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Unlike Leap Years, Regular Checkups Should Come Every Six Months

February 27, 2012

What makes 2012 different from the past few years? It’s a leap year, something we won’t see again for four more years. But unlike leap years, regular checkups should come every six months, not every four years. Regular checkups give Dr. Michel and our Topeka team a chance to do two important things.

The first thing regular checkups let us to is clean your smile and check it for signs of gum disease, tooth decay, TMJ dysfunction, bruxism, and oral cancer. The second thing it lets us do is help you plan for the future. Based on what we discover during your exam, we can recommend services that will help you improve your smile and secure its good health. That includes recommending one of our cosmetic services. We offer a range of great cosmetic services, including porcelain veneers, teeth whitening, and tooth-colored fillings, all of which can help patients from a variety of backgrounds.

Visit our cosmetic dentistry page to learn more about all the services we offer.

And if you’re ready to schedule your next visit with Dr. Michel, call our Topeka dental office today. Dr. Michel serves patients from Topeka, Emporia, Lawrence, or Manhattan. The next leap year may not be for four years, but your next visit is just around the corner.

A Valentine’s Day and Heart Health Reminder from Michel Dental

February 10, 2012

We recently talked about kissing and its relation to oral health. Today, we’re continuing our Valentine’s Day theme by detailing the connection between heart health and oral health.

Too often, we image a cute, decorative heart when we think about what a heart is. But, together with the brain, the heart is the body’s most vital organ. As such, a healthy heart is vital.

And one way you can help your heart stay strong is through a great oral care routine, which includes regular cleanings and checkups with Dr. Michel at our Topeka dental office.

As we’ve mentioned before, your smile has a direct impact on your overall wellbeing, which is why regular visits are so important. Even if doctors are still uncertain as to the exact nature of the link, the evidence points definitively towards a connection.

If you have questions about how the health of your smile can impact the health of your heart, Dr. Michel would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Call our Topeka office to schedule a visit with us. Our friendly, helpful team wants to help you have the clean, dazzling smile you’ve always dreamed of.

If you live in Topeka, Emporia, Lawrence, or Manhattan get in touch with us today. Michel Dental is dedicated to your total health, not just your oral health.

Beware of Valentine’s Day!

January 31, 2012

Filed under: Uncategorized — tntadmin @ 2:18 pm

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and you may be getting ready for some big fat kisses to come your way!

So even though at the office of Michel Dental, we’re concerned about cavities, gum disease, bad breath and lots of saliva, we won’t use this month’s blog entry to gross you out about kissing.  But we will tell you some interesting facts that you can tell your kissing partner right after they smack one on you!!

Anthropologists have argued for years about the origin of kissing.  Many now believe that it has evolved from the time when mothers chewed food for their babies and then went mouth to mouth at feeding time.  (Well, okay – we might gross you out a little bit!)  This action became so comforting to babies that the habit continued even after they could chew for themselves, and then developed into a sign of affection.

Nowadays kisses aren’t just about romantic love.  Of course parents kiss their children.  Worshippers often kiss religious artifacts.  Some people kiss the ground when exiting an airplane.  And who doesn’t want to have a “boo boo” kissed when they get a bruise?

But February 14th is a day for the romantic kind of kiss, and if you are craving one, there may be a scientific reason.  While this action can promote a psychological response of warmth and affection, it also causes your brain to secrete some important and productive chemicals, such as:

  • Oxytocin, which helps people develop feelings of attachment, devotion and affection for one another.
  • Dopamine, which plays a role in the brain’s processing of emotions, pleasure and pain
  • Serotonin, which affects a person’s mood and feelings
  • Adrenaline, which increases heart rate and plays a role in your body’s fight-or-flight response

But along with that, when you kiss, hundreds or even millions of bacterial colonies are transported from one mouth to the other.  And let’s face it – no one wants to kiss a person who has poor oral hygiene, bad breath, or just a generally yucky mouth.  So let’s start with the basics:

  • Make sure you brush at least twice a day with a soft toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste.
  • Floss once per day – if you have trouble flossing or are not sure how, please ask!  We’ll be glad to show you the ropes.
  • Avoid sugary and acid-laden foods such as soft drinks, sports drinks, and candy.  (Okay – we won’t tell anyone if you have a tiny bit of candy on Valentine’s Day!)
  • Eat a well balanced diet including lean proteins, healthy fats, fruits and vegetables, nuts and fiber.
  • If you need to slip in a piece of gum or breath mint, make sure it contains Xylitol, which has been proven to reduce tooth decay.
  • Drink plenty of water!  This helps to rinse away food particles, and staying hydrated is good for fresh clean breath.
  • See your dentist on a regular basis and call immediately if you suspect there are any problems with your oral condition.

Here at the office of Michel Dental, we want you to have a kissable February 14th and a lifetime of excellent dental health.  If you have any questions or need to set up an appointment, please give us a call at 785-273-0801.  We are here for you!

What Is Dr. Michel Looking for When I Come In for a Checkup?

January 20, 2012

You’ve probably heard Dr. Michel or another dentist you’ve visited in your lifetime say it’s important to come in for a regular checkup every six months (or, twice a year). But do you understand completely why these twice-yearly appointments are so important? Or, to put it another way, do you know what we’re looking for when you come in?

