Beware of those Christmas goodies!

The office of Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk knows that maintaining a healthy diet over the holiday season can prove a difficult task. After all, who can resist the tasty treats of Christmas? With grandma and everybody else offering you candy, chocolate logs or Christmas pudding, you just can’t say “I’ll pass” each time. But trouble lurks: every time you chow down on that chocolate or candy, the bacteria in your mouth have a feast on the sugar—at your expense. The sugar turns into acid, and the acid eats away at the enamel on your teeth. Then, you start getting cavities.

Instead, our friends at the American Dental Association recommend nuts or dried fruit, which are a nice alternative to sugars and have a greater nutritional value—and can satisfy your sweet tooth! Both nuts and fruit are a great source of fiber and act as an appetite suppressant. In addition, nuts are a great source of Vitamin E, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B9, nutrients that contribute to a healthy immune system. Nuts are also a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked with reducing heart disease and lower blood pressure.

If you must indulge in chocolaty goodness this Christmas or holiday season, remember to brush your teeth after eating sugary treats. Hope this helps! Give us a call if you have any questions!

--Drs. Allen Ressler, Andrew Hirschl, and Ira Lelchuk

September is National Gum Care Month

Gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease, can be difficult to recognize. Many people do not recognize the warning signs - bleeding and swollen gums - as a precursor to gum disease. This month, a national campaign is underway to raise awareness about gum health and periodontal disease, and we at Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk wanted to do our part to help spread the word!

Early recognition and action are the most important steps to health gums, and ultimately a health body too! Studies are published every year linking oral health, including the gums, to the health of other areas of the body, such as the heart. One of the most important steps to improving the care of your gums is recognizing the warning signs for gum disease. These can include:

• Gums that appear red or swollen
• Gums that feel tender
• Gums that bleed easily (during brushing or flossing)
• Gums that recede or pull away from the teeth
• Persistent halitosis, or bad breath
• Loose teeth
• Any change in the way teeth come together in the biting position

If you notice any of these signs, schedule an appointment with our office as soon as possible. We can take proactive steps to prevent gingivitis and gum disease, while showing you how to improve gum care in your daily oral hygiene habits.

Getting social with Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk

In honor of Social Media Day, Drs. Ressler, Hirschl and Lelchuk would like to take today to discuss our approach to social media and online patient communications. At Ressler, Hirschl and Lelchukwe, we embrace technology and the benefits that it can bring to our office. Our high-tech website, innovative treatments, and social media presence, are all examples of ways that our office utilizes state-of-the-art technology.

As you might have noticed, we love engaging in conversation with our patients online. It’s great to connect with our patients, sharing news, ideas, and upcoming events at the office. We have found that our Facebook fan page and blog are great tools for making this connection.

Drs. Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk and our team are interested in hearing about your thoughts on social media. How would you prefer we use our social networks? What would you like to see us share on our blog? Let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or by giving us a call!

Professional whitening trays at Ressler Hirschl and Lelchuk

Have you been considering teeth whitening, but feel overwhelmed by the different options available to you? We wanted to inform you about all the best options for teeth whitening.

You've seen the toothpastes and mouthwashes aimed at giving you a whiter smile. These in-home products can help reduce stains from coffee, tobacco, tea, wine and other heavily pigmented foods, but they will not dramatically change the color of the teeth.

We're sure you have also seen the over the counter whitening strip kits. While these can work well for young adults and teens, their effect for adults is often not as effective. These strips only treat the front six or eight teeth, and cannot whiten your entire smile.

So what is the answer? One of the methods Drs. Ressler, Hirschl and Lelchuk offer is professional custom whitening trays. These are an easy way to whiten all of your teeth and allow you more control of the whitening process. Once we create your trays in the office, the whitening kit can be used in-home, and comes with custom whitening gel in various strengths depending on the sensitivity of your teeth.

These trays are comfortable to wear, and the application time is only about 15 to 30 minutes. If you have been considering a teeth whitening solution, give us a call at 786-220-0246 today!

Teeth whitening addiction in Miami

Let's face it, people want to look and feel great, and at a time when a set of sparkling teeth might mean the difference between getting a job, more and more Floridians are complaining about irritation and bleeding gums, translucent teeth and even excessive teeth sensitivity, especially to cold food and drink items.

At Ressler Hirschl and Lelchuk DDS, you can whiten your smile in one appointment or receive at-home procedures and products. We also offer deep bleaching, the only method that insures dramatic whitening for dark teeth and custom bleaching trays.

Lastly, our friends at WebMD have written a helpful article on teeth whitening addiction, and we encourage you to give it a read if you suspect you may have a teeth whitening addiction.

Have we seen you in the past six months? If not, give us a call!

February is Heart Month - Drs. Hirschl, Lelchuk and Ressler

February is Heart Month, a time to take good stock of your heart health. Cardiovascular disease remains American's No.1 killer, claiming more lives than the rest of major causes of death, says the American Heart Association. Studies have shown a correlation between gum disease and heart disease, showing the importance of good oral health care. Visiting our office regularly can help prevent gum disease or at least catch it in its early stages. And because people with dental insurance are more likely to visit a dentist, a healthy mouth begins with a visit to the office of Drs. Ressler, Hirschl and Lelchuk. In observance of Heart Month, our doctors say it’s also important to know your numbers: BMI (less than 25), blood pressure (less than 120/80), and cholesterol (less than 200). If you have any questions about heart health, or about your treatment with Drs. Ressler, Hirschl or Lelchuk, please give us a call today.