Premier Dental - September 2020

Premier Dental - September 2020

PREMIER DENTAL N EWS L E T T E R

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EDITION 19

Why We Should Wear Masks

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For Our Safety, Community, and the Fight Against COVID-19

There’s been a lot of debate over the use of face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. As Premier Dental continues to practice caution when treating patients, I wanted to offer an analysis of how wearing a mask can have proven and profound impacts on the safety and well-being of our community. This short article attempts to dispel false notions. How do masks help? The No. 1 way COVID-19 spreads is through the air. The saliva or mucus of infected people is loaded with virus particles, which are emitted in invisible droplets when the infected person breathes or talks and through larger droplets when they cough or sneeze. A single cough can produce as many as 3,000 droplets! A laser study illuminating the droplets found that they can travel as far as 9 feet. Masks block the droplets expelled by an infected person and slow the velocity of some of the droplets that penetrate the mask of other wearers. By wearing a mask, we are reducing the number of droplets in the air. Given that people who have the virus can be asymptomatic, we can’t be certain if we have COVID-19 or not, and by wearing a mask, we are eliminating the risk this uncertainty poses. The general attitude among those who don’t wear a mask is that it’s uncomfortable and that they should be able to do whatever they please. In an ideal world, this would be true, but it is our responsibility as individuals to not allow our decisions to diminish the quality of life for those around us. Think of it this way: People have the right to drink, but they do not have the right to drink and drive. Wearing a mask is the same. Let’s engage in some straight talk about our country’s situation when it comes to fighting the spread of the coronavirus: Have you wondered why some Asian countries like Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong had such low coronavirus infection rates and fatalities per capita despite high population densities? The effectiveness in fighting the spread of coronavirus is attributed to a large percentage of their population wearing face coverings. Many of these countries learned a valuable lesson during the SARS outbreak in 2002 in China.

It takes a collective effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Wearing a mask protects those around you. In turn, they protect you by wearing a mask. A “selfish” mentality does not help our common goal to suppress the virus. Does wearing a mask protect the wearer? Yes, but not totally. For inward protection, N95 masks are 95% effective, surgical masks 75%, and cloth masks 25-65% effective, depending on the type of material. Even as particles of the virus infiltrate your mask, reducing the viral load can make a significant difference. It’s when the initial exposure is great that the virus can overwhelm your immune system and cause serious illness. On the other hand, if the initial exposure is reduced (due to a mask), you may catch a mild case of COVID-19 or nothing at all. That’s why it’s imperative for everyone to wear masks so we can avoid germ transmission. Will I be breathing in more carbon dioxide and become drowsy? Fortunately, the answer is no. Carbon dioxide is a tiny molecule, far smaller than the pores in any of these types of masks. Carbon dioxide flows out easily. However, if you were wearing a non-porous plastic bag, for example, carbon dioxide would be a problem. I get it; wearing a mask is uncomfortable and feels stuffy. It takes effort to become accustomed to wearing one, but the benefits are undeniable. Given that we don’t have a vaccine or cure for this deadly virus at this time, it is best to be cautious. Wearing a mask when you are in the proximity of others, practicing physical distancing, and washing your hands frequently all work together to increase your probability of avoiding illness.

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OFFICE STAFF: PATIENT COORDINATOR

MICHELE

DENTAL ASSISTANT

CATHLEEN

HYGIENIST

CHARLENE PRACTICE MANAGER

PETER

—Peter Gopal

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DR. HEMA GOPAL: 20+ YEARS IN PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

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Snack Your Way to Better Health 3 Tasty Ways to Boost Your Collagen Levels Without Supplements

Would you rather swallow a supplement pill every morning or chow down on a handful of sea salt and herb popcorn that had similar effects? If you picked the second option, you’re not alone. Thanks to an influx of innovative products, more and more people are turning to snacks to increase their levels of the body’s fountain of youth: collagen. Collagen is what keeps your muscles strong and your joints moving. It’s also the secret to healthy, youthful skin without deep lines or wrinkles. Luckily, your body produces collagen naturally, but the process starts to slow down when you reach your early 20s. You can give it a boost by eating high-protein foods like fish and legumes, taking supplements, or adding collagen powder to your diet. Right now, collagen-enriched snack foods are all the rage. Here are just a few of them. Grab-and-Go Collagen Popcorn Last fall, healthy popcorn giant SkinnyPop released a brand-new flavor of its signature snack at Whole Foods: SkinnyPop +Collagen. The popcorn is dusted with sea salt, herbs, and pasture-raised collagen peptides to keep your skin youthful. This is just the latest in SkinnyPop’s foray into supplements, which started with a +Protein flavor that debuted in 2018. Collagen-Enriched Drinks One of the fastest ways to get more collagen in your diet is by drinking it. You can buy collagen powder yourself to make protein shakes, but brands

like Skinade and Beauty & Go make it even easier with their signature drinks. Skinade is flavored with peach and mangosteen, while Beauty & Go offers a bold red grape, rosehip, and persimmon blend.

Homemade Collagen Marshmallows Yep, that’s right — you can make your own collagen-rich desserts with collagen powder, maple syrup, and a few other simple ingredients. Check out CleanEatingMag.com for a classic recipe. If you want to go wild, SageAndCelery.com even has instructions for chocolate-dipped collagen marshmallow lollipops that will knock your socks off. These snacks aren’t a replacement for a healthy lifestyle, but they can work together with diet and exercise to improve your muscles, joints, and skin. If you have a hard time remembering to take pills but still want a youthful collagen boost, consider adding these treats to your shopping list.

