Calapooia Family Dental - March 2020

Calapooia Family Dental - March 2020

‘Are We in Mordor, Yet?’ WHY I LOVE ‘THE LORD OF THE RINGS’

Brian R. Summers, DMD, PhD Patrick V. Hagerty, DMD

W hen I first heard they were creating and releasing “The Lord of the Rings” movies in the early 2000s, I figured that was as good of a time as any to finally read the books. I quickly breezed through “The Hobbit,” which is more of a kids’ book anyways, and when I began “The Lord of the Rings” series, I was addicted. I couldn’t put the books down! Thus began a journey into a world I enjoy venturing into to this day. With March 25 being Tolkien Reading Day, I knew there was no better topic I could highlight than my appreciation of “The Lord of the Rings.” Tolkien’s writing style places you directly into the world he created, with such vivid detail that you can visualize yourself right in the thick of it. The “Game of Thrones” series is fairly similar, but I feel as though nothing can compare to the descriptive, yet captivating, nature of Tolkien’s writing. The movies did a great job of attempting to create Tolkien’s world, too. But ultimately, nothing can really compare to the books. One of the best parts of the story is the relationship between Gimli, a dwarf, and Legolas, an elf. In the series, elves and dwarves never get along. There’s this real, visceral hate among the two species, yet Gimli and Legolas develop an almost brotherly relationship. It’s a cool example of putting your differences aside and working together to achieve the greater good. When the first movie did come out, I had worked my way through the book series and was excited to see it play out on the big screen. My wife, Rebecca, and I were watching the movie unfold on the screen, and around the three-hour mark, Rebecca turned to me and said, “I don’t understand. How are they going to get to Mordor by the end of the movie? They’re not even close!” Of course, anyone who has read the books or is a fan of the series would know there was no way they could pack the entire journey into one movie. I tried not to laugh too much as I said, “You know there’s going to be three movies, right?” If you’ve never read the books, I highly recommend checking them out. J.R.R.

Calapooia Courier March 2020

“J.R.R. TOLKIEN’S WRITING STYLE PLACES YOU DIRECTLY INTO THE WORLD HE CREATED WITH SUCH VIVID DETAIL THAT YOU CAN VISUALIZE YOURSELF RIGHT IN THE THICK OF IT.”

She lost it! We still laugh about that to this day.

Today, I still really enjoy reading “The Lord of the Rings” series. I’m sure once our kids reach the young adult fiction range, I’ll push “The Hobbit” onto them. With as young as our kids are, we’re still in the beginning stages of reading. We usually read three stories to the kids each night before bed, and Norah has reading assignments she has to finish. I can’t wait to see what stories she finds herself lost in as her reading improves. Who knows? Maybe she will get just as entranced by Tolkien as I did.

(A dad can only hope!)

-Dr. Brian Summers

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Switch It Up

CELEBRATING MY 1ST BIRTHDAY AND YOUR KID’S 1ST DENTIST APPOINTMENT! Rose’s Roundup!

THE FAMILY FEUD YOU WANT TO BE A PART OF

Hi, everyone!

As one of the most popular gaming consoles, the Nintendo Switch draws the attention of gamers and nongamers alike. It offers hundreds of games for people of all different ages and preferences. If you’re thinking about adding to your family’s game collection, take a look at these five family-friendly options everyone can enjoy. Super Mario Party and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe If you’re looking for fun multiplayer games, look no further. Super Mario Party and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe allow up to eight players to get together and play against each other, giving people the chance to race, fight, and compete in a friendly atmosphere. The games offer a number of terrains and game boards to play through, each with unique challenges for players to overcome. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate There’s nothing like grabbing a group of friends to fight it out with your favorite video game characters. The Smash Bros. games have been around since 1999, making it possible for Link to fight head-on with Mario or Samus Aran to take on Fox McCloud. With Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, you can choose your favorite Nintendo, Sega, or Square Enix characters and see who comes out on top! Pokemon The Pokemon franchise has lasted for over two decades and continues to be a source of entertainment for people of all ages. With Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield, players can take on trainers, face gym leaders, or even play with other Pokemon trainers throughout the Galar region. Both games are capable of online connectivity to other real-world players, letting trainers battle and trade globally. This game offers a fun and colorful twist on a typical shooter game. Up to eight players can battle it out with one another and attempt to paint the other players with their own colors. Splatoon 2 can also be played online, making it a great family game. No matter how far away you are from one another, you can always play Splatoon 2 together for as long as you’d like. Video games are a great source of entertainment and relaxation, but it’s important not to overdo it. Remember to take small breaks to stretch, get something to eat, and head outside for some fresh air. Splatoon 2

