November is National Diabetes Awareness Month!

At Dr. Mitchell Scheier's office, our team knows the way you care for your teeth at home doesn’t just affect your oral health – it can impact your overall health as well. In recent years, researchers have found clear links between the mouth and other parts of the body, and the evidence is especially impactful for people with diabetes.

November marks Diabetes Awareness Month, and a great time to learn about how keeping your mouth healthy is vital to your overall health, too. If you are one of the nearly 26 million Americans currently living with diabetes, there is some good news: you can protect your gums and teeth from the effects of diabetes by visiting our Havertown, PA dental office for regular check-ups and cleanings. Most people should have at least two dental appointments per year, but those folks living with diabetes may require additional visits to make sure their dental health remains in top shape. Many insurance plans provide expanded benefits for diabetic patients. Dr. Scheier and our experts can tell you how often you need to come in for your dental visits.

For more information on how we can help, please give us a call or ask us on Facebook!

Cold season is here, from Dr. Scheier

Cold and flu season is here yet again. The folks at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that a common cold usually includes sneezing, runny nose, sore throat and coughing. Symptoms can last for up to two weeks.

To promote a healthy and clean environment, Dr. Mitchell Scheier and our entire staff give a great deal of attention to sanitation and sterilization in our Havertown, PA office at all times, as well as following all requirements for sterilizing instruments and work surfaces. For the protection of other patients and our staff at Dr. Scheier's office, we always ask that patients reschedule their appointments if they have any type of cold or illness that can infect others.

And remember to constantly wash your hands and avoid contact with those who are ill! Stay healthy!

Halloween Candy Buy-Back!

It's November, and everyone is packing up their Halloween costumes and decorations...But, don't forget that Dr. Scheier's 4th Annual Halloween Candy Buy-Back is going on right now in our office!

Dr. Mitchell Scheier will pay trick-or-treaters, mothers, fathers, grandparents and/or guardians $1.00 per pound of their excess uneaten and unopened Halloween candy. Last year our office collected almost 1,000 pounds of candy, and we want to exceed that amount this year! If you drop off your candy, you will receive a goody bag to help keep your teeth clean and sugar-free. You may also enter our raffle for a chance to win a new iPod Nano!

All of the Halloween candy collected will be shipped to our troops overseas and right here at home, providing them a sweet treat as a thank you for their service. Feel free to leave a note, drawing, prayer, or poem with your Halloween candy to be shipped to our troops.

Candy drop off began on Monday, and it ends tomorrow, November 3rd! Thank you in advance for helping us support this wonderful cause!

4th Annual Halloween Candy Buy-Back!

Halloween and trick-or-treating are right around the corner and you know what that means...lots of CANDY! Our team at Dr. Mitchell Scheier's office is excited to announce our 4th Annual Halloween Candy Buy-Back! Stop by our office from November 1st until November 3rd to sell us your leftover Halloween candy. Dr. Scheier will pay you $1.00 per pound of uneaten and unopened candy that you bring to our office.

You can drop your candy off during our regular office hours. All of the candy that we receive will be shipped to our troops overseas. Help us do something sweet for our troops!

Ask Dr. Scheier: What's so bad about nail biting?

We’ve all heard that biting your nails is an awful habit, but you many wonder- really- what’s so bad about it? Recently, Dr. Mitchell Scheier found an interesting article that discusses how biting your nails affect your teeth and oral health.

Nail biting, also known as Onychophagia, is a common habit among various age groups, including primarily children, teens and young adults. Nail biting is generally triggered by stress and most often decreases with age. That being said, nail biting is unsanitary, unattractive, as well as unhealthy for your teeth!

Here’s why:
• It’s unsanitary. Your nails are dirty, almost twice as dirty as your fingers! Hence, biting your nails is just asking for germs and bacteria.
• No good things come to your teeth. Nail biting causes your teeth to constantly be chewing, which is not good for them. This excessive motion wears your teeth down faster than a non-nail biter’s and puts a large amount of stress on your front teeth- contributing to teeth misalignment.
• Braces don’t love it either. Braces already put pressure on teeth, nail biting ads unnecessary pressure, further stressing your teeth and weakening their roots.
• It can be costly. Nail biting can result in up to $4,000 in additional dental bills over one lifetime, according to the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). Yikes!

What can you do about it?
Now that you know how harmful nail biting can be, it’s time to take action to break your nail biting habit. Try to be conscious of your fingernails and to keep them looking good- this will help you resist the temptation. Ask Dr. Scheier or visit the article for tips on how to break a nail biting habit.

Good luck!

Dr. Mitchelle Scheier and staff

Artificial sweeteners and your child's health

Dr. Mitchell Scheier knows that there is always a lot of debate in the health community about the health effects of artificial sweeteners, and aspartame is most surely one of the most controversial food additives to ever be approved by the FDA. Dr. Scheier and his team will try to provide you with the most up to date information on topics relating to the health of our patients and their loved ones. That is why we want to share with you a few facts that we recently learned in a Huffington Post article.

Did you know that aspartame is now sold under many commercial names, including NutraSweet, Canderel, and AminoSweet? Yes, that’s right. When checking nutrition facts, it is important to keep an eye out for all of these ingredients! This sweetener can be found in diabetic foods, jams, breakfast cereals, chewing gum, soda, and even prescriptions and vitamins.

What’s so harmful about aspartame?
With over 10,000 official complaints, aspartame reactions are more commonly reported than that of all other food additives combined. Of these reports, two-thirds consist primarily of headaches, mood alterations, and hallucinations. Determining your nutritional type and the foods that your body craves is key to satisfying sugar cravings. The recommended fructose level is below 25 grams per day, which includes both natural and artificial sweeteners.

Next time you're in for an appointment with Dr. Scheier, let us know if you have any questions about aspartame or this article. As always, please remember to use a straw if you choose to sip soda, coffee, or other dark colored beverages to take care of that beautiful smile!

Smile! October is National Dental Hygiene Month!

Did you know that October is National Dental Health Month? For our staff at Dr. Mitchell Scheier Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, that means only one thing: Reminding you that 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 Havertown 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 official National Dental Hygiene Month website as well, which provides pointers on keeping your mouth clean and healthy. Lastly, has it been six months since your last visit to Dr. Mitchell Scheier Family and Cosmetic Dentistry? If the answer is yes, we encourage you to give us a call to set up an appointment with Dr. Scheier.