Even if you brush and floss daily, it is still important to see us at Bluebonnet Dental Care every 6 months, or as recommended. Why?

• We can detect and treat tooth and gum problems that you may have never felt or noticed.
• Even thorough daily oral care may not be enough to prevent cavities and oral decay.
• Frequent visits can allow us to treat a problem early to prevent future complications.

If you are overdue for an appointment with us, please give us a call today!

-- Dr. Pooneh Najafi & Team

Dr. Pooneh Najafi and our team at Bluebonnet Dental Care want to know: what do your winter plans look like? Do you have any plans for an exciting family vacation? Are you hanging out around town? Catching up on sleep? Spending time with friends? Let us know!

Please feel free to share your exciting winter plans and experiences with us here or on our Facebook page! We would like to wish all of our patients and their families a safe and fun holiday season!

At Bluebonnet Dental Care, Dr. Pooneh Najafi and her friendly staff personally promise to take excellent care of you and deliver results that contribute to a healthy and beautiful smile.

And speaking of smiling, in a poll conducted by Glamour Magazine earlier this year, people were asked, “If you had to pick between having perfect teeth, eyesight or hair, which would you choose?”

Well, 44 percent of folks out there chose teeth! In addition, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, or AACD, conducted a study and found that 99.7 percent of those polled believed a smile is an important social asset. Respondents said straightness, whiteness, cleanliness, as well as the sincerity and sparkle of one’s smile were all important factors not only socially, but career-wise as well.

Take the next step toward a healthier, brighter smile; please contact our Fort Worth dental office and schedule an appointment. We offer convenient early morning hours, and we are open on Friday!

Please feel free to contact our Fort Worth dental office to schedule an appointment with Dr. Najafi today. We look forward to meeting you and helping you achieve optimum oral health!

With the start of the busy holiday season right around the corner, Dr. Pooneh Najafi and our staff wanted to stop for a moment to say how thankful we are to have you in our dental family. We realize that our practice thrives because of great patients like you. We are the lucky ones because we not only help keep you and your smile healthy, but we also have the pleasure of knowing you and your loved ones.

As always, if you know anyone we can help, just let us know. We promise to give them the same quality care that we have given you.
We hope that this Thanksgiving and holiday season brings fond memories. Thank you for being part of our family.

When your child needs urgent dental treatment, Dr. Pooneh Najafi and our team at Bluebonnet Dental Care stand ready to help. Please keep our emergency number available and convenient. Here are some helpful answers to some recent patient questions.

Q: What should I do if my child’s baby tooth is knocked out?

A: Contact Bluebonnet Dental Care as soon as possible.

Q: What should I do if my child’s permanent tooth is knocked out?

A: Find the tooth and rinse it gently in milk or saliva. (Do not scrub it or clean it with soap — use just water!) If possible, replace the tooth in the socket and hold it there with clean gauze or a wash cloth. If you can’t put the tooth back in the socket, place the tooth in a clean container with milk, saliva, or water. Get to our office immediately. (Call the emergency number if it’s after hours.) The faster you act, the better your chances of saving the tooth.

Q: What if a tooth is chipped or fractured?

A: Contact Bluebonnet Dental Care immediately. Quick action can save the tooth, prevent infection and reduce the need for extensive dental treatment. Rinse the mouth with water and apply cold compresses to reduce swelling. If you can find the broken tooth fragment, bring it with you when you visit Dr. Najafi.

Q: What about a severe blow to the head or jaw fracture?

A: Go immediately to the emergency room of your local hospital. A blow to the head can be life threatening.

Q: What if my child has a toothache?

A: Call us and visit Bluebonnet Dental Care promptly. To comfort your child, rinse the mouth with water. Apply a cold compress or ice wrapped in a cloth. Do not put heat or aspirin on the sore area.

Q: Can dental injuries be prevented?

A: Of course! First, reduce oral injury in sports by wearing mouth guards. Custom mouth guards fabricated by your dentist provide the best protection. Second, always use a car seat for young children. Require seat belts for everyone else in the car. Third, child-proof your home to prevent falls, electrical injuries, and choking on small objects. Fourth, protect your child from unnecessary toothaches with regular dental visits to our office.

Contact our Fort Worth dental office to schedule an appointment with Dr. Najafi. She loves what she does and enjoys every day watching her patients grow and smile as they visit our office.

Cold and flu season is here - 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.

