ARE YOU READY TO ACCEPT THE BRUSHING CHALLENGE? We all know it’s important to brush our teeth, but brushing for 30 seconds on your way out the door in the morning just isn’t enough!

This month we’re telling our patients, “Don’t Rush Your Brush!” We’re running a fun campaign encouraging our patients to brush twice a day for two full minutes.

Here are Some Helpful Tips To Help You Not Rush Your Brush:

• Set a reminder alarm. You can set an alarm on your smartphone to remember to brush every morning and every night before bed!
• Use a stopwatch. Using a stopwatch can be a great way for you to see just how much time you’re spending cleaning your teeth. Remember to use at least two full minutes!
• Listen to your favorite song. Listening to music can be a great way to pass the time while you’re brushing your teeth! Pick a point in the song at least two minutes in so you know when to stop.

Dr. Barnett tells our young patients to hum the happy birthday song twice and when you are done you have brushed for about two minutes. Adults can try it too and it puts you in a good mood if you dance a little while humming!!!

During your next visit, take our brushing challenge by promising to brush for two full minutes, twice a day for 30 days and post a photo on social media to raise awareness. By doing this you will be entered to win a prize!

Participating Is Easy!

• Step 1: Come by our office and take a picture with our sign, take the “brushing challenge.
• Step 2: Post the photo to Facebook as a public post and tag the location of our practice.
• Step 3: Receive a raffle entry to win the prize!

The winner of the drawing will receive an apple watch courtesy of Dr. Barnett!

“Don’t Rush Your Brush” For An Apple Watch!

Contest ends May 28 Dr. Barnett’s Birthday.

Visit our Facebook page for more information and updates!

EVER THINK ABOUT HOW GREAT your saliva is? Probably not. We’d love to enlighten you! Saliva has an all-important role in your oral and digestive health.

Saliva Has Many Important Functions

Our bodies make two to four pints of saliva a day. That means that over a lifetime, a person will create enough saliva to fill two swimming pools! So, why is saliva important? Well, there’s more than one answer to that. Besides allowing us to give wet willies or make spit wads when we were kids, our saliva has many important functions.

First, saliva aids in digestion. It begins the process of breaking down food and helps us chew, taste and swallow. In fact, without our spit, we wouldn’t be able to taste at all!

Additionally, saliva is essential to maintaining our oral health. Our spit contains antimicrobial agents that protect teeth and defend against bacteria. It also contains minerals such as calcium and phosphate that remineralize our teeth, strengthening the enamel.

Your saliva plays an especially important role after eating and drinking. It washes away that extra food and debris left in your mouth that contributes to decay. It also helps neutralize the acids created by bacteria that break down enamel and cause cavities. Thank you, saliva!

Some People Do Not Create Enough Saliva

Some people have a condition called dry mouth, where they aren’t producing enough saliva. Certain illnesses and medications can cause dry mouth, and those who have it are more prone to tooth decay and gum disease as a result. For those with and without dry mouth, here are some tips to increase saliva production and protect your teeth:

• Chew sugar-free gum, especially after meals
• Suck on sugarless candy
• Drink plenty of water

Saliva Works Around the Clock to Protect Our Smiles

Saliva may just be the unsung hero of our oral health. It is constantly strengthening and defending our teeth against bacteria, decay and dental disease. At the end of the day, all we can say is that our bodies are amazing and our spit is awesome!

Thank you to our wonderful patients and friends!

IF YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED TOOTH LOSS, you are not alone. In fact, more than 35 million Americans are missing all of their teeth, while 178 million are missing at least one tooth. Here’s the good news: there are solutions for you.

Dental Implants Function Much Like Natural Teeth

While there are other tooth replacement options, dental implants have many advantages over other treatments. They are called “implants” because an artificial tooth root is placed, or implanted, in your jawbone. It is then covered by a natural-looking tooth replacement. Implants are the only tooth replacement option that incorporate an artificial root, allowing them to function much like natural teeth.

There Are Many Benefits to Choosing Implants

Here are five major benefits to consider when deciding between dental implants and other tooth restoration options:

#1: Dental implants are convenient and long-lasting.

Unlike dentures, you don’t need to take them out to eat or clean and there’s no need to reapply them with adhesive. Implants also provide a permanent solution to tooth loss–they are built to last a lifetime if they are well taken care of.

