Lifetime Dental Care - April 2018

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www.eauclairedental.com | (715) 257-4335 LIFETIME PAGES APR 2018

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It’s not often that Easter and April Fools’ Day fall on the same date. In fact, the last time it happened was April 1, 1956, and it only happens three or four times per century. This rare occasion reminds me of a prank I pulled back in my younger days. I was dating a lovely girl, and her family had a unique Easter tradition: egg jousting. If you’ve never heard of this game, it’s relatively simple. There are a few variations, but the game generally involves hard-boiled eggs. Each jouster gets an egg, and the two competitors tap their eggs together until one Hard-Boiled HIGH JINKS The year after I learned about this tradition, I made some Easter eggs of my own. I colored them, as usual. But here’s the secret: I didn’t hard-boil all of them. Since I had colored them, I knew which eggs where hard-boiled and which were not. I put all my eggs into one basket (literally) and joined my girlfriend and her family for Easter. When the jousting began, I carefully selected my hard- boiled egg, and my unsuspecting girlfriend selected her not-so-hard-boiled egg. My shell cracked against hers, and I won! I’ll let you imagine the rest. But it was a good old-fashioned prank. No one got hurt, and it was all in good fun — just as any good prank should be. Of course, April isn’t just about Easter or pranks; it’s also about April showers! Though, living in the Snowbelt, I shouldn’t get too excited about the spring rain. Half of the time, there is at least one more snowstorm on the way. I’ve learned not to put away the snow gear — the shovels, brushes, boots, and gloves. I’ll wait a few more weeks before accepting that it’s truly spring. make yours last longer.

In the meantime, I’ll pass the days by dancing with my wife. On April 13 and 14, the 44th Annual Viennese Ball takes place at UW-Eau Claire. It’s a formal affair with music, dancing, and plenty of food and drink. Learn more about the event at uwec.edu/centers/vball/index.htm. My wife and I took up dancing right around the time our first daughter got married, about eight years ago, and we’ve been dancing ever since. We took a variety of lessons — from the waltz to the rumba and just about everything in between. It’s one of the pastimes we equally enjoy doing together in our downtime. As the month winds down, I’ll be going to annual dental conventions. I’m excited to learn about new products and see what’s going on in the dental community at large. I love to keep up-to-date on the many goings-on in the dentistry field, so this is one convention I don’t want to miss.

Until next time, here’s to a wonderful spring season of renewal!

–Dr. Anthony Butchert

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G A R D E N I N G :

Bringing Family Together

Collaboration Gardening gives your family a chance to collaborate. When you’re stuck inside for long periods, you may be spending time together, but it’s usually not quality time. Working in a group to create and maintain a garden is a hands- on experience for everyone. It’s a chance to get the whole family involved with a single project, and you can literally share the fruits of your labor. Deciding on Plants When it comes to deciding which plants you want in your garden, there are many variables to consider. Do you want to grow edible plants, ones that have magnificent blossoms, or ones that are easy to care for? Flowers are a good start if you want a plant that grows a little faster; plus, they lend a pop of color to your garden. Growing vegetables is also rewarding, as the kids will take great pleasure in eating what they’ve grown. Other possibilities include sunflowers, blackberries, peas, and lettuce. You might be surprised at how willingly children eat their greens when they’ve had a hand in growing them.

After spending a winter cooped up inside with your family, there might be a little

tension between everyone.

Fortunately, it’s spring, and the warm weather, melting snow,

and blooming flowers offer a good way to ease restlessness. This season, why not bring your family closer together by starting a family garden?

A Learning Experience Nearly every step in the gardening process can be a learning experience for kids and parents alike. Begin by discussing where you should start and why, what supplies you’ll need, and the types of plants you want to grow. Gardening also offers opportunities to learn about science, ecology, and nutrition.

Family gardens can bring something new and fresh to your home. So, get outside, enjoy the sun, and discover the joys of plants and gardening.

Hear What Our Patients Are Saying!

“I’ve been coming to Dr. Tony Butchert for over 30 years. He’s one of the nicest men and the best dentist I’ve ever met. All of his associates are very nice — they really do a good job. I recommend them to anyone looking for a good place to get your dental work done!” –Patrick P. “Dr. Tony and his staff are the best around town, hands-down. They are very kind and compassionate, and they are very thorough with all of their dental explanations.” –Dawn J. “A great experience. Being new patients, both my husband and I feel very at home and comfortable. The entire staff is very professional, warm, and friendly. We so appreciate you working us in, as we travel a considerable distance. Thank you!” –Rita L. www.eauclairedental.com 2

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Best Around!

