Halloween Candy Buyback returns!

In partnership with Operation Gratitude, Dr. Treva D. Lee is participating in the nationwide Halloween Candy Buyback post-Halloween Event taking place onn Friday Nov. 1st and on Monday Nov. 4th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Dr. Lee's office: 2630 N. Fresno St. #101, Fresno CA 93703.  She will pay $1/pound of candy. Please spread the word!

Here's a video from Channel 47's local newscast from last 

year's very successful event. 
 Many parents and grandparent's dropped off leftover candy and asked that the money be used to help with shipping costs for the care packages that Operation Gratitude sends to our men and women serving in the military overseas.  

6 Steps to a Thorough Oral Cancer Screening & Early Detection

Last week we brought you the inspiring story of Eva Grayzel, who was diagnosed with late stage oral cancer at age 33, and had about a 15% survival rate. After her amazing defeat of the disease, she has become a champion for early detection, and started Six-Step Screening, a foundation to raise public awareness about the existence and early signs of oral cancer, to inspire oral health professionals to perform thorough and regular oral cancer screenings on every patient, and to provide guidance, support and hope to newly diagnosed oral cancer patients.

This week, we're going to cover the signs of early oral cancer, and how to know if you've gotten a thorough oral cancer screening.

Watch out for the following signs:

• Changes to the oral tissue such as a red or a white patch, or changes to the texture
• Persistent sore throat 
• Difficulty swallowing
• Chronic sore throat
• Lump in neck - especially if it doesn't bother you
• Mouth or ear pain

Six Steps to a Thorough Oral Cancer Screening
Your dentist or hygienist will:

Step 1 - Tongue 'n Gauze: Extend your tongue as far as it can go, examining the sides and underside for white and red patches, and feels your tongue for lumps. NOTE: This is the most common site oral cancers in non-smokers.






Step 2 - Lip & Cheek Roll: Feel for lumps or bumps, looking for white or red areas that should not be there.







Step 3 - Double-Digit Probe: Examine the floor of your mouth from the top and bottom simultaneously for lumps, looking for red and white patches.

Step 4 - Palate Tickle: Check the roof of your mouth for lumps and areas of softness on the hard palette, looking for red and white patches.







Step 5 - Neck Caress: Palpate your neck for enlarged lymph nodes - a possible sign of infection or something more serious.







Step 6 - Tonsil Ahhhhh: Depress your tongue with a dental mirror, examining your tonsils for symmetry, enlargement, redness, or unusual bumps.









Self Exam
Know your mouth. We are told to do self-exams for the breasts and prostate. We are told to check our skin for spots with irregular borders. Now, it's time to check your mouth! Click here to download the self-exam sheet.

A Survivor's Story

In honor of Oral Cancer Awareness month, we're bringing you a story from Eva Grayzel, who is a nationally recognized professional storyteller and performance artist who was diagnosed with Stage 4 oral cancer at age 33. She was never a smoker, and a nondrinker. This is her story.

What Mom puts herself before her kids? I had a canker sore on the left side of my tongue for a month. Everything else seemed more important. Finally, I took the time to see an oral surgeon. "You have two choices - keep an eye on it and hope it heals, or have it removed with a scalpel." I had it out, and the biopsy was negative. 

I had no symptoms for two years. Then the sore returned right over the biopsy site. Once again, it was present for about a month. I returned to the oral surgeon, who reviewed my pathology report and said it was probably the same thing. 

"The results of your biopsy show a hyperkeratotic lesion, a hardening of the skin, like a callus. Nothing to be concerned about."

"Yeah, but this sore won't go away and it really hurts. It's uncomfortable to eat and talk."

"Rinse with salt water, use this gel, and if it doesn't get better, come back."

Now you tell me why the oral surgeon was suggesting that I monitor the health of my tongue! What do I know? I believed it was getting better. I was a good patient, rinsing and using the analgesic gel to relieve the pain from the sore. It didn't hurt quite as much. But, after four weeks I took a good look at the sore and realized it might be getting worse, so I made another appointment with the oral surgeon. 

"Hmm. This has to be caused by constant irritation. Make an appointment with your dentist to have your back molars shaved down They are sharp and may be preventing the healing process. And be sure to come back if it doesn't get better."

I had my molars shaved down.

