Our Blog

Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world. Many people have a cup, or two, or even three a day. It’s common to drink it in the morning to wake up and get ready for the day, as an afternoon pick-me-up, or just to catch up with a coworker or friend.

These days there are many different kinds of coffee flavors to enjoy, so it’s almost impossible for a person not to like it. But as delicious as coffee is, it’s worthwhile to be aware of the effects it has on our dental health.

Coffee contains a lot of tannic acid, which is what causes its dark color. Tannic acid ingrains itself into the grooves of tooth enamel, and that leads to serious stains. In addition to containing tannic acid, the fact that coffee is generally served very hot makes your teeth expand and contract, which allows the stains to penetrate even farther into the enamel.

Dr. Hudis and our team know it’s not easy to kick the caffeine habit. If you find yourself needing a cup of joe every day, here are some helpful tips to consider:

• Switch to decaf coffee.
• Make it a habit to drink a glass of water with your coffee to rinse away the acid.
• Try enjoying your coffee with a straw so the tannic acid makes less contact with your front and lower teeth.
• Pop in a piece of gum after your coffee to help prevent a dry mouth.

If you’re feeling ambitious, you might find that setting a limit on the number of cups of coffee you have per week or even per day can be helpful. You are always welcome to contact our Princeton, NJ office to discuss potential whitening options as well. We’re here to help!

A lot of patients go at their teeth like they were sanding an old floor—that is to say, way too hard! Brushing too hard is probably the most common mistake patients make in their oral care routine, and it can be detrimental to the gums and teeth.

What can brushing too hard cause?

• Receding gums
• Bone loss around teeth
• Loss of teeth
• Tooth sensitivity, especially to hot and cold
• Worn down enamel

Brushing too hard wears away at your gums, which can lead to the neck of the teeth being exposed. This part of the tooth isn't covered by hard enamel like the rest of the tooth and hence the soft inner layer, or dentin, is exposed. Dentin is very sensitive to hot and cold and much more susceptible to bacterial decay. Once the gums recede due to improper brushing, it’s usually irreversible.

How to brush your teeth properly

You know you're supposed to brush your teeth twice a day, so why not do it right? First and foremost, you should only ever brush with a soft bristled brush—not medium or hard—unless directed otherwise by Dr. Hudis. Unless you have braces or specific oral health issues, brushing twice a day for two minutes is usually plenty.

The main purpose of brushing is to remove plaque from your teeth and gums. Plaque is actually soft and is a buildup of bacteria, saliva, and food debris. You really don't need to brush hard to remove it, just make sure you aim your toothbrush at the gum line (where plaque grows) and brush in small circular motions, never a back-and-forth motion.

It's also wise to hold your toothbrush gently. People tend to brush harder the tighter they hold their toothbrush.

Still have questions about proper tooth brushing technique or gum health? Ask any staff member or Dr. Hudis during your next visit to our Princeton, NJ office; we'd be happy to help!

Happy October from Princeton Restorative and Implant Dentistry! The fall season is officially in full swing and we always look forward to all our beloved traditions this time of year.

Though we continue to live our life under the “New Normal”, we shouldn’t be discouraged from participating in the festivities of the season. We will not decorate our office this year but we have a beautiful selection of plants in our office that Dr. Hudis takes care of! Halloween should still be celebrated by having children, grandchildren, and even adults dress up and enjoy healthy treats with their family! It is a great night to decorate, carve pumpkins, or even bake some cookies!

Besides all the fun on Halloween night, some other favorite October traditions include taking long walks in the fall air to notice the array of colors, visiting a farm to pick apples, and taking a tractor ride to the pumpkin patch! Adriana from our office has a yearly tradition with her family of visiting the pumpkin farm and carving funny faces on them. She then decorates the front of her house with them!

There’s nothing like getting spooky with some beloved Halloween films. Jeannie’s favorite is the classic "Hocus Pocus" and Adriana looks forward to watching "Halloween". Maria enjoys "Witches" and Amy's kids just really enjoy the candy, who can blame them!

Speaking of candy, if you are looking for some alternatives to candy for your Halloween treats we have a few suggestions for you. Tangerines make excellent pumpkins lookalikes with a celery on top for the stalk. Bananas can be decorated with chocolate chips for a 'ghostly' treat! For a warm snack, wrap hot dogs in pastry dough to make 'mummies'!

Our office continues to operate under the “New Normal” with health and safety precautions still in place. We follow only the strictest guidelines with full PPE as well as COVID screening along with temperature checks and blood oxygen readings taken for each patient. We have removed all of the reading materials from our waiting room and have organized the seating to be safely socially distant. We will update our patients on our website with any new developments regarding our fight against COVID 19. Our patients trust us to provide necessary dental care in a fully protected environment, and Dr. Hudis has done everything possible to keep our patients as well as staff safe.

We will continue to keep our patients informed as new data and guidelines regarding COVID 19 become available. Please check our website at www.drhudis.com under our COVID tab for current information. Stay safe and we look forward to seeing you in our office again soon!

Many smokers believe that chewing tobacco is a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes. This simply isn't the case! In fact, smokeless tobacco can cause serious health concerns.

Smokeless tobacco comes in many forms and goes by many names: dip, snuff, snus, or simply chewing tobacco. Use of these products usually involves sucking or chewing on shredded or loose tobacco leaves, sometimes flavored, for a prolonged period. There are even products that emulate a dissolvable candy-like consistency which are made of compressed tobacco powder.

What are risks and smokeless tobacco?

Whichever form a tobacco product takes, the dangers of using or consuming them is very real. According to a 2007 study by the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer, there are upwards of 28 cancer-causing chemicals in smokeless tobacco that are known to cause cancer. And these products are habit-forming just like any other tobacco product that contains nicotine. Using them will increase your risk for many serious diseases including but not limited to: cancer (especially oral and esophageal), gum and heart disease, cavities, and pre-cancerous mouth lesions.

At the end of the day, long-term use of smokeless tobacco can cause serious health issues. These products really take a toll on both your oral and overall health. They put a strain on your immune system and make it less capable of warding off infection and disease.

Dr. Hudis and our team strongly advise you to stop using smokeless tobacco—or any kind of tobacco product—and not to pick up the habit if you aren't. There is no safe level of tobacco use, smokeless or otherwise.

Need to quit smoking or using smokeless tobacco products?

You can and should always talk to your doctor, healthcare practitioner, or Dr. Hudis for help quitting. But there are many other resources available today for those who'd like to quit. The National Cancer Institute offers information, support (local and online), and tools to help smokers and smokeless tobacco users quit. They offer live online chat with cessation counselors Monday through Friday and even have a smartphone application available to help people who are serious about quitting.

You can take a look at their website at smokefree.gov or call them toll-free at 1–877–44U–QUIT (1-877-448-7848). There is also help available from your state's quit line at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669).

Make the best choice for your health and well-being; avoid the bad habit of tobacco products. If you have any questions about how tobacco related products affect your oral health and hygiene, please don't hesitate to ask one of our Princeton, NJ staff members.