Looking for some family-friendly and educational activities this summer?
Look no further: the Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) at Union Terminal has a new section for families that helps showcase the importance of dental health and good oral hygiene habits.
The initiative—appropriately called “Inside the Grin”—is a giant mouth (yes, you read that right!) that allows adults and kids to walk through and explore different facets of dental health.
Here’s just a few areas the exhibit focuses on:
The experience of visiting the Dentist
When you first come up to the exhibit, you’ll notice the giant mouth, yes, but once you’re inside the giant mouth, it becomes clear that the inside is also modeled after a dentist office.
Put simply: there’s a dental office IN a giant mouth. It doesn’t get better than that!
At the same time, the “office” features an interactive dentist’s chair and fun alongside educational videos on oral health. It’s great for hands-on play but also for some real lessons on how to take care of your teeth and gums.
Proper oral health habits
Kids will have a ton of fun using giant floss to floss between massive (yes, massive!) teeth.
Thanks to the enormous floss, they can see just how daily, positive oral hygiene can help ward off bacteria growth, tartar, and plaque.
The most effective way to brush your teeth
Another part of the exhibit features—you guessed it—a giant toothbrush. So not only can you practice flossing and see how floss helps to get those hard-to-reach areas, but you can use a huge toothbrush to practice the proper brushing technique.
How dental care is empowering
One thing that this exhibit shows: we have control of our own dental health, and that’s a great lesson for kids to learn. Oral healthcare SHOULD be seen in a positive light, and children don’t have to fear or worry about going to the dentist or about caring for their smiles.
Animal teeth
Kids love animals, and even this oral health exhibit delivers in this arena, too! One part of the giant mouth features a section that talks all about animal teeth. (After all, people are animals, too.) But this section includes facts about other animals’ teeth, not just humans.
Habits that can cause development issues in the mouth
The exhibit also features some other habits that kids may have and how that can impact oral health. For example: thumb sucking and pacifiers are usually okay and normal, but if those behaviors persist for too long, there can be lasting issues related to the desired development of the jaw. It can even result in speech impediments, in some cases, as the exhibit showcases. (So yes, the exhibit teaches mom and dad AND the kids a thing or two!)
Polish Up On Your Dental Knowledge with the Entire Family
Inside the Grin is a great, family-friendly activity that all can enjoy! Plus, it’s also a win-win that kids are able to see some of the results of poor oral healthcare.
After all, tooth decay is the leading chronic infectious disease in kids today but it is mostly something we can prevent.
We’re concluding National Dental Care Month, so with that in mind, let’s cover 4 things every family should know, but may not know yet, about dental health:
1. It’s very important to keep your regular dental check-up
Your regular dental check-ups are critical appointments to keep for everyone in the family! For many people, this is twice a year, unless we’ve recommended that you come in more often.
First and foremost, we check for cavities and do regular X-rays to be sure we detect any issues or problems as early as we can. We want to avoid major issues such as tooth loss or jaw-related issues, too, and so an exam is important to prevent any decay from reaching that point.
We also examine your gum to see how healthy they are, and how much they have changed since we saw you last. This is when we measure the depth of the spaces between the teeth and gums, which helps us to know more about the exact health of your gums. The goal here is to make sure you don’t develop gum disease.
We’ll examine your tongue, throat, head, neck, and face to look for signs of cancer—which many people don’t realize is part of their regular dental check-up!
What people are more familiar with, usually, is the deep cleaning done at your visit. That’s important, too, because it removes plaque and tartar that is not possible to remove at home. If you hear us say “scaling” that’s where we remove this plaque and tartar build-up, which is why your teeth feel so clean when you leave!
Both of these components of your visit—the oral examination and the deep cleaning—are critical to protecting your oral health and preventing oral cancer. That’s why you want to do your best to never miss an appointment!
2. Be sure to tell us about your sleep apnea
Mom or Dad not getting the rest they deserve? Sleep apnea is an area impacting the quality of life for many families today. Sleep apnea is a type of sleep disorder in which a person has pauses in breathing, or shallow or infrequent breathing during sleep. This pattern results in a less restful sleep cycle, and can mean you wake up tired!
Since sleep is a very important part of our lives, for rejuvenation, healing, and rest, sleep apnea is a serious problem for your overall health. Airway obstruction during sleep impairs breathing, which can lead to craniofacial malformation, improper bite, and jaw deformation, among other issues related to your teeth and jaw.
What many families do not know is that we offer small, lightweight alternative devices, known as Oral Appliance Therapy, which can greatly improve sleep apnea or sleep-related issues and disorders. Oral Appliance Therapy devices are effective treatment options for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.
They are custom-fit, non-invasive, quiet, easy to wear, and portable enough to be convenient for travel. The goal is to support the jaw and tongue in a forward position to help maintain an open airway.
We have tons of options for your family, so ask us to learn more! We know that each patient has a unique set of symptoms and concerns. With the oral appliance options and ability to customize for the individual, we are able to see astounding results!
Consider this: Over 90 percent of our patients who use them have had successful improvement. Even better, these appliances are more comfortable and less cumbersome than a CPAP therapy machine!
