George A. Malkemus, DDS: August 2015

Ah, the hustle and bustle of going back to school!

As we head back into school mode, there are lots of things on the “to do” list to get done before the first day rolls around. Every student should be equipped with these essentials:

-Backpack
-Notebooks
-Markers, pens, pencils
-Dental cleaning

Dental cleaning?!? Yes! Healthy teeth, gums and proper dental hygiene are as crucial as everything else on the list in preparation for the coming school year.
Studies have shown dental related issues are a main reason that children miss school. If you maintain and stay on top of your oral health care you are setting yourself up for future success! There is no age limit when it comes to having a healthy mouth and smile.*
As your first day of school swiftly approaches, no matter what grade you are going into, first impressions are always looming in the back of your mind. And first impressions are huge! No one needs to have a big chunk of cereal in their teeth or stinky breath on their first day back. Your buddies will never let you live it down. When your teeth are well taken care of, brushed, flossed, with clean fresh breath, you are well on your way to a GREAT first impression!
A friendly smile says a lot about a person. When you have a clean , attractive smile you'll exude confidence. When you are feeling confident, you promote a positive sense of self which can help spark a conversation or attract another person’s attention. You’ll have a lunch buddy in no time!
Not to mention, those school pictures that wind up being a permanent fixture in the yearbook (and on your fridge at home). With a dashing smile, you will have no regrets when you look back years later and think, “Man! That is one good looking smile!”
If you are due for a dental cleaning and polish, now is the perfect time to go in for an appointment! This goes above and beyond your daily standard brushing and flossing. A good dental cleaning will remove all of the plaque or tartar build up that may have accumulated over the past few months. Any sort of gingivitis will be examined and taken care of. A nice polishing of your teeth will finish up your look. Afterwards, your teeth will feel AMAZING! Your teeth will literally be squeaky clean! There is no better feeling than a smooth fresh tooth surface.
We all get those first day jitters when going back to school. It’s completely natural. But when your alarm clock goes off the morning of your first day back, you eat your breakfast, gather your belongings, and you brush and floss your teeth, you will have one less thing to worry about before you get to class!
So just remember, before you walk out the door for your first day of school, make sure that you have spent at least two minutes brushing those pearly whites, flossed each and every tooth, and maybe even given a quick once over with some mouth rinse. You are bound to have a great first day back with smiles all around!

*Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21330579

George A. Malkemus, DDS

Dentist in Rohnert Park
2 Padre Parkway Suite #200
Rohnert Park, CA 94928

MalkemusDDS.com Phone: (707) 585-8595

Life Hacks – The Dental Edition!

Today we’re sharing our office’s best tips, tricks and secrets to making difficult tasks easy and fixes for the most annoying problems. Get ready to have your mind blown because ALL of these use dental related items!

Denture Tabs
Did you know they can also be used to help clean common household items? Here are six alternative uses for denture cleanser tablets:

1. Put them in with a diamond to spruce up that sparkle

2. Remove mineral deposits from glass

3. Pop a denture tablet into your coffee pot, run the water through and then rinse. Cleans up stains in a snap! BONUS: also great at removing coffee and tea stains in mugs

4. Toss a tab in to a full toilet or bathtub and watch the grime dissipate

5. Use to clean enamel based cookware

6. Great for unclogging drains

Dental Floss
Be sure to use the dental floss that is flavorless, otherwise you are going to have some unsatisfactory results for some of these hacks.

7. When your shoelace breaks and you need a fix in a pinch— lace up with floss until you can get a replacement!

8. Got long hair? When your ponytail’s elastic band snaps off, wrap some floss to create a new hair tie

9. Sentimental pictures stuck to your scrapbook page? Or cookies stuck to the baking sheet? Wiggle some floss gently in between to release

10. Slice clean pieces of bread, cheese or cakes by holding the floss taunt and gliding down the soft item you are wanting to “cut”

11. Are you travelling and you need to “lock” you luggage? Wind some floss through the zippers to secure

12. Create a makeshift clothes line out of floss

13. Use as string for crafts and jewelry making

14. Leaky faucet? Tie floss around the spout and let the rest hang into the drain to eliminate the dripping sound

Toothpaste
The miracle worker!

15. Remove scratches from DVD’s and CD’s by applying a little white toothpaste and gently rubbing over the surface

16. Ring Around the Collar: take some toothpaste on a toothbrush (double dental life hack!)and scrub in a circular motion over the stain before normal washing

17. Got Kids? Do they have crayons? Use toothpaste as an abrasive to scrub the crayon right off the walls

18. Scuffs happen. Shoes, furniture, other surface areas, etc. Put some toothpaste on a toothbrush and scrub away to watch the scuffs vanish

19. Did someone forget to use a coaster? Rub toothpaste over the ring and wipe clean with a damp cloth

20. Use as a deodorizer for baby bottles. Remember to rinse thoroughly after soaking!

21. Rub toothpaste over mirrors, glass, and water goggles then wipe clean to create a fog deterrent

22. Make your sink and faucets shine by polishing with toothpaste!

23. Ink and lipstick stains are no longer a problem with the help of toothpaste

24. Helps remedy stubborn pimples: dab a little toothpaste on the problem area before bed and wash your face in the morning.

25. Foul scents lingering? Wipe some toothpaste over the area and rinse thoroughly

26. Remove carpet stains by using the paste with a scrubber

Mouthwash
Mouthwash can help out with more than just bacteria in your mouth and odorous breath!

27. Use mouthwash as an antiseptic replacement when you run out

28. “That’s going to leave a bruise!” Heal up faster by rubbing it with some mouthwash on a cotton ball

29. Poison ivy itches! Smooth over the affected area and discard the used cotton ball to avoid cross contamination

30. Hand sanitizer substitute!

31. Did you forget deodorant? Swipe a little mouthwash to remove “ripeness”

32. Great as a disinfectant

33. Soak nails and toes in mouthwash to help with fungus and athletes foot

34. Also works as a great for helping to soften and soothe feet

35. Can be used as a temporary face astringent

36. Soak smelly containers in mouthwash and rinse. Say goodbye to stink!

Toothbrush
Toothbrushes make excellent cleaning tools and are great scrubbers. Here’s a few of our favorites uses!

37. If you need to touch up your roots, use a toothbrush to assist in the hair dying process

38. Works wonders as an exfoliater

39. Nail brush – work out the dirt under your nails gently

If you carry little travel sizes of mouthwash, a toothbrush, white toothpaste and some denture tabs, you are fit to solve almost any spill, scuff or stain! These items are great to always have on hand. Next time one of these problems tries to kick you when you’re down, remember these dental life hacks! Give them a try and let us know how well their magic works for you!