Flax Dental - April 2021

Flax Dental - April 2021

404-255-9080 | www.flaxdental.com

April 2021

Always Learning — With a Laugh

April Fools’ Day is an excellent holiday to celebrate a little bit of fun with a dash of foolishness, all packed into one toothpaste-filled Oreo cookie. While the Oreo cookie and toothpaste prank isn’t one I invented, I have the track record to prove it totally works. While vacationing as a family one day, I told my kids, “Hey, we’re on vacation. So, let’s have fun and have cookies for breakfast.” A bizarre thing for a dentist to say, right? Well, they didn’t even think twice. As soon as they put the cookies in their mouths, their eyes popped open and gave the most hilarious expression. They don’t call me Dr. Evil for nothing, it turns out.

It took me six months to finally pull the trigger — and when I did, it completely changed my dental practice forever. It was a massive leap frog in what I can do for patients, and if I had allowed myself to stay jaded and resistant to change, I would have suffered huge damage in my business and personal life. I would’ve stopped trying to learn new things. I’m very grateful I got over it, or I might have never been able to serve my patients with the premium standard of care we provide today. Another consequence comes with being jaded — you don’t laugh at yourself as much. It’s healthy to look at yourself objectively once in a while. But no matter how funny our mistakes are, the most important thing is that we learn from them. Whether it means being open

“Another consequence comes with being jaded — you don’t laugh at yourself as much.”

Pranks don’t work quite as well in the professional world, though. Mistakes can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and I recall one experience that almost cost me my career. In the late ‘90s, I bought a certain technology based on a friend’s recommendation that cost between $30–$40K, which was a huge sum of money for my practice at that time. I even went to a training in a hunting lodge in Refugio, Texas, to make sure I was using it right, but my patients weren’t seeing a major benefit, and it was cumbersome to use. I was pretty stubborn at first, determined to master it — but I eventually came to the realization that it was a flawed technology, and I shouldn’t have ever gotten it. For about three years, I was extremely jaded about dentistry technology.

to change or opening your Oreo cookies before eating them, I’ll leave that to your trustworthy judgment. Thanks for reading folks! See you on the flip side.

—Hugh Flax Ever done something so silly or foolish that you made yourself laugh? Share a past mistake you’ve made that makes you and your loved ones laugh today! Tell us on Facebook and you can win a $100 gift certificate to your favorite subscription box (e.g., Ipsy, Dollar Shave Club, etc.) so you’ll be haunted by something else instead. Respond by April 11, 2021, and submit your story to our Facebook page at Facebook.com/FlaxDental . Congratulations to last month’s winner, Kay Acton

Then, I ran into the same friend. He told me, “You have to check out dental lasers.”

I told him, “Wait a second. I blew a lot of money on your last recommendation.”

“No,” he insisted, “this is a whole different thing.”

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How Intuitive Eating Can Help You Quit Diet Culture

The concept of mindfulness has fully saturated mainstream culture at this point. Though it’s more likely to conjure up an image of someone sitting cross-legged with closed eyes than sitting at a table looking wide-eyed at mealtime, it’ll serve you just as well on your dinner plate as it will on your yoga mat. What is intuitive eating? Eating mindfully, also known as intuitive eating, is trending in the health and wellness world. But it couldn’t be more different from fad diets or other trends like fasting and cleanses, which have restrictive lists of rules and foods to eat or avoid. Intuitive eating starts by simply tuning in to your body’s needs and cues, but it goes further than that. As a Harvard Medical School article put it, “In essence, mindful eating means being fully attentive to your food — as you buy, prepare, serve, and consume it.” And that includes focusing on how different foods and eating habits make you feel, both physically and mentally. While this may feel … intuitive ... it’s easier said than done in a culture with consistent and often confusing messaging around what constitutes healthy eating. Even the tried-and-true method of

on how calor ie restr ict ion can backfire by changing your hormone levels and even slowing down your metabolism. Kristen Smith,

a registered dietitian and the spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, says it’s also linked to disordered eating habits. Intuitive eating may just be the antidote. Singer Demi Lovato, who has been open