3. Good oral health habits really do start young!
A startling fact: the most common childhood disease is tooth decay. Tooth decay actually affects one in four kids in the US that are between the age of 2 and 5. When you look at children a bit older, between 12 and 15, that ratio jumps to one in two, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Since this kind of tooth decay can typically be prevented with habits and dietary choices, it goes to show how starting early—brushing twice a day, flossing and keeping up with regular dental visits, to name the basics—is critically important.
A few other habits you can foster in your children at a young age:
Drinking enough water
Making healthy food choices when possible
At least 2 minutes for every time you brush (two times a day)
Regular cups instead of sippy cups when recommended by your dentist/pediatrician
Wear a mouth guard in hands-on sports to protect your teeth and jaw
The idea that dental health is not a chore…it can be fun!
All in all, you want your children to have confidence when it comes to their entire health—and that includes confidence when it comes to smiling—both now and in the coming years.
Recognize that your children learn a lot of positive dental habits at a young age, and the idea of going to the dentist fits into this category as well!
Another thing: some people say baby teeth “don’t matter.” Well, that’s not true! If baby teeth do decay, and as a result fall out sooner than they would have normally, the adult teeth may come in early. In that case, if they don’t have as much room as they should, problems can occur. In other words, you don’t want to mess with the natural progression of teeth in your baby’s mouth due to tooth decay.
4. Take advantage of your dental insurance
Do you have dental insurance? If so, for the great majority of people, your dental benefits re-set every single year.
Said another way, most people have dental benefits that are based on a one-year benefit period, and in most cases, that benefit period is based on our calendar year. That means at the end of the calendar year, you want to be sure your family members use them before they go away! If you don’t use them within that year, you forfeit those benefits and they don’t “carry over” until next year.
It’s never a bad idea to get to know more about your insurance policy if you have questions or if you aren’t sure how to maximize your value from your current plan. Consider calling your insurance company to ask more about the type of deductible you have, for example.
But beware: If you have a family deductible plan it will work differently than an individual plan; as a result, you could have already hit your deductible and would therefore want to know that as soon as possible. At the very least, you may want to login to your insurance company’s website online (or call in if you prefer) and see how much you have paid towards your deductible already.
Besides being accessible through your insurance company’s website, that’s also something that is often sent to you via your insurance statements. Those typically come in on a monthly basis or quarterly basis, depending on your insurance provider. We’re here to help, so be sure to ask us if you have questions.
Family Dental Care at Hagen Dental Practice
Whether you or a loved one are worried about pain, have had a past dental experience that might have been unpleasant, or are uncomfortable about your own perceived dental problems, we will work to treat you with kindness and understanding. We are here to earn your family’s trust with personalized care!
So, you feel like you have “bad teeth.” Is it possible that genetics is to blame?
Here’s why this Mother’s Day, you definitely can’t blame mom for “bad teeth”!
Your Genetics & Your Mouth
We’ve all made of genes, and those genes are a tiny section of our DNA. These genes help to shape how we look and how we behave in our environment.
Genes come from our parents, and they impact some of our physical traits and also can increase the chance of getting certain conditions or diseases that our parents may have had or carried.
There’s a lengthy list of what we get from our genetics, or what we get directly from our parents: eye color, hair color and texture, height, and even facial features come right from our parents! Since half of the DNA comes from your mother, and half comes from your father, that helps to explain why we don’t look exactly like just one of our parents.
So what aspects of our dental health and our teeth’s appearance come from our genetics? And can we blame our parents if we have a cavity? Well, that’s a good question! Let’s dig deeper to see what is in part determined by your parents and their genes…
Size and shape of your teeth
You guessed it: the size and shape of your teeth do come from mom and dad! Even when those first teeth appear is determined by mom and dad’s genes.
Baseline color of your teeth
The natural color of your teeth is one part of your physical appearance that is determined in part by your genes. But lifestyle factors almost always are going to have a great deal of impact on the tint or shade of your enamel over time, so you can’t blame mom or dad with that one if you feel like your teeth are started to get discolored.
Jaw structure and crooked teeth
Although it’s hard to define what people mean when they feel that they have so-called “bad teeth,” most of us want to have teeth that are aligned, straight, and symmetrical in the mouth.
Having crooked teeth or a misaligned jaw, or other jaw-related issues, can be due to genetics.
Also consider that the way your teeth fit in your mouth is due to the size of your teeth, the size of your jaw, how you chew, and more. That’s shaped by genetics but lifestyle—thumb-sucking, what we do with our tongue, and more—all move, shift, and change the teeth, too.
That’s also why your teeth can be straightened and re-aligned, after all!
Tooth enamel
Arguably, one aspect of having great teeth is having healthy and strong enamel. Technically, the natural strength of your enamel is your genes, so you CAN thank mom and dad for that.
But…once again, even though that may be true, a strong determinant of your long-term enamel strength is going to be your daily and ongoing oral health habits and living a lifestyle that protects your enamel.
Saliva
There is a gene that impacts how much saliva you produce! Recall that in the mouth, acids work to leech minerals from your enamel, which weakens the enamel over tie.
