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Month: June 2018

  • Oral Hygiene Can Save Your Life

    The Link Between Gum Disease and Heart Disease

    Most people know that poor dental health can lead to cavities, bad breath, and gum disease. But did you know that neglecting your brushing routine could put you at risk of a heart attack or stroke?

    Poor dental hygiene causes gum disease, which can lead to other health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, and even dementia. One of the most common warning signs of gum disease is inflammation. Gingivitis, a condition in which your gums become inflamed, occurs when there is a buildup of plaque on your teeth. Swollen, tender gums that bleed easily are a sign of gingivitis.

    Not treated properly, this condition can escalate to periodontitis. When this happens, the gum tissue begins to pull away from the teeth, allowing harmful bacteria to form pockets beneath the gumline, attack the bone, and enter the bloodstream.

    Any bacteria that slips into your bloodstream through the network of blood vessels in your mouth can be carried to your heart. The bacteria can cause inflammation and arterial plaque, which restricts the amount of blood that’s able to flow to your heart and puts you at a higher risk for a heart attack or stroke.

    Once you develop periodontitis, no amount of brushing and flossing will be sufficient, and a professional cleaning at a dentist’s office is necessary. The best defense against gum disease is a proper brushing and flossing routine. If your gum problems persist, speak to your dentist as soon as you can. Periodontitis is treatable through deep cleaning and antibiotics. You’ll immediately feel better, and you’ll lower your risk of heart attack and stroke.

  • Fluoride: The Cavity Fighter

    Patients with young children always ask about fluoride. There’s a lot of misinformation about fluoride out there, leading some people to think it does more harm than good. I’m here to dispel those rumors and show you that fluoride is a crucial part of anyone’s dental hygiene routine.

    Cavities occur when tooth enamel breaks down — called demineralization — causing decay. Fluoride helps prevent cavity formation in three major ways. First, fluoride actively halts demineralization, keeping your enamel healthy and strong. Second, when demineralization does occur, fluoride can help remineralize teeth, restoring them to their ideal condition. Finally, fluoride inhibits bacterial growth, eliminating nasty compounds that can lead to tooth decay.

    Many cities fluoridate their drinking water because it’s so beneficial to oral health. To find out if your community is one of them, you can go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) “My Water’s Fluoride” website and search by state and county. Whether or not your drinking water contains fluoride, it’s a good idea for children to begin using fluoride toothpaste as soon as they have teeth.

    For little ones under 2 years of age, you should only use a smear the size of a grain of rice. Children between 2 and 5 can upgrade to a pea-sized dollop. If your kids love the flavor of their toothpaste, it’s a good idea to keep it in a place they can’t reach. Too much fluoride, while not dangerous in the long term, can cause an upset stomach.

    Plenty of adults can benefit from fluoride as well. Those with increased sensitivity and exposed roots will find fluoride helpful in lessening pain. Patients who take medications that cause dry mouth should also use fluoride to fight the bacteria that saliva naturally combats.

  • Things that Go Bump in the Night

    Trying to slip out a window after Mom and Dad have gone to sleep is nothing new; kids have been trying to sneak out since the invention of houses. These three stories are sure to bring back memories of your own clandestine adventures and close calls!

    Jessica: ‘Grand Theft Minivan’

    My parents’ 1985 Ford Aerostar was something of a hot commodity because you could pack seven crazy teenagers in it and go for the best joyrides. As my parents were getting ready for bed, I’d run our air compressor to pretend I was pumping my bike tires, but I was actually using the noise to disguise the sound of the garage door opener. Once they were asleep, I’d pick up my friends, and we’d see how far we could make it in one night. One time, we went too far, and I couldn’t fill up the tank before getting back home. I was sweating as my mom got ready to take me to school in the morning. She turned the key, saw that the tank was almost empty, and muttered, “Your father told me this would be good on gas …”

    James: ‘Wish I Had a Grapple Gun’

    One night, I snuck out to see a girl. My room was on the second floor, and my parents had noise sensors that went off every time a door opened or closed. I popped out the screen on my window, figuring I could find a way out from the roof. The only option was to jump to an adjacent tree that was just out of reach. I went back to my room, grabbed a belt, and tried to use it as a whip, like Indiana Jones. It didn’t grab the branch tightly enough, though. I ended up with three bruised ribs and a sprained ankle, and I was grounded for a month.

