February is National Children’s Dental Health Month!

With February being National Children's Dental Health Month, our team at Dental Excellence thought we'd share a few good oral hygiene tips with our patients, courtesy of the American Dental Association, or ADA.

• Teeth brushing techniques: It takes only two minutes to properly brush, using short, gentle strokes and devoting extra attention to the gumline, areas around fillings and hard-to-reach areas such as the back teeth.

• Flossing: hold the floss snugly between thumbs and index finger and place between each of the teeth, making sure to go beneath the gumline and curving the floss around the base of each tooth.
• Snack wisely: choose healthy snacks such as vegetables, fruits and cheese and avoid sticky, chewy candies that can stick to the teeth. If you eat these snacks, make sure to brush after doing so.
• Carbonated or sugary drinks: these beverages create acids that can damage the teeth when mixed with saliva, so they should be avoided altogether. When drinking one of these beverages, avoid sipping on it throughout the day. Rather, have a drink and then brush your teeth.

• Regular dental visits: You should visit us regularly (approximately every six months).

National Children's Dental Health Month, now in its 62nd year, aims to increase awareness about the importance of kids' oral health. If you have any questions about keeping your mouth healthy, or about your treatment with Dental Excellence, please feel free to give us a call!
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February is American Heart Month

Did you know February is American Heart Month? It’s a great time to take notice of the health of your heart, says Dr. Matt Wiley . Cardiovascular disease remains American's number one killer, according to the American Heart Association. Studies have shown a correlation between gum disease and heart disease, underscoring the importance of good oral health care.

Visiting our office on a regular basis can help prevent gum disease or at least catch it in its early stages. And because people with dental insurance are more likely to visit their dentist when they should, a healthy mouth begins with a visit to Dental Excellence. In observance of Heart Month, Dr. Matt Wiley says it’s also important to know your numbers: blood pressure (less than 120/80), cholesterol (less than 200) and BMI (less than 25). If you have any questions about heart health, or about your treatment at Dental Excellence, please give us a call today.

The trouble with bottled water

Our team at Dental Excellence know that as more families turn to bottled water and away from the traditional tap, they may be missing out on one important ingredient that most brands of bottled water fail to include: fluoride!

For more than 60 years, water fluoridation has proved to be a safe and cost-effective way to reduce dental caries. Today, water fluoridation is estimated to reduce tooth decay by 20- to 40 percent in children who have access to fluoridated toothpaste.

Bottled water, however, which remains one of the more popular drinks in the world, may not contain any fluoride, which is known to help prevent and even reverse the early stages of tooth decay. The majority of bottled waters on the market do not contain optimal levels (0.7-1.2 ppm) of fluoride, according to our friends at the American Dental Association, or ADA. Many dental health specialists suspect bottled water’s increased popularity as the culprit behind rising rates of cavities.

Because fluoride helps strengthen teeth, it is an important component of maintaining good oral health. So if bottled water is your water of choice, be sure to check the label to make sure that your brand contains fluoride. As of a 2006 decision, the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, allows bottled water containing .6 to 1.0 milligrams per liter (parts per million) of fluoride to carry a label stating that fluoridated water may reduce the risk of dental cavities or tooth decay. The ADA has backed this decision.

Of course, simply drinking fluoridated water is not a magic ticket to perfect teeth. To keep your pearly whites in tip-top shape, it’s important to brush and floss daily and avoid sugary sweets, in addition to maintaining your fluoride intake and visiting our doctors and team at Dental Excellence regularly.

Have you had a check-up lately?

Even if you brush and floss daily, it is still important to see us at Dental Excellence every 6 months, or as recommended.

Why?

• We can detect and treat tooth and gum problems that you may have never felt or noticed.
• Even thorough daily oral care may not be enough to prevent cavities and oral decay.
• Frequent visits can allow us to treat a problem early to prevent future complications.

If you are overdue for an appointment with us, please give us a call today!

-- Dental Excellence & Team

This Year, Make a New Year’s Resolution to Smile About!