Rose here again, and I’m in the mood to celebrate. I turned 1 year old this January, and my first anniversary with the Summers family is this very month! What a fantastic year it has been! I don’t think I could have found a better place to call home. I have so much fun playing with my human and canine siblings, and they have taught me a lot, too.

It turns out I grew quite a bit in my first year. You’ve heard the rule that one dog year is equal to seven human years, but did you know that’s not always true? In fact, my first year of life aged me 15 human years! I bet my human parents didn’t know they already had a teenager! Luckily, humans don’t age that fast, and at 1 year old, humans are still just babies. While lots of growing and milestones lie ahead, as that first birthday rolls around, my human dad, Dr. Brian Summers, recommends that children see the dentist. Some kids won’t have many teeth by the time they are 1, but the appointment isn’t so much about their chompers, Dr. Summers explains. Instead, the appointment educates parents about warning signs to watch out for, proper nutrition to ensure dental and gum health, and proper hygiene routines. Plus, it’s a great time for Dr. Summers to establish a care baseline so the first time your child meets the dentist isn’t for an emergency or pain. (That’s a really bad way to meet the dentist!)

Parents may think it’s best to wait until their children’s teeth have grown in before they visit the dentist, but the dentist looks for many other things like signs of diseases or disorders, including sleep apnea. Catching these conditions early can be the best line of defense against them! So, bring my fellow 1-year- olds in to see my human dad and his team at Calapooia Family Dental. You may learn something new and even pick up on a few tricks!

Rose hiding from her bath

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W hile dental medicine is advanced today, it wasn’t too long ago that our civilization was first introduced to toothbrushes as we know them. The first toothbrushes with nylon bristles were mass- marketed and sold to consumers in 1938 — a far and much healthier cry from the “chew stick” of ancient civilizations, which was comprised of a stick with frayed ends. Today, the options for toothbrushes range from manual to electric and hard to soft bristles. As you wander down the oral health aisle at the store, it can be difficult to determine which tool is going to give you the best cleaning and defense. The key is to find a toothbrush that’s going to be gentle and effective on your teeth and gums. As a general rule, we encourage a toothbrush with softer bristles because this protects your teeth and gums from permanent damage while scraping away Brush Up!

SELECTING AND CARING FOR YOUR TOOTHBRUSH

pesky buildup. (And anything your toothbrush doesn’t catch can be removed with regular flossing!)

To extend the life of your toothbrush, rinse it off after every use and store it in an upright, open-air position, such as placing it in a toothbrush holder on your bathroom counter. You can also wash it by occasionally soaking it in antibacterial mouthwash. You will know it’s time to replace the brush head or buy a new toothbrush when the ends of the brush are frayed and old. Typically, bristles are effective for 3–4 months. When it comes to brands and styles, the Calapooia Family Dental team primarily uses Sonicare electric toothbrushes. While we like to think we are expert brushers, we also know that a manual toothbrush relies on human mechanics and precision, while electric toothbrushes can offer a deeper clean. We feel we get a stronger, healthier clean when we use an electric toothbrush versus a manual one. In addition, we do find that Oral-B toothbrushes are a little more aggressive, but we would still recommend them for patients who need that level of care. Finding the perfect toothbrush doesn’t have to be rocket science. If you have additional questions about your at-home teeth tools, ask us at your next appointment how we can help. Schedule yours today by calling 541-926-3689.

