Take a look at the latest edition of the Monthly Brush-Up!
BRUSH - UP
ANDERSON DENTAL CARE Nathan Brooks, DDS, Inc.
7525 STATE RD., STE. A, CINCINNATI, OH 45255 | 513-438-8152 | WWW.ATOWNDENTAL.COM | APRIL 2021
LESSONS WE LEARN FROM CONSISTENT LOVE AND CARE A TRIBUTE TO GARDENING
“Without work, nothing grows but weeds.” –Gordon B. Hinckley
Spring is finally here — and with spring comes planting season. Gardening reminds me of a very special person, my grandpa.
My grandpa loved gardening. He was a biologist who could walk through any park or garden and point out the various trees, shrubs, and plants, always calling them by their scientific name. I considered him an expert gardener. A majority of my memories of him take place outside. He was very comfortable in his garden and always seemed to know what he was doing. Just two trees would produce hundreds of apples every year. He’d also plant and harvest a massive number of tomatoes, just so he could make his famous salsa. I loved watching him as he prepared and bottled it all up. Even when my grandparents moved into a retirement facility, my grandpa saw to it that trees were planted around the property, and he planted flowers there for many years. Until I was an adult, I didn’t fully realize just how much work gardening was. Grandpa made it look so easy! Even a small garden requires consistent work and attention. Now that our family does a bit of planting on our own, it reminds me of the lessons I learned watching Grandpa in his garden. Although my wife and kids do most of the gardening at home, it’s definitely become a habit of mine to check the garden and see how each plant is growing. The most frustrating part, of course, is the weeds. If you don’t take the proper steps when preparing your garden soil and pull weeds regularly, your plants will be surrounded by weeds in no time. Sometimes we look out the window at the garden and think, “Man! It’s a jungle. How did this happen? Those weeds just appeared overnight!” But the truth is that it had probably been several days, if not a week or more, since we actually pulled weeds. We may have checked the plants and given them some water, but the work of weeding was neglected, and we paid for it. Isn’t that life? We can go about our day, checking on things that matter, but unless we really do the work of sorting through the good and the bad — weeding out things that don’t matter and giving our utmost attention to our priorities — we may wake up one day and wonder how our life got so “weedy.” But weeds don’t grow overnight, and our lives aren’t made in a
day, either. Consistent care, practice, and evaluation of priorities is what will help us live lives full of purpose and meaning that yield amazing results.
We have two main garden boxes in our yard. One is for vegetables and the other is for flowers. My oldest daughter, Lydia, took on the role of “resident flower gardener” in our family last year, and her commitment reminded me of my grandpa and his tomatoes. She wanted to do it all on her own. With a little help from us here and there, she picked the flowers she wanted to grow, started them from seed, transplanted them to the garden, watered them, watched them, pruned them, and lastly, put together bouquets to give or sell to our neighbors and friends. She took those flowers all the way from seeds to bouquets. Honestly, that’s pretty inspiring to me. It’s a powerful feeling to receive a unique creation from plants someone grew themselves. Lydia’s homegrown bouquets always turn out lovely, and you can tell the special care she gives them. It reminds me of the salsa made from Grandpa’s tomatoes. Everything is more special when you know the love and care that took tiny seeds and turned them into something enjoyable for everyone. I’m no master gardener, but my family learns a little more about gardening together every season we give it a try. And as we do, we’re learning the life lessons my grandpa was teaching me without words as I watched him work — consistent effort, love, and care are what yields the most important (and delicious) things in life.
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A few editions ago, we talked about what dental crowns are and how they help your teeth. Dental crowns — also known as dental caps — go on top of your damaged tooth to improve its function, make it look like your normal tooth, and help protect the remaining tooth structure. But exactly what can lead up to needing a dental crown? Dentists usually recommend a dental crown if the damage on your tooth is too extensive for a dental filling. While there are many reasons a dental crown may be necessary, here are three of the most common dental conditions that may require treatment with a dental crown. AFTER ROOT CANALS Root canal procedures are necessary when the pulp in the roots of a tooth becomes infected, sometimes causing severe tooth pain and/or abscess. Root canal procedures involve hollowing out the canals in the roots of the infected tooth. Endodontists remove the infection and fill the hole with a temporary filling material until the root heals and you can have it permanently filled by your regular dentist. In some cases, the hole can be repaired with a standard filling; however, often the damage is so extensive that the tooth’s structural integrity is compromised and a dental crown is necessary to strengthen and protect the remaining tooth structure. EXCESSIVELY WORN OUT TEETH Many factors can contribute to premature or excessive wearing of teeth. Highly acidic diets and gastrointestinal conditions, like Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), can lead to excessive wearing of the enamel. Patients who suffer from bruxism or chronic grinding of teeth can also have excessively worn teeth. This can cause cracks in teeth, temperature sensitivity, pain while chewing, and other issues. Dental crowns on affected teeth can alleviate these symptoms. AESTHETIC IMPROVEMENTS A dentist can use dental crowns to improve the appearance of misshapen or discolored teeth. Dental crowns can also close the gaps between teeth, which can be both aesthetically pleasing and functional — food gets trapped more easily in gaps between teeth, leading to greater risk of decay. WHAT DENTAL CONDITIONS REQUIRE DENTAL CROWNS?
