Verde Pointe Dental Associates offers Dental Assisting School

Verde Pointe Dental Associates, and Marietta, GA dentists, +Kirk Kimmerling DDS, +Suzanna Aguilera DMD and +Garrick McGrath DMD are happy to announce the opening of a dental assisting school at the Marietta dentist office.  Our own +Jessie Kilgore is the lead dental assisting trainer.  She was chosen because of her great talent.

The Atlanta dental assisting school offers students interested in the dental profession an opportunity to obtain a certificate and the required skills necessary for dental assisting.  The education will prepare setudents fo the real-world of dentistry and able to perform the necessary skills to excel in dentistry.

The school offers;

1. schooling in a state of the art facility
2. Convenient class times
3. Comfortable working environment
4. Excellent hands-on training
5. Low tuition with a variety of interest free payment programs
6. Convenient Saturday and evening classes
7. Three payment options

For added information, click here. http://atlantadentalassistantschool.com

Dental Decay and Your Baby

Most people do not realize that dental decay is a communicable disease.  A parent's harmful dental decay causing bacteria can be passed to your baby's mouth, putting your child at an increased risk for cavities.

One of the nation's leading dental benefits providers, Delta Dental Plans Association has determined that less than one third of American caregivers realize that they can pass dental disease to a baby.

You can protect your baby with a little forethought. Let's take a look at the facts.

Tooth decay bacteria called Streptococcus mutans is commonly found in the human oral cavity. This bacteria can be passed when contaminated saliva from an adult enters a child's mouth. Typically, primary care givers and family contaminate the baby.  Streptococcus mutans metabolize sugars and ferment-able carbohydrates into tooth dissolving acids.

1. Brushing, flossing and will help prevent decay by reducing bacteria in the mouth.

2. Reducing the intake of processed sugars, such as in candies, juices and cokes will reduce the colonization of bacteria causing decay.

3. Brushing after eating or at least rinsing with water helps protect against tooth decay leading to dental fillings, crowns, root canals, toothaches, dental emergencies and more.

The doctors at +Verde Pointe Dental Associates, +Kirk Kimmerling DDS, +Suzanna Aguilera DMD and +Garrick McGrath DMD welcome new dental patients to the state of the art facility.

Bad News for Your Teeth if You Exercise Heavy

Could it be bad for your teeth if you exercise too much? 

Researchers led by Dr. Cornelia Frese, a dentist from the dental school at the University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany and other institutions recruited 35 triathlon athletes and 35 non-athletes to examine their mouths for cavities, decay, enamel erosion, and overall oral health.  The study concluded the following.

1. Research found no correlation between sports drinks, diets and oral health.
2. The more hours athletes spent working out, the more decay present.
3. Athletes suffered greater erosion of tooth enamel than non-athletes.
4. Saliva of athletes and non-athletes, both at rest tested no differences in chemical makeup.

So why the difference?  The conclusion;

1. When athletes worked out, saliva production decreased, even with the extra consumption of water and other drinks.
2. The chemical composition of an athletes mouth converted to more  alkaline environment as the workouts progressed, contributing to more plaque.

“We had thought sports drinks and nutrition might have the most detrimental influence on dental decay,” said Dr. Frese, “but we saw no direct link. Instead, it was the changes in saliva during exercise that differentiated the athletes’ mouths from those of the control group. Since saliva “has a very protective function”  Dr. Frese said, implying a chemically different version during exercise could be problematic.

What athletes need to do concerning oral health;

Athletes should pay close attention and be aware of the condition of their mouths. Excellent oral hygiene, and extra professional cleaning appointments at the dentist for added fluoride treatments can help ensure ultimate dental health. This gives added opportunity for a dentist to fix pending oral conditions before they become more problematic. (Cavities, gum disease, root canals, dental extractions, toothaches, dental emergency and more.)
  
It's important to put the extra effort in maintaining a healthy mouth, just as you do for a healthy body. 

The Marietta dentists at  +Verde Pointe Dental Associates +Kirk Kimmerling DDS +Suzanna Aguilera DMD and Garrick McGrath DMD welcome athletes to the dental office.  It would be our great pleasure to ensure your mouth is healthy.  

Seven Tips To Lose Weight Says Dentist From Marietta

The overweight and prevalence of obese people in the United States says Marietta Dentist, Kirk Kimmerling continue to grow despite all the literature that maps out the health consequences for being overweight.  Medical conditions; hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, sleep apnea, cancer, stoke and even higher incidence of tooth decay are becoming a heavy burden on our health care system.  Instead of people changing the direction of their lives, some  Americans have embraced obesity as desirable.  Many others complain of feeling like a second class citizen because they are not as thin as a Victoria Secret model.  They claim our society has its values wrong. They ignore the fact that an accumulation of fat in you body knocks years off your life.  Fat contains carcinogens that are dangerous causing people to use the health care system more than if they were not obese.  The way to reduce weight is to decrease the caloric intake and to become more active.  Each of these require commitment and a change in lifestyle.  Many people are adverse to change, hence herein lies the problem.  Fortunately,  there is a way to control cravings without starvation. It's nothing you haven't heard before, but will shed pounds.  If you are committed, the plan can work.
The plan must be written down and posted to your refrigerator.

