Dr. Bracy, protecting your family from cavities this Halloween

With Halloween quickly approaching, Dr. Bracy and our team knows that there will soon be many tricks and treats! While this festive holiday is full of costumes and fun community activities, it can also be a harmful time for the teeth of young trick-or-treaters in our St. Petersburg, FL neighborhoods.

With all of the sugary, sticky, and chewy treats that are often shared with trick-or-treaters, it is important to protect your teeth from cavities this Halloween. A cavity is caused by plaque, a sticky substance that forms on the tooth as a result of germ and bacteria build-up. Plaque is acidic and as it clings to your teeth the acids eat away the outside of the tooth (also called the enamel) and a hole is formed.

Here are a few simple steps you can take to prevent cavities this Halloween:

• Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste at least twice daily
• Gently brush your gums to keep them healthy (when choosing a toothbrush it is recommended to use soft bristles)
• Floss your teeth at least once a day to remove plaque and food that may be caught between the teeth where your toothbrush can’t reach
• Limit the amount of soda and sugary treats you eat/drink
• Be sure to visit your dentist every six months for a teeth cleaning and check-up

Dr. Bracy asks: Would you like to receive 10% off your next bill?

St. Pete Smiles, serving St. Petersburg, Largo, and Seminole, FL, would like to provide a special Halloween treat for all of our patients that connect with Dr. Bracy and team online. If you call before Halloween and schedule an appointment (by Nov. 15, 2010) for any restorative treatment on your treatment plan, you will receive 10% off your bill! What a great savings!

Don't forget to mention that you heard about this special on the Blog, or on Facebook, so that you can receive this online exclusive offer. Happy Halloween!

A few helpful webisodes about fluoridation, from Dr. Bracy

Dr. Bracy and his team at St. Pete Smiles would like to point you to a few interesting webisodes about fluoridation, located on the Florida Dental Association YouTube channel.

There, they tend to post some very pertinent videos about fluoridation, as well as information about oral health care, access to dental care, and dental education. These include "Fluoridation," "Tips for Terrific Teeth," and "A Trip to the Dentist."

Did you know that the National Centers for Disease Control "recognizes the fluoridation of drinking water to prevent dental decay as one ten great public health achievements of the 21st century?"

We think you may find these webisodes interesting, as well as enlightening. If you have any questions about the videos, or your treatment here at St. Pete Smiles, please give us a call at 727-280-5812.

The benefits of dairy, from Dr. Bracy

Dr. Bracy and our team at St. Pete Smiles want to know: Is dairy a major part of your diet? If not, maybe it should be! A 2008 study from the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) has found that regular consumption of dairy products, such as milk, cheese and yogurt, can actually lower your chances of contracting periodontal disease (also known as gum disease). Results of the study also showed that adults who consume at least 55 grams of lactic acid a day are less at risk for gum disease.




Cheese is one of the healthiest snacks for your child's teeth. In addition to providing large amounts of much-needed calcium, cheese also does its part to fight cavities. Cheddar, Swiss, Mozzarella, and Monterey Jack all stimulate the body's salivary glands to clear the mouth of debris and protect them from acids that weaken them, according to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. This means cheese disrupts the development of cavities, especially when eaten as a snack or at the end of a meal. Calcium and phosphorous found in cheese reduce or prevent decreases in the plaque's ph level and work to re-mineralize the enamel of your child's teeth.

Gum disease is caused by a bacterial infection in the mouth that affects the gums and jaw. Gum disease results in a loss of teeth and bone, and has been connected to certain cases of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, respiratory disease and osteoporosis.

Eating dairy is not just healthy for building strong bones, but is essential for maintaining a strong, healthy mouth. Next time you reach for a quick snack, choose some cheese, or a glass of milk, and remember with each bite, and every sip you are preserving your teeth for a lifetime of smiles and good oral health!

For more information about which dairy foods are best for keeping your teeth healthy, please give St. Pete Smiles a call.

Ask Dr. Bracy: Is Invisalign® really customized for each patient?

Yes, it is, and that’s part of what makes it work, says Dr. Bracy. To find out if you are the right candidate for Invisalign treatment, the first thing we do is to take an impression of your teeth as they are now and digitize it. Using special software, we look at the current positioning of your teeth and compare it to the way your teeth should look.

Next we use special software to map out the exact path your teeth will take from the beginning of your treatment to the end. Based on the results, a set of custom aligners are created just for your teeth. Throughout the course of treatment, you will be required to wear these clear, removable aligners one at a time; each one moving your teeth closer and closer to their final, perfectly aligned position. The best thing about it all? Nobody around you will even know you are wearing braces!

Dr. Bracy is a certified Invisalign provider in St. Petersburg, FL. If you have questions about Invisalign, or would like to find out if you are a candidate for Invisalign treatment, please give us a call.