best dentist florida

Easy-To-Make Desserts (Tooth-Friendly Edition)

Can’t seem to stay away from the sweets? Obviously, sugar isn’t that great for you and eating too much of it can lead to tooth decay. But it makes everything taste so good! *Sigh* If you enjoy a nice dessert after dinner, try one of these five favorite low-sugar recipes.

Grilled Stone Fruit

Pick your favorite stone fruit (any fruit that has a large “stone,” or seed inside). Peaches, apricots, plums, and nectarines all work great. Grilling these fruits bring out the juicy flavors so there is no need to add any sugar. Serve with Greek yogurt and berries.

Dark Chocolate Dipped Fruit

Dark chocolate is a great substitute for milk chocolate, which contains more sugar. Melt your chocolate by heating and stirring in short intervals in the microwave or by stove top. Pick your favorite fruit and dip it in the melted dark chocolate for the perfect treat. Yum!

Date Shake Popsicle

You only need four ingredients: 2 cups of low-fat plain Greek yogurt, 12 chopped, pitted dates, ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and ¾ cup of low-fat milk. Mix them together to make this dessert sweet without any added sugar. Use a blender to mix ingredients and an ice tray with popsicle sticks to freeze. Mix it up with some of your favorite fruits instead of dates.

Tropical Parfait

Plain, low-fat yogurt goes great with any tropical fruit. We love to add kiwi, pineapple, and mangos to ours, but it really doesn’t matter which ones you choose. We guarantee it will be delicious. Layer fruits and yogurt, and top it off with almonds or coconut. Mmmm.

Banana Ice Cream

All you need is one ingredient – 2 ripe frozen bananas. That’s it! Blend bananas in a food processor and serve. You can add coconut milk for a creamier texture if you like. For a firmer ice cream, put it in a airtight container and freeze to your liking. Don’t hesitate to add other, fruits, nuts, and honey for extra enjoyment!

What Dentist Appointments And Oil Changes Have In Common

Ever get your teeth cleaned and feel like you’re getting a tune-up on your pearly whites? If so, you’ve made the right correlation. Getting your teeth checked is like getting your tires rotated or having your car serviced. After a certain number of miles, your car will need to be checked, just as you teeth need to be checked after not visiting the dentist after a certain amount of time. This way, you can make sure that there are no cavities, tooth decay, or other problems that may develop down the road for your teeth. Just as your car, you would need a checkup every few months to make sure everything is running smoothly to prevent it from breaking down. Be sure to care for your teeth and visit a dentist at least twice a year. This can avoid hitting any bumps in the road for a smooth ride to a better smile!

Here’s The Scoop On The Tooth Fairy

One of the most exciting things about losing baby teeth is placing each tooth under a pillow before going to bed for the tooth fairy to collect in exchange for a token of her appreciation to find when you wake up. Our classic American Fairy was introduced all the way back in 1927 from a book called “The Tooth Fairy” by Esther Watkins Arnold.

What did everyone do before the tooth fairy?

During the times of witches and dark magics, it was a common practice to burn baby teeth as they fell out. This was to protect the child from being exposed to any dark magic or “bad luck”.

“A token of her appreciation”

Almost a century later, the Tooth Fairy is still paying a visit to the youngins and replacing their lost teeth with money. Commonly, the amount of money is based upon the size of the tooth. The larger the tooth, the larger the reward. But what started out as a small silver token in the tale has evolved into children earning cash!

When would these rewards come to an end?

This all depends on age and, most importantly, when all your permanent teeth have grown in. It is most common to stop seeing visits from the tooth fairy when all baby teeth are gone. I mean, after all, she is there to collect them, isn’t she?

Facts About Fluoride

Did you wonder about any of the myths you’ve been hearing about fluoride?  Well we have a few solid facts to set the record straight!

  • Fact #1: Exposing teeth to fluoride during childhood years strengthens teeth over an entire lifetime
  • Fact #2: Fluoride prevents tooth decay in the most cost-effective way
  • Fact #3: Most of the fluoride in public water is extracted from phosphate rock
  • Fact #4: Fluoride isn’t considered dangerous to children when used as intended
  • Fact #5: Children who swallow toothpaste are at risk of mild  fluorosis
    • What is fluorosis you ask? The appearance of brown or white discoloration spots on your teeth from taking in too much fluoride
  • Fact #6: Fluoride helps to harden the enamel on adult teeth that have already emerged

Sugarless Gum is a Tooth’s Bestfriend

Having a munch on some sugarless gum can have some benefits for keeping your smile spotless! Not only does it remove any food particles from the surfaces of your teeth, but also stimulates saliva production which can promote healthier, stronger teeth and reduce acid levels in your mouth that can cause tooth decay. It even aids any tooth sensitivity! So why only sugarless gum, you ask? Studies have shown that the sugar substitute in sugarless gum, Xylitol, fights against any bacteria that forms in your mouth. With that being said, Xylitol is a great cavity-fighter to keep your mouth a happy and healthy place for your pearly whites!

Why is it Important to Repair Baby Teeth?

You may think that baby teeth eventually just fall out and may not need to be repaired if they have any problems, but they definitely play a huge role for eating and future development of permanent teeth. Your baby teeth, or primary teeth, fall out at different times depending on the type of tooth. For instance, primary molars don’t fall out by at least the age of ten. It’s possible that a cavity can develop during that time frame and cause a problem for the tooth before it falls out. Any sign of small decay can spread and cause the premature loss of a primary tooth. The more primary teeth that are in good shape, the better! Preserving the health of primary teeth is important is because it holds the space for permanent teeth. Keeping them around is the best way to avoid unnecessary crowding in the future caused by other teeth drifting into any spaces left by an extracted primary tooth.

 

 

Pediatric Dentistry of Florida named second best kid-friendly dentist in Florida

Pediatric Dentistry of Florida, Dr. Tim Verwest, DMD & Associates is recognized as one of the 10 best kid-friendly dentists in Florida by Best Things Florida, finishing second best. Pediatric and general dentist in Florida were evaluated based on reviews, reputation, treatment and overall experience. Powered by American Towns Media, Best Things Florida highlights the best of everything Florida has to offer.

Dr. Verwest honorary awards for 2017 include; America’s Best Dentist by the National Consumer Advisory Board, The City Beat News (CBN) Spectrum Award of Excellence in Customer Satisfaction, The Consumer Research Council of America inclusion in the Guide to America’s Top Dentists, HulaFrog’s Most Loved Dentist Award, and the Fort Myers News-Press 27th annual best of Southwest Florida award for Best Pediatric Dentist.