But your saliva (think: calcium and phosphates!) naturally work against this process and they natural add/protect minerals in the mouth. Of course our natural saliva only can do so much in the mouth, but it’s interesting to see how genes even impact our saliva strength (1).
Taste sensitivity
Do genes make us more inclined to eat sweets? (This is important to know because eating a great deal of sweets is one way we encourage the harmful oral bacteria to thrive and destroy our tooth enamel.)
So, the short answer to this question is no.
Here’s what is shaped in part by your genes: your taste-ability! “Taste ability” is a term used to describe a measure of the variety of things you have the ability to taste. We do have a gene variant for this ability, which certainly can, in theory, impact our food choices.
Keep this in mind, however: that this is slightly different than whether or not we are genetically predisposed to like certain foods or to crave more sweets.
Here’s what we know for now: genetic AND environmental effects are significant in predicting food preferences in our kids. So that means our children may have some predisposition to being able to taste a variety of flavors, but that isn’t a reason why they tend to avoid vegetables or why they have a “sweet tooth.” Much more important factors tend to be family influences, habits, your upbringing, culture, memories, context for the food, smell, and beyond (1).
You Really Are In Control of Your Oral Health!
All in all, it’s clear that genetics do shape and play a role in how our teeth look, especially when we’re young. Genes also determine some of the baseline factors related to our teeth and oral health.
With that said, you are still in control of environmental factors, all of which will be significant determinants of your oral health and ability to combat tooth decay.
Translation: this Mother’s Day, don’t blame mom for any cavities! Instead, continue to each nutrient-dense foods and avoid added sugar when you can, load up on water as your beverage of choice, brush and floss each day, and keep up your regular hygiene visits with us!
Meet the Friendly and Compassionate Team at Hagen Dental
We keep your family smiling not just with quality treatment, but with the very friendly and compassionate manner with which it’s provided.
If it’s time for your hygiene visit, or if you’re ready to schedule a no-cost/no-obligation consultation with Dr. Hagen, schedule online or give us a call at (513) 251-5500.
Each day when we brush, we work to combat plaque buildup on our teeth. That plaque is the sticky, colorless film of bacteria you can find in the mouth.
If that sounds like something you want to avoid, you’re spot on!
In simple terms: Whenever we eat food or drink something, bacteria releases acids and those attack our tooth enamel. Plaque does even more damage to the teeth because it allows those acids to do FURTHER harm to the enamel.
The reality is that bacteria is constantly in our mouth (anywhere between 10 and 50 billion bacteria, in fact!), so we all develop some amount of plaque. If we don’t work to remove the plaque—through brushing, flossing, and regular professional teeth cleanings—it can harden. At that point it can become tartar, and that attaches to the enamel and—you guessed it—that “hardened plaque” can be much tougher to beat.
“Do I Have Tartar Buildup In My Mouth?”
Tartar in the mouth is essentially a mineral buildup. It is visible to see if it’s above your gum line; a common sign of tartar is yellow or brown deposits, often found along your bottom front teeth.
Worried you have signs of plaque buildup or even tartar? The only sure way to know is by seeing us! This is something we’d tell you about when you come in for your regular teeth cleaning, which is also a major way you can prevent tartar and plaque buildup. Let’s continue exploring this topic.
Plaque Buildup Over Time
Over time, plaque buildup leads to gingivitis. If it continues to progress, it can lead to serious gum disease. At that point, your gum can recede and pull away from your teeth. Just think of how the bacteria can continue to hurt your teeth when they have more surface area to attack!
If periodontitis does occur because of unchecked plaque buildup, you can have very irritated gums that can bother you, serious tooth decay, your teeth can become loose, and you can suffer from seriously bad breath.
How To Prevent Tartar Buildup
Proper brushing is the foundation to working against plaque buildup in the mouth. Flossing, in combination with your professional cleanings, also work to eliminate and prevent plaque and tartar formation.
Once tartar has formed, only your dentist or hygienist can remove it, which just goes to show how important those regular visits with us are.
How do they do it? The process is called scaling, and that’s where we use specific dental tools to remove the buildup above and below your gum line. That’s partially why your teeth really do feel so clean when you leave our office.
Tartar Control Toothpastes Help Your Oral Health Routine
Want that fresh, clean feeling in your mouth?! Who doesn’t…and that is what tartar control toothpastes, in general, help to provide you with.
Gum detoxify toothpaste, as one example, is a form of toothpaste that uses a formula designed to penetrate areas so that you can consistently remove plaque bacteria in the mouth. It’s a relatively new toothpaste that is gaining popularity because of how well it works!
Gum detoxify toothpaste uses a foam that is effective at reaching typically hard-to-reach areas in the mouth when we brush. As an activated foam, it works to neutralize plaque bacteria, especially around your gum line. Some people enjoy using it because first, it helps to encourage a thorough clean; two, it does neutralize the harmful plaque bacteria around the gum line; and three, it has a cooling sensation when you brush.
