Jones Smiles - March-April 2021

Jones Smiles - March-April 2021

REPORT THE WELLNESS

MARCH/APRIL 2021

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FROM HYGIENIST TO PATIENT Shae Odum Shares Her Treatment Story

Hi, everyone! My name is Shae Odum, and I have been a dental hygienist for 25 years and at Jones & Copeland Smiles since 2012. I love the work I do every day because I can help patients overcome their dental anxiety and change their mindset about oral health. It’s one of my favorite ways to serve patients!

support my facial structure and help maintain the bone and tissue on that side of my mouth. It feels so good to have teeth again!

Ultimately, what we discovered is that the source of the cracked teeth and the pain was due to teeth grinding. It had nothing to do with what I did or didn’t do to care for my teeth, but it did provide a powerful lesson. What I went through is completely preventable, and while I have always been passionate about patient care,

However, I recently learned a big lesson about dental care — and this time, I was the patient!

This past fall, I woke up with a blinding toothache in the middle of the night. The upper left corner of my mouth was throbbing and aching, and all my expertise told me something was very wrong. I sought help from the people I trust the most: my team here at Jones Smiles, including Dr.

prevention, and treatment, I now have a firsthand experience of the urgency needed in preventive treatment. Dentistry truly must be judgment-free to ensure our patients are cared for and that they fully understand the scope of their oral health.

Jones and Dr. Copeland. Dr. Jones wanted me to see a root canal specialist, also known as an endodontist, to get a second set of eyes on the teeth in question and whether they could be retreated with another root canal.

It also changed my perspective as an expert. Despite my knowledge and experience, I was scared during my root canals and implant procedures. I even took any sedation that was offered

to me because I needed something to ease my fears. As a patient who has been in that very chair where I know other scared patients sit, I understand just how terrifying that moment can be. I hope I can offer more comfort to my patients during those moments. Throughout this entire process, I’ve been very grateful for the dental experts who have helped me. This hasn’t been an easy journey, but there is no other group of people I trust more than Dr. Jones’ and Dr. Copeland’s team. I wouldn’t be at this job if I didn’t believe in the work they do! While I still have more steps to take in this treatment plan, there is no one else I would have trusted to help me in those moments. They truly want what’s best for their patients — and I’m proof of that!

The endodontist discovered very minute cracks in two of my teeth and suggested we remove them immediately. A week later, Dr. Jones replaced this gap with dental implants, and I was hopeful that things would improve.

As I soon learned, sometimes treatments are a process.

A week later, my toothache returned, and the real source of my pain was finally discovered. A third tooth had sustained a crack and was removed due to infection. Because of the crack, my freshly placed dental implants caused my face to puff up and swell. Dr. Jones and I agreed that it was best to remove one of the implants and allow my jaw and face time to heal.

–Shae Odum

This spring, I was able to finally have teeth on my implants so I can smile and eat on that side again! This implant bridge will also

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AN EASY WAY TO DRINK MORE WATER AND AVOID DEHYDRATION

Dehydration is a big problem. Many people don’t drink enough water each day — some

to dehydration. Even mild dehydration can cause health problems and impact your brain, heart, skin, and other organs, which can lead to headaches, confusion, fatigue, and gastrointestinal distress.

That might seem like a lot of liquid, but you can easily drink it without trying too hard. All you have to do is be proactive: Start keeping water any place you frequent during the day. Keep a bottle in your car, at your desk, by your favorite chair, near your workout equipment, etc. Having water easily available in the places you spend the most time each day helps increase your chances of actually drinking it. An alternative approach is to purchase a giant jug that can hold all the water you need to drink in a day. Seeing it all in one place might be intimidating at first, but this method makes things very simple. Keep the jug close, and your water intake will likely increase without too much additional effort. And if you’re just not motivated to drink plain water, you can always add sugar-free flavoring or lemon to make it more enticing.

reports show that 75% of adults in the United States don’t drink enough water, and over a quarter are dehydrated. Though those statistics aren’t widely agreed upon, it’s obvious that most people need more fluids.

