What's New...
Hello Again! Hope you are all having a great summer. Dr. MacKnight recently vacationed in his favorite spot-the Bahamas! Diane visited her mother in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Karen and Tina went on vacation together to Sarasota, Florida. No one was seriously sunburned! Dr. MacKnight's son, Eric finished his sophomore year at Ohio University majoring in Electrical Engineering. He really enjoys it. He also became a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Diane's daughter, Melissa graduated from Turpin High School and has a job working as a legal assistant downtown. Diane's son, Michael, graduated from Ohio University with a degree in Communications and will be entering the U.S. Air Force Flight School in July to become a pilot! Our dental hygienist, Gina recently was married and honeymooned in Maui, Hawaii.

Watch Your Tongue!!

Besides being essential in speech, swallowing, and tasting food, your tongue serves as a "mirror" to your overall health and well being. The tongue is a valuable indicator of many underlying conditions, illnesses, and disorders and that is why Dr. MacKnight checks your tongue as well as other soft tissues when he does your oral exam. A glossy smooth, shiny, and painful tongue may indicate iron deficiency anemia or lack of vitamin B-12. A pale tongue can hint at possible leukemia. A white raised or ulcerated spot on the tongue can be cancerous or pre-cancerous. Whitish "corrugated" edges of the tongue can be as serious as a signal of AIDS, or as simple as a tongue chewing habit. The tongue can be a sure giveaway of alcohol or tobacco habits. Whitish patches that easily scrape off may be a fungal infection. Hormonal disturbances and pregnancy can also have symptoms and signs showing up on your tongue. And of course, your tongue can be a major source of bad breath.

We always recommend thoroughly cleaning your tongue every time you brush. Think of it as not brushing your teeth for months or years if you ignore cleaning your tongue. Food collects there as well as on your teeth and it can leave a pungent odor. Brushing your tongue is a good idea. However, studies have shown that a tongue scraper is a more effective and thorough device to clean your tongue, much better than a toothbrush. We have tongue scrapers available in our office. If you don't have a tongue scraper, the next best thing is to scrape your tongue with a clean spoon. The trick is to hold your breath and place the spoon on the rearmost portion of your tongue, then quickly scrape forward 3-4 times. Inspect the scraper and rinse it. You will be amazed at all the "yucky" stuff that comes off. Repeat the process several times until the scraper is clean. If you are a coffee or cola drinker or a smoker, you will notice a whole new clean taste sensation! We recommend you do a self examination of your tongue at least once every week by sticking it out, (but not when you spouse is walking by) inspecting the top, then the left and right sides, then raising it to check the floor of your mouth. Report any unusual things like red or white bumps or ulcers, or sore areas that don't go away within 10 days to 2 weeks. Remember clean your tongue every time you brush and have regular checkups and "tongue checks" every 6 months in our office. Keep your body's natural disease indicator in good, healthy shape. And keep your breath kissing sweet at the same time!

How To Care For Your Baby's Teeth

When your baby gets his or her first teeth, it's essential to start taking care of them right from the start. To brush them, put your baby in your lap or on the changing table and wipe your baby's teeth and gums with your finger or a damp washcloth. Do not brush infants teeth with toothpaste, since too much swallowed flouride toothpaste can harm them at this age. When the child is older and is squirming, sit with the child facing a bathroom mirror so they can see what you are doing. Cradle their head in your arm with their chin in your hand (You have control of their head to stop the squirming) and brush their teeth using your other hand. Since they are watching, they will eventually take an interest in brushing and want to do it themselves. However, you should brush their teeth after they do until they develop the dexterity to do a thorough job. Kids usually brush too lightly, too fast, and mostly the front teeth.

Never put an infant to bed with milk or juice in a bottle. The result will be "baby bottle syndrome" which is rampant decay of the baby teeth, and they will need major dental restoration later. If you must use a bottle, use water in it. Contrary to popular belief, milk and apple juice are loaded with sugar and can easily decay the teeth if left in contact for long periods of time or consumed frequently. Most fruit juices also contain a lot of acid, which also causes decay. Remember, keep your child's teeth healthy and have regular checkups, starting at age 3 .

Your Best Friend's Teeth

A study conducted at the University of Oklahoma showed that if you brush your dogs teeth every other day, you may increase the dog's life expectancy as much as three years! Dogs, like humans are susceptible to decay and gum disease. They usually eat soft food and snacks, which stick between teeth and can lead to dental problems. Use a child or adult toothbrush, depending on the size of your dog. Brush with plain water, not toothpaste, and brush with up and down strokes. And don't forget, Fido gets his own brush. Don't share toothbrushes with anyone-be it human or beast!!

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• The Silent Disease...
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• Sippy Cups - Hidden Danger!
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• Women's Oral Health

• Men's Oral Health

• Watch Your Tongue!
• How To Take Care of Your Baby's Teeth
• Your Best Friend's Teeth

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