Aberdeen Smiles December 2018

Aberdeen Smiles December 2018

December 2018

Aleaha Fettig, DDS Valerie Drake, DDS

1409 6th Ave. SE #8, Aberdeen, SD 57401 |

www.AberdeenSmiles.com

605-225-2236

|

Lifelong Dreams What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up

Hello, everyone!

appointment who’ve taken my advice to heart. I can see the difference in their teeth because they’re brushing better, and it makes me feel good to know I’m having a positive impact on their life.

This is Melissa Smith. I’m one of the newest dental hygienists at Aberdeen Smiles. From the time I was in third grade, I knew I wanted to work in dentistry. I liked going to the dentist, which I know made me a weird kid, but I always had fun. Most of all, I wanted to be in the medical field and I knew dentistry wasn’t going to gross me out! It wasn’t until sixth grade that a guidance counselor brought up the idea of being a dental hygienist. I remember looking into what it was like to be a dental hygienist, and it looked like a career I’d enjoy.

In addition to being new to the office, I’m also new to the area. I’m originally from Hazel, where I still have

plenty of family and lots of young nieces and nephews running around. Though I’m living somewhere new, I still make time to visit, especially around the holidays. Our seasonal celebrations have gotten crazier every year because our family keeps growing. I’ll be driving

to spend the day at my mom’s house for Christmas this year. She always cooks big pots of soup, and nothing beats a cold winter’s day quite like having a belly full of warm soup. Sometimes, we even get to catch up with the extended family. A few of my cousins are dental assistants, so it’s cool to see how dentistry is becoming part of our family. I’ve wanted to be a dental hygienist for almost my whole life, and I’m thrilled to finally be here. It’s been great working in a field I’m passionate about. Thank you to everyone who has welcomed me with such open arms. I’m excited to be at Aberdeen Smiles, and I look forward to getting to know all our patients. - Melissa Smith

So, I mapped out what I needed to do in order to become a dental hygienist. Most people go through so many different career options while growing up, but for me, it all worked out. I still wanted to be a dental hygienist through all of my schooling. Graduating last May felt like achieving a lifelong goal. But getting my license was only the start. I joined Aberdeen Smiles less than a year ago and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the practice. I’m already attached to the office, and my coworkers are a really fun group of people. Plus, I enjoy building relationships with patients. There’s something fun about showing patients spots they miss when they brush and how they can easily take better care of their teeth. Already, I’ve had patients come in for their next

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4 WINTER ILLNESSES YOU’D RATHER AVOID

Achoo! That’s the last noise you want to hear this winter. Cold weather brings a slew of sicknesses, so be vigilant to treat these common illnesses, or better yet, avoid them altogether. The Common Cold

more serious strain of the virus. Most children will recover with at- home rest, but some may need to be hospitalized for more severe symptoms. Influenza

Although there is no cure, a cold is easier to treat than other illnesses. If you or a loved one has a runny

The flu is known for causing high fever, muscle aches and pains, nausea, and other symptoms similar to a cold. Often, the fever will last for around five days, but it can be shortened with the aid of antiviral medications. However, these medications are recommended only for children who face serious complications or hospitalization from the flu. If you want to avoid catching this, your best bet is to receive the annual flu vaccine. Strep Throat A sore throat, headache, stomach ache, vomiting, and high fever are signs of strep. This infection is treated with antibiotics and should be addressed soon after the first symptoms appear to prevent further complications. Children with strep throat should stay away from school and other activities until they’ve been on antibiotics for 24 hours. Everyone knows that getting sick is no fun and is best avoided at all costs. However, it happens to everyone eventually. Catching a virus or infection in its early stages can help you shake the sickness much faster.

nose, low-grade fever, headache, cough, nasal congestion, or sore throat, the common cold

has most likely taken hold. With the help of rest and perhaps some cold medicine, like cough drops and decongestants, the cold will come and go in

about a week.

Bronchiolitis Bronchiolitis appears most commonly in children less than a year old and is caused by other viruses. Of the many symptoms — nasal congestion, low-grade fevers, and coughing — wheezing is the one you should be most concerned about. If your child is having difficulty breathing and is dehydrated, they may have caught a

OUR PATIENTS SAY IT BEST

Aberdeen Smiles has always had stellar customer service! My experience with them, my children and myself included, has made us very comfortable during a routine cleaning! I’m thankful to find a truly amazing family dentist. Dr. Fettig is so patient and informative! I recommend this dentist — absolutely! –Ashlee J. My dental hygienists are always nice on every visit. This particular visit, I had Melissa. I almost couldn’t tell she was cleaning my teeth! Melissa was so gentle and, on top of that, very nice! Dr. Fettig is awesome! She is so nice and caring, and I felt important! My family and I will continue to visit here. –April A.

