How important is your smile? From Lifetime Smiles

We hope you had a great Thanksgiving weekend! At Lifetime Smiles, we know having a great smile is important to you. And it's important to us, too. And speaking of smiling, in a poll conducted by Glamour Magazine earlier this year, people were asked, “If you had to pick between having perfect teeth, eyesight or hair, which would you choose?”

Well, 44 percent of folks out there chose teeth! In addition, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, or AACD, conducted a study and found that 99.7 percent of those polled believed a smile is an important social asset. Respondents said straightness, whiteness, cleanliness, as well as the sincerity and sparkle of one’s smile were all important factors not only socially, but career-wise as well.

Please call our Escondido, CA dental office to schedule your appointment today.

Happy Thanksgiving from Lifetime Smiles

With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season right around the corner, our staff at Lifetime Smiles wanted to stop for a moment to say how thankful we are to have you in our dental family. We realize that our practice here in Escondido thrives because of great patients like you. We are the lucky ones because we not only help keep you and your smile healthy, but we also have the pleasure of knowing you and your loved ones.

As always, if you know anyone we can help, just let us know. We promise to give them the same quality care that we have given you.

We hope that this Thanksgiving and holiday season brings fond memories. Thank you for being part of our family.

Don’t throw those insurance benefits away!

Today, Dr. Rabee McDonald and our team thought we would like to give those patients with flex spend, health savings, or insurance benefits a friendly end of the year reminder that it’s high time to schedule your final 2011 dental visit so you optimize your benefits.

Now is the time to reserve you appointment with us – space is limited and we tend to get very busy around the holidays, so don’t wait to give us a call!

See you soon!

"I'm having constant migraines. How can Lifetime Smiles help?"

Dentists aren’t generally the first professionals people think about when experiencing facial pain, but Dr. Rabee McDonald and our team at Lifetime Smiles are here to help. If you are experiencing migraines, we are happy to provide NTI devices, which promote relaxation of the jaw muscles and work best for people who are chronic and severe clenchers and grinders. They can be worn day and/or night, depending on the severity and type of condition being treated.

The NTI is a small, clear plastic device that is worn over the two front teeth (either top or bottom) at night to prevent contact of the back teeth. It is used to reduce tension headaches, as well as migraines.

The Importance of Oral Cancer Screenings, from Lifetime Smiles

We hope you all had a great Halloween weekend! Visiting Drs. McDonald and Prais and our team at LifetimeSmiles on a regular basis will not only help keep your teeth and mouth healthy, but will also help keep the rest of your body healthy as well. The fact is, every hour of every day in the U.S., someone dies of oral cancer, which is the sixth-most common diagnosed form of the disease. The five-year survival rate is only 50 percent, and oral cancer is one of the few cancers whose survival rate has not improved. Today, we would like to take this opportunity to remind all of our patients about the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene.

In our continuing efforts to provide the most advanced technology and highest quality care available to our patients, we screen our patients for oral cancer. Early detection of pre-cancerous tissue can minimize or eliminate the potentially disfiguring effects of oral cancer and possibly save your life. In less than five minutes, we will conduct a thorough oral cancer screening exam, using the FDA-approved ViziLite Plus technology to help detect oral cancer and pre-malignant abnormalities.

As your dentists, Drs. McDonald and Prais are specialists who work to diagnose, treat, and prevent oral health problems. Please let us now if you have any questions about your oral health during your next appointment at our convenient Escondido office. Take care of your teeth, and smile bright!

Halloween TIPS from the American Dental Association

It’s almost that spooky time of year again! Whether you are going door-to-door trick or treating, attending a party dressed in a clever, silly or scary costume, or simply getting together with friends and family to watch scary movies, Drs. Rabee McDonald, Jeff Prais and our team want you to keep in mind the following tips from our friends at the American Dental Association to help reduce tooth-decay.

•Eat treats with meals. Saliva production increases during meals washing out food particles and helping to neutralize cavity causing plaque acid.

•Consider chewing ADA-accepted sugarless gum after meals. Certain sugarless gums have earned the ADA Seal of Acceptance for scientifically proving that chewing the gum for 20 minutes after meals helped prevent tooth decay.

•Follow the 1-2-3s of good daily oral hygiene: Floss once a day, brush twice a day and eat three balanced meals a day.

•Visit Drs. Rabee McDonald, Jeff Prais for regular checkups.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN from your friends at Lifetime Smiles!

Cold season is here, from Lifetime Smiles

Cold and flu season is here - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 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, Drs. Rabee McDonald, Jeff Prais and our entire staff give a great deal of attention to sanitation and sterilization in our Escondido 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 Lifetime Smiles, 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!