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FOR A BEAUTIFUL, HEALTHY SMILE
ELKINSDENTAL.COM OCTOBER 2025
Life With My First Car, The Potato Zero to 60 in 5 Minutes
My very first car wasn’t just a car. It had a personality, reputation, and of course, a name.
It was an early ’80s Ford Escort wagon. I can’t remember the exact year, but I’ll never forget how it looked: a miniature station wagon, dark brown, boxy, and already well-loved by both my older brother and sister before it finally made its way to me. By the time I got it at 16, it had seen things. And let me tell you, it was not built for speed. Zero to 60? It was more like zero to 60 in about five minutes … on a good day. You could stomp that gas pedal as hard as you wanted, but the car would only speed up when it felt like it. Luckily, I grew up in a small town where a sluggish car wasn’t the end of the world. We didn’t have gridlocked freeways; instead, we had slow, steady roads that suited The Potato. Oh, right, that was its name, and sometimes, we shortened it to "The Spud." With its dark brown color and small, lumpy shape, the name was fitting. My siblings and I didn’t even call it “the car.” It was always, “Hey, I need The Spud this afternoon.” Because The Spud was a shared vehicle, we actually kept a notebook in the glove box to reserve it. It was first come, first served. If I had an event, I made sure to claim it early. If my sister needed it for a party, she had to check if I’d already written my name down, and if our plans overlapped, we bartered. “I’ll swap chores with you,” or “I’ll owe you one if you let me take The Spud Friday night.” It was crazy, but it worked. Looking back now, I think it was brilliant! Of course, driving around in that car came with all kinds of adventures. I remember being behind the wheel with my siblings packed inside and my younger brother armed with a Super Soaker. He thought squirting other cars as we drove by would be funny. Most people shrugged it off … until one driver didn’t. They spun around, started following us, and suddenly, I was
flooring it, praying The Spud had one more ounce of energy to give. Spoiler: It didn’t. The other car caught up, yelled at us, and gave us a piece of their mind. Lesson learned: Never expect The Spud to be your getaway car. Eventually, The Potato gave up for good. After about a year with me, it broke down, and my parents sold it at a garage sale for a couple hundred bucks. A local high school kid bought it for parts, but his dad, a mechanic, managed to bring it back to life. So The Spud lived to see another day, even if it wasn’t with me. My next car was an old Toyota pickup, also brown, and it was a huge upgrade in my eyes. But no matter what I drove after that, nothing compared to the memories made in that Escort. I wasn’t sad when it left, but now, years later, I look back and grin every time I think about it. These days, I’ve carried on the tradition with my own kids. All four of them have learned to drive in the same hand-me- down: a 1999 Buick Park Avenue originally belonging to my grandma. It’s still running and full of stories, just like The Spud was for me. In honor of National Name Your Car Day on Oct. 2, what was your very first car? –Dr. Elkins
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LEAF LOVERS WELCOME The Ultimate Fall Hiking Bucket List
Lake Trail or Maroon Bells Scenic Loop offer beautiful views of alpine lakes with gorgeous foliage and snow-dusted peaks. Just be sure to bring layers — mountain weather can be moody! Acadia National Park, Maine If you want coastal charm mixed with fall colors, Acadia National Park delivers. Right along Maine’s gorgeous coastline, this park is full of color and stunning ocean views — a rare combination! Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee and North Carolina The Smoky Mountains are a fall favorite known for their endless ridgelines and misty valleys. Mid-to-late October is peak foliage season, especially along trails like Alum Cave or Clingmans Dome.
Columbia River Gorge, Oregon If you’re looking for some of the most gorgeous waterfalls you’ve ever seen, the Columbia River Gorge is the spot! Trails like Multnomah Falls or Eagle Creek offer pretty fall colors, mossy cliffs, and cascading waterfalls. Shenandoah National Park, Virginia Just a short drive from Washington, D.C., Shenandoah National Park is a hidden gem for fall hiking. The Dark Hollow Falls Trail offers a challenging climb with stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. For something gentler, the Stony Man Trail is perfect for families and still offers breathtaking scenery. With over 500 miles of trails, Shenandoah is a fall favorite on the East Coast.