Let’s face it- when was the last time you managed to keep a New Year’s resolution? We at Dental Excellence believe the key to sticking to a goal is picking one that is both reasonable and attainable. If you haven’t yet picked a New Year’s resolution, consider setting one that will improve your oral health!
For example, resolve to brush twice and floss once a day. Good oral hygiene only takes a few minutes a day, and can make a big difference in your oral health and overall health too! For more oral health-themed resolutions for you and your family, check out this article.
We would love to see what you come up with, share with us by commenting on this post or on our Facebook page. Whatever your New Year’s Resolution, we wish you the very best for 2012!

-Happy New Year, from your friends at Dental Excellence

Beware of those Christmas goodies!

At Dental Excellence, we know maintaining a healthy diet over the holiday season can prove a difficult task. After all, who can resist the tasty treats of Christmas? With grandma and everybody else offering you candy, chocolate logs or Christmas pudding, you just can’t say “I’ll pass” each time. But trouble lurks: every time you chow down on that chocolate or candy, the bacteria in your mouth have a feast on the sugar—at your expense. The sugar turns into acid, and the acid eats away at the enamel on your teeth. Then, you start getting cavities.

Instead, our friends at the American Dental Association recommend nuts or dried fruit, which are a nice alternative to sugars and have a greater nutritional value—and can satisfy your sweet tooth! Both nuts and fruit are a great source of fiber and act as an appetite suppressant. In addition, nuts are a great source of Vitamin E, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B9, nutrients that contribute to a healthy immune system. Nuts are also a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked with reducing heart disease and lower blood pressure.

If you must indulge in chocolaty goodness this Christmas or holiday season, remember to brush your teeth after eating sugary treats. Hope this helps! Give us a call if you have any questions!

Happy Holidays!

A few patient reviews for Dental Excellence

Drs. Carr, Hawkins, LaBarca, Smith, Wiley and team, serving Independence Missouri deliver the highest quality dental care in a personalized environment. We make dental treatment fun and enjoyable. Just see what our patients have to say!

"This office is outstanding in their treatment of your mouth as well as the treatment as a client. I will be back." -Caroline C.

"Our experience at Independence Dental Excellence was outstanding. We arrived without a reservation and were accommodated after a very short wait. All personnel were professional, pleasant and knowledgeable. All questions were answered in layman's terms that we easily understood. We rate you at AAA+++" -Ava B.

"Tender Loving Care yet very professional and knowledgeable. I have been to other dentists and oral hygienists who ran roughshod through my mouth- Ouch! Not Dental Excellence -these folks are very gentle and personable. They know your name." -Karen N.

"I switched over to this dental group and have been amazed at the care I have received. Unlike other doctors/dentists offices...they are always on time. I have never had to wait longer than 5 minutes. They are always very friendly and knowledgeable. I would highly recommend this dental office and specifically Dr Carr." -Michelle

The Dental Excellence Experience--What do our patients have to say?

For over 40 years, the team at Dental Excellence has been providing the community of Independence MO with the dental care and service that you desire and deserve. Our entire team works hard every day to ensure that our patients’ experience with dental treatment is nothing less than exceptional. Why don't we let some of our amazing patients tell you for themselves:

"My family has always had great experiences at Dental Excellence...and "great experience" is not something you typically associate with trips to the dentist. I would recommend Dental Excellence to anyone. Thanks DE!"
-Blake S

"Over the Years I have had many good Dentists but the service and staff at DENTAL EXCELLENCE is beyond fantastic."
-Joyce M.

"My sons have been coming to the office for a couple of years now, but I just had my first visit. My hygienist was the best I have ever had. Not only did she do an excellent job cleaning my teeth, she was extremely knowledgeable about my dental health and care needs. Also, the billing process is fully explained up front and is easy to read and understand exactly what the charges will be."
-Renee

"It has always been a pleasant experience whenever I come for dental work. There is never anything to dread I have always looked forward to each of my visits."
-James H.

"I found Dental Excellence after I had neglected my teeth for a long. Within a few months and a staff of true professionals I have a beautiful smile and dental implants that allow me enjoy anything I choose to eat. Thank You Dental Excellence!"
-Joyce S.

"Everyone is so nice and friendly. I'v never had to wait more then 5mins to be seen. Every one is always smiling and pleasant and business like. Going to the the dentist is my most unfavorable thing in life, but going to Dental Excellence makes it pleasant. THANK EVERYONE."
-Deborah B.