With spring officially underway, April showers starting to bring May flowers, and Earth Day on April 22, now is a great time for outdoor family activities. ONE FOR THE BIRDS Making a pine cone bird feeder is a fun and inexpensive project. In addition to creating and hanging your bird feeder, you’ll get hours of extra entertainment from watching the birds it will attract to your yard. If your kids are older, take photos of the birds or note their colors and features and look them up in a field guide or online. This craft just requires a pine cone (the bigger the better), peanut butter, and some twine or string. Top the peanut butter with “sprinkles” of mixed birdseed or small pieces of nuts and fruit to appeal to even more birds. For full instructions, visit TheSpruce.com and search “pine cone bird feeder.” AN EGG-CELLENT PLANTER Save those eggshells from breakfast (and the paper carton, too!) and use them to start a garden! Your little ones will enjoy planting some seeds, watering them, and watching them sprout and grow into something new. When the sprouts are big enough and it’s warm enough outside, you can plant the shell and carton directly into the ground! This easy project just requires rinsed eggshell halves, some lightly moistened potting soil, and seeds of your choosing. Note that smaller seeds, like those for herbs, lettuces, peppers, or tomatoes, work best for this project. For full instructions, visit GardenBetty.com and search “starting seeds in eggshells.” STICK WITH MAGIC Nature is a magical place. Many kids know this instinctively and often point out things adults take for granted or overlook, like bright-colored leaves, fun-shaped rocks, and acorn “hats.” Making a nature wand is a great way to let your kids explore their environment, whether that’s in your backyard, on a neighborhood walk, or in your favorite park. Let their imaginations run wild with what their magic wand can do! This simple project starts with a stick and masking tape. Your kids add all the extra flair by hunting for natural treasures and sticking them onto their wand. Complete instructions can be found at LaughingKidsLearn.com/nature-wands-outdoor-play . WITH 3 FUN EARTH DAY PROJECTS SPROUT YOUR KIDS’ IMAGINATION
If you have questions about whether a dental crown could help any dental condition you’re experiencing, we’re always happy to answer questions and have
Dr. Brooks take a look for you. Having tooth problems that require crowns is not ideal, but when necessary, crowns really are a good
investment, last a long time, and treat a lot of dental issues.
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The Origins of a Truly American Language: Pennsylvania Dutch
As a melting pot from it’s earliest days, America is rich in culture and history. Americans have developed unique values, mannerisms, art, music, and even languages across our diverse nation. One great example of this is Pennsylvania Dutch. The language didn’t evolve from Dutch, interestingly enough. It started when early German immigrants needed to escape from the Holy Roman Empire regions of Europe to avoid religious persecution. Many of them escaped to Pennsylvania, which is still 29.9% German today. These immigrants generally didn’t bring many belongings; however, they did bring a rich dialect. So, why is it called Pennsylvania Dutch? Rather than a mistranslation, it’s a corruption of the Pennsylvania German endonym Deitsch , which
means “Pennsylvania Dutch/German” or “German.” The terms Deitsch , Dutch , Diets , and Deutsch are all cognates of the proto- Germanic word piudiskaz , meaning “popular” or “of the people.” The language flourished safely within German immigrant communities and religious sects; however, while 10% of the original Pennsylvania Dutch settlers were Amish and Old Order Mennonites, today over 250,000 people speak the Germanic language, mainly in Pennsylvania and Ohio. You might be wondering how this language is different from German, considering its roots. It’s entirely different, as it turns out. Pennsylvania Dutch shares the most similarities with the Palatine German dialect, a small southwestern region of Germany where most Pennsylvanian
settlers came from. If you can speak Pennsylvania Dutch, you can likely converse with Palatine Germans to a limited extent. Can you write in Pennsylvania Dutch? Yes! However, not many speakers read and write in it, so it doesn’t have standardized spelling rules. If you’re curious to see it in print, however, look at the only Pennsylvania Dutch newspaper in the U.S.: Hiwwe wie Driwwe. Scholarly efforts have also been made to advance the language, such as the Pennsylvania German Studies minor program at Kutztown University. In Ohio, you’re mostly likely to encounter Pennsylvania Dutch in Holmes County, where the 2010 Census recorded that 37.8% of the population is of German ancestry and the 2000 Census noted that than 40% of the population uses Pennsylvania German (or “Dutch”) at home.