about her struggles with an eating disorder and body-image issues, credits a more mindful approach to eating with helping her overcome harmful eating patterns. How does it lead to better health outcomes? Having a regular exercise routine and eating well have long been known as the two pillars of physical health. When it comes to the latter, intuitive eating helps you create healthy and sustainable eating habits. The upshot is that when you eat better, you’ll feel better. Being attuned to that connection is the foundation of mindful eating. Most of us know that we should eat whole foods, including lots of fruits and vegetables, but feeling the outcome of increased consumption of these foods will help you stick with and build the habit.

calorie counting has raised doubts in recent years due to inaccuracies in calorie calculations for the nutrition labels and research

Good News The

5 Ways to Straighten Your Teeth

Back in February, we talked about how straightening your teeth can improve your oral health, not just appearance! But how do you get started? Without further delay, let’s dive into all your options with modern dentistry. Aligner Therapy (ClearCorrect and Invisalign) These are the brand names of clear aligner systems, which are a series of plastic trays that are custom fitted to teeth. The trays are changed out over the course of treatment, and each new set of trays moves the teeth closer to the end goal. With aligners, small attachments are bonded to the teeth to act like little bumpers for the aligners to push on to move teeth during treatment. Six Month Smiles Unlike traditional braces, which are often worn 12 or more months, Six Month Smiles is a procedure that straightens teeth more quickly. This system is designed to straighten the teeth that show during a smile. The treatment uses traditional braces that have tooth-colored brackets and a white wire and can include a hybrid solution with another straightening treatment. Traditional Braces In cases where a patient’s corrections are very complex and involve a lot of mechanics, we work with select

orthodontists to help the patient get back the best function for their mouth with traditional braces. If the patient needs and desires it, we can then follow up with finishing touches to the teeth using a number of functional (bite related) and cosmetic dentistry options. Lingual Braces These are wires that attach to the back of the front teeth. People who want their teeth straightened but are very concerned about their appearance often choose lingual braces. High-ranking officials, company leaders, television personalities, and so on are usually popular candidates. Accelerated Orthodontics Sometimes crowding is so severe that in order to make treatment more efficient, we’ll have a periodontist actually cut the bone between the teeth and then move the teeth with the bone — all at the same time. Reserved for special cases, this can certainly accelerate teeth straightening for some patients. You can learn many more tips with Dr. Hugh Flax’s book, “A Smile Is Always in Style.” At Flax Dental, we pride ourselves on educating patients about oral health and knowing the right procedures for you and your loved ones. So, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us!

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Client Success Story

Our Best Patients Refer Our Best Patients

From Frozen to Freedom How Michael’s Teeth Got Him Smiling Again

“I came to see Dr. Flax for a second opinion on some dental issues I was having. He and his team were amazing! They took such good care of me and treated me like I had been their patient for years. You will not find better in Atlanta!” — Lainie T.

Michael Fellin, a sales representative, dealt with oral health complications his whole life. By the time he was 54, he’d had five root canals and capped teeth, and he began struggling with teeth grinding and clenching. In fact, he was breaking his teeth, and it began cutting the inside of his mouth. The problem quickly became more serious than he knew how to handle.

