Take a look at our December newsletter!
THE
BRUSH - UP
ANDERSON DENTAL CARE Nathan Brooks, DDS, Inc.
7525 STATE RD., STE. A, CINCINNATI, OH 45255 | 513-438-8152 | WWW.ATOWNDENTAL.COM | DECEMBER 2022
WITH FAMILY TRADITIONS CREATE AND MAKE MEMORIES THIS CHRISTMAS
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Christmas has a special place in my heart. It’s a time when my family and I get to spend quality time with one another. One of our favorite traditions is decorating the Christmas tree with all our ornaments. We have tons of decorations we put on the tree — boxes filled with ornaments from when Jessica and I first got married to now, with six children, and all of the moments in between. All of these decorations have a special meaning to my family and me. One set of ornaments are the ones the kids have made. We have ornaments made from salt dough, popsicle sticks, and painted rocks. They have also painted and decorated wooden ornaments. Jessica and I love seeing our kids’ creativity blossom as they make these decorations. They love to put their own ornaments on the tree, and to this day, they all remember which ornaments they’ve made. Each year, when we pull out all the ornaments, the kids will pick out their decorations and share memories around their handmade crafts. Some other ornaments that are special to our family are the ones to mark each child’s first Christmas. We have a “baby’s first Christmas” ornament for each one that has their name, the year, and a picture of them as a baby in front of the Christmas tree. The best part is that all of these ornaments match. It’s truly a miracle that we could find the same ornament we’ve used for all of our children the last 10 years!
Many of our ornaments come from a tradition that Jessica’s mother started 13 years ago: a Christmas ornament exchange. Every year, Jessica, her mom, sister and sister-in-laws gift each other an ornament. Sometimes they are homemade, sometimes from their family travels, sometimes just a fun ornament they found to represent the year. We’ve also started collecting ornaments from places we travel. We think it’s a great way to remember our family journeys and re-share those amazing memories we have together. Since it’s difficult to find Christmas ornaments when traveling in the spring and summer, we purchase keychains to hang on our tree. It’s a unique and fun way to decorate our tree and remember our travels. Talking about Christmas decorations has me thinking about my favorite Christmas ornament. When I was growing up, my family had an ornament of Santa sitting on a train. It had a button on the bottom that played a Christmas song. I remember sitting by the tree for hours and continuously pressing the button to hear the music. Jessica’s favorite ornaments are the homemade cinnamon dough ornaments she made for our first Christmas married. We didn’t have much money, so we had a hand-me-down Christmas tree covered with her homemade decorations. We still have two of our first ornaments we’ve kept to hang on our tree each
year. It’s a great reminder of where we started and fun to look back from where we are now.
While I’m fortunate for everything my family and I get to do for Christmas, the holiday isn’t about how festive your home looks or how many gifts are under the tree. It’s about spending time with loved ones, creating new memories, and looking back at all the love and joy you’ve shared in years past. Our ornaments remind us of everything we have to be thankful for, especially memories created over the years. Merry Christmas and happy holidays, everyone! I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year. I look forward to seeing you all in 2023.
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Yes, Oral pH Matters
Considering your oral health when you’re making your New Year’s resolutions will benefit you in more ways than one, but you want to ensure your goals are achievable. Here are some steps to help you achieve and even surpass your oral health goals in 2023. Create New Year’s Resolutions FOR YOUR ORAL HEALTH!
5 REASONS TO SEE A PLAY THIS SEASON THE THEATER IS CALLING YOUR NAME To get in the holiday spirit this season, consider making a family trip to your local theater. A surprising number of benefits can come from seeing a play in person. 1. YOU’LL SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL ECONOMY. Theater companies are almost always local organizations, and many of them are nonprofits. That means the money you spend on your tickets will go into the pockets of the actors and/or right back into the company to bring more productions to the community. 2. YOUR KIDS COULD DISCOVER AN INTEREST IN THE ARTS. Your children might have a passion for acting or stage design. They’ll never know unless they see both firsthand. 3. YOU’LL PROVOKE FAMILY DISCUSSIONS. Chatting about the play with your family during intermission and the drive home will help you learn more about each other and forge stronger bonds. What did your kids enjoy about the plot? Which character did your spouse identify with most? Are there any plot holes or unanswered questions bothering them? 4. YOU’LL BOOST YOUR FAMILY’S LITERARY KNOWLEDGE. A study from the University of Arkansas Department of Education Reform found that students remembered more about stories like “A Christmas Carol” after watching them as plays than they did after watching movies or even reading the original books. Exposing your kids to the work of Shakespeare and Dickens at the theater is a great way to help them get ahead in their studies. 5. YOUR KIDS WILL DEVELOP THEIR TOLERANCE AND EMPATHY. The same study out of Arkansas found that students who attended the theater scored higher on tolerance and empathy tests. Watching live helped them identify and relate to the emotional turmoil of the characters. This winter, check your local theaters for holiday-themed productions like “A Christmas Carol,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” and “Miracle on 34th Street.” You’ll bring your family closer and embrace the holiday spirit one curtain call at a time.
