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New years is upon us, and it is time to start taking down those Christmas decorations. The lights have to come down from the house, and the Christmas tree has to be thrown out. However, your local zoo may be able to help put that old tree to good use.

A zoo in Germany has been feeding old Christmas trees to its elephants for years. These giant animals eat up to three trees per day, and they keep their teeth clean! The harsh bristles scrub their teeth like a toothbrush and they are even left with pine fresh breath!

Most parents do not realize that even though baby teeth end up with the tooth fairy, they still need special care, not only to prevent decay (which is on the rise in young children), but also to promote healthy habits at an early age.

Dentists recommend that parents make their children brush every day, then brush teeth for the child until he or she reaches the age of six. This gets them into the habit of brushing, even when they lack the motor skills to do it for themselves.

Children have all sorts of names for their pacifiers, “na-nas,” “ba-bas,” “pepes,” and “night-nights” are all a common request at bedtime and when a child is distressed. This is because the suckling reflex is inborn for babies.

Stimulating this reflex gives them pleasure, because it reminds them of feeding. However, when babies are weaned from the bottle and feeding through a nipple, they should also be weaned from pacifiers.

Most denture wearers know that dentures cause problems later down the road. Generally speaking, they are a great way to replace lost teeth, but they can become extremely uncomfortable or even fall out, if not secured with a proper adhesive.

Dentures fall out because the gums and jawbone begin to shrink after the teeth are removed. This is entirely normal, but can be painful. Chewing motions causes the loose dentures to rub on the patient’s gums and create raw and painful sores.

Porcelain veneers can be an extremely effective way to give your smile a makeover. Thin layers of porcelain are bonded to the enamel of your existing teeth to give you a whiter smile, without the appearance of chips, cracks or misalignment. However, there are several “cons” that must be considered before you make a decision.

With the holidays come candy canes, cookies and all of the other sweet and tasty treats that kids love. It may be difficult to keep them away from all of the sugary goodness, but by following some tips, recommended by dentists, you may be able to prevent tooth decay and gum disease.

Researchers recently developed a technique for polishing teeth with extremely fine silica nanoparticles, which not only makes them shine, but also protects them from cavities and rot. Silica particles have been used before, but when they are this tiny, they have surprisingly positive effects.

The particles are ground on the teeth, to make them take off a layer of the enamel. This layer is less than one-billionth of a meter, and it would not be felt by the patient. This removal of the top layer of enamel actually changes the surface of the tooth.

Dentists have devised a new way to calm their patients’ nerves before they sit down in the examination chair- it is called conscious oral sedation. It can be used to soothe patients before they come in for a procedure- anything from a routine cleaning to a root canal.

A recent Danish study has proven that boys have a bigger sweet tooth than girls do, as a general rule. Experimenters traveled to schools all over the country to test their hypothesis and give sweet drinks to children. Their results were interesting and say something about the need for dental care, especially among young boys.

With the economy rapidly collapsing, many people are finding themselves stressed and on edge. Not only is this bad for your overall health, but it also has negative effects on your teeth, jaw and gums. When some people get stressed, they start to exhibit a bruxism- a clenching or grinding of the teeth.

Lasers have been used for several years to cut through various materials with more precision than a surgeon’s scalpel. Many dentists are now saying that even in their field- the laser is the way of the future. They are much more accurate, they cause minimal bleeding, bruising and scarring. Also, they make procedures much faster.

As more and more children and adults get braces to help straighten their teeth and correct their bite problems, many people have questions concerning their care. How do I brush my teeth with these metal brackets in the way? Can I still eat the foods that I love? What should I do if they begin to hurt? While all of these questions can be resolved in a conversation with your dentist, here are a few suggestions that can keep your teeth healthy while you are in braces.

This year, instead of stuffing your children’s stocking to the brim with chocolate and candy canes, give them something that they will appreciate later in life- a clean, healthy smile. Dentists have made a list of fun items that are marketed towards children.

These products make teeth brushing and flossing much more bearable and even enjoyable for children who hate spending time over the bathroom sink. Some of the recommended items include:

Over the past few years, the market has been flooded with hundreds of products, promising big changes in the coloration of your teeth. Trays, strips, rinses and pastes can all be applied to make your teeth whiter. However, recent research has shown that though these products work, they only work for a select few patients.

When most people think of the dentist, the first thing to come to mind is teeth cleanings and cavity fillings.  However, the dentist does much more than these routine procedures.  He or she is responsible for the health of your entire mouth, including your jaw.  Neuromuscular dentistry is the study of the jaw and can also include correction of an over or an under bite.

When you were young, you saved your teeth and placed them under your pillow so that the tooth fairy would come and leave you a quarter.  These days, saving your teeth can have a much bigger payoff.

Hundreds of people are saving their adult teeth that are removed, either for dentures and other surgical work or by accident.  Companies, such as “StemSave” offer to cryogenically freeze these teeth, so that the valuable stem cells inside each one can be preserved for future use.

Most consumers have already seen the thousands of labels that say a food is “sugar free” or “cholesterol free” or “low in trans fats” or “whole grain.”  These are a clever marketing tool for food producers, because, they convince buyers that their products are healthier than the identical product on the shelves next to them.

For a child, the bitter pain of losing a baby tooth is comforted with the realization that the tooth will be traded for a small gift from the tooth fairy. Most of us remember this gift as being a shiny new quarter, but it seems like today the little gift is getting much bigger.

As one columnist noted, the tooth fairy is adjusting for inflation. And the running price for a fresh baby tooth is $12.99 plus taxes. This is because parents are now giving their children larger bills, or even small toys or dvds, in exchange for a lost tooth.

A dental practice in Dallas, Texas is taking the green movement seriously. PURE dentistry will open its doors as the first fully eco-friendly dental office in the nation. They will provide all of the normal services that oral specialists offer, with a few extras.

The office will be 100 percent paper free, with all records being digital. The technicians will use equipment with low-energy consumption. Also, they will provide incentives for their patients who use mass transit.

For those people who are still not satisfied with their smile, after years of brushing, flossing, and regularly visiting the dentist, several more extreme cosmetic procedures are available:

Whitening: While retail stores carry some ways to whiten teeth, professional whitening is much more powerful.

Braces: New clear braces make it much easier to discreetly straighten your teeth.