Lake Oconee Dentistry - July 2019

Lake Oconee Dentistry - July 2019

The MONTHLY Smile

706-453-1333 www.LakeOconeeDental.com

JULY 2019

THE BEST OF FAMILY TRADITIONS How We Celebrate Our Country’s Independence Day!

Some family traditions are so life-altering that you never want to leave them behind. For me, my family’s Fourth of July celebrations definitely top the list. When I was a little girl, my parents bought a lake house here on Lake Oconee, and we would spend as much as time as we could out on the water. Once Independence Day rolled around, there was no stopping our water-filled antics. My parents, my sisters, and I would start the day by hopping in the boat, and wakeboarding, water skiing, and tubing. In fact, one of my dad’s favorite games was to whip the boat around so fast that my sister and I would have to hold on to the tube as tight as possible to keep from flying off.

All these high-energy watersports always left us quite famished, so we’d all return to the cabin to cook up a big meal before the epic fireworks show. While we didn’t necessarily make a specific meal every Fourth of July, our daily routine

“Now that I’m living in the area again, our tradition is as alive as ever, but now that I have my own kids, I get to experience the joy seeing their eyes light up with excitement as they take part in the activities I did as a kid.”

aren’t quite ready to take their turn wakeboarding yet, but they both love being out on the water in the boat. My 3-year-old rides with my husband and me on the tube behind the boat and on our Jet Ski as well. This year, when the fireworks show starts, we will all settle in to watch the show. My kids grow more excited about Fourth of July festivities with each passing year. While I’ve heard of several other amazing celebrations around the state, I can’t imagine any other Fourth of July experience as rewarding as the one I’ve come back to. A full day filled with sunshine, a lake, watersports, family, and fireworks — what could be better?

was the same: water, food, then fireworks. After stuffing our faces, we’d head back out on the boat to watch the area’s fireworks show from the best vantage point. Fireworks seem to shine brighter over the reflection of the water than anywhere else! While I’ve never considered my family’s Independence Day tradition all that extravagant, it's an event I have never missed. Even when I was away at school, I always made it a point to come back and commemorate the holiday the only way I know how. It’s made for some of the best memories of my life. Now that I’m living in the area again, our tradition is as alive as ever. I have my own kids now, so I get to experience the joy of seeing their eyes light up with excitement as they take part in the activities I did as a kid. Since my kids are only 3 and 1, they

–Dr. Andrea

Lake Oconee Dentistry | Personalized & Comfortable | 1

3 FOODS MADE FOR GRILLING Get More out of Your Grill This Summer

Everyone knows that an excessive amount of sugar isn’t healthy, but many are unaware of why sugar is bad for teeth. It might surprise you to know that sugar itself isn’t what hurts your teeth; it’s what happens after you consume it. THE BATTLE OF THE MOUTH Our mouths are filled with bacteria, but don’t be alarmed because most of them are helpful rather than harmful. However, these helpful bacteria are at constant odds with those looking to destroy your enamel. Harmful oral bacteria feed on sugars, and when they do, they produce acid which strips healthy minerals from your tooth enamel. This process is known as demineralization. Demineralization is continuously butting heads against another process called remineralization, which replaces destroyed minerals and strengthens the teeth. When someone eats a large quantity of sugars or starches, demineralization can happen more quickly and more often, and remineralization can’t keep up. CAVITIES The constant destruction of the enamel by these acids creates a bacterial infection, which can eat away at your tooth until there is a hole, aka a cavity. Cavities can be treated in many ways depending on their severity. If it has just started, using fluoride treatments can During the summer, the backyard grill becomes the place to be. It’s the best site for sharing grilled meat and memories. But as you grill this summer, why not take a step out of your “meat comfort zone?” Whether you prefer gas or charcoal, just about any backyard grill can be transformed into an all-purpose, high-temperature oven. Get ready to kick some of your favorite foods up a notch! Here are three foods that are great for grilling. PIZZA Making your own pizza at home is incredibly easy. You can make your own dough or buy it at the grocery store. Roll it out, add all your favorite toppings, then toss it on the grill. Just make sure your pizza will fit on the grill first! You may need to make smaller personal pizzas if you have a smaller grill. PRO TIP: The hotter you can get your grill, the better. At 500–600 F, it may only take a few minutes to completely cook the pizza, so don’t leave the grill. This is the best time to use a pizza stone (if you have one) to ensure a golden-brown crust, but you can place the pizza directly on the grill. BREAD There’s nothing like making your own artisan bread at home, and you can do it right on the grill. You can create your own flatbread, rolls, or full loaves with just about any bread recipe. It all

comes down to time and temperature

control. 500 F tends to be a safe bet. If it’s too hot, you’ll overbake the outside while the inside remains raw.

SALSA You can kick up the flavor of any homemade

salsa by first grilling each ingredient you want in your salsa, such as tomatoes, jalapeño, onion, or garlic.

This includes salsa with fruit, such as mangoes or peaches. Allow each ingredient to get a light char, but be sure to remove the charred skin of the tomatoes after grilling. Leaving it on can result in a burnt flavor rather than a smoky one.

THE EFFECTS OF SUGAR ON TEETH

And Improving Your Enamel

increase remineralization and build up enamel again. Another option is to receive a filling, which is a common treatment that fills the hole with various materials, such as porcelain or tooth- colored resins. When the cavity isn’t treated, it burrows deeper into the tooth, causing pain and tooth loss. IMPROVING REMINERALIZATION Making sure your teeth are exposed to constant minerals is the best

method to strengthen your enamel. In addition to using fluoride rinses and toothpastes, keep an eye on your diet. Avoiding sugary foods and consuming fruits and vegetables with high fibers, cheeses and yogurts with calcium and phosphates, and black and green teas to repress harmful bacteria are all ways to improve remineralization.

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3 FREE APPS TO HELP YOU CATCH THOSE Z’S Insomniacs Unite

SNORE REPORT Many troubled sleepers who are able to fall asleep are jolted awake shortly afterward. The inability to stay asleep throughout the night can stem from a multitude of factors, but snoring tends to be the most common. The Snore Report app records through the night to detect any snoring sounds and then provides the user with an overview of the previous night’s recording, including an index to determine snore intensity. Using this app might not help you fall asleep faster, but it could offer helpful information about why you aren’t able to stay asleep.

Everyone with a smartphone has heard time and time again that looking at your phone before bed is a bad idea. According to the National Sleep Foundation, “The use of electronic devices in the bedroom further disrupts the natural pattern of the sleep-wake cycle” primarily because of the blue light emitted from the screen. While most scientific >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

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