If you haven't had a visit with Dental Excellence yet, please give our office a call so we can schedule you for an appointment.

Have a great day!

-Drs. Lauren Carr, Mike Hawkins, John LaBarca, John Smith, Matt Wiley, and team

Dr. Carr celebrates 20 years with Dental Excellence!

Dr. Lauren Carr has been providing beautiful smiles and enriching the lives of her patients at Dental Excellence since 1991 and today marks her 20th anniversary.

Dr. Carr spent the day celebrating with balloons, cake, and flowers from her staff and she graciously provided lunch for everyone from Original Pizza.

Here's are some pictures from the celebration:

Enjoy a Cavity-Free Valentine’s Day!

Today is a day where we take the time to express our appreciation to our loved ones. As we all know, it is also a day filled with delicious sugary treats. Our team at Dental Excellence thought we’d take a moment to provide some tips to make sure that today doesn’t also become the day you develop a cavity.

Here they are:

Floss: After you have indulged in chocolate and other sweets, remember that these foods can easily find their way between your teeth. Flossing at least once a day will help prevent cavities as well as gum disease.

Drinking sugary drinks with a Straw: Coffee could be a common Valentine’s Day gift this year and many coffee drinks contain syrups that are high in sugar. Using a straw when drinking these and other sugary drinks, is a great way to avoid cavities.

Snack wisely: We know that this will be especially hard today, but when you have the option, choose healthy snacks such as vegetables, fruits and cheese and avoid sticky, chewy candies that can stick to the teeth. If you eat these snacks, make sure to brush after doing so.

Schedule Regular Checkups: Last, but definitely not least, it’s always important to consistently schedule regular checkups with Dr. Carr, Dr. Hawkins, Dr. LaBarca, Dr. Smith, or Dr. Wiley (approximately every 6 months). During your checkup, the doctor will be able to check for problems that might not be seen or felt, detect cavities and early signs of decay, and treat oral health problems early.

We hope you find these tips useful.

-Happy Valentine’s Day from Dental Excellence!!

Moooooove Over Gum Disease!

Drs. Carr, Hawkins, LaBarca, Smith, and Wiley want to know: Is dairy a major part of your diet? If not, 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 Dental Excellence a call.

Dental Excellence loves Patient Reviews!!

Our team loves getting patient reviews. And lately, Dental Excellence, serving Independence Missouri and surrounding communities, has been getting some pretty great patient testimonials! We thought we'd share some with you today!

"Dental Excellence is the best place I have found in the metro to go to the dentist. They are professional and organized. I have always been able to schedule when necessary, and they have a great system of letting you know how much your services cost and your options to pay. Dr. Smith is honest and trustworthy and his chair side manner is excellent. A great place all around."
- Jerianne

"I have been going to this practice almost my whole life and I always have great care, every single time. I rarely have to wait at all in the waiting room, and now matter who cleans my teeth, they are always overly nice! I would recommend anyone to go here is they are looking for a great dentist!"
-Lindsey B.

Dental Excellence is definitely the place to go for the best care and treatment. They have given me great care and treatment, the best I've ever received.
-Carolynn E.

How to Freshen Bad Breath

Your Independence MO dentists at Dental Excellence, recognize that many of our patients are concerned about bad breath, or halitosis. While some cases of bad breath are persistent (chronic bad breath), generally bad breath is transient, and can be prevented.

We recently came across this helpful video about bad breath and thought it was worth sharing with our patients. The video explains what might cause bad breath and some ways that it can be avoided. In most instances, bad breath can be prevented by practicing common oral hygiene techniques that you have probably heard us emphasize during a visit to Dental Excellence, such as brushing and flossing daily. We encourage you to watch this video for additional tips on how to keep bad breath at bay. Enjoy!

Make 2011 the Year to Improve your Oral Health

Many folks in Missouri consider the beginning of a new year a time to not only reflect on the year that was, but also to set personal goals for the upcoming year. How are you planning to improve your health and happiness in 2011? The Dental Excellence team recommends that you make a New Year’s resolution to benefit your oral health!

It is important that New Year’s resolutions are reasonable and attainable, and that they improve your overall quality of life—for example, did you know that flossing every day is the very best way to prevent periodontal, or gum, disease? Using a straw when drinking sugary beverages can also help prevent cavities. There are many small steps that you can take to prevent cavities, oral infections and bad breath.

