Monterey Dentist Urges Patients to Choose Strawberries for a Healthier, More Attractive Smile

MONTEREY, Calif. - Oct. 22, 2014 - PRLog -- Monterey, CA, October 22, 2014 -- Smile whitening is the most popular cosmetic treatment in America.  Whitening requires no downtime and can vary in cost from $10 for drug store whitening strips to more than a thousand dollars for multiple, light activated whitening sessions at your dentist’s office.

Not all consumers who want a whiter smile are interested in the use of whitening products on their teeth; many whitening products make teeth more sensitive, contain peroxide as the activating ingredient, and if applied improperly, which happens frequently with at home and over the counter applications, whitening solutions can burn gum tissue.

After speaking with patients and naturopathic clinicians who expressed interest natural whitening methods, Monterey Dentist, Dr. Jeanette Kern created a list of simple, natural and scientifically-proven ways to whiten your smile and also support local strawberry farmers.

Dr. Kern explains how strawberries help us achieve a whiter, brighter smile

Dr. Kern suggests we eat local Strawberries! Strawberries contain malic acid, which acts as an truly effective natural astringent cleaning away harmful bacteria that can cause tooth decay and discoloration.  Strawberries also have high levels of vitamin C, which remove plaque, a major contributor to the staining of teeth.

About our local Strawberry Industry

The value of the California strawberry crop is approximately $2.3 billion with $713 million coming from Monterey County. According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, strawberries are the sixth most valuable fruit crop produced in California.

Where Strawberries are Grown

In California, strawberries are planted on more 38,900 acres. Coastal California’s rich sandy soil and temperate climate extends the strawberry growing season 500 miles up the coast from San Diego to the Monterey Bay. Strawberry production shifts between north and south with the changing seasons. Fall and winter production starts in October in Ventura County and reaches south into Orange and San Diego Counties in late December or early January. Production in the south generally extends into April or May. Staggered planting schedules in the Santa Maria area bridges the seasons, with the harvest beginning in March, and continues into the late fall.

California's northern strawberry growing region is south of San Francisco and includes Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties and some acreage in Santa Clara and San Benito counties. Watsonville and Salinas account for almost half of the state's strawberry acreage. Shipments from northern areas begin in April, peak in May or June, and continue through November.

Growing & Harvesting

Strawberries are grown as an annual crop in California. The plants are first grown in a nursery and then transplanted into the fields by growers. In the northern districts, plants are replaced each fall at the end of harvest, and lay dormant through the winter. In the Oxnard and Santa Maria regions, plantings in late July through September provide strawberries through the fall and winter.

California's 12-month growing season contributes to higher strawberry yields per acre than any other growing area. Other areas of the country have shorter production cycles, from an average of five-months to as short as a few weeks.

Hand-Picked

All California strawberries are hand-picked to ensure only the highest quality berries are harvested. Strawberry plants continually produce new fruit throughout their season. During peak season plants are harvested every three days. Fresh strawberries are rushed to coolers, where huge fans remove the field heat, and then shipped within 24 hours on refrigerated trucks or air freighted to their final destination. Strawberries selected for processing are gently washed, sorted and frozen quickly to ensure the best flavor and appearance. Berries are sliced, pureed or kept whole for freezing.

About Dr. Jeanette Kern

Dr. Jeanette Kern is an award-winning dentist whose recognitions include Outstanding Woman in Monterey County by the Monterey County Commission on the Status of Women, Business Excellence Award from the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce and Woman of the Year from the Professional Women’s Network.

Dr. Kern completed postdoctoral training with world-renowned dental instructors at the Rosenthal Institute at New York University and the Pacific Aesthetic Continuum at University of the Pacific. Prior to becoming a dentist, Dr. Kern worked as a dental hygienist and taught Hygiene at UCLA and USC. She graduated at the top of her class from the School of Dentistry at UCLA.

Dr. Kern utilizes the latest techniques and technology to make treatment comfortable for her patients.

For more information and valuable dental health information, check out the website at jkerndds.com. To schedule an interview call Wendy Brickman 831-633-4444.

Contact:

Wendy Brickman

Brickman Marketing

395 Del Monte Center #250

Monterey, CA 93940

831-633-4444

http://www.jkerndds.com