Lake Oconee Dentistry - December 2018

The MONTHLY Smile

706-453-1333 www.LakeOconeeDental.com

DECEMBER 2018

OUR 20-YEAR ANNIVERSARY

A Tribute to Our Loyal Patients

As the end of the year rolls around, I always find myself thinking about the beginning — the beginning of the year, the beginning of the practice, the beginning of relationships, the beginning of everything. Because 2018 marks Lake Oconee Dentistry’s 20th year of service in this area, I’ve found myself continually reflecting on the formative years of the practice — this year in particular.

office, as well. Once our team grew, we were able to do so. In the last 20 years, our team has grown from three hardworking individuals to a close-knit, productive, and efficient family of 30. To celebrate the changes that occurred over these last two decades and the fantastic patients with whom we’ve been able to forge relationships, we held a Patient Appreciation Event this past October. We rented out the movie theater and purchased tickets so our patients could bring their friends and family to enjoy a fun-filled evening on us as a “thank you” for trusting us with their dental care. Additionally, we had a separate event for 40 of the patients who have been coming to our practice since the very first year Patti and I opened the doors. Several of these patients shared the experiences they’ve had through the years, and the conversation made me grateful for their unwavering loyalty and friendship. Moving forward, we will continue celebrating our patients — both new and long-term — and continue our involvement in the community that has been so welcoming to us. In fact, one of the recent ways we worked to give back to the community was our Stars, Stripes & Smiles event, which took place on November 16th. We host this event annually to show our appreciation for service members and the sacrifices they have made to keep our nation and families safe. On that day, our team offered all veterans and active military personnel their choice of a free cleaning, filling, or extraction. It was a wonderful day, full of smiles. We were all happy — and humbled — to be a part of it.

When Patti and I decided to first open Lake Oconee Dentistry, we had just celebrated our first wedding anniversary. We spent the vast majority of our days trying to perfect our practice and help it grow to become an integral part of the local

“In the last 20 years, our team has grown from three hardworking individuals to a close-knit, productive, and efficient family of 30.”

community. In those early years, we had a small team of only three people: Patti, me, and a front desk manager to help us schedule appointments. Between the three of us, we handled everything. For example, before our first patient arrived in the morning, we would have been awake for hours, vacuuming the carpets, taking out the garbage, and cleaning the chairs and tools for the day. Then after the last patient left, we would do it all over again. But even when these chores were complete, we still didn’t leave the office; we just walked up the stairs to our apartment! It’s true; we literally lived at work! After those busy, but significant, early years, Patti and I realized that while living above our office helped us get ahead on the daily cleaning and preparations — and limited that dreaded morning commute time — we needed to focus on our lives outside of the

Wishing you all the best in 2019!

–Dr. David

Lake Oconee Dentistry | Personalized & Comfortable | 1

TOOTHY TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD The Tooth Fairy Goes International

EL RATÓN DE LOS DIENTES One of the most beloved myths in many Spanish-speaking countries involves a magical mouse. This mouse goes by Ratón Pérez or El Ratón

Every night, children in houses all over the U.S. crawl into their beds with anticipation, their recently lost baby teeth stashed carefully under their pillows. Why? They

await the arrival of the tooth fairy, of course! Nearly everyone has at least one memory of falling asleep with a tooth under their pillow and waking up a dollar or two richer. While the tooth fairy we know and love didn’t flutter her way into the American social consciousness until the 1920s, other countries around the world have their own tooth-centric traditions dating back several centuries.

de Los Dientes, and he is exactly what his name suggests: a mouse who collects teeth. Like the tooth fairy, Pérez gets the teeth only after they’ve been lost and put under children’s pillows. In Argentina, a lost tooth is placed

in a glass of water before bed. When Pérez shows up, he’ll drink up the water, grab the tooth, and leave his gift in the empty glass.

TOSS THOSE TEETH In countries like China, India, and Japan, kids will toss their

MY DOG ATE MY … TOOTH? Rather than sliding the tooth under your pillow,

teeth rather than hide them under their pillows. Teeth lost from the lower jaw are usually thrown up onto a roof, while teeth from the upper jaw are tossed onto the floor or ground. The logic behind this practice is that the strategic placement

throughout Central Asia, it's traditional to put the tooth into a delicious fatty snack and feed it

to a dog. Children take part in this tradition to ensure that their adult teeth grow in to be as strong as the dog's teeth. No dog? No problem! The next best practice is to bury the tooth by a tree so that the new tooth has strong roots.

of the old tooth will help the new tooth grow in strong.

HEREWE COME A-WASSAILING Plan Your Family’s Christmas Caroling Party

In some families, caroling is an annual event, while others stick to watching the characters sing at the end of “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” If you want to make Christmas caroling part of your holiday traditions, we have some tips to help make your outing the best ever. PLAN EARLY Calendars fill up fast around the holidays, so if you want to include people outside of your household in your caroling party, send out invitations early. You don’t want your caroling gathering to be a bust because all your guests had other plans. HAVE SONGS PICKED OUT Will your caroling group perform classics like “Silent Night” or something silly like “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”? Get everyone on the same page, print out sheet music, and practice before the big night. DRESS FOR SUCCESS Some carolers wear matching scarves, while others go out in full Victorian-inspired costumes. Whatever dress code you decide on, dress for what the temperature will be after dark. You don’t want your caroling to get cut short because of frostbite. If you are

caroling outdoors, add reflective tape and flashing lights to your clothing so your party can be seen by passing cars.

