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.
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.
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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Don’t Let Stress Scare You Away from the Dentist
No one likes going to the dentist — after all, the thought of someone else snooping around in your mouth isn’t pleasant. It’s pretty common to feel stressed at the dentist’s office, but for some people, that stress can escalate to a phobia.
Dental anxiety can cause a host of dental problems. Many people who struggle with this anxiety will only visit the dentist when they absolutely need to. But rushing to the dentist due to an emergency only makes the patient’s anxiety worse. Emergency experiences are never pleasant and can add more stress to a trying situation.
If someone is already nervous about going to the dentist, making an appointment for something far worse than a simple cleaning isn’t the solution. Their opinion of dentists is only going to worsen in situations like this, creating an unpleasant case for the patient and dentist.
Managing your dental anxiety isn’t easy, but it can be done, and you don’t have to rely on sedatives to make it through an appointment, either. An easy way to minimize anxiety is to show up to your appointment on time — never early. Although this strategy may seem too simple to work, it minimizes the time you spend in the waiting room. The longer a patient sits, the more time they have to mull over any previous bad experiences, imagine things that could go wrong, or anticipate the expected discomfort.
Communicate your anxiety to your dentist. Getting to know your dentist and their process can lower stress levels and uncertainty, and your dentist may have suggestions on how to make you comfortable once they know how nervous you are. Talking through the procedure beforehand and afterward will help you understand what to expect and what’s already happened.
Dental anxiety can make the dentist’s office seem like the worst place in the world. But with a little confidence and a tactful approach, nobody should have to suffer from poor dental hygiene because of it.
April was Oral Cancer Awareness Month, which got me thinking about how important oral cancer screenings are as part of your regular dental hygiene routine. We perform screenings during every cleaning and exam. It’s particularly important because many oral cancers don’t have dramatic symptoms in their early stages. Early detection also significantly increases the survival rate of oral cancer patients.
While everyone should be screened for oral cancer at least once per year, there are certain groups that are at an elevated risk for developing the disease. The biggest risk factors are smoking and the use of smokeless tobacco. Excessive alcohol consumption, sun exposure, and human papillomavirus (HPV) also increase a patient’s likelihood of developing oral cancer. It’s more common in males than females, and a higher incidence rate occurs in those above age 50.
An expert may be required for a diagnosis, but you can do a basic screening at home. To start, examine the sides and underside of your tongue for any patches or discoloration. From there, move to your lips and the inside of your cheeks, feeling for any bumps and looking for any red or white patches. Do the same for the floor of your mouth and your soft palate. It’s also worth checking for swollen lymph nodes, but remember that those can signify any number of problems, not just oral cancer.
The presence of symptoms is not a surefire sign of oral cancer. Our mouths are complicated, and it’s important to make sure that you verify any cause for concern with a professional. At Eagle Dental Care, we are happy to offer oral cancer screenings in between regularly scheduled visits. If you feel you could benefit from a screening, give us a call today.
We’ve all walked into our kitchens, looked at the dishes stacked high in the sink, and asked, “Is it better to throw those in the dishwasher or wash them by hand?” The dishwasher would certainly save you some time, but many people believe that washing dishes by hand uses less water and electricity. In reality, however, washing your dishes by hand is one of the worst things you can do for both the planet and your wallet.
Dishwashers use less water than washing by hand. A study conducted in Europe found that individuals who wash dishes by hand tend to use 27 gallons of water to clean just 12 place settings. Meanwhile, modern dishwashers only use 6 gallons of water, and Energy Star appliances use as little as 4 gallons during their wash cycle. The Environmental Protection Agency determined that using a dishwasher instead of washing by hand can save 5,000 gallons of water and $40 in utility costs a year.
It’s not just about water! Unless you have incredibly thick dishwashing gloves, you can’t properly clean your dishes by hand. Dishwashers heat water to around 145 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure your dishes are disinfected. Even if the water from your sink could get that hot, you wouldn’t want to stick your hand in it.
