Sunday, January 8, 2012

Help fight the Decay Ninja


Decay is like a ninja, you may not see a ninja coming but you will know when he gets there.  Most of the decay we see in dentistry begins in between the teeth.  Food gets trapped in the small spaces in between our teeth.  If you are like most Americans you only floss the week before and the week after your hygiene visits.

When food is not removed from these areas decay begins.  We're great clinicians and technicians in our office but we still haven’t developed x-ray vision.  We can only see the cheek, side tongue side and biting surface of teeth with our eyes.  We can’t see that ninja-like decay laying in wait where your teeth touch each other.

It is waiting, slowly creeping closer and closer to the nerve of your tooth, undetected….then BOOM!

Ninja star to the nerve, a crushing blow, taking you down with little effort and a lot of effectiveness.  All that can be avoided by taking bitewing x-rays once a year.  A radiograph is like daytime to a ninja, there's no hiding from my super detection rays.  Radiographs taken once a year can reveal decay when its small.  If we can catch it when its small we can usually restore the tooth with a tooth colored filling.  The longer it hides in the tooth the more it's destroying tooth structure and eventually can cause major damage.  Treatment then becomes more complicated.  Your tooth could need anything from a simple onlay to a root canal or a crown (cap) or even extraction(if you let it go too far). 



Please, help us, help you

Thank you to Nicole McCracken, one of my Treatment Coordinators, for writing this blog, I simply edited it.

Just Sayin'... let 2012 be the year we stop the Ninja




Sunday, January 1, 2012

Don't go changing, why not?


As a new year begins, we all look back and reflect on the year that has passed.  What we need to do is use it as a learning experience to move forward into the future.  We can't stand still, change is what makes the world move . An old native American saying is that you can never step in the same river twice, it is always in perpetual motion. Constantly changing.

Sorry, Billy Joel.

Don't go changing, to try and please me,
You never let me down before,

Without change, where would we be?  The phone would never have been invented, nor the cell phone.  The technology with which I am writing this would still be a cave drawing.

Don't go trying, some new fashion,
Don't change the colour of your hair

Go for it, try a new fashion.  It may not work for you, but you won't know til you try.  Hair grows back, constantly changing, so take a chance, change the color, what do you have to lose.

I don't want clever, conversation,
I never want to work that hard,
I just want someone, that I can talk to,
I want you just the way you are.

Be yourself and you will evolve into the person you want to be.  Who you are comes from deep within you.  When my daughter was little and skating, people would say that she looked so happy, and she would say, I forgot to smile.  I always told her that a smile starts deep down in your belly and works its way out, the position of your teeth doesn't matter.  (believe it or not this advice came from dad the dentist)



To paraphrase:

Don't stop changing, try and please yourself

You'll never let you down



Just Sayin'...Happy New Year

Sunday, December 11, 2011

What is a name?

Shakespeare was correct, a rose by any other would smell as sweet. Today we were at the Westfarms Mall here in Connecticut, and we went into one of my favorite stores, Teavana. for those of you that know me well, know that I don't drink coffee and am a lover of tea (not the fruity non-tea herbal stuff, but black, green, and white teas). I started placing my order for the flavors of loose tea that I generally drink, and the 'tea specialist' stopped me to tell me that they had changed the name of my favorite tea. Years ago it was called Almondina Biscotti, then it changed to Almond Biscotti, and today it was called Almondina Rose. The flavor has not changed but the name is ever evolving. The name aside this still one of my favorites. If you ever find yourself in a Teavana try this tea mixed with some Matevana for the added caffeine and a hint of chicory and floral essence. Change is expected, but please leave the names of the things I like alone, so that I may identify them. Thank you just Sayin'

Friday, December 9, 2011

Today is our office holiday party. It is a time to look back upon the year and start to look forward to the holiday season and the new year. It has been a year of constant change. We hired a new doctor in our office and she has been a great addition. We have both our children in college, hence we are now considered empty nesters. Doesn't seem so empty, we have found many things to do to keep us busy. A year ago, who would thought that I would be writing this blog from my family room on an iPad. Over the next few blogs, I will reflect more. Just Sayin'

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Time is running out

Time is running out!!

Sounds ominous.

Actually I'm referring to dental and medical benefits

For most dental and medical plans the new year brings new benefits.  the average dental plan covers anywhere from $1000 to $1500 per year.  Practically nothing in these economic times. 

If you haven't used all your benefits this year, you may want to take advantage and use the benefits that you are paying for.  Contact your family dental provider to help you maximize your benefits, they are on your side, not the side of the insurance agency.  They are looking out for your your dental health, not their shareholders' pockets.

Just a note... Just Sayin'

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Thank you

Today is the 70th Anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

Little else needs to be said, but a great big thank you to the service men and women who gave their  lives so that we can live free!

It is also a time to thank those that serve and protect us yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Just Sayin'...