4 Ways to Reuse Instead of Recycle Delivery Boxes Piling Up?

Compost Clean corrugated cardboard — what most Amazon boxes are made of — is another great source of useful carbon. Cut your boxes into pieces and place them in your compost pile so the carbon combines with the nitrogen from food scraps. The process helps break the pile down into nutrient-rich humus for healthy soil. Toys or Art Supplies Kids tend to play with the box their new toy came in rather than the toy itself for a reason. Cardboard boxes spark creativity, and the possibilities are endless! Boxes can be used as forts, spaceships, building blocks, art canvases, and more. Empty boxes can provide hours of fun with a little help from a vivid imagination.

As more people opt for online shopping, the number of home deliveries is skyrocketing. Almost every item ordered comes in its own cardboard box, and nearly 20% of these boxes end up in landfills, while the other 80% require significant amounts of energy to recycle. Here are four ways to reuse those boxes instead of just tossing them out. Garden Bed Starters Because cardboard boxes are loaded with carbon and not contaminated by many other chemicals, they’re great for starting new plants or flower beds. They help reduce weeds and protect weak or young plants from the elements, and when the carbon in cardboard combines with the nitrogen in the dirt, a nutrient-rich soil emerges for plants to flourish in.

DR. HEMA GOPAL: 20+ YEARS IN PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE If you’re not sure how you want to use your boxes, just hold on to them until you’re ready. The beauty of cardboard is that you can break it down, store it easily, and reconstruct the boxes later when you find a use for them. Storage Boxes are meant for holding items, so use empty ones to organize a cluttered garage or attic or safely store less frequently used items like winter jackets or holiday decorations. If the brown cardboard aesthetic on a shelf just won’t cut it, paint the boxes or wrap them in eye-catching gift wrap, then label them.

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Inspired by TasteOfHome.com Cheesy Vegetable Bake

5 Types of Foods That Naturally Whiten Your Teeth!

Tea and coffee might be your best friends in the morning, though we’re well aware that these beverages can easily stain our teeth. But not all food has negative consequences for our pearly white smiles. In fact, certain foods can actually whiten your teeth, bringing a whole new meaning to clean eating. Our team is here to tell you how! No. 1: Apples, celery, and carrots Chewing crunchy fruits and vegetables like apples, celery, and carrots helps scrub your teeth and increases your production of the natural self-cleaning agent, saliva. Some toothpastes also contain a high concentration of malic acid, which also increases salivation and helps clean teeth and remove stains, according to a study from the University of Grenada in Spain. It may also help kill bacteria that cause bad breath. No. 2: Pineapple As the only food that naturally contains bromelain — a group of enzymes with stain-removing properties — it’s no surprise that pineapple made it on this list! Recent research published in the International Journal of Dental Hygiene showed that bromelain is an effective ingredient in stain- removing toothpastes. Bromelain also has anti-inflammatory and cleansing properties.

To keep your teeth pearly white while still enjoying a good meal, try making this cheesy vegetable bake brimming with carrots, broccoli, and two types of cheese.

Ingredients

• • • • •

2 cups carrots, thinly sliced

• • • • •

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg Salt and pepper, to taste

2 cups broccoli florets

3 eggs

1 cup Gruyere cheese, grated 1/2 cup Swiss cheese, grated

2 cups milk (2% preferred) 1/4 cup butter, melted

6 cups egg bread, cubed

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 325 F and grease an 11x7-inch casserole dish. 2. Fill a saucepan with 1 inch of water. Add a steamer basket to the pan, then put the carrots and broccoli in the basket. Bring the water to a boil, then cover the vegetables and steam them for 3-4 minutes. 3. Whisk the eggs, milk, butter, spices, and salt together in a large bowl. When they’re combined, add the vegetables and Gruyere. Then add the bread. 4. Pour the contents of the bowl into the baking dish, then sprinkle the Swiss cheese on top. 5. Bake the casserole uncovered for 30–35 minutes. Let it cool for 10 minutes, then serve and enjoy! Take a Break

DR. HEMA GOPAL: 20+ YEARS IN PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE We hope these tips help and maybe even surprise you. Check out our recipe on this page for one delicious way to keep your teeth healthy and clean. Keep smiling! No. 5: Water Don’t forget water! Your saliva needs it. In addition to drinking water, eating water-rich foods like watermelon and cucumber will help you stay hydrated and keep your smile beautiful. No. 3: Broccoli You probably know this superfood is great for your body, but did you know it can also improve your dental health? The European Journal of Dentistry has found that eating raw, crisp broccoli can help clean and polish teeth. The iron it contains can also provide protection against enamel-degrading acid that’s produced by bacteria. Broccoli not only helps clean your teeth, but it’ll help prevent stains and cavities, too! No. 4: Cheese This is a no-brainer when you think about it: With essential minerals like calcium and phosphorus, it’s no surprise that cheese is good for your teeth. But did you know the protein in cheese can help protect tooth enamel, too? Plus, according to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, the lactic acid found in cheese helps fight tooth decay.

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Inside

DR. HEMA GOPAL: 20+ YEARS IN PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

This Issue

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Why Wearing a Mask Today Protects Our Future Snack Your Way to Better Health What to Do With All Those Boxes

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5 Foods That Naturally Whiten Your Teeth! Cheesy Vegetable Bake

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Unpacking the DNA Travel Trend

Would You Follow Your Genes Around the World? Why DNA Travel Is Trending

There are a few carry-on items every traveler should have for a flight: their driver’s license, their passport, their cellphone, a snack, and … their DNA test results? According to Lonely Planet, these chunks of personal >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

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