Tillman Smiles - October 2020

Tillman Smiles - October 2020

October 2020

TILLMAN SMI L E S How to Overcome Your Fears, Get Back in the Dental Chair, and Save Big While You Do It WWW.TILLMANSMILES.COM 817.678.5148

Can you believe that it’s almost Halloween already? The stores have been packed with spooky ghost and goblin decorations for months, but it still hasn’t quite set in for me that the holiday is finally here. Honestly, this year has felt a bit like one long Halloween night. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, I’ve heard from a lot of patients that they’re afraid to leave their houses — just as afraid as they might be if a horde of zombies were at the door. This breaks my heart because I know that it means a lot of people are skipping out not only on visits to the grocery store but on appointments that are crucial to their health, including doctors’ checkups and dental exams. If you’ve been meaning to book an appointment for months but have been putting it off out of fear, please know that Tillman Smiles is a safe place to visit. My team and I are going above and beyond to make sure our patients stay safe and healthy by following every recommended precaution and a few more, besides! We disinfect surfaces regularly, wear all of the best protective equipment, and always put your health first. When you dig into those details, there’s no reason to let fear hold you back from coming in to see us, or bringing your kids in for a cleaning. We miss seeing all of our patients, you included, and I swear our office isn’t haunted! To prove it, we’re offering you four different ways to save on your next dental visit — all with a no-ghost guarantee. “We miss seeing all of our patients, you included, and I swear our office isn’t haunted! To prove it, we’re offering you four different ways to save on your next dental visit — all with a no-ghost guarantee.”

Option 1: Take $89 off your next appointment! This deal is good all month for an exam, an X-ray and cleaning, or a periodontal maintenance cleaning. Option 2: Schedule an appointment for yourself and get a children’s appointment for free! Your appointment can be for any of the services listed above, and we’ll be happy to set your child up with an exam, X-ray, and cleaning at no cost. If you’re wondering how big of a discount this is, just check out Option 3.

Option 3: Score a children’s appointment for just $69! This includes an exam, X-ray, and cleaning. You won’t find a better price for the value.

Option 4: Schedule an emergency exam, X-rays, and a consultation for only $29. Yep, that’s right — for the cost of a nice dinner entree, you can take care of your teeth! I hope that one of these specials gives you the boost you need to conquer your fears and get back in the dental chair this fall. Remember, good dental health is an important step toward good overall health. The better off your teeth are, the stronger your immune system will be!

Happy Halloween, and I hope to see you soon!

—David Tillman

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Candy That’s GOOD for Your Teeth

Halloween is fast approaching, and pretty soon there will be candy everywhere. Contrary to popular belief, dentists don’t hate candy — we just prefer our patients to eat only a little at a time and brush their teeth afterward. In fact, there is even one kind of candy that many dentists recommend because it’s actually good for your teeth: sugar-free chewing gum. The American Dental Association (ADA) recognizes the fact that chewing gum can help keep your teeth clean and strong. But this doesn’t mean you should let your kids chew an entire pack of Dubble Bubble between meals. The ADA notes that only sugar-free gum has cavity-fighting benefits. Chewing gum that contains sugar, like Dubble Bubble, can actually create a layer of dental biofilm and acid, which covers the teeth and breaks down the enamel, leading to cavities. However, sugar-free chewing gum has the opposite effect. As the name implies, sugar-free chewing gum lacks sugar, which is what cavity-causing bacteria feed on. This means that sugar-free gum doesn’t create acid on your teeth. Additionally, the physical act of chewing gum increases saliva flow. This may sound gross, but extra saliva is really good for your teeth. It helps clear away food particles and bacteria, thus protecting against dental erosion. When picking out your gum while in line at the grocery store, look for packs that display the ADA Seal of Acceptance. This seal is only awarded to chewing gums that have demonstrated that they meet “objective

requirements for safety and efficacy, as evaluated by the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs.” Basically, the ADA Seal means the gum is good for your teeth. It’s important to keep in mind that chewing gum, even gum that has earned the ADA Seal, cannot replace daily brushing and flossing. However, chewing a piece of sugar-free gum between meals can help keep your teeth clean throughout the day.

The Best Fall Spices to Boost Your Family’s Health

How to add more turmeric to your diet: Homemade curries are a great way to get a good dose of turmeric. You can also add turmeric to roasted vegetables or taco seasoning.

folks with Type 2 diabetes. The Johns Hopkins Medicine website also reports that cinnamon has heart-healthy benefits. For example, studies show that cinnamon can reduce high blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, thus decreasing the risk of developing heart disease. How to add more cinnamon to your diet: Sprinkle cinnamon on oatmeal or plain yogurt for a warming boost of flavor. You’ll also find cinnamon in pumpkin spice, a seasonal favorite.

It’s the season of fall spices. Pumpkin spice — which is actually a mix of many different seasonal spices — is a favorite, but it’s not the only one we should try this year. Seasonal spices are a fun way to literally spice up your meals, and many of them also have surprising health benefits!