#2: Get the look, feel and function of your natural teeth.

Dental implants are virtually indistinguishable from natural teeth so you can look and feel your best. They also function like real teeth, meaning you can bite naturally and eat the foods you love without hesitation. Implants also don’t interfere with speech like some other replacement options.

#3: Oral hygiene isn’t complicated by implants.

You can take care of your teeth as usual, flossing once a day and brushing twice daily. With implants, it’s easy to maintain that bright, beautiful smile!

#4: Implants prevent bone deterioration and loss.

When you lose teeth the jawbone deteriorates, causing your face to appear sunken over time. Implants act as an artificial tooth root, stimulating the jawbone and promoting bone growth. This helps maintain the natural shape of your face and jaw.

#5: Leave your natural teeth unaltered.

Some treatment options, like a dental bridge, require grinding down other healthy teeth to support the bridge. Implants replace lost teeth but do not require any alteration of your existing healthy teeth.

Here’s a look into how Implants are made!

Don’t Let Tooth Loss Keep You From Smiling

You should never let tooth loss keep you from a healthy, beautiful smile. If you have experienced tooth loss, come and talk with us today. We will consult about what tooth restoration options will be best for you, your lifestyle and health.

Our patients’ smiles make it all worthwhile!

*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.

*Image by Flickr user Vanessa Porter used under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

WE LOVE, getting to know our patients! Each time you come into our office, we’re grateful for the opportunity we have to learn more about you and what makes you smile.

This week, we want to help you get to know us a little bit better too by introducing you to something we love: our pets

Get to Know Our Pets!

Man’s best friend comes in all shapes and sizes!

This is Rita’s dog “Coby”.

A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself. Josh Billings

Dr. Barnett is unfortunately allergic to most dogs so he only has saltwater fish to welcome him when he gets home! His aquarium is adorned with souvenirs from his snorkeling adventures throughout the world, however.

We Want to Hear About Your Fuzzy Friends!

Whether you’re a cat person, a dog person, or anything in between, we’d love to hear about your pets too! Tell us why you love your pets in the comments below or share a photo with us on Facebook!

Thank you for being our valued patients and friends!

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.

AHH… SWEET SUMMERTIME. We couldn’t be more excited that summer has finally arrived and with it, summer activities! We’re looking forward to backyard barbecues, family trips, and lots of fun in the sun. Our team has got a lot planned for this summer!

Our Team’s Favorite Summer Activities And Traditions

Dr. Barnett loves spending time and traveling with his family and friends. While he doesn’t like snakes he enjoys being outside, at the lake and enjoying nature!

Ashleigh, our insurance guru, loves her some Crimson Tide Football, she also plays on the Huntsville Tennis and kickball leagues. She enjoys traveling and seeing different places around the world.

Kim, one of our lovely assistants, loves spending time with her son and family. Her hobbies include going swimming, fishing, walking, and reading books.

Rita, one of our many hygienist, hobbies are reading, bowling, spending time with her sons and dog “Coby”, and playing volleyball.

Janine, another one of our hygienist, enjoys riding motorcycles with her husband, fishing, and spending time with her family and cooking out on her smoker. Dr. Barnett loves when she brings food to the office.

Shay, our hygienist, receptionist, and assistant…she does it all, enjoys going fishing by the lake, traveling and also going swimming with her two sons.

Kanavis, Dr. Barnett’s executive assistant, loves to DJ during the summer and go to the beach in Gulf Shores.

Grace, one of our newest front desk members, loves to go swimming, hiking, and having BBQ’s with the family.

Christy, the newest member to our assisting department, loves to read, go water skiing and take photography pictures.

Need a few fun ideas for the kids this summer? Check these out!

• Point Mallard – http://www.pointmallardpark.com/

• U.S. Space and Rocket Center – http://rocketcenter.com/

• Tennessee Aquarium – http://www.tnaqua.org/

• The Birmingham Zoo – https://www.birminghamzoo.com/

What’s On Your Summer Bucket List?

Have you been getting that special summertime feeling? Let us know what you’re going to be up to in the coming summer months in the comments section below or on our Facebook page! We’d love to get some fun summer activity ideas from our awesome patients.

We love summer, but we love our patients even more!