How To Use Gum Detoxify Toothpaste
You’ll want to squeeze your normal amount of paste onto your toothbrush and begin to brush. This is when the activated foam will start to do its work…
Specifically, the special ingredient in gum detoxify toothpaste, stannous fluoride, will be working against gingivitis up to 4mm below the gum line by neutralizing plaque bacteria, binding to and then blocking toxic metabolites from attaching to immune receptors.
In simple terms, that helps to prevent the inflammatory response that would happen otherwise in your mouth!
Brush for two to three minutes, unless we’ve told you otherwise—spitting, rinsing, and repeating as you normally would when brushing. Aim to spend an even time in each section of the mouth. (Don’t forget to floss, too.) Now the antibacterial gum protection will work for up to 12 hours after brushing.
All in all, gum detoxify toothpaste is one more way to combat bacteria and to help prevent or reverse early gum damage. Ask us if this kind of deep-cleaning toothpaste is right for you so you can best manage harmful plaque bacteria around your gum line.
Remove Plaque & Prevent Tartar With Your Professional Teeth Cleaning
Now you’ve realized just how much tartar threatens the state of your oral health. Not to mention it makes your smile less attractive and can lead to long-term issues for your oral health!
Knowing just how important your regular teeth cleaning is to fighting and removing tartar, be sure to schedule with us today: click here on our website to schedule or call us at (513) 251-5500.
Your tooth enamel: it’s the outer surface layer of your teeth that protects your teeth against decay. It’s known as the strongest mineral substance in our body, which shows you just how strong it really is!
Since it is the outermost layer of our teeth, it’s also what comes into contact with everything you eat and drink. That’s why, despite how strong it can be, it can become weakened over time. Let’s take a closer look at how tooth enamel damage can happen, and how you can prevent it.
How Enamel Damage Happens
In our quest to keep our enamel strong, it’s good to know about two types of damage that can affect the enamel.
First, there is abrasion. As you may have guessed, abrasion is when there is something that rubs against the teeth. An examples of this: it is possible to do damage with a hard-bristled toothbrush over time. Also, something like scraping your teeth with utensils can be a form of abrasion on the teeth.
The second form of damage is due to erosion. Erosion is because of overexposure, and usually happens over time. If you over-expose the enamel to acids, this can weaken the enamel. Certain dietary acids in the stomach can even end up regurgitated, or toxins can be released and these are also damaging to your teeth (1, 2).
What Does it Look Like if My Enamel is Eroding?
If you think you might have enamel loss, ask us so we can have a conversation about it! The signs are not always as obvious as you may think, or at least the early signs aren’t…
You may see that the shape or the color of your teeth appears to be slowly changing. Or maybe one day you just notice the changes that have been slowly happening, and now you just finally see it!
Your teeth may also look more yellow, without reason, or they could appear very shiny.
Do you notice that the edges of your teeth look different than they used to? If the edges seem a bit more “rough,” that might be a sign of tooth enamel loss. You might also see “marks” or what appears to be indents on your teeth that you haven’t noticed before.
Third, if you have extreme sensitivity to hot, cold, or even sweet foods, it could be another sign that you have enamel damage (among other potential issues). Sometimes people even get so used to tooth sensitivity they don’t even realize it’s become a problem! (1, 2)
Top Ways to Protect Your Enamel
Most people want to keep their enamel strong and healthy for a lifetime. After all, that’s what helps you fight off tooth decay and it keeps your smile looking as vibrant and healthy as possible.
It’s true that tooth erosion will happen with age, but make sure you brush your teeth twice a day, the proper way, to help protect your enamel.
You also want to floss every to fight off the plaque build-up and to prevent further decay between all your teeth and along the gum line. Those two steps are quite beneficial in preserving your enamel.
If you’d like to learn more about how nutrition can impact your enamel, ask us for specific details so we can go over what you may be eating or drinking that can be making a difference in your mouth. In general, the more acidic, the more damage foods can do. Just think of things like pop, lemon juice, sports drinks, orange juices, or energy drinks that are very high in acid. Plus, people tend to drink those and then the acid just sits on their teeth.
Other potential offenders may include tomato-based products, coffee, alcohol, oranges, and grapefruits, to name a few.
Ask yourself: do you or your kids drink soft drinks every day? They can have phosphoric and citric acids. Even fruit drinks are acidic, and some are so acidic they can be more erosive than battery acid. Those are two major offenders you can cut down on or entirely avoid.
Besides taking a look at nutrition with you, we also encourage you to use a mouthwash to fight off demineralization. This is one more way to fight plaque in hard-to-reach areas or in stubborn areas in the mouth. Just ask us for the one that is right for you.
Last but not least, keep up with your regular check-ups with us, where we do a professional, deep cleaning and where we spot any problems before they are made worse.
All in all, the “secret” to strong enamel really isn’t that much of a secret!
In Conclusion…
Enamel is so durable that it’s stronger than bones in your body. But unlike bones, your teeth don’t grow back if you damage them. Said another way, you can’t re-generate your enamel! But with more than 300 types of bacteria that can attack your teeth and wear down the outermost layer, it does take daily habits to protect and preserve your enamel! (2)
The takeaway: even though enamel is very strong, you want to be careful with your teeth and you want to protect and preserve the enamel the best you can.
