HAVE YOU EVER woken up with your mouth feeling like a barren desert? Then you’ve probably experienced dry mouth, although it can be even more severe, making it difficult to speak or even eat. Dry mouth affects a tenth of the population, but why is it such a problem, why does it happen, and what can we do about it?

In The Absence Of Saliva…

Saliva is the mouth’s first line of defense against bacteria, bad breath, and tooth decay. It washes away leftover food particles and neutralizes acids, protecting our teeth and gums. Consequently, when there isn’t enough saliva to perform all of these important tasks, the result is much more serious than just an unpleasant sandpaper feeling.

What Causes Dry Mouth?

Dry mouth has numerous causes, including smoking, drinking, dehydration, and even aging. Sometimes the salivary glands can be damaged by chemotherapy or radiation treatment. But the most common cause is ordinary medication. Over 400 medications include dry mouth on their lists of side effects. If you’ve been suffering medication-related dry mouth, come talk to us about options like switching to different medication or changing the dosage.

Good Habits To Prevent Or Reduce Dry Mouth

For particularly severe dry mouth, artificial saliva could provide relief and protect your teeth from decay, but there are also a few good habits that can minimize the problem.

Nose Breathing

Avoid breathing through your mouth—whether you’re awake or asleep. Even for people with fully functioning salivary glands, mouth breathing is going to result in a much drier mouth than nose breathing. For that—and many other health reasons—it’s important to breathe through your nose whenever possible, including during sleep.

Hydration

Stay hydrated. Your salivary glands can’t produce saliva if you’re not drinking enough water, and even if saliva production is impeded for other reasons, regularly sipping water can help eliminate the dry mouth feeling.

Stimulate Saliva Production

We recommend a variety of different products here at Sperbeck Dental to help battle dry mouth. These Include:

ICE CHIPS

Ice Chips are naturally sweetened with 100% Birchwood Xylitol.

•  Recommended for patients with diabetes because it does NOT impact insulin levels.
• Strengthens teeth
• Reduces new tooth decay
• Reduces cavity-causing bacteria
• Inhibits growth of dental plaque
• Contains ZERO net effective cars
• Pleasant taste with NO aftertaste

These little tins of candies are delicious and come in lots of fun flavors. We sell them in the office for $7.00 a tin and we always have fun new flavors! Check them out and get a sample the next time you are in our office.

BIOTENE

The Biotene products are a great resource for battling dry mouth because they are sold over the counter and they have a range of different products so you can find a product that works best for YOU!

NEUTRASAL

NeutraSal is a prescription rinse that replace natural saliva. This product comes in single- use packets of dissolving powder that you mix in water to create a soothing oral rinse. You can rinse 2 to 1o times a day with this product and can often times be covered through your insurance! Be sure to ask about this product the next time you are in!

SUGAR FREE GUM AND CANDY

Sugar-free gum and candy encourage your salivary glands to up their production, particularly if the flavor is citrus, mint, or cinnamon. (Bonus points: sugar-free gum is also good for your teeth, because it starves the bacteria that feed on sugar!)

Choose Your Mouthwash Carefully

Mouthwash containing alcohol may undo its own positive germ-killing effects by drying out your mouth! Just like drinking alcoholic beverages has a dehydrating effect on the body, swishing alcoholic liquid around will specifically dehydrate the mouth! Make sure you choose a non-alcoholic mouthwash.

Don’t Smoke

As smoking is one of the common causes of dry mouth, not smoking is an obvious solution. The same goes for dry mouth caused by alcohol intake.

We Can Beat Dry Mouth Together!

Dry mouth can pose a serious threat to your oral health, so aside from following these good habits, one of the best things you can do if you experience it is to schedule an appointment with us. We’ll be able to identify the cause and make a plan to put an end to that sandpaper feeling!

We love to fight for your dental health!

EVERYONE WHO’S BEEN TO THE DENTIST is familiar with X-rays. You put on the lead apron, you’re given a rectangular contraption and told “put this between your teeth and bite down,” and then you hear that tinny beep. Have you ever wondered what the different types of dental X-rays are and what they’re for? Let’s take a closer look at three of the most common ones.

The Big Picture: Panoramic X-Rays

Has an X-ray technician ever had you stand on a circular platform and stand still for several seconds while the machine spun around your head? Then you’ve had a panoramic X-ray, which is the most common type of extraoral dental X-ray.

With these, we can see your entire mouth in one image, because the camera travels all the way around your head while taking the picture. These X-rays show incoming adult teeth and wisdom teeth, including any that are impacted, which is how we determine if there’s enough room for these teeth to come in and if they’ll come in on their own. Panoramic X-rays also make it much easier to detect things like tumors, cysts, and abscesses.

