays on.

These are all very simple steps, and ultimately, they help to keep you building good oral habits.
--Dr. Greg Greenberg