Briarfield Dental December 2017

December 2017

Why I Don’t Wait Until January to Start Something Great NEW YEAR, NEW YOU?

What is your New Year’s resolution?

How many of us have already been asked this question more than once? With the new year approaching, resolutions are on everyone’s minds. Most people will make a resolution to eat better or exercise more, and on Jan. 2, gyms everywhere are sure to be packed. U.S. News found that 80 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail by the second week of February. Faced with those odds, I can’t help but wonder why we’re still making resolutions at the start of the year. Personally, I don’t put a whole lot of faith in New Year’s resolutions. The way I see it, if there’s something you want to change or achieve, why wait until a certain day on the calendar to get started? There is an appealing symbolism about the fresh start of a new year, but we have 364 other days to start! ourselves to achieve them. “This will be my year!” you might say, as everyone around you also promises to achieve grand goals. Due to the added pressure, when we trip up and fall back into bad habits, we take it really hard. We view a single mistake as total failure, and it discourages us from going forward. This is why I don’t wait until I’m at the Jan. 1 starting line. Goals aren’t about competing against everyone else. I make goals because I want to better myself or my practice, regardless of what everyone else is doing. I think most New Year’s resolutions fail because we put so much pressure on

make sure kids across our community have presents on Christmas morning .

This year, one of my ongoing goals involved expanding the work I do with sleep apnea. We’ve seen some great progress in the patients I’ve worked with, and I’m excited to do more. I’ve educated people about this matter, especially parents who didn’t realize kids can suffer from sleep apnea, too. Kids shouldn’t grind their teeth, sleep with their mouths open, or feel groggy after a full night of sleep. I’m happy I can help parents look after their kids’ health. At the office, we’ve been working hard on one of our big, end-of-the-year goals: collecting toys for the Lucas County Children Services. From Nov. 1 to Dec. 15 , we’re accepting donations of new, unwrapped toys here in the office. Patients are welcome to bring gifts for kids aged 0–18, though this year, they especially need toys for newborns to 4-year-olds. I know, with your help, we can

When I look back at 2017, I’m proud of what I’ve achieved. I know I couldn’t have accomplished any of my goals were it not for the trust my patients have shown in me all these years. Many of you have been my patients for almost 30 years. Watching people change and meeting their families has been the ultimate gift. My ongoing goal is to continue to deliver the highest-possible quality of service and care. I wish you all the happiest of holidays and a happy new year. May you and your family be blessed with health and happiness in 2018. – Dr. Stuckey

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A Word From Your Hygienist Lacie Storrer Celebrates the Small Things

this information to heart, I get to see what a positive effect it had on their teeth.

Two years ago, my husband and I welcomed our twins into the world. Life has never been the same since, and it has been amazing being their mother. Jaxon and Avalyn are always full of energy. We try to keep up with them by making as many memories as possible. We had a great year already enjoying numerous trips to the Toledo Zoo, local parks, pumpkin patch, and Imagination Station. To top the year off, they both began to sleep consistently through the night. It’s the small things that add up to mean the most. Jaxon and Avalyn’s new sleep routine comes just in time for our Christmas vacation. We’re planning to spend Christmas with our families and take our first overnight trip with the kids to an indoor water park. My family is all about making great memories, and I’m sure this Christmas will be one for the books. I’m looking forward to our trip, and I hope all of you have an equally wonderful holiday season! May your new year be filled with many small and wonderful things.

As a child, I had monthly orthodontist appointments for over three years, which first sparked my interest in dentistry. My older sisters both went into dentistry, one as an oral surgeon assistant and the other as a dental hygienist. You could say dentistry is a family passion, because I jumped in and became a dental hygienist, too! If I could have any other career outside of dental hygiene, I would have to pick something that involved animals. I’m a pretty big animal lover. I grew up on a farm, which was amazing because we always had tons of animals, from the hundreds of barn cats to the cute little calves and piglets. Learning to

care for different types of animals was a great experience and a fun upbringing.

