Over the last five years, cavities and gingivitis has made a comeback among young children between the ages of 2 and 5. Throughout the 1970’s, 80’s, and 90’s the amount of young children with cavities was on a steady decline reaching an all time low in the mid 90’s. Since then the percent of children diagnosed with gingivitis and other oral health conditions has been on the rise, particularly within the last 5 years. Now more than ever there is a heavy emphasis on proper oral hygiene in children and dentists are encouraging parents to take charge and develop proper brushing and flossing habits in their young ones. Every dentist will tell you, brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing at least once a day is crucial in maintaining proper oral health and hygiene. In the past, flossing was looked at as a hassle particularly with young children. Who really wants to wrestle with their three year old while trying to clean in between their teeth with old-fashioned floss? However just brushing your teeth without flossing is like washing only 65% of your body, the other 35% remains dirty!

Basically, our mouths are full of bacteria that feast on left over protein particles from the foods we eat. As the bacteria eat, they produce an acid which eats away at tooth enamel creating cavities. The bacteria are typically found in a mesh of mucus and debris in our mouths known as plaque. Regular brushing of our teeth removes the majority of the plaque and the bacteria it contains, but our tooth brushes are unable to reach the small spaces in between our teeth, which is why the American Dental Association recommends that we floss at least once daily to prevent this plaque from hardening into tartar. Unlike plaque which can be removed by brushing and flossing, tartar can only be removed by a dentist. If tartar build up is left to fester, it can cause serious conditions like gingivitis and periodontal disease. By not flossing we not only run the risk of losing our teeth, but gingivitis can lead to more serious health complications down the road like heart disease and diabetes.

You might be asking yourself, at what age should my child start flossing? The answer is as soon as any two teeth touch one another. Usually, children are not able to adequately floss their own teeth until they are about nine years old, so until then you should do it for them. But how are you supposed to effectively floss your son or daughters teeth with traditional, old-fashioned floss when they will not sit still or let you maneuver your hands and fingers inside of their small mouths?

DenTek’s Fun Flossers says they have the answer! Designed with children in mind, these high quality floss picks are ergonomically designed to fit comfortably into a parent or child’s hand, making quick and easy work of this previously time consuming chore. They feature a fluoride enriched floss to promote strong and healthy teeth and come in fun fruit flavors and a variety of fun colors. Floss picks used to be looked at as an expensive luxury, but DenTek’s Fun Flossers retail for only $2.99 for well over a month’s supply. They are available for purchase online at www.dentek.com and at select retails nationwide including Wal-Mart and Target.

By flossing with your child every night, you will develop a solid oral hygiene routine that will stay with them through adolescence and well into adulthood. With the ever increasing cost of professional dental procedures you can rest assured knowing you did your part to prevent future dental complications.

By John Jansheski, CEO and chief innovation officer of DenTek

As a result of the less than favorable economic situation, Americans are reporting unprecedented levels of stress. Stress can be devastating to your patients’ overall health and well-being, but do they realize it can also wreak havoc on their oral health?

According to the American Dental Association, about 95% of Americans suffer from bruxism or nighttime teeth grinding at some point in their lives. And about 15% to 20% of the population can be considered chronic sufferers. Although no study exists showing a direct relationship between bruxism and the recession, the dental professional community agrees it has seen a pronounced increase in stress-related teeth grinding over the last three years … so much so that many dentists are referring to bruxism as the “signature diagnosis of the great recession.”

The most prescribed solution for this condition is a custom-made dental guard. Despite the pain and damaging effects of this condition, however, most patients go untreated. Generally, they refuse treatment because of the high costs of a custom-made guard, which can cost anywhere from $400 to $1,000. The unfortunate reality is that little, if any, of this cost is covered by insurance providers — not to mention that 50% of Americans don’t have dental insurance in the first place.

