Robinson Dental - April 2020

Robinson Dental - April 2020

Are You Ready for Your Next Adventure? Dental Digest APR 2020 WAYLAND • 899 Reno Drive • Wayland, MI • 49348 269-509-4155 — COOPERSVILLE • 502 W. Randall St. • Coopersville, MI • 49404 • 616-384-4129

ROAD TR I P T I PS & TR ICKS

Music is a great way to keep you upbeat and energized throughout the trip. Personally, we love ‘80s pop and hair bands! But anything upbeat will do. We took a road trip right before we got married and listened

While we’re all staying at home these days to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, this is a great time to dream up and plan future road trips. So I want to share some ideas to make sure your future family road trips go smoothly! To save

to Three Doors Down’s album “The Better Life” the entire way. Right now, I’m a massive fan of the Pop2K station on XM radio, which has added some variety to our road trip soundtrack.

yourself stress, make a plan that includes not only where you’re going, but also several aspects of the trip itself, like where you’ll stop and what you’ll bring to snack on. Here are a few road trip tips from our years on the road.

Entertain the Kids

Plan Out Your Stops

Everyone gets restless when traveling, so pack as much entertainment as possible. For young kids, sticker books, coloring books, and an assortment of colorful crayons will keep them amused for hours. Kids age 8 and older are mature enough to handle portable DVD players and iPads responsibly. With an assortment of kid-friendly movies and games, these devices will keep your kids quiet and entertained between stops. If your kids are in their teens and have their permit, road trips are a great opportunity for them to record their miles. It gives you a chance to relax and offers them experience behind the wheel.

Before you hit the road, look over your map and itinerary to note every significant stop. This includes any gas or food breaks and how long it’s going to take to arrive at each town. If there’s a point where you assume you’ll get tired, make a reservation at a hotel in the area that has a continental breakfast. This way, you don’t have to stress over finding a hotel when you’re exhausted and you can start the next day off right with a quick breakfast. Additionally, for every state or town you stop in, pick up a $1 toy for your children. This gives your little ones something to look forward to and incentivizes them to be well-behaved.

“For every state or town you stop in, pick up a $1 toy for your children. This gives your little ones something to look forward to and incentivizes them to be well-behaved.”

Drive at Night

During spring and summer trips, your car is at risk of overheating due to high daytime temperatures, so try to drive at night. Not only will your oil and coolant temperatures be low, but there will also hardly be any traffic, even in big cities. Although once you start feeling tired, don’t take any chances — pull over at the nearest rest stop and take a nap for 2–4 hours. Do you have any tips of your own for long drives? Let us know next time you’re in the office! We fly more nowadays, but we’re always looking for new tricks for when we do drive.

Stay Energized

If you’re driving for a long period, combat exhaustion with coffee and your favorite sugary soda. While I normally tell patients to avoid sugary beverages, this is my one exception. It’s also helpful to stock a cooler in your car with fresh fruits and vegetables. These snacks give you more energy through the drive and make it feel like less work. Drinking water also helps keep you alert for long driving stints, so save your soda for those 2 a.m. stretches of driving.

–Scott Robinson

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616-384-4129

The Ancient History of Dental Implants

From Bamboo to Titanium Whether driven by the

Recently, a 2,300-year-old iron false tooth was found among real teeth in a French Celtic grave. Experts believe it was also planted after the bearer died, as the hammering process would have been excruciating. Just two centuries back, people tried to replace lost teeth with animal teeth or teeth they purchased from slaves or poor people. However, these replacement teeth likely led to infection and rejection. Archaeologists have discovered 1,350-year-old skulls with teeth constructed from various materials, including jade and seashells. In some cases, the false teeth were even fused to the jawbone. In 1931, Wilson Popenoe and his wife were excavating Mayan ruins in Honduras when they found a human jaw with three carved, tooth-shaped shells in the lower jaw. Interestingly, the bone structure around the shell showed signs of regeneration! Today, dental implants are considered the most advanced solution for missing teeth. We’ve come a long way, but without the help of these ancient solutions, we never would have reaped the benefits of today’s titanium implants.

aesthetics of a full smile or simply by the ability to chew, people throughout history have looked for ways to replace missing teeth. And thankfully, dental implants have come a long way.

Dental implants are surgical components placed within the bone of the jaw or skull to support a

dental prosthetic, such as a crown, bridge, or denture. However, some 4,000 years ago, the Chinese replaced missing teeth with carved bamboo pegs, and, 3,000 years ago, an Egyptian pharaoh had a copper peg hammered into his upper jaw bone. Although it was likely installed after the Pharaoh’s death, it is the first recorded case of a metal replacement tooth.

MAY THE FOURTH BE WI TH YOU What ‘Star Wars’ Means to Us

Everyone has that one franchise they couldn’t get enough of growing up. For us, it was “Star Wars” that captured our imaginations early on! While the movies always had big special effects, what really stood out to us was the creativity behind the films. Since May 4 is the unofficial holiday “Star Wars” Day, we’d like to share more about our love for this epic space-opera franchise. Though there are so many “Star Wars” movies to choose from, our favorites are those in the original trilogy. Scott saw the first one in the theater and was enthralled with Darth Vader! Afterward, he got all the action figures he could and played with them until they fell apart. When he wasn’t playing with his action figures, he and his friends were battling with their lightsabers.

While the movie wasn’t the best, it was still an enjoyable time.

Since the newest movies have come out, they’ve given Scott and Beth a chance to bond with their kids even more.

