Dr.’s Blog
Yoga
Dec 14 2011
Yoga (Sanskrit, Pāli: योग yóga) is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India.The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility. The word is associated with meditative practices in Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.
Office staff sit in accomplished pose with their hands in prayer after a one hour power yoga session with a certified yoga instructor. She offers adjustments and provides a lot of information about the benefits of yoga for the body and mind while guiding her students through the postures to ensure that they are relaxed and feeling fresh for the remainder of their day!
Add Years to your Life by Flossing!
Jan 10 2011
Recent studies suggest that flossing daily can add years to your life. Treating gum disease and keeping your gums and teeth healthy can actually add an average of 6.4 years to the human life. According to Dr Michael Roizen’s program, “RealAge,” flossing and healthy gums rank right near the top of the list of things to do to reduce your “RealAge” with taking vitamins, reducing stress and quitting smokin
It has become quite clear that there is a direct link between gum disease and heart disease, and flossing is a surefire way to prevent gum disease and it’s early symptoms.
Symptoms of gum disease:
* Bad breath that won’t go away
* Red or swollen gums
* Tender or bleeding gums
* Painful chewing
* Loose teeth
* Sensitive teeth
Receding gums or longer appearing teeth
Preventing and Treating Gum Disease:
Keep your oral tools new and clean! When the bristles on your toothbrush are showing signs of wear, get a new one.
Use a toothpaste that lists fluoride as an ingredient
Brush the way your hygienist always tells you to! Position the brush at a 45 degree angle where the teeth meet the gums. Use short, gentle strokes to remove plaque buildup. If the brush doesn’t;t fit in behind your teeth, turn it to a vertical position to get those hard to reach spots. Last but not least, make sure to spend an average of two minutes brushing!
Floss properly! Use a back and forth motion once the floss is positioned between the teeth. Don’t force or snap floss, as you can cut your gums doing this. Guide the floss and curve it around the shape of your tooth at the gum line. You should feel a slight resistance on the floss and should always be holding each end of the floss with one hand. Always make sure to get both sides of each tooth.
Be aware of grinding and clenching of your teeth. Putting excess force on the tissues in your mouth can accelerate the rate at which these tissues are destroyed. Alert your dentist if you suspect that you are clenching or grinding during the day or while you sleep!
My Ethiopia Volunteer Mission
May 2009
I spent two amazing weeks in Ethiopia, doing volunteer dentistry in the town of Sululta. I met many amazing people and worked harder than I ever do in my own office, with no drills, x-ray equipment and sometimes no electricity. I removed hundreds of teeth with local anesthetic and hand instruments though!
In a country of 80 million people, there are approximately 40 dentists, only in the larger cities. Most of the people I treated had never seen a dentist before, making the experience unique for myself and the patients alike.
In a small government run health clinic, there are no doctors to be found. Nurses and a pharmacist take care of virtually everything. I must say, they were amazing! I saw them devliver babies, do AIDS testing, and handle all emergencies 24 hours a day. Working alonside these women, we learned a lot from each other. I left a large supply of anesthetic and dental instruments to help them treat patients, which I’m sure will be put to good use.
In this photo, we see the line up outside the clinic. There were always more people waiting than we could treat.
Kids pose with their new toothbrushes
