Elkins Dental - May 2021

Elkins Dental - May 2021

FOR A BEAUTIFUL, HEALTHY SMILE

ELKINSDENTAL.COM MAY 2021

'PULLING TOGETHER' FOR MOM

This Mother’s Day, We Couldn’t Be Prouder!

May means a lot of things to a lot of people, and we’re no different. For one, it’s Beth and my 22nd anniversary, which you can see in the picture — that’s us on our wedding announcement! Broadly speaking, May is also a chance for families to celebrate Mother’s Day. Although their roles change from family to family, one thing that’s fairly constant is how important moms are; after all, they do a lot! Beth has been there for me in my career, and she’s been there every day and every step of the way with our kids as well. Of course, one thing we both recognize is that those kids are getting older, and the phase of our lives dedicated to raising them won’t be the situation we’re in forever.

space she needs to attend classes, do homework, and handle other student responsibilities, the whole crew at the Elkins house will need to pitch in. It’s exciting to be able to turn around and help support someone who has supported all of us for so long; it’s also exciting to see how capable our family has grown to be. A lot of that has to do with the kids getting older — for example, Russel just turned 16, which means we’ll have another driver in the house just in time! Between dinners, piano lessons, and staying on top of the kids’homework, it’s a pretty cool thing to turn around and pull together on Beth’s behalf, and we’re so proud of her and so happy to do it. Beth has been an

amazing mom over the years and an amazing woman in general. This Mother’s Day, I hope your family gets to do the same and that you’ll find a way to come together as a family to celebrate the mom in your own house. It’s a wonderful opportunity. Happy Mother’s Day to all the great moms out there. Without you, we’d all be worse for wear — and with you, we are truly, truly blessed.

For that reason, as well as interest in the field and a compelling drive to help others, Beth has been looking into nursing programs so that she can begin to learn and train for a potential career in the medical field when the kids are grown and gone. And I couldn’t be more excited to announce that she’s been accepted into a super competitive nursing program at Idaho State University. She’ll be earning her bachelor’s degree in the subject at an accelerated pace — one year instead of the usual several. I know that nursing is a great fit for her. She’s a naturally nurturing, kind person who loves to help. She’s been volunteering a lot lately at various places, just trying to do her part as she sees it. She’s also focused, detail-oriented, and organized. All of those qualities have made her such a good mom over the years, and they’ll make her a good nurse as well.

–Dr. El kins

P.S. Last year my brother and I didn’t get to play any gigs, for obvious reasons, but for 2021, we’re booked all summer to play the Homestead at Meridian as well as Lakeview Golf Club. We’ve been working on our own music and have learned some covers as well, so we’re excited to bring it all out for people once again! Maybe I’ll see you at a show sometime?

Still, an accelerated track in a challenging subject is nothing to sneeze at, and we recognize it. In order to give Beth the time and

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GET FIT WITH YOUR FAMILY

5 Easy Ways to Get Everyone Moving

May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. As a parent, you probably know exercise is important for your children’s physical development. It helps build healthy bones, muscles, and joints and reduces the risk of developing diabetes and other diseases later in life. But did you know that physical activity also has many mental and behavioral health benefits? It’s been shown to improve children’s cognitive skills and concentration, boost their self-esteem, and reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. One of the best ways to encourage healthy behaviors in your children is by modeling them yourself. Studies have found that more than 80% of adolescents and adults are not getting enough aerobic activity, showing that children often follow in their parents’ footsteps and that exercising together can benefit everyone. You may be thinking it’s hard enough just to get yourself to the gym, but StephenVirgilio, author of“Active Start for Healthy Kids,”encourages parents not to limit themselves to traditional forms of exercise. Instead, think of exercise more

broadly as“leading an active lifestyle.”And remember that exercise can be fun and a great way to get in more family time.

Here are five easy ways to incorporate more movement into your family’s day. 1. Create a walking ritual. Start walking around the neighborhood before or after dinner each night. Aim for a 20-minute stroll. 2. Have a dance party. Clear some space in the living room, make a playlist with everyone’s favorite tunes, and boogie down for as long as you have the energy. 3. Turn chores into games. Dirt has invaded from outer space and must be eliminated. Set the scene with your kids, grab your tools, and get to work removing the enemy while having fun. 4. Incorporate simple exercises into screen time. Start by making up fun names for exercises like situps or jumping jacks. Then, challenge each other to see who can do the most during your favorite show’s commercial breaks. 5. Get fit in the great outdoors. Cleaning up the yard, planting and maintaining a garden, or just running around outside are all great ways to get in more movement.

A Word From Cheyenne:

Don’t Be a ' Sucker' !

When Do Kids “Age Out” of Thumb Sucking and Pacifier Use?

Sucking on a pacifier or a thumb is a natural reflex for human infants and children, and it’s well- documented throughout history. There’s a

Usually kids stop between ages 2–4, but pay attention to yours and notice their own unique habits. If you see a child’s baby teeth are being“pushed back”by age 4, that’s an indication that permanent teeth will do the same. It’s a good time to consult with a dentist or at least mention it during their next checkup appointment. One reason to stop the habit early is because breaking it, like all bad habits, is easier said than done, right? First, always remember it is a natural reflex, especially if a child feels insecurity, has an illness, or is suffering discomfort. Discipline for thumb sucking is completely out — not only does it not work, but it also creates more of the anxiety that caused the behavior in the first place. Help your child find a way to cope without that pacifier or thumb. If they are older, let them be involved in this discussion and come up with rewards for breaking the habit. –Cheyenne, RDH

reason pacifiers were invented, after all, and it can really be a comforting thing for a child to do. But that impulse can have negative effects if allowed to go on too long. The question is this: How old is “too old”for sucking? Although the true answer is“when permanent teeth start to come in,”there are a lot of good reasons to stop a child

from the thumb- or pacifier-sucking habit. The simple truth is that since it pushes up the roof of the mouth, it can cause damage to palate development,

which means teeth won’t line up right and braces become much more likely in the future — something most kids would thank you to help them avoid!