Which brings us to the science experiment that is your kitchen sponge. Dr. Philip Tierno, a clinical professor in the microbiology and pathology departments at NYU Langone, determined that your kitchen sponge is the single dirtiest item in your house. Soap and water aren’t enough to sanitize your sponge, which is left damp next to your sink after each use. Have you ever noticed that stagnant sponge smell? That’s bacteria growing. And when you wash your dishes by hand, you rub that bacteria all over your plates and silverware. Yum.
If you have just a single plate or cup, you obviously don’t want to run them through the dishwasher alone; that would be incredibly wasteful. But the drawbacks of washing by hand are too great to ignore. The best option is to wait until your dishwasher is full, then start up the washing cycle. All your dishes will be clean and disinfected, and you’ll use less water in the process.
Why Memorial Day Is My Favorite Holiday
When you ask somebody what their favorite holiday is, the more common answers are Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Independence Day. I guess I’m an outlier in this regard, because Memorial Day has been my favorite holiday for as long as I can remember. The reason I look forward to the holiday is partly because of where it falls on the calendar, and partly due to specific family traditions.
I always travel to Eastern Idaho for Memorial Day, and there’s no better time to visit. I grew up in farm country, which can be pretty desolate-looking during much of the year. That’s not the case in late May, however. The fields of grain are green and popping, the grass is gorgeous, and the weather is almost always perfect. The entire landscape feels like it’s exploding with life.
To take advantage of the natural wonders, I always float Henry’s Fork (the North Fork of the Snake River) with two of my brothers. We spend the days floating and fishing and the evening cooking and barbecuing at my brother’s home. As an added bonus, Memorial Day always happens during the stonefly hatch, which makes for ideal fishing conditions. The experience is always a blast. As we grow older and busier, spending quality time with my brothers gets harder. I cherish these trips for that very reason.
Of course, Memorial Day isn’t all about cookouts and fishing trips. It’s also a time to take a moment to remember those who are no longer with us, particularly those who have served our country. As a patriotic American, I try to always keep in mind the sacrifices of the brave men and women protecting our nation. The impact these selfless folks have on all of us isn’t limited to a holiday, but it’s great that we have a day to celebrate them.
I also use Memorial Day weekend to commemorate my parents. They’ve both passed away, and our family always visits their gravesites during Memorial Day weekend to honor their memory. It’s a very special, intimate experience for all of us and one that brings us closer together as a family unit.
Given that Mother’s Day is also in May, I wanted to close by paying tribute to my mother, Bonnie. She passed away four years ago this month, but she continues to be an inspiration to me. She was always my biggest supporter and never failed to have a word of encouragement for me when I needed it most. A mother’s love is the closest thing to God’s love, and in my experience, that is true. I miss her all the time, but I feel grateful to have been raised by such wonderful parents.
If your mom is still with us, I hope you take the time to express your love to her this month. I also encourage you to take a moment, even in the midst of your cookout, to pay tribute to those who’ve lost their lives serving our country. We wouldn’t be here without our mothers and service people, and now’s the perfect time to show our gratitude.
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I swear by my electric toothbrush, and I always recommend that patients switch from manual to electric. Many people balk at the idea of spending more than a couple of bucks on a toothbrush, but the increased upfront cost ends up paying for itself.
Basically, the only significant investment is in the system itself. You just need one or two bases for your whole family, because everyone can swap out the heads easily. Replacement heads are inexpensive, especially when they go on sale on Amazon. I can’t remember the last time I paid standard retail price for a set. Not to mention, the increased effectiveness of electric toothbrushes could end up saving you money on dental care.
Why do electric toothbrushes work better than their manual counterparts? The motion and speed created by a motor can’t be replicated by human hands, making the time spent brushing more productive. Most electric models also come equipped with timers that ensure you spend adequate time brushing. Sometimes, they’ll even have alerts every 30 seconds to let you know it’s time to switch to a different region of your mouth.
Electric brushes are a great option for everybody, but there are certain groups of people for whom they can be particularly beneficial. If you tend to develop plaque at a faster-than-average rate, an electric brush will help keep buildup at bay. For folks with arthritis and other conditions that limit dexterity, electric models also decrease the discomfort that can come from manual brushing. Those with braces and other orthodontic devices will discover that electric brushes are much better at clearing away hard-to-reach food stuck between wires. Finally, those of you who are naturally hard brushers — the type of people who fray a toothbrush in a month — will find that an electric model will decrease tissue damage associated with over-enthusiastic brushing.
