Advanced+Family Dentistry - March 2019

REPORT THE WELLNESS

March 2019

770-932-4240

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www.DaculaDentist.com

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A Little Spring- Cleaning

4. KOMONO After organizing clothing and papers, komono is next. Komono represents pretty much everything else, from the kitchen and garage, to bathrooms, offices, and kids’ room. Find a place for everything, only keeping those items you really need. 5. SENTIMENTAL ITEMS In our house, this might be the biggest category of all! Having four young children, our storage area is full of handprint turkeys, valentines, and years of homemade Christmas gifts. The good news is these are items you can keep in the KonMari method! 6. PROFESSIONAL TEETH CLEANING Okay, your dental cleaning didn’t make the KonMari cleaning method, but it should have! If you have been to our office recently, you might have heard us talking about some of the latest research showing people who had not been to the dentist in the previous year had a 50 percent higher mortality rate than those who went two or more times annually. Researchers have concluded that good oral health promotes longevity by helping people avoid serious systemic diseases sparked by infections and chronic inflammation. If you’re about to tackle some spring organization, I hope you find the above list helpful. When you’ve realized you’re overdue for your dental cleaning, please give us a call — we’d love to see you!

W ith the temperatures starting to get warm, plants and lawns slowly coming back to life, and winter behind us, it’s officially time for some spring-cleaning. A few weeks ago, my wife and I stumbled upon the Netflix TV sensation “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo.” The premise of the show is that best-selling author and decluttering guru Marie Kondo goes from home to home of families in need of organization while film crews follow. Kondo calls her approach the KonMari method and essentially asks us to decide which items “spark joy in us” and which items we should donate or discard. If you’re like me and would rather just have the bullet points instead of binging on an entire Netflix season to get the details, I’ve highlighted the KonMari method below. 1. CLOTHING Clothing is the first item tackled in the KonMari method, and in the show, you can watch as people painfully pile mountains of clothes on their bed, going through each item and asking if it indeed sparks joy in them or if it should be passed along. Aside from removing all items that no longer fit or do not bring joy, Kondo advises to fold all clothes that are stored in drawers vertically to save space and make items more accessible. 2. BOOKS Once all clothing items have been sorted, the process can be completed for books. Only books that spark joy are saved. 3. Papers Kondo state that most papers, bills, and even old warranties or documents often end up stowed away and forgotten. Since most paperwork is now available digitally, these papers create useless clutter when they could be accessed online.

–Dr. Parth Patel

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THE HISTORY OF SNOOZING HOWTHE ART OF SLEEP HAS CHANGED OVER TIME

There are few things in life that feel better than crawling into a comfy bed after a long day. Sleep is an essential part of human health. After a mere 24 hours of sleep deprivation, bodily functions and mental faculties start to go haywire, and 11 days seems to be the longest a person can live without sleep. While people acknowledge that sleep has always been a necessary part of human existence, very few know how drastically nightly routines have changed over time. Here are three significantly different historical approaches to sleep.

by the 1920s, this practice of having two sleep sessions each night entirely receded from the social consciousness. Historians attribute this shift to innovations in artificial lighting and work schedules during the Industrial Revolution that required workers to stay up longer and sleep less.

COZY BLANKETS

Most people find it difficult to sleep without some kind of covering, like a blanket, over their bodies. While researchers of the past entertained the idea that blankets offer some kind of primal protection for sleepers, they now believe the coverings help with temperature regulation, as maintaining a comfortable body temperature is necessary for good sleep. However, according to a recent study conducted in Sweden, weighted blankets help with much more than just temperature. Due to the added pressure, weighted blankets provide deep pressure touch (DPT), which increases the body’s amount of serotonin — a chemical that helps decrease blood pressure and rapid heart rate. Because of the effects of increased serotonin, weighted blankets are believed to help with anxiety and insomnia. While sleep patterns may change over time, the human need for sleep will not. As you crawl into your bed tonight, take some time to think about the way your ancestors approached their nightly snooze sessions. It’ll put you to sleep faster than counting sheep.

BRAIN FLOODS

For centuries, theorists associated sleep with blood loss and other health problems. But by the 1800s, notable physicians blamed sleep on a process known as congestion theory. In this theory, sleep was thought to be brought on by an overwhelming flow of blood to the brain, effectively flooding it and sending sleepers into a dreamlike state.

