In honor of June Dairy Month, our team at our practice would like to thank all of our hard working families in the Dairy Industry. We all rely heavily on the hard work that our country’s farmers do!

In fact, dairy is important to your overall health! A 2008 study from the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) found that regular consumption of dairy products, such as milk, cheese and yogurt, can lower your chances of contracting periodontal disease (also known as gum disease).

Results of the study show that adults who consume at least 55 grams of lactic acid a day are less at risk for gum disease. Eating dairy is not just healthy for building strong bones, but is essential for maintaining a strong, healthy mouth.

If you have questions about foods that can improve or hinder your dental health, please don’t hesitate to give us a call or ask us on Facebook!

At Highlands Dentistry, we know nobody likes getting plaque on their teeth. Here are five other ways you can avoid that dreaded enemy of the teeth, courtesy of WebMD.

Let’s start with brushing regularly. Brushing your teeth twice a day with a fluoride-containing toothpaste is vital to a healthy mouth. Make sure you softly brush all the surfaces of your teeth.

Next on the list is flossing daily: a simple daily flossing between teeth clears away plaque before it can cause damage and can also clean plaque at the gum line. Plaque is known to reach the spaces between teeth.

Also, evading a trip to visit Drs. Ray Besharati or Shadi Araghi is probably not a great idea. Let’s say you brush and floss daily. You’re still at risk for plaque. With time, the plaque hardens and turns into tartar. Consider visiting Highlands Dentistry at least twice a year or as recommended, and you have a lower chance of getting cavities or losing your natural teeth.

You’ll also want to stop avoiding those fruits and veggies. Believe it or not, there are foods out there that play a key role in keeping plaque off our teeth. They include apples, carrots, cucumbers and other raw fruits and vegetables. You can still eat these types of fruits and veggies if you’re wearing braces, but be sure to cut them up into bite sized pieces to avoid breaking off brackets.

Finally, before you pick up that candy bar, remember to not give in to your sweet tooth. Consuming sugary drinks or eating candy or other junk food allows sugar to stick to our teeth. The bacteria, then, becomes plaque, which turns into acid and damages our teeth. Avoiding these five bad habits keeps your plaque in check and your mouth as healthy as can be. If you have any questions, give us a call or ask us on Facebook!

Even if you brush and floss daily, it is still important to see us at Highlands Dentistry every 6 months, or as recommended. Why?

• We can detect and treat tooth and gum problems that you may have never felt or noticed.
• Even thorough daily oral care may not be enough to prevent cavities and oral decay.
• Frequent visits can allow us to treat a problem early to prevent future complications.

If you are overdue for an appointment with us, please give us a call today!

-- Drs. Ray Besharati and Shadi Araghi & Team

Grind, grind, grind. If you live with a teeth grinder, you may be familiar with this unpleasant sound. Did you know teeth grinding, or bruxism, is common in children as well? In fact, three out of 10 kids grind or clench their teeth, usually in response to losing teeth, jaw growth or other discomforts, such as allergies or infections. Teeth grinding is typically a passing phenomena as most kids outgrow it by the time they reach their teenage years. An important thing to remember is that kids frequently grind their teeth in response to stress, and taking measures to reduce or eliminate stress can help solve the problem.

The first step of recovering from teeth grinding is noticing the problem. Symptoms of teeth grinding include:
• Sensitivity in the teeth
• Tightness or pain in the jaw
• Dull headaches, earaches, or facial pain
• Chipped, worn down, or loose teeth

If your child is a teeth grinder, we may be able to help. Please give us a call or ask Drs. Ray Besharati and Shadi Araghi and team on Facebook!

Drs. Ray Besharati and Shadi Araghi and team would like to wish you a safe and happy Thanksgiving. It's a big food holiday, so be sure to brush and floss your teeth!

If you have any stories or pictures to share with us, we'd encourage you to post them to our Facebook page or call our office and ask how.

Gobble Gobble!