DON’T MAKE EVERYONE SING One of your kids may be ready to rock around the Christmas tree, but what if another would rather get coal in their stocking than sing in public? That’s okay! Non-singers can still participate in caroling by ringing silver bells or handing out candy canes at the door. BRING GIFTS Small goodies like bottles of cider, homemade Christmas cookies, or candy canes are always sure to spread holiday cheer. KEEP THE PARTY GOING! After a night of singing your heart out, everyone deserves a treat. When you get back home, enjoy some traditional wassail or hot chocolate. Warm up, enjoy leftover cookies, and spend

time with your loved ones.

It takes a little planning to pull off a great caroling party, but don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Just try to have a good time. You don’t have to sound like a choir of angels to bring joy to the world.

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KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR BEFORE THEY ATTACK 4 Winter Illnesses You’d Rather Avoid

Achoo! That’s the last noise you want to hear this winter. Cold weather brings a slew of sicknesses, so be vigilant to treat these common illnesses, or better yet, avoid them altogether. THE COMMON COLD Although there is no cure, a cold is easier to treat than other illnesses. If you or a loved one has a runny nose, low-grade fever, headache, cough, nasal congestion, or sore throat, the common cold has most likely taken hold. With the help of rest and perhaps some cold medicine, like cough drops and decongestants, the cold will come and go in about a week. BRONCHIOLITIS Bronchiolitis appears most commonly in children less than a year old and is caused by other viruses. Of the many symptoms — nasal congestion, low-grade fevers, and coughing — wheezing is the one you should be most concerned about. If your child is having difficulty breathing and is dehydrated, they may have caught a more serious strain of the virus. Most children will recover with at-home rest, but some may need to be hospitalized for more severe symptoms. INFLUENZA The flu is known for causing high fever, muscle aches and pains, nausea, and other symptoms similar to a cold. Often, the fever will last for around five days, but it can be shortened with the aid of antiviral medications. However, these medications are recommended only for children who face serious complications or hospitalization from the flu. If you want to avoid catching this, your best bet is to receive the annual flu vaccine.

STREP THROAT A sore throat, headache, stomach ache, vomiting, and high fever are signs of strep. This infection is treated with antibiotics and should be addressed soon after the first symptoms appear to prevent further complications. Children with strep throat should stay away from school and other activities until they’ve been on antibiotics for 24 hours. Everyone knows that getting sick is no fun and is best avoided at all costs. However, it happens to everyone eventually. Catching a virus or infection in its early stages can help you shake the sickness much faster. Whether or not you have an open fire, you can easily roast some chestnuts using this simple, delicious recipe. Buttery ROASTED CHESTNUTS

WORD SEARCH

Ingredients • 2 pounds fresh

• Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions 1. Heat oven to 450 F. chestnuts, unpeeled • 2–3 sprigs rosemary • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste

2. Place a large sheet of foil on a rimmed baking sheet. 3. On a large, flat workspace, place chestnuts flat side down. Using a sharp knife, carve an X on the rounded side of each chestnut. 4. In a large bowl of hot water, soak chestnuts for 1 minute. 5. Pat dry and transfer to a medium bowl. Add rosemary, butter, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Toss to coat and transfer to baking sheet. Arrange in a single layer. Gather the edges of the foil together, leaving an opening at the top. 6. Roast until peels curl up, about 30–45 minutes. 7. Transfer to a platter and serve while hot or warm.

Candle Cookies Decorations Family

Gratitude Holidays Snowflake Snowman

Snowstorm Tradition Travel Winter

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

1011 Parkside Main | Greensboro, GA 30642 If you have any questions, call us at 706-453-1333 www.LakeOconeeDental.com

We’re located at 1011 Parkside Main between the Publix parking lot and the movie theater.

Inside

The Early Years of Lake Oconee Dentistry page 1 The Tooth Fairy Goes International page 2 The Ultimate Christmas Caroling Checklist page 2

What Do My Symptoms Mean? page 3 Buttery Roasted Chestnuts page 3 Everything You’ll Need for an Ugly Sweater Christmas page 4

UGLY SWEATER PARTIES

A Fun Trend You Can Easily Follow!

WHAT EXACTLY IS AN UGLY SWEATER PARTY? It's rather simple — slip on your favorite Christmas sweater, gather all your friends and family members, make sure there are plenty of refreshments and games, and you’re guaranteed to have a top- tier party. A few ugly-sweater-themed games

It's speculated that the first ugly sweater party took place in Vancouver, Canada, back in 2001. Since then, the trend has become one of the most popular holiday party themes. Come Thanksgiving, you’ll start to see racks in all types of

clothing stores lined with hideous sweaters. If you're ready to jump on the ugly-sweater-party bandwagon this Christmas season, here a few things to keep in mind. YOUR VERY OWN UGLY SWEATER Ugly sweaters come in all shapes, sizes, and prices. You can head to H&M or a local thrift store to pick one up. However, if you have a sweater that’s been cozied up for years in the back of your closet or a drawer, now’s your chance to give it new life. Arm yourself with a hot glue gun, thread, and needle, and patch Santa, Rudolph, or Frosty on it. And let it be known that an ugly sweater isn’t complete without sparkles, beads, and sequins galore.

that should be on the agenda include an ugly gift exchange, which is similar to the white elephant exchange, except with the gaudiest gifts you can find; an ugly photo booth, complete with terrible, tacky props; and, of course, an ugly sweater contest. This is the only time of year when slipping into a lurid red sweater with a stuffed Santa sewn on the front is considered trendy. So adorn yourself in the frumpiest, tackiest sweater you can find, and have some fun this December!

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