Caring Modern Dentistry - Winter 2020

Caring Modern Dentistry - Winter 2020

Winter 2020

1109 S. Park Drive, Reidsville, NC 27320

www.caringmoderndentistry.com

(336) 342-0889

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By Making the Most of Family, Tradition, and Love OUR TEAM CELEBRATES THE SEASON

Shelley because she got married in September! In 2021, she’s most looking forward to being able to hug her parents again.

2020 took everyone for a wild ride (to say the least) but capping off a rough year with the holiday season always helps to make things just a little brighter and better. Many members of our team here feel exactly the same way, so I’m giving them the spotlight in this newsletter edition to share a little festive joy with you!

KELLY , another one of our dental hygienists, has a tradition of traveling every year on Christmas Eve to visit family. They all spend Christmas Day at home simply enjoying one another’s company, and she feels so fortunate that she’ll be able to safely do the same again with them this year. She found a way to make 2020 exciting by spending time finally remodeling her kitchen, and she is looking forward to a fresh start in 2021 to make more meaningful memories with family and friends.

MARGENIA is our practice administrator and loves when Christmastime rolls around because that means it’s time to decorate! They put up no less than five trees in their house, each with a different theme.

KELSI is also a dental hygienist in our office who didn’t let 2020 get in the way of getting married and moving into a brand-new home with her new family of four. She’s all about making the most of the time spent with family during Christmas and is looking forward to hosting it for the first time this year. She’ll be taking advantage of her guilty pleasure — watching Hallmark Christmas movies — this season and looks forward to being

On Christmas Day, they have a big breakfast, open gifts, and hide a pickle ornament in one of their trees for the kids to find. She won’t be able to safely celebrate with her large extended family this year but will still make the most of the season. In 2021, she’s looking forward the most to something simple: going to see a movie in a theater.

SHELLEY , one of our dental hygienists, loves her classic holiday traditions of spending time with family and friends and doing plenty of shopping and eating. This year, she’s hoping to still be able to gather with a few friends safely

able to take a tropical vacation in the new year. She and her husband are also eager to hopefully celebrate their marriage with friends and family as originally planned. BARBIE is one of our hygiene assistants, and this Christmas, she’ll be getting together with family for a day full of playing some of their favorite board games and spending as much time as possible with her grandbabies. The newest arrival

outdoors to celebrate, but if not, she’s looking forward to warm nights by the fireplace with her new husband and their fur baby, Kuper. 2020 ended up being a special year for

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low-key with less traveling, but getting some good snowfall and looking forward to seasonal holiday goodies will make up for it. It was certainly a year of celebrating love in our office because Hope also got married in 2020! She gained two step-children and can’t wait to see what 2021 has in store for their family. It wasn’t always easy, but our team found a way to make the most of 2020 and the holiday season. We hope you’ve done the same and wish you a happy holiday and a wonderful new year!

to their family was born in April, and that made for a pretty special year in their book. Barbie loves the cool weather and snow during this time of year, but in 2021, she’s looking forward to being able to get out and do more, especially taking her grandchildren to fun places.

AMANDA is one of our dental assistants, and every Christmas Day, she celebrates no less than three times! She does a big breakfast with her immediate family, then lunch with her mom’s side of the family, and dinner with her husband’s family, eating and opening

-Dr. Adams

presents at every step along the way. It’s always a crazy day, but she wouldn’t trade it for anything. She loves this time of year so much that she’s been listening to Christmas music since July! In the new year, she can’t wait for her daughter to start preschool and make friends. HOPE is another one of our dental assistants who has a steady stream of family love, laughs, and plenty of food planned this holiday season. This year might be a little more

OUR PATIENTS SAY IT BEST!

“Amanda and Dr. Hodges are great; they made sure I was comfortable. They answered all my questions. Overall they are amazing. I could not ask for better dental care. I have also seen Dr. Adams, and he is wonderful too.” –CHELSEY D “Caring Modern Dentistry — the name really does say it all. From routine cleanings to some fairly extensive procedures, the doctors and staff have exceeded my expectations every time. They are professional, thoughtful, and friendly. I always feel that I am in excellent hands.” –STEVE P

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3 ORAL HEALTH HABITS THAT HARMYOUR TEETH

The Solution: The good news is that most people quit biting their nails after age 30, but don’t rely on your age to kick this habit. Try applying bitter-tasting polish or chewing sugar-free gum to deter you from nail-biting. Or if your nail-biting is stress-induced, try meditating to reduce your stress.