When the kids were younger, Scott would fight them with lightsabers, and they even have all the toys he used to play with. The whole family also went to Space Mountain at

Disneyland, where their oldest was picked for the Jedi training play/performance they host right in the middle of the “Star Wars” section of the park. The next day, when the staff was picking kids from the crowd for the performance, their oldest kept screaming, “Pick my brother!” They eventually did pick him, and now they both have fond memories of facing off against Darth Vader. Do you or your family have any treasured memories from the “Star Wars” movies or a favorite “Star Wars” activity? If so, let us know next time you’re in the office! We’re always trying to find new “Star Wars” activities to do with the kids.

When Beth saw the movies, she and her friends all did each other’s hair like Princess Leia’s famous side buns! She loved every character and tried to collect all the trading cards. For their first wedding anniversary, Scott got tickets to “The Phantom Menace”!

May the Fourth Be With You.

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Our Core Values Tips and Tricks to Make Mom Happy

To all the patients who referred us this month or donated to our quarterly charity, you are now eligible for the iPad giveaway drawing! THANK YOU!

MAKE MOTHER’S DAY MAT TER

Alison H. Rodney C. Jennifer G. Kylene M. Ross S. John D. Martin J. Heather Z. Rikki V.

Sarah W. Dawn C. Adam A. Mason L. Megan K. Josh J. Shawn B. Roxanne A. Lori M. Chris B. Norman S. Ruth D.

Meridyth T. Kelsey M. Danielle J. Kelly D. Gregory H. Cassandra M. Susan C. Sara K. Pete S. Norman N.

The Robinson family always puts a fair amount of thought into

Mother’s Day. Because of Scott’s stories about growing up, their kids know just what not to

do on this important holiday. Since they’ve finally figured it out, they wanted to share some of their favorite tips and tricks to help you and your mom have an ideal Mother’s Day.

April M. Mary A. Helen K.

Avoid Breakfast in Bed

Breakfast in bed may sound like a great way to treat Mom, but it can often lead to undesired outcomes. When Scott was a kid, he made breakfast in bed for his mother, and while he meant well, he also left her a pile of dishes to clean in the kitchen. They got pretty lucky with their kids, though. Because they know she’s a healthy eater, one Mother’s Day, Beth woke up to a plate full of apples, nuts, string cheese, and carrots. It was cute, and they were very thankful they didn’t have to clean up afterward.

Do What She Loves

If you want to be entered into the iPad drawing, you can:

When thinking about the best Mother’s Day activities, think about what she loves and what you often don’t have time to do together. For Mother’s Day, the Robinsons usually go to church then have brunch with Beth’s mom and three sisters at the Cascade Hills Country Club. Brunch and church are a lot of fun for Beth because she gets to see the kids dressed up, which they don’t do often. If the weather is nice, they all play a game of golf after brunch and go bike riding to finish out the day. Their oldest doesn’t play much anymore, so it means a lot to Beth that they get to do this as a family once a year. Beth’s favorite thing about Mother’s Day, though, is that the kids can’t say no! So when it comes to extra chores, there is no arguing because it’s Mom’s big day. Is there anything fun you like to do for your mom on Mother’s Day? Next time you come in for a cleaning, let Scott know! His family has their traditions, but they’re always looking for new, fun ideas.

1. Refer a friend or family member 2. Bring in a pet item for the Humane Society 3. Take a selfie in our office and tag us on Facebook

“Staff and dentist are great, friendly, and pass no judgment on patients.” -Susan S.

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Inside THIS ISSUE Are You Ready for Your Next Adventure? The Ancient History of Dental Implants What ‘Star Wars’ Means to Us Tips and Tricks to Make Mom Happy Learn How to Win an iPad!

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Eco-Friendly and Kid-Friendly Activities for Earth Day

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THE BEST ECO-FRIENDLY AND KID-FRIENDLY ACT IVI T IES FOR EARTH DAY Keep It Green

Plant a garden. Gardening is one of the most rewarding ways to spend time outdoors. Your kids can learn about caring for another living thing and grow their own vegetables and fruits! A great way to start is to find out what’s in season in your area. If you don’t have an outdoor garden, you can pick out some indoor plants or create a hanging garden with recycled bottles!

It can be tough to figure out how to switch up family game nights. Kids can be very attached to their electronics, making it hard to get them invested in anything else. With Earth Day coming up this month, you have the perfect excuse to put down the phones and get outside to save the planet. If you’re looking for ways to spend time with your kids on Earth Day, try these eco-friendly family activities!

Pick up trash and make art with it. You can teach your kids a lot about downcycling and upcycling through recycled art. Downcycling is when waste is recycled to become a new product, but there’s a loss of quality as a result. Upcycling is the opposite: Whatever you recycle becomes a product with a higher value. One way to upcycle is to create recycled art. Use old newspapers or magazines to create collages or papier-mâché bowl sculptures around balloons, jars, or your own custom shape with chicken wire. You can also use old plastic or glass bottles as beautiful hanging planters or create a memorable wind chime from jar lids, tin cans, plastic silverware, and old rubber bands.

Build a compost system. If you have a garden, the next best thing you can do is start

composting at home! Did you know that you can compost your cardboard products? Instead of waiting for the recycling truck every other week, you can use your spare green and brown waste to create incredibly nutritious soil for your garden! Green waste includes vegetable and fruit scraps, eggshells, nutshells, coffee grounds, etc. Brown waste includes cardboard, dead leaves, paper egg cartons, wine corks, and more. Get a bin and maintain a green-to-brown ratio of 1-to-2. Layer, water, and turn the compost to keep it healthy. It can take anywhere from two months to a year, depending on what you put in and how often you turn it.

We hope you and your family have fun with these planet-loving activities! Stay clean!

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