The answer is, we’re looking for a variety of things. The two essentials are gum disease and tooth decay. Catching both of these early is important because of how much they can impact your oral as well as overall health. Gum disease in particular has been tied to a range of health problems, like:

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Transform Your Smile with Porcelain Veneers from Michel Dental

January 5, 2012

If you’ve ever dreamed of giving your smile a makeover, Michel Dental has a service that can help you—porcelain veneers. With porcelain veneers, patients can transform a smile marred by cracks, chips, or slight misalignment into a smile that’s dazzling and confident.

What Are Porcelain Veneers?

Porcelain veneers are very thin, and because they’re made of porcelain they’re easy to care for. In fact, they require no special treatment at all—you can just brush and floss as you normally would. And what’s more, because porcelain veneers mimic the look of natural teeth, no one ever has to know about them.

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Want a More Beautiful Smile for the New Year? Visit Dr. Michael Michel in Topeka for a Smile Makeover!

December 22, 2011

New year’s resolutions. We all make them. Sometimes we plan to get in shape. Some of us plan to get more organized. Why not plan on a new and improved smile? At Michel Dental in Topeka, Kansas, we offer a number of cosmetic restorative dental care procedures for those interested in making a beautiful smile their new year’s resolution.

What cosmetic dentistry procedures does Dr. Michel offer?

Michel Dental offers all of the following cosmetic dentistry procedures:

Maybe you haven’t been to the dentist in a while, and your smile is looking a little worn. As a new year approaches, get your smile back on track with a visit to our Topeka dental office! We can provide just one of these cosmetic dentistry services, or combine them for a complete smile makeover!

The entire team at Michel Dental wants to wish you a happy new year, and we can make it even happier with the nice, bright, beautiful smile you deserve. Contact us today to learn more about our cosmetic dentistry care!

Enjoy the Holiday Season While Preserving Your Smile

December 13, 2011

The holiday season comes with a dilemma. One the one hand, you want to enjoy all the season has to offer, from homemade cookies to candy canes, fruit cake, and any number of other treats. But you also want to keep your smile healthy, too. How is that possible, you might be wondering, when there will be no shortage of parties from now until the end of the year—including office parties, church parties, family get-togethers, nights out with friends?

The good news is it’s more possible than you may realize. By keeping just a couple of tips in mind, you can preserve your smile and avoid tooth decay and gum disease.

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Happy Thanksgiving from All of Us at Michel Dental

November 23, 2011

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , — tntadmin @ 5:13 pm

Whether you’ll be staying in town or traveling, we hope that you have a blessed and relaxing Thanksgiving holiday, filled with plenty of turkey, stuffing, and pie. Your oral health is important, but we want you to spend tomorrow enjoying yourself and the loved ones around you, not worrying about whether or not you should have that extra helping of this or that.

So while we don’t want you to forget about your teeth, we also don’t want you to think twice about indulging in that extra goodie. Enjoy it, and as you do, take a moment to consider all that you have to be thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Endodontic Care from Dr. Michel’s Topeka Office

November 15, 2011

The word “endodontic” may not mean anything to you, but chances are the words “root canal” do.

Many patients have a fear of root canals, which stems in part from a time when modern tools or anesthetics weren’t yet available. Modern root canal therapy from Michel Dental, on the other hand, is surprisingly comfortable, and many patients feel so relaxed during their appointment that they fall asleep.

But First, What Is Endodontics?

Endodontics is concerned with the internal structure of teeth. When a tooth’s internal structure becomes damaged in some way, whether because of a deep cavity, tooth fracture, or some other form of trauma, root canal therapy can be necessary in order to save the tooth and rid it of infection, pain, and swelling.

How Does A Root Canal Work?

If you have a tooth that’s suffered internal damage, Dr. Michel can help you by removing the infected tissue that’s inside and replacing it with a biocompatible material. Then, we’ll place a custom-made crown over your tooth to protect it. This crown has the potential to last for a lifetime.

To find out more about endodontics, root canals, or any other service that Michel Dental offers, give our Topeka office a call today to schedule a visit with Dr. Michel. We serve patients from Topeka, Emporia, Lawrence, Manhattan, and surrounding areas.

Halloween Is the Perfect Time to Teach Your Little One about Brushing and Flossing

October 28, 2011

In about three days from now, the wait will be over—Halloween and all of its thrills will finally be here. That means costumes, of course, but more than that it means piles of candy.

Candy, of course, has a bad a reputation when it comes to teeth. As you’ve been told all your life, candy causes cavities. And it’s true. But while sugar can have a detrimental effect on oral health, where’s the harm in splurging now and then?

That’s why Dr. Michel and the rest of our team at Michel Dental would like to wish everyone a happy, safe, and fun Halloween.

But we’d also like to encourage you to use Monday as a time to reinforce the basics of good oral health. Brushing and flossing are essential to maintaining a healthy smile, and learning how to do each at a young age can go a long ways towards helping your little one develop healthy habits that will last well into adulthood.

Have any questions about how you can help your son or daughter learn to brush and floss? Feel free to give our Topeka office a call today. Dr. Michel and our team would be happy to answer any questions you might have or set up an appointment for you.

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