America turns 235 years old today! It’s a day to commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence and also a time for every American to pay homage to our soldiers – past and present – who have placed themselves in harm’s way so that we may continue to enjoy our freedom.

Our team at the office of Dr. Renee Corbitt would like to know: what are your plans for the 4th of July? Are you out in the sun? Have you stocked up on fireworks? Are you going to grill up your favorite summer foods? If you have a 4th of July tradition, we would love to hear all about it.

We hope you have a fun and safe holiday! Feel free to upload your 4th of July photos to our Facebook page and let us know how your Independence Day turned out this year.

Are you remembering to brush your teeth twice a day, especially after meals? If yes, that’s wonderful. But, don’t forget that it’s also important to visit our convenient Fort Worth office every six months in addition to brushing your teeth a couple times a day and flossing. Regular dental checkups are important for maintaining good oral health. Dr. Renee Corbitt can:

• Check for problems that might not be seen or felt
• Detect cavities and early signs of decay
• Treat oral health problems early
• Show you how to properly brush and floss your teeth

During an oral exam we will check the health of your mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks and tongue. Checkups will also include a thorough teeth cleaning and polishing. If you have not visited our office during the past six months, it’s time to schedule an appointment by calling (817) 294-8821! Summer is a great time for a quick visit!

We know bad breath can be a real downer, especially when you’re out on a date or at an important social function! However, we want you to know bad breath can be prevented!

Bad breath, or as Dr. Corbitt calls it “halitosis,” is caused by odor-producing bacteria that grows in your mouth. This bacteria gathers on bits of food in your mouth and between your teeth and release sulfur compounds making your breath smell.

Here are three ways you can prevent bad breath:

1. Brush your tongue.

3. Freshen your mouth.

Also, here are some common myths about halitosis:

Myth #1: Mouthwash will make my breath smell better

Mouthwash will make your breath smell better, but it is only a temporary fix. If you use mouthwash, just know that you will still need to brush and floss when you get the chance as mouthwash alone will not kill all of the bacteria producing germs in your mouth. When choosing a mouthwash, pick an antiseptic with plaque-reducing compounds. Also make sure any dental products you choose comes with the American Dental Association’s (ADA) seal of approval!

Myth #2: I brush my teeth; I will never have bad breath

Brushing your teeth will save you from having breath, but the truth is most people only brush their teeth for about 30-45 seconds! You need to brush your teeth for at least 2 minutes, twice a day to give your teeth a thorough cleansing. It’s also important to brush your tongue, which is where a majority of odor causing bacteria like to hang out. Lastly, flossing to remove food and plaque between the teeth will also help reduce your chances of having bad breath!

Myth #3: If I don’t smell it, then my breath is fresh

This is a false assumption in every sense of the word! The truth is that the breath you breathe out is not the same breath coming out when you talk to someone. When you breathe you are not using your throat as you do when you are talking; and when you talk more breath moves over the back of your mouth where bacteria is causing bad breath.

For more information on halitosis, we encourage you to give us a call at (817) 294-8821!

Because we know a lot of our patients have busy lives, Dr. Renee Corbitt is pleased to offer our patients the option to reverse the affects of anesthesia at the end of dental procedures. OraVerse, a local anesthetic reversal agent, reverses the effects of anesthesia so that it wears off in approximately 30 minutes, instead of the usual 120 minutes. This is great for those of you who need to get back to work or have important meetings scheduled after your appointment.

This cutting-edge treatment option allows patients to leave our Fort Worth office without the unpleasant side affects that can result from anesthesia. Dr. Corbitt offers OraVerse at a minimal cost to our patients.

Please give us a call if you have any questions about OraVerse, or if you would like to schedule your next appointment.

Lastly, we have some GREAT NEWS to share with you! Jennifer had her baby Monday, June 6th! Cooper Dean arrived June 6th at 10:23am, 8 pounds and 21 inches. We have a baby date winner as well, and will be sending an email with the photo/results once we get one from the new Mom. CONGRATS JENNIFER!

