A Family Dentistry Checkup before the Holidays

At Smile by Design, Dr. Santos and Dr. Folck encourage their Virginia Beach patients to come in for checkups at least twice a year. Why so often? Because catching common oral health conditions like gum disease and tooth decay will lead to less invasive, more comfortable care. And with 2013 quickly coming to an end, is there a better time for your family to come in for a checkup than before the holidays start?

Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the December holidays all come with their own special treats—ones that are tasty but pose a threat to your oral health. With a family dentistry checkup at Smile by Design, our Virginia Beach dental team can assess your current health and determine if you’ll need care before the holidays arrive.

Even though you should be careful how many sweets you consume, we want you to enjoy the time you spend with friends and family, and that means being able to enjoy a few goodies over the next few months. What’s more, seeing you before the holidays begin will give us a chance to offer some nutritional advice as well.

A natural sweetener known as xylitol can be used instead of sugar in holiday treats because it’s sweet but won’t cause the same problems as regular sugar. In fact, xylitol is used in some toothpaste brands to guard against cavities. That’s because sugar leads to the creation of acid in the mouth, while xylitol creates a neutral atmosphere that makes it difficult for harmful bacteria to cling to teeth.

Learn more about xylitol by visiting Xylitol.org. And to schedule a visit for yourself or someone else in your family, call Smile by Design today for an appointment. We’re happy to serve patients from Virginia Beach and beyond.