Introducing Our New Hygienist, Annika Mundus!

We are very excited about a new addition to our team! We have decided to add a hygienist to our staff, to ensure you are receiving the ultimate dental care on your routine cleaning visits. We wanted to take a little time for you to get to know her!

"Hello, I would like to introduce myself to everyone. My name is Annika Mundus and I recently joined Dr. Stickney's team as a dental hygienist. I grew up in Squaw Valley, California skiing and snowboarding to my hearts content. I began as a dental assistant when I was 17 and found that I truly enjoyed the field of dentistry. I decided to become a dental hygienist and attended Forsyth School for Dental Hygienists which was affiliated with Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. I graduated in 2002 Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science of Dental Hygiene. I have worked in a variety of offices, some traditional and some that tried to incorporate holistic ideals. I am excited to join Dr. Stickney and his staff and continue learning about true holistic dentistry. I look forward to meeting all of our patients!
I briefly wanted to share an experience with you. Recently, we had a patient come in and he was surprised to find out that he had several new areas of decay that required restorations. When doctor Stickney asked about his diet he said that he has been eating a lot of trail mix with dried fruit. I too had a similar experience with dried fruits. I spent a few months on a road trip and had almonds and dried apricots as a snack and came home with a few new cavities of my own. Here is what happened to both of us: Dried fruit contains a high amount of sugar and is sticky. Small bits of dried fruit stick in the pits and grooves of the chewing surface of the tooth between brushings. The bacteria consumes the sugars and as a biproduct of metabolizing the sugars, the bacteria produces acid that demineralizes the enamel and causes tooth decay. The longer the sugar is present on the tooth, the more it is available to be metabolized by bacteria, the more acid is produced, the more tooth decay! Sticky sweets, even healthful dried fruits, can cause cavities.

Even though I knew they were cariogenic, as a recently graduated dental hygienist, I thought I could do a good enough job with my brushing. It was another reminder to watch how much dried fruit I eat and to educate our patients do to the same." -Annika Mundus

We look forward to you all meeting her!

Thank you and be well,
Rick Stickney and Team