1. IDENTIFY WHERE YOU ARE IN YOUR ORAL HEALTH. Are you brushing twice a day? What about flossing and using a mouth rinse? What are you eating and drinking? Do you brush after eating sticky or acidic foods and beverages? Are you drinking enough water? Once you analyze where you are with your oral health, you can then start making your goals.
2. TAKE BABY STEPS. When creating your goals, keep in mind that you
won’t see results overnight. Make smaller objectives that will help you reach your
desired outcome. For example, if you haven’t been flossing your
teeth or using mouth rinse, you can’t expect to start using it every day after making it your objective. Instead of trying to incorporate these into your routine
immediately, start small and attempt to floss at least once a day or every other day. Once you can easily floss every day without forgetting, then you can begin adding mouth rinse to your daily routine. 3. CELEBRATE YOUR VICTORIES — NO MATTER HOW BIG OR SMALL. To motivate you to continue to pursue your New Year’s resolutions, take a moment each week or month to see how far you’ve come. Any improvement is a huge leap in the right direction. While small victories may not seem like much, they quickly add up when you’re pursuing your yearly goals. When you divide your resolution into bite-size pieces and take steps to achieve them, you will feel more confident in your abilities and more motivated to continue your journey to achieve your yearly goals. If you want to create New Year’s resolutions for your oral health but have no idea where to begin, allow us to help you! We can assist you in evaluating where you can improve and what steps to take to meet your oral health goals.
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Lighting Up Life One Pine Needle at a Time
TRAVEL-WORTHY CHRISTMAS TREES
As the holiday season approaches, the twinkling lights and spectacular Christmas tree attractions are always a must-see! Here are the best travel destinations to catch a glimpse of one of the pillars of the holidays.
President Calvin Coolidge was the first president to light the National Christmas Tree in 1923. The tree was 48 feet high and decorated with 2,500 red, white, and green electric bulbs. A local choir and a quartet from the U.S. Marine Band performed as the tree was lit. THE COEUR D’ALENE RESORT TREE IN IDAHO Also known as the World’s Tallest Living Christmas Tree, this grand fir holds the record at 162 feet tall. It is festively decorated with more than 40,000 lights that twinkle in time to the music of “Jingle Bells,” and the tree is crowned with a 10-foot-wide star! THE BILTMORE CHRISTMAS TREE IN NORTH CAROLINA This majestic 55-foot Norway spruce tree is in front of the Biltmore Estate and lit as guests make their way down the path of luminaries. With ornaments and miles of garland, this tree is selected for the Banquet Hall each year for guests from all over to see. Some are lucky enough to live near or in a city with a magnificent tree, but if you don’t, consider traveling to one of these locations to enjoy the holiday with your loved ones. NO-BAKE PEANUT BUTTER SNOWBALLS INGREDIENTS 1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper. 2. In a medium bowl, combine powdered DIRECTIONS • 1 cup powdered sugar • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
THE ROCKEFELLER CENTER TREE IN NEW YORK CITY The Rockefeller Center tree is located just west of 5th Avenue from 47th through 51st
streets in New York City and dates back to the Depression era, with the first tree placed there in 1931. This beloved tourist attraction draws thousands yearly with its dazzling lights and grand scale. To even be considered a contender for this role, a tree must be at least 65 feet tall and 35 feet wide! THE NATIONAL CHRISTMAS TREE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. This American favorite has long been a tradition. Every year, the ceremony begins with live performances by musical artists, and an annual highlight is when the president delivers a message of peace.
