You may be a dental expert when it comes to treatments and procedures, but does your expertise carry over into the social aspect of your practice? Are you a Facebook aficionado or are you still trying to figure out what a “tweet” even is? Last year, we compiled a list of who we thought were some of the top dentists in social media. These dentists go the extra mile to interact with their patients and spread the latest dental news, so we wanted to honor them again this year. With some new additions and some returning favorites, these dentists not only excel in the dental world, but the social media world as well. Check out why we chose these well-connected dentists to make the top 10 list this year.
1. Dr. Gregory Cole. Returning from last year is the California-based dentist and blogger, Dr. “Flap” Cole. Dr. Cole consistently updates his Flap’s Dentistry Blog with all the latest news in the dental industry and other current events in health (and that’s not even his only website!). His posts are very informative and thorough. He continues to be a part of the Twitter and Facebook community, updating frequently for more than 36,000 Twitter followers.
2. Dr. Thomas P. Connelly. Having been in practice for over 15 years, Dr. Connelly knows dentistry. He blogs about common dental problems and procedures on the Huffington Post. We chose to include Dr. Connelly on our list again this year because he really interacts with people (like his 15,000+ Twitter followers) and posts often about common dental topics as well as some that are a little more unusual.
3. Dr. Todd Welch. Dr. Welch is a periodontist in Tennessee and the author of The Science of Dentistry Blog. Dr. Welch is very active on both Facebook and Twitter, updating his accounts regularly to accommodate thousands of followers. He also keeps up with his YouTube account, uploading interesting and informative videos about implants and periodontal procedures.
4. Dr. John Flucke. Dr. Flucke continues to be active in the Twitter community and frequently updates his Dental Technology Blog with news about technology beyond just the dental world. We chose to add him to our list for the second year in a row because he remains active on Twitter and his blog, keeping all his followers up to date with the latest in dental technology and actively responding to his followers on Twitter and elsewhere.
5. Dr. Jacob Lipscomb. Dr. Lipscomb remains near the top of our list this year as a dentist continuing to thrive in social media. He continues to be active on both Facebook and Twitter while still running his Social Media for Dentists website and blog dedicated to helping other dentists get involved in social media. He even has a YouTube account on which he posts helpful videos about social media and dentistry.
6. Dr. Lorne Lavine. Dr. Lavine is a dentist in California and founder of Dental Technology Consultants. He continues to actively run the Digital Dentist Blog, a blog filled with helpful information on the latest technology available to dentists. Dr. Lavine also remains an active part of Twitter and Facebook. He does a great job keeping his readers updated with consistent blog posts, tweets and Facebook updates, and that is why he made our list again this year.
7. The Frangellas. A new addition to our list this year is Dr. Frangella—all three of them. The Frangella siblings run a dental practice in New York and take turns posting on the Relatively Dental Blog they run on their website. In addition, they consistently keep their Twitter and Facebook followers updated with the latest dental news. We chose the Frangellas because of their frequent activity on Facebook and Twitter and their informative blog covering anything and everything on the topic of dentistry.
8. Dr. Larry Emmott. Dr. Emmott has a lot of experience in general dentistry and dental technology, which he shares with us on his blog, Emmott on Technology. He updates his blog frequently, and he also connects with people through Facebook, Twitter and his own personal web page. We chose to keep Dr. Emmott on our list because he really connects with everyone—not just dentists–through his easygoing blog posts, and because he continues to be active on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.
9. Brookside Dental. Also making their debut on our list this year is Brookside Dental. The Washington dental practice caters to its many followers on Twitter and Facebook by frequently updating with helpful dental tips and information. The husband and wife team also actively runs a blog, which clues readers and patients in on some helpful hints and tricks to a healthy mouth.
10. Dr. Michael McCarthy & Dr. Cristen D. Lindal. Rounding out our top 10 are doctors Michael McCarthy and Cristen Lindal, who run a practice in Camarillo, California. They actively update their blog with helpful dental reminders and tips for patients. They also have a Facebook page, which they consistently use to post tips, recognize patients and interact with their followers.