Another factor is that most patients don’t understand the negative consequences of the condition. Educating your patients is vital to their treatment compliance. Beyond causing general discomfort and restless nights, excessive teeth grinding can cause serious wear on the surface of the teeth and damage dental restorations. If left untreated, it can also result in loss of teeth, cause or worsen temporomandibular disorders (TMD/TMJ), and even alter the appearance of the face. Normal chewing puts about 68 pounds per square inch of pressure on the back teeth, intentional clenching increases that to 150 pounds per square inch of pressure, and unconscious teeth grinding at night puts a whopping 900 pounds per square inch of pressure on the teeth! One night with bruxism is equivalent to one full month of normal wear and tear on the teeth’s chewing surfaces.

Luckily, there is an alternative that effectively protects teeth from grinding and is ideal for your patients during these tough economic times. Available over-the-counter and for an affordable price, patients can now pick up a dental guard at their favorite mass merchant, drug, and even grocery store. Not to be confused with sports or athletic guards, these products are FDA regulated and designed specifically to protect against bruxism.

A popular model that is available at most retailers is the DenTek Custom Comfort Dental Guard. It’s similar in design to professional guards, in that it custom fits to your teeth and gums when heated, and comfortably protects all teeth from grinding. It normally retails for about $25. If your patients don’t like the bulk of this traditional design, DenTek also provides the Comfort-Fit Dental Guard, which is quite a bit smaller, fits on the bottom teeth, and adjusts to fit all sizes without the need for boiling water. Easy and uncomplicated, this solution is great for those who have trouble sleeping with bulkier guards.

So if your patients are experiencing higher levels of stress that may be causing them to grind and clench, tell them to relax. There is now an easy, affordable, and effective solution to their dental dilemma.

Happy February!! Now go teach a kid to brush! Just kidding, sort of. It’s National Children’s Dental Health Month thanks to the ADA, and we’re celebrating with America’s #1 children’s flosser and the spirit of giving.

All month we’ll be focusing on oral health for kids with articles, tips, fun activities, and (our favorite) giveaways! If you haven’t already, become a fan on Facebook and/or follow us on Twitter to get info on how you can snag some Fun Flosser discounts and giveaways we’re planning.

Professionals, don’t think we’ve forgotten you. Parents listen to you when it comes to their kid’s teeth, and in thanks for your continued support we’re offering 40% off your Fun Flosser order. Hurry! This offer is only good until February 7th!

So take a second wander over to the ADA’s information page to learn more about how to teach your kids about their teeth and how to take care of them.

January is a pretty fun time here at DenTek. We’ve just finished the wildly hectic holiday season of deal-making and e-mail sending and are finally able to look ahead a bit.  Now that things have calmed down, we can really start dreaming about what 2010 will look like. Here’s a taste:

• Sarah, Jessica, and I are excited to ramp up social media for Professional in 2010 to make sure we can listen to hygienists and dentists wherever they are. Keep an eye on the DenTek Professional Facebook fan page to see what’s up.
• The consumer team is already feelin’ the love and ramping up for a fun Valentine’s Day contest. Sign up for our email list (click the “promotions” option) and keep an eye on your inbox for more details.
• The whole office is excited about some brand new products coming down the line in the spring. We might even revive the Mystery Product to keep you in suspense and give you a great deal.
• And…(this one’s my favorite)…we’ll be doing a LOT more digging into what consumers want and need from their daily oral care tools, which means YOU are going to have lots of opportunities to tell us what to make. I’ll keep you updated.

How about you? What are you planning for the new year?

Every once in a while we get to have a little fun with dental guard samples. We test different materials to figure out which one will work the best, which means we all hike down to the break room armed with forks and coffee mugs. We compare how soft the material is to bite down on, how well it holds its shape, how quickly it cools, even what color it turns after it’s molded. Here’s what the process looks like:

When we test materials, we go through the package instructions step-by-step, which means boiling, cooling, biting, the whole nine yards. That way we make sure the instructions are right, too. This one’s cooling off a bit before Jamie fits it.

Sarah gets an up-close look at the fit after molding her sample. She’s checking how well the material held it’s shape, how comfortable it is, and if it’s centered well.

AJ’s a pro at this. Hers were pretty much perfect.  Once everyone’s tested one of each sample group, a decision is made and the party’s over until we get feedback from consumers (that’s you!) and develop a new, improved model.

Have any suggestions or observations about your dental guard experience? Leave a comment or find us on Facebook or Twitter.

