Parsley and Other Ways to Brighten Your Smile

At Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk we see lots of patients concerned about their bad breath. So we want to educate you about what you can do to really keep your chompers clean and breath minty fresh!

Naturally, good oral hygiene is the first step. With proper brushing and regular dental checkups you can keep bad breath (halitosis) in check.

Certain foods, medications, smoking, sinus issues, or even gum disease cause most bad breath. If the stink lingers for longer than 24 hours, you should see us at Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk. It might be something more serious, like dehydration, zinc deficiency, diabetes, liver failure, kidney failure, or even certain kinds of cancers!

In the meantime, here are some home remedies to keep you smiling bright:

Spice Up Your Life
Snack on some cloves, fennel, or anise after each particularly odorous snack.

Don’t forget the tongue
Lots of people brush their teeth regularly, but leave the tongue alone. One of the main causes of bad breath is food and plaque residue on the surface of your tongue. So give it a nice gentle brush-over too!

Watch your drinking habits
The worst options are coffee, wine, whiskey, and beer.

Frequent brushing
Carry a toothbrush with you so brushing after each meal is convenient and refreshing! Trust us, you’ll love the way it makes you feel. If you can’t brush, still swish around a couple sips of water to remove any lingering food.

Make your own Gargle
Gargling with a home mixture of sage, calendula, and myrrh gum extracts four times a day should ward off that bad breath potential.

Parsley’s there for a reason
Finish your parsley after you finish your dinner and you’ll find a refreshing breath enhancer. Hate the texture? Throw a couple sprigs in a blender to sip after each meal.

Sugarless Gum
Always a good idea to carry some mints or sugarless gum for that quick spruce up before you meet the boss.

Don’t cut that cheese
The stronger the cheese, the stinkier your breath can become. Think about blue cheese and Roquefort? They really get the party started in your mouth and it’s hard to make them leave!

If you have additional questions, give our office a call.

Enjoy a Cavity-Free Valentine’s Day!

Today is a day where we take the time to express our appreciation to our loved ones. As we all know, it is also a day filled with delicious sugary treats. Our team at Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk thought we’d take a moment to provide some tips to make sure that today doesn’t also become the day you develop a cavity.

Here they are:

Floss: After you have indulged in chocolate and other sweets, remember that these foods can easily find their way between your teeth. Flossing at least once a day will help prevent cavities as well as gum disease.
Drinking sugary drinks with a Straw: Coffee could be a common Valentine’s Day gift this year and many coffee drinks contain syrups that are high in sugar. Using a straw when drinking these and other sugary drinks, is a great way to avoid cavities.
Snack wisely: We know that this will be especially hard today, but when you have the option, choose healthy snacks such as vegetables, fruits and cheese and avoid sticky, chewy candies that can stick to the teeth. If you eat these snacks, make sure to brush after doing so.
Schedule Regular Checkups: Last, but definitely not least, it’s always important to consistently schedule regular checkups with Dr. Allen Ressler, Dr. Andrew Hirschl, or Dr. Ira Lelchuk (approximately every 6 months). During your checkup, the doctor will be able to check for problems that might not be seen or felt, detect cavities and early signs of decay, and treat oral health problems early.

We hope you find these tips useful.

-Happy Valentine’s Day from Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk!!

How to Freshen Bad Breath

Drs. Ira Lelchuk, Allen Ressler, and Andrew Hirschl your Miami Beach and North Miami Beach dentists, recognize that many of our patients are concerned about bad breath, or halitosis. While some cases of bad breath are persistent (chronic bad breath), generally bad breath is transient, and can be prevented.

We recently came across this helpful video about bad breath and thought it was worth sharing with our patients. The video explains what might cause bad breath and some ways that it can be avoided. In most instances, bad breath can be prevented by practicing common oral hygiene techniques that you have probably heard us emphasize during a visit to Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk, such as brushing and flossing daily. We encourage you to watch this video for additional tips on how to keep bad breath at bay. Enjoy!

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month!

For the past 61 Februaries, the American Dental Association, or ADA, has sponsored National Children's Dental Health Month to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. National Children's Dental Health Month began as a one-day event in 1941 in a Cleveland clinic. In 1981, however, the program was extended to a month-long celebration known today as National Children’s Dental Health Month.

Each February, Drs. Allen Ressler, Andrew Hirschl, Ira Lelchuk and thousands of dental professionals focus on the preventive oral care of America's children. The Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk team want you to remember developing good habits at an early age and scheduling regular dental visits helps children get a good start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums. Has your child visited Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk the past six months? If not, it’s time to give us a call and schedule an appointment!