Archive for September, 2011

Post-summer malaise – we’ve all got it. As soon as we caught our first glimpses of the “back to school” commercials, it was already too late. Now that the kids are back to hittin’ the books rather than the beach and the days are growing shorter by the minute, we’ve officially begun bracing ourselves for year-end survival mode. With the holiday season right around the corner and the threshold of a new year before us, it’s about that time to sort through our neglected priorities and re-focus on those big changes we all too willingly placed on the back burner.
Though shifting gears can seem like a drag (I, for one, am already mourning the loss of swimming pool weekends for chilly leaf-raking), striving for that feeling of fulfillment that comes with accomplishing goals is a great encouragement. Whether you’ve been promising yourself to dust off that hidden treadmill, organize the decades of odds and ends piled in the attic, or add in the few extra minutes every day to make sure you’re flossing properly, there’s no better time than now to see your changes through.
Autumn has always signaled a time of change for me. There’s something magical in the subtle transformation of hue-shifting leaves and the refreshing jolt from crisp, night air. But this year, I find myself reveling even more in the changes of the season as I experience, for the first time, what it means to be an expecting mother. With twins on the way, I pay extra attention to the natural changes around me, as well as the rapid changes within me. As I watch the constellations drift across the night sky to settle into their new winter homes, I feel the kicks of tiny feet growing and stretching. As apples ripen red and grow sweet for the harvest, I feel the growth and development of new life within me.
I look forward to the new directions and changes in the upcoming months, and am making sure to take advantage of the opportunity to settle any stagnant ‘To Do’ lists. It’s the spirit of the season and the feeling of accomplishment is contagious. So whether the changes are major, life-altering events or simple, subtle tweaks to your daily routine (I really hope you’re taking those few extra minutes to floss!), change, long-term goals, and growth is definitely in season. Sow the seeds for your most anticipated goals, reap the benefits of a job well done, and let your harvest of change be fruitful!

I’m continually amazed to learn how many of us underestimate the effect that diet has upon dental health. One of the main areas of concern is sugary drinks, and they can cause dental disaster.
Sure, cavities can be filled; however, if attention is not given to what caused those cavities, we may be wasting our time. Furthermore, the specific preventive advice we give to our individual patients is every bit as important as the restorative services we provide.
The problems are caused by the ingredients in those drinks and their frequency of intake. Most of these drinks contain high doses of sugar (sucrose and fructose). Every time you take a sip, the acidity of your saliva goes up – and it stays up for about 20 minutes (all-the-while decalcifying your enamel). It just takes one sip! You can imagine what sipping all day long can do – we dentists, unfortunately, see it every day.
Are you or your children involved in sports? If so, is there always a container of Gatorade ready to “improve performance” and “replenish electrolytes?” Well then, that sugar bath you give your teeth every ten minutes or so during the game is harming your teeth. Are iced-tea drinks, sugared coffees, lemonades, and coolattas a regular part of your daily routine? Sipping that stuff all day is the worst thing for your mouth and, surprisingly, does not quench thirst nearly as well as plain old water.
Consider this example: There are two identical twins, Joe and Jim. They each drink one cola a day. Joe drinks his cola at one sitting, with lunch. However, Jim makes his cola last all day long, taking occasional drinks. All other things being equal, Joe’s teeth will be OK – but Jim will be having problems with tooth decay. It’s the frequency of those 20-minute pH changes which causes the damage.
So are you thirsty? Drink water – it’s been an effective thirst quencher for thousands of years, it’s inexpensive, and it won’t rot your teeth. There’s no good reason to walk around with a soda all day (do your taste buds really need constant entertainment?) And you athletes: unless you’re running marathons or doing high school football two-a-days in August, you probably don’t need electrolytes – you certainly aren’t depleting them standing there in right field.
Must you eliminate all sweet drinks? Absolutely not. What you need to do is to change the way you enjoy them. Have them once or twice a day in one sitting rather than walking around with straw in your mouth as if it were some kind of pacifier.
Sounds severe, huh? And why haven’t we heard about this on TV? Well, you won’t hear it from the Media Machine, because there are too many marketing dollars involved. You’ll only hear it from the dental professionals who have seen the damage and are trying our best to keep our patients healthy. Take this seriously – it’s some of the best advice you’ll ever receive.