Happy Birthday Dr Hafen

April 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

I wasn't planning on posting anything for my birthday, but the ladies at the office told me I had to.  Anyways, here are a few pictures of my birthday at the office.  The office was too nice.  The all pitched in and got me some pretty funny cards.  This picture is the one Mary got me, and it had singing and dancing cats (when you moved the card the cats looked like they were dancing).

This is probably my favorite restaurant in the area, Acapulco.  I always order the same thing #17.

Then the Henslee's ordered a really nice cake for me and the office.  This picture has my wife, Amy, in it as well…she's due at the end of June.

Thank you everyone for a wonderful birthday and for all your help around the office.  You guys are the best!!!

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Canker Sores

April 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment
While talking with a patient the other week we started talking about Canker Sores and she was interested in learning more about it. As this is an ailment most, if not all, of us will experience once or several times in our lives, I am passing the information on to you as well.
 
Canker Sore is the generic name for an Aphthous Ulcer. A common mistake people make is using canker sore and cold sore interchangeably. They are not the same thing; a cold sore is usually seen outside of the mouth whereas a canker sore is within the mouth. 
 
There is no exact known cause for canker sores; however, it is believed some causes can be attributed to stress, trauma, citric foods/liquids, or allergies. It is a known fact, if you have gotten them once you are more likely to get them again and again. To lesson your chances of getting the sores again you should try and avoid the “believed” causes. 
 
So what are we going to do about these sores? There a few things that can be done to help, but it won’t eliminate them right away. One option is to try an Aphthasol gel. Apply this to the canker sore 4 times a day. You should be able to buy this at any local convenience or drug store. Another solution is a mouthwash we have at the office called Chlorhexidine. We have seen this mouthwash reduce the life span of the canker sores. The last option is get a prescription for a mild steroid ointment called Lidex, which you would apply 4-6 times a day.
 
Hope this helps!
Dr Hafen
Proudly Providing Caring Dentistry
for the residents of
Universal City, Converse, Live Oak, Schertz and Cibilo
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St. Apollonia

March 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment
 Did you know that dentistry has a patron saint? Well it does, believe it or not.
 
According to legend, in 248 AD an Alexandrian mob attacked some Christians. One particular woman, Apollonia, was held down and her teeth were pulled out or shattered in her mouth.
 
She withstood this torture bravely and due to the strength of her faith many converted to Christianity. Since then the Feast Day of Apollonia has been celebrated by the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches on February 9th.  Her name is invoked against toothaches and all their miseries. 
 
In paintings she is represented holding pincers with a tooth in them.  A square in Rome and a train station in Lisbon are named after St. Apollonia.  Her image is also displayed in many churches across England.
 
J Hafen
Henslee Dental Team- Dentists of Choice for
Universal City, Converse, Live Oak, Schertz and Cibilo
 
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Teeth Whitening

March 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment
One thing I hear daily is, “I want my teeth to look whiter.” This is something we are all faced with every day, because some of our friends, family, neighbors, and/or colleagues, have white teeth.
 
The term whitening and bleaching are used interchangeable when referring to changing the color or the shade of your teeth. The whitening material used to lighten your teeth contains a certain percentage of either hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide.
 
Of the different ways to whiten your teeth (In-Office, Take Home Trays, and Over-the-Counter), which one works best? I have seen all three ways work! The OTC products work the least efficient, because they have the least powerful (smallest percentage of peroxide). The In-Office works the fastest because it has the highest percentage of peroxide. The only disadvantage with the in-office is that it is harder to control the final color of your teeth. Whereas the take home trays you are able to get a medium percentage of peroxide and use the trays on a daily basis till you get the color you want. 
 
One common side effect with whitening is your teeth may become sensitive to colds for a little while.
 
Whitening our teeth is a great cosmetic feature and a great way to add a more youthful appearance to your smile. The only trick is figuring out which one you would like to use.
 
If you need help deciding…don’t be afraid to ask our staff. Even if the end result is us recommending a product that can be purchased at your local drug or grocery store and not here at our office, we want to make sure you get the best smile possible.
 
Dr Hafen
Proudly Providing Caring Dentistry
for the residents of
Universal City, Converse, Live Oak, Schertz and Cibilo
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PHEW!..Bad Breath!

March 10, 2010 By 1 Comment

A common unpleasant thing most of us experience between one another is bad breath, or halitosis. What are some of the causes? What can be done to correct the situation?

We've tried to come up with four of the more common causes for bad bad breath we have come across while practicing: (1)  Food,  (2) Tooth Decay, (3) Gum Disease, and (4) Smoking.

Food - When food stays in the mouth for an extended period it starts to coat our teeth, gums, and tongue.This coating of our oral tissues gives the bacteria in our mouths time to break down the food that gives off a nasty smell. The easiest solution is good oral hygiene consisting of daily brushing and flossing. Also don't  forget to brush your tongue.

Tooth Decay (Cavities) – Bacteria is everywhere in our bodies, including our mouths. Bacteria are the culprits for tooth decay. While bacteria are decaying our teeth it releases a putrid smell. A solution for a cavity is either a filling, a crown, or a root canal; depending on the severity of the decay.

Gum Disease (Periodontitis) - When our gums are really infected, bad breath is also present. The source of the bad breath…bacteria. The solution for this problem is either a normal dental cleaning or a deep cleaning (Scaling and Root Planing).

Smoking - With smoking there are many different toxins inhaled including nicotine and tar. The ultimate solution, of course, would be to stop smoking. If quitting is not a possibility, to help mitigate the bad breath one can use a mouthwash, brush his or her teeth, and/or a combination of both.

While practicing, we have come across a company that manufactures a mouthwash, a toothpaste, and a mouth spray that currently masks bad breath better than any other product on the market. The company is called Dental Herb Company.

I (Bob Henslee) love their products and use them every day. If you want to buy  their stuff, you have to jump through some hoops, but trust me, it is worth it.

Simply put 'Dental Herb Company' in your internet search browser (Google, Bing, etc.) follow the instructions and order directly from them. If it's too much trouble, we can sell their products to you, but directly from the factory is a better deal.

If you have any questions we would be glad to help. This is a little secret that only dentists know about, and we hope this information is useful.

Drs. Henslee and Hafen
Henslee Dental Team Dentists
Proudly Providing Caring Dentistry
for the residents of
Universal City, Converse, Live Oak, Schertz and Cibilo

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