Briarfield Dental Care - Januray/February 2021

Briarfield Dental Care - Januray/February 2021

Jan/Feb 2021

Finding Middle Ground

What We Can Learn From Our Opposites

Jan. 25 is Opposite Day, and that got me thinking about how important it is to have people who think differently than you do in your life. Of course, there is value in surrounding yourself with people who have the same type of thinking and beliefs. When I’m working on a project, those people provide support and motivation and ultimately help me achieve success. However, I’ve also learned that it’s just as important to hear and understand the opposing side of things. This subject hits really close to home for me. The first time I met Melody — who I’ve now been married to for almost 36 years — I thought she talked too much, and she thought I didn’t talk enough. Though we were cordial, there wasn’t a real spark between us at first, which was disappointing to our mutual friends in the dental field who had been trying to get us together. Since we were both in the dental field, we were bound to cross paths again, and we did a few months later at the open house of a mutual friend’s new dental office. When Melody and I started talking again, I realized that I misjudged her that first time we met. She talked just enough, and I realized I was better at listening anyway. We went out for a drink after the open house that evening and continued dating until we were engaged and then married.

That initial sense that she likes to talk and I don’t can certainly still be true to this day. That is not the only way we’re opposite though. We don’t agree on everything. In fact, we have a lot of differing opinions, but that’s actually what makes our relationship work. Sure, in some ways, it makes things more challenging, but it would be too easy if we agreed on everything. Neither of us enjoys arguing, but I respect her opinion and she respects mine. I’ve learned a lot through this relationship that I now apply in my dental practice and to the daily interactions I have. There are a lot of disagreements in our society, country, and world right now. The results of the presidential and congressional elections of last year are starting to take effect. We’re still in the midst of the pandemic, which has caused turmoil in all our lives and led to disagreements over how to best handle it. This is also the case with racial and environmental issues. I learned really early in my career not to talk about certain things at the office, politics being one of them. If a patient brings it up, I’ll skirt the issue. It’s not that I don’t think these things matter. They do, but I don’t care who you voted for. I believe everyone has the right to vote for whoever they feel would best lead our country. While this does lead to disagreements and

differing opinions, we have to try and set our differences aside and get things back on track.

If we focus solely on our differences, we miss the opportunity to work together to make things better by finding some sort of middle ground. My experience with Melody has given me firsthand practice with this. It’s also taught me that finding this middle ground and moving forward with a plan can take time. She and I always try to communicate, but when we don’t see eye to eye, or we don’t always understand each other right away, with some work, time, and the desire to understand and learn from one another, we eventually do. I’m bringing this hope into the new year, the hope that we can all work toward finding more middle ground with people we disagree with and that we can learn from those whose opinions are opposite from ours.

“If we focus solely on our differences, we miss the opportunity to work together to make things better by finding some sort of middle ground.”

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How Habit Tracking and Daily Resolutions Could Transform Your Life

Yearly resolutions are so last year … if they’re your only resolutions, that is.

apple in your bag every day could encourage healthier snacking.

Having long-term goals isn’t a bad thing, but do you have a daily plan to reach them? The huge boost of motivation in January isn’t always enough to sustain you all year long. That’s why there are major benefits to starting new healthy habits, whether you increase your weekly exercise time, eat healthier foods, or work on getting better or more sleep. Luckily, sticking with these habits might be as easy as making daily resolutions to complement your yearly goals. BJ Fogg, a Stanford University professor and author of “Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything,” notes that tiny habits can make a new habit easy to implement into your daily ritual. For example, taking a short daily walk could lead to an exercise habit, or keeping an

It’s important that you stick with it because habits take a long time to create. One study published by the European Journal of Social Psychology asked people about a simple habit they wanted to form, like drinking water at lunch or taking a walk before dinner. They found that the average amount of time it took before the action became automatic was 66 days! Don’t be too hard on yourself if you miss a day, but know that sticking to a new habit is serious work, so starting small might help you out. Another important aspect of forming new daily habits is rewarding yourself. Bad habits, like smoking, have an inherent reward. However, healthy habits can have rewards too! Try consuming a bit of dark chocolate after a workout or treating yourself to a fresh beverage or relaxing to a podcast after tackling an important

task. Find ways to reward yourself, and you’ll be more likely to stick to your new habit.