I really believed it was getting better. It didn't look as red. The white center seemed to be a little smaller. Until one day, I was feeling the gnawing pain in my tongue, took a look under a bright light and realized that it was definitely not getting better. If anything, it looked worse. I called the next day for another appointment a week later. I asked to see a different oral surgeon in the practice who might have a different opinion. 

"Shaving the teeth didn't seem to be enough. You must be biting or gnawing on your tongue at night."

Once again, I really believed the sore was getting better. After another couple of weeks, I developed an earache on the same side as my tongue sore. It was the worse earache I ever had, and actually brought me to tears, even in the middle of the night. So, I saw an ENT who told me I had water on my eardrum. 

"Whenever my tongue hurts, my ear hurts," I told him.

He looked at my tongue. "I don't know what's on your tongue. Has an oral surgeon seen this?"

"Sure," I replied. "I just thought you might have another idea."

"Not really. That is his field. But I will take care of the water on your eardrum."

Time went on and after I had seen two oral surgeons, two dentists, a periodontist, and an ENT, a friend suggested Dr. Mark Urken, a specialist in lumps and bumps in the head and neck region. I didn't know he was an oral oncologist.

After nine months of trying to heal the sore on my tongue, I was finally going to get an answer. I took the bus into NYC for my biopsy on April 1, 1998. Why the bus, when this could be serious? Well, I had no idea, not an inkling that my condition was even remotely serious. My mother met me at the hospital to take me home. She knew something was up when the doctor waited for her to be at my side when he spoke to me. April Fool's jokes were rampant all around, yet the news I heard was no joke.
At first, Dr. Urken used some enigmatic words to describe my condition. I was still a little out of it from the anesthesia. Maybe that was a good thing. He said my lymph nodes were enlarged, and he used the word "carcinoma," but I did not know if that meant benign or malignant. When he looked down and answered in the affirmative, "You are in an advanced stage of oral cancer," I knew had to get home, face my family, and prepare for the invasive reconstructive surgery that lay ahead of me. Twenty-four hours later, I pulled myself up and forged on. I was a cancer survivor now. I had to live up to the title.

At age 33, I was diagnosed with stage 4, squamous cell carcinoma on the lateral tongue. I never smoked, rarely drank alcohol, and never used mouthwashes containing alcohol. I had no risk factors. But, no one is at "no risk for cancer." I endured a modified radical neck dissection, and one-third of my tongue  was reconstructed, followed by 6,000 rads of IMRT.
I'm now a 10-year survivor! Three negative biopsies, a vocal cord polyp, but no recurrence! Lucky me! Due to my talented surgeon and a local radiation oncologist, who was up on the latest and had an operating IMRT when tehre were only 12 of them up and running in the country, and my support network, and my own strength, I pulled through a most debilitating and public disease that you cannot hide under clothing. My work is cut out for me.

With an extraordinarily successful tongue reconstruction and neck dissection, she branched into motivation speaking, telling her story in a way only a professional storyteller can. From the profound insight she gained, she inspires audiences to embrace life. Please visit her website at http://www.evagrayzel.com/

Oral Cancer Awareness Month & FREE Oral Cancer Screenings

The month of April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month, and to help raise awareness, Dr. Lee is teaming up with the Oral Cancer Foundation & is offering FREE Oral Cancer Screenings on Thursday, April 18th from 2 - 5 p.m. and on Monday, April 22nd from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. The screenings will be on a first-come-first-serve basis.Oral Cancer is not a rare disease, it kills one person every hour of every day, and over 100 new individuals will be diagnosed with it each day. The good news is that if can often be found early in its development though a simple, painless and quick screening. 

Who should get screened?
Every adult! Oral cancer can often be caught early, even as a pre-cancer. With early detection, survival rates are high. Like other screenings routinely given such as cervical, skin, prostate, colon and breast examinations; oral cancer screenings are an effective means of finding cancer in its early, highly curable stages. Make them a part of your annual check up. 

What are the risk factors?
There are two distinct pathways by which most people come to oral cancer. One is through the use of tobacco and alcohol, and the other is through the exposure to the HPV 16 virus; or the Human Papilloma Virus Version 16; which is now the leading cause of oral cancers in the US. It is also the same virus that is responsible for the majority of cervical cancers in women. The quickest growing segment of the oral cancer population is now young, healthy, non-smokers due to the connection to this virus. 