YOUR MONTHLY NEED-TO-KNOW
WHAT YEAR WAS THE FIRST LIGHTHOUSE BUILT? In 1716, the Boston Lighthouse on Little Brewster Island was built. While it was destroyed during the Revolutionary War, it was rebuilt in 1783 and you can visit it today. WHICH PRESIDENT BANNED CHRISTMAS TREES IN THE WHITE HOUSE? Teddy Roosevelt banned Christmas trees for environmental reasons. However, his children hid a Christmas tree in a sewing room closet. THERE’S STILL TIME TO USE THIS YEAR’S INSURANCE BENEFITS! Dental insurance only gives you a certain amount of benefits and dollars to use per year, and they usually don’t roll over to the next year. We still have some appointments available this year if you’re looking to use up your available benefits for treatment. Don’t wait to schedule at the last minute because our end-of-year appointments fill up fast! Call us today to find out what benefits you have remaining and whether you have outstanding treatment to complete or are due for a cleaning.
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3 tbsp softened butter 1 lb white chocolate candy coating
sugar, peanut butter, and softened butter. Mix until evenly combined. 3. Shape the mixture into 1-inch balls and place them on the lined cookie sheet. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until firm. 4. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt white chocolate candy coating in increments of 30 seconds, stirring occasionally until smooth. 5. In the same bowl, use skewers to dip peanut butter balls into the chocolate before placing them on a lined cookie sheet so they can harden. 6. Chill until ready and then serve!
Inspired by TheFoodieAffair.com
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ANDERSON DENTAL CARE Nathan Brooks, DDS, Inc.
513-438-8152 WWW.ATOWNDENTAL.COM
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
7525 STATE RD., STE. A CINCINNATI, OH 45255
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1 2 2 3 3 3 4
We Put Keychains on Our Christmas Tree
The Theater Is Calling Your Name
3 Tips to Achieve Your Oral Health Resolutions
Best Christmas Tree Attractions to Visit This Holiday Season
Your Monthly Need-to-Know
No-Bake Peanut Butter Snowballs
Eating at KFC Is a Japanese Christmas Tradition
THE SIMPLE TOOTH 4 Fun Facts
campaign was a huge success, and ever since the 1970s, eating KFC during Christmas has become a Japanese tradition. About December NO. 4: ‘JINGLE BELLS’ WAS ORIGINALLY A SONG ABOUT THANKSGIVING. One of the most popular Christmas tunes is “Jingle Bells, but when it was created, its original title was “One Horse Open Sleigh.” Composer James Lord Pierpont wrote the song in 1857 to commemorate the annual sleigh races in Massachusetts that took place around Thanksgiving. But when the song was re-issued in 1859, the song was remanded to “Jingle Bells” and became the catchy Christmas song we all know and love.
The holidays and December are inherently intertwined, bringing us to a special holiday edition of “Simple Tooth” — December trivia and fun facts! NO. 1: DECEMBER IS THE 10TH MONTH OF THE ROMAN CALENDAR. Today, we know December as the 12th and last month of the year. But in ancient Rome, their calendar only had 10 months. Ancient Roman civilization spoke Latin, and many of our months are derived from Latin terms. In Latin, decem means 10, which explains the meaning behind the name December. NO. 2: THE ANCIENT BABYLONIANS HAD NEW YEAR’S CELEBRATIONS. Most of us celebrate New Year’s Eve by watching the ball drop on TV, spending time with family and friends, or creating New
Year’s resolutions. But when did humanity begin celebrating the new year? The earliest record dates back to 2,000 B.C. in ancient Babylon. They marked the occasion by participating in a festival called Akitu. The civilization used this time to crown a new king or have the current ruler renew their mandate.
NO. 3: IT’S “KENTUCKY FOR CHRISTMAS” IN JAPAN. The tradition started when a tourist visited Japan during Christmas time and visited a local KFC. He told a worker that he wouldn’t get to eat turkey for Christmas and that KFC was his only option. This interaction inspired the KFC Japan sales team to launch a Christmas campaign titled “Kentucky for Christmas.” The
From everyone at Anderson Dental Care, we hope you have a wonderful rest of your December! See you next year!
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