FOR A BEAUTIFUL, HEALTHY SMILE
ELKINSDENTAL.COM DECEMBER 2019
‘TIS THE SEASON
The weeks around Thanksgiving and Christmas are some of the busiest times of the year for me at work. We try to help everyone use up their dental benefits before the end of the year, so I gear up for some long days. Working on my stained-glass projects — and now working on my guitars — helps me relax and recharge between reservations. Right now, I have a couple of guitars in the planning stages. One of my best friends asked if I would want to help him with his next build. He was a Black Hawk helicopter pilot, so the guitar is going to have a Black Hawk design as a tribute to his time in the Army. He hasn’t done pearl inlays before, and since that’s the part I’m most comfortable with, I’m going to help him with them. I’m excited for this project.The design is going to be pretty amazing, and it’s cool to work on it with one of my good buddies. We’ve been friends since we were about 12, and we played guitar together almost that long. We grew up together in Nevada, and he’s currently stationed with the military in Italy. Beth and I are hoping to visit him in the next year or so while he’s still there. Have you noticed how the older kids get, the more tech-oriented (and consequently, more expensive) the gifts they ask for are? Each year is a little different as they get to a certain phase of life — iPods, then cellphones, then computers. Adam, thank goodness, is still in the phase where he’s happy with any kind of toy. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized I enjoy giving gifts a lot more than getting them. When someone asks what I want for Christmas, I’m kind of stumped.There isn’t a lot I want these days other than time to work on my projects, trips with Beth, and weekends when the whole family is together. With that, I’m going to get back to work! I hope you have a very happy holiday season with your family. Merry Christmas, –Dr. Elkins
Wow, the holidays just fly by, don’t they? October came and went full of activities. We had a fun time on Halloween with two pirates, a zombie, and a kitty in tow. I have to tell you, it was strange only having three trick-or- treaters at home this year. Our kids are growing up! Now that Russell is taller than me, he doesn’t feel like he can get away with trick- or-treating anymore. And Leila, though she’s only 12, felt uncomfortable asking for candy, so she dressed up and walked around with us but didn’t go up to the doorsteps. “Have fun while you can,” I try to tell my kids. Before they know it, they’ll be on the other side of the doorstep. There’s an assisted living complex in our subdivision, and each year, the residents who want to participate sit outside their rooms on Halloween and welcome trick-or-treaters.The kids have a fun time participating, and you can tell the residents enjoy seeing the energetic kiddos come through.
Adam as the pirate, Jocelyn as the cat, and Leila as the zombie
Beth and Adam in their pirate costumes
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WHAT ABOUT DUNDER AND BLIXEM?
The Strange History of Santa’s Reindeer We all know reindeer visit our rooftops every Christmas Eve, but what brings them WHAT’S IN A NAME? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, and Cupid were all
brought to life by Moore, but have you ever heard of Dunder and Blixem? Though we now know the duo as Donner and Blitzen, Moore originally named them Dunder and Blixem — the Dutch words for thunder and lightning — but publishing companies wanted names that would rhyme better with the rest of the poem. Still, it was a few decades before Donner and Blitzen made their appearances in the version of the poem we know today. REINDEER BURGERS, ANYONE? Moore’s poem paved the way for Santa’s most famous form of transportation, but it was actually Carl Lomen, an Alaskan businessman, who mass-marketed reindeer as Santa’s companions. In the late 1890s, the Sami natives of Northern Europe, who were longtime reindeer herders, made their passage from Norway to the U.S. with a herd of reindeer to invigorate the Alaskan landscape and help their native neighbors. Lomen saw the reindeer as an opportunity and partnered with the Macy’s department store company to create a promotional Christmas parade in which Santa, led by his reindeer, a sleigh, and Sami herders, were prominently featured. Lomen’s goal was to promote his massive reindeer conglomerate for the production and sale of reindeer meat. Instead, a holiday story was born.
there? Follow the unique and complicated history of Santa’s reindeer to find out. A VISIT FROMWHOON WHAT NIGHT? In the 1820s, Clement Clarke Moore penned a holiday poem that became the foundation for a phenomenon still alive today. Commonly known as “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,”“A Visit From St. Nicholas” is a beloved story shared by every generation. It is in this poem that reindeer were first credited with powering Santa’s sleigh around the globe. Many popular songs, movies, and plays have preserved Moore’s vision of St. Nick, and his reindeer and their names are no exception. (Well, kind of.) Rudolph wouldn’t join the squad until a department store added him as part of their promotions in the 1930s.
Clean With Kalie Fluoride Not for You? Try MI Paste!
sensitive to cold liquids and food. Dr. Elkins often recommends it to patients, especially when Sensodyne or similar products haven’t been effective at reducing sensitivity. Many of our patients notice their teeth feel less sensitive and stronger after using MI Paste. Before going to bed, brush the paste on your teeth and let it soak in overnight. You can use it as needed and stop when you notice your tooth sensitivity is reduced. We know fluoride isn’t for everyone. If you prefer not to get the added benefits of fluoride, MI Paste may be a good alternative for you. MI Paste does not contain fluoride (though MI Paste Plus does, and we have both options). You probably won’t see it on store shelves, but we carry it at the office. Ask us about MI Paste next time you’re here!