Certain daily resolutions don’t have to be related to exercise or diet to majorly improve your life. For example, having a gratitude journal might boost your long-term happiness by 10% and improve your blood pressure. Don’t hesitate to improve your quality of life! Just start small, and you’ll be amazed by how far you’ll go.

Take Your Home Oral Care to the Next Level With These 3 Dental Products

Home oral care is more advanced now than ever! New products and services are coming on the market all the time.

around your gums and can be a good addition to your daily oral care routine.

new brush head, battery, and anything else you might need, including toothpaste. They even have Bluetooth toothbrushes! To sign up, visit GetQuip.com .

Bluetooth Toothbrush It may sound weird, but Bluetooth toothbrushes are gaining popularity. This new tooth technology connects to your smartphone to help you track your brushing and improve your technique. If you want to maximize your brushing time and minimize plaque, this is essential. Oral Care Subscription Box The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends changing your toothbrush every 3–4 months or as soon as the bristles start fraying. If that’s hard for you to remember, sign up for one of these three great services that will automatically ship dental products directly to your home. You’ll never go to the store to buy oral care products again!

Here are three you can use this year to step up your game and impress the dentist on your next visit to the office.

• Toothbrush Hub This subscription

service allows you to choose which products you want to be shipped to your home and how frequently you want them delivered. Whether you want an old-fashioned manual brush or a new electric toothbrush head sent every three months, you can get it. Either way, Toothbrush Hub helps ensure you’re changing your brush at optimal intervals. Learn more at ToothbrushHub.com .

Handheld Water Flosser If you’re not flossing with string floss regularly, this can be a great way to ease into the habit. And for those

with limited mobility in their hands or arms, a

• Boka You can get everything from

handheld water flosser is a great substitute for its more cumbersome counterpart. While water flossers are not a perfect alternative to string floss, they will

toothpaste to flossers on this site. Like Quip and Toothbrush Hub, Boka lets you customize your order and find the dental products that are right for your mouth and your budget! Check it out at Boka.com .

• Quip You buy the base toothbrush kit, then every three months, Quip sends you a

help to clean between your teeth and

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3 Dangerous Dental ‘Hacks’ on TikTok Don’t Try This at Home!

TikTok, the popular smartphone app for making short videos, has become life-hack central. You can find all kinds of videos showing you how to make your life a little easier, including clever makeup and fitness tutorials. However, there are also life hacks that are downright dangerous, especially when it comes to dental care. If you want whiter teeth, buildup removed, or chips fixed, talk to your dentist and see what options are available for you — and don’t try these methods at home! Tooth Filing On its own, that sounds downright horrifying, but some TikTok users have created videos showing people how to “repair” chipped or broken teeth at home. The videos feature teens using nail files on their teeth, though some have used metal files, which is even worse. Many of these videos are not faked and have spawned copycats that further Don’t Miss Kids’ Day Have you heard about Kids’ Day? Once a month, Briarfield Dental Care throws a special celebration focused exclusively on our youngest patients. The office is transformed with fun decorations, and there are lots of prizes for kids who come in to join the fun. Plus, we have special spin brushes and offers on sealants and mouthguards only available during Kids’ Day.

spread misinformation. As a result, people do serious damage to their teeth. Filing wears down enamel and can even damage the dentine layer under the enamel, leading to painful sensitivity and infection.

Teeth Whitening With Hydrogen Peroxide Teeth whitening is a very common procedure that can be done at home or at the office when using approved products and following instructions. However, TikTok users are applying hydrogen peroxide directly to their gum tissue, which can do serious damage. Hydrogen peroxide destroys living cells, which can include the cells in gum tissue, and damages enamel. While most stores sell highly diluted hydrogen peroxide, TikTok users are buying higher concentrations online. Do not do this! Always consult your dentist before whitening your teeth. Removing Plaque and Tartar Buildup Dental scrapers are readily available online and at the supermarket, but they should not be used at home. In recent months, TikTok users have been showing viewers how to use these tools at home to scrape away the buildup that can accumulate around the gumline and between teeth. Without proper training, doing this at home can result in injury or damage to teeth and gums. The bottom line is that, in a vast majority of cases, people can simply avoid plaque and tartar buildup by brushing and flossing their teeth twice a day and visiting their dentist every six months. It doesn’t get any easier — or safer — than that.

