Elkins Dental - May 2022

Elkins Dental - May 2022

MAY 2022

FOR A BEAUTIFUL, HEALTHY SMILE

ELKINSDENTAL.COM

MY WIFE, OUR CORNERSTONE Celebrating Beth a Little Extra This Mother’s Day

This month, we celebrate all mothers and their unconditional love, devotion to their family, work ethic, and ability to make a house a home while juggling many different things. My wife, Beth, is the mother of my six children and has accomplished a great feat! As many of you know, Beth has been in nursing school for the past few years, and this month, on Mother’s Day, we will be attending her pinning ceremony to celebrate her graduation! Recently, she has been working on her preceptorship, which is similar to a residency in that she works side by side with an experienced nurse. She was unlucky enough to get assigned to a nurse who only works 12-hour shifts, and if she’s learned anything, it’s that she doesn’t want to work nights! While it is quite taxing, she's glad that she is experiencing it and getting it over with.

“To see her hard work paying off and the light at the end of the tunnel is a blessing!”

Beth is entering a profession where you are never finished with learning. But ever since I’ve known her, she’s always loved to learn and now will be in a position where she is able to help people — a huge passion of hers. In other news, a few years ago, we had a trip planned for our second oldest child, Jullianna. We had planned to take her to New York for her senior trip, but this was right around the time when COVID-19 hit, and we unfortunately had to postpone our trip. We are now excited to say that Jullianna’s senior trip has been rebooked, and this month, we will be touring NewYork City, which is very different from Idaho! We have tickets to go to the opera and may possibly see a Broadway show as well! This month will surely be an exciting one in the Elkins household! We cannot wait to see what adventures await. To all of the mothers out there, happy Mother’s Day! –Dr. El kins

Right now is a great time to become a nurse because there is an urgent need for nurses in our health care system, and Beth is thrilled to already have a job offer at St. Lukes as a day shift nurse! Before COVID-19, if you were a new nurse, it was a struggle to find a job, and once you did, you were pretty much sent right to nights with the hope of moving to days after a few years. But now, she is lucky enough to receive a day-shift offer right out of nursing school! This Mother’s Day, we will still be making her breakfast in bed and showering her with gifts, but we will also be celebrating this major accomplishment! As a mother of six, she has managed to flawlessly navigate nursing school while still making time for her children and family. She’s worked extremely hard these past few years and we are all very proud of her. To see her hard work paying off and the light at the end of the tunnel is a blessing!

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THE ART OF QUIETING YOUR MIND BEFORE BED All day long, thoughts run through your mind, and by the end of the day, your head is probably ready to explode. After all, it's estimated that in 24 hours you can have between 60,000–80,000 thoughts. At some point, your brain needs a break, and that’s especially true before you try to go to bed. Here are some ways to quiet your mind, so you can get a full night’s sleep! to write it out. Whether you are a fan of journaling, writing letters, or simply just listing out your problems, goals, and thoughts, grab a pen and paper and make it a nightly routine. This way, your thoughts will be freed before your head hits the pillow.

Try a light snack. When you can’t sleep, the last thing that you want to do is eat something heavy. In fact, when you eat a large meal right before bed, your digestive system can become

Keep your bed for sleeping. If you aren’t sleeping, get out of bed! Getting in the habit of scrolling through your phone, watching TV, reading, working, or even eating in bed teaches your brain that your bed is for things other than sleeping! If you find yourself tossing and turning, get out of bed and try a relaxing activity such as reading, journaling, listening to music, or meditating. When you get tired, try getting back in bed.

overwhelmed. But, studies have shown that eating a light carbohydrate snack such as crackers or popcorn when you can’t sleep may be helpful.

Turn your room into a sleep haven. Keeping your bedroom neat, relaxing, and calm can help improve your sleep! Keep all televisions, computers, and screens out of the bedroom and furnish it with soft colors and textures

Breathe deeply. Breathing exercises can not only help calm your mind and spirit, but they can lower your heart rate, which is especially beneficial in relieving stress or anxiety when things are upsetting you. Write it down. Instead of letting thoughts fill your mind right before bed (such as the next day’s tasks or any worries you have), set aside time before bed

that are tranquil and soothing to you

Pumping the brakes on worrisome thoughts racing through your mind can be tough, but trying these tips and tricks may earn you some relief and much needed sleep.

Introducing Our New Dental Hygienist Welcome, Ashlee!

We are excited to announce a new member of the Elkins Dental family and our fabulous dental hygienist team: Ashlee! If you haven’t had the opportunity to meet her yet, she is a ray of sunshine with a true passion for her career. Before coming to us, Ashlee was a dental hygienist living in Nampa, Idaho. She recently purchased a home in the area, and we were thrilled to welcome her aboard. Ashlee and Cheyenne attended dental hygienist school together and have remained great friends ever since and work extremely well together. “I always loved going to the dentist, and when I was younger, I wanted to be an orthodontist,”Ashlee tells us.“But once I started to go to dental school, I quickly realized that dental hygiene was my calling, and I now have four years of experience!”