Early indications of oral cancer include: red and/or white discolorations of the soft tissues of the mouth, hoarseness that lasts for a prolonged period of time, and any sore which does not heal within 14 days. Advanced indicators of this disease include: the sensation that something is stuck in  your throat, numbness in the oral region, difficulty in swallowing, moving the jaw or tongue, and a lump or thickening that develops in your mouth or on your neck. 

What is the screening process?
A visual exam of all the tissues in your mouth will be conducted by Dr. Treva Lee, and she will feel the floor of the mouth and portions of the back of the throat to search for any abnormalities. She will also conduct an indirect examination of the nasopharynx and larynx, which involves her feeling the neck for swollen lymph nodes and other abnormalities such as hardened masses. She will also check the inside of the mouth for white patches, red patches, ulcerations, lumps, loose teeth.

We also use a great new technology called the VELscope Vx. The blue light stimulates the natural fluorescence in the soft tissues of your mouth which helps us see disease not visible with the naked eye. The VELscope Vx helps us discover oral disease before it can be seen under ordinary light, and helps us identify oral disease early on while it is still easy to treat. Pictured on the left, you can see the lesion that is difficult to see with the naked eye, but when illuminated by the VELscope Vx, it helps us easily identify the lesion. Our staff could barely wait to try out our new gadget, you can see our hygienist Niki conducting a screening on our marketing assistant Alexis.

Please visit us on Thursday, April 18th from 2 - 5 p.m. and on Monday, April 22nd from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. to receive your FREE oral cancer screening! Please remember this is by a first come first serve basis, so please arrive early - and bring your friends and family!!
If you have any questions please call our office at: 559-226-3010

2013 Give Kids a Smile Day & S.O.S. Sealant Clinic

We are excited to announce our involvement in this year's Give Kids a Smile clinic that will be held on Saturday, February 23rd at Fresno City College from 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Give Kids a Smile is a biannual event that provides quality full-service dentistry to children with inadequate access due to financial or geographical reasons at no charge. The target population is children of grade school age who are living at or below the poverty level, who often lack the access to dental care.
Every child that is seen at the "Give Kids a Smile" clinic receives an oral examination, necessary radiographs, a thorough cleaning, fluoride treatment and education on oral hygiene and proper nutrition. Fillings and extractions can also be completed at the clinic with follow up appointments scheduled with local, volunteer dentists. 

For more information on the Give Kids a Smile program, please visit their website by clicking here.

It's that time of year again. Will you or have you made any resolutions you can actually keep? Tips to follow!

FWD: Test to check blogging ability from my phone. This is just text.

Christmas Time Around the Office!

Around here, we love the holidays! Here's our holiday staff photos, although minus reindeer Telina...she got lost in our famous Fresno fog!

Oh, silly reindeer....and here's our little Christmas tree, and the elf that just wants to be a dentist :) 

We hope you & your family are having a wonderful holiday season!

Holiday Recipes - Peppermint Cheesecakes in a Jar

Hello all! Around the office we are beginning to feel very festive! Our Christmas decorations are up, are yours? We decided to share a fun recipe with you all, that is quite festive & great for gifts! Share your photos with us on Facebook of your holiday baking!


Frozen Peppermint Cheesecakes in a Jar

Supplies needed for this project:

10 half pint Ball jars
Cooking spray
2 cups of chocolate sandwich cookies (approx. 17 cookies)
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons peppermint extract
2 cups whipping cream, whipped
red food coloring
20 peppermint candies
3 freezer bags
1 rolling pin


Place your chocolate sandwich cookies into a freezer bag and use the rolling pin to smash the bag of cookies until they become cookie crumbs. Add your melted butter and sugar to the bag and mash the bag in your hands until the three ingredients pull together to create your crust and are well incorporated.
Take the lids off the glass jars and place them on a cookie sheet to contain the mess. Spray each of the jars with cooking spray. Put two spoonfuls of cookie crumbs into each jar and use the back of the spoon or your hands to press the crust into each jar. Slide the cookie sheet of jars into the freezer to chill while you prepare the filling.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually pour in the can of sweetened condensed milk until it is smooth. Stir in your peppermint extract and red food coloring, approximately three drips to achieve a pale pink color. Mix all the ingredients well. Fold in whipped cream.
Remove your tray of jars from the freezer. Using a standard ice cream scoop, add one scoop of filling to each of your jars. Use the back of a small spoon to smooth the filling on top until it is level and smooth.
Remove the wrappers from your peppermint candies. Place the peppermint candies into a double-bagged freezer bag and use your rolling pin to smash into small pieces to garnish your cheesecakes. Sprinkle the broken peppermints on top of each one.
Screw the lids back on your jars and put back into the freezer. Freeze for two hours or until firm.