Be sure to give us a call if you need a few suggestions on ways to improve your oral health, or visit this helpful article from our friends at the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). After all, we know your oral health is about more than just a beautiful smile.

Happy New Year!

-Your friends at Dental Excellence

And the winner of the 2010 Ugliest Sweater or Sweatshirt Contest is....Trish!

Thanks to all of our patients who voted on our Facebook page in Dental Excellence's Ugliest Sweater or Sweatshirt Contest. The winner is “A,” Dr. Van Biber’s dental assistant Trish. She was presented with a gift certificate from Dr. Hawkins to the On the Border Restaurant.

Congratulations Trish!

A few patient reviews for Dental Excellence

Drs. Carr, Hawkins, LaBarca, Smith, Wiley and team, serving Independence Missouri deliver the highest quality dental care in a personalized environment. We make dental treatment fun and enjoyable. Just see what our patients have to say!

"I cannot stress enough how efficient, professional, and caring the staff and doctors at Dental Excellence are. I have never been treated better or more effectively by any medical professional."
-Thomas

"My wife and I have been patients for over 35 years and have always been pleased with the excellent dental care we received and, if we had a problem, the treatment we received to correct the problem. We started there because my wife's boss was a patient and recommend the dental office highly and we have always been glad that we took his advice. We are retired now and live at the Lake of the Ozarks but we still come back to Independence for our dental work because of the excellent treatment we have always received."
-Donald

"Dr Hawkins made what might have been a frightening experience very pleasant for our son. Thanks Dr Hawkins and staff for all you do!"
-Jacob

We need your help! Help us Vote for The UGLIEST Christmas Sweater/Sweatshirt.

Merry Christmas to all of our wonderful patients!

Last night we had our office Christmas party and it was filled with food and fun! We asked our employees to participate in a contest by wearing the ugliest sweater or sweatshirt they could find to the party. But, we need your HELP!

We are asking our patients to help us decide the winner by voting on the top 3 ugliest sweaters or sweatshirts from the party. We just couldn’t decide!! You can vote by choosing either A, B or C as the ugliest Christmas sweater or sweatshirt. You can vote by letting us know on our blog, our Facebook Page or during your next visit to Dental Excellence. We need your vote by December 21st so we can announce the winner on December 23rd.

We look forward to seeing what you guys think!
--Dental Excellence

Stay healthy this Holiday Season--Replace your Toothbrush!

After recovering from a cold or flu, Drs. Carr, Hawkins, LaBarca, Smith, and Wiley will all tell you one of the most important steps you can take to avoid becoming reinfected is replacing your toothbrush!

Germs are known to linger on the bristles, and you risk prolonging your sickness by continuing to use the same toothbrush. Be smart - keep a spare, just in case! To protect your toothbrush from bacteria all year long, consider the following tips:

• Wash your hands before and after brushing
• Allow the brush to air dry after each use, harmful bacteria dies after being exposed to oxygen
• Store the toothbrush in an upright position to allow water to drain and dry faster
• Replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months. Worn bristles are less effective in properly cleaning your teeth, and can actually be damaging to teeth if used too long!

We hope these tips help! Feel free to call us at Dental Excellence if you have any questions or ask us on Facebook.

Year-end insurance reminder from Dental Excellence

Our entire team at Dental Excellence would like to give those patients with flex spend, health savings, or insurance benefits a friendly end of the year reminder that it’s about that time to schedule your dental visits so you can optimize your benefits!

Now is the time to reserve you appointment with us. Space is limited and we get VERY busy around the holidays, so don’t wait to give us a call at our Independence office at 816-795-9500! Have a wonderful rest of the week everybody!

Lee National Denim Days wrap-up at Dental Excellence

To complete our month of Breast Cancer Awareness, we celebrated with a Chili & Soup lunch on Tuesday. There was so much good food! After much anticipation, the winning ticket was drawn from the Denim Quilt Raffle. Mary K. was thrilled to win the quilt! Great job, Mary!

For all the photos from Lee National Denim Days at Dental Excellence, we invite you to head to our Facebook page! While you're there, we encourage you to "Like" us!