Fall Dental Tips

 

This season is one of the most beautiful in this writers opinion.  Pumpkins, scarecrows, hay rides, and candy apples all describe a perfect Fall day with loved ones.  During this activity filled month it is extremely important to brush and floss regularly.  Many dental concerns arise as a result of sugary ciders, sticky candies and devilish popcorn balls.  In order to enjoy Fall to the fullest it is important to remember these three tips.

1.) Brush after eating sugary drinks or candies.  Avoid eating caramels!  They are dental restorations biggest nemesis. ( Much like kryptonite to Superman)

2.)Floss regularly to avoid popcorn kernels getting stuck in between your teeth causing gum inflammation.

3.) Visit your Dentist for regular checkups!!

Whitening Toothpaste Review

In today’s society,  a white smile is achievable through many different avenues.  Each month a new dental product is launched that claims to “whiten teeth” or “eliminate foul odors”.  But which product is right for you?   Over the last few months I have taken home and tried Crest 3D White, Colgate Optic White, and Aquafresh 2X whitening.   In order to maintain some control for this study, I only used each  whitening toothpaste for two weeks.  In between weeks I brushed my teeth with regular generic toothpaste that had no affiliation with any of the brands.  Secondly, in between those weeks I also drank more coffee and tea.   Thus, allowing my teeth to “stain” more  and  reset the study.

Here were my findings in order from Best to Worst.

 

Colgate Optic White (Approx $4.00):  Having an anti-cavity fluoride bonus to this whitening toothpaste was definitely a plus for me.  The toothpaste foams up like baking soda in your mouth and feels like its working.  After about 5 days I noticed that portions of my teeth had become whiter.  It seemed like I went one to two shades whiter in that short time.  It also left my mouth feeling cleaner for a longer amount of time.

Aquafresh 2x Whitening (Approx $3.50): Another toothpaste with the added benefit of having fluoride, the Aquafresh 2x whitening was just not as powerful as the Colgate.  After 2 weeks I noticed similar results to the Optic White, but in a much longer span of time. It did not foam up as much as the Optic White, and did not have a very good flavor. (I tried Ice Mint).  Overall, it seemed to work given the time period, but did not leave my mouth feeling as clean or my teeth as white as its competitor.

Crest 3D White( Approx $4.25): STAY AWAY FROM THIS WHITENING TOOTHPASTE!!! Here is a direct link to a study that was performed and the results are horrifying.  Crest Study.  Not only does the toothpaste embed plastic into your gums, but it contains Stannous Fluoride.   This chemical has been proven to actually stain your teeth!  I started noticing heavy stain around the gum line of my teeth after using this toothpaste.  I’m not even going to get into the flavor or any benefits of using it because there are none.  Simply put, do not waste your money on this product.

So there you have it.  Before wasting your money on expensive whitening products, give the toothpaste a try.  Using the toothpaste alongside your whitening system may drastically increase your results.

Want to save money? Get rid of your dental insurance.

A while back I did a blog on dental insurance. (found here http://goo.gl/Ac2OsZ)  Please read it and become familiar with the language because I promise you that when you shop for your next policy knowing the terms will help you make an informed decision.

Insurance companies love to proclaim that they cover 100% for any dental services.  Let me begin by saying that unless the provider has agreed to be “in-network” that this is simply not true.  (even then there are co-pays…)

I understand the enormous pressure that employees and employers feel when it comes to healthcare costs.  It seems that rising healthcare costs are accompanied by rising premiums.  Most of the time, our patients dental plans are supplemental to their health plans. But really how much are you paying each year for basic services?

67.5% of our clients come in for two cleanings and one set of x-rays per year.   This is the basic preventative standard of care that we advise all patients to follow.  ( Preventative measures will save you money in the long run!)   On average the cost for these preventative services is from $250-$300 per year.  I am writing this today to show you that you can go to your dentist and save money at the same time.

During my research I spoke with 25 different patients and they disclosed to me the cost of their dental policies. On average the patients maximums were $1000 per year.  They all stated that they believed insurance company paid “100%”.  They also felt that having insurance was the only way to gain access to a dentist.  

Marketing in Healthcare

My name is Nicholas Romano and I am the office manager at Ridgecrest Dental.  It has been 4 years since I first started a full on social media campaign for Ridgecrest Dental.   In that time I have researched, tracked, measured and analyzed what I could do to make them stand out as a business.

