Flax Dental - November 2021

Flax Dental - November 2021

404-255-9080 | www.flaxdental.com

November 2021

The Doctor Becomes the Patient My Humbling Health Journey This Year

with some fine tuning my smile with clear aligner orthodontics.

I always start my morning with a practice of gratitude, but it was only in this past year that I’ve really gained a new outlook on life. I have truly amazing people and opportunities around me every day, and my health journey has been a vital reminder of that. Like many men, going to the doctor annually wasn’t something I was ever eager to do and even avoided entirely on many occasions. However — especially in my profession — pain and aches over decades of performing dental work can be a common issue. I avoided addressing them for quite some time. Then, when the pandemic hit, I was suddenly reminded that life changes in an instant. I knew I needed to get it addressed right away, and I deepened my curiosity for solutions, not just identifying the problems. Now, I attend physical therapy,doing more stretching, and plan on undergoing platelet-rich plasma therapy (PRP) to enhance the recovery and healing ability of my joints. Also in the past year, I lost one of my teeth — by choice. I work with an awesome dentist who helps me keep my teeth in the best shape possible, and despite our efforts to save it, I decided it’d be better for my overall oral health to take advantage of better technologies out there with a dental implant that’s preceded Whether you’ve seen a new movie recently or a long time ago, we’d love to hear about the scariest movie you’ve ever seen! Tell us on Facebook and you can win a $100 gift card to Amazon. Respond by Nov. 10, 2021 and submit your story to our Facebook page at Facebook.com/FlaxDental Congratulations to last month’s winner, Jasper Wells

As a doctor myself, it’s been an interesting adventure to turn from the doctor into the patient this past year.

It’s humbling to sit and think about how much trust I, as a patient, have to put in my medical professionals and how much trust you, too, have to put in people like me. It makes me grateful to have such a supportive family, team, and colleagues who take that trust seriously. No matter what you have planned for Thanksgiving this year (or even if you don’t celebrate it), I hope you’re looking forward to something this month, and every day. We can’t take anything for granted, whether it’s our finances or our family. It could all vanish in an instant, and we shouldn’t need to wait for another pandemic to learn that.

Make time to enjoy the most important people in your life soon, and don’t forget your health. You won’t regret it.

—Hugh Flax

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The Benefits of Positive Relationships

Good for Mind and HealthGet Matters!

Boosted Immune Systems It makes sense — people who have less stress have stronger immune systems. During times of high stress, our bodies are more susceptible to illnesses because our immune system’s ability to fight off antigens is reduced. The stress hormone corticosteroid can also lower the number of lymphocytes available to fight infection. However, when we are in a happy and loving relationship, our bodies produce oxytocin, and we are less likely to get sick. Better Physical Shape Being in a positive relationship, especially a romantic one, can provide the motivation to be the best version of ourselves. This includes our physical condition, too! Having a friend or workout partner to encourage accountability and even push us out of our comfort zone a bit at the gym can keep us motivated. Being in a positive, healthy, and happy relationship means we listen to each other, offer advice, openly communicate without judgment, practice respect and trust, and engage in healthy activities together. So, it’s no surprise that positive relationships work wonders for our health and happiness.

Connecting with other humans in a positive way is one of the most profound experiences we have. That positivity is one of the greatest virtues — it’s contagious, and engaging in happy relationships with others is extremely important not only for our minds but also for our health. Longer Lives Studies have actually shown that when people are involved in positive relationships, they live longer. This is likely attributed to decreased stress, as stress can exact a toll on the entire body. Positive relationships can also encourage us to give up negative habits such as drinking or smoking, which cause many health problems and concerns. Healthy habits can help people live longer lives. Quicker Healing Positive people in our lives can distract us from pain, remind us to take medication, be our advocates, and simply reduce stress. And less stress means healing takes place faster. Those who have a

support person feel more confident and prepared to undergo surgeries and fight illnesses as well.

Good News The

Why Are Implants So Common? What Most People Don’t Know About Tooth Loss

Poor Performing Dentures One of the great pioneers of implants, the late Dr. Carl Misch, stated that dentures and removable bridges or partials tend to move around the mouth, which can cause friction and affect the remaining bone and teeth. That can lead to bone breakdown. Dentures and removable bridges or partials just spread problems around in the mouth and create new ones, instead of focusing on the problem itself — a missing tooth. People often feel that losing a tooth is the beginning of the end. At Flax Dental, we understand that tooth loss can be an emotional loss. Unfortunately, the longer patients wait, the worse it gets. If you need implants, give us a call today. The earlier you deal with tooth loss, the younger you’ll feel for years to come, and the more natural the final result will be.

dental treatments can sometimes fail as they age. Often, that’s because of trauma caused by your bite.

People lose teeth for many reasons. Yes, teeth can naturally break down over time. But losing a tooth is not always a sign of age or necessarily even poor oral hygiene. Other factors that can lead to tooth loss include diminished bodily health, trauma, eating hard foods, clenching and grinding, or even as I’ve seen in some patient cases, poor dentistry. A number of facts explain why implants are becoming more common these days. Here are just a few. Longer Life Span Today, our population is aging and living longer, so many patients are opting to replace missing teeth for more comfort and stability in their bite. Tooth Loss Related to Aging Teeth are like other body parts — they can wear out over time. Even teeth that have been stabilized with crowns or other

Bone Breakdown When a tooth is removed from the

mouth, enzymes start to break down the bone. Over time, the bone wears away. In the first year, most people can lose 4 millimeters of bone. But it doesn’t stop there. Bone continues to break down over time. The more it breaks down, the harder it is to rebuild the bone in that area. The less bone you have, the more grafting has to be done and the less likely that area will look like a natural tooth. In fact, the face can age after losing a tooth — it sinks in once the supporting bone is gone. To Replace Fixed Bridges Sometimes, decay in adjacent teeth or gum disease around a fixed bridge can cause it to fail. When that happens, a bridge implant is a viable replacement.

