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Would you believe it's already October? For our staff, October means one thing: National Dental Hygiene Month. This month, we join the American Dental Hygienists' Association in spreading the word that good dental habits are easy to develop and even easier to maintain.

Here are a few tips to help you build good oral hygiene habits this month:

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day for two to three minutes. Make sure to get the outer and inner surfaces and the chewing surfaces of each tooth.
• Floss once a day to remove plaque from between teeth. Help children learn healthy flossing habits so when they're capable, they know how to do it properly.
• Visit us on a regular basis. Children should start seeing a dentist within six months of getting their first tooth.
• Ask us what toothpaste family members should use. Remember that not all toothpaste is appropriate for all ages.
• Eat a healthy diet, rich in fruit and veggies. Avoid sugary foods and eat a high fiber diet of fruits and veggies such as apples and carrots to help prevent tooth decay.

Your teeth are an important part of your body, and keeping them clean helps keep your mouth and your body healthy. By taking care of your teeth, eating a balanced diet, and visiting our convenient NYC office on a regular basis, you can have healthy teeth and an attractive smile throughout your entire life.

We encourage you to check out the ADHA's National Dental Hygiene Month website for tips on keeping your mouth clean and healthy. Lastly, has it been six months since your last visit to Central Park West Dental? If the answer is yes, we encourage you to give us a call to set up an appointment.

Folks with big smiles may actually live longer than those who don’t, according to a March 2010 study at Michigan’s Wayne State University. We have known for quite some time that positive emotion has been linked to both physical and mental health, but researchers at the university did something quite interesting: they looked at photos of 230 ball-players who began their careers in baseball prior to 1950 and studied their smile intensity (ranging from big smile, no smile or partial smile). The players' smile ratings were compared with data from deaths that occurred from 2006 through 2009. The researchers then took into account other factors that impact life longevity, including body mass index, career length and even college attendance.

The results? Researchers found that players who weren't smiling in the photos lived to be an average age of 72.9 years. Players with partial smiles lived to be 75. Those with big smiles, however, lived on average to be 79.9 years old.

The take-away from the new study? Smile now, smile often and you might just live longer! Have you been perfecting your smile by visiting Central Park West Dental on a regular basis? If not, give us a call!

At Central Park West Dental, we value the relationships we’ve developed with our patients over the years. Even if you visit our office a few times a year, did you know you can always connect with us on our social networks?

-Visit our blog here to receive the latest news, tips, and dental advice

-“Like us” on our official Facebook page to receive regular updates and announcements from our office – all through your news feed!

-Follow us on Twitter

- View our videos on YouTube!

We hope you’ll join us!

-Dr. Shipper, Dr. Vogel and Team

Thank you for taking the time to visit the Central Park West Dental blog. Please check back often for weekly updates on fun and exciting events happening at our office, important and interesting information about orthodontics and the dental industry, and the latest news about our practice.

Feel free to leave a comment or question for our doctors and staff – we hope this will be a valuable resource for our patients, their families, and friends!