It’s almost that spooky time of year again! Whether you are going door-to-door trick or treating, attending a party dressed in a clever, silly or scary costume, or simply getting together with friends and family to watch scary movies, Dr. Ray Besharati, Dr. Shadi Araghi and our team want you to keep in mind the following tips from our friends at the American Dental Association to help reduce tooth-decay.

•Eat treats with meals. Saliva production increases during meals washing out food particles and helping to neutralize cavity causing plaque acid.

•Consider chewing ADA-accepted sugarless gum after meals. Certain sugarless gums have earned the ADA Seal of Acceptance for scientifically proving that chewing the gum for 20 minutes after meals helped prevent tooth decay.

•Follow the 1-2-3s of good daily oral hygiene: Floss once a day, brush twice a day and eat three balanced meals a day.

•Visit Drs. Besharati and Araghi for regular checkups.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN from your friends at Highlands Dentistry!

At Highlands Dentistry, we recognize that many of our patients are concerned about bad breath, or halitosis. While some cases of bad breath are persistent (chronic bad breath), generally bad breath is transient, and can be prevented.

We recently came across this helpful video about bad breath and thought it was worth sharing with our patients. The video explains what might cause bad breath and some ways that it can be avoided. In most instances, bad breath can be prevented by practicing common oral hygiene techniques that you have probably heard us emphasize during a visit to Highlands Dentistry, such as brushing and flossing daily. We encourage you to watch this video for additional tips on how to keep bad breath at bay. Enjoy!

Did you know that October is National Dental Hygiene Month? For our staff at Highlands Dentistry, that means only one thing: Reminding you that your teeth are an important part of your body, and keeping them clean helps keep your mouth and your body healthy. By taking care of your teeth, eating a balanced diet and visiting our convenient Issaquah dental office on a regular basis, you can have healthy teeth and an attractive smile throughout your entire life.

We encourage you to check out the American Dental Association website as well, which provides pointers on keeping your mouth clean and healthy. Lastly, has it been six months since your last visit to Highlands Dentistry? If the answer is yes, we encourage you to give us a call to set up an appointment with Drs. Ray Besharati and Shadi Araghi.

Folks with big smiles may actually live longer than those who don’t, according to a March 2010 study at Michigan’s Wayne State University. Drs. Ray Besharati and Shadi Araghi have known for quite some time that positive emotion has been linked to both physical and mental health, but researchers at the university did something quite interesting: they looked at photos of 230 ball-players who began their careers in baseball prior to 1950 and studied their smile intensity (ranging from big smile, no smile or partial smile). The players' smile ratings were compared with data from deaths that occurred from 2006 through 2009. The researchers then took into account other factors that impact life longevity, including body mass index, career length and even college attendance.

The results? Researchers found that players who weren't smiling in the photos died at the average age of 72.9 years. Players with partial smiles lived to be 75. Those with big smiles, however, lived on average to be 79.9 years old.

The take-away from the new study? Smile now, smile often and you might just live longer! Have you been perfecting your smile by visiting Highlands Dentistry on a regular basis? If not, give us a call!

Everyone loves fun facts and dental tips. Fun, fun, fun! Drs. Ray Besharati and Shadi Araghi and our team at Highlands Dentistry came across these dental fun facts recently and thought you might enjoy!

• The second most common disease in the United States is cavities. The first is the common cold.
• There are almost 9,000 accidental pockings and piercings with toothpicks per year.
• X-rays may be an effective tool in preventing strokes.
• A child will have 20 baby teeth by the time he or she is 2 years old. Through childhood, kids gradually lose baby teeth and grow 32 permanent teeth, including wisdom teeth.
• According to consumer reports, dentists are among the 5 most trusted professionals in the United States.
• Approximately $2 billion a year is spent on dental products like toothpastes, mouthwashes and dental floss.
• The average American spends about 38 days brushing teeth over his or her lifetime.
• Kids in North America spend half a billion dollars per year on chewing gum.
• Approximately 94 percent of Americans say they brush nightly while only 81 percent say they brush first thing in the morning.
• Grand Rapids, MI was the first American city to fluoridate its water.
• Earliest record of a toothbrush was found in Chinese literature about 1600 AD
• The natural bristles of early toothbrushes were taken from the necks and shoulders of swine, especially pigs living in colder climates like Siberia and China.

