The Dental Specialists, reminding you to protect your mouth this winter

With winter sports under way for a lot of our patients, The Dental Specialists thought it would be a good time to remind all you athletes to take care of both their mouth while participating in contact sports (and non-contact sports) this winter.

Many people think a mouth guard is effective just to protect your teeth. But research has shown mouth guards can also reduce lower jaw impact that causes concussions. (Insert name of doctor) and our team encourage you to head over to WebMD for a quick primer on the importance of mouth guards and facial protection.

We hope this helps you remember to always wear a mouth guard and other forms of protective gear when participating in winter sports! We encourage you to give us a call if you have any questions or ask us on Facebook!

Make 2012 the year to improve your oral health

Many folks in Merritt Island consider the beginning of a new year a time to not only reflect on the year that was, but also to set personal goals for the upcoming year. How are you planning to improve your health and happiness in 2012? Drs. Williams, Jason Ouellette, Jonathan Ouellette and our team recommend that you make a New Year’s resolution to benefit your oral health!

It is important that New Year’s resolutions are reasonable and attainable, and that they improve your overall quality of life—for example, did you know that flossing every day is the very best way to prevent periodontal, or gum, disease? Using a straw when drinking sugary beverages can also help prevent cavities. There are many small steps that you can take to prevent cavities, oral infections and bad breath.

Be sure to give us a call if you need a few suggestions on ways to improve your oral health—we want to hear from you! After all, we know your oral health is about more than just a beautiful smile.

Happy New Year!
—Your friends at The Dental Specialists

April is National Facial Protection Month!

With spring here, many children, teens and adults will once again pick up the ball, bring the bat out of seasonal retirement, and lace up their cleats to hit the fields for the return of spring sports! April is National Facial Protection Month, and during this time, Drs. Paul Ouellette, Jason Ouellette and our dedicated team urge our young athletes to play it safe when out on the field. According to the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation, children, high-school athletes and adults will have more than 5,000,000 teeth knocked out in sporting events this year.

Here are a few ways to ensure your mouth’s safety this spring, courtesy of our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists:

1. Wear mouth guards for contact sports such as baseball, softball, soccer and lacrosse.
2. Wear a helmet
3. Wear protective eyewear
4. Wear a face shield to avoid scratched or bruised skin
5. Be alert, even as a spectator

We hope that helps. Protective gear is vital for anyone engaging in tooth or mouth-threatening activities. If you have any further questions about any of these tips, please contact The Dental Specialists. Stay safe and have fun!

Is Sedation Dentistry right for you?

While Drs. Paul Ouellette and Jason Ouellette from The Dental Specialists strive to offer a comfortable experience for all our patients, we realize that fear or anxiety while visiting the dentist can affect a lot of people anyway. For patients who need extra comfort and relaxation during their dental visit, we are pleased to offer sedation dentistry.

Do you feel nervous or stressed about your upcoming dental treatment? Well you’re not alone; in fact, almost 30 percent of the population experiences "dental phobia" when faced with visiting the dentist!

The reasons for patients' fear of the dentist can be numerous, but are usually due to a traumatic experience during their childhood. This overwhelming anxiety can cause one to avoid modern dental care, resulting in poor oral hygiene and possible mouth-related issues such as gum disease.

You might benefit from sedation dentistry if you experiences one or more of the following:

* High fear of dental care
* Complex dental problems
* Traumatic dental experiences
* Fear of needles and shots
* Trouble getting numb
* Sensitive teeth

If you suffer from dental phobia, sedation dentistry may be the answer. Please give us a call for more info about sedation dentistry, and we'll be more than happy to answer your questions.

Which foods should you avoid while in braces?

There are a variety of foods Dr. Paul Ouellette and Dr. Ryan Collins want you to avoid while you're wearing braces. Some foods can occasionally damage braces, but certain foods can bend the wires or even break the brackets on your braces! If you have braces, you should avoid starch, sugar and gummy foods, as these foods can be difficult to remove during brushing. Foods that are high in sugar and starch cause plaque, cavities and tooth decay.

