Michael Ling DDS - December 2019

How‘Ready Player One’ Can Help Your Family Bond

t i If you need a piece of pop culture that will bond you and the gamer in your family, then look no further than Ernest Cline’s science fiction juggernaut, “Ready Player One.” This 2011 novel not only reads like a love letter to ‘80s pop culture but also demonstrates how gaming connects people of all ages, cultures, and circumstances. Cline’s novel is set in a 2044 dystopia, where people use a virtual reality called the Oasis to escape from their grim realities. The Oasis’ shadowy inventor, a figure reminiscent of Willy Wonka, announces he will bequeath his trillion-dollar empire to the player who can find the Easter egg hidden in his program behind multiple challenges and minigames.

These challenges provide the means by which you can bond with your loved ones. Each minigame is a riddle about ‘80s pop culture, giving your

family, younger and older ones included, a fun opportunity to guess at the answers you may already know yourself. Not to mention, icons like King

Kong and The Iron Giant appear at crucial points in this sci-fi tale and serve as a great entry into these two classic franchises. Along with these fun cameos, “Ready Player One” features a subtle, heartwarming storyline that makes the entire geeky thrill just a little more relatable. Throughout the book, the main character, Wade, known as Parzival in the Oasis, relies on several friends as he searches for the Easter egg. Though they are all together in the program, these friends are actually across the globe from each other. The virtual world provides them the experience to bond and, eventually, celebrate their differences, a lesson everyone should revisit. Among the lessons, the ‘80s references, and the challenges, Cline’s 385-page adventure has something for everyone. If you want to explore this book with your family, find it on Amazon or your local bookstore!

best achievements in public health of the 20th century. What does this mean for our teeth? Fluoride is a safe, effective way to prevent cavities and decay. The chemical compounds in fluoride add a protective barrier between your teeth and detrimental bacteria from foods and drinks. Consider what researchers discovered when they compared the oral health of families in Brantford to families in Sarnia, Ontario, which was unfluoridated at the time. Researchers found a significant drop in the severity of cavities in Brantford when compared to Sarnia. The Safe Drinking Water Foundation even reports that water fluoridation has increased the number of children without cavities by nearly 15%. Are there more ways to get fluoride? When you combine fluoridated drinking water with fluoride toothpaste, you are pulling double duty on protecting your teeth. The low concentrations of fluoride deliver just the right amount of the chemical to give your teeth extra protection, in addition to flossing and visiting the dentist regularly. Learn more about preventing oral decay and being proactive about your family’s oral health by giving our office a call today!

Dental experts preach the power of effective brushing, flossing, and having regular dental appointments, and while these methods provide your teeth with the best protection, another proactive approach could be easier than you think. Why is fluoride in our water? In the early 20th century, U.S. researchers discovered that high amounts of fluoride in a small town’s drinking water were staining children’s teeth brown. Despite the disturbing color, the teeth were resistant to decay. Decades later, researchers deduced that 1 part per million of fluoride in drinking water would protect teeth without creating the brown stain. In response, communities began adding fluoride to drinking water. Brantford, Ontario, was the first Canadian community to do this in 1945, and since then, many Canadian communities have followed suit. In fact, the Safe Drinking Water Foundation has declared Canada one of the most fluoridated countries in the world. The result of this finding and the subsequent response by communities led Health Canada to later declare water fluoridation a public health issue, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared the fluoridation of drinking water one of the 10

FIGHTING WITH FLUORIDE THE POWERFUL COMPOUND YOUR TEETH LOVE

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