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Month: September 2017

  • Sensitive Teeth: What Are the Causes and What Can You Do?

    If you have sensitive teeth, brushing, flossing, eating, and drinking can cause sharp, temporary pain. Sensitive teeth are typically the result of worn tooth enamel, exposed dentin, or exposed tooth roots. However, sensitive teeth can also be caused by cavities, cracks, chips, bleaching, or recent dental work.

    If your sensitive teeth hinder your daily life, consult your dentist. They may be able to rule out underlying causes of your tooth pain and recommend treatments. Desensitizing toothpaste can, after several applications, sometimes help block pain associated with sensitive teeth. Your dentist may also apply fluoride to the sensitive areas of your teeth to strengthen enamel and reduce pain. Treatment options for exposed tissue include bond resin, surgical gum grafts, and root canals.

    To prevent sensitive teeth from recurring, brush twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste, and floss daily. Make sure you aren’t brushing with too much pressure. If you grind your teeth, ask your dentist for a mouth guard to wear at night.

    Consider limiting your intake of carbonated drinks, citrus fruits, wine, and yogurt, all of which remove small amounts of tooth enamel over time. If you eat acidic food, drink milk or water to balance the acid levels in your mouth. Also, refrain from brushing your teeth immediately after eating, as some foods and drinks can soften the enamel of your teeth.

    Sensitive teeth can be debilitating, but proper oral hygiene and dental care coupled with avoidance of acidic food and drink can reduce or cure your tooth sensitivity.

  • Extracurricular Overload

    Demystify Your Kids’ Overstuffed Schedules and Get Your Life Back

    Every parent knows that a poorly organized tangle of kids’ activities is a recipe for a migraine. As school starts up again, so does sports season, and your kids’ extracurricular ambitions pile up like the falling autumn leaves. Don’t let yourself get burned out. Here are some tips to stay sane in the midst of the extracurricular whirlwind.

    Consolidate all your scheduling, jotting, and activity-tracking into one system. Let’s get one thing straight: You can’t afford to be scrawling “Abby piano lesson rescheduled 9/21” on the first scrap of paper you come across. That doesn’t mean you have to be hyper-organized, but it does mean that you need to keep your entire calendar in one place, whether that place is Google Calendar, a fridge whiteboard, or the old-fashioned standby: a calendar with a lighthouse on every page. One particularly attractive option is the Cozi app (cozi.com), which not only consolidates an entire family’s calendars, but allows you to include to-do lists, shopping lists, recipes, chore checklists, and more. Whichever system you choose, keep it updated. Its word is law.

    Form parent alliances. Those soccer practices Jacob’s going to? There are other teammates there, and they have parents shuttling them around, just like you are. Set up carpools — Noah’s mom drives them both Tuesday while you’ve got Thursdays — to manage scheduling conflicts between your kids and drastically reduce the time you spend as a chauffeur. To simplify the process and make sure everyone’s on the same page, check out the Carpool-Kids app at carpool-kids.com. It’ll let you directly invite other parents and set up weekly or one-shot carpool schedules.

    Maintain balance. You almost certainly will need to say no to additional extracurricular activities every now and then. Sure, simultaneous baseball, football, and soccer seasons might seem healthy and fun for your kid, but you need to consider your own needs, as well. Many parents give their children free rein over what to choose, but limit activities to one or two per season. Johnny wants to do underwater basket weaving? Strange choice, but sure — though he’ll have to abandon either fencing or ice hockey. Make sure you weigh each child’s needs equally, and keep the rules the same for each of them.

  • How Time Flies

    Celebrating 1 Year at Eagle Dental

    When I realized recently that I was celebrating one year as the dentist at Eagle Dental Care, I was a little bit surprised. I guess when life is busy, you forget how quickly a milestone can arrive. It’s been an amazing first year at the practice, and I owe a massive thanks to the team for making me feel welcome from the first day through the 365th. An equally sincere thanks goes out to all the patients who have continued to support Eagle Dental Care during my first year.

    That first day on the job feels like it was only weeks ago. We hit the ground running right away, seeing patients as soon as I arrived. There was something special about that day, though, as we closed the practice a couple hours early to have an open house. We invited all of our patients to come in, say goodbye with a big thankyou to Dr. Courtial, and be introduced to yours truly. I think that open house was the perfect way to get started, and I’d like to think we are still carrying the momentum from that evening.

    I was lucky enough to arrive at a thriving practice with an exceptional staff, so I’ve been careful to not rock the boat too much. Patients deserve the same thoughtful care they are used to, and I want everyone to feel as at home as they ever have. That said, we have had the chance to do a few touch-ups in the past year. We’ve put in new computers and monitors, intaoral cameras, and X-ray sensors. We changed some signage and did a little landscaping.

    “My goal is to make Eagle Dental Care a state-of-the-art practice without sacrificing the personal, friendly care that has always been an essential part of the office.”

    In this next year, we are hoping to make a few additional improvements to the office. Along with some remodeling, I am excited to bring some new dental technology into the office. My goal is to make Eagle Dental Care a state-of-the-art practice without sacrificing the personal, friendly care that has always been an essential part of the office.

    Speaking of major milestones, I’m sending my daughter, Avy, who is my oldest, off to kindergarten this year. I have to admit, it’s probably going to be harder on me than her. She’s excited about it. After two years of preschool, she’s had plenty of experience being in a structured environment with other children. Nevertheless, kindergarten is a big deal, and I’m looking forward to seeing her start this stage of her life.

    Kindergarten will be a new experience for Avy, but she’s not the only one trying out new things! Our newborn, Max, had a first of his own when we took him out recently for his first camping trip. It was short but sweet, and I’m sure it will be the first of many. As many of you know, I’m a huge outdoorsman, so it means a lot to be able to share that love with my family.

    Before I sign off this month, I just want to thank everyone again for making my first year at Eagle Dental so amazing. Here’s to many more!

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