His general dentist couldn’t help him with his problems — he discovered he needed a full-mouth reconstruction. Michael felt frozen, he told us recently. “I didn’t know what to do.” This started to affect many areas in his life. “As you can imagine, being a sales rep in front of everyone and not feeling comfortable with my smile anymore really took a hit on my confidence,” Michael said. Luckily, Michael had a friend who had positive experiences with Dr. Flax, and she recommended our practice to him. “It was divine intervention,” Michael laughed. Last October, Michael participated in a virtual Zoom consultation and, instantly, he felt comfortable. Dr. Flax asked him questions no dentist had ever asked him before. “He asked me, ‘If I had a magic wand and could give you anything in your mouth, what would you like to see?’” From the consultation all the way to the surgery, Michael couldn’t help but be constantly impressed by Dr. Flax and his staff. Despite becoming emotional at times, Michael says the staff provided constant support and reassurance. Poor dental health ran in his family, he revealed. “My mom was also 54 when she was going through a similar [dental implant] process. That’s when she passed away,” Michael recalled. “Here I was, dealing with that.” He expressed deep gratitude for just how much the staff helped him get through that period. The outcome turned out gorgeous — Michael got his magic wand wishes, confidence, and so much more! He even stands up to pretty tough competition. “My husband has the most beautiful teeth you’ll see in your life,” Michael said. “People stop him on the street.” Now, Michael’s bright, youthful smile gives his husband a run for his money! We’re thrilled to say that we have both Michael and his husband as our patients now — what better way to stay tuned into their contest?! Thank you so much, Michael and David, for lighting up our offices with your wonderful humor and smiles! See you at your next cleaning!

Spring Vegetable and Chicken

Pasta Bake

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked chicken, diced • 1 14-oz can artichokes, drained and quartered • 1 cup fresh asparagus pieces • 1/2 cup carrots, grated • 1 1/2 cups uncooked penne pasta • 1 3/4 cups chicken broth

• 1/2 cup fresh chives, chopped and divided • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped and divided • 2 tsp minced garlic • 1/4 tsp salt • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 F and grease an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. 2. In the prepared dish, stir together cooked chicken, artichokes, asparagus, carrots, uncooked pasta, chicken broth, half the chives, half the parsley, garlic, salt, and 2 tbsp Parmesan. 3. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes. 4. Uncover and stir. At this point, check the pasta to make sure it is al dente. If it’s undercooked, cover the dish and return to the oven until pasta is tender. 5. Remove from oven and garnish with remaining Parmesan, chives, and parsley.

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

5673 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd. Ste. 430, Atlanta, GA 30342 404-255-9080 www.flaxdental.com

Want a Brighter, More Confident Smile? Don’t Know Where to Start? Send in Your Pictures and Have a Personalized Zoom Call With Dr. Flax With a FREE Virtual Smile Consultation! Visit: www.flaxdental.com/smile

Inside

Remember: Whether you have dental insurance benefits remaining, or leftover funds in your flexible spending account (FSA) or health care saving account (HSA), nearly all plans won’t allow you to roll them over to the following year. Schedule an appointment at Flax Dental today.

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Always Learning — With a Laugh

5 Ways to Straighten Your Teeth What Is Intuitive Eating?

From Frozen to Freedom

Spring Vegetable and Chicken Pasta Bake

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3 Home Products That Can Slash Your Energy Bill

Boost Your Home’s Energy Efficiency

With These 3 Products

With the development of accessible, affordable technologies and home products, improving the energy efficiency of your home is easier than ever. On top of that, many of these products give you more options for home automation, so you can save money and stay comfortable without even thinking about it. Here are three investments that will boost your energy efficiency right now.

that smart thermostats will turn on and off based on your schedule and temperature preferences. In the long run, this feature can save you money and energy. Next-Generation Insulation While you might be familiar with fiberglass insulation, an industry standard, there are much better options that help you maintain the temperature in your home. For existing homes, spray foam insulation is the best option, as it is the easiest to install and can still save energy. It’s also ideal for insulating attics, basements, and hard-to-reach spots. For new homes or more involved renovations, insulating concrete forms are the most energy-efficient option. A Smart Water Heater Generally, water heaters are not the most energy efficient — especially if you’re in a household where hot water is in constant demand. But with a smart water heater, you can change that. Much like the previously mentioned thermostat, you can control a smart water heater remotely or set it to heat water according to a specific schedule. This way, the heating elements aren’t running all day, every day. They come in tank and tankless varieties, though tankless is the way to go to maximize energy efficiency without taking up much space.

A Smart Thermostat

The great thing about smart thermostats is that they offer more programmable options than traditional

thermostats. For example, you can buy a thermostat that connects to your home’s Wi-Fi and is controlled

by an accompanying smartphone app, no matter where you are. Another awesome feature is

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