Tips on teeth you may not know!
Think Calcium!
You’ve heard it before: calcium does a body good. You probably didn’t know that much of that good goes straight to the mouth. It’s essential for tooth and bone development. A calcium-deficient diet means less jawbone mass—which can lead to painful fractures and permanent tooth loss. Dairy products, tofu, and green, leafy vegetables are great sources of calcium.
Tastes great! Less fillings!
Guess what? Kids who chew gum have fewer cavities. It’s true! Studies show that schoolchildren who chew sugarless gum have less problems with tooth decay. How so? Chewing gum increases saliva flow. Which, in turn, lowers acidity in the mouth. And the simple act of chewing helps clean up plaque buildup. Neat tip, eh?
Soft Drinks—Hard on Teeth
So-called soft drinks don’t do teeth any favors. Not even diet soda. Because sugar isn’t the main culprit! It’s carbonic acid—the “fizzy” that can be deadly to tooth enamel. A sugary, uncarbonated drink like KoolAid is actually easier on teeth than, say, Diet Pepsi. Of course, a regular (real “full sugar”) soft drink just adds insult to injury. If you can’t resist soda pop, rinse your mouth with water afterwards.
Dr. Angela Burns moved to Austin 10 years ago and instantly fell in love with our beautiful city. Dr. Burns is originally from the Texarkana area. She attended Texas A&M for her undergraduate degree and The University of Tennessee Health Science Center for her degree in dental surgery (DDS). Dr. Burns is committed to providing her patients with gentle, technologically advanced dental treatment. She attends an average of 60 hours of continuing education every year. She is a member of the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, the Texas Dental Association, and the Capital Area Dental Society. Dr. Burns and her husband, Gary, have an 11-year-old daughter, Sydney, who is a proud 6th grader at Hill Country Middle School. She is also very involved in the Eanes PTO, her church, and loves raising her family in the Westlake community. “Growing up, I was drawn to mediating and helping others feel more included and less anxious. I was a camp counselor, student government officer and being the oldest of five, I was the family mediator. I found that I had a calling to help alleviate stressful situations for others and realized that being a good listener was something that was key to this. These skills really helped guide me into becoming a dentist that has based my practice on relationships, empathy and a sense of comfort. I knew that I wanted to provide an atmosphere that felt like home when others walked in. Our practice is small, personal and state of the art and we hope you feel like you’re hanging out with friends when you are here!” When she is not practicing dentistry, Dr. Burns enjoys traveling, hiking the greenbelt, enjoying Austin’s music scene, and eating Amy’s Ice Cream.