SLEEP GAPS

While many modern sleep experts support the consecutive eight- hour sleep regimen, historically, people had completely different sleep schedules. Medieval society actually had two sleep sessions a night — known as biphasic sleep — with a gap of wakefulness in between to eat, pray, talk, read, or write by candlelight. But

WHAT OUR PATIENTS ARE SAYING

“I had a lot of problems ... and Angela kind of walked me through everything, and I felt cared for and appreciated and just really at ease. I hated to smile, so I just wanted to be able to have a nice smile, healthy teeth, and healthy gums. It was a breeze; I woke up, and it was done. I feel more confident. It’s like I’m a totally different person.” –JOYCE

“I’ve been a patient for years and wouldn’t go anywhere else. Love the staff — professional, yet they make you feel at ease. State-of-the-art dental techniques and a highly competent staff provide me with confidence in their work. Definitely recommend for any dental needs!” –TERESA

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Dental Literacy

HOW ONE DENTIST MAKES BRUSHING FUN

As a freshman at the University of California San Francisco School of Dentistry, Jeanette Courtad was tasked with a daunting community outreach project: Educate kindergartners on the importance of brushing their teeth. Luckily, Courtad is also an artist, and she came up with a creative way to captivate the youngsters’ attention. Using her talents as a painter and sculptor, Courtad used materials, like couch foam and fabric, to mold personified characters that represented teeth and other parts of the mouth. For example, Cuspi, the cuspid, is concerned with aesthetics and how things feel — she doesn’t like to be covered in sticky sweets. Mola, the molar, is all about functionality. Tongo, the tongue, is a bit of an antihero. As Courtad explains, “Even though he helps clean sticky sweets off the teeth, Tongo is the one [that wants] them in the first place.” Courtad brought her life-size creations to classrooms settings, letting the kids “brush” away the plaque and germs. The teeth initially wore frowny faces because they weren’t clean, and the students learned that brushing them removed the bacteria and turned their frowns upside down. As Courtad notes, “Obviously, the teeth were sad when they were covered in these Velcro

germs before the kindergartners took a giant toothbrush and ... brushed those little germs off the teeth with me.”

After completing dental school, Dr. Courtad continued to pursue her

SMILE-FRIENDLY RECIPES series with books written for expectant parents in underserved communities. According to health coordinator and dental hygienist Diana Leathers, “These books provide a great deal of education because they are easy to read and provide important information using fun graphics.” passion for educating kids about oral health. The initial outreach project laid the foundation for the children’s book series the “Toothful Tales” adventures, which were illustrated and written by Dr. Courtad. Today, Dr. Courtad’s books about dental care, starring the same fun characters, are found in dental offices and health care programs all over the country. In collaboration with the Horowitz Center for Health Literacy, Dr. Courtad has expanded the

SUDOKU

BEET, MINT, AND RICOTTA HUMMUS

Ingredients

• 1 6-ounce beet (about the size of an adult fist), scrubbed • 1 15 1/2-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained • 1/3 cup tahini, well-mixed • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice • 1/4 cup ricotta cheese

• 1 garlic clove, grated • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper • 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander • Mint leaves, poppy seeds, and olive oil, for garnish

Directions

1. Heat oven to 425 F. 2. Wrap beet tightly in foil. On a foil-lined baking sheet, roast wrapped beet until fork tender, about 60–70 minutes. 3. While beet is roasting, blend chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, ricotta, garlic, salt, pepper, and coriander until smooth. 4. Once beet is cool enough to handle, use a paper towel to remove beet skin. Trim root end and cut into small pieces. Add to blender or food processor, and blend until entire mixture is smooth. Add additional salt if desired. 5. Transfer to a shallow bowl, top with garnishes, and serve.

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Try the KonMari Method For Spring-Cleaning PAGE 1 The History of Snoozing What Our Patients Are Saying PAGE 2 How This Dentist Makes Brushing Fun Beet, Mint, and Ricotta Hummus PAGE 3 How to Make Your Sailing Dreams Come True PAGE 4

Take Your Next Trip Offshore SET SAIL FOR VACATION

Take a Day Sail Many day-sail charters exist for those who want to go out a little farther

If you’re lucky enough to have been aboard a ship under full sail, chances are you know the thrill and serenity sailing can give you. If you’ve never been but have always wanted to know what it’s like to get out on the wind and waves, there are many great options available for beginners. Here are some ideas to inspire your next waterside vacation. Start Small For those who dream of becoming a skipper one day, a great way to start is by sailing dinghies. These one-sail, beach-launch boats fit 1–2 people and can be rented at most water sports shops. If you want to make it a family experience, shops usually have 16-foot catamarans for rent as well. Catamarans have two hulls rather than one, making for a smoother, more spacious ride. If you’ve never sailed before, inquire about lessons. Most rental operations have instructors on hand who can show you the ropes. The great thing about sailing is that whether you’re in a 12-foot dinghy or a 60-foot sloop, the same basic principles, rules, and skills apply.

than a dinghy would permit. If you’ve captained a boat and are familiar with the waters, you can apply for a bareboat charter. However,

if you are inexperienced or simply don’t want a local guide at the helm, signing up for a day trip with a skipper and crew is a great option. Do a Full Charter Short of owning your own vessel, chartering a boat for multiple nights is the closest you can get to living out your nautical dreams. Some of the most beautiful destinations on earth — from the Caribbean Sea to the Mediterranean — are best experienced from the deck of a sailboat. Letting the sea guide you to amazing snorkeling destinations, remote cays, and bustling harbors is the stuff of real adventure.

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