We all have quirky habits. Most are benign, but some can be harmful. If you chronically bite your nails, chew ice, or use your teeth as a tool — three common bad oral habits — try these solutions to protect your teeth from potential damage and pain.

TEETH AS TOOLS: Our pearly whites are perfect for grinding our food and helping us speak, but that’s about as far as their usability as tools goes. Opening ketchup packages with your teeth or placing a few screws in your mouth as you hang a photo can be handy, but doing so could crack or damage your teeth. The Solution : Use actual tools! Open your condiment packets and other tricky containers with scissors. When doing home projects, use a tool belt or ask someone to hold your screws so you don’t choke or damage your teeth.

CHEWING ON ICE: It’s a mindless habit, really. At the end of our glass of water — or tooth-decaying sugary soda — we chomp on the ice at the bottom of the glass. But the combination of the hard ice and cold temperature can create small cracks along your tooth’s enamel, which increases the likelihood that your tooth will crack or chip.

The Solution: If you’re chewing as a way to occupy your mind, swap the ice with

sugar-free gum! If you really want that ice-cold feeling, drink cold water through a straw or suck

on an ice cube instead.

BITING YOUR NAILS: If this nervous habit is one of your vices, you’re not alone. About 20%–30% of the population succumbs to nail-biting, nearly half of whom are teenagers. Biting your nails can chip or crack your teeth, and the nail pieces can get stuck in your gum line and potentially cause infection.

Struggling with one of these habits? Let our team know at your next appointment! We can help you find solutions and develop good oral habits.

Have a Laugh!

Festive Apple Cider

Ingredients

Inspired by BoulderLocavore.com

• 2 tsp allspice berries • 1 inch fresh ginger, thinly sliced • 2 tbsp honey • 3 cinnamon sticks

• 1 lemon • 1 gallon pure apple cider • 1 large orange, thinly sliced crosswise • 2 tsp whole cloves

Directions

1. Using a paring knife, shave the lemon peel off in curls. Reserve the curls and save the lemon for use in a different recipe. 2. In a large slow cooker, combine the lemon peel with all other ingredients. Cook on low for 3–4 hours.

3. If desired, use a sieve to strain the spices. Serve and enjoy!

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Providing quality dental care for you and your family

1109 S. Park Drive Reidsville, NC 27320

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

www.caringmoderndentistry.com

(336) 342-0889

This Issue

1. 2. 3.

How Our Team Finds Holiday Cheer

Our Patients Say it Best

3 Bad Oral Health Habits to Stop Immediately Festive Apple Cider

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5 Ways to Make Your Holiday Extra Eco-Friendly This Year

5 Ways to Make Your Holiday Extra Eco-Friendly This Year

RENT, BORROW, OR RETHINK YOUR TABLEWARE. If you’re missing proper tableware for your holiday celebration, don’t despair — some companies will actually let you rent out their dishes for your special evening! You can also borrow tableware from friends and family. But you don’t have to use metal tableware. Try following another culture’s customs and serve your food on local ingredients, like palm leaves, coconuts, or wood.

Sustainability is the gift that keeps on giving, so if you’d like to give a gift to the environment this December, make your holidays anti-plastic! Here are five ways that you can use the latest eco-friendly technology to make sure your Christmas is just as convenient as ever. SET UP RECYCLING BINS. Nobody wants to sort through trash on their holiday, especially if you’re hosting all the parties! To avoid dealing with the waste, set up recycling and composting bins before any home holiday festivities. It’ll make your next trip to a local recycling center so much faster because everything will be organized and easier to manage. USE PAPER CONTAINERS FOR LEFTOVERS. Give your celebration a restaurant-from-home feel by storing and giving away leftovers in paper containers rather than plastic. Paper will dissolve and leave behind much less chemical residue than plastic. Want to make it look extra posh? Stamp the exterior with the family initials! CHANGE UP YOUR GIFT WRAP. Why use wrapping paper every year when you can make your packaging extra interesting, colorful, and creative? Use newspapers, magazines, comics, posters, maps, or even art by your kids to conceal your gifts this year.

LOCALIZE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. If you can buy ingredients like fresh meat or vegetables from local farms, you won’t use as much plastic packaging and you’ll support small businesses at the same time! Never buy one-use plastics if you don’t have to. For every holiday tradition, ask yourself: Can I reduce, reuse, or recycle any components to this? We hope you have a happy, eco- friendly holiday!

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Providing quality dental care for you and your family