Why the Pretenders Are Relevant Right Now Dr. Stuckey’s Playlist When COVID-19 first hit, we thought it would be over quickly. Instead, it became a pandemic that changed the way we live our lives, though a lot of people still want to pretend it’s not as bad as it really is. Because of this, I wanted to spotlight one of my favorite bands: The Pretenders. The Pretenders started making rock music back in 1978, and they’re still producing music today. There have been several changes in band members over the years due to death or simply parting ways, but lead singer and songwriter Chrissie Hynde has been the mainstay. Hynde was born in Ohio but eventually moved to England where The Pretenders formed. They released their first hit single, “Brass in Pocket,” in 1979. Hynde said she hesitated to have it released at first because she didn’t like her voice. Despite her reservations, the song saw

success in England and the U.S., and a year later, they dropped their self-titled album. That debut album is my favorite of theirs and many critics agree. It was called one of the best albums of all time by Rolling Stone and VH1. That said, a lot of my favorite Pretenders songs are from later albums. Of their originals, some of my favorites are “Back on the Chain Gang,” “Don’t Get Me Wrong,” and “Hymn to Her.” They also did a really good cover of Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young” that I enjoy. Their most recent album, “Hate for Sale,” was released last year and they were set to take it on tour before things shut down. I would have gone to see them if I’d had the chance. I’ve been a fan for such a long time. Maybe I’ll get the chance to see them again in the future when the pandemic has passed and we don’t have to pretend anymore.

Feb. 15 Dinosaur Day March 15 St. Patrick’s Day Party April 15 Disney Day May 20 Superhero Day

Our December Kids Club winner, Amelia, won a t-shirt with our new design and the Crest kids’ bundle of goodies!

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What We Can Learn From Our Opposites How Habit Tracking and Daily Resolutions Could Transform Your Life 3 Dental Products Every Home Needs in 2021!

3 Dangerous Dental ‘Hacks’ on TikTok

Dr. Stuckey’s Playlist

Win a Zoo Membership!

And Win a Free Family Membership to the Toledo Zoo!

Refer Your Friends and Family to Our Practice

Who doesn’t love a trip to the zoo? You get to see potentially thousands of animals you wouldn’t see anywhere else right in your own city. We’re lucky

unlimited rides, unlimited giraffe feeds, unlimited barnyard feeds, free Little Boo and Pumpkin Patch admission, and more. Normally, the Family Zoo Membership costs $116 for Lucas County residents ($124 for non-Lucas County residents), and the Experience Package costs $99 on top of that! That’s over $200 worth of fun, educational activities for you and your family to enjoy if you win our referral contest! How do I win? If you want to enter our referral contest to win the Family Zoo Membership and Experience Package, get your friends and family interested in their oral health and refer them to Briarfield Dental Care. Any time a new patient gives us your name, it will be entered in the drawing for the prize. The more people you refer, the better your chances of winning the contest! Make your oral health a priority and help your friends and family do the same. The contest starts on Feb. 1, and we’ll draw the name of the winner on June 30.

to have the Toledo Zoo, which boasts more than 10,000 individual animals, representing over 720 different species. You can see animals from all over the world when you visit — and if you win our next referral contest, you and your family could see all of it for free for the next year! That’s right — the winner of our latest referral contest will win a family membership to the Toledo Zoo and Aquarium as well as the Experience Package. There is a lot of value between these combined packages that you don’t want to miss out on. The Family Zoo Membership includes free admission, free parking, admission to after-hours events, zoo-wide savings, and more. When you add the Experience Package to that, you also get

The McColl Family won our last zoo membership! They were very excited, and you could be next!

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