Sabal Dental Rockport July 2018

Sabal Dental Rockport July 2018

July 2018

1406 Hwy 35 N, Suite C., Rockport, TX 78382 |

www.SabalDental.com

361-729-1333

|

Celebrating Freedom What Does Independence Day Mean?

My boys love the Fourth of July. Duncan and Logan are still young, so they are positively dazzled by the fireworks every year. Fireworks take on a special feel since they are only allowed to be sold a few times a year in Texas. Our family enjoys spending the day together relaxing at the beach and enjoying the annual fireworks show at sunset. While we’re enjoying the family time, I make a point to remind my boys what we’re celebrating. Just like at Christmastime, when I remind my boys that the holiday

“... I try to teach Duncan and Logan that there’s more to the Fourth of July than food and fireworks.”

Both my dad and my husband’s dad served in the military, and although neither of us grew up in what you’d

call a “military family,” we recognize the toll for defending the freedom of our nation and freedom around the world. My dad served in Vietnam and John’s dad was a dentist in the Air Force, stationed in Panama. Both were fortunate enough to return home to their families, but many people aren’t. In addition to celebrating our nation’s birth and the day we demanded our freedom from tyranny, we also remember everything that goes into taking and protecting freedom. There are men and women who are no longer with us because they paid the ultimate price so we could celebrate Independence Day. When we grill up burgers and light fireworks and hug our family members, we should do so with extra love, in honor of those who are no longer able to celebrate with their families. Freedom is something to be cherished. This Fourth of July, I hope you enjoy a wonderful day celebrating your freedoms with the people you love.

isn’t about the decorations and presents, I try to teach Duncan and Logan that there’s more to the Fourth of July than food and fireworks. The reason we have big cookouts and light fireworks is that we’re celebrating our country’s birthday. There was a point in time when the United States didn’t exist and the freedoms we enjoy today weren’t so common. We’ve seen some ups and downs since 1776, but the example of freedom the United States set for the rest of the world is worth celebrating. There are so many big freedoms we should cherish. We have the power to vote, freedom of speech, and freedom of religion. And there are also a lot of little freedoms we can easily take for granted. Kids can grow up and choose their own careers regardless of who their parents were. Families can spend the day at the water park together. Communities can gather and celebrate big holidays. There are places in the world where these freedoms don’t exist. It’s important for us all to remember the freedom we enjoy and to remember all that has been sacrificed to preserve that freedom.

–Dr. Valerie Sperry

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Learning That Doesn’t Feel Like School MENTALLY STIMULATING ACTIVITIES FOR SUMMER

Every summer, parents across the country have to deal with the same delicate

finding creative ways to blow bubbles fosters problem-solving skills and creative thinking. For Teenagers: Family Dinner Party

problem. They want to make sure their kids continue to learn without feeling like they’re being assigned tasks.

Cooking teaches so many important skills: math, science, nutrition, concentration, cultural understanding, following directions, creativity, time management, and more. Even better, it doesn’t feel like learning; it feels like fun. Encourage your older children to take the reins for preparing regular meals throughout the summer. You can pick guiding themes, like “a trip to Mexico” or “pasta party,” but let them choose the recipes and prep the meals on their own. For the Entire Family: An Educational Field Trip Field trips always inspire excitement in students, and you’ll find the same goes for your family members. You can tailor your destination to the interests of your kids for maximum engagement. If you have a family of art lovers, head to a museum for some inspiration and discussion. Kids who prefer the outdoors will enjoy a nature walk or hike. You can bring along a field guide to identify flora and fauna. These trips may not pack the thrill of a water park, but they’re fun in an entirely different way.

After all, summer homework is every child’s worst nightmare.

Luckily, you don’t have to rely on math problems and book reports to keep your child’s

development from taking a two-month vacation. Here are a few mentally stimulating activities that

are as educational as they are fun.

For Little Ones: Homemade Bubbles

Bubbles fascinate young children, so why not spend a day making your own solution and experimenting with different types of bubbles? The formula is simple: 1 part dish soap (Dawn or Joy work best) to 10 parts water. Optionally, you can also include 1/4 part glycerin. The process of making the solution will teach ratios, and

What Our Patients Are Saying............

“Great staff in front office. Great hygienist Kim answered all questions and made me comfortable while cleaning my teeth. Dr. Sperry was also very kind and very informative. I’ve found a new home at Sabal General Dentistry.” –Yvonne G.

“The hygienist did an excellent job cleaning my teeth. It was a complete 180 compared to the previous cleaning I had this year. I look forward to my next visit. Truly enjoyed smiling again after leaving my cleaning appointment and feel I can trust them for future work.” –John B.

“Friendly greeting when I arrived. Each step of the procedure was explained as it progressed. They were concerned about my comfort. It was a good experience.” –Edie M.

