Going to the dentist is for the birds.

A patient's view at The Toothboss

Actually, the birds are for the patients. At least that’s what we tell patients when seated in our examination rooms and looking out the window to see a plethora of birds feasting at our bird feeder. The fact is we enjoy checking out the cardinals, finches, chickadees, woodpeckers and other birds those feeders attract.

Going to the dentist can be an unnerving experience for some patients. With our newly renovated waiting room and office area, as well as our examination rooms, we try to create a calming, stress-free environment. The bird feeders are part of that effort (we also have a fish tank in the dental hygienist’s examination room).

The bird feeders serve a couple of purposes. First, they offer a distraction for patients to take their mind off what the work being done (we positioned the feeders so patients can view the birds and keep their head in position for their examination). Second, bird-watching does have a soothing effect. This can be particularly effective with younger patients who are easily distracted.

For some patients, a trip to the dentist can cause debilitating anxiety that interferes with the dentist being able to do their work. For some people who are biters, their anxiety can create a dangerous situation for the dentist. That’s why many dental practices, including The Toothboss, offer sedation therapy as a stress-free way to get your dental work done. 

What’s missing in bottled water for kids? Plenty.

Give parents a choice between soda, a juice box or a bottle of water for their children and most would probably go for the bottle water. What many people don’t realize is that opting for bottled water, though better for their children than soda or sugar-loaded fruit juice, is missing a key ingredient their children need: fluoride.

Fluoride is critical for growing strong, healthy teeth. For younger patients, fluoride actually hardens teeth, making them more cavity-resistant. Unfortunately, more and more people are opting for bottled, filtered water, which has no fluoride.

Some communities, like Weymouth, have fluoride in the water—a great way to help their children grow strong healthy teeth. Because of the taste, many people prefer bottle water or filtered water over tap water and pass that habit on to their children. But kids still need fluoride to help their teeth develop.

How much? According to the American Dental Association, children should consume fluoride through drinking water or supplements in the following amounts:

·         Birth to six months – none

·         Six months to three years - .25 mg/day

·         Three to six years - .5 mg/day

·         Six years to 16 years – 1 mg/day

Many dentists have younger patients take fluoride supplements, whether they live in a community where the tap water has fluoride or not. If your child is under 10 and not taking supplements, please contact our office at 781-335-0604.


To find out whether or not your town is a fluoridated community, please click on this link to go to a map from the Massachusetts Dental Society website, www.massdental.org. You can also call your town’s Water Department.

A reason to brush with your kids

One reason parents brush their teeth with their children is to make sure they are brushing the way the dentist instructed. Perhaps a better reason is so parents can remind themselves to do the same. Particularly as it pertains to time.

Most dentists recommend you brush your teeth a minimum of two minutes at a clip, twice a day. In fact, there are many children’s toothbrushes that light up for that amount of time so children know how long to brush. The Toothboss actually gives some of our younger patients hour glasses so children can know how long to brush.

While we don’t really have something like that for grownups, there really is no age limit on the hour glasses. And if your last checkup didn’t go so well, brushing longer, in addition to flossing, is one way to get better results.

As far as frequency of brushing is concerned, ideally you want to brush your teeth after each meal. But if you can’t, brush at least twice a day- after breakfast and before going to bed.

If you have any questions about brushing technique in or around South Weymouth, give us a call today!

Celebrate National Tooth Fairy Day--with ice cream?

: Dr. Richard Wolfert, AKA “The Toothboss” (far left) poses with Friendly’s Chris Lund, Kelsy Bannon and Owner Bobby Arruda. Dr. Wolfert and Friendly’s locations in Weymouth are celebrating National Tooth Fairy Day the week of March 4.

For most children and their parents, the celebration for losing a tooth involves a visit from the Tooth Fairy and some monetary reward. Left out of the equation is the person who cares for your children’s teeth: your dentist. That’s why we decided to join the celebration of National Tooth Fairy Day, February 28, with local Friendly’s restaurants in Weymouth.

The Toothboss donated 200 toothbrushes to the two Friendly’s Restaurants in Weymouth. The toothbrushes were given out to customers under the age of 12 who visit Friendly’s at 1021 Main Street and 415 Washington Street in Weymouth the week of March 4.