• 1 eggplant, peeled and chopped • 1 large zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds • 2 tsp salt • 3/4 cup olive oil, divided • 5 sprigs thyme Rich with fresh, colorful ingredients, ratatouille is a French dish that has experienced a revolution of its own in recent years. Enjoy this vegan-friendly spin on an old-world classic. RATATOUILLE INGREDIENTS

SUDOKU

• 1 large onion, halved

and sliced 1/2-inch thick • 1 red bell pepper, chopped • 2 garlic cloves, sliced • 2 pints cherry tomatoes

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 400 F. 2. In a colander, toss eggplant, zucchini, and salt. Let sit for 30 minutes and pat dry. 3. In an ovenproof pot, heat 1/2 cup olive oil. Add half of eggplant mixture, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Remove vegetables from pot. 4. Tie thyme sprigs together with kitchen twine. 5. In the same pot, heat remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, and cook onion, pepper, garlic, and thyme for 8–10 minutes. 6. Add half the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. 7. Stir in original eggplant and zucchini mixture and top with remaining tomatoes. Do not stir. 8. Transfer pot to oven and bake mixture for 15–20 minutes. 9. Remove pot from oven and remove thyme bundle before serving.

Inspired by Bon Appétit

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

Brian R. Summers, DMD, PhD Patrick V. Hagerty, DMD

1070 24th Ave SW Albany, OR 97321 541-926-3689 CalapooiaFamilyDental.com

An Unexpected Journey to My Favorite Book Series Inside This Issue 1 2 Switch Up Family Game Night

Rose Explains When Your Kids Should Go to the Dentist

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How to Choose and Care for Your Toothbrush

Ratatouille

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3 Eco-Friendly Home Swaps to Make During Spring-Cleaning

It takes a special kind of person to enjoy spring-cleaning. For most of us, the satisfaction of a clean house doesn’t quite outweigh the hours of scrubbing, sorting, and slogging through heaps of unnecessary stuff. If you’re struggling to find the motivation to start your spring- cleaning, try flipping the paradigm: Instead of spring-cleaning, think of what you’re doing as spring-greening, and make some eco-friendly swaps along the way. Here are a few ideas to get you started. 1. Swap your plastic spray bottles for bulk or DIY cleaning products. According to a Statista report, in 2019, the household cleaners market was worth more than $31 billion, and it’s continuously growing. You can save money on cleaning supplies by taking the green route. When your current stock runs out, try buying bulk cleaners or making your own. Both options will save plastic because you can reuse your bottles, and they can help you avoid the harmful chemicals found in most cleaners. Visit UnderATinRoof.com and read the blog post “Zero Waste Cleaning Supplies + Recipes” to get started. 2. Explore alternative laundry detergents. If you’re used to using a plastic jug of liquid laundry detergent, it’s time to step out of your comfort zone. This spring, try exploring greener alternatives like plant- YOUR GUIDE TO SPRING- GREENING 3 Eco-Friendly Home Swaps to Make When You Declutter

based bulk laundry powder (Molly’s Suds is an excellent source). Or, if you’re feeling really adventurous, you can even try adding all-natural cleaners like soap nuts or English ivy to your laundry loads. For more on the former, search “soap nuts” on 1MillionWomen.com, and read up on ivy detergent at Permacrafters.com/English-Ivy-Laundry-Detergent. 3. Say goodbye to paper towels. Paper towels are a mainstay in American homes, but do we really need them when a good old- fashioned rag can do the job? According to the Ocean Conservancy, 13 billion pounds of paper towels are tossed in the U.S. each year! This spring, quit paper towels and keep a stash of dish rags under the sink to do your dirty work. When you’re cleaning out your closet, you can even cut up old T-shirts and add them to your rag stash! If you’re brave, try giving up tissues, too — an old-school hanky does the trick. If you’ve made all three of these swaps, don’t stop there! To continue your green journey, visit any of the blogs mentioned above and start browsing.

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