Glamour Shots: Bitewing X-Rays

As you might have guessed from the name, bitewing X-rays are the ones where the patient has to bite down on a piece of dental film before the image is taken. Because the dental film is inside your mouth, bitewing X-rays are a type of intraoral X-ray. Usually, there will be one X-ray taken for each of the four quadrants of your mouth.

Bitewing X-rays are taken to give us a clear view of the crevices between your teeth, which are difficult to see with the naked eye. With these images, we can easily check for tooth decay and cavities in those areas.

It’s Time For Your Close-Up: Periapical X-Rays

This intraoral X-ray is the close-up of the dental world. If a specific tooth or area in your mouth is bothering you, we’ll probably take a periapical X-ray to get a clear idea of what’s going on there, but they can also be taken alongside bitewing X-rays even if you aren’t aware of an obvious tooth problem.

For more information on dental X-rays and why they’re so important, watch the video below:

Early Warnings For Healthier Smiles

All types of X-rays are simple, low-risk tools that help us catch dental problems early on, maybe before you’ve even noticed anything! However, in order for us to do that, it’s crucial that you come in for your regular cleanings and dental exams. Is your smile ready for its next close-up?

We’re so happy to have you as part of our Sperbeck Dental family! Check out below our latest giveaway for a chance to win a fun ice cream basket!

PEOPLE ARE COMMONLY CONFUSED about what the exact role of a dental assistant is. What does an assistant take care of vs. a dental hygienist, for example? We want to set the record straight! Our dental assistants are an invaluable part of our team and practice–to be honest, we couldn’t get much done without them!

Dental Assistants Are Specially Trained To Serve You-
Here at Sperbeck Dental our dental assistants Kelsey and Christian are specially trained to serve YOU–our valued patients!

What education/training does a dental assistant have to complete? 

Many assistants start their careers at a technical college learning a specialized dental assisting program. Other assistants are trained on the job and often make the best assistants, because as with most jobs, hands on experience is the best teacher. That is why here at Sperbeck dental both our assistants have a combined total of almost 20 years of hands on, clinical experience. Our assistants pride themselves on providing the best possible dental experience alongside Dr. Sperbeck.

What are the duties of a dental assistant? How do they contribute to your practice and/or what value do they bring to your practice? 

A typical day for one of our assistants consists of assisting Dr. Sperbeck with all of our patients receiving treatment that day. The list of tasks and responsibilities include setting up and breaking down all of the doctors rooms, taking x-rays, taking impressions, and handing all instruments and materials to Dr. Sperbeck during all treatments. We could go on and on about all the different types of skills and knowledge our assistants need to know, and continue to learn as we progress with the continuing education all of us here at Sperbeck Dental participate in! Everyone in our office has a role in making our patient experience as pain- free and as easy as possible, and our assistants play a very large part in that overall experience. We love our assistants all they do on our team!

Our Patients Are Our Priority
Our priority is providing the highest quality of care to our patients. And we couldn’t do it without the amazing dental assistants in our office! Do you have any questions for our assistants? Let us know in the comments below!

As always, thank you for choosing Sperbeck Dental. We love our patients!

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Healthy Snacks for a Healthy Mouth

EVERYONE KNOWS that snack time is one of the best times of the day! Getting a tasty treat in the middle of the workday or grabbing a snack after school can be just the pick-me-up you need to tackle the rest of your day with a smile.

But before you reach for the chips or chocolates, we have a few smile-friendly suggestions! Today we want to share our team’s favorite snacks that protect your teeth and benefit your smile.

Our Smile-Friendly Snack Picks

From Sharon: Laughing cow cheese wedge with crackers or deli meat

From Shannon:celery & hummus

From Rikelle: Chocolate PB2 Milk shake: Mix 1/2 cup ice, 4 TBS Chocolate PB2, 1 Cup 2% Fairlife Milk – blend & enjoy (Click on the picture for Amazon link)

In addition to trying out our favorite snacks, keep these tips in mind when planning snacks that benefit your oral health:

Eat More Of These

Leafy Greens: Dark, leafy greens like kale, spinach, and collard greens have calcium, Vitamin A, Vitamin B2, and magnesium; all essential for healthy teeth and gums.
Cheese, Milk, and Yogurt: Dairy is a delicious source of calcium, which supports strong bones and teeth.
Kiwi, Oranges, And Other Vitamin-C-Rich Foods: Vitamin C boosts your body’s ability to fight infection that causes gum disease.

Eat Less Of These

Soda And Energy Drinks: These acidic, sugary drinks attack and gradually deteriorate your protective tooth enamel.
Sticky Candy, Gummies, And Dried Fruit: These foods stick in your teeth and continue to bathe your teeth in sugar for hours after eating.
Highly Processed Carbs: This includes crackers, white bread, and pastries, which feed decay-causing bacteria in your mouth.