Routines are great to have because they can help to improve health, well-being, and productivity!
“Tell me more,” you might be saying!
Here is what to know about the power of routines in your life:
Habits Help Determine Our Long-term Quality of Life
What we do each day, consistently over time, is what ultimately gets us to our desired outcomes. There are things we can’t begin to control that happens in our lives, but our day in and day out habits are what we CAN control.
That’s why routines, even when they are a small part of our day, really do matter.
Think about your oral health routine. At minimum, this can include:
Brushing your teeth properly and regularly, usually twice per day
Regular and consistent flossing each day
Visiting your dentist regularly, at least twice per year
Other parts of your oral health routine might be regularly consuming water throughout the day, using mouthwash, watching your sugar intake, eating nutrient-dense foods, and more.
It is these “small” habits, like these, that end up compounding over time and helping to determine your OVERALL oral health.
That’s true with our overall quality of life, in many cases. Think about it this way: It’s not one or two workouts that make or break your fitness; rather, it’s consistently working out over time that helps you stay at the fitness level you desire. Similarly, it’s not one dessert or one unhealthy meal that determines our overall weight and body composition; rather, it’s consistently over weeks and months and years.
Routines Help us Master Our Time
Another reason routines are so powerful is because they cut down on the number of decisions we have to make each day.
They also help us fight when our feelings or emotions get in the way of our good intentions.
Take for example when you wake up, and feel too tired or not in the mood for a workout. If that happens, and your workout isn’t an ingrained part of your routine, you’ll probably tell yourself you will work out later in the day. Or maybe you just convince yourself you’d rather snooze than do your workout.
In other words, without a routine, there’s greater room for error in what you set out to do!
On the other hand, if you plan and build a consistent routine around a workout session—let’s say, 3 times per week—it’s already on the calendar. It’s part of your morning routine, and you know it’s coming, and so does your body—both mentally and physically. Even if those feelings creep in when you hear the alarm clock in the morning, you are much more likely to fight them off when that workout is part of your morning routine. Science has even shown this to be true that routines help us stick to what we WANT to do for our “future self”.
Having that kind of structure or daily commitment to our habits also reduces the need for us to plan. We know we’re going to do it, because it’s the norm, so we can use our energy in other ways. That added structure ends up helping us get more done, plain and simple.
Routines Help Us Feel Good About Our Decisions
Yes, routines help us to be more efficient with our time, and they help us set out to do what we really want to do. As described, routines work to minimize how much our feelings or emotions get in the way, in the moment, of what we intended to do.
But routines also help us prioritize what we really want to prioritize. Think about your oral health. Who wouldn’t want healthy teeth, after all?! Having a daily routine around good oral health habits helps ensure we prioritize the behaviors that support our oral health.
It sounds so simple, but it’s true.
When we look back on a routine we’ve held for quite some time that supports our health, we can feel really great about these positive decisions. After a few months of a new morning routine, we can have more confidence in our ability to trust ourselves to behave in ways aligned with our long-term health goals. That’s a powerful cycle.
Thanks to how routines help us prioritize what we truly want to do for ourselves, we can reduce the need or over-reliance on “willpower” alone. That’s also a great feeling.
Make Routines Work for You
Maybe you ENJOY variety. That’s fine! That doesn’t mean you can’t ALSO have a routine or daily ritual of some kind that works for you.
Maybe you enjoy a bit more variety in the morning, so you can have a routine that you do at night before you go to sleep. Or maybe your routine is mid-day, for example. Or maybe you have a bit of structure, but in-between those rituals or routines, you add in some creativity. Find what works best for you.
Consider this: one of the routines that can have the biggest ROI on it is going to bed at, or near, the same time every day. This works in combination with waking up around the same time each day.
This can be an immensely powerful routine for your health because the body can really get programmed to getting a certain amount of sleep each day. Imagine you want to go to bed at 10 PM, and you want to start waking up each day at 6 AM. If you need to, start moving your alarm back by 15 minutes each day, or even each week.
You’ll be amazed with how you can suddenly wake up and feel great at 6 AM.
All in all, have confidence in yourself, start small in your changes, and work on cultivating routines that can help you support your long-term health goals.
Supporting You & Your Family’s Health
At Hagen Dental, we support your total health—including your oral health. Visit us online here to schedule or call us at (513) 251-5500.
“Fionamania”—which is a term coined by the New York Times—has really swept the nation.
The term is used to describe the interest in our very own a hippopotamus, Fiona, who was born at the Cincinnati Zoo back in January of 2017.
Fiona is a Nile hippo and she was the first of her kind to be born at our zoo in 75 years, meaning she’s quite the special hippo. Because she was born prematurely, they weren’t sure if she would make it, but thanks in part to the support by the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, she is still here today.
About Our Zoo’s Famous Hippo Fiona
Photo credit: This image used above of Fiona was captured at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, in Cincinnati, Ohio by DarthBotto.
Fiona is what we think of as the common, or large, hippo, which is also the most abundant species of hippo today. The other kind of species of hippo is called pygmy hippos. Unlike Fiona’s species, these are endangered.
