Do you see the date for your next dental checkup looming
ever-closer on the calendar and feel that little pang of guilt? Maybe it’s been
a week or so since you flossed your teeth. Maybe you let the kids go to bed
without making sure they brushed. Maybe you’ve noticed your spouse’s breath
smelling a little off recently but wrote it off as morning breath (that just
happened to last all day).
As a mom (or dad), it’s your job to help your family
practice good oral hygiene habits. With the help of these three free apps, your
job just got a little easier:
Brush DJ
The American Dental Association recommends brushing your
teeth for two minutes at least two
times per day. But let’s be honest, unless you actively time yourself, chances
are you’re only clocking in about 30-45 seconds per brushing (and your kids probably
aren’t even making it to the 30 second mark). That’s where Brush DJ comes in.
The app pulls a random song from your music library and plays a two-minute
snippet. As long as the song is playing, you need to keep brushing. Brush DJ
also reminds you when to replace your toothbrush, when to floss, and when your
next checkup and cleaning are scheduled.
Habit Streak
Conventional wisdom holds that it takes a person about 21
days to establish a good habit (or, conversely, to break a bad habit). If
remembering to floss your teeth every evening before bed or brush your teeth
before you leave for work in the morning is a habit you need to start (and if
you ask Dr. Tillman, it is), then Habit Streak might give you the motivation
you need. The concept is simple: word the habit you’d like to establish in a
positive way (the app suggests using questions like, “Did you floss today?”)
and check in every time you practice your new habit. The free version keeps
track of your streaks and you can edit or add habits at any time.
ADA Symptom Checker
Do you have bad breath or a toothache or a weird bump on
your gums and just can’t wait until your appointment with Dr. Tillman to find
out what’s wrong? Nothing should take
the place of an in-person visit with your dentist, but just satisfy your
curiosity, the ADA Symptom Checker can help narrow the field of potential problems.
Answer a series of simple questions and the app will present you with several
possible diagnoses.
How About a Free iPad to Go with Those Apps?
At Tillman Smiles, we love our patients. To show our love, we’re
holding a random drawing for an iPad on June 1, 2014. Entering into the drawing
is easy:
-
Like us on Facebook
= 1 ticket -
Write a Google Review =
2 tickets - Refer a Friend = 3 tickets
About David Tillman, DDS
Drawing from a wealth of continuing education and hands-on
experience, Dr. David Tillman and his staff are committed to providing
individuals and families with exceptional general, restorative, and cosmetic
dental care from our Fort Worth, TX
dentist’s office. To schedule an appointment, call us today at (817)
870-4746. Located in the heart of the Downtown Fort Worth medical district, we
proudly serve patients from across the Metroplex.