To promote a healthy and clean environment, Dr. Pooneh Najafi and our entire staff give a great deal of attention to sanitation and sterilization in our Fort Worth office at all times, as well as following all requirements for sterilizing instruments and work surfaces. For the protection of other patients and our staff at Bluebonnet Dental Care, we always ask that patients reschedule their appointments if they have any type of cold or illness that can infect others.

And remember to constantly wash your hands and avoid contact with those who are ill! Stay Healthy!

Did you know that October is National Dental Health Month? For our staffOral at Bluebonnet Dental Care, that means only one thing: Reminding you that 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 Fort Worth location on a regular basis, you can have healthy teeth and an attractive smile throughout your entire life.

We encourage you to check out the official National Dental Hygiene Month website as well, which provides pointers on keeping your mouth clean and healthy. Lastly, has it been six months since your last visit to Bluebonnet Dental Care? If the answer is yes, we encourage you to give us a call to set up an appointment with Dr. Pooneh Najafi.

Happy Monday! Our entire team at Bluebonnet Dental Care 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 visit so you can optimize your benefits!

Now is the time to reserve you appointment with us. Space is limited and we get VERY busy around the holidays, so don’t wait to give us a call! Have a wonderful rest of the week!

At Bluebonnet Dental Care, we know that gingivitis, which is the early stage of periodontal disease, can be difficult to recognize if you're not a trained dentist. Many people don't recognize the warning signs - bleeding and swollen gums - as a precursor to periodontal disease, also known as gum disease. This month, a national campaign is under way to raise awareness about gum health and periodontal disease, and we wanted to help do our part to spread the word!

Dr. Pooneh Najafi and our team will tell you early recognition and taking action are the most important steps to health gums, and ultimately a health body, too! Studies are published every year linking oral health, including the gums, to the health of other areas of the body, such as your heart. One of the most important steps to improving the care of your gums is recognizing the warning signs for gum disease.

Our staff knows these can include:

• Gums that appear red or swollen
• Gums that feel tender
• Gums that bleed easily (during brushing or flossing)
• Gums that recede or pull away from the teeth
• Persistent halitosis, or bad breath
• Loose teeth
• Any change in the way teeth come together in the biting position

If you happen to notice any of these signs, please schedule an appointment at our convenient offices by calling us as soon as possible. Dr. Najafi and our team can take proactive steps to prevent gingivitis and gum disease, while showing you how to improve gum care in your daily oral hygiene habits.

At Bluebonnet Dental Care, we know your smile is important. And we know you want to keep it sparkling and looking its very best. Recently, we came across an article that suggests at least 20 things can ruin that perfect smile you have.

These include:

- Sports drinks
- Bottled water
- Tobacco
- Wine
- Soft drinks
- Citrus and acidic foods

Dr. Pooneh Najafi and our team encourage you to read the rest of the article and ask us here on our blog or during your next visit to our convenient Fort Worth office. For more tips or for general questions about your ongoing dental treatment, we invite you to ask us during your next visit! We also invite you to ask us on Facebook!

Happy Monday! Everyone loves fun facts and dental tips. Fun, fun, fun! Dr. Najafi and our staff at Bluebonnet Dental Care came across these dental fun facts last week and thought you might enjoy!

• The second most common disease in the United States is cavities. The first is the common cold.
• There are almost 9,000 accidental pockings and piercings with toothpicks per year.
• X-rays may be an effective tool in preventing strokes.
• A child will have 20 baby teeth by the time he or she is 2 years old. Through childhood, kids gradually lose baby teeth and grow 32 permanent teeth, including wisdom teeth.
• According to consumer reports, dentists are among the 5 most trusted professionals in the United States.
• Approximately $2 billion a year is spent on dental products like toothpastes, mouthwashes and dental floss.
• The average American spends about 38 days brushing teeth over his or her lifetime.
• Kids in North America spend half a billion dollars per year on chewing gum.
• Approximately 94 percent of Americans say they brush nightly while only 81 percent say they brush first thing in the morning.
• Grand Rapids, MI was the first American city to fluoridate its water.
• Earliest record of a toothbrush was found in Chinese literature about 1600 AD
• The natural bristles of early toothbrushes were taken from the necks and shoulders of swine, especially pigs living in colder climates like Siberia and China.

Lastly, has it been at least six months since your last checkup with Dr. Najafi? If the answer is yes, we encourage you to give us a call!

At Bluebonnet Dental Care, we know most folks enjoy a hot-brewed coffee or tea in the morning, followed by a cola (or more coffee) in the afternoon. But what many don’t know is that both coffee and tea are especially tough on your teeth, because tannic acid (the substance that makes the dark color) etches into the pits and grooves of tooth enamel, and can stain your pearly whites brown.

