EVERYONE KNOWS that snack time is one of the best times of the day! Getting a tasty treat in the middle of the workday or grabbing a snack after school can be just the pick-me-up you need to tackle the rest of your day with a smile.

But before you reach for the chips or chocolates, we have a few smile-friendly suggestions! Today we want to share our team’s favorite snacks that protect your teeth and benefit your smile.

Our Smile-Friendly Snack Picks

From Caitlin:

My go to snack when I'm hungry and don't have a lot of time, is to just cut an avocado in half, sprinkle a little salt and a squeeze of lime in each half, and mash it up! I know that it sounds boring but it's actually really delicious, and healthy!

From Dr. Carissa Bruening:
Mixed Nuts & La Croix Sparkling Water

From Amanda:
Peanut Butter and Apple Slices!

In addition to trying out our favorite snacks, keep these tips in mind when planning snacks that benefit your oral health:

Eat More Of These

Leafy Greens: Dark, leafy greens like kale, spinach, and collard greens have calcium, Vitamin A, Vitamin B2, and magnesium; all essential for healthy teeth and gums.
Cheese, Milk, and Yogurt: Dairy is a delicious source of calcium, which supports strong bones and teeth.
Kiwi, Oranges, And Other Vitamin-C-Rich Foods: Vitamin C boosts your body’s ability to fight infection that causes gum disease.

Eat Less Of These

Soda And Energy Drinks: These acidic, sugary drinks attack and gradually deteriorate your protective tooth enamel.
Sticky Candy, Gummies, And Dried Fruit: These foods stick in your teeth and continue to bathe your teeth in sugar for hours after eating.
Highly Processed Carbs: This includes crackers, white bread, and pastries, which feed decay-causing bacteria in your mouth.

Keep In Touch To Learn More!

Now that we’ve shared our favorite healthy snacks, we want to hear from YOU! If you have any healthy recipes you make make at home, share them in the comments below or on our Facebook page! We’d love to see what kinds of creative snack ideas you’ve come up with.

Thank you for CHEW-sing our practice!

Dr. Andrew Bruening & Dr. Carissa Bruening are
 General & Family Dentists located in Chesterfield, Missouri.

636-532-3311 | admin@chdental.net

Check Out Our Website!

To stay up to date with patient appreciation raffles, office specials, and volunteer events, go "LIKE" our Facebook Page by searching @chdental or Chesterfield Hilltown Dental. We are always accepting new patients, and our family looks forward to meeting yours!

WE WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE an important figure in all of our lives—our mothers!

We’re grateful for all of the time, attention, and care our mothers provide for us throughout our upbringing and beyond. The positive impact they have is immeasurable and we want to express what they mean to us this Mother’s Day.

What We Love About Our Moms

Dr. Andrew Bruening (Dentist):

Dr. Bruening, what do you love most about your mom?

Dr. Andrew Bruening: I love how my mom is always there for me. I can always count on her to answer a call or show up on short notice. She understands me more than anyone (obviously, because she is my mom). Also, she knows I'm not one for writing a bunch so if she sees this she will appreciate it. As a bonus, my favorite memory is how instead of writing a long heartfelt message in my high high school senior yearbook, her words of encouragement/advise were "do it". I still hear it in her impersonation of Ben Stiller's character, Starsky, from the movie Starsky and Hutch.  

Dr. Carissa Bruening (Dentist):

Dr. Bruening, what do you love most about your mom?

Dr. Carissa Bruening: What I love most about my mom is how hard-working she was (and continues to be) as I was growing up.  I didn’t appreciate it at the time but now that I have begun my career and will begin to start a family, I am amazed at all Mom has accomplished through the years.  She taught, she coached, she drove team school buses, she worked lunch duty, after-school duty, etc. She would leave by 5am each morning and get home around 8pm, after practices and lesson plans were set up for the next day. Alongside her busy career, she did work around the house, in the yard, refereed three kids and even managed to exercise! The woman did it all!  Mom worked hard during the 9-month school year so she could spend those three months of summer being a full-time Mommy for my two sisters and me, taking us to tennis lessons, Jr. Golf tournaments, AAU track practice, swim team practice, basketball camp, volleyball camp, pole-vault camp and everything else we were involved in!  Thank you, Mom for being such an inspiration.  I hope and pray that someday I will be half the Mom that you are for Brianne, Kaitlyn and me. We love you. 