My findings led me to believe that it does not take a $2000.00 budget per month of print advertising, radio commercials or expensive software to reach your target market.   I attended a whiteboard presentation on Demandforce  last month ($350 per month!) and quite frankly was not sold.  The main issue I had was that it did not integrate with our software.  Secondly, it seemed that in an attempt to secure sales in every industry the software was unable to attend to direct needs that the dental world craves.  Don’t get me wrong the program is very capable of building business revenues, but it was not the right fit for us.

I am a consumer just like everyone else, but it just so happens that I tend to be a little more aware of the marketing that company’s use to lure us into buying.  My personal favorite are the logo urinal pucks in NFL stadiums, but I digress. I kid you not, the dental and medical world is years behind in terms of website development and social media.   Searching for the correct Doctor or office can turn into a nightmare really quickly.   In our demographic almost 70% of the Doctors do not have a website!  We live in an time where patients want to have the convenience of scheduling online,  paying bills online and researching what office to choose.  Why not make their choice easier by creating an informative website! So how are Doctors supposed to market their practices?

A few questions to ask yourself before launching a marketing campaign are as follows:

• What do we do as an office that is better than our competition? Examples include: technology,patient care, state-of-the-art facilities.
• What type of patients are we looking for? What is our demographic? (age,location, ect)
• If asked why someone should visit your office, what would you say?
• Does my staff recognize and understand the vision for my practice?
• How do we provide our patients with the best possible care?

These are just a few questions to start off with and I’m sure many more will follow.  Statistically, from the time I put our website online, our business has experienced 34.7% increase in brand awareness within our demographic.  I did not do anything elaborate to enhance the website (i.e no paid advertising), but what I did do is use keywords correctly, periodically change testimonials and keep it modern.  After a year of using Google Analytics (a free service) I was able to narrow down what words I needed to use. This service has helped me immensely, please check it out because it really can help your practice.

The benefits of an interactive website and social media has been a proven method to build brand awareness.  We use bufferapp.com (another free service) to help us post effectively to all of our media outlets.  Check it out because I promise it will make social media posting a whole lot easier.  The Hubspot website grader (free free free) can help you track your performance as well! Marketing effectively is being able to do something different then your competition.  Once you figure out what your competitive advantage is, market it using the above techniques and success will follow.  There are plenty of other tools that you can use.  Whatever your method is remember that the more exposure your office has, the patient is able to research you and make an educated choice!

 

Periodontal Disease: The Silent Assassin

Across the globe there is a silent disease that is affecting more than 80% of adults in the United States. Many people will not even notice any symptoms of periodontal disease before it is too late. Periodontal disease can affect many areas of the body including your heart.

Periodontal disease is defined by the ADA as, “An infection of the tissues surrounding and supporting the teeth. It is a major cause of tooth loss in adults. Because periodontal (gum) disease is usually painless, however, you may not know you have it”.http://ada.org/3063.aspx#whatis.

It is possible to detect periodontal disease before you see your dentist.

 

A few signs that you may have it are as follows:

1. Red, swollen, puffy gums that bleed when brushing.
2. Gums that seem to be pulling away from your teeth.
3. Bad breath that seems to not go away.
4. Teeth that seem to be mobile.
5. Pus between gums and teeth.

Preventing Periodontal Disease!
Periodontal Disease can be reversed or prevented entirely using these tricks!

1. Brushing your teeth twice a day
   This reduces the amount of bacteria on and around your teeth and gums.  Reducing the  bacteria can drastically increase your chances of preventing gum disease.
2. Flossing between your teeth!
   Since we were young kids every person has stressed the importance of flossing your teeth.  Flossing is a simple yet effective way to remove harmful bacteria.  Try a 20 day  flossing challenge and floss once a day just to see the results for yourself!
3. Visiting your dentist regularly
   Having a normal 6 month recall with your dentist can significantly reduce your chances  of periodontal disease.  Only the doctor or registered dental hygienist can recognize periodontal disease effectively and the longer you wait to have it taken care of the more at risk you become!
4. Try to limit smoking cigarettes or quit completely
   Smoking cigarettes is considered to contribute to vasoconstriction.  Vasoconstriction  is  the narrowing of blood vessels, thus resulting in reduced blood flow.  Our gums are tissue which contain blood vessels.  Each cigarette contributes to reduced blood flow in our gums and is the major cause of periodontal disease.  Cigarettes also cause the mouth to become really dry, eliminating the healthy enzymes that help our teeth stay healthy.

All it takes is good home care as well as making sure that you see your dentist regularly.  Our teeth are as much a part of our bodies as any other organ or bone.  Preventing periodontal disease will increase your overall health and save you money in the long run!