THE STRESS CONNECTION

How Stress Affects the Health of Your Teeth

Stress affects us in many different ways, both physically and emotionally, and it can also take a significant toll on the health of our teeth. When you’re stressed, your muscles respond. This includes the muscles in your head, neck, and jaw. The muscles tense up, and this can lead to clenching or grinding, otherwise known as bruxism. In many cases, bruxism occurs without you knowing it. While most instances of bruxism occur during sleep, many people clench their jaw during the day, as well. They may do it as they work, run errands, or perform any number of day- to-day activities. The symptoms of bruxism can manifest themselves in several ways. You may wake up with a headache, tension in your neck and shoulders, tension in your jaw, or all of the above. You may also experience discomfort in your teeth, particularly if you are grinding. Over time, this wears down your enamel and typically leads to tooth sensitivity if not addressed early on.

If you are dealing with tension in your jaw, neck, and shoulders, there are a couple of methods you can try to ease the strain. Jaw Exercise: Open your mouth as wide as you can without causing any discomfort. With your mouth open, touch the tip of your tongue to the back of your front, upper teeth. Hold for five seconds and repeat several times. Neck Massage: Request a massage specifically for your neck and shoulders. This will not only ease your overall stress, it will help loosen the muscles that cause your jaw to tighten, leading to clenching and grinding. If these steps don’t work, or if you still find the aches or pains in your jaw and neck difficult to manage, let us know. We can help you determine the next steps to take to reduce discomfort and restore your peace of mind.

HAVE A LAUGH!

ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH LEMON BREADCRUMBS

Spring is the height of asparagus season. This dish, which features the crunch of breadcrumbs and a refreshing splash of lemon, is the perfect way to highlight the natural flavors of the vegetable without overwhelming them.

INGREDIENTS

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2 pounds asparagus

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1 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra- virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, chopped

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Kosher salt

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2 teaspoons lemon zest

Freshly ground pepper

Juice of one lemon (not packaged lemon juice)

2 garlic cloves, minced DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 425 F. Toss asparagus with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet and bake for 20–26 minutes, turning asparagus halfway through. 2. When asparagus is nearly done, heat remaining olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add breadcrumbs and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and fold in parsley and lemon zest. 3. Transfer asparagus to serving platter, drizzle with lemon juice, and top with breadcrumb mixture.

Recipe inspired by Food and Wine Magazine

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822 S. Hastings Way Eau Claire, WI 54701

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Hard-Boiled High Jinks 1 2 2 3 3 4 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Gardening: Bringing Family Together Hear From Our Patients Stress and the Health of Your Teeth Roasted Asparagus With Lemon Breadcrumbs 3 April Fools’ Pranks From Earlier, More Trusting Times

April Fools’ Pranks

FROM THE PRE-INTERNET AGE

April Fools’ Day isn’t what it used to be. Sure, it’s still a fun distraction, with Google announcing “scratch and sniff” digital technology and Amazon declaring new features enabling Alexa to understand your pets. But it’s pretty hard for anyone to genuinely pull your leg in the internet age. Back when you couldn’t debunk a hoax with a simple Snopes search, things were a little more interesting. Here are a few of the most hilarious — yet somehow convincing — April Fools’ pranks in history. Nixon for President, 1992

station with outraged calls — until host John Hockenberry revealed that the on-air Nixon was actually comedian Rich Little. Swiss Spaghetti Growers Enjoy Record Harvest Ah, to be as naive as we were during the early days of television. In 1957, a BBC news show called “Panorama” conducted a special report on a massive spaghetti harvest in Ticino, Switzerland, following a remarkably mild winter. The black and white images showed farmers pulling huge strands of noodles off tall trees and prompted hundreds of viewers to call into the station and ask how they might procure their own spaghetti tree. Thomas Edison’s Amazing Food Machine When Edison was in his prime, Americans truly believed he could make anything — even a machine that transformed air, water, and dirt into biscuits, vegetables, meat, and wine, as reported by the New York Daily Graphic in 1878. The article was reprinted in newspapers across the country. Thousands of people bought the trick. When Buffalo’s Commercial Advertiser ran an editorial on Edison’s genius in the endeavor, the Graphic reprinted it in full, along with the headline, “They Bite!”

When NPR’s popular “Talk of the Nation” program announced in 1992 that former President Richard Nixon had announced his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination, listeners were shocked. Never mind that he’d been the center of the largest presidential scam in history, but his campaign slogan, “I never did anything wrong, and I won’t do it

again,” left something to be desired. NPR even brought political experts on the show to discuss the ramifications of such a move, and listeners flooded the

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