Amanda Keeven (Dental Hygienist):

Amanda, what do you love most about your mom?

Amanda: Darn, that is a hard one because I love everything about her! She's my best friend... and I love that no matter what happens, I can always count on her to be there for me.

Lisa Schatz (Dental Assistant):

Lisa, what is one of your favorite memories with your mom?

Lisa: My favorite memory with my mom was her walking me down the aisle when I got married. Growing up without a dad, it was very special to have my mom walk me down because she's always been there for me no matter what.

Megan Russell (Dental Assistant):

Megan, what is one of your favorite memories with your mom?

Megan: When I was in high-school we went to Branson three summers in a row and went shopping at the outlets and went to Silver Dollar City and the Dixie Stampede. The year I got my permit, she let me drive all the way down there. I thought she was going to have a heart attack the whole way. 

From The Mothers On Our Team… What Do You Love Most About Being A Mom? 

From Caitlin, a Rookie Mom: What I love the MOST about being a momma, is that no-one in the world can replace you to your child. When they are sick, tired, or just plain grumpy, YOU are the one they want. I find it to be true with my 1 year old and I STILL find it to be true about myself with my mom. Your mom is the one you go to with everything, and she always loves you just as you are. Moms are truly irreplaceable, and I cannot imagine my life without my amazing mom!

From Chris, a Veteran Mom: 

Chris, do you have any advice for new moms?

Chris: Enjoy every minute when your kids are little, they grow up so fast. As they grow; love them, laugh with them, and listen to them. Pick your battles, but stick to your guns. Be the parent first and the friend second. When they are older, they will appreciate it.

Mothers, We Appreciate You!

Whether your mom lives near or far, show her how grateful you are for her this Mother’s Day. To all you moms out there, THANK YOU!

Have any great stories about your awesome mom or an amazing motherly figure in your life? Post it in the comments below or on our Facebook page!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Whiten Your Smile!

IT IS NOT UNCOMMON for your teeth to lose their luster over time, which is why so many people are interested in whitening them!

Teeth Get Yellow For A Number Of Reasons

Teeth becoming yellow over time is as normal as graying hair–it is a natural part of the aging process. As we get older, our tooth enamel begins to thin due to everyday wear and tear. This causes the layer beneath our enamel, called the dentin, to show more, giving our teeth a more yellow appearance.

There are other factors that can cause teeth to yellow other than aging however, such as:

• Tobacco use
• Food and drink
• Poor dental hygiene
• Dental trauma
• Certain medications

If you want to prevent your teeth from yellowing as best you can, we suggest you change some of your lifestyle habits. If you use tobacco in any form, quit. Consume acidic food and drink in moderation and monitor your intake of beverages that can stain your teeth such as wine, coffee, tea, soda, etc. And as always, brush up on your oral hygiene habits and make sure you’re getting frequent cleanings!

We Would Love To See You At Our Office

This spring, from March-June, we are doing a charitable whitening campaign in the office! ALL proceeds from whitening is directly donated to charity. 50% of the proceeds are going to Smiles for Life, a charitable foundation benefiting children nationwide. The other 50% of the proceeds are going to our local charity that we all know and love, The BackStoppers! If you aren't familiar with them, The BackStoppers provides needed financial assistance and support to the spouses and dependent children of all police officers, firefighters and volunteer firefighters, and publicly-funded paramedics and EMTs in our coverage area who have lost their lives or suffered a catastrophic injury performing their duty. 

At our practice, we offer a tray-based whitening system, where we customize your mouthpiece to exactly fit your teeth! This will protect the soft tissues of your mouth, especially your gums, as well as ensure maximum contact between your teeth and the whitening solution.

We’d love to see you, whether that’s for a cleaning, checkup, or whitening treatment!

Thanks for reading our blog!!

Dr. Andrew Bruening & Dr. Carissa Bruening are
 General & Family Dentists located in Chesterfield, Missouri.

636-532-3311 | admin@chdental.net

Check Out Our Website!

To stay up to date with patient appreciation raffles, office specials, and volunteer events, go "LIKE" our Facebook Page by searching @chdental or Chesterfield Hilltown Dental. We are always accepting new patients, and our family looks forward to meeting yours!