Based on estimates from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, there are as many as 130,000 wild common hippos in the world. Conservations say that the population is considered relatively stable, but that could change in the future. The only other known species of hippos are the smaller pygmy hippos, which are endangered (1).
Garnering Media Attention
Since she was born about 6 weeks premature, that made our beloved Fiona the smallest hippo ever to survive such a birth. That’s part of why her remarkable story has brought her so much fame and attention. To get an idea of her growth and her size, she took her first steps when she weighed about 275 pounds. That’s when she was first introduced to nation-wide media, catching the attention and love of many.
By the time she was one, she weighed more than 655 pounds. Fast-forward to December of 2018 and she was about a third of the way toward being a full-grown female hippo, in terms of weight and size.
That’s right: she was at 1,000 out of the eventual 3,000 pounds! As you might guess, that milestone also brought about celebration in social media!
As her fans grew, so did her following on social media. In fact, several videos and photos of Fiona went viral in those early days, including a couple’s photograph of Fiona watching them get engaged in October of 2017.
Already a social media sensation, she became star of her own show “The Fiona Show” on Facebook as well. She’s also had a children’s book written about her, a mural designed for her, and she’s even appeared in Cincinnati Ballet’s production of Nutcracker, played by a 6’4″ dancer where she was said to have stolen the show (2)!
Fiona may get a great deal of attention in the news and in social media, but let’s take some time to look into something that may not often be talked about…that is, her remarkable mouth and teeth!
Fiona’s Mouth & Teeth
If you think about it, part of what makes Fiona (and any hippo!) recognizable is her mouth and their teeth. All hippos have that barrel-shaped torso, and their wide-opening mouths that show off those large canine tusks!
In fact, their mouths can open 150 degrees, typically, as shown above!
Their mouth’s huge size also makes them more easily distinguished or identified, but their teeth and mouth are also quite unique and amazing! It’s no wonder the Cincinnati Zoo features impressive video and photos that show off Fiona’s massive mouth, just like the one above…
Back when Fiona was first born and was starting to gain weight and make progress, she struggled during feeding times. She would bite or chew on anything she could; her little tusks in her mouth were causing her discomfort, just like teeth coming in also do for a baby!
The issue was this: as explained by the Cincinnati Zoo, teething at that point really shouldn’t have been happening quite yet, so they had to help her and support her through the pain.
With the support and tube feedings and round the clock care, despite a few ups and downs along the way, they helped feed her despite the challenges they faced at that time (6)!
When fully grown, Hippo’s huge mouths consist of lips that are about 2 feet wide. Just how large and impressive are those teeth? Well, their teeth that can bite a 10-foot crocodile in half! Hippos can open their mouths about 4 feet wide, in many cases. And yes, when doing so, it’s not easy to ignore those powerful, large tusk-like canines and razor-sharp incisors that you see! (4)
Young hippos typically have 32 milk teeth. These include incisors, canine, and premolars on each half of the jaw, on both sides. Adult hippos have 36 teeth. These include 2 incisors, 1 canine, 3 premolars and 3 molars on each half of the jaw, on both sides.
With that said, adult hippos can retain some of their milk teeth even years after their adult teeth come in, some hippos can have more teeth—even as many as 40 teeth, for a few years. The largest teeth, which would be the canines, are commonly referred to as tusks.
The front incisors are commonly referred to as fighting tusks. These would be what would do major damage to a predator if they were to fight! (3).
Under the attention and care of the zookeepers, Fiona is able to get her teeth cleaned. Here’s a popular video that shows her incisor tusks peeking through on top at the time during a dental check-up…hey, who knew Fiona was just like us! Take a look and see:
As shown, you can see Fiona enjoys the dental check and mouth massage while the dental staff checks the health of her mouth and teeth. It seems she really does love those regular massages she receives, as shown here, too.
Other Hippo Behaviors
We may love our Fiona, but hippos are actually…well, dangerous, and they can be quite unpredictable in the wild!
Take for example how in Africa, they are responsible for more deaths than any other mammal. They can show aggression when they need to defend their territory from other hippos or when they need to defend their space from other predators. That’s obviously not quite an issue in a zoo environment, but as she increases in size, staff will have to change how they interact with her.
One question many have is, why do hippos open their mouths as they do? Opening their mouth the distinct way they do is not just by chance. When showing aggression or when facing an aggressor, they will actually do so with their mouths open. At the same time, a female will keep her massive mouth open if and when she is protecting her young.
They can also open their mouths wide and toss their heads to display other expressions and emotions, not just aggression. According to the Cincinnati Zoo, when Fiona opens her mouth and tosses her head back and forth, that can be translated as: “Back off! I need my space” to “Let’s play!” and it can even mean, “Who’s in charge here?” This behavior may be fine between hippos, but as she continues to grow, that behavior will certainly be watched when dealing with the zookeepers (4, 5, 6)!
Supporting You & Your Family’s Health at Hagen Dental
At Hagen Dental, we support your total health—including your oral health. Visit us online here to schedule or call us at (513) 251-5500.
When this time of year rolls around, we start to see more and more green—both outside (finally—Spring is almost here!) but also we start to see quite a bit of green due to St. Patrick’s Day!