• Number one is to complete a grocery list when you are not hungry.  Plan out the week's healthy meals, and snacks.
• Number two is to make sure you eat breakfast every day.  It's a good time of day to get that necessary caloric intake.
• Number three is to plan on exercising every day.  Walking is an excellent way to begin, and you can build up the distance slowly.  Find a buddy as committed as you.
• Number four is to train yourself to eat less.  Trick your mind by serving meals on a smaller plate.  Try it, it works.
• Number five is to have healthy snacks ready for when you have uncontrollable hunger pangs.  Granola bars, yogurts low in sugar, bananas, whole-grain cereals, nuts, microwave popcorn and berries are some good suggestions.
• Number six is to buy complex carbohydrate whole-wheat pasta, breads, potatoes, and rice. This is more difficult for your body to digest and it releases energy slower, helping combat food cravings.
• Number seven is to omit soft drinks, sports drinks, and any other sugary drinks from your diet.  Drink water or unsweet tea with and in between meals. It is shocking the number of calories that this alone can reduce.

Our bodies have a strong alarm system signaling us to eat, even when we shouldn't.  Food cravings result from an imbalance between consumption and our internal system that regulates appetite.  The neurochemistry of the brain's pathways involved in feeding are being researched by major pharmaceutical companies.  Although the issue of obesity is long from over, we do see promising research in ways to curb appetite and strong desires to overeat.
Since, America is leading the charge in weight gain, it is us that need to turn it around.  If you follow the seven steps above, you will shed some pounds.  It is time to  make a commitment to be part of the solution and plan out success.

Dr Kirk Kimmerling, Marietta Denitst On Eating, Drinking and Child Decay

Dr Kirk Kimmerling informs a patient

Dr. Kirk Kimmerling, a cosmetic dentist in Marietta, GA has his perspective on what young people need to change in their drinking and eating habits for better oral health.  With the ever-changing lifestyles of families in America, young people partake in sports more than ever before.  Many families are on the go.   School sporting teams, as well as community teams for the young have become a way of life.  Although it has been excellent for their overall physical health, their mouths and teeth have paid the price.  It is these very children eating on the run, and consuming sugary/acidic drinks that may be a recipe for oral disaster.   Although, the sporting lifestyle is excellent, eating and drinking habits need to change.

Cavities are caused by bacteria that live in the mouth.  Certain bacterias when fed sugar/carbohydrates produce acids that demineralize tooth structure.  Your saliva helps to prevent this demineralization by neutralizing the acids produced by the bacteria.  A tooth actually has the ability to repair itself, however when the acid overwhelms the tooth and it loses more minerals than it can produce, the decay process takes place.  The tooth loses the battle against the over-whelming bacteria and acid attack.
Continual drinking of sugary or acidic drinks during sporting events also is continual feeding of the cavity causing bacteria.  This allows an environment for the bacteria to thrive and accelerate demineralization of your child's teeth.  Sipping sugary sports drink is not good for your child's teeth.  The same holds true for eating on the run without brushing or flossing.  The trapped food between the teeth feeds the bacteria. Since, molars tend to trap food, this is why so many cavities happen between back teeth.  Once an acid is produced, it can stay in the mouth for up to a half hour, and possibly many hours during a sporting event if your child sips it slowly. 

 The idea is to limit the food fed to the bacteria.  If possible, change the hydration of choice to water or unsweet tea.  If you are not willing to compromise on giving up the sports drink, then drink it all at once before the event so you are not dousing your teeth for hours.   Then, have your child rinse their mouth with water to help rinse any residual drink away. Your child may object to the change at first, but realize the benefits when he has a better check-up at the dentist later.

As your child eats on the go, give them a piece of unsweet gum to help dislodge any food trapped between their teeth.  If possible, buy the gum with xylitol sugar.  This sugar actually helps kill the sugar that produces the acid. The bacteria can not metabolize it, and inhibits its growth. Since, bacteria can not do its destruction unless it is fed, give it less to eat.

In conclusion, protect the oral health of your children by changing small habits now.  These recommendations can possibly make all the difference to your child's dental health.  Looking for more information on Dr. Kirk Kimmerling, see his website www.drkirkkimmerling.com