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El Ratón de Los Dientes

THE TOOTH FAIRY GOES INTERNATIONAL

One of the most beloved myths in many Spanish-

speaking countries involves a magical mouse. This mouse

goes by Ratón Pérez or El Ratón de Los Dientes, and he is exactly what his name suggests: a mouse who collects

Toothy Traditions Around the World Every night, children in houses all over the U.S. crawl into their beds with anticipation, their recently lost baby teeth stashed carefully under their pillows. Why? They await the arrival of the tooth fairy, of course! Nearly everyone has at least one memory of falling asleep with a tooth under their pillow and waking up a dollar or two richer. While the tooth fairy we know and love didn’t flutter her way into the American social consciousness until the 1920s, other countries around the world have their own tooth-centric traditions dating back several centuries. My Dog Ate My … Tooth? Rather than sliding the tooth under your pillow, throughout Central Asia, it’s traditional to put the tooth into a delicious fatty snack and feed it to a dog. Children take part in this tradition to ensure that their adult teeth grow in to be as strong as the dog’s teeth. No dog? No problem! The next best practice is to bury the tooth by a tree so that the new tooth has strong roots.

teeth. Like the tooth fairy, Pérez gets the teeth only after they’ve been lost and put

under children’s pillows. In Argentina, a lost tooth is placed in a glass of water before bed. When Pérez shows up, he’ll drink up the water, grab the tooth, and leave his gift in the empty glass. Toss Those Teeth In countries like China, India, and Japan, kids will toss their teeth rather than hide them under their pillows. Teeth lost from the lower jaw are usually thrown up onto a roof, while teeth from the upper jaw are tossed onto the floor or ground. The logic behind this practice is that the strategic placement of the old tooth will help the new tooth grow in strong.

Have a Laugh

CAULIFLOWER SOUP 30-Minute

This hearty soup is a quick, easy, healthy addition to your holiday table. It can also be made vegetarian by substituting chicken broth with vegetable broth.

Inspired by Good Housekeeping

Ingredients

• 1 small head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cored and sliced • 1 leek, chopped • 1 medium onion, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth • 1/2 cup heavy cream • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions 1. In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter into warm oil. Add onion and leek, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender, about 10–12 minutes. 2. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add cauliflower, broth, and cream. Simmer until cauliflower is tender, about 15 minutes. 3. Using a blender, purée in batches until smooth. 4. Top servings with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of pepper.

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1409 6th Ave. SE #8 Aberdeen, SD 57401 605-225-2236 www.AberdeenSmiles.com

Aleaha Fettig, DDS Valerie Drake, DDS

Inside This Issue Get to Know Melissa Page 1 What Do My Symptoms Mean? Page 2 Hear From Our Happy Patients! Page 2 The Tooth Fairy Goes International Page 3 30-Minute Cauliflower Soup Page 3 What Your Eyes Can Tell You About Love Page 4

In the last decade, researchers have determined that from a romantic and reproductive standpoint, both men and women are attracted to partners with What Your Eyes Can Tell You About Love

IS LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT REAL?

The idea of love at first sight is wonderfully romantic. Two strangers see each other across a crowded room. There’s an instant, magnetic attraction, and suddenly they’ve found their match for all of eternity. In a world in which dating often requires a lot of work — work that comes with disappointment, rejection, and

bigger pupils. Studies demonstrate that when women are at their peak fertility, they might subconsciously be more attracted to a person with sizable pupils because it could indicate a partner’s attraction to them. Likewise, researchers have reported that men seek out women with dilated pupils due to the association of larger pupils with youth and longevity. The connection between the eyes and enthrallment has inspired some of Shakespeare’s most iconic sonnets, and the science behind our eyes validates some of the Bard’s romantic claims. But does this connection between larger pupils and attraction corroborate the idea of love at first sight? If you believe that attraction equates to true love, then absolutely. But if your definition of love requires a little more depth, then you may have to toss aside the idea of love at first sight and instead view your partner’s eyes as mere “windows” to their soul.

uncertainty — falling in love at first sight has a strong appeal. But can it actually happen? Can your eyes tell you anything about love? The connection between the eyes and love has been described in poetry and prose since time immemorial — it’s the stuff of heroic epics and fanciful fairy tales. And evidence has increasingly shown that the human brain is hard-wired to both display and notice visual cues when gazing at a potential love interest. Enlarged pupils are one such cue. When you survey a person or object you are interested in, your brain releases a surge of dopamine — a chemical that controls the brain’s reward and pleasure centers — which causes your pupils to dilate. In this sense, beauty really is “in the eye of the beholder.”

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