Signature Smiles - July 2022

Signature Smiles - July 2022

4,617 Lives Changed Through Sedation 1,688 5-Star Reviews, and Counting 86 Years of Combined Experience

The Home of Anxiety-Free Dentistry

Signature Smiles Helps L.J. Chew Again! His Experience With Signature Smiles

JULY 2022

Before L.J.’s journey with us here at Signature Smiles, he didn’t have the best experience with dentists. His negative experiences caused him to form a not-so-great opinion of dentists, and he had a lack of trust in them.

“I felt like they were lying to me,” L.J. said. “I remember when I was in the Army and them giving me shots and drilling immediately before the Novocain even took effect, or telling me ‘Let’s pull out your wisdom teeth and we will get you a cap for the space,’ and they never did.” Even at Veterans Affairs, L.J. was not satisfied with its services. “They pulled a tooth one time and my gums were showing after,” L.J. said. “I went back to show them and they looked shocked and said, ‘Oh, yeah, it happens every once in a while,’ and I’m like, well, what are we going to do about it?” But again, nothing changed. L.J.’s main problem was his inability to chew foods very well. For years, he would choke on his meals and eventually grew Continued on Page 2 ...

SignatureSmilesOH.com — 1

tired of having to deal with it. That is why he decided to choose dental implants to alleviate his stress and permanently fix his problem. One of the biggest advantages of dental implants is that they restore full chewing power, which is exactly what L.J. needed and dreamed of. ... continued from Cover L.J. considered other options, but what made his choice to seek Signature Smiles’ help was his son. He recommended Signature Smiles to his father because we made the experience as painless as possible for him. Finally, after years of pain and being poked and prodded, L.J. found his way to us to begin his new journey.

“The team is wonderful. They were attentive, friendly, and professional, and they seemed like they really cared,” L.J. said. “I can finally chew and swallow now!” Throughout the process, L.J., like most of our patients, became like family, and we were happy to support him through his journey. We were honored to help L.J. with his situation, and now he can enjoy every single one of his meals without any worry!

–The Signature Smiles Team

Before

After

2 — SignatureSmilesOH.com

3 WAYS WE CAN HELP Oral Health Implications of Cancer Treatment

Cancer can impact every part of your life, including how you socialize, work, and function. It’s a devastating diagnosis, but with a team of medical professionals and a loving network of supporters, you can beat this horrible disease. At Signature Smiles, we’re proud to help cancer patients in all stages of their diagnosis and treatment. Cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiation, and medication, can cause oral health complications, and it’s our job to help our patients fighting cancer protect their mouths from damage with regular check- ups and helpful tips for prevention. Here are a few reminders! DRY MOUTH Because of medications you may take for cancer, your mouth’s saliva production may falter. You can treat this by drinking more noncaffeinated and low-sugar beverages

or chewing sugar-free gum to stimulate the production of saliva. You can also suck on ice chips — don’t chew these! — or try a humidifier. (You should also avoid alcohol, tobacco use, and spicy foods to prevent a further decrease in saliva.) CAVITIES Because your mouth is dry, your risk of cavities increases. Avoid this with proper oral hygiene by brushing twice each day and flossing every day. Avoid sugary foods and drinks, too. Your dentist can also help you regularly assess your risk for cavities, often prescribing new routines and oral health care regimens to try. ORAL SORES AND JAW STIFFNESS Cancer medications and treatment can also cause oral sores to develop. These should be examined and treated immediately. If you believe you have an oral sore, contact

your dentist or your oncologist for further intervention. Furthermore, treatments — specifically those for head and neck cancers — can cause the jaw to stiffen. This can make it difficult to eat, breathe, or talk. Simple exercises can help loosen your jaw joint, allowing for better movement during your treatment. Ask your dentist or oncologist for suggestions.

You are not in this cancer fight alone! If you or a loved one is battling cancer, our team at Signature Smiles wants to help. Please call us today to schedule an appointment.

– Corliss Robinson, RDH

MOUTHWATERING SOUTHERN BBQ Inspired by JustAPinch.com

OUR PATIENTS SAY IT BEST

Summer isn’t complete without some Southern BBQ!

INGREDIENTS • 3 lbs boneless pork loin roast, trimmed

• 1/4 cup brown sugar • 18 oz barbecue sauce • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce • 1 tbsp hot pepper sauce • 10 hamburger buns, split • Deli coleslaw (optional)

• 1 cup water • 1/2 tsp salt • 1 tbsp pepper

DIRECTIONS 1. In a 4-quart slow cooker, add the roast and 1 cup of water. 2. Cover and cook the roast on high for 7 hours or until tender. 3. Once tender, shred the meat. 4. Return the shredded meat to the slow cooker. Stir in salt, pepper, brown sugar, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire, and hot pepper sauce. 5. Cover and cook on the lowest setting for an hour. 6. When finished, serve barbecue on buns with coleslaw (optional).

SignatureSmilesOH.com — 3

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

9519 State Route 14 Streetsboro, OH 44241 330-423-6779

Also Serving Elyria and Brunswick! Elyria, OH 44035 440-281-8031

The Home of Anxiety-Free Dentistry

Brunswick, OH 44212 330-460-6540

Inside

SignatureSmilesOH.com

L.J.’s Dental Implant Journey

1

Oral Health Implications of Cancer Treatment

3

Our Patients Say It Best

3

Mouthwatering Southern BBQ

3

DIY Tips for a Broken A/C

4

2. DOUBLE-CHECK YOUR THERMOSTAT. We know it sounds basic, but your A/C might have turned off because your spouse reset the temperature, the kids flipped the thermostat from “heat” to “cool,” or the device’s batteries died. Don’t rule these silly problems out without checking them! 3. CLEAN YOUR CONDENSER COILS. Dust, dirt, and pet hair can clog your A/C’s condenser coils and limit the unit’s function. If you’re careful and handy, you can use compressed air or a shop vacuum to clean the copper tubing and aluminum fins composing the coils, which typically form the side walls of your outdoor A/C unit.

How to Troubleshoot a Malfunctioning A/C Take These Steps Before Calling the Pros

4. TEST YOUR CIRCUIT BREAKER. It’s possible that the entire circuit covering your A/C has been tripped, turning the A/C off with it. To test this, turn your thermostat off and head to your breaker box and look for any switch in the neutral position. If you find one, push it to off (right) then on (left). Wait 30 minutes, then turn your thermostat back on and set it to cool. These four steps may be the only ones you need to fix your A/C problem! If you try them with no success, then it’s time to call in the experts. Of course, you can also make that call from the get-go if you’re not comfortable DIYing your household systems. We promise they won’t judge you! It’s always better to be cautious than accidentally worsen the problem.

It’s 100 degrees F outside. The sun is pounding relentlessly on the sidewalk. Vegetation is wilting. Meanwhile, you’re huddled indoors, basking in the A/C … until it rattles to a stop. This stomach-dropping scenario happens to hundreds of people every summer. A/C units across America are overstressed right now, and when you run your unit at full blast, it’s more prone to malfunctioning. Fortunately, you don’t have to call in the pros for every little issue. Here are a few DIY ways to fix an A/C problem. 1. REPLACE YOUR AIR FILTER. The experts recommend changing the filter in your A/C system every month. If you don’t do this, it can get clogged and cause your A/C to turn off! Replacing the filter could kick start a nonfunctioning A/C.

4 — SignatureSmilesOH.com