Something for Your Stomach: Ginger

Something for Your Heart: Cinnamon

If you’ve ever drunk ginger ale on a plane to calm your upset stomach, then you’ve already experienced the healing properties of ginger. Ginger can be used to treat nausea, including nausea due to motion sickness and pregnancy. Studies show that ginger can also offer relief to cancer patients suffering from nausea caused by chemotherapy. How to add more ginger to your diet: There are many baked goods that call for ginger. Your morning coffee or tea could also benefit from a hint of ginger. These are just a few spices that are also superfoods! Do some research to discover the secret benefits of your favorite spices.

Cinnamon can actually help lower your blood sugar levels, which is especially beneficial for

Something for Your Brain: Turmeric

Recent research has found that turmeric can reduce inflammation. A compound in turmeric called curcumin has been shown to help reduce the pain and swelling associated with arthritis. The anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric may also help reduce inflammation in the brain, which has been linked to depression and Alzheimer’s.

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Pop some popcorn and break out the candy corn because it’s time for a spooky family movie night! Disney+ offers a treasure trove of Halloween movies with just the right amount of tricks and treats. Here are a few of the best Halloween movies you can watch on Disney+ right now. The Best Halloween Movies on Disney+

Inspired by Candiquik.com Spooky Strawberry Ghosts

‘Halloweentown’

These adorable chocolate-dipped strawberry ghosts will be the stars of your Halloween party!

When 13-year-old Marnie and her siblings follow their grandmother home on Halloween night, they make some surprising discoveries. Not only does their grandmother live in Halloweentown, a place where monsters lead normal lives, but their whole family is secretly a bunch of witches! Marnie must learn to rely on the magic of family in order to save her grandmother and all of Halloweentown. If your family enjoys “Halloweentown,” you’ll be glad to know that all three of its sequels are also on Disney+!

Ingredients • 16 oz white chocolate, chopped • 24 strawberries

• 1 package mini dark chocolate chips

Directions

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the white chocolate at 50% power for 30 seconds. Remove it and stir, then repeat the process until melted. 2. Lay out a sheet of parchment paper. 3. One by one, dip the strawberries into the melted white chocolate and set them on the parchment. Allow the extra chocolate to pool to form a “tail” effect. 4. Before the chocolate coating fully cools, add three mini chocolate chips to each berry to form two eyes and a mouth. 5. Let chocolate set, then serve your spooky snacks! Take a Break

‘Frankenweenie’

This movie is a charming twist on the classic horror story! When a young boy loses his faithful dog, he uses the power of mad science to bring the pooch back to life. What follows is a strange and heartwarming stop-motion adventure about the love between a boy and his dog. Some scenes may be a little intense for young children, but “Frankenweenie” never becomes too scary for kids to enjoy.

‘Hocus Pocus’

Max and his family have just moved from California to Salem, Massachusetts, when Max accidentally resurrects three evil witches. To save his little sister, Max must team up with his new crush and a talking cat to stop the witches’ reign of terror. “Hocus Pocus” does contain some truly frightening scenes, so it may not be appropriate for young children. However, the way this film balances comedy and humor makes it a perfect Halloween thrill for older kids. These are just a few of the creepy and cool Halloween movies streaming on Disney+. When you’re done with these, scroll through the catalog to find some more new favorites. Happy Halloween!

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1100 S. LAKE STREET FORT WORTH, TX 76104 817.678.5148 WWW.TILLMANSMILES.COM

Inside

This Issue

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4 Ways to Save on Your Next Dental Visit

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This Candy Keeps Your Teeth Clean 3 Healthy Spices to Try This Fall Family-Friendly Halloween Movies You Can Watch Tonight! Spooky Strawberry Ghosts

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When ‘Star Wars’ Invaded Halloween

The Spooky ‘Star Wars’ Shortage of 1977

A long time ago … in October of 1977 to be exact, Halloween was fast approaching and many parents faced a major dilemma. That year, kids didn’t want to go trick-or-treating dressed as vampires, witches, or ghosts. The classic costumes simply wouldn’t do. That Halloween, almost every child in the United States wanted to dress as their favorite character from the new hit movie, “Star Wars.” Today, you can walk into a Halloween City on Oct. 30 and easily pick up a costume for Rey, Darth Vader, or Princess Leia. But in 1977, less than five months after the release of the first movie in the popular franchise, getting your hands on “Star Wars” merchandise was a bit more difficult. Ben Cooper, a costume company in Brooklyn, had the foresight to license “Star Wars” for costumes right after the movie came out. Unfortunately, they didn’t foresee how great the demand for these costumes would be. Retailers across the country were selling out of “Star Wars” costumes as fast as they came in. Some stores reported selling more “Star Wars” costumes than pumpkins. Kids who got their hands on an authentic Han Solo or C-3PO costume were considered lucky. But kids who arrived at the store to find the costume shelves empty didn’t throw in the towel. Instead, they went and found some brown towels to make their own Chewbacca costumes.

searched for white dresses to be Princess Leia and bathrobes they could cut short to mimic Luke Skywalker. Moms everywhere broke out their sewing machines and created costumes using only action figures for reference. It was grueling work, but it showed how much kids wanted to spend Halloween in a galaxy far, far away. The “Star Wars” costume shortage marked a new era for Halloween — one where making your own costume was just as cool, if not better, than buying it.

In the current age of cosplay, homemade costumes based on movie characters are commonplace, but in 1977, this was uncharted territory. Kids

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