See What MTM Can Do For Your Smile

IF YOU WANTED TO STRAIGHTEN your teeth back in the day, you really only had one option–traditional metal braces. Nowadays, our patients have a variety of different options when it comes to how they would like to have their teeth straightened and what is most convenient for them. At our office, we offer MTM® Clear Aligners! 

MTM® Treatment Provides Many Benefits

Not everyone is a good candidate for MTM, but if you are, it may be a great option to achieve your dream smile!

As the name implies, MTM trays are nearly invisible, allowing you to go throughout your daily activities with most people being unaware that you are undergoing orthodontic treatment! The aligners are custom-made for you, ensuring a perfect, comfortable fit.

Of course one of the best perks of choosing MTM is being able to eat whatever you want! Because you can take your aligners off while eating and drinking, you don’t have to worry about staying away from the foods that you love. MTM trays also don’t affect your oral hygiene routine like traditional braces do. You can brush and floss as you normally would!

You also won’t have to worry about getting used to metal brackets that may cut into your cheeks and lips at the beginning of treatment or during sporting events. With clear aligners, you don’t have to sacrifice comfort to get the smile you’ve always wanted.

As an MTM patient, you’ll generally have less office visits than those with traditional braces. So if you have a busy schedule but still want to improve your smile, clear aligners might be just the thing for you!

Watch the video below to hear the patients' perspective of MTM.

Talk To Us About MTM®

We want your treatment to reflect your unique smile, lifestyle and personality. Call us today to discuss any questions you might have about MTM! At our practice, we believe your smile deserves the very best.

Thank you for choosing our practice. We absolutely love our patients!

Dr. Andrew Bruening & Dr. Carissa Bruening are
 General & Family Dentists located in Chesterfield, Missouri.

636-532-3311 | admin@chdental.net

Check Out Our Website!

To stay up to date with patient appreciation raffles, office specials, and volunteer events, go "LIKE" our Facebook Page by searching @chdental or Chesterfield Hilltown Dental. We are always accepting new patients, and our family looks forward to meeting yours!

Lights, Camera, Action: It’s Movie Time!

THE SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER SEASON will soon be upon us! With so many great movies coming out this year, we decided we wanted to share some of our team’s all-time favorites! Our Team’s Top Movie Picks! We love movies in our practice, so we asked our team members to share what their favorite movie was and why. Here’s what they said: Dr. Andrew Bruening Favorite Movie: Inception and Shutter Island Why: Because they are rather unexpected and don't really leave you with all of the answers. Dr. Carissa Bruening Favorite Movie: Anchorman Why: It is just so stupid and funny, I have seen it at least 100 times. Chris Favorite Movie: Jurassic Park Why: Action! And dinosaurs never get old. Caitlin Favorite Movie: The Campaign Why: Anything with Zach Galifianakis always just gives me a really good belly laugh. All of his movies are great, but The Campaign is for sure my favorite. I just love his character with his two little pugs. Amanda Favorite Movie: She's The Man Why: I have seen it so many times that I can literally quote every single word. I just love it! Lisa Favorite Movie: Pirates of the Caribbean  Why: Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom are definitely a perk. It is fun and lighthearted and brings back memories of the ride in Disney World. Megan Favorite Movie: Interstellar Why: I like that it is such an in depth movie and when you watch it re-watch it several times, you still notice things that you didn't before.  Speaking of great movies, check out the video below to see whether or not you’ve been correctly quoting these iconic films! What’s Your Favorite Movie? Now that we’ve shared some of our favorites, we want to hear from you too! Whether you enjoy goofy comedies, gripping suspense films, or insightful documentaries, we’d love to hear what your favorite movies are. Who knows, maybe one of them will become one of our new favorites! Leave your movie picks in the comments below or on our Facebook page! Thanks for being our star patients! Dr. Andrew Bruening & Dr. Carissa Bruening are  General & Family Dentists located in Chesterfield, Missouri. 636-532-3311 | admin@chdental.net Check Out Our Website! To stay up to date with patient appreciation raffles, office specials, and volunteer events, go "LIKE" our Facebook Page by searching @chdental or Chesterfield Hilltown Dental. We are always accepting new patients, and our family looks forward to meeting yours!