Via Splendidly Homemade on Pinterest

Best & Worst Halloween Candy for Children

Halloween is just around the corner, and although candy consumption is almost unavoidable this time of year, the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) wants parents and children to know that there are both good and bad candy options, both of which may find their way into children’s trick-or-treat bags this fall.

“Of course, dentists do not advocate that children eat large amounts of sugary treats, but it is that time of year, so we want to clarify for parents which treats are better for their kids’ teeth and which ones may increase the risk of developing cavities,” says AGD spokesperson Cynthia Sherwood, DDS, FAGD.

Worst:

•  Chewy/sticky sweets, such as gummy candies, taffy, and even dried fruit can be difficult for children and adults to resist, and even more difficult to remove from teeth. “These candies are a serious source of tooth decay, particularly when they get stuck in the crevices between teeth, making it nearly impossible for saliva to wash them away,” Dr. Sherwood says.
•  Sour candies are highly acidic and can break down tooth enamel quickly. The good news: Saliva slowly helps to restore the natural balance of the acid in the mouth. Dr. Sherwood recommends that patients wait 30 minutes to brush their teeth after consuming sour/acidic candies; otherwise, they will be brushing the acid onto more tooth surfaces and increasing the risk of enamel erosion.
• Sugary snacks, including candy corn, cookies, and cake, all contain high amounts of sugar, which can cause tooth decay.

Best:

•  Sugar-free lollipops and hard candies stimulate saliva, which can help prevent dry mouth. “A dry mouth allows plaque to build up on teeth faster, leading to an increased risk of cavities,” Dr. Sherwood says.
•  Sugar-free gum can actually prevent cavities as it not only dislodges food particles from between the teeth but also increases saliva—which works to neutralize the acids of the mouth and prevent tooth decay.
• Dark chocolate and its antioxidants, according to some studies, can be good for the heart and may even lower blood pressure.

“Parents should closely monitor their children’s candy intake this Halloween—and all year round—and continue to promote good oral health habits,” Dr. Sherwood says. “Kids also should be brushing their teeth twice a day for two minutes.”

For more tips on improving your child’s oral health, speak with your dentist and visit KnowYourTeeth.com.

from the Academy of General Dentistry 

S.M.I.L.E. for Cancer Check

SMILE for Cancer Check

Guest blogger : Jonathan A. Bregman, D.D.S., F.A.G.D.

Oral cancer is something that has stayed “below the radar” of the public; it is not known nor understood by the majority of non-dental health care providers.  There is not the level of awareness or understanding of the necessity of self-exam as there is for breast cancer, for example.

For that reason, there is a very simple way for the public to be able to save their own lives through awareness of their own oral health, with S.M.I.L.E.-Mirror™ and through the website www.endoralcancer.com.  Along with self-awareness of the need for self-exam is the clear message about the importance of seeing one’s dentist at least twice per year for an oral cancer screening as well.

Use of your S.M.I.L.E.-Mirror™

An oral cancer self-examination looks for abnormalities (white patches, red patches, bumps, lumps, or ulcers). You, as a patient need to S.M.I.L.E.™ once per month for yourself and twice per year for your dentist…for early detection of oral cancer!

If you see something abnormal, wait 2-3 weeks, look again.  If it is still there, go see your dentist.

And remember, what you don’t know about your mouth can kill you!  

To get additional smile-mirrors and for a video demonstration of the S.M.I.L.E.-Mirror™ go to www.endoralcancer.com.

Next in this blog series about oral cancer:  Meet Stage IV- Oral Cancer survivor Eve Grayzel, http://www.sixstepscreening.org/about

Halloween Contests!!

This month we are holding our first Halloween costume contest! And yes, it is open to all ages, but please keep it PG-13 :) We are very excited to see what our patients come  up with! So excited, that we decided the prize is a family 4-pack of movie passes!