Have you had a totally awesome experience at our office? Has our team exceeded your expectations? Do you consider our office the BEST? If so, we would love if you voted for Highlands Dentistry as your "most awesome family dentist" in Red Tricycle's Totally Awesome Awards!

Thanks so much for your trust and support!

Drs. Ray Besharati and Shadi Araghi

With the new school year upon us, our team at Highlands Dentistry understands that fall sports will be starting soon. We also know how important it is to protect your face while playing sports. Therefore, our office is helping to spread the word that many facial sports injuries can be prevented simply by reminding your kids to wear mouth guards. This week we wanted to talk about mouth guards, what they are, and when to use them. If you have any additional questions, give us a call at Highlands Dentistry. We'd love to hear from you!

Q: What are athletic mouth protectors?

A: Athletic mouth protectors, or mouth guards, are made of soft plastic. They are adapted to fit comfortably to the shape of the upper teeth.

Q: Why are mouth guards important?

A: Mouth guards hold top priority as sports equipment. They protect not just the teeth, but the lips, cheeks, and tongue. They help protect children from such head and neck injuries as concussions and jaw fractures. Increasingly, organized sports are requiring mouth guards to prevent injury to their athletes. Research shows that most oral injuries occur when athletes are not wearing mouth protection.

Q: When should my child wear a mouth guard?

A: Whenever he or she is in an activity with a risk of falls or of head contact with other players or equipment. This includes football, baseball, basketball, soccer, hockey, skateboarding, even gymnastics. We usually think of football and hockey as the most dangerous to the teeth, but nearly half of sports-related mouth injuries occur in basketball and baseball.

Q: How do I choose a mouth guard for my child?

A: Any mouth guard works better than no mouth guard. So, choose a mouth guard that your child can wear comfortably. If a mouth guard feels bulky or interferes with speech, it will be left in the locker room. Drs. Ray Besharati and Shadi Araghi can advise you on what type of mouth guard is best for your child.

Sleep disorders are fairly common, with around 50 to 70 million Americans being affected by some type chronic sleep disorder, and some of these progressing to Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), which can cause loss of sleep among many other health problems. What ages get sleep apnea? Those under age four (large tonsils) and those between the ages of 55 to 59. Snoring is one of the most easily identified symptoms, and as it worsens it can lead to full airway blockage while you sleep, which can severely disrupt your sleep patterns.

Sleep apnea is considered a serious medical problem that if left untreated can lead to high blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart failure and stroke. It can also take a toll on your overall energy level, as sleep apnea causes an ongoing state of fatigue.

If you snore at night, oral appliance therapy may represent a solution and a better night's sleep! A Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD) can be specially designed to help position your jaw in a favorable position and keep your airway open while you sleep.

If you suspect that you may suffer from a sleep disorder or sleep apnea, please give Dr. Ray Besharati and Dr. Shadi Araghi a call! Depending on your situation, treatment may involve an oral device that we can custom-create for you.

A few weeks ago, we asked you, our wonderful patients, what you most liked about your experience at Highlands Dentistry. Thanks to everyone who shared their feedback on our Google Place Page - we received 75 reviews! Today, we thought we'd share a few of the great testimonials that Drs. Ray Besharati and Shadi Araghi received.