So, if you can't give up that morning cup o’joe, what can you do? Dr. Pooneh Najafi and team suggest rinsing with a glass of water after every cup. If you enjoy iced coffee or tea, drink your beverage with a straw so that tannins don’t make contact with your front upper and lower teeth. Even if you’re not a big coffee drinker, we encourage you to swish and swallow some water at the end of each meal. Water, after all, helps neutralize acids left in your mouth after eating and also reduces cavity-causing bacteria.

Dr. Najafi and our staff also invite you to visit our convenient Fort Worth office for whitening options. We can help bleach your teeth with proven and professional products. To learn more about whitening options at our office, please visit our website, ask us on Facebook or give us a call!

With summer in full force, our staff at Bluebonnet Dental Care thought today would be a great time to remind all our young athletes to take care of their mouth while participating in sports – especially contact sports – this summer.

Sports dentistry is the prevention and treatment of dental injuries and related oral diseases, as well as the sharing of information and equipment designed to help protect the teeth, mouth, jaw, and face of athletes of all ages. Injuries to the teeth and mouth are common among athletes, especially during summer months. It's important to protect your smile while playing sports for aesthetics as well as your health.

Common dental injuries in sports include:

• Knocked out tooth/teeth
• Chipped tooth/teeth
• Displaced teeth

One of the best, and most convenient, ways to prevent injury to your teeth and mouth while playing sports is to wear a mouthguard. There are several types of mouthguards to choose from, and Dr. Pooneh Najafi can help you choose the best one for your particular needs.

Only by using a mouth guard can people avoid serious sports injuries. The next time you’re in for a visit with Dr. Najafi at our Fort Worth office, we encourage you to ask us for a mouth guard!

Don’t put off your visit Dr. Najafi’s office any longer! As we’ve shared in previous blog posts, oral health issues have been increasingly linked to other health concerns, such as heart disease. Cardiovascular disease remains American's number one killer, claiming more lives than the rest of major causes of death, according to the American Heart Association. Believe it or not, an estimated 80 percent of American adults currently have some form of gum disease. Studies have shown a correlation between gum disease and heart disease, underscoring the importance of good oral health care.

Studies are also beginning to suggest that patients, especially those with periodontal disease, are believed to have an elevated risk of heart attack and stroke. Since most patients are not regularly visiting a heart specialist, their regular visits to Bluebonnet Dental Care can help detect early warning signs of heart issues, prevent gum disease or at least catch it in its early stages. We’d also like you to know your numbers: blood pressure (less than 120/80), cholesterol (less than 200) and BMI (less than 25).

Additionally, if it’s been more than six months since your last visit to our Fort Worth office, please give us a call! Summer makes for a great time to check in with us!

At Bluebonnet Dental Care, we value the relationships we’ve developed with our patients in Fort Worth and surrounding communities over the years. Even if you visit our office on a regular basis, did you know you can always connect with Dr. Najafi and team on Facebook?

By “Liking” us on Facebook, you will receive regular news, updates and announcements from our office – all through your news feed!

Besides our Facebook page, we have our own YouTube channel, where we hope to post happy patient testimonials soon!

See you on Facebook!

Dr. Najafi & the Bluebonnet Dental Care team

"Always great! I always have a pleasant if not fun experience when I go to Dr. Pooneh Najafi and her fantastic hygienist Lisa for my regular cleaning and check-up! Everyone there is wonderful and I feel very well taken care of."

"I would highly recommend Dr. Najafi and her staff. As someone who has had many terrible experiences at the dentist in the past, I had neglected my dental health for the past 8 years. My daughter became a patient of Dr. Najafi's and when I met the staff and realized how friendly & caring they were, I decided to become a patient myself ... This staff has done a lot towards easing my fear of the dentist. If you want a great experience - give Bluebonnet Dental a visit!"

"Great dentist with a woman's touch Dr. Najafi is not your run-of-the-mill dentist! Professional yet personable with a woman's touch. I recommend her to anyone looking for a great dentist to see for years to come. Her motto is patients for life and she means it. she is the best!"

"Dr. Najafi is super nice and very Dr. Najafi is super nice and very professional. I highly recommend this Dental group!!"‎

We hope you’re having a great week and a great summer so far! If you are planning on traveling with family this summer or think you might not be able to make it to your scheduled appointment with Dr. Najafi, please let us know ahead of time so that we may be able to accommodate you, as well as schedule another patient at that appointment time.