If you have tooth sensitivity but aren’t a fan of fluoride, there’s a great solution called MI Paste we recommend to patients. MI Paste has a special ingredient called
Recaldent, a milk-derived protein that binds to teeth and helps strengthen them by releasing calcium and phosphate. (Those with milk allergies may want to ask about other options.) Our teeth can sometimes use extra help staying strong. Typically, fluoride is the go-to option for strengthening and remineralizing teeth. For those who want to avoid fluoride, though, MI Paste without fluoride has similar benefits. For patients with generalized sensitivity, demineralization, plaque buildup, or a higher decay rate, this paste is a great option. MI Paste helps with sensitivity by sealing up the tubules in your teeth, making them less
-Kalie and Caryn –Kalie
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BACON-WRAPPED CHESTNUTS
Inspired by “Paleo Happy Hour” by Kelly Milton
Ingredients
GOOD CHEER Beer lovers, rejoice! Idaho is the world’s largest hop producer, and more and more people are taking advantage of our agricultural bounty by opening breweries in the Treasure Valley. Share a few of these treasures with visiting family members and their only question will be “How did we not come here sooner?” 4. Drain tamari, roll each chestnut in coconut sugar, wrap with bacon, and spear on toothpick. 5. Place chestnuts on prepared rack. Bake for 30–35 minutes. 6. Plate and serve. • 1/4 cup coconut sugar • 1 lb sliced bacon, quartered
MOUNTAIN RANGES Surrounded by the Rocky Mountains, we don’t have to go far to find mountaintop winter activities. If skiing or tubing is your idea of winter fun, Bogus Basin is just a short drive away, and heading to McCall makes a fun weekend getaway. ... AND RIVERS Not only are we surrounded by the Payette and Boise rivers, Idaho is also home to the deepest gorge in North America: Hells Canyon. Take that, Arizona! 1. Heat an oven to 400 F. 2. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet lined with parchment and set aside. 3. Drain liquid from canned water chestnuts, add tamari to cover, and let s ak for 15 minutes in the cans. Directions • 2 8-oz cans water chestnuts • Tamari (wheat-free soy sauce), but can substitute with coconut aminos
Out-of-town relatives who are visiting for the holidays might wonder what makes Emmett so special. But we already know the Treasure Valley is full of gems — and we don’t just mean the rocks. Here are some additional reasons Emmett and The Gem State are great. WE’VE GOT SUNSHINE On average, we have 210 sunny days per year. Compare that to 144 rainy days in Portland and we can feel pretty happy about all our free vitamin D.
GEM STATE? WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE Santa’s Coming to Town Christmas Bazaar When: Saturday, Dec. 14 Where: Kleiner Park Downtown Boise City Santa When: Dec. 21–Jan. 11 Where: D.L. Evans Bank
DID YOU KNOW?
8TH ANNUAL FOOD DRIVE Save $25 with a donation of 10 nonperishable items. Come in between Oct. 14 and Dec. 20!
THIS HOUSE IS UNDER (ELF) SURVEILLANCE
We all know about Santa’s Naughty-or-Nice List, but have you ever wondered where Santa gets all the intel? Enter scout elves.These tiny travelers make the trip from the North Pole each night to visit homes and check up on the young inhabitants during the
day, flying back again at night to report back to Santa. Known as The Elf on the Shelf, scout elves became well known several years ago after one family published a book about the long-standing tradition. The Elf on the Shelf has two rules: One, a scout elf will not move while children are awake. Two, kids cannot touch the elf. Fear not, though — if your littles accidentally touch the elf, they can write a “sorry” letter to Santa and sprinkle some cinnamon (the elf version of vitamins) next to the elf, and all will be remedied. Merry Christmas!
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1. Dr. Elkins’ Holiday Musings 2. How Santa Claus Became Powered by Reindeer
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
3.
4. The History Behind Christmas Lights
Bacon-
Wrapped
Chestnuts
1110 S. Washington Ave. Emmett, ID 83617
Did You Know?
Hygienist’s Corner
HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM ELKINS DENTAL!
208-369-4532 Elkinsdental.com
LIGHT UP THE NIGHT Why Do We Hang Christmas Lights?
The first string of twinkling lights illuminating your neighbor’s house is always a telltale sign of the upcoming seasonal festivities. Christmas lights are a holiday staple, but have you ever wondered where this beloved tradition started? The tradition of hanging lights on the tree originally started with candles. Because this posed an immense fire hazard, Edward Hibberd Johnson, a close friend of Thomas Edison and vice president of the Edison Electric Light Company, vowed to find a better way to decorate Christmas trees with light. In December 1882, three years after Edison’s invention of the lightbulb in November 1879, Johnson hand-wired 80 red, white, and blue lightbulbs together and wound them around a Christmas tree in his parlor window. A passing reporter saw the spectacle and declared in the Detroit Post and Tribune, “One can hardly imagine anything prettier.” Johnson continued this tradition, increasing the number of lights each year and eventually putting them up outside. But because electricity was still a new concept, many years passed before the fad took off for regular Americans. In 1923, President Calvin Coolidge began the tradition of lighting the National Christmas Tree, which spurred the idea of selling stringed lights commercially. By the 1930s, families everywhere were buying boxes of bulbs by the dozen. Today, an estimated 150 million Christmas lights are sold in America each year, decorating 80 million homes and consuming 6% of the nation’s electricity every December. Whether you’ll be putting up your own lights or appreciating the most impressive light displays in your neighborhood or town, let the glow fill you with joy this season. Just don’t leave them up until February!
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