We all know the solution to dehydration is to drink more water, but exactly how much water do we need each day? The amount will differ depending on the person, but one simple way to approximate your necessary daily intake is by dividing your body weight in half and drinking that much water (in fluid ounces) each day. For example, if you weigh 175 pounds, you’d need to drink 87.5 fluid ounces — over half a gallon — of water per day.

Even if it feels like you’re drinking a lot of water, remember that water leaves your body every time you sweat, go to the bathroom, and even breathe. Not keeping up with proper water intake can lead

CONTINUING TO KEEP YOU SAFE AND HEALTHY Enhanced Sterilization Protocols and Controls

Beverages will be served safely only upon request.

Masks will be provided for the safety of all.

There will be additional time between patients for enhanced sterilization.

All patients will be asked COVID-19 screening questions.

Hand-sanitizing stations are located throughout the office.

All patients AND team members will have their temperature measured upon arrival.

Please reschedule if you have a fever or a sick family member.

Curbside check-in from your vehicle is now available.

Medical-grade air filtration is used in all operatories.

Magazines will be temporarily unavailable.

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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 Stephen Virgilio, 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.

SMILE-FRIENDLY RECIPES

BRAIN BREAK!

SPRING VEGETABLE AND CHICKEN PASTA BAKE

Celebrate spring with this easy, tasty, herb-packed 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.

ARBOR ARIES

DIAMOND ENVIRONMENT GARDEN KITE

BASEBALL CHERRIES CHOCOLATE DAISY

RAINBOW SHOWERS

Inspired by TheSeasonedMom.com

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7330 Spout Springs Road, Suite C15 Flowery Branch, GA 30542 www.JonesSmiles.com 770-965-3048

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Shae Odum Goes From Dental Hygienist to Patient PAGE 1 How to Easily Increase Your Water Intake Continuing to Keep You Safe and Healthy PAGE 2 5 Ways to Increase Your Family’s Fitness Spring Vegetable and Chicken Pasta Bake PAGE 3 How Lulu the Pig Saved Her Owner From a Heart Attack PAGE 4

Lulu the Pot-Bellied Pig’s Cunning Plan to Save Her Owner MAN’S SMARTEST FRIEND

According to animal experts, pigs are smarter than any other domestic animal, including

and even threw an alarm clock out the window, no one heard her cries from their somewhat secluded home. The family’s dog, Bear, barked and barked to no avail. Lulu, however, knew Jo Ann needed help quickly and waddled into action. Lulu made her way to the nearest road, scraping her skin in the process and leaving it torn and bleeding. Once she reached the road, she laid down as if to play dead. Not long after that, a passing driver saw Lulu and stopped to check on her. Once Lulu was sure she had the driver’s attention, she got up and waddled back toward her home, leading the driver to where Jo Ann lay on the floor. When the driver found Jo Ann, he immediately called 911, and emergency services took her to a medical center for open-heart surgery. Had just 15 more minutes passed without help, Jo Ann would have died. For her heroism, Lulu received the Tiffany gold hero’s medal from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and made multiple television appearances as her fame spread. Hopefully, she was smart enough to know just how much she was appreciated.

cats and dogs. That may seem hard to believe, as you probably associate pigs with a pink, smelly animal that oinks and rolls around in the muck. However, the story of how

Lulu the pot-bellied pig saved her owner’s life might persuade

you to reconsider.

Back in 1998 (otherwise this story would have certainly gone viral), Lulu the pig was a permanent fixture at Jo Ann and Jack Altsman’s property in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. They had initially only taken Lulu from her original owner, the Altsmans’ daughter, for a temporary stay, but they ended up bonding with Lulu, and she was with them for much longer than expected.

On Aug. 4, Jo Ann suffered from a heart attack. Jack was out of town on a fishing trip, and even though Jo Ann cried for help

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