Keep In Touch To Learn More!
Now that we’ve shared our favorite healthy snacks, we want to hear from YOU! If you have any healthy recipes you make make at home, share them on our Facebook page! We’d love to see what kinds of creative snack ideas you’ve come up with.

Thank you for CHEW-sing Sperbeck Dental!

It’s time for our third Annual Smiles for Life Teeth Whitening Charity Drive! What does that mean for you? It means you get professional whitening at a super reduced price all while getting a tax deduction and helping a child in need. Ultradent dental supplies is donating their whitening material and we are donating our time so that 100% of all proceeds will go directly to the children. Half of the monies raised will be donated to Smiles for Life Foundation which funds dental trips for underprivileged children in third world countries and also provides donations to other children’s charities such as St. Judes and The Ronald McDonald House. Click HERE to check out the other charities supported by Smiles for Life Foundation.  The other half of the donations will stay local and will be given to Arizonans for Children who help abused, abandoned and neglected children in foster care.  Since we have started this program we have been able to donate almost $8,000 to children’s charities. We are excited to be able to contribute more to our community and need your help.

How to schedule:

Call our office today at 480-821-1047 and request a Smile for Life whitening appointment. These appointments are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Why Professional Whitening?

Professional whitening provides both safety and effectiveness. Products purchased through a dental office are more customized and are higher strength than what is available at the store. Experts agree, for the most dramatic and long-lasting effects, professional whitening is the way to go. In addition, with this  program you not only get a whiter smile but you help a child as well. We say that’s a win-win for everyone!

How Can You Help?

Even if you can’t get your teeth whitened you can help us spread the word by sharing this post with you friends, family and coworkers by word of mouth or on your Social Media. The more people who participate the more children we can help.  You can also link your Amazon account to the charity and Amazon will donate a portion of your proceeds to the foundation.

WHEN PEOPLE GO TO THE DENTIST, it’s generally because they have a toothache, they need some dental work done, or they want to get their teeth cleaned. But this month being Oral Cancer Awareness Month, we want to emphasize more than ever how important regular, twice-yearly dental exams are. Of course Dr. Sperbeck will make sure you don’t have any cavities, but what you may not realize is that regular dental exams could actually save your life.

What You Need To Know About Oral Cancer

Some people think oral cancer is rare, but here are the facts: approximately 132 individuals are diagnosed with oral cancer each day in the United States alone, and someone dies of oral cancer every hour. It is a particularly deadly cancer–only about half of oral cancer patients survive five years past their initial diagnosis. But what we really want you to remember is that early detection saves lives. When oral cancer is detected early, survival rates increase by 80 to 90 percent!

Be Aware Of The Risk Factors

Certain lifestyle activities can put you at a higher risk of developing oral cancer. Familiarize yourself with these risk factors:

• Tobacco use–Smoking and other tobacco use makes you three times more likely to develop oral cancer
• Alcohol consumption–Drinking alcohol more than doubles your risk of oral cancer
• Excessive sun exposure–Frequent and prolonged exposure to the sun’s UV rays increases your risk of developing lip cancer
• Age–Two-thirds of individuals with oral cancer are over age 55

While knowing the risks can help us prevent oral cancer, it still occurs in people without any of the above risk factors. In fact, it is becoming increasingly more prevalent among non-smoking, healthy individuals. The reason for this shift is the rise of HPV, or human papillomavirus, a common sexually transmitted infection. Individuals with HPV are 32 times more likely to develop oral cancer–even more so than tobacco users.

Get Screened Regularly At Routine Dental Exams

Oral cancer often begins as a painless sore in the mouth. We encourage doing frequent self checks at home as well as visiting your dentist regularly, where you will receive routine oral cancer screenings. Come and see us immediately if you experience any lumps, white or red patches, numbness, or a sore that doesn’t heal within two weeks in and around the mouth and throat.

As dental professionals, we are the first line of defense against this awful disease. Next time you’re in our office, ask us more about how we screen for oral cancer. We’d be happy to answer any questions you have.

Help Us Raise Awareness

Unfortunately, we don’t hear as much about oral cancer as we do other cancers, and many people are unaware of their need to get screened on a regular basis at routine dental exams. As your trusted oral health care providers, we want to change that. Help us spread oral cancer awareness this month by sharing this post with your friends and loved ones.

If you haven’t been seen in a while call us today to schedule, 480-821-1047, it could save your life!

We love being the dental practice you trust! Thank you!

AT SPERBECK DENTAL WE BELIEVE the more educated our patients are about dental health issues, the better they’ll be able to prevent them. We often warn of periodontal disease and the detrimental effects it has on the mouth and body. But there are also many common misconceptions about gum disease. To help you better understand it, we’ve decided to bust some myths today!