St. Patrick’s Day brings out corned beef and cabbage, lots of shamrocks, leprechauns, and quite a few signs and shirts that read “Kiss me, I’m Irish!”
Just like in many other cities, in Cincinnati, St. Patrick’s Day can also be one of the more popular times of year for drinking and for friends to gather at pubs and in bars to celebrate the occasion. One of the most common orders at these places: GREEN BEER!
Let’s take a closer look at what you might find surprising about green beer, and some of the “not so lucky” side effects of green beer on your oral health.
The History of Green Beer
Before green beer was something that people used to help celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, the term “green beer” actually referred to beer that would make you…well, sick! In fact, if you were to ask a Brewmaster today, they might also be familiar with the other meaning of the phrase “green beer.” Back in the 1800s and early 1900s, if someone said “green beer” you would think they meant green that was too young; in other words, it was used to describe beer that was not fully fermented (1).
At that time, green beer was a real concern, and consumers wanted to avoid it, needless to say. The idea of serving green beer was a perceived problem for certain beer brands, so at that time, they had marketing that claimed how bad green beer was for you and your health…and of course, those same brands went on to say how THEIR brand of beer was not at all green (1).
Green Beer Is Invented
Fast forward a few years, and green beer started to shift in terms of its meaning to the everyday consumer. Many folks point towards Professor Thomas H. Curtin as the so-called “inventor” of green beer.
Curtin was a physician who created green beer in the early 1900s. Around the same time, a few others also came up with the idea for green beer, so it’s not entirely clear who was the first to come up with the idea, but Curtin is at least one of the first to start serving and drinking it.
Another key point of history around this time: It’s reported that in 1910, the Spokane Press used a headline that said, “Green Beer Be Jabbers!” and that would make one think that perhaps green beer was consumed at that point in time! Whatever the case may be, it’s believed that somewhere around that time, green beer started to mean ACTUAL green beer to consumers!
Here’s what’s a little surprising: those that first made green beer made it similar to how it’s made today. Back then, and still today, it’s made from food coloring and beer. It’s not green food coloring that’s added to the beer in most cases; it’s actually blue food coloring because that mixes best with the yellow tint of beer to give you just-the-right shade of Irish green beer (1).
The Side Effects of Green Beer On Your Health
Just like “regular” beer (that is, beer with a yellow or brown color), drinking excessively can have a negative impact on your oral health and overall heath over time. And, whether it’s yellow or green, too much beer consumption can also impact those pearly whites by potentially making them stained and/or discolored.
In general, all beer can stain your teeth, but the lighter beers will tend to stain your teeth less than the darker beers.
So what about the green tint you may see in some peoples’ mouths this St. Patrick’s Day?
The green food coloring in green beer can stain the bacteria cell walls in plaque in your teeth. It’s a little gross to know that the food coloring can HIGHLIGHT plaque in some people’s mouth, depending on the food coloring!
So, yes, in summary, you may see a few smiles that have a bit of a green tint to them. If it happens to you, don’t be alarmed. The green tint should simply fade if you drink a good amount of water or when you brush your teeth.
Don’t Push Your Luck…
Besides some tooth discoloration over time, another side effect of drinking alcohol, including green beer, can be serious enamel erosion. You know that your teeth are VERY strong, and that’s in part due to your enamel, but what you eat and drink greatly impacts the health of your enamel.
The reality is, beer is very acidic on your teeth, so it can do damage over time to the enamel. One day or evening of drinking likely won’t cause damage, but it’s all about repetitive behaviors over time.
If you do damage the enamel because of excessive drinking, your teeth will be more sensitive. Additionally, they can appear thinner and darker. It’s not a causal relationship, but research also shows that those who drink alcohol heavily also tend to have higher plaque levels on their teeth, among other increased health risks. They are also more likely to have permanent tooth loss (1, 2).
Celebrate St. Patty’s Day…But Be Cautious & Safe!
Yes, there can be some drawbacks for your oral health with long-term, heavy alcohol consumption, including drinking green beer, if you drink it excessively.
But what about if you just want to indulge in some green beer this upcoming St. Patty’s Day?
To combat any potential negative side effects, we encourage you to keep as hydrated as possible throughout the day. As you know, water can act as a great way to cleanse the mouth, and it also works against creating an environment where bacteria thrive, whether you are drinking beer or other dark, sugary, or acidic beverages this St. Patrick’s Day. Second, don’t let the celebration keep you from your regular oral health habits. Brush up and floss, just as you normally would this St. Patrick’s Day! Last but not least, always be sure to keep your regular professional dental exams with us so we can keep an eye on your overall oral health.
All in all, the luck of the Irish really is all around us during St. Patrick’s Day! If you do plan on drinking alcohol this St. Patrick’s Day, stay as hydrated as possible, be responsible, and we encourage you to keep the drinking to a minimum!
Supporting Your Entire Health at Hagen Dental
At Hagen Dental, we support your total health—including your oral health. Visit us online here to schedule or call us at (513) 251-5500.
