One of Dr. Jonathans main goals through Integrity Dental has been to bring back the personal and quality touch that he feels all patients deserve from their dental experience, but unfortunately seems to have been lost somewhere along the way. At Integrity Dental, youre more than just a number or a patient youre an important part of our dental family, and Dr. Jonathan and his team truly look forward to earning your trust and helping you maintain optimal oral health for years to come.
As an undergrad, he organized a senior research project where he studied the effects that different toothpastes had on the germs in our mouths. He also travelled to Haiti with his younger sister, Alie, and a crew of other biology students, where they worked together to test drinking water sources to make sure they were safe for the families who lived in those communities.
In 2014, he was accepted to the University of New England College of Dental Medicine as part of the 2nd incoming class in the schools history. Thats when he made the move to Portland. The rest, as they say, is history! He fell in love with Maine all of the wonderful people, the landscape, and all of the many places to eat and not to mention his other half.
While he was a student at UNE, he had the privilege of taking part in the Old Port Fest (who here remembers that?), Maine Deaf Culture Festival on Mackworth Island, the Special Olympics Special Smiles programs in Orono and Vermont, Give Kids A Smile Day in Ellsworth, and various other community outreach programs through local schools and the Greater Portland Y.M.C.A. He also proudly helped organize UNEs first ever Miles for Smiles 5K and served as co-founder and President of UNEs Aesthetic Dentistry Organization.
Fluoride is the ionized form of the element Fluorine. Fluorine is naturally-occurring, just like Hydrogen and Oxygen. Its known to increase bone density (meaning it can help make our bones stronger), but perhaps even more importantly its proven to protect teeth from cavities by rebuilding enamel. Thats right it can actually REBUILD your teeth! How amazing is that!? Fluoride is a common ingredient in many toothpastes and mouthrinses, and its even found in most public water supplies. Unfortunately, theres a lot of misinformation out there about Fluoride thats led some people to believe it can be harmful to them and their families. That couldnt be further from the truth. In fact, often the greatest risk lies in not using Fluoride.
FALSE. Fluorosis is a condition where teeth develop harmless white spots as a result of consuming a very, very high amount of fluoride, well beyond the amount of fluoride in your at-home products and in the public water supply.
FALSE. Using fluoridated water is actually one of the least expensive ways to prevent cavities, and can help individuals, families and entire communities save money and time at the dentist by keeping their teeth healthy and cavity free.
FALSE. There have been many studies over many generations supporting the safety of fluoridated water, and not one suggesting it as a cause of cancer or other health concerns like diabetes, heart disease, or kidney problems.
FALSE. Many European (and Latin American) countries do, in fact, utilize fluoridated water, as do most communities in the U.S. Thats because most communities recognize its many benefits and understand the risks of removing it from the water supply.
TRUE. Theres a small amount of Fluoride in toothpaste, which isnt enough to fight cavities. Pairing that amount with the small concentration in the water supply provides maximum defense against cavities.
As you can see, theres nothing to be afraid of when it comes to Fluoride and fluoridated water. Fluoride is your friend and one of your biggest allies, fighting alongside you to help keep your teeth as healthy for years to come!