So How Do You Enter Our Costume Contest?

Step 1: Like us on Facebook! Click here or search for 'Dr Treva Lee'

Step 2: E-mail your photos to: DrLeeCostumeContest@gmail.com

Step 3: Watch for your photo to be posted on our Facebook. We'll upload your photos to an album, share your photo and get everyone you know to like your entry! The photo with the most likes wins a family 4-pack of movie passes!

Please e-mail your entries to us no later than Monday, November 5th.
Winners will be announced Monday, November 9th via Facebook.
So start creating (or buying) those costumes!

Think your costume can beat this adorable little guy? Let's see it! (Image found via Tumblr)

...But wait, there's MORE contests?!

Why yes! In addition to our costume contest on Facebook, we are having a coloring contest that your children can enter during your visit to our office during the month of October.

Not to be outdone, we are also holding a guessing game for all-ages! Stop by our office and guess how many candy pumpkins we fit into the jar. Winners will not only win the jar of candy but a gift card as well!

0 to 5 in 30 Minutes! -- Fluoride Varnishing.wmv

It's a New Year, and after all those holiday treats, here's how to protect your child's teeth from all those "acid-attacks"

This a test message to my blog. Hope you thanked a veteran on Friday!

It's B-a-a-a-c-k! HALLOWEEN CANDY BUYBACK!!!

Dear Moms, Dads, Grandmas, Grandpas, Aunties, and Uncles,

Halloween is coming, and normally it’s hard for your dentist to get excited about that day because of all the candy your kids will eat. However, this year will be different. Don’t you just wish that on the day after Halloween that your kids’ sacks full of candy would just disappear? Well we can help, and this is something we are very excited about! This year we’ll buy the candy back from your kids. We’re not kidding! Sure, they can have a few treats on Halloween night and maybe even keep a couple more for later in the week. But we’ll take the rest of it and pay them for it! The candy will be shipped overseas to our courageous troops (who could sure use a treat or two!) serving our country abroad . In return, we’ll give your kids $1 per pound of donated candy and a goody bag! If they create a card or letter to send to our troops, they’ll be entered in a special contest for a Jamba Juice gift card Also if you “Guess the Total Candy Weight” correctly, you could win 4 movie tickets!

Global sugar consumption for kids increases by about 2% annually and currently sits at 50 million tons per year, which means parents need to be very watchful now more than ever before. Too much candy can lead to hyperactivity and weight gain, as well as cavities or worse. In some cases, the wrong types of candy can also lead to broken teeth and damaged braces.

Kids should still dress up, go out, have fun, and yes, even eat some candy. But after picking out the best of their stash, they will probably have about 10 pounds left, and nobody needs that much candy!

Bring your kids and your candy to 2630 N. Fresno St. #101, Fresno CA 93703 on November 1^st between 3:00 pm and 6:30pm (559-226-3010) and please spread the word!

Sincerely,

Treva D. Lee, DDS,

Master of the Academy of General Dentistry

Fellow of International Congress of Oral Implantologists

P.S., If you’d like to donate any promotional items to include in the kid’s goody bags, or help defray the shipping costs to Operation Gratitude, that would be terrific!!

Adding Another Tool in the Toolbox to Help Dental Patients

Dear Central Valley Resident,


As you well know, treating high fear dental patients while they sweat and squirm in the chair is stressful for both the patient and the doctor. These kind of dental appointments increase the patient's hatred of dentistry and many patients go untreated for months if not years!

If you have a friend, relative, or colleague in need of dental treatment who:

Consistently break appointments due to fear

Cannot get numb

Are needle-phobic
Have a high gag reflex

Have had a traumatic dental experience
Have very sensitive teeth
Simply don't have the time

Then I invite you to consider referring them to us to complete their general dentistry while they are sedated. As an active member of DOCS (Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation), I have updated my training in the safe and effective use of sedation for dentistry and have an additional California Dental Board license specifically for Oral Conscious Sedation.

Many simple to complex, multiple-visit procedures can be performed in as little as one visit. I am dedicated to helping people have healthy, attractive smiles.