Even if you’re not a dentist, go check out their sites and see for yourself why we think they deserve to be recognized. If there’s anyone else you think we should have included, nominate them in the comments section for an honorable mention!
Does your child suck his or her thumb? Are you wondering whether to be concerned or not? Many parents may not understand why children suck their thumbs or other fingers, but it is actually a very common reflex in young children. In fact, statistics indicate that 45% of 2 and 3 year olds have developed this habit.
Thumbsucking is a natural reflex for infants and young children. Sucking on things such as thumbs, fingers, or pacifiers often help kids feel secure and happy. It is often relaxing and may induce sleep. It is completely normal for children to suck their thumbs, and they usually quit sometime between the ages two and four.
Effects on Teeth
Thumbsucking becomes problematic to dental health once the child starts developing the permanent teeth. It can cause changes in the roof of the mouth and it will also affect proper growth of the mouth and the alignment of teeth.
Effects can include:
- Reshaping of the jawbone
- Misalignment of teeth
- Teeth growing out of position
- Protruding front teeth
- An open bite, where the back teeth touch when biting down, but the front teeth do not, causing the bite to not completely close
- Poor tongue placement/movement
- Speech impediments
- Narrower dental arches
- Difficulty chewing or swallowing
Whether or not your child develops problems from thumbsucking or not often depends on the intensity of sucking. Passive suckers, who just simply rest their thumb in their mouth, may not develop any problems at all. Aggressive suckers, however, often will experience dental issues, maybe even in their baby teeth.
Breaking the Habit
Most children simply grow out of the habit. Usually this happens sometime between the ages of two and four. By the time the permanent front teeth are ready to erupt, children should have stopped sucking their thumbs.
If your child sucks his or her thumb and it is posing a concern, the ADA suggests these tips to help encourage your child to stop.
- Praise your child for not sucking, instead of scolding them when they do
- If your child is sucking in order to seek comfort, focus on correcting the source of anxiety instead of the habit.
- You can remind the child of their bad habit by somehow covering the thumb, such as with Band-Aids or a sock.
- Your pediatrician or dentist may be able to provide further encouragement. They can also prescribe bitter medications to apply to the thumb to give it a bad taste.
While thumbsucking for infants is completely natural and not a concern, continued sucking into their later years could pose several problems. If thumb sucking does result in crooked teeth, abnormal bite, or deformed jaw, it can take years of orthodontic treatment to correct. Not to mention, orthodontics is very expensive, and could cost up to thousands of dollars if you don’t have a dental plan. Encouraging your children to quit sucking their thumb and avoid a dental crisis is the best option.
Confused about the connection between 1Dental and Careington? Are you wondering where Aetna fits into all this? Here we explain some common questions you may run into as you pursue the best dental savings for your family.
How 1Dental is Connected With Careington
1Dental.com works hand-in-hand with Careington International to provide some of the nation’s #1 dental plans for thousands of agents, affiliates and new members at a low cost. Two dentists created the first discount dental network in 1979, the Careington Dental Network. (Click here to learn how discount plans work.) In 1998, our 1Dental office started offering those Careington dental plans to individuals. 1Dental.com is the primary setup office for individual Careington plans like the Careington Care 500 and Careington POS plans.
1Dental.com is the company that can provide you with a dental plan, whereas Careington is the name of the actual dental network. Your dental discount card bears the Careington logo, not the 1Dental.com logo, because that is the name of the specific network of dentists. This is not insurance. You can learn more about Careington on our 1Dental History page.
When you sign up for a dental plan on 1Dental.com, you’re not signing up for a “1Dental plan,” because 1Dental offers several different plans. That’s like saying you bought an “Amazon book,” when it really doesn’t describe the actual book you purchased. You could, however, say you bought “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” from Amazon.com, just like you could say you bought the Careington Care 500 plan from 1Dental.com.