After six years with Briarfield Dental Care, I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else! I absolutely love what I get to do every day, and my co- workers can be pretty awesome to work with, too! As a dental hygienist, I get to meet new people, who I have built great relationships with over the years. Helping my patients and their families improve their dental health is an amazing feeling. There are days when I get to teach someone a small fact — for example, flossing really does benefit your oral health — and when they take

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Mark N. Stuckey, DDS 3550 Briarfield Blvd., Suite 100, Maumee, OH 43537 419.866.6985 Briarfielddentalcare.com

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Holiday Treats The holiday season is upon us, and everywhere you look, delicious food is on the menu. However, it’s not just your waistline that could suffer from overindulgence. Hard candies and carbonated beverages aren’t exactly the top items on your teeth’s wish list. Even the classic eggnog can do a number on your smile. Luckily, some seasonal treats are actually good for your teeth. If you’re looking for the best snacks of the holidays, here are some items you can put on the “nice” list. Nuts

That Are Good for Your Teeth

Cheese Cheese is antibacterial and has a low pH level, which means eating a few slices can help reduce the acidity of your mouth. And, much like nuts, the extra calcium in cheese is great for your teeth. Now, this isn’t the green light to polish off Aunt Sue’s entire holiday cheese ball. But when you pass the cheese plate at your next New Year’s party, feel free to grab an extra slice of cheddar. ’Tis the season for good eating. While many of your holiday favorites might make your dentist’s “naughty” list, others (like the ones above) can help ensure your teeth are in good shape for the new year.

nutrients your body needs. Plus, the extra dose of calcium will help keep your teeth strong. Peppermint Peppermint candy canes are horrible for your teeth. If you bite down on hard candy, you risk chipping a tooth, but if you suck on them, you expose your teeth to the sugar for a lot longer. That said, you don’t have to ditch the minty goodness completely. In fact, a little peppermint is actually good for you. A little low-sugar peppermint tea will freshen your breath, help with indigestion, and take the stress out of the busy holiday season.

We don’t just mean chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Packed with magnesium and iron, holiday favorites like almonds and walnuts provide the

Laugh Corner

Get Together With Jesse Colin Young Dr. Stuckey’s Playlist

As we reach the year’s end, it’s time to look ahead at new beginnings. I like to picture new beginnings in a hopeful light, which is why this month, my playlist features the long, diverse work of Jesse Colin Young. Young began his musical career in the 1960’s and spent his life singing a message of peace, relationships, and love for each other and the environment. He released two solo albums before starting his band, the Youngbloods, with guitarist Jerry Corbitt, keyboardist and guitarist Lowell “Banana” Levinger, and drummer Joe Bauer. The Youngbloods’ first album featured “Get Together,” a song of peace and loving your fellow man. “Get Together” became so widely embraced it was considered the anthem of the hippie movement in the 60’s and 70’s.

After he went solo again, Young released my favorite of his albums, “Song for Juli.” This album exemplifies his incredible talent and features four hit singles that stayed on the Billboard Top 200 for months. I suppose you could call Young “Americana,” but that seems like a simple term trying to capture such a diverse sound. He takes the best parts of country, jazz, and rock to create a soothing, mellow sound. He brings something unique to his instrumental style, beyond the standard guitar, drums, and bass. In some songs, you’ll hear a violin, and others will feature a horn section. When you pair this creative musical sense with Young’s hopeful lyrics of building a better future, you get a blend of music that will resonate with anyone who hears it.

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Why Wait for New Year’s?

Celebrating the Small Things

Treats You Can Put on the ‘Nice’ List Dr. Stuckey’s Playlist

The Origin of Santa Claus

The Origin of Santa Claus Santa Claus wasn’t always a husky,

also wanting to spare the family embarrassment, St. Nicholas traveled to the house at night and threw three purses packed with gold coins through the window. After his death, St. Nicholas became a beloved patron saint, but during the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, the respect that many Catholic saints received diminished, and his popularity dwindled across Europe. One area where he remained popular was the Netherlands. There, he lived on as “Sinterklaas,” a mythical figure who went house to house on the eve of St. Nicholas’s nameday, December 5, leaving treats and gifts for children. Sinterklaas traditionally wore red bishop’s clothes and employed elves, and he traveled with horses that could walk across rooftops.

omniscient gift-giver who circumnavigates the world once a year, propelled by flying caribou and backed by an army of friendly elves. Though the historical St. Nicholas had many of the same generous tendencies as our contemporary “King in the North,” he lacked a high-tech sleigh that could exceed the speed of light. To be exact, St. Nicholas was a renowned Bishop of Myra — an old Roman town near modern-day Demre, Turkey — way back around A.D. 300. Even before he became the bishop, St. Nicholas was known for his generosity. The most famous tale of his charity involved a poor man who could not afford a proper dowry to marry off his three daughters. In those days, this generally meant the daughters would remain unmarried, making it likely that they’d fall into prostitution. Wanting to help, but

When the Dutch emigrated in droves to America during the 17th and 18th centuries, they brought this kindly icon to the new colonies Over time, notably through Clement Moore’s 1822 poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas” and a famous 1930s depiction by Coca-Cola ad illustrator Haddon Sundblom, Santa evolved into the figure we see today.

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