If I can be of help to you or someone you know, please call me at 559-921-4692

Yours Sincerely,

Treva Diane Lee, DDS, MAGD, FICOI

P.S. I also invite your to email me: info@trevaleedds.com

Free Children's Dental Clinics Cancelled

BECAUSE OF DAMAGE TO THE DENTAL HYGIENE CLINIC FROM A BURST WATER MAIN, THE FRESNO-MADERA DENTAL SOCIETY FINDS IT NECESSARY TO CANCEL THE S.O.S.(Save and Seal Our Smiles) PROGRAM AND THE (G.K.A.S.)GIVE KIDS A SMILE PROGRAM. BELOW IS A STATEMENT FROM DR. GREG NALCHAJIAN AFTER VISITING THE CLINIC.

“After seeing the clinic this morning, and talking with the directors, it is clear there is no possible way to safely manage the numbers of patients and volunteers in the clinic in its current state...There's a good chance the clinic may not be fully put together this summer, as they are changing out some of the chairs, and finishing the reconstruction. Let's talk about it when we have more information from FCC and then we'll move forward from there.

I'll notify all the dentists/teams that have signed up through my office, and for each of you, please contact the groups you have made contact with and we'll hopefully catch just about everyone who is planning to come that Saturday. Thanks to all for a great volunteer effort, and I'm sure we'll come out of this stronger and better.”

SOS & GKAS is an annual volunteer effort by Fresno-Madera Dental Society member-dentists, clinical team members, and dental assisting/hygiene students to provide free pediatric preventive and restorative treatment targeting primarily disadvantaged children. Efforts are also made to connect families with available dental and medical resources in the local community. The majority of preventive care and screening of the children is undertaken at the Fresno City College hygiene clinic and those needing immediate dental treatment are then directed to several dental offices, again, staffed by volunteers. This year the plan was for the offices of Dr Starr, Dr. Asselin, and Dr Voytilla to be used for the restorative clinic. Unfortunately, as was previously explained, the FCC hygiene clinic is unavailable and the SOS and GKAS events have been cancelled from their Feb 26th,2011 date. Please look for this event's return!

What’s the “down-low” on Electric Toothbrushes?

Doesn't it seem like there's been a lot of advertising going on lately about electric toothbrushes? Especially those funky ones on TV infomercials? Well, to help sort through all the hype, I'd like to cover some features to look for when buying an electric toothbrush. If you have decided to go ahead and buy an electric toothbrush, either sonic or high end conventional rotary type, you will find that the various models you have to choose from will each offer their own combination of options. Some of these options will vary by way of the design type of the toothbrush (i.e. sonic or conventional electric) while other features will vary by way of the individual manufacturer and what they feel is important to offer.

Listed below are the options we have observed as being available. No doubt you will find some of these to be of great benefit and then others of much less importance to your specific situation, but I list them all in an attempt to be thorough and complete.

Electric toothbrush timers: As you probably know, one of the main problems with brushing is that many people simply do not brush long enough. So to help to alleviate this problem many electric toothbrush manufacturers have incorporated timers (with either audible or tactile signals) into their products so to give their users an idea of how long to brush. The most common variations on the idea of brush timers are as follows:

Brushing duration timers: These timers are intended to provide a guideline related to the total amount of time to brush. Typically these timers trigger at one or two minute intervals.

Quadrant timers: Dentists will often refer to the mouth as being composed of four "quadrants" (i.e. the upper left teeth, the lower right teeth, etc...). Some electric toothbrush manufacturers have incorporated timers into their brushes that trigger at intervals marking how long you should brush each single quadrant of your mouth. Usually these timers trigger at 30-second intervals.

Electric toothbrush power settings: Some electric toothbrush designs allow for an option that sets the power of the brushing action to either a "high" or "low" level.

Typically an electric toothbrush's greatest benefits will be achieved with the brush set to its higher setting. The lower power setting is usually suggested for those who have just started to use the product and find that either they or their oral tissues require a transitional brushing motion.

Is more than one person going to use your electric toothbrush?: If more than one person will be using your new electric toothbrush you will need a way of identifying each individual person's brush head. Most manufacturers color code their brush heads so they can be easily identified. You will also have to consider where you are going to store these extra brush heads when they are not in use. With some electric toothbrush models the brush heads can be stored on the toothbrush's recharging base.