There are only a few days left in 2009 so it’s obviously time for a year-end favorites list. And it’s such an easy post to write! We’ve only been around for a short time, on the Web at least, but I’ve already got a favorites list as long as my arm. Here’s the cream of the crop.

• Dentists and hygienists should make the Dental Heroes blog a regular stop on their reading list. Cory Kemp consistenly posts valuable information on products and current events that affect dental practices. His guest bloggers are great, too!
• My Milk Toof is a perfect bite of cute and whimsical. Follow the adventures of baby teeth Lardee and ickle in this sweet photo blog.
• And, in keeping with ancient tradition, the best is last. The Dental Trade Alliance’s Oral Healthcare Can’t Wait sends the bold message that taking care of your teeth is about more than getting a free toothbrush. Getting regular cleanings means better overall health, financially and physically!

Happy New Year, everyone!

Tooth-lovers can be hard to shop for, but look no farther than Etsy.com for some unique, toothy gifts. Check out a few of our favorites.

1. Nothing says you care more than the gift of…tooth-shaped soap. Ok, so maybe these land in the gag-gift category, but don’t you think these incredibly detailed tooth soaps would be great for a dentist office bathroom?
2. Not quite a patron saint of flossing, but Sister Flossie the dental hygienist nun comes pretty close! She “keeps your teeth in a state of grace” according to the website, and makes a cute gift for the RDH or floss-lover on your list.
3. For the art and/or history buff, check out this reproduction of a 1930′s public service poster. Created as part of the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression, this was (and is) a nice reminder to take care of your teeth.
4. This small, tooth-shaped vase is perfect for keeping tooth care tools close at hand.  Toss in a few Comfort Cleans and you’ve got a desktop floss pick holder!
5. No gift idea list would be complete without an exorbitantly expensive item, so how about this ceramic candy jar? Ironic, no? This anatomically correct chomper features your choice of a gold, silver, or ceramic “filling” (the lid) and a $500 dollar price tag!

I hear that phrase so often nowadays it’s starting to lose its meaning. “It’s important, now more than ever, to save money on your flat-panel TV.” “It’s important, now more than ever, to take advantage of the newest technology for your home/car/business/kids.” I can’t argue with the concept, honestly. You can find a wealth of things at great value right now, from electronics to houses, and getting a great deal is something we at DenTek always advocate. But something about these messages in marketing rings hollow to me. Here’s why.

“Now more than ever” Americans have less to spend on essentials like medicine, food, and health care. “Now more than ever” American governments are feeling the economic strain of lost income and property taxes. States are looking for places to cut budgets, and their gaze is falling on dental coverage in Medicare.

North Carolina, California, Masachusetts, Rhode Island…the list of states considering cutting adult dental coverage for Medicare-dependent citizens seems to grow by the month. Michigan actually succeeded in rolling back dental coverage, which unfortunately resulted in the death of 76-year-old Blanche LaVire. Even those with dental insurance feel pressure to let coverage lapse to pay for other things, so “now more than ever” we need to help each other understand how important good home dental care is.

If you or someone you love has to face losing their dental coverage, take the steps necessary to take the best care of your teeth you can. Prevention is a good idea no matter what your insurance status, and it can mean thousands of dollars in avoided bills.

Take a new look at these simple tips to preventing costly dental care:

1. Brush your teeth at least twice a day. You’ve heard this tip since pre-school. Nothing’s changed.
2. Floss at least once a day. Use whatever tool you can find to make it easier, but make sure you do it. Brushing only cleans a fraction of tooth surfaces and doesn’t clean below the gumline where periodontal diseases like to start. (We have great floss products, but get what works for you.)
3. Keep up one professional dental cleaning a year if at all possible. Ask for a visit for Christmas or maybe see if your dental has a payment plan. There are ways to cut costs or make it easier, but that deep cleaning does a lot to keep your teeth healthy for the coming year.

So yes, great deals are being found on everything “now more than ever,” but don’t let marketing tactics entice you to forget the things that really matter: your health and the health of the people you love. Re-introduce yourself and your family to these tips and stay healthy.

P.S. - Go here for a $1 off coupon for Comfort Clean Floss Picks. Click the link at the top to print it from Smart Source.