Staying healthy this cold season, from Bridgeview Dental

Cold and flu season is now underway in Portland and surrounding areas - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that a common cold usually includes sneezing, runny nose, sore throat and coughing. Symptoms can last for up to two weeks, sometimes longer.

To promote a healthy and clean environment, our entire staff at Bridgeview Dental give a great deal of attention to sanitation and sterilization in our downtown Portland office at all times, as well as following all requirements for sterilizing instruments and work surfaces. We are happy to see patients with who have the common cold or minor viruses. For patients experiencing a fever 101 or are vomiting, we recommend re-scheduling appointments for the protection of other patients.

And remember to constantly wash your hands and avoid contact with those who are ill! Happy Monday and have a great week!

Don't throw your insurance benefits away!

Our team at Bridgeview Dental would like to give those patients with flex spend, health savings, or insurance benefits a friendly end of the year reminder that it's about that time to schedule your dental visits so you can optimize your benefit.

Now is the time to reserve you appointment with us. Space is limited and we get VERY busy, so don’t wait to give us a call at 503-224-9130! Have a wonderful weekend!

At Bridgeview Dental, a pursuit of excellence

At Bridgeview Dental, our entire team make every effort to provide you with the best dental treatment possible. For us, that means achieving consistently great results. There are many things that help Dr. Briles and Parks do just that. Some of them are:

1. Using the most up to date and proven cosmetic dental technologies available
2. Spending time and resources on continuing education to stay current and relevant
3. Training our entire team on new dental techniques
4. Educating our patients about the pursuit of dental excellence

If you or a family member has been thinking about cosmetic dental treatment, please give us a call at 971-285-3726. We look forward to seeing you, and there's no better time to visit our office than in October - after all, this is National Dental Hygiene Month!

Bridgeview Dental, supporting National Dental Hygiene Month!

Would you believe it's already October? For our staff at Bridgeview Dental, October means one thing: National Dental Hygiene Month. This month, we join the American Dental Hygienists' Association in spreading the word that good dental habits are easy to develop and even easier to maintain.

Here are a few tips to help you build good oral hygiene habits this month:

* Brush your teeth at least twice a day for two to three minutes. Make sure to get the outer and inner surfaces and the chewing surfaces of each tooth.

* Floss once a day to remove plaque from between teeth. Help children learn healthy flossing habits so when they're capable, they know how to do it properly.

* Visit Bridgeview Dental on a regular basis. Children should start seeing a dentist within six months of getting their first tooth.

* Ask us what toothpaste family members should use. Remember that not all toothpaste is appropriate for all ages.

* Eat a healthy diet, rich in fruit and veggies. Avoid sugary foods and eat a high fiber diet of fruits and veggies such as apples and carrots to help prevent tooth decay.

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 Portland 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 ADHA's National Dental Hygiene Month website for tips on keeping your mouth clean and healthy. Lastly, has it been six months since your last visit to see Drs. Parks or Briles? If the answer is yes, we encourage you to give us a call at 971.285.3726 to set up an appointment.

Have yourself a wonderful weekend!

Tell us your story! Why do you choose Bridgeview Dental?

At Bridgeview Dental, we provide full-scope dental care for the whole family from preventative hygiene to implant and cosmetic dentistry. We are dedicated to providing the highest quality dental service using state-of-the-art technology with the utmost precision and comfort.

Whether you’ve just come in for a cleaning with Drs. Parks or Briles, or your family has been visiting our downtown Portland office for years, we’d love to hear your feedback. You can write a review on our Facebook page or on our Google listing!

Happy Friday and enjoy the weekend!

At Bridgeview Dental , Zoom® your way to a brighter smile!

Happy Friday! Today, we thought we'd talk a little about Zoom! whitening at Bridgeview Dental, the great way to enhance the appearance of your smile. Zoom is a professional teeth whitening treatment that gets your teeth an average of eight shades whiter — in just one hour at our convenient Portland office! You may have seen the results of this system on "Extreme Makeover."

With Drs. Briles and Parks, the treatment is safe, simple and relaxing! Not only that, but Zoom is championed by dentists and patients from coast-to-coast as a pain-free process.

To prepare for Zoom! whitening, Drs. Parks or Parks will examine your teeth and gums to make sure they are healthy. Your lips and gums will be covered with an isolation material to protect them during the treatment. Then, we apply the Zoom! whitening gel, which is activated by the Zoom! light source. The gel and light work together to gently break up the stains on your teeth. After three 15-minute applications within one hour, you rinse and the treatment is complete — leaving you with a brighter, whiter smile.

Give us a call to schedule an appointment for Zoom whitening. Have a wonderful and relaxing weekend!

Smoking and your oral health, from Bridgeview Dental

Everybody knows that smoking causes lung cancer, but did you also know that smokers and tobacco are susceptible to a variety of oral health problems at a faster rate than non-smokers?

It’s true! Smoking is responsible for almost 75 percent of gum disease in adults. And, similar to smokers, adults who smoke pipes and cigars, as well as those using smokeless tobacco, are just as susceptible to gum disease and other tobacco related health problems.

As soon as you use tobacco products, you become more likely to experience any of these oral-health problems:

• Oral cancer
• Gum disease
• Tooth loss
• Loss of bone in the jaw
• Gum recession
• Delayed/impaired healing process after oral surgery or any other treatment
• Decreased success rate of dental implant (tooth replacement) procedures
• Mouth sores
• Loss of your sense of taste and smell
• Bad breath
• Tooth and tongue stains

If you are interested in protecting your oral health, Drs. Briles and Parks strongly recommend you quit using tobacco products! The following steps are recommended by the Surgeon General to help you quit smoking and using tobacco:

• Get ready – set a quitting date and remove all materials from your home, car and office
• Get support
• Learn new skills and behaviors
• Get medication and use it correctly
• Be prepared for relapse or difficult situations


For more information on smoking and its effects on your gums and overall health, we encourage you to check out this helpful article. Have a wonderful weekend!