There’s something special about getting outdoors and hiking this time of year. The air is crisp, the bugs are (mostly) gone, and the trees show off their fiery red, yellow, and orange leaves. Whether you’re a seasoned trekker or just looking to enjoy leaf-peeping and fresh air, fall is the ultimate season to hit the trails. And the U.S. is brimming with stunning places to do just that. Aspen, Colorado Come September, the mountainsides come alive with beautiful golden aspen leaves, hence the name! Hikes like the Cathedral
A WORD FROM ASHLEE, GRACE, AND LEAH Don’t Let Sugar Haunt Your Smile
Halloween is the one night a year when candy rules the streets. Trick-or-treat bags fill faster than a witch’s cauldron, and every doorway offers a new sugar-filled surprise. It’s all thrills and chills until toothaches show up. But here’s the good news: You don’t have to let cavities crash the party. With a few clever tricks, your family can enjoy the treats and still keep their smiles healthy and bright. Pair treats with meals. Eating candy right after dinner is smarter than sneaking it later. Your mouth makes more saliva during meals, which helps rinse away sugar and fight off acids. It’s nature’s built-in mouthwash. Avoid all-day snacking. Grazing on candy keeps sugar sitting on your teeth, which bacteria love. Keep sweets to set times, and offer smarter snacks in between, like fruit, nuts, or cheese. Watch out for sticky villains. Gummies, caramels,
Chocolate is your friend (sort of). If you’re going to indulge, reach for chocolate. Dark chocolate melts quickly, rinses away easily, and usually comes with less sugar than its sticky cousins. Don’t hoard the candy stash. A mountain of sweets in the house is too tempting. Let your kids pick their top favorites and donate the rest. Many groups collect candy for troops or community drives. Chew sugar-free gum. A stick of ADA-approved gum can give your mouth a boost by increasing saliva and sweeping away acids. Bonus points: fresher breath for all those close encounters in costume. Hand out non-candy fun. Want to stand out on
Halloween night? Try glow sticks, stickers, or spooky pencils instead of candy. Kids will remember your house, and their parents will thank you. –Ashlee, Grace, and Leah Registered Dental Hygienists
and jawbreakers cling to teeth long after you finish chewing. Sour candies are another culprit, combining sugar with enamel-weakening acid. It’s best to leave those at the bottom of the candy bag.
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Maple Bourbon Smash Cocktail
Inspired by WhatMollyMade.com
Ingredients
Spiced Maple Simple Syrup • 1/2 cup water • 1/2 cup maple syrup • 2–3 cinnamon sticks • 1–2 star anise • 1-inch piece fresh ginger
Maple Bourbon Smash • 1 orange wheel • 1 sprig fresh rosemary, plus extra for serving • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice • 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
• 2 tbsp spiced maple simple syrup • 2 oz bourbon • 5 drops orange bitters • Ginger beer or soda water
Directions
1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add simple syrup ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, strain out spices, and let cool (this makes enough for multiple cocktails; store in the fridge). 2. In a cocktail shaker, add orange wheel, rosemary, lemon juice, and orange juice. Using a muddler or spoon, muddle together and add 2 tbsp of the spiced simple syrup. Pour in bourbon and orange bitters, and shake well to combine. 3. In a glass, add ice and strain bourbon mixture over ice, topping with ginger beer or soda water. Garnish with rosemary.
JOKES DAD
How did the tree get a new job? She had the right qua-leaf-ications.
How do you fix a broken pumpkin? With a pumpkin patch!
Why do truckers like October 4th the most? Because it is 10/4, good buddy.
DID YOU KNOW? Fun Tooth Facts PLAQUE 101 Why This Sticky Biofilm Is Bad News Spooktacular Pumpkin Facts
Plaque might look like a harmless fuzzy coating on your teeth, but it’s actually way sneakier than that. Here are some fun (and slightly gross) facts about the sticky stuff. Plaque is alive! It’s not just food particles; it’s a biofilm comprised of living bacteria that love to set up camp on your teeth. It forms quickly. Plaque starts building within hours after you brush, which is why brushing twice daily is key. It’s bacteria’s dream home. Plaque is sticky, so it traps food sugars and creates the perfect hangout for bacteria. It’s sneaky. Plaque can form above and below your gumline. Below the gums, it contributes to gum disease. Plaque hardens. If you ignore it, plaque can turn into tartar (calculus), which is much tougher and can only be removed by a dentist or hygienist.
