Merry Christmas to all of our wonderful patients, family, and friends who have helped to make this such a special year. We are thankful for all of you and wish you much happiness and joy as you celebrate this holiday season.

with love and gratitude,

Dr. Jacques, Dr. Lauren, and staff

The end of 2013 is approaching, and after the holiday celebrations comes the new year and all that it has to offer -- including a new year of dental insurance benefits! However, those benefits that you haven't used this year will not roll over with the new year. Having dental insurance that contributes to your dental needs can be very helpful to patients, but they can also be viewed as a "use it or lose it" aid.

We often hear people say that they'll wait until after the first of the year to complete their recommended treatment; for many this could be a financial disadvantage. Completing treatment within the current year allows patients to take advantage of their current dental benefits and "save" next year's benefits to continue treatment or to have on reserve in case an emergency should arise.

It's never a good idea to put off dental treatment --  avoiding treatment now can lead to costlier problems in the future -- so consider using up your dental benefits just one more reason to go ahead and get that dental issue taken care of now.

Don't delay -- there are just a few more days in 2013 for us to take care of you at Jacques Dentistry in Greenville, SC. Call us today to schedule your appointment!

Frosty reminds you to brush your teeth so that you don't have to soak your fake ones at night like he does!

 Just a little laugh from Jacques Dentistry and Frosty!

The Christmas countdown is on, and everyone wants to know... "Are you ready for Christmas?!" If you're one of those who answers, "No!" and worries about getting those last few Christmas gifts, here are a few suggestions from your oral-hygiene-minded friends at Jacques Dentistry in Greenville, SC!

A Water-Pik is a great gift for that practical person who thinks that they already have everything that they need - except this! A "water-flosser" is a great tool for cleansing between your teeth and along your gums. The steady stream of pulsing water flushes out food and plaque from between your teeth and stimulates your gums to improve their overall health. Water-Piks are especially great for those who wear braces (young or old!) and struggle with flossing around their brackets. Others who benefit from water-flossing are those who struggle with their hand coordination or who aren't as physically able as they once were. And not to leave people out, anyone who hates to floss, "forgets" to floss, or wants to feel extra clean in addition to flossing can enjoy the perks of a Water-Pik!

Give the gift of straight teeth! If you or someone you know have some teeth misalignment or if you've noticed that the teeth have started to relapse since someone quit wearing that retainer in their teens, clear aligners could be just the answer to straighter teeth! Talk to us about how aligners are typically a fast and easy way to get noticeable results in the appearance of your teeth. If you don't know someone who would benefit from aligners, there's no harm in giving yourself the gift of healthy, straight teeth!

Need some more stocking stuffers? Head to the nearest drugstore, pharmacy, grocery store, or gas station and make a beeline for the check-out line. Right there you'll find all kinds of choices of sugarless gum -- perfect for anyone! Be sure to check the ingredients on the back of the package to confirm that the gum is sweetened with XYLITOL -- it's usually one of the main ingredients. Besides being a sugar substitute that isn't cavity-causing, xylitol can actually helps prevent cavities from occurring by stopping tooth demineralization, decreasing plaque acidity, and overtime altering the bacteria population in the mouth (decreases the amount of cavity-causing bacteria that "starve" without sugar).

And just for fun, if you have a budding dentist in your family, they would love to have a shirt with everyone's favorite animated dentist-to-be, Hermey the Elf, from the movie Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Make sure you have your shirt in time for your holiday viewing of that Christmas classic -- I'm sure it will be hard to miss on TV!