Replacement brush heads: Just as with manual toothbrushes, the bristles of electric toothbrush brush heads do wear out. I reviewed the websites of several electric toothbrush manufacturers and found that they typically recommend replacing brush heads somewhere between every 3 to 6 months. When choosing an electric toothbrush don't forget to figure in the cost and availability of replacement brush heads.

Does the electric toothbrush have a money back guarantee trial period?

Some toothbrush manufacturers and/or vendors offer a trial period during which you can use and evaluate an electric toothbrush. This may be an important option to those who have never used an electric toothbrush before and are hesitant to go to the expense of buying one, not knowing if they will use it.

I hope that this was educational and that it helps you find the right brush for you! And if you really want to know which brush I actually use, please leave a comment/email address and I'll message you back!

Wacky Wednesday: What Not to Do to Your Teeth

What Not to Do to Your Teeth

So you think your teeth are strong. They can handle anything, right? Wrong. While you may be tempted to use your teeth as a household tool or stress relief aid, think again. You could be damaging your teeth beyond repair. A recent poll of local dentists to find out some of the worst (and wackiest) dental habits they have seen in patients.

Warning: do not try these at home!

1. Cleaning teeth with Comet, bleach or other household cleaners. Household cleaners are abrasive and will wear down the enamel of your teeth. Some cleaners are poisonous.
   
2. Chewing toenails. Your teeth are for chewing food and speaking. Use a nail file or clippers to keep your mouth…and your feet…safe from bacteria.
   
3. Using "crazy glue"for loose dental work. Super-strong glue will still dissolve over time. See your dentist for long-term solution for loose dental work.
   
4. Opening beer bottles with teeth. This can break the tooth; get that bottle opener out of the drawer!
   
5. Sucking on lemons. This is sometimes done with the misguided goal to whiten teeth or freshen breath. But, the citric acid will break down the enamel on your teeth and cause sensitivity and decay.
   
6. Filing teeth(real & fake) with a nail file. You can risk taking too much of the tooth and damaging the tooth. See your dentist if the shape of the tooth doesn't seem right.
   
7. Flossing with household items. Dentists have seen people floss with objects including hair, needles, credit cards, paper, and rubber bands. These things can break in your mouth and put you at risk for injury and infection. Hard items like paperclips will wear away enamel when used repeatedly and can even chip your tooth.
   
8. Rinsing with acidic liquids. Just like sucking on lemons, sloshing liquids like vinegar, orange juice or soda in your mouth will wear away teeth and cause decay. Your best bet is a mouthwash containing fluoride or xylitol.
   
9. Removing teeth with pliers/power tools. Yep, leave this to the professional! Doing it yourself risks infection, broken teeth, and bone damage to your jaw.
   
10. Chewing pens. This can fracture teeth, leading to otherwise unnecessary dental treatment, besides maybe swallowing some ink. There are safer ways to relieve stress and fight boredom. Preserve your teeth for their real jobs: talking and chewing food.
    

    
    

If you would like your smile to be attractive and healthy, Dr Treva Diane Lee can be reached at 559-921-4693 or visit her website www.TrevaLeeDDS.com for free reports!

WalMart's Fighting Hunger--in Fresno

This a a guest editorial by KMJ radio host and personality Chris Daniel:

An open letter from Chris Daniel to Salt Lake City...

by KMJNOW on Tuesday, 28 December 2010 at 12:40

For all of our lives, and those of the past 4 generations, Fresno and the surrounding San Joaquin Valley have fed this country. Your fruit, your grapes and raisins, your peaches, plums and nectarines. Most of your citrus. All of your almonds and walnuts. A large majority of your dairy. Even a great deal of your cotton and meats.

How was that tangerine in your Christmas stocking? Fresno grown, I'll bet.

Fresno feeds America...but America just makes it a punchline and wonders if there's a beach.

Now, with EPA-created drought, Sacramento ineptitude and a crushing business climate (with regulations galore no Utahan would tolerate), Fresno finally needs food for herself. Neighboring city Mendota has 44% unemployment. FORTY-FOUR percent. Fresno's food banks are bare.

I know it's hard to believe that America's #1 food producing area needs food. But we truly do. That's 2011 America.

It is wonderful that you want to support your excellent city's hungry people. But, before you vote for Salt Lake, please consider this:

Fresno has always fed you. Now Fresno needs food. I hope you'll step up for all of the years you shared her bounty and vote for Fresno.

-CD