Also, we ask that you give us a call and and let us know if you have any new phone numbers or if your contact information has changed! Please call us with any updates to phone numbers and addresses, so we may be able to reach you. Thank you! Enjoy the rest of your week!

Yes, it is, and that’s part of what makes it work. To find out if you are the right candidate for Invisalign treatment, the first thing we do is to take an impression of your teeth as they are now and digitize it. Using special software, we look at the current positioning of your teeth and compare it to the way your teeth should look.

Next we use special software to map out the exact path your teeth will take from the beginning of your treatment to the end. Based on the results, a set of custom aligners are created just for your teeth. Throughout the course of treatment, you will be required to wear these clear, removable aligners one at a time; each one moving your teeth closer and closer to their final, perfectly aligned position. The best thing about it all? Nobody around you will even know you are wearing braces!

Dr. Najafi is a certified Invisalign provider in the greater Fort Worth area. If you have questions about Invisalign, or would like to find out if you are a candidate for Invisalign treatment, please give us a call.

According to the American Dental Association, a person's smile outranked eyes, hair and body as the most important physical feature, which is why it's important for our team at Bluebonnet Dental Care to support National Smile Month this June.

Here are a few simple steps you can take to improve your oral health so that you may celebrate National Smile Month for many, many years to come:

* Brush at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
* Floss every day to clean between your teeth.
* Reduce your intake of sugary foods and drinks during your treatment with Dr. Najafi.
* Visit us regularly (usually every six months apart).

If you have questions about any of these tips, we encourage you to give us a call.

Folks with big smiles may actually live longer than those who don’t, according to a March 2010 study at Michigan’s Wayne State University. Dr. Najafi has known for quite some time that positive emotion has been linked to both physical and mental health, but researchers at the university did something quite interesting: they looked at photos of 230 ball-players who began their careers in baseball prior to 1950 and studied their smile intensity (ranging from big smile, no smile or partial smile). The players' smile ratings were compared with data from deaths that occurred from 2006 through 2009. The researchers then took into account other factors that impact life longevity, including body mass index, career length and even college attendance.

The results? Researchers found that players who weren't smiling in the photos died at the average age of 72.9 years. Players with partial smiles lived to be 75. Those with big smiles, however, lived on average to be 79.9 years old.

The take-away from the new study? Smile now, smile often and you might just live longer! Have you been perfecting your smile by visiting Bluebonnet Dental Care on a regular basis? If not, give us a call!

Memorial Day weekend, a time to remember and honor the men and women lost while serving for our country. Memorial Day is also the unofficial start of summer, and for many folks in the Fort Worth, Lake Worth, and Azle communities, getting out of town for three days after being cooped up in the classroom or the office spells sweet, sweet relief.

What about you? What are you up to this Memorial Day weekend? Whether you are headed to a barbecue, a camping trip, or just hitting the great American open roads, we’d like to hear all about it!

Dr. Najafi & team wish you a happy, safe and relaxing Memorial Day weekend!

Dr. Najafi wants to know: Is dairy a major part of your diet? If not, it should be! A 2008 study from the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) has found that regular consumption of dairy products, such as milk, cheese and yogurt, can actually lower your chances of contracting periodontal disease (also known as gum disease). Results of the study also showed that adults who consume at least 55 grams of lactic acid a day are less at risk for gum disease.

Cheese is one of the healthiest snacks for your child's teeth. In addition to providing large amounts of much-needed calcium, cheese also does its part to fight cavities. Cheddar, Swiss, Mozzarella, and Monterey Jack all stimulate the body's salivary glands to clear the mouth of debris and protect them from acids that weaken them, according to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. This means cheese disrupts the development of cavities, especially when eaten as a snack or at the end of a meal. Calcium and phosphorous found in cheese reduce or prevent decreases in the plaque's ph level and work to re-mineralize the enamel of your child's teeth.

Gum disease is caused by a bacterial infection in the mouth that affects the gums and jaw. Gum disease results in a loss of teeth and bone, and has been connected to certain cases of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, respiratory disease and osteoporosis.

Eating dairy is not just healthy for building strong bones, but is essential for maintaining a strong, healthy mouth. Next time you reach for a quick snack, choose some cheese, or a glass of milk, and remember with each bite, and every sip you are preserving your teeth for a lifetime of smiles and good oral health!

For more information about which dairy foods are best for keeping your teeth healthy, please give us a call.