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Our Patients Refer Our Best Patients Your practice continues to create ‘WOW’ experiences for me even after all these years. An office just chairs, computers and fixtures until a team of people decide to make it something more! —Tom B.

Patient Spotlight

‘Do You Trust Me?’

How a New Smile Took Eric’s Confidence to New Heights

After dismal experiences with other dentists, Eric Negley began to ask his friends about dentist recommendations. As it turned out, his good friend from the University of Georgia was Dr. Flax’s

younger brother. With glowing recommendations from his peers, plus their personal link, Eric felt very comfortable coming to Dr. Flax for his next routine teeth cleaning.

Upon first stepping into our office in ‘87, he realized that Dr. Flax’s dental practice was on a whole new level. “All of the other dentists I’d gone to … did things differently,” Eric recalled

during our in-person interview. “They didn’t care if you hurt or not.” However, the staff working with Dr. Flax were all bright and caring and provided comfort in every aspect for their patients. It was the exact “day and night” difference he was looking for. Eric wasn’t seeking much dental work to be done, but he also didn’t notice any issues in his smile. “Sometimes when you’re looking in the mirror, you don’t notice the things that other people do.” Dr. Flax eventually approached Eric and said that he could make Eric’s smile even better — for free, with one exception. “He said [to me,] ‘I would like to take you on as a study case, where I’d be willing to give you a new veneer smile at no cost to you. The only condition is that you’ll need to trust me to be my student, so to speak.’ And I said, ‘I trust you!’” Shortly after, Eric flew to San Francisco and Dr. Flax and his team gave him a new veneer smile, working with a veneer specialist on-location who crafted every individual tooth professionally. It was a full day procedure, and Eric was simply amazed by Dr. Flax’s work ethic. “[After I left,] a lady’s car wouldn’t start, and I helped her out. After that, I looked up, and Hugh’s office light was still on, working.” The effects of his new smile hit him hardest when he went in for his next routine cleaning — Eric started tearing up at the office. “He gave me such a beautiful smile, because he saw something I didn’t see. I’m forever thankful that he did that.” As a world-ranked master pole vaulter, Eric’s confidence and smile can be seen far and wide, especially as he leaps to new heights. We’re so grateful that Eric could make time to share his wonderful story with us again. Thanks for always brightening our office with your humor and kindness!

Want the taste of fall without the calories? Try this quick and easy salad, topped with homemade apple cider vinaigrette. Easy Cranberry-Apple Salad

Ingredients

For the salad: • 1/4 cup dried pumpkin seeds • 5 cups salad mix • 2 Granny Smith apples, chopped into bite-size pieces • 1/3 cup dried cranberries • 1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled For the dressing: • 1/4 cup olive oil • 1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar • 1 1/2 tsp honey • 1 tsp Dijon mustard • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a skillet over medium heat, toast the pumpkin seeds until fragrant, then set aside. 2. In a small jar or bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients, then set aside. 3. Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing until lightly coated, then toss and serve!

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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.beautifulsmileforyou.net

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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My Humbling Health Journey

The Benefits of Positive Relationships

The Truth About Tooth Loss

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Eric’s Amazing Dr. Flax Story

Easy Cranberry-Apple Salad

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Why You Should Visit New England for Thanksgiving

Why You Should Visit New England

During Your Thanksgiving WeekendCode

transported back in time to one of the earliest settlements in the United States, where the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people shared the first Thanksgiving dinner.

Last year, travel restrictions kept many families from gathering together in their homes for Thanksgiving dinner. This year, it appears that people will be able to travel freely to most locations. While a “destination Thanksgiving” might not be something you’ve ever considered, for some families, it can mean the perfect blend of quality fun and family time in an exciting new city. So, why not take advantage and bring your family to visit New England, the part of the country where Thanksgiving began? If you need more reasons than just the origin of a famous holiday, consider the scenery. If you’ve never visited New England in the fall, it’s something that every person should do at least once in their lives. The variety of colors on display in the trees throughout the quaint downtowns and nearby forests is completely unique to that part of the country. There’s a reason that “visiting Boston in the fall” has become not only a popular vacation but also part of the American lexicon as well. As for what you could do when you’re in New England for your Thanksgiving weekend, there are a few popular destinations you just have to see for yourself. First and foremost among these are the Plimoth Patuxet Museums. When you visit, you’ll be

Other fun destinations in that immediate area also include wandering

the quaint historic downtowns of Ipswich, Sturbridge, or several other colonial era towns. You can also find tons of fun shopping destinations in Beverly, Massachusetts. If you want your experience to be a little more rural, you can travel out to Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire, or Woodstock, Vermont, to experience a true traditional Thanksgiving celebration at Billings Farm and Museum. Even though your family might not be used to traveling for Thanksgiving, how many opportunities will you have to visit Thanksgiving’s birthplace during the season? It’s the kind of vacation you don’t want to miss!

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