    Rebecca: ‘Sneaking In’

    Sneaking out was never my forte, but sneaking people in sure was. There was an entry to my basement from the garage, so I would leave the back door to the garage unlocked, and my friends could slip in. One night, we had the bright idea to sneak in some boys. After one of them tripped and knocked over our canned food collection, my parents came running downstairs. When my dad took two steps toward his gun safe, the boys high-tailed it out of there.

  • Fishing and Piddling

    The Next Chapter of My Life

    Dr. Joe Courtial

    When I retired, my first impression about my new lifestyle was that I no longer needed a calendar. When you’re not working, every day is Saturday — of course, you still need to remember when you’re playing golf and which day is trash day. I guess I’m not entirely calendar-free, but I definitely don’t have to check and update my schedule every morning.

    My lovely wife, Joanne, has adapted well to my stay-at-home status, but I don’t think she quite realizes how important piddling is to retirees. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, “piddling” is the art of looking very busy but accomplishing very little. The most accomplished retirees can piddle all day. I haven’t attained that status yet, but you better believe I’m working toward it. In fact, the only degree I’m pursuing in retirement is my Ph.D. in piddling.

    I spend several days a week up in Ola, where we have a cabin on Squaw Creek. It’s the perfect place for me to get away and relax, especially as an avid fly fisherman for over 60 years. Squaw Creek offers the ideal fishing environment, with plenty of solitude and 18- inch native rainbow trout. I share the cabin with Joanne, assorted family members, bald eagles, and bluebirds. Occasionally, we’ll have an adventurous cougar stop by for an afternoon or evening.

    The human residents of Ola are even more wonderful than the animals. They are friendly folks with a penchant for earthy, sagacious advice. “The only reason to ride a bull is to meet a nurse,” “Don’t let your yearnings exceed your earnings,” “Never ask your barber if you need a haircut,” and “Always drink upstream from the herd,” are just a few of the most memorable pearls of wisdom I’ve heard in casual conversation.

    In August, I’ll be traveling to La Paz, Mexico, for a fishing trip of an altogether different nature. The lines will be deep in the water in hopes of luring some roosterfish, tuna, dorado, and sailfish. These trips have become something of a yearly ritual for me, and I always look forward to them. If I still had my old calendar, I’m sure they’d be circled in red ink.

    When I’m not fishing, you can probably find me with a book in my hand. I watch CSPAN’s book programs and hunt down the titles they discuss. I also spend a great deal of time with my seven grandchildren. If Joanne and I had known how much fun being a grandparent was years ago, we would’ve had grandkids before children — is that possible with modern science?

    Do I miss dentistry? The answer to that is a hard “yes and no.” I don’t miss the stress, which Brenda and Julie deftly managed for decades — I still don’t know how they did it. Plenty of laughter, which is the best antidote for stress, certainly helped in that regard. However, I do miss the great family of patients who I got to know on a personal level during my 45-year journey. I reminisce about those relationships often and sincerely appreciate the memories you have given me.

    I want to give a shoutout to Dr. Thomason and his staff for the smooth transition. It makes me sleep better at night knowing that all of you are in competent, caring hands. Dentistry has been a challenging and rewarding profession for me, which is more than I could’ve ever asked for. Thank you all for being such an integral part of it.

    See you on the golf course, ski slope, trout stream, in the gym, or hunting on the hills. Retirement’s been a blast so far. If I could only figure out who’s sending me burial insurance emails, I’d be all set.

    P.S. Floss ‘em if you got ‘em!

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