Facts About the Leap Year LEAP INTO 2020
Like the Olympics and presidential elections, leap years only occur once every four years, which is why many people look forward to Feb. 29. But there’s a lot that you might not know about this quirk on the calendar.
is roughly 187,000. Some famous leaplings include motivational speaker Tony Robbins, rapper Ja Rule, and singer Mark Foster of Foster the People. However, the most famous leapling is probably Superman. When you invent a super-being, you might as well give him a super-birthday.
Why
Where
To keep the calendar in sync with Earth’s orbit around the sun, an extra day is added to it every four years. Earth takes exactly 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds to orbit the sun. Those extra hours add up over
Anthony, Texas/New Mexico (a single town that straddles the two states’ borders), claims the title “Leap Year Capital of the World.” The city throws one massive birthday party for all leaplings but invites everyone to join the
time, so another calendar day becomes necessary. But a leap year doesn’t occur every four years. Adding that extra day still doesn’t quite keep Earth on track, so the calendar skips leap years that occur during century years not divisible by 400. For example, 2000 was a leap year, but 2100 won’t be.
celebration. Two leapling neighbors from Anthony began the tradition in 1988, and it’s blossomed into a festival with thousands of participants every four years. It includes banquets, hot air balloons, a carnival, concerts, parades, and more. When you have four years to plan in between each shindig, there’s time to go big. Celebrate this leap year by doing something unusual or new. It’s a special day that doesn’t occur often, so make the most of it by doing something you’ll talk about for another four years.
Who
The odds of being born on Feb. 29 are 1 in 1,461. That means that of the roughly seven billion people in the world, only about five million of them are “leaplings.” The number of leaplings currently living in the U.S.
What You Can Do to Alleviate Jaw Clenching and Grinding
Stress plays a big role in dental health. As Dr. Maddahi mentioned in the cover article, stress and anxiety can lead to clenching and grinding — two involuntary actions that can do serious damage to your teeth. When you’re stressed out, your facial muscles can tighten, forcing your jaw to clench. It can happen when you’re awake, but it most commonly occurs while we sleep. In either case, we may be completely unaware that it’s happening, that is, until it’s discovered at your next dental appointment. Your dentist may notice wear or discoloration on the tops of your teeth. At the same time,
your mouth open, touch the tip of your tongue to the back of your front upper teeth. Hold for five seconds, then relax. Repeat this for about five minutes daily. Neck Massage Book a professional massage to target your neck and shoulders. This can help ease your stress overall and help loosen the muscles that trigger your jaw to tighten and clench. Regular massages can be a great part of your health and well-being regimen.
you may have noticed an increase in headaches, neck aches, and shoulder aches — not to mention tooth sensitivity. If you experience tension in your jaw, neck, and shoulders, you can do a few things to help alleviate some of that tension. Jaw Exercises Open your mouth as wide as possible without causing discomfort. With
A Night Guard While this won’t necessarily ease tension, it can help keep your jaw muscles from over-tightening and your teeth separated. This works well in concert with continued jaw exercise and neck massage. If you’re concerned about jaw clenching or grinding, speak with your dentist. We can help you put together a plan to achieve relief and restore the health of your teeth and gums. To schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Maddahi, call (888) 592-0974. You don’t have to live with continued discomfort.
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