Burgess Center for Cosmetic Dentistry

We are proud owners of a new x-ray imaging machine, Sirona Orthophos XG 3D. We brought this new, state-of-the-are piece of equipment into our office for its ease of use and reliable results.  We’re excited to be using this awesome piece of equipment to not only streamline our practice, but also offer our patients the safest and most comfortable experience possible.

Here are some of the key features:

Hybrid Unit
This hybrid unit not only provides the right 2D image, it is now augmented with the ability to capture an x-ray image in 3D. One scan provides a 2D and 3D image together.

Simplified Patient Positioning
With the auto-positioner, the operator can automatically tilt the patient’s head to get the perfect angle with no interference. The mulit-point stabilization allows the operator to position the patient comfortably through the on-screen guide. Proper patient positioning and stabilization is critical for diagnostic images.

Adjustable Area Of Exposure
The operator is able to adjust the area of exposure by zeroing in and capturing the region of interest that was prescribed by the dentist without exposing unnecessary regions to radiation. The field of view is also large enough to avoid needing to stitch together several images, thus eliminating multiple exposures. The operator also uses the alignment guide, giving them a perfect view of the area to be scanned, eliminating mistakes and the need for re-takes. Short scan time ensures that patient movement during the scan is kept to an absolute minimum, thus further reducing radiation dose.

Integrated Software
The integrated software gives us the ability to scan, diagnose, plan dental implants, and document findings quickly and efficiently. The ability to use these images to map out a blueprint for dental implants allows us to plan the implant with the highest accuracy. This is also an excellent tool for patients to visualize the implant and proposed treatment.

The next time you offer your children a healthy smoothie instead of a soda, you may want to remember that it could contain as much as 13 g/100 ml, equivalent to around 2.5 tsps in a 3.5-oz serving, or approximately two thirds to a half of a child’s recommended daily sugar intake.

According to Yale Health, the average American consumes around 22 tsps of added sugar every day; for teens, the figure is closer to 34. One 12-oz can of soda contains 10 tsps of sugar.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommend no more than 3-4 tsps of sugar a day for children, and 5 tsps for teens.

As awareness spreads about the impact of sweetened drinks on weight gain and tooth decay, many people are turning to fruit juices and smoothies as healthy alternatives to sodas, iced tea and other favorites.

Even 100% juice is not guilt-free

Even 100% fruit juice is not as innocent as it seems. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend not giving juice to infants under 6 months, and children aged 1-6 should have no more than 4-6 oz, or one half to three quarters of a cup. The recommended amount for 7-18 year-olds is 8-12 oz, or 1-2 cups.

Researchers from the University of Liverpool and the University of London in the UK assessed the sugar content of 203 fruit juice drinks, 100% natural juices, and smoothies aimed at children, using information from the pack label. They checked the amount of “free” sugars in UK-branded and store-brand products.

Free sugars include glucose, fructose, sucrose and table sugar, which are added by the producer, as well as naturally occurring sugars in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates. Although fructose occurs naturally in fruit, when consumed as a drink, it can cause dental caries – as can any other sugar.

There are other naturally occurring sugars in whole fruits and vegetables, which the body metabolizes differently, and they act to curb energy intake. These were not included.

Over 40% of drinks contain 4 tsps of sugar

The average sugar content of the 21 pure fruit juices assessed in the survey was as high as 10.7 g/100 ml or just over 2 tsps, and in the 24 smoothies, it was up to 13 g/100 ml, or just over 2.5 tsps. Over 40% of all the products, contained 19 g, or around 4 tsps, of free sugars, the maximum daily amount recommended for children.

Based on the findings, the team recommends:

• Not counting fruit juices, juice drinks and smoothies with a high free sugar content as one of the “5 a day”
• Consuming fruit whole, not as juice
• Diluting fruit juice with water or opting for unsweetened juices, and allowing these only during meals
• Limiting intake to 150 ml/day, or just over 5 oz

Medical News Today asked Dr. Simon Capewell, who led the research, whether, in the light of these findings, we should reduce our fruit intake, too.

He told us:

“No. Fruit is very good for the health. Vegetables likewise. Indeed, we would recommend unlimited fruit and vegetables.”

Whole fruit has a higher fiber content than juice, it takes longer to consume, it is more satisfying, and there is evidence that the body metabolizes whole fruit in a different way, adjusting its energy intake more appropriately than it does after drinking juice.

Source: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com

#1 Improves the breath:

Removing the bacteria, food debris, fungi, and dead cells from the tongue significantly reduces the odor from the mouth.  You may have been told to use your toothbrush for this purpose, but brushing the tongue does NOT efficiently remove all of the film that develops on the tongue.  You will be blown away the first time you  do this by the amount of gunk that comes off of the tongue.

#2 Improves your ability to taste:

Removing build-up from the surface of your tongue will better expose your taste buds.  This will lead to better enjoyment of the flavors of your food.  Ayurveda teaches that the better we enjoy and savor our food, the better our bodies digest and assimilate, leading to better over all health.  Also, Ayurveda teaches that blocked taste buds and tongue receptors interferes with our body’s ability to communicate with our brain about what types of foods we need to maintain our health, leading to false cravings.

#3 Avoid toxins being reabsorbed into your body:

As you sleep, your body is detoxifying.  Much of the film on your tongue is toxins excreted from your body.  You don’t want to re-ingest that do you?  NO!  Scraping your tongue first thing in the morning will remove this sludge from your tongue and from your body, improving your over all health and improving your immune system.

#4 Improves dental health:

By removing bacteria and toxins, you are also contributing to better dental health as well, leading to healthier teeth and gums.  The bacteria that you remove from your tongue are responsible for things like periodontal problems, plaque build-up, tooth decay, gum infections, gum recession, and even loss of teeth.

#5  Get to know your tongue:

Did you know your tongue is a mirror reflection of your internal organs?  Just like with hand or foot mapping, the tongue is mapped out to reflect various parts of your internal body.  You can learn so much about what is going on in particular areas just by looking at your tongue every morning.  Also, by scraping your tongue, you are actually stimulating and massaging those corresponding internal organs, just like in acupressure or acupuncture.  Pretty cool, huh?