1 tablespoon chunk of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons each of tamari, maple syrup, and lime juice
Chili powder, to taste
1/3 cup peanut butter or for a lower-fat version, use peanut flour
1/3 cup water (more or less as needed)
Vegetable Rolls:
1 cup cooked vermicelli (that is, rice noodles or substitute with brown rice if you prefer)
5-8 rice paper sheets
1 carrot
1 avocado
1/3 cucumber
1 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup cilantro
5-8 kale leaves
1/2 red pepper
To make the peanut sauce: blend or mix together all the ingredients until smooth. If you like, sautee the garlic and ginger first. Set aside in a bowl.
To make the wraps: cut all the veggies into thin strips, and feel free to use different vegetables if desired. Dip your rice paper sheets in warm water so they soften and become pliable (do this one at a time), then arrange your fillings in the middle. Add meat such as shrimp or shredded chicken if desired.
Fold over two ends, then wrap it up like a burrito, making it as tight as possible. It might take a few tries to get it perfect. Serve with the sauce, or try without!
Start with 4-6 medium sweet potatoes which will act as the taco “shell.” The recipe calls for 4-6 medium sweet potatoes, baked.
Cilantro lime slaw:
1 small head red cabbage, shredded (about 5 cups)
2 tbsp lime juice ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tsp pure maple syrup (can sub honey)
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
Cilantro lime crema:
2 medium ripe avocados
½ cup cilantro, packed
3 tbsp lime juice
3 tbsp water (more if needed to blend)
1/4 tsp garlic power
1/4 tsp salt
For the taco filling:
You can consider using lean ground beef, ground chicken, or vegetables. For another nutrient-dense alternative, try:
2-15oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Heaping 1/2 cup pecans (or walnuts)
2 tbsp chili powder
4 tsp cumin 1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup water
You can also add sliced jalapeños, salsa, or hot sauce.
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 400F. Pierce sweet potatoes several times with a fork and cook until tender.
Meanwhile, place slaw ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring to combine. Season to taste with salt. Refrigerate until ready to use. Place all the cream ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth and creamy. The recipe creator uses a Nutribullet to do so. Set aside.
If you want to use meat, cook that in a skillet and add spices similar to what’s above. If you want to incorporate the recipe shown above: Place one can of chickpeas and half the pecans in a large food processor. Pulse for about 5-10 seconds or until finely chopped (not mushy, but well combined). It should look “meaty.” Dump into a bowl.
Repeat with remaining chickpeas and nuts. Add spices and stir until combined. Heat a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray over medium heat. Once hot, add chickpea mixture and water to moisten. Cook for a few minutes. Assemble slicing sweet potatoes length-wise and layering taco meat, slaw, crema, and toppings. Serve warm.
1/2 cup heavy cream or substitute with your preferred milk choice
1 tablespoon cream cheese (optional but delicious!)
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese plus extra for topping salt and pepper to taste grated or sliced mozzarella for topping to taste Instructions
Want to pass on dairy? Feel free to use dairy-free alternatives!
Pre-heat oven to 400F. Slice your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. For easy cutting, feel free to stick your squash in the microwave to soften it up just a tad. Pierce it a few times with a knife (to help vent so it doesn’t burst) and cook for for 3-5 minutes. The knife slides through way easier this way!
Smaller squash will need about 3 minutes while larger ones will be good to go at 4-5 min. Next grab a lipped baking sheet or a rimmed baking dish. Rub the cut side of the squash with a teeny bit of olive oil and place on your baking dish/sheet cut side down. Roast for about 40 minutes, or until tender and easily pierced with a fork.
Cooking time will vary a bit depending on the size of your squash, and larger squash will need to roast a bit longer to tenderize. Once ready, the once rock-hard exterior of the squash will be visibly softened with a tender interior. The squash can be roasted and stored in the fridge for a few days if you’d like to meal prep and plan ahead for a speedier dinner.
While the squash roasts, start on the sauce. In a medium pot or skillet, bring a drizzle of olive oil to medium-high heat and sauté garlic until fragrant. Next add the spinach and stir until wilted. Add your cream, cream cheese (totally optional but totally tasty) and parmesan cheese and stir well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.
Once squash is done roasting, allow to cool until easily handled or pop on an oven mit and use a fork to separate and fluff the strands of spaghetti squash. Pour your sauce over each squash boat, stir to mix, and top with a little mozzarella cheese and additional parmesan cheese, if desired.
Bake at 350 degrees F for around 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly. For a golden cheesy topping, flip your oven to broil on high for just a minute or two until lightly browned.
The experience of visiting the Dentist 
Proper oral health habits 
Another part of the exhibit features—you guessed it—a giant toothbrush. So not only can you practice flossing and see how floss helps to get those hard-to-reach areas, but you can use a huge toothbrush to practice the proper brushing technique.
Genes come from our parents, and they impact some of our physical traits and also can increase the chance of getting certain conditions or diseases that our parents may have had or carried.
If you think about it, part of what makes Fiona (and any hippo!) recognizable is her mouth and their teeth. All hippos have that barrel-shaped torso, and their wide-opening mouths that show off those large canine tusks!