Can you believe it’s already June? Today, our team at the office of Dr. Renee Corbitt thought we’d tell you June is National Smile Month, and a good time to remind all our patients to practice good oral hygiene between your visits to our office!

Below are a few simple steps you can take to improve your oral health so that you may celebrate National Smile Month for many, many years to come:

* Brush at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
* Floss everyday to clean between your teeth.
* Reduce your intake of sugary foods and drinks
* Visit us regularly (every 6 months or as recommended by Dr. Corbitt)!

If you have questions about any of these tips, we encourage you to give us a call, ask our team during your next visit or ask us on Facebook!

The unofficial kickoff to summer—Memorial Day weekend—is a time Americans stop and remember those men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom over the course of American history.

Memorial Day also marks the unofficial start of the summer, and for many of our patients, getting out of town for three days after being cooped up in the office or in the classroom is sweet relief. At the office of Dr. Renee Corbitt, we also know Memorial Day weekend is ripe for travel. After all, it’s a season of vacations, adventures and great memories.

What about you? What are you and your family up to this Memorial Day weekend? Whether you are headed to a barbecue, a camping trip, or hitting the open roads of Texas with family this weekend, we want to know all about it!

Dr. Corbitt and our entire team wish you a nice and relaxing (and safe) Memorial Day weekend!

Jennifer’s baby could be here any day so head to our Facebook page to submit your entries for our baby contests!

We invite you to guess the baby’s weight, arrival date and time, and suggest a name for Jennifer’s baby boy. A gift card will go to the winner of each contest!

We would also like to introduce Jennifer’s maternity leave replacement, Colleen. Colleen has been here in the past and we are happy to welcome her back!

We will announce the winners once the baby arrives.

Have a great weekend!

If you’ve ever visited our convenient office located in Fort Worth, you know we offer professional individualized dental care to make your smile beautiful and healthy. Dr. Renee Corbitt, along with our personable staff, are committed to providing a clean and comfortable atmosphere for up-to-date preventive, restorative and cosmetic dental care.

Whether you’ve just come in once for a cleaning or your family has been visiting us for years, we’d love to hear your feedback. You can write a review on our Google Places page or on our Yelp listing.

We look forward to reading your feedback!

Our wonderful hygienist, Jennifer and her husband can’t decide on the name of her baby boy, who is due this June! HELP US NAME THIS BABY! If you are the first to suggest a name on Dr. Corbitt’s Facebook page that is chosen by the parents, YOU will receive a gift card! We invite you to post them on our page today through May 31st!

Vending machines are a quick way to satisfy hunger. You put in $1.50 and you get back a candy bar, bag of chips or even a soda…but that’s not all! Dr. Corbitt wants to remind you that vending machines not only dispense sweet treats and caffeine bursts, but they also dispense cavities!

Every time you chow down on that chocolate bar the bacteria in your mouth have a party feasting on the sugar. The sugar quickly turns into acid; that’s right, ACID!!! The acid sits on your teeth and eats away at the tooth’s natural enamel (the stuff that protects your tooth from decay). When this enamel is eaten away by the acid on your tooth, you get a cavity! Brushing your teeth after eating a sugary treat can help prevent cavities; but before you indulge, remind yourself: “can’t brush? Hold the sugar!”

When choosing a snack, consider these nutritional options that will not only satisfy your hunger and that “sweet tooth,” but won’t cause acid build up resulting in cavities:

• Fresh Fruits (berries, oranges, melon, pears, etc)
• Raw Vegetables (broccoli, celery, carrots, etc)
• Bread
• Pretzels (low salt)
• Milk (low or non-fat)
• Cheese (low or non-fat)
• Nuts and seeds (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc)
• Sliced meat

If you would like more advice about how you can prevent cavities, give your Fort Worth Dentist a call or ask Dr. Corbitt during your next appointment.