Avoid tough meats, hard breads and raw vegetables such as carrots and celery. Before long, you'll be able to bite a cucumber again. But you'll need to protect your orthodontic appliances when you eat for as long as you're wearing braces.

Foods to Avoid
• Chewy foods: bagels, hard rolls, licorice
• Crunchy foods: popcorn, ice, chips
• Sticky foods: caramels, gum
• Hard foods: nuts, candy
• Foods you have to bite into: corn on the cob, apples, carrots
• Chewing on hard things (for example, pens, pencils or fingernails) can damage the braces. Damaged braces will cause treatment to take longer.

If you have any questions on which foods you should be avoiding and why, we invite you to give us a call or ask our staff during your next visit! Lastly, have answered all our question for the iPad giveaway? It's not too late to join - just head to our Facebook page and check out the five questions!

What do you love about Dental Specialists?

After almost 40 years of practice in Brevard County, the doctors and staff at Dental Specialists have built a reputation for excellence and caring, comprehensive dental treatment for all of our patients. We implement the newest technology available to make your experience as fun and high-tech as possible. Caring for our patients is what we do best!

From your very first visit to Dental Specialists, Dr. Ouellette and our dedicated team strive to provide superior treatment in a pleasant, friendly atmosphere. We thought we’d ask you, our wonderful patients: Have you been especially impressed by Dr. Ouellette's work? Did our team go out of their way to make your day? Are you in love with your new smile?

Whether you’ve just come in for a consultation or your family has been visiting our office for years, we’d love to hear your feedback. You can tell us all about it by posting on our Facebook page or by giving us a call!

Ask Dr. Ouellette: Who benefits from getting braces?

Ask Dr. Paul Ouellette, and he'll tell you that braces aren’t just for pre-adolescents and teenagers anymore! Anyone, at any age, can benefit from orthodontic treatment, whether it’s correcting a problem not treated in your younger years, or catching a problem early.

To ensure the best overall treatment, our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists recommend that children receive an orthodontic consultation as early as age seven. If a problem is evident, taking action early can spare a lot of treatment and expense down the road.

If you never received orthodontic treatment when you were young, don’t worry! At the Dental Specialists, you’re never too old for a beautiful smile! Set up an appointment for a complimentary consultation by calling 321-453-7750 and find out how orthodontics will transform your smile, as well as your life!

Dr. Paul Ouellette, reminding you to wear your mouth guard this summer

With the summer winding down, Dr. Paul Ouellette and our staff at the Dental Specialists would like to take this moment to remind all our young athletes in orthodontic treatment to take care of both your mouth and appliances while participating in contact sports (and non-contact sports) this August. Whether you're playing toch-football in the backyard or participating in full-contact football practice, only by using a mouth guard can kids with and without braces avoid serious sports injuries. The next time you're in for a visit with Drs. Ouellette or Collins, be sure to ask them or our staff for a mouth guard, and we will provide one!

We hope you're enjoying your summer so far!

Like the Dental Specialists on Facebook, and you could win an iPad!

At the Dental Specialists, we value the relationships we’ve developed with our patients over the years. Even if you visit our office on a regular basis, did you know you can always connect with us on Facebook and other social networks?

In fact, if you “Like” us on Facebook starting Monday, August 9th, you’ll get a chance to win an Apple iPad by participating in our website scavenger hunt!

Here’s how it works: Each Monday, beginning next week, we’ll ask you to answer a particular question by heading to our website. You’ll email us the answers, and will be automatically entered for a chance to win!

By “Liking” us on Facebook at Facebook.com/TheDentalSpecialists, you will receive contest news, updates and announcements – all through your news feed!

Lastly, please help us welcome Dr. Ryan Collins to our practice. Dr. Collins, who hails from Melbourne Beach, attended the University of Florida and is our new general dentist. Be sure to say “hi” to Dr. Collins during your next visit!

See you on Facebook and GOOD LUCK everyone!