ORAL HYGIENE PRODUCTS MAKE PERFECT STOCKING STUFFERS

PARSIPPANY, NJ (December 2003) – This holiday season, if you're lucky enough to receive a toothbrush or dental floss in your stocking, Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey would like to remind you to smile, and think of the many reasons to be thankful someone has your oral health in mind.

Reasons to Stuff Stockings with Dental Care Gifts:

• Keep your pearly whites shining for camera-wielding relatives and countless photo poses.
• Ensure your "two front teeth" never make your holiday wish list by preventing periodontal disease.
• Make New Year's resolutions for better dental hygiene using the proper tools.
• Reduce plaque buildup by brushing between marathon hors d'oeuvres, dinners and desserts.
• Remember that dentists recommend replacing your toothbrush every two to three months.

Stocking Stuffers to Smile About
Give the gift of a bright, healthy smile this holiday season. Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey suggests these stocking-friendly gift ideas:

1. Travel-size toothpaste
2. Colorful or licensed-character toothbrushes
3. Flavored dental floss
4. Oral-care travel kit
5. Travel-size mouthwash
6. Sugar-free gum
7. Electric or manual toothbrush
8. Mouth guard
9. Fresh, tooth-friendly foods such as oranges and apples
10. Varieties of plaque-fighting teas

Oral Hygiene New Year's Resolutions
Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey recommends the following simple habits to ensure a healthy smile:

• Brush after every meal or at least twice per day to remove plaque (a sticky mixture of bacteria, food and debris) from your teeth and to help prevent tooth decay and periodontal (gum) disease. Effective tooth brushing starts with habit and routine.
• Schedule regular visits to the dentist (at least twice a year) for cleanings, oral cancer screenings and gum disease prevention.
• Floss at least once or twice a day for two to three minutes to remove harmful plaque from hard-to-reach places between teeth.
• Throw away old toothbrushes. Dentists recommend replacing them as soon as bristles show signs of wear, or about once every two to three months.
• Choose a balanced diet of foods rich in vitamins C (citrus fruits, juices and leafy vegetables), B12 (dairy, meat) and folic acid (spinach, broccoli) to help strengthen gums and supporting soft tissue, and calcium to develop and maintain strong teeth and bones. Avoid sticky sugars like sucking candies and soft drinks, which attack tooth enamel, causing decay and cavities.
• Quit all tobacco use. Smoking leaves brown stains and sticky tar deposits on teeth, contributes to halitosis (bad breath), is the leading cause of oral cancer and is a major risk factor in gum disease. "Kicking the habit" greatly reduces the risk of developing oral cancer. After 10 years of cessation, the risk is similar to that of a non-smoker. So start quitting today.

Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey, Inc., is New Jersey’s and Connecticut's leading dental benefits carrier, providing coverage to more than one million people through contracts with employers in New Jersey and Connecticut. The Delta Dental Plan system is a national network of independently operated, not-for-profit dental service corporations specializing in providing dental benefits programs for employee groups throughout the country. For more information visit us on the Web at www.deltadentalnj.com.