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Exquisite Smile Times

Healthy news and information from Exquisite Smiles / 2022 February Issue

Does Your Mouth Rinse Burn?

After some people brush and floss their teeth, they choose to use a mouth rinse to get rid of any debris that may have been left behind and kill harmful bacteria that could cause cavities, infections, or gum problems.

We commonly hear that some patients don’t like to use a mouth rinse because of an unwanted burning sensation that they feel in their mouth. So, what’s the culprit?

Some mouth rinses contain alcohol, which is generally the main cause of the burning sensation you may notice. The good news is that there are many brands of mouth rinse that contain no alcohol at all, and still offer the same benefits like killing bacteria, freshening breath, and even whitening teeth.

If you’d like to try an alcohol-free mouth rinse, ask us for specific recommendations at your next visit.

3 Ways to Stick to Your New Year’s Resolution

It’s been a full month, and 2022 is in full swing. So, how is your New Year’s resolution going? If you’re finding your resolution hard to stick to, don’t give up just yet.

Here are a few ideas to help you continue working on your goals without them feeling like a burden.

1. Focus on the future by looking at your past. This will help you identify common themes that help you stick to your goals. Analyse a past goal to identify why it did or didn’t work. When you know what worked and what didn’t, you can develop a new approach this time around.

2. Make your goal a habit. Did you know that research suggests 40% of what we do each day is due to habits? If there’s a certain time of day that works to check-in on your goal or work toward it, set an alarm on your phone as a reminder.

3. Celebrate your progress. Who doesn’t love a small reward? For example, if you’ve set an exercise goal to workout 4 days each week, reward yourself after every sweat session instead of waiting to celebrate. After all, it’s the little things that make up the big things!

The Connection Between Oral Health and Mental Illness

In the past, studies have shown a connection between oral health and an increased risk of conditions like diabetes and hypertension.

New research published in the British Medical Journal set out to find whether or not there was a connection between mental health and oral health, and the results might surprise you!

Scientists from Oxford, Birmingham, and Newcastle discovered that patients with a history of gum disease had a higher chance of developing mental health and heart problems.

After looking at 64,000+ patients, the results showed that those with a history of periodontal disease had an increased risk of 37% for developing some form of mental health problem when compared to people who had not suffered from gum disease.

Researchers who worked on the study hope it reinforces just how important early identification of oral health problems are. If it’s time to schedule a checkup with us, give us a call.

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