Our Blog

2023 is right around the corner!  Everyone looks forward to seeing what the new year will bring.  If you make a list of resolutions each year, Dr. Mary Rose suggests choosing one of these ideas to add to your list.

1. Floss Every Day – Flossing reduces the risk of gum disease and tooth decay in hard to reach places between your teeth.  Plus, you will have a fresher breath!
2. Brush Your Teeth For Two Full Minutes – Studies show that most Americans brush significantly less than one minute. Try using a timer or sing Happy Birthday twice.  It will improve your oral hygiene.
3. Quit Smoking – Smoking is a dangerous habit for your health and teeth. Quitting will reduce your risk for gum disease, tooth loss and serious health issues.
4. Buy an Electric Toothbrush – Electric Toothbrush is an excellent investment in your oral health. It helps clean your teeth significantly better than a manual toothbrush.  Mary Rose suggests the Oral B Vitality for her patients.
5. Invest In a Tongue Scraper – Brushing your tongue with a toothbrush can remove some bacteria but investing in a tongue scraper will ensure your tongue is clean and bacteria free.
6. Visit your dentist regularly – Check your schedule to make sure you have an appointment for your regular checkup.

Have a wonderful 2023 and we look forward to seeing you in our office!

Everyone loves the holiday season.  We tend to be more relaxed with our hygiene and our eating habits change during the holidays.  During this busy season filled with family gatherings and parties with friends, Dr. Mary Rose has helpful tips to keep your smile bright and healthy.

1. Limit your intake of sodas – The holiday parties have wonderful festive drinks that  contain sugary sodas.  The sugar and acid in sodas are not healthy for your teeth.  Try limiting these drinks by drinking carbonated water and use a straw to help minimize the acid on your teeth.
2. Be cautious with hard candies – Candy Canes and other hard candies are very popular during this time of year. Biting down on hard candy can crack your teeth if you bite down wrong.  Mary Rose suggests limiting hard candies.  If you do enjoy hard candies, allow the candy to dissolve in your mouth instead and make sure you brush thoroughly after eating candy.
3. We all love the dessert spreads during the holidays. Tasty cookies and cakes are hard to resist.  Try heading to the vegetable trays.  Vegetables are loaded with vitamins.  Carrots and Broccoli are loaded with vitamin A which helps strengthen your enamel and are low in calories.
4. Enjoy your turkey!  Turkey is one holiday food that is tasty and is healthy for your teeth.  Turkey is loaded with phosphorus and protein which can help your body fight tooth decay and keep your teeth healthy and strong.
5. Snack on cheese while drinking your alcoholic drinks – Cheese helps with PH balancing as well as neutralize the acid in your drink.  The calcium in cheese is a healthy bonus.
6. Avoid snacking all day – During this time of year we tend to leave treats out all day. Grazing all day can put your teeth at risk for decay.  Try putting out food at mealtimes only, which will help your teeth and your waistline.  Try activities like games, craft projects or watching holiday movies instead of snacking.

Dr. Mary Rose and the entire staff at Twohig Dentistry wishes you a wonderful holiday season!

Losing a tooth is a frustrating experience, fortunately, there is a simple solution for those with missing teeth.  Dental Implants look like real teeth and are a viable option for many, however, some individuals are unaware of the benefits.  Let’s discuss the benefits of Implants.

1. Self-esteem – If you have a missing tooth (or teeth that need to be removed), it can prevent you from smiling in public. Dental Implants look and feel like a real tooth which will give you confidence in your smile.
2. Dental Implants behave like natural teeth – Dental implants are anchored into your jaw with a titanium post that replaces the tooth root, allowing you to chew most like a natural tooth.
3. Prevents Bone Loss – When you lose a tooth, you also tend to lose bone mass in your jaw. Dental Implants are the only tooth replacement option that also replaces the jaw bone stimulation it needs to maintain its mass, helping to prevent bone loss.
4. Convenience – Dental Implants do not need to be removed or kept in place with adhesives. Caring for the implant will not require special products like other tooth replacement options. You can brush and floss your implant the same way as your natural teeth.
5. Enables Natural Speech – Tooth replacement options, like dentures, can sometimes slip causing difficulty pronouncing words correctly.
6. Durability – With Proper care, dental implants can last for years.

Dental Implants are a realistic and life-changing option.  If you have any questions regarding implants, Dr. Mary Rose would be happy to help you with your decision.

Please read the important article below from the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) regarding the upcoming Massachusetts ballot initiative Question 2.

AGD and Massachusetts AGD Support Question 2 Proposal

• by AGD Staff
• Oct 10, 2022

An important initiative is underway in Massachusetts – Question 2 — that would require  dental insurance companies to spend at least 83% of premium dollars collected on dental services or refund the difference to patients.

Massachusetts law establishes an 88% medical loss ratio (MLR) for medical insurance plans, but there is currently no MLR for dental insurance plans. An MLR is the portion of premium revenue that a healthcare insurance company spends on claims, patient care and healthcare quality for its customers. One dental insurer’s IRS 990 form documents it spent less than 60% of premium revenue on patient care and kept the remaining $383 million for administrative costs, executive salaries and profits.

“Dental insurance companies must be held accountable, and we have an opportunity to defend our profession and ensure that our patients’ premiums are used to provide them with the care they deserve,” said Gerry Feldman, DDS. “All eyes are on Massachusetts to see what happens here, and, if this initiative is successful, I believe it will have huge implications on the insurance industry and how MLRs are structured elsewhere. Everyone in the oral health community, especially general dentists, must spread the word to their patients, friends, families and communities to let them know that this ballot initiative is about increasing care and the responsibility of insurance companies to use premium dollars for patient care.”

The Massachusetts AGD endorses this dental insurance reform. AGD’s Board approved a contribution of $50,000 from its AGD Advocacy Fund to support a statewide ballot initiative in Massachusetts.

“This issue is about accountability,” said Gerald J. Botko, DMD, MAGD, AGD president. “We know that the insurance companies are threatened by this initiative, and they will do whatever it takes to protect the status quo, including spending tens of millions of dollars. That is why our Board felt it was imperative that we support this ballot initiative. We are pleased to join organizations like the Massachusetts AGD, American Dental Association, Massachusetts Dental Society, and other state and national dental groups to ensure that patient care dollars are protected.”

Through a ballot initiative, a dental insurance MLR will appear as Question 2 on the statewide ballot in the Nov. 8 election. The referendum will ensure MLRs apply to dental plans in the same way they currently apply to medical plans. This ballot initiative would make dental providers more transparent and accountable to the patients they serve. If passed, this consumer protection law is a value-guarantee that requires dental insurers to pay at least 83% of premium revenue toward patient care or refund patients the difference in premium dollars not spent.