Parsley and Other Ways To Brighten Your Smile, From Dr. Montano

At Montano Orthodontics we see lots of patients concerned about their bad breath. So we want to educate you about what you can do to really keep your chompers clean and breath minty fresh!

Naturally, good oral hygiene is the first step. With proper brushing and regular dental checkups you can keep bad breath (halitosis) in check.

Certain foods, medications, smoking, sinus issues, or even gum disease cause most bad breath. If the stink lingers for longer than 24 hours, it might be something more serious, like dehydration, zinc deficiency, diabetes, liver failure, kidney failure, or even certain kinds of cancers!

In the meantime, here are some home remedies to keep you smiling bright from Montano Orthodontics.

--Spice Up Your Life
Snack on some cloves, fennel, or anise after each particularly odorous snack.
--Don’t forget the tongue
Lots of people brush their teeth regularly, but leave the tongue alone. One of the main causes of bad breath is food and plaque residue on the surface of your tongue. So give it a nice gentle brush-over too!
--Watch your drinking habits
The worst options are coffee, wine, whiskey, and beer.
--Frequent brushing
Carry a toothbrush with you so brushing after each meal is convenient and refreshing! Trust us, you’ll love the way it makes you feel. If you can’t brush, still swish around a couple sips of water to remove any lingering food.
--Make your own Gargle
Gargling with a home mixture of sage, calendula, and myrrh gum extracts four times a day should ward off that bad breath potential.
--Parsley’s there for a reason
Finish your parsley after you finish your dinner and you’ll find a refreshing breath enhancer. Hate the texture? Throw a couple sprigs in a blender to sip after each meal.
--Sugarless Gum
Always a good idea to carry some mints or sugarless gum for that quick spruce up before you meet the boss.
--Don’t cut that cheese
The stronger the cheese, the stinkier your breath can become. Think about blue cheese and Roquefort? They really get the party started in your mouth and it’s hard to make them leave!

Softly Brushing Your Way to Clean Teeth, From Dr. Montano

Just as there are so many different types of toothbrushes to choose from, each brush also has a different type of bristle! There are generally three different types of bristles; hard, medium, and soft. We always recommend that our patients, especially children and seniors, use a soft bristled toothbrush.

Using a hard and medium bristled brush can actually harm your teeth and gums by stripping the enamel from the teeth and irritating the gums so that they become red and sore, and can even cause gum recession. If you do use a hard or medium bristled brush as a personal preference, we recommend using an electric toothbrush.

Soft bristles are much gentler on your teeth and gums, and while patients of all ages are recommended to use soft bristled brushes, they are particularly great for children, seniors, patients recovering from a dental procedure, and patients wearing braces.

Soft bristles, and even extra-soft bristles are every bit as effective when it comes to cleaning your teeth; in fact, if you currently use a hard or medium bristled brush, try a soft bristled brush next time you buy a toothbrush and we bet you won’t even notice a difference!

--Dr. Montano

Montano Orthodontics Around the Web

If you've ever visited us at Montano Smile, you already know that Dr. Montano and the rest of the team love connecting with their patients. We love the ability to communicate with all of you online too! Besides our web site and our blog, Montano Smile is on many other networks too!

* Share a video with us, or watch one of ours on Youtube

* Become a "fan" of Montano Orthodontics on Facebook

* View and comment on our photos on MySpace

See you around the web!

Smile for Life with Montano Orthodontics!

Montano Orthodontics is pleased to announce, Smile for a Lifetime Foundation’s (S4L) Kern County Regional Chapter has chosen
8 more candidates for the year, making a total of 13 news smiles
being created this year thus far! Congratulations to Ashley Moreno
and Elyssa Thompson. Both recipients received their braces this
month.

Ridgeview High School student Ashley Moreno receives her braces.
Ashley is a talented young lady who loves to sing but is embarrassed
to because of her teeth. She has shared on several occasions
that she does not like her smile, so she chooses not to as often as
she would like. Since Ashley has been chosen she has told us she
believes that "this opportunity will really affect my up-coming years
in high school and help me with my self-confidence." Her mother
says "she feels blessed to know there are those who can help give
children a greater confidence in themselves." With the help of S4L
and Montano Orthodontics, Ashley will glean a smile as beautiful as
the rest of her.

Elyssa Thompson a 10 year old Valley Oaks Charter School student
earns a Smile for a Lifetime scholarship. Elyssa stays busy with
Awanas, Bobby Sox softball, and playing the violin. Her counselor
and Resource teacher have noticed Elyssa changing from a confident
and outgoing individual to someone who retreats from speaking.
They have also noticed that when she does speak she covers
her mouth with her hand. Elyssa says she hides her mouth because
of her "Buck teeth." Her mother told us, "my daughters confidence
is going to explode now that she has been chosen. It's such a miracle,
like someone was watching over her." Soon Elyssa will be able
to talk and smile without hiding all she
wants with the help of S4L and Montano Orthodontics!