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THAI MINCED PORK SALAD

Inspired by EatingThaiFood.com

Ingredients

MOUNTAIN RANGES Surrounded by the Rocky Mountains, we don’t have to go far to find mountaintop winter activities. If skiing or tubing is your idea of winter fun, Bogus Basin is just a short drive away, and heading to McCall makes a fun weekend getaway. ... AND RIVERS Not only are we surrounded by the Payette and Boise rivers, Idaho is also home to the deepest gorge in North America: Hells Canyon. Take that, Arizona! • 5 tbsp uncooked Thai sticky rice • 1 lb ground pork • 1/2 tbsp chili flakes • 1/8 tsp sugar • 1/2 tbsp fish sauce

GOOD CHEER Beer lovers, rejoice! Idaho is the world’s largest hop producer, and more and more people are taking advantage of our agricultural bounty by opening breweries in the Treasure Valley. Share a few of these treasures with visiting family members and their only question will be “How did we not come here sooner?” • Juice of 1–2 limes, to taste • 4 small shallots, thinly sliced • 4 green onions, thinly sliced • Cilantro leaves, to taste • Mint leaves, to taste

Out-of-town relatives who are visiting for the holidays might wonder what makes Emmett so special. But we already know the Treasure Valley is full of gems — and we don’t just mean the rocks. Here are some additional reasons Emmett and The Gem State are great. WE’VE GOT SUNSHINE On average, we have 210 sunny days per year. Compare that to 144 rainy days in Portland and we can feel pretty happy about all our free vitamin D. Directions

1. First, make toasted rice powder: In a frying pan over low heat, dry-roast the rice, stirring continuously until it turns golden brown and smells fragrant, about 15 minutes 2. Let toasted rice cool, then grind into a coarse powder using a mortar and pestle, blender, or food processor. Set aside. 3. In a medium frying pan over medium-high eat, fry pork, breaking it into small pieces as you go, until fully ooked. JOKES DAD

4. Remove from heat and add 1 heaping tbsp of toasted rice powder along with all oth r ingredients. Stir to combine. 5. Taste and adjust, adding more lime juice and herbs to suit your palate. Serve with rice.

Son: "Mom, stop making jokes, you're not funny." Mom: "I made you."

Son: "When is Mother's Day, Dad?" Dad, wearily unplugging vacuum: "Every day, son."

DID YOU KNOW?

May Is a Big Month in Vaccine History Facts A dangerous disease. A fearful public. And a May that started to change everything. No, we aren’t talking about current events — we’re talking about the advent of the smallpox vaccine back in 1796!

Tooth

Although the disease was most deadly to Native peoples and others who had not evolved the disease in their own population, it was still a threat to European populations as well, affecting many every year. Dr. Edward Jenner, an English scientist, changed that on May 14th, 1796; within a year and a half of his discovery, cases had dropped by two-thirds across Britain.

Teeth can tell stories about you. Scientists can tell a great deal about us just by examining our teeth. Did you realize that our teeth reveal how old we are, what we eat and drink — even where on Earth we may have lived? Our teeth also carry significant clues about our overall health, including periods of stress or illness we’ve endured. In short, teeth are a lasting record of our personal history.

Dr. Jenner did not face the same resistance as today’s vaccines

have, because at that time, there were no preconceived notions about vaccines and their development. And that was a good thing, because the disease wasn’t going anywhere otherwise!

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1. 'Pulling Together' for Mom 2. 5 Ways to Increase Your Family’s Fitness

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

3. Thai Minced Pork Salad

4.

Australian Wombats Are Saving the Day!

Did You Know?

1110 S. Washington Ave. Emmett, ID 83617

Thumb Sucking: When Is “Too Old”?

Happy Mother's Day from Elkins Dental!

208-369-4532 ElkinsDental.com

AUSTRALIAN WOMBATS IN CHARGE Saving Lives One Hole at a Time

Remember the Australian wildfires of 2019–2020? These fires ravaged large areas of the country, displacing and leaving countless animals to fight for survival. To make matters worse, swaths of the country have been dealing

— congregating around the wombats’ creation. What isn’t known is how, exactly, the wombats discovered the water, but they surmise the animals likely picked up on environmental clues and dug until they found what they were looking for.

with drought. It’s one challenge after another for humans and animals alike.

Interestingly enough, wombats have been known to help other animals in the past. During the Australian fires, countless animals were left searching for refuge, and they found it in wombat burrows.

But one species has taken matters into its own“hands.”Numerous wombats have been discovered digging holes in search of water — and they found it! According to Australia’s ABC News, one group of wombats was discovered on a farm in New South Wales, which was situated over a large underground reservoir. So, the wombats went to work. One farmer, Ted Finnie, reported that wombats dug a hole roughly 4 meters deep by 20 meters wide (or about 65 feet). Their incredible work made this source of water remarkably accessible. At this particular watering hole, Finnie captured all sorts of creatures on camera — birds, emus, possums, echidnas, and monitor lizards

While the wombats weren’t exactly welcoming other species into their homes with open arms, they seemed to“tolerate” the visitors, as one ecologist with the University of Adelaide noted. It was a case of accidental

heroism, much like their search for water, but it was

heroism nonetheless

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