SPRING VEGETABLE AND CHICKEN PASTA BAKE
YOUR MONTHLY NEED-TO-KNOW!
Celebrate spring with this easy, tasty, herb-packed pasta bake.
WHAT CITY IS IN BOTH ASIA AND EUROPE? Istanbul – historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople – is the largest city in Turkey and the country’s economic, cultural, and historic center. The city straddles the Bosporus strait and lies in both Europe and Asia with a population of over 15 million residents, which is over 19% of the population of Turkey. WHERE DID THE TERM ‘GOODY TWO-SHOES’ COME FROM? It’s from a book! “The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes” is a children’s story published by John Newbery in London in 1765. The story popularized the phrase “goody two-shoes,” often used to describe an excessively virtuous person, a do-gooder. CAN THERE BE THUNDER AND LIGHTNING WITHOUT RAIN? Yes! “Dry thunderstorm” refers to thunder and lightning that occur without bringing rain to the ground. In actuality, the thunder-bearing clouds do produce rain, but the rain droplets have evaporated in the air before reaching the ground.
INGREDIENTS •
1 cup cooked chicken, diced
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1/2 cup fresh chives, chopped and divided 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped and divided
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1 14-oz can artichokes, drained and quartered
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1 cup fresh asparagus pieces
1/2 cup carrots, grated
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2 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 cups uncooked penne pasta
1/4 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1. Preheat oven to 425 F and grease an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. 2. In the prepared dish, stir together cooked chicken, artichokes, asparagus, carrots, uncooked pasta, chicken broth, half the chives, half the parsley, garlic, salt, and 2 tbsp Parmesan. 3. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes. 4. Uncover and stir. At this point, check the pasta to make sure it is al dente. If it’s undercooked, cover the dish and return to the oven until pasta is tender. 5. Remove from oven and garnish with remaining Parmesan, chives, and parsley. DIRECTIONS
Inspired by TheSeasonedMom.com
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ANDERSON DENTAL CARE Nathan Brooks, DDS, Inc.
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
7525 STATE RD., STE. A, CINCINNATI, OH 45255
The Origins of Pennsylvania Dutch INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1 2 2 3 3 4 Spring Vegetable and Chicken Pasta Bake The Simple Tooth: April Foolish Facts! 3 Fun Earth Day Projects for Families What Dental Conditions Require Dental Crowns? A Tribute to Gardening
THE SIMPLE TOOTH FOOLISH FACTS ABOUT APRIL!
It started as a humble British holiday, first celebrated on April 1, 1700. Today, April Fools’ Day is a publicly known opportunity for anyone — from your next-door neighbor to the world’s most influential figures and groups — to play jokes and pranks on each other. That’s why, instead of “fun facts,” we thought we’d share “foolish facts” on some of our favorite April Fools’ pranks played out in history! 1905: AMERICA’S GOLD IS GONE! Decades before Bond villain Goldfinger had aspirations to steal America’s gold, others had the same idea — but only in their imaginations. On April 1, 1905, a German newspaper published a story about thieves who had dug a tunnel beneath the U.S. Federal Treasury in Washington, D.C. and had stolen America’s silver and gold. The newspaper said American
robber barons had organized the heist, and burglars had dug tunnels for three years and made off with over $268 million. It also described how U.S. authorities were trying to hunt them down and were publicly covering up the fact the country had been robbed. As it turns out, sensational news — even when fake — spreads like wildfire! Then everyone found out it was an April Fools’ Day prank by the newspaper’s New York correspondent. 1957: BBC’S SPAGHETTI HARVEST HOAX On April 1, BBC featured a fake documentary showing women carefully plucking spaghetti from trees and laying it in the sun to dry. Narrated by the distinguished broadcaster Richard Dimbleby, the short film featured a family from Ticino in Switzerland carrying out their annual spaghetti harvest. Unfortunately,
not everyone was amused — yet, many others wondered where they could purchase their own spaghetti bush! 2019: THE COUNTRY OF AUSTRALIA REVEALS LEOPARD PRINT KOALAS The official Twitter account of Australia released an impressively edited picture of a koala with leopard print on its fur. Their tweet read: “It’s a little-known fact that some #koala joeys are born with leopard print fur. We don’t yet know why only certain joeys are blessed with such incredible fashion sense, but we’re sure little April here is the envy of her friends.” We wish we were as cute and fashionable as these leopard print koalas, too … even if they only exist in our minds!
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