For all of these reasons, it’s a great decision to go electric. You probably don’t use a flip phone anymore, so why use outmoded technology on your teeth?
Believe it or not, your infant’s oral hygiene is important — even before they have teeth! Bacteria can build up inside your child’s mouth, causing harm to their gums and, eventually, their teeth. Though children’s teeth are temporary, they’re still vulnerable to infection and decay when not taken care of properly. Listed below are a few simple ways to secure your infant’s oral health.
Your Dental Health
One important way to maintain your child’s dental health is to maintain your own. Not only does this lead to good habits for the both of you, it can prevent bacteria from spreading. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, bacteria called streptococcus mutans can spread from mothers to their infants, which can lead to dental decay.
Cleaning
It’s important to keep your infant’s mouth clean. Bacteria can grow in their mouth and around their gums, creating infections even before baby teeth set in. Clean your infant’s mouth at least twice a day or after each meal. Wash your hands, then wrap clean, damp gauze around your finger, and gently wipe your baby’s gums.
Appointments
Scheduling a dental appointment is a sure way to prevent problems. You should see a dentist regularly to make sure your teeth are healthy before and after your child is born. When your child turns 1 year old, or their first tooth appears, take your infant in for their first dental appointment.
By taking care of your dental health, you can take care of your infant’s. Create good habits, schedule checkups, and clean regularly. Teeth or no teeth, oral health is important, and keeping up with it will benefit you and your child in the long run.
Turning Our House Into a Home
Last month, I mentioned that we recently moved into a new home. We’re deep in the midst of the unpacking process and starting the effort of turning our new house into a permanent home. While my excitement about settling in hasn’t cooled one bit, I’m beginning to feel like the universe is playing an April Fools’ joke on me when it comes to unpacking. I swear that all this stuff can’t be ours! If I never have to cut through a strip of packing tape again, you won’t hear me complaining.
That said, adding some personal touches to the home has been really rewarding. We’ve been doing some painting, and while I’m no Picasso, I do enjoy putting a Thomason-family stamp on our house. When you move in, it can feel like you’re just renting or staying in a hotel room. Slowly but surely, though, we’re planting down our roots and furniture. Our next step is to start building some memories. I hope that when we look back on the early days in our new house, our kids remember the cardboard palace that was a jungle gym for them and a headache for their dad.
“When you move in, it can feel like you’re just renting or staying in a hotel room. Slowly but surely, though, we’re planting down our roots and furniture. Our next step is to start building some memories.”
Speaking of painting, I’m excited to dye some Easter eggs with the kids this year. We’ll get some respite from the moving madness when we head to Eastern Idaho for a big family celebration. We’ve done Easter at home for the past couple of years, so I’m looking forward to a bigger gathering this time around. Avy and Jett are the perfect ages to enjoy going on an Easter egg hunt, and, despite the fact they’re the kids of a dentist, they love candy as much as the next little one. Max isn’t old enough to hunt for anything outside arms’ reach, but I’m sure he’ll enjoy the trip all the same.
Later in April, I’ll be floating down the middle fork of the Salmon River with my eldest brother, Mike. He goes every year, but I haven’t been able to join him because of life-changing events that have coincided with the trip. Last year, Max was born in April. The year before that, I was in the process of getting started at Eagle Dental Care. Three years ago, well, I have no excuse for that one. I just missed it. I’m so excited to be able to join him this year. The days will be spent floating and fishing, and the nights will see us sleeping on the shore. My brother is a certified mountain man, and he says it’s the closest you can come to an Alaskan adventure in the lower 48.
In other news, I want to extend a giant thank-you to all of our patients for referring their friends and family. Our practice is growing at a pretty remarkable rate, and I’m humbled by the enthusiasm you have for our work. To thank our patients for their referrals, we will start running a monthly contest for those who refer new folks to us. The prizes are going to be awesome, so be sure to stay tuned for information about the contests. If you want to stay up to date on all things Eagle Dental Care, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook.
Oh, and if you need way too many boxes, I might know a guy looking to unload some. Just a thought.