Vending machines are a quick way to satisfy hunger. You put in $1.50 and you get back a candy bar, bag of chips or even a soda…but that’s not all! Your Fort Worth dentist wants to remind you that vending machines not only dispense sweet treats and caffeine bursts, but they also dispense cavities!

Every time you chow down on that chocolate bar the bacteria in your mouth have a party feasting on the sugar. The sugar quickly turns into acid; that’s right, ACID!!! The acid sits on your teeth and eats away at the tooth’s natural enamel (the stuff that protects your tooth from decay). When this enamel is eaten away by the acid on your tooth, you get a cavity! Brushing your teeth after eating a sugary treat can help prevent cavities; but before you indulge, remind yourself: “can’t brush? Hold the sugar!”

When choosing a snack, consider these nutritional options that will not only satisfy your hunger and that “sweet tooth,” but won’t cause acid build up resulting in cavities:

• Fresh Fruits (berries, oranges, melon, pears, etc)
• Raw Vegetables (broccoli, celery, carrots, etc)
• Bread
• Pretzels (low salt)
• Milk (low or non-fat)
• Cheese (low or non-fat)
• Nuts and seeds (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc)
• Sliced meat

If you would like more advice about how you can prevent cavities, give us a call, or ask during your next appointment.

We hope you are not a part of the 51 percent of Americans who don’t floss every day. And we definitely hope you're not part of the 10 percent who never floss at all. Dr. Najafi and our staff at Bluebonnet Dental Care will always tell you that proper flossing is just as important for your dental health as brushing regularly. Flossing, you see, cleans food and plaque that builds up between teeth and below the gumline, key areas that brushing simply cannot reach.

Flossing 3-to-5 minutes each day is recommended, but even 60 seconds of flossing has a great benefit over not flossing at all. Also, make sure to always brush your teeth after you floss, and to rinse with water or mouthwash. When you begin flossing you may experience gum pain or bleeding, but with daily flossing and brushing this should stop within a week or so.

Lastly, has it been at least six months since your last checkup? If the answer is yes, we encourage you to schedule an appointment!

A whiter smile is one just one dentist visit away! ZOOM!® Smile Whitening brightens and whitens your teeth in just one hour. The treatment is safe, simple, and relaxing! Plus, Zoom! is championed by dentists and patients as a pain-free process.

While Zoom!® Smile Whitening is a great way to enhance the appearance of your smile, it's not always for everyone. Those with deep, dark stains that remain unaffected by whitening treatments and patients with regular tooth sensitivity may not be good candidates. Find out more about Zoom!® Smile Whitening at our web site; and when you are ready to have a whiter, brighter smile contact Bluebonnet Dental Care for an evaluation!

We are living in an age with a renewed commitment to conservation, and are frequently reminded to recycle, reduce and reuse. Earth Day is today, April 22nd, and we thought this would be a great time to discuss everything that Bluebonnet Dental Care does to conserve our natural resources and the environment.

Did you know that we offer patients account access 24 hours a day, seven days a week? We offer convenient and secure online services with our patient login system. You can view all of your account information, and even receive appointment reminders through email or text messages. Since this information is submitted electronically, we eliminate the use of large amounts of paper and printing materials.

Dr. Najafi and our team would love to hear how you minimize your impact on the environment. Leave us a comment below or you can also visit our Facebook page and post something on our wall.

Happy Earth Day!

Visiting Bluebonnet Dental Care regularly will not only help keep your teeth and mouth healthy, but will also help keep the rest of your body healthy. The fact is, every hour of every day in the U.S., someone dies of oral cancer, which is the sixth-most common diagnosed form of the disease. The five-year survival rate is only 50 percent, and oral cancer is one of the few cancers whose survival rate has not improved. Since April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month, we would like to take this opportunity to remind all of our patients about the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene.

As a dentist, Dr. Najafi is specifically trained to diagnose, treat, and prevent oral health problems. Please let us now if you have any questions about your oral health during your next appointment. Take care of your teeth!

From your very first visit to Bluebonnet Dental Care in Fort Worth, TX, Dr. Najafi and team strive to provide superior treatment in a pleasant, friendly atmosphere. We thought we’d ask you, our wonderful patients: Have you been especially impressed by Dr. Najafi's work? Did our team go out of their way to make your day? Are you in love with your new smile?

Whether you’ve just come in for a consultation or your family has been visiting our office for years, we’d love to hear your feedback. Leave a review for us on Google Places, or post your feedback on our Facebook page!

Thank you,
The team at Bluebonnet Dental Care