When you think of Halloween, chances are pumpkins pop into your mind first. Whether glowing on porches or baked into a cozy pie, pumpkins are the ultimate symbol of spooky season. But there’s more to these orange giants than meets the eye! Did you know pumpkins are technically a fruit? It’s true! They belong to the squash family and are cousins to cucumbers and melons. Despite being fruit, we often treat them like vegetables in soups, breads, and savory dishes. The world’s heaviest pumpkin weighed over 2,700 pounds, more than a small car (like Dr. Elkins’ Ford Escort Wagon). The tradition of carving pumpkins actually started with turnips in Ireland. Legend has it that people carved faces into vegetables to scare away spirits. When Irish immigrants came to America, they found that pumpkins were bigger, softer, and perfect for carving, and the pumpkin carving tradition was born!
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1. Adventures in a Brown ‘80s Ford Escort Wagon Hikes to Take This Season 2. Stunning Fall
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
3. Maple Bourbon Smash Cocktail
4. Pulpits and Pumpkins
Tooth Facts
1110 S. Washington Ave. Emmett, ID 83617
A Word From Ashlee, Grace, and Leah
Did You Know?
208-369-4532 · ElkinsDental.com
CLERGY, CANDY, AND CRIMINAL CODES Surprising Southern Halloween Laws
Was this practice really widespread enough to inspire an actual law? While the law’s historical origins are unclear, it demonstrates the state's commitment to religious faith and willingness to fine anyone who attempts to mock it. The Decriminalized Children of Dublin Dublin, Georgia, has an odd — and, depending on your age, totally fun — legal perspective concerning facial coverings. Although the city’s rules were loosened temporarily at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, municipal laws prohibit people from “wearing a mask, hood, or other apparel or regalia in such manner as to conceal [their] identity, or in such manner that [their] face is not fully visible, or in such manner that [they] may not be recognized.” However, Dublin makes an annual exception for children under the age of 16 who “may be garbed in the usual or customary children's Halloween costumes.” While parents or older siblings will face a misdemeanor charge if they’re caught
Depending on where you live, Halloween is either a holiday for spooky fun or a one-way ticket to the wrong side of the law. Surprisingly, certain parts of the country have Halloween-related laws regulating everything from who can wear a mask to whom you’re allowed to make laugh. Here are a few obscure-but-true laws in the South that, if broken, are scarier than any haunted hayride. The Great Mustachioed Priest Menace If you’re a Halloween reveler in Alabama, be careful with your costume choice — God and the law are watching. Dressing up like a priest, rabbi, nun, or other clergy member on Oct. 31 or any other day of the year could cost you a fine of up to $500 or up to a year behind bars. The law was established to show respect to religious institutions by discouraging citizens from impersonating faith leaders. Additionally, Alabama’s focus on maintaining a sense of decorum in religious practices extends to what citizens do in the presence of actual priests. Naturally, disrupting services by prompting attendees to burst out laughing is bad form, which is why the state prohibits anyone from wearing a fake mustache in church to elicit a chuckle.
wearing a mask while accompanying their little ones trick-or-treating, at least children in Dublin won’t be deemed juvenile criminals for covering their faces while on the hunt for neighborhood candy.
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Halloween Candy?
SWEET
Caramel Apples?
TEMPTING
LETTING YOUR DENTAL BENEFITS EXPIRE? A Nightmare!
KEEP YOUR SMILE SAFE FROM SCARY BILLS No Tricks — Just Treats for Your Teeth
Halloween might bring friendly frights to your doorstep, but there’s nothing scarier than losing dental benefits you paid for all year! Unused coverage is money you’ve already spent, and once Dec. 31 passes, it’s gone for good. We don’t want to see your hard-earned money disappear into the night like a Halloween ghost. Now’s the time to take advantage of your 2025 benefits and save on the care you need. Making a reservation before the holiday rush makes it easier to find a time that fits your schedule. You can get a routine cleaning, check on a bothersome tooth, or finally take care of that work you’ve been putting off. Think of it like giving yourself a fall treat. You’ll have a healthier, happier grin without having to deal with a frightening bill later. Don’t let your dental benefits become another ghost story — call today to reserve your spot!
Call to schedule your reservation today! 208-369-4532
1110 S. Washington Ave. Emmett, ID 83617 Visit us Online at ElkinsDental.com
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