Now, I know what you're saying. This may seem kind of an unusual alliance, but an occasional sweet like ice cream isn’t the end of the world as long as you are consistently taking care of your teeth. That means brushing, flossing and regular checkups at the dentist.

In addition to toothbrushes, the gift bags given out included a coupon for a free checkup, X-rays and a cleaning that can be used by any member of the family, not just the kids.

“On behalf of our younger customers, we’d like to thank Dr. Wolfert for his generous donation of the toothbrushes and free exam. It’s a great reminder for kids and their families to brush their teeth and get regular checkups at the dentist,” said Bobby Arruda, owner of both Friendly’s locations in Weymouth.

As part of his Tooth Fairy Day, we're also handing out Friendly’s coupons to younger Toothboss patients with one stipulation: you must brush after every meal.

You are never too young to start taking proper care of your teeth. But with all the studies linking dental hygiene or lack thereof to serious conditions, it’s critical for everybody to take better care of their teeth. Especially on National Tooth Fairy Day.   

For more information on the Toothboss, visit Dr. Wolfert’s website at www.toothboss.com or call 781-335-0604 to schedule a consultation.

Some more fun dental facts to kick off 2013

Hope everybody had a great holiday season. With the new year in full swing, here are some fun, helpful and, in some cases, frightening dental facts for your perusal:

• You should not keep your toothbrush near a toilet. The airborne particles from the flush can travel up to a distance of six feet. Ew!
• People who drink three or more glasses of soda each day have 62 percent more tooth decay, fillings and tooth loss than others. 
• According to a recent survey done by Time Magazine, 59% of Americans would rather have a dental appointment than be sitting next to someone talking on a cell phone. Can you hear me now?
• You should replace your toothbrush at least every three months, and always after you have an episode of flu, cold or other viral infections. Notorious bacteria can implant themselves on the toothbrush bristles leading to re-infection.
• Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body. However, it is not recommend using your pearly whites to open bottle caps. 
• The standard advice to “see your dentist twice a year” was actually invented by an ad agency for Pepsodent toothpaste. Your dental professional should recommend the correct schedule for your regular dental visits.
• Over three out of four people in the United States suffer from some form of gum disease. It is the leading cause of tooth loss in people over age 35. The good news is, in most cases, gum disease can be prevented or controlled.

Dr. Wolfert discusses dental implants

Need a tooth replaced? Dr. Wolfert, AKA "The Toothboss" explains the differences between bridges and dental implants.

Smiles by the Toothboss is a proud supporter of Donated Dental Services

Dr.Wolfert and David Masci, both smiling.

As a dentist, I see enough plaque. Yet the other day, I saw plaque that made us all smile. It was a plaque/award from Donated Dental Services (DDS).

DDS is a national non-profit organization comprised of nearly 20,000 dental professionals who donate dental services for people with disabilities or who are elderly or medically at-risk. Smiles by the Toothboss is one of those providers.

Smiles by the Toothboss has donated dental services to several vulnerable and elderly patients over the years. Those patients have needed everything from a full set of dentures to major dental work like root canals and crowns. While this dental treatment doesn’t cure their main affliction, it does make these patients healthier and makes them feel better about themselves, which can be even more important when you’re dealing with serious medical issues.

One of those patients we’ve been treating is David Masci of Lexington, Mass. David is awaiting transplants for both his pancreas and kidney and undergoes dialysis treatments three times a week, three to four hours per visit. So while some might consider sitting in a dentist’s chair for several hours for major dental work to be a nightmare, for David it’s a blessing.


“It’s a pleasure to be able to smile again,” said David.

DDS provides an invaluable resource to so many who need dental care. In fact, since 1985, when DDS launched, 109,843 vulnerable people have received more than $215 million worth of dental services for seriously neglected dental diseases. Smiles by the Toothboss is the sole provider of DDS services on the South Shore.

If you or somebody you know is a vulnerable person in need of dental care, please visit DDS's Dental Lifeline at http://www.dentallifeline.org or by calling 888.471.6334.