Dallas Dentist Gives a Brief History of the Toothbrush

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Arguably the most important of your dental hygiene tools, the toothbrush is a deceptively simple instrument. It consists of a handle and a head with bristles attached to it, yet the modern toothbrush has only been around for a couple of hundred years. The idea of tooth care, however, is much older than that. This week, take a trip through the evolution of the toothbrush with Viva Dental.

Toothbrush History

  • Civilizations as old as the Babylonians chewed on sticks that resembled large toothpicks to keep their teeth clean and their breath fresh.
  • The chewing stick was shortened and modified around 1600 BC in China. The Chinese chew stick was about the size of a pencil with a pointed end to use as a toothpick. The other end was softened and used as a sort of brush.
  • In the Middle Ages, the Chinese revolutionized the toothbrush again with the advent of the first bristled brush. The bristles were made of cold-climate hog’s hair and were attached to a bamboo stick. (more…)

filed under: General Dentistry, Oral Health

Dallas Dentist Gives You the Facts About Milk

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Every morning, millions of people start their day washing breakfast down with a glass of milk. The benefits of milk are widely known, especially the calcium it provides to strengthen your bones and keep your body strong. But can milk help your teeth, also? Milk’s effects on your teeth are not often discussed, but you may not be surprised to learn that milk is as important to your dental health as it is to your overall wellbeing. June is National Dairy Month, and to celebrate, Dr. Truong offers these interesting facts about the most important beverage of the day.

Fun Milk Facts

  • Milk contains high levels of calcium and phosphate; the same mineral found in your tooth enamel. Sugars and starches can turn the bacteria and plaque in your mouth acidic, causing them to attack your tooth enamel. Acidic bacteria drain the minerals from your enamel, making it weak and vulnerable to decay. Drinking milk replenishes these minerals so your enamel can become strong again.
  • About 90% of your body’s calcium rests in your bones and teeth. When blood calcium levels are low, your body takes calcium from your bones and teeth to regulate blood levels. (more…)

filed under: General Dentistry, Oral Health

Toothpaste Massage After Lunch, Anyone?

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A study by a Swedish research team found that massaging highly fluoridated toothpaste into teeth can boost the mineral’s protection of tooth enamel by 400%! An article at Science Daily explains, nearly a decade ago, a toothpaste with three-times as much fluoride as normal toothpaste went on the market in Sweden. This super-toothpaste was available over the counter, without a prescription, and was intended to help people who have a higher-than-average rate of tooth decay.

Why Fluoride Helps

When we eat acids, sugars, and starches, our saliva turns acidic and temporarily extracts minerals from our teeth. Without sufficient minerals, tooth enamel softens and becomes vulnerable to erosion and bacterial decay. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that, when topically applied, absorbs into teeth and attracts other minerals that help strengthen tooth enamel. Most public water supplies contain fluoride, as do many ADA-approved toothpastes and mouthwashes. (more…)

filed under: News in Dentistry

Do Dallas Residents Know More About Their Cars than Their Teeth?

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What do you know about your teeth? Without them, your refrigerator’s contents would probably look very different. You may not have much luck communicating by phone, either. Teeth help you eat, speak, and feel good about your appearance. You know to brush twice and floss once a day, and people say that you should go to the dentist for checkups or a toothache.

Now consider, what do you know about your car? It gets you where you need to go, and it costs a lot of money to maintain. You probably also know that the odometer tells you how many miles you’ve traveled; the fuel gauge lets you know when to stop for gas; and the tires should be changed when they begin to wear. You may also know where gas, oil, radiator fluid, power steering fluid, transmission fluid, and windshield wiper soap goes. If your car does not perform properly, you take it to a mechanic. The state mandates that your car meet certain standards – but no one mandates your oral health.

Do you know more about your car than you do your teeth? Hmmm. This quiz will determine your dental IQ. Are you up to the challenge?

1. How often should you schedule a dental checkup with your Dallas dentist?

a. Every six months

b. Once a year

c. Whenever it’s convenient

The answer is a, every six months. Each checkup at VivaDental involves a thorough cleaning, oral examination, and a discussion about your dental needs and desires. Besides maintaining a bright smile, checkups are important for the prevention of serious oral health issues, such as gum disease and oral cancer.

2. At Viva Dental, we offer amalgam-free fillings. Do you why?

a. Amalgam fillings are silver-colored and unsightly.

b. Amalgam contains trace amounts of mercury.

c. Both

The answer is c, both. In addition, amalgam expands and contracts with variances in temperature, which, over time, could lead to tooth fracture and infection beneath the filling. (more…)

filed under: General Dentistry, Oral Health

Comfort Dentistry in Dallas and Richardson

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Visiting the dentist can cause anxiety and stress for many patients. We here at VivaDental would like for that to change. Not only are our offices equipped with plenty of comfort amenities, but we also offer sedation dentistry for patients who are especially apprehensive. Your Dallas and Richardson family dentist, Dr. Truong, encourages you to pay us a visit and experience the friendly, relaxing environment that we provide.

Comfort Amenities

Patient comfort is of great importance at VivaDental. Along with a friendly staff, our offices contain the following amenities.

  • Reading area
  • Video games
  • Movies with wireless headphones (more…)

filed under: About The Office, Sedation Dentistry

Meet Your Dallas Dentist, Dr. Diep Truong!

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Dr. Diep (pronounced “Zip”) Truong of VivaDental was born and raised in Texas and has always had an extreme fondness for the Lone Star state. She graduated Cum Laude from the University of Dallas at Irving, after which she attended Baylor College of Dentistry.

Dr. Truong has always had a strong passion for helping her community because she feels that it is so important to give back to the city and people that have been such a significant part of her life. Some of her community service involvement includes Free Sealant Day at Baylor Dental School and volunteering at the Martin Luther King Clinic on Give Kids a Smile Day.

In her free time, Dr. Truong enjoys doing volunteer work and spending quality time with her husband and five-year old son. Her hobbies include playing piano, traveling, biking, and fishing. (more…)

filed under: General Dentistry, Meet Our Team

Welcome to VivaDental!

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Hello, and welcome to the new dental blog for VivaDental! The goal of this blog is to help our patients and readers maintain healthy smiles. We encourage you to subscribe to our blog so you can receive current updates. We will be posting regularly about dental education and care, treatments, office announcements, and general health information.

About our Office

Dr. Diep Truong opened our Dallas dentist office in 2008. We present a state-of-the-art facility and maximize patient comfort with a reading area, video games, movies with wireless headphones, and a friendly staff. Our team strives to create relationships with each of our patients to create a comfortable, respectable, and confident dental experience. Our dental offices in Dallas and Richardson welcome children and adults from Grand Prairie, Duncanville, North Oak Cliff, Garland, Plano, and surrounding communities. (more…)

filed under: About The Office, General Dentistry