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DO MUMMIES WEAR BRACES? A Brief History of Orthodontics

Braces are a part of many people’s lives. You’d be hard- pressed to find someone who didn’t wear braces in high school, and it’s likely you have a friend or sibling who spent a few years with metal strapped to their teeth. People have been striving for a perfect smile for a long time. In fact, archaeologists have found evidence that many ancient civilizations used some form of braces. Several ancient Egyptian mummies have been discovered with bands of catgut wrapped around their teeth, and across the Mediterranean, the Etruscans often buried their dead with gold bands around their pearly whites. These braces were part of burial rituals, meant to keep a person’s teeth in place after they died. Though philosophers of the time, including Hippocrates and Aristotle, would write about methods for straightening teeth while patients were still alive, braces wouldn’t really get their start until after the Dark Ages. In 1728, French dentist Pierre Fauchard published “The Surgeon Dentist.” One of the treatments was the bandeau, a

horseshoe-shaped piece of metal that could expand the arch of a patient’s mouth. If this sounds painful, that’s because historians believe the bandeau was actually a torture device. Fortunately, Christophe-François Delabarre came along in 1819 to invent the wire crib, which signaled the beginning of modern orthodontics. Braces would change rapidly over the next hundred years as dentists learned more about teeth. For a long time, most braces were made of gold, platinum, silver, or gum rubber, though some orthodontists relied on ivory, brass, and even wood. Stainless steel wouldn’t become the norm until the 1950s. Then, in the 1970s, with the introduction of dental adhesives, orthodontists no longer needed to wrap wires around each individual tooth, and braces as we know them came to be. Today, traditional metal braces have been joined by ceramic braces, lingual braces, and plastic aligners like Invisalign. Patients have plenty of options in their search for the perfect smile!

Have a Laugh

Watermelon Salad

This simple, delicious salad is the perfect summer refresher. In under 30 minutes, you’ll have a dish that will inspire rave reviews at your next summer cookout.

Ingredients • 8 cups seedless watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice

• 1 pinch of cayenne pepper • 1/2 cup mint leaves, torn • Salt to taste

Directions 1. In a large mixing or salad bowl, toss watermelon with lime juice and cayenne pepper.

Sabal General Dentistry • 361-729-1333 • 3 Enjoy!

2. Gently fold in mint leaves. 3. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

Inspired by Food & Wine magazine

Hours: M–F 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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1406 Hwy 35 N, Suite C. Rockport, TX 78382 361-729-1333 www.SabalDental.com

Inside This Issue

How Do You Celebrate Freedom? Page 1 Summer-Worthy Learning Opportunities Page 2 Our Clients Say It Best Page 2 Who Wore the First Braces? Page 3 Watermelon Salad Page 3 6 Dog Mayors From Around the US Page 4

WHEN POLITICS GOES TO THE DOGS 6 Dog Mayors From Around the US

Brynneth Pawltro, Lucy Lou, Junior Cochran, and Goofy Borneman These four dogs all hail from Rabbit Hash, Kentucky. Back in 1998, the people of Rabbit Hash decided to elect a dog mayor.

Most towns and cities around the country play it safe: They elect humans to hold political office. But a few towns decided to do something a little different. They threw political formality to the wind and elected dogs to office. Here are a few popular pups from around the country. Duke This Great Pyrenees became one of the most popular pups to hold elected office. He first ran for mayor in 2014 in Cormorant Township, Minnesota, and won by a landslide. He’s been in the mayoral race every year since then — and he’s won every time! Today, Duke is still in office, where he never misses a photo-op or a pat on the head. Maximus Mighty-Dog Mueller This golden retriever was first elected to office in 2012 in Idyllwild, California. His election was part of an initiative put together by an organization called Animal Rescue Friends, or ARF. As part of the election, area residents could nominate their cat or dog for mayor. During the inaugural event, 14 dogs and two cats ran for mayor, with Max leading the pack. Max was elected to a second term in 2013, but soon passed away after a battle with cancer. Thankfully, his successor was quickly appointed: Maximus Mighty-Dog Mueller II.

That year, Goofy Borneman, a mixed breed, became the first in what would become a continuing tradition. He held the office until 2001, when he passed away at age 16.

In 2004, Junior Cochran, a black Labrador, took on the role of mayor, but his term was plagued by scandal after he spent too much time hanging around the town’s general store — and Health and Safety was called. Then, he too died in office in 2008. Later that year, Lucy Lou, a border collie, was elected into office and became the town’s first female mayor. The good news is she saw her term through to the end, but she didn’t run for a second term. Instead, pitbull Brynneth Pawltro, or Brynn as his friends call him, ran and won. Today, you’ll find Brynn roaming Rabbit Hash, staying carefully out of Health and Safety’s way.

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