Ashlee loves working with people and helping to build their self-esteem. Every chance she gets, she tries to help her patients feel special for the hour they are in her chair. Ashlee notes that sometimes, an hour just isn’t enough time, and she’s always left wishing she had more time! If there’s one thing she wants everyone to know, it’s to never fear going to the dentist, and don’t apologize for the way your teeth look, even if you haven’t been to the dentist in 10 years. She assures you nobody is judging! Outside of work, Ashlee loves to get outdoors and spend time with her family. She has two small dogs and a brand-new kitten! We can’t wait for you to meet Ashlee; we are so excited to have her aboard!

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MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH RAINBOW FRITTATA

Inspired by EatingWell.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!

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?”

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 • Nonstick cooking spray • 1/4 cup sweet potato, diced • 1/4 cup yellow pepper, diced • 1/4 cup broccoli, ch pped • 8 eggs

• Basil, thyme, salt, and pepper, to taste • 1/2 avocado, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced • Cherry tomatoes, halved • Sriracha hot sauce (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and coat a cast-iron skillet with nonstick cooking spray. 2. In the skillet over medium he t, cook sweet potatoes, yellow pepper, and broccoli until soft. 3. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, basil, thyme, salt, and pepper.

4. Pour egg mixture into skillet with vegetables. Don’t stir but instead use a spatula to lift the edges of the egg mixture until it is even y distributed. 5. Transfer mixture to oven. Bake for 5 minutes or until the dish sets. 6. Top with avocado and tomatoes. Drizzle Sriracha on top (if desired).

JOKES DAD

Why do dads take an extra pair of socks when they go golfing? In case they get a hole in one!

Singing in the shower is fun until you get soap in your mouth … Then it becomes a soap opera

DID YOU KNOW?

Tooth Fun

Clownfish Fun Fact Facts Clownfish, also known as anemonefish, the bright and colorful fish that steals the show in Finding Nemo, are different from every other species of fish in that every single one of them is born male. This is referred to as being sequential hermaphrodites in that their first development is into a male fish. Typically, all clownfish thrive in a school of all males and one female. When the single female lays eggs, the largest and most dominant male will fertilize them.

Uniquely Yours

Usually the only time that a clownfish will change from male to female is if the lone female of the school dies.

We all have a very unique set of fingerprints. No two sets of fingerprints are ever alike. Just like our fingerprints, our teeth are unlike anyone else’s. In fact, every tooth is a little bit different from the others in our mouths as well, whether they are the 20 baby teeth that start appearing in our mouths when we are infants or the 32 adult teeth that come in after we start losing our first tooth. Our smiles are uniquely special to us, and only us. What’s especially neat is that our teeth and dental records give away certain information about us, such as whether we are male or female or how old we are. Dental records are used in police investigations and even to identify people!

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1. Happy Mother’s Day 2. 5 Solutions for Quality Sleep

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

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Mother’s Day Brunch Rainbow Frittata

Strengthen

Your Entire Body!

New Employee Spotlight

1110 S. Washington Ave. Emmett, ID 83617

Tooth Facts

Did You Know?

Happy Easter From Elkins Dental!

208-369-4532 · ElkinsDental.com

PADDLE YOUR WAY TO BETTER HEALTH Big Benefits of Canoeing and Kayaking

The weather is getting warmer, which means you can do more activities in the water. Canoeing or kayaking is an excellent way to get outdoors and be active. Besides looking at the beautiful scenery around you, taking to the water confers several physical and mental health benefits.

Mental Benefits

• While canoeing or kayaking, your body releases serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins from neurotransmitters. This will help boost your mood and self-confidence and improve your focus. • These activities can enhance your memory and learning ability. This is because it exercises your hippocampus, one of the largest portions of your brain that is responsible for verbal memory and learning. • If you have trouble sleeping, this activity can improve your sleep. Exercising during the day can make you naturally tired, which helps you fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night. • Since you’ll be in the sun, your body can produce more vitamin D. This vitamin is essential for strong bones and an effective immune system. Canoeing and kayaking are great outdoor activities to help you get your daily dose of physical activity and a mental health boost. So, enjoy the warm weather and be one with nature — this may be your new favorite summer hobby this year!

Physical Benefits

• Paddling can help improve your upper-body strength and muscle tone — because you’re using your arms to guide yourself through the water with the paddle. Paddling helps strengthen your arms, shoulders, chest, and back. • You use your legs to balance, maneuver, and change directions in the vessel. In turn, this movement helps strengthen your lower- body muscles. • While trying to stay centered and balanced on the water, you will develop more core strength. Paddling helps work your lower back, abs, and oblique muscles. • It’s a form of cardiac exercise that will help your heart circulate more blood throughout your body. It will also improve your endurance , enabling you to go longer distances faster.

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