Myth #1: Bleeding Gums Are Normal

This is probably one of the most perpetuated dental health myths. The truth is, bleeding gums are the first sign of gum disease. Gums swell, bleed and become tender when plaque accumulates on the teeth and around the gum line. Keep your gums healthy by removing plaque and food debris with daily brushing and flossing.

Myth #2: People Get Gum Disease Because They Don’t Clean Their Teeth

While poor oral hygiene definitely contributes to the development of gum disease, there can be many other factors involved. Tobacco use, stress, a bad diet, genetics, and certain illnesses such as diabetes can all increase your risk of developing gum disease. And as we’ve explained before, even being pregnant makes you more susceptible!

We also don’t want our patients to think that if they are cavity-free they couldn’t possibly have gum disease. Gum disease is painless in its beginning stages and many people don’t know they have it. That’s why proper oral hygiene and twice-yearly visits to your dentist are essential for your oral health, even if you don’t have a cavity!

Myth #3: Gum Disease Is Irreversible

What we really want our patients to understand is that gum disease is reversible in its earliest stage: gingivitis! The earlier gingivitis is caught, the easier it is to eliminate it before it advances to full-blown periodontitis. Finding out you have gingivitis can be worrisome but here’s the good news: good oral hygiene habits and professional cleanings can, in most cases, rid you of gingivitis and stop gum disease in its tracks.

To learn more about periodontal screenings, check out the video below!

Myth #4: Only Adults Can Get Gum Disease

Gum disease is much more prevalent in adults, but that doesn’t mean that our children are invulnerable. Children can be more susceptible to gum disease if they are genetically predisposed or have certain illnesses such as autoimmune disorders or diabetes. Even puberty, with all its hormonal changes, can put your child more at risk. Their best defense against any dental disease–gum disease and tooth decay included–is to take care of their teeth at home and visit the dentist on a regular basis.

Myth #5: Everyone With Diabetes Has Gum Disease

If you have diabetes, developing gum disease is not inevitable, although you are certainly at a higher risk. Now more than ever you’ll need a good relationship with and frequent visits to your dentist. A rigorous oral hygiene regimen as well as frequent cleanings can help stave off the onset of gum disease. Proper blood glucose control can also help you lower your risk.

Gum Disease Myths… Busted!

Now that you know more about gum disease, keep up the good work avoiding it! Let us know if you have any questions in the comments below or on our Facebook page. Thanks for reading!

As always, thank you for supporting our practice.

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

It’s time for our third annual Smiles for Life Teeth Whitening Charity Drive! What does that mean for you? It means you get professional whitening at a super reduced price all while getting a tax deduction and helping a child in need. Ultradent dental supplies is donating their whitening material and we are donating our time so that 100% of all proceeds will go directly to the children. Half of the monies raised will be donated to Smiles for Life Foundation which funds dental trips for underprivileged children in third world countries and also provides donations to other children’s charities such as St. Judes and The Ronald McDonald House. Click HERE to check out the other charities supported by Smiles for Life Foundation.  The other half of the donations will stay local and will be given to Arizonans for Children who help abused, abandoned and neglected children in foster care.  Since we have started this program we have been able to donate almost $8,000 to children’s charities. We are excited to be able to contribute more to our community and need your help.

How to schedule:

Call our office today at 480-821-1047 and request a Smile for Life whitening appointment. These appointments are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Why Professional Whitening?

Professional whitening provides both safety and effectiveness. Products purchased through a dental office are more customized and are higher strength than what is available at the store. Experts agree, for the most dramatic and long-lasting effects, professional whitening is the way to go. In addition, with this  program you not only get a whiter smile but you help a child as well. We say that’s a win-win for everyone!

How Can You Help?

Even if you can’t get your teeth whitened you can help us spread the word by sharing this post with you friends, family and coworkers by word of mouth or on your Social Media. The more people who participate the more children we can help.  You can also link your Amazon account to the charity and Amazon will donate a portion of your proceeds to the foundation. Here’s how to do that:

You may not have been born with a smile you love but with this month’s special you can have the smile you’ve always wanted! Due to material costs we have never before discounted crowns or veneers. However, as a special offer we have 6 spots available this month for either crowns or veneers that will receive a 10% discount. Treatment must be started this month and discounted spots are first come first serve. Once those spots are filled, so are the discounts. So if you’re on the fence about getting that crown or veneer, call today 480-821-1047 – they’ll never be this price again.   

In addition, custom night guards made in our office are also 10% off. Whitening which includes an in office whitening session, custom take home trays and 4 syringes of bleach is on sale for $250/reg. $325.00.

We love TED talks around here and we found this to be especially illuminating. Tap in to the hidden power of smiling!

February is Children’s Dental Health Month