Sippy Cups

AS YOUR CHILD GRADUATES from using a bottle to enjoy their milk, it’s important to remember their oral health as you decide what step to take next.

Sippy Cups Are Only A Stepping Stone

Sippy cups were designed to be a transitional step from bottle drinking to drinking from a regular cup. Despite this, many children end up drinking from sippy cups for months or even years until they are encouraged to begin using a regular cup. Although sippy cups prevent unwanted spills that may arise as they’re transitioning from a bottle, prolonged use can lead to a host of problems for their growing smile.

Prolonged Sippy Cup Use Leads To Cavities

Drinking from a sippy cup for long periods of time has similar effects to putting your baby to bed with a bottle. The sugars in both milk and juice combine with bacteria to create enamel-eroding bacteria. When babies fall asleep with bottles, the fluid pools around their teeth and slowly erodes their enamel throughout the night—leading to painful tooth decay (also known as caries).

Drinking from a sippy cup all day has a similar effect. When a child drinks from a sippy cup, they immerse their top six teeth. Depending on what’s in their cup, they could be constantly covering those top teeth with sugar. Dental caries may soon follow, which can result in uncomfortable swelling and infection, and even triple their likelihood of developing cavities in their adult teeth.

Keep These Tips In Mind

We understand how convenient sippy cups can be during the early stages of your child’s development, but we’d encourage you to use them as a temporary step on the way to using of a regular cup. Some children quickly learn how to manage a regular cup and skip the use of a sippy cup altogether.

If your child does need the help of a sippy cup when transitioning from a bottle, keep the following in mind:

• Don’t allow your child to use their sippy cup throughout the day. Reserve this for snacks and mealtime.
• If they want to drink sugary beverages, encourage them to use a straw. This ensures the sugary liquid misses the teeth as they’re drinking.
• Visit your child’s dentist early and often. They should have their first dental appointment by the time they get their first tooth or reach the age of one.

We Love Helping Your Child’s Growing Smile!

We know parents have a lot of questions about their little ones’ oral and overall health. If you have questions about transition your infant from a bottle or have other questions about their oral health, please let us know! We’re committed to helping provide all of the information you need during this important period of their life.

Thank you for being a part of our practice family!

Dr. Andrew Bruening & Dr. Carissa Bruening are
 General & Family Dentists located in Chesterfield, Missouri.

636-532-3311 | admin@chdental.net

Check Out Our Website!

To stay up to date with patient appreciation raffles, office specials, and volunteer events, go "LIKE" our Facebook Page by searching @chdental or Chesterfield Hilltown Dental. We are always accepting new patients, and our family looks forward to meeting yours!

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Bright, Healthy Smiles Are Priceless

WE DON’T SIMPLY clean teeth and fill cavities at our practice—we educate our patients! From the moment you walk through our door to the moment you schedule your next appointment, we’re prepared to guide you through each step of your visit.

One topic we are often asked about is paying for your dental care. Cleaning your teeth doesn’t have to clean out your wallet, so today we want to provide you with all of the information you need to know when you’re scheduling your next appointment.

We Have Payment Options To Suit Your Needs

Dental Insurance

We file all dental insurances at our office as a courtesy to our patients. We are premier providers with some insurances. It is best to call our office in Chesterfield and speak to Chris regarding the details because even within the same company, insurance plans can vary greatly.

Financing Options

We have also researched and registered with two third-party financing companies. Lending Club and Care Credit both offer no-interest 6 month & 12 month plans for your health needs, including dental. We are happy to help you to apply in office, or you can do that from home. 

Bright, Healthy Smiles Are Priceless

Whichever option you choose, we are committed to providing our patients with quality, personalized care. If you have any questions about payment for your oral health care or if you’re curious about specific treatment pricing for yourself or someone you care about, feel free to give us a call. We’d love to help you receive the care you need at the price that fits your budget.

Thank you for continuing to place your trust our practice!

Dr. Andrew Bruening & Dr. Carissa Bruening are
 General & Family Dentists located in Chesterfield, Missouri.

636-532-3311 | admin@chdental.net

Check Out Our Website!

To stay up to date with patient appreciation raffles, office specials, and volunteer events, go "LIKE" our Facebook Page by searching @chdental or Chesterfield Hilltown Dental. We are always accepting new patients, and our family looks forward to meeting yours!