What About the Aetna Plan?
Aetna is a familiar name with a vast provider network, so Careington worked with the company to provide the Aetna Dental Access plan for those who may be hesitant about leaving their dentist. If you become a member of the Aetna dental plan, your membership card will say both Careington and Aetna.
1Dental.com’s primary goal is to offer dental patients nationwide access to the most affordable, reputable and longstanding dental plans.
A few representatives from the 1Dental.com crew took part in Haltom High School’s Buff Nation Celebration V last Saturday morning, April 21. The health fair event, highlighting “The Importance of Good Health,” offered dental exams, immunizations, bone scans, blood pressure checks, eye exams and many other health services as well as free lunch and games. 1Dental.com attended the event to represent the importance of good dental hygiene in the community.
Our team met lots of people, answered questions and even brought along the Tooth Toss game.
Dental health is important to us, and this is just one way we could get involved with the community and spread the word about the importance of visiting a dentist and keeping your teeth healthy.
Numerous people are still uneducated about oral cancer despite its rising prevalence. Many are often not aware they may be at risk or even have the disease already. To help raise awareness, here are 7 facts you may not know about oral cancer.
Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week 2012 is April 22-28, and we’ve posted a 2-part series with some facts and information you may not know about oral cancer. See Part 1: Nonsmokers Still At Risk for Oral Cancer.
7. Oral cancer prevalence had been decreasing since the 1960s until a 2004 National Cancer Institute survey. This survey showed that in the year 2004, approximately 244,000 cases of oral cancer were reported. According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, this is the fifth year in a row in which the prevalence of oral cancer has increased.
6. Men are twice as likely to be diagnosed with oral cancer as women. The 2004 survey by the National Cancer Institute found that approximately 157,000 of the affected 244,000 were men, as opposed to 87,000 women.
5. About 66% of oral cancers are found as late stage 3 and 4 diseases. However, oral cancer is actually not difficult to detect. The late detection results partly from a lack of screenings which would help yield early detection, but it is also because of a lack of public awareness of the disease.
4. Oral cancer becomes more prevalent with age. In the survey, the number of those affected drastically increased after age 40. The number of individuals with oral cancer under age 40 came to just over 10,000. The remaining 234,000 were all over 40 years old.
3. Eating lots of fruits and vegetables may lower your risk of oral cancer. Fruits and vegetables contain micro-nutrients that work to prevent cancer. Citrus fruits can influence cell cycle progression. Berries high in ellagic acid as well as vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage are great for helping prevent oral cancer.
2. Approximately 34,360 individuals in the U.S. are diagnosed with oral cancer every year. Only about half this number will live for more than 5 years afterward, and more than 25% of those diagnosed will die.
1. Oral cancer is a very serious issue. Treatment involves the assistance of many professionals, including dental professionals. Even then, treatment may not be successful, and it will cost you thousands of dollars.
Oral cancer is becoming highly prevalent and can be life-threatening. However, there are steps you can take to help reduce your chances of being diagnosed with oral cancer (like brushing your teeth daily and eating the fruits and vegetables mentioned above, for example). The most common causes of oral cancer are tobacco and alcohol use. Moderating the amount of tobacco or alcohol you take in (or cutting it out altogether) is one of the best ways to prevent the disease. Excessive sun exposure can result in lip cancer, so take precaution when you’re headed out on a sunny day—wear a lip balm that contains SPF or even a hat with a brim to provide shade.
Last but not least, scheduling regular dentist appointments is key in preventing oral cancer. You can ask your dentist to inspect your mouth for any indication of cancer. Your dentist should easily be able to detect cancer and begin treatment early if you have been affected. If finances are an issue, a dental plan can make those visits much more affordable for you. The oral cancer survival rate is much higher when detected in the early stages, so it is extremely beneficial to see your dentist regularly.
Has your dentist ever screened you for oral cancer?