"Never thought I'd say this! I love this dentist and office. They provide extremely great service. I highly recommend them for anyone. My daughter is 3.5 and has nothing but wonderful things to say about going to the Dentist!!!" ~Erika

"After a run of some suspect dentists, Dr Ray was the first one to seem to give practical and honest assessment. My 3 year old had a great experience with Dr Araghi." ~Jurie

"Dr Ray and Dr Araghi are awesome! Our entire family are patients at this office and we all love it! Dr Araghi is very very sweet to the kids and does her best to make them feel good about coming to the dentist. Dr Ray is also wonderful, explains things in detail, and does a great job. I would definately recommend this office to my friends and family. I will also mention the office is very welcoming, brand new and high tech. A+" ~Andrea

"I have been VERY impressed with Highland Dentistry. The staff is amazing and always make my kids feel safe and unafraid about going to the dentist. My husband and I also go and have never had a dentist that we felt we could trust. Dr. Aragi is honest and never tries to sell you on something you don't absolutely need! We are so happy to have a practice that is close to home, state of the art and most importantly, reliable and family friendly." ~Jen

At Highlands Dentistry, we know one word no child wants to hear when they visit the dentist is "cavity!" That’s right, the dreaded cavity; but what exactly is a cavity and how do you get one? A cavity is a hole that develops in a tooth when the tooth begins to decay. It’s important to get a cavity filled as soon as it’s detected by Drs. Ray Besharati and Shadi Araghi so that it does not grow bigger.

So, what causes a cavity? A cavity is caused by plaque, a sticky substance that forms on the tooth as a result of germ and bacteria build-up. Plaque is acidic and as it clings to your teeth the acids eat away the outside of the tooth (also called the enamel) and a hole is formed.

Yes, cavities can be repaired by our doctors, but here are a few simple steps you can take to prevent cavities:

• Brush teeth at least twice daily
• Gently brush gums to keep them healthy (when choosing a toothbrush it is recommended to use soft bristles)
• Floss teeth at least once a day to remove plaque and food that may be caught between the teeth where your toothbrush can’t reach
• Limit the amount of soda and sugary treats you eat/drink
• Be sure that you and your family visit our Issaquah dental office every six months for a teeth cleaning and check-up

We hope that helps you understand cavities a little better! Please let us know if you or your child have any questions about cavities or good oral hygiene. We're always happy to work with the parents and children at our office to help develop a oral hygiene routine that works for you.

In our continuing efforts to provide the most advanced technology and highest quality care available to our patients, Highlands Dentistry offers VELscope oral cancer screenings. The fact is, every hour of every day in the U.S., someone dies of oral cancer, which is the sixth-most common diagnosed form of the disease. The five-year survival rate is only 57 percent, and oral cancer is one of the few cancers whose survival rate has not improved.

VELscope oral cancer screenings use a specialized light source and viewing scope to view your mouth more easily for signs of abnormal tissues. Using this cutting edge technology, we are able to more thoroughly examine your mouth.

Early detection of pre-cancerous tissue can minimize or eliminate the potentially disfiguring effects of oral cancer and possibly save your life. Treatment can be more than 90% successful when cancer is caught early. Drs. Ray Besharati and Shadi Araghi strongly encourage all of our adult patients to have this screening performed annually to detect early signs of oral cancer.

A whiter smile is one just one dentist visit away! Zoom!® professional teeth whitening brightens and whitens your teeth in just one hour. Once you have gone through the Zoom! treatment we will send you home with an at-home whitening bleaching kit with custom made trays. Using the take home trays will allow you to maintain your desired level of whitening over several months.

While Zoom! whitening is a great way to enhance the appearance of your smile, it's not always for everyone. Those with deep, dark stains that remain unaffected by whitening treatments and patients with regular tooth sensitivity may not be good candidates. Find out more about teeth whitening in this video; and when you are ready to have a whiter, brighter smile contact Dr. Ray Besharati to schedule an appointment!

Dr. Ray Besharati, Dr. Shadi Araghi and our entire team at Highlands Dentistry are so excited to introduce our new website, blog, YouTube channel and other social networks. We look forward to better connecting with you, our wonderful patients, through these new communication channels. Please know if there is anything that you would like to see specially featured on these social networks in the upcoming weeks.

Thank you for taking the time to visit our blog. Please check back often for weekly updates on fun and exciting events happening at our office, important and interesting information about the dental industry, and the latest news about our practice.

Feel free to leave a comment or question for our doctors and staff – we hope this will be a valuable resource for our patients, their families, and friends!