Michael Ling DDS - October 2019

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Keeping Our Family Entertained and Happy All Year Long

Sometimes I’m in awe of just how lucky Michael and I are when it comes to our five children. This gaggle of kids we have been raising

for the past decade never ceases to impress us or make us laugh. Our family moved to Burlington from Brantford this spring, and while moving a family of seven across Ontario is never easy, having our big, growing Whether it’s a Ling family dance competition or a craft day, our kids always seem to find a way to keep the fun going. They would be content for hours if we only gave them a bucket, a shovel, and some water before sending them outside to play. They enjoy summer days spent digging in the dirt and winter afternoons sledding and building snowmen in our yard. But as any parent knows, sometimes you have to venture outside, shake off the cabin fever, and enjoy some quality family time. With a large family, you have to be creative when it comes to finding activities for everyone. You want to find places that are going to be fun for the older kids as well as the toddlers without breaking the bank. That’s not always easy, but we’re lucky to live in a community that values family time as much as we do. This summer, we had a blast playing and splashing at Nelson Park here in Ontario. There’s a beautiful splash pad for our younger children, while the big kids enjoy the water park rides and swimming. In the fall, our kiddos enjoy riding their bikes through the park, and as a family, we like to follow the path that leads down to the riverfront. It’s the perfect way to get our family outside no matter what the season. The trails in Ontario also have great opportunities for keeping children’s entertainment cheap. Sometimes we send our kids out along the path to collect as many fun rocks as they can find. Then at home, we use nail polish to decorate the rocks or we glue the pebbles and rocks to Bristol board. family with us made the move that much easier.

We can always find an excuse to make crafts as a family, but each season also brings about new opportunities for family fun. Autumn festivals and events are always big family favorites with the Ling clan! We also enjoy visiting Brantwood Farms in the fall to decorate pumpkins, go on hayrides, and pick our own apples. Brantwood Farms even stops the ride so kids can pick their own pumpkins. When winter rolls in, we take the kids to the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre for ice skating and hot cocoa. As Michael zooms along the ice with the older kids, our little ones and I enjoy warm beverages and watching their siblings skate by. When school is out and summer days are looming on the horizon, I’m always searching for ways we can cool down, enjoy the nice weather, and stay active. Our older kids participate in hockey during the summer and make friends across their coed teams. They keep up their athletics during the school year with basketball, too! Of course, every event or family outing has its challenges. We can never drive too far for fear of wiping a kid out and prompting a tantrum. We worry about kids getting bored or events being too challenging for others. Yet, that doesn’t stop us from getting out there and enjoying this wonderful community we live in! You just have to search for events that fit your family. My advice would be to check with schools, local community centres, your YMCA — our favorite place to drop in for games and swimming — and other local groups. Michael and I are proud to raise our kids in Ontario. We can think of no place better suited for our goofy, crazy, and sweet family. We hope your family finds ways to enjoy it just as much as we do!

—Dr. Meg Ling

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Who Do Celebrities Trust With Their Teeth?

s t For an actor, actress, or model, a perfect smile can make or break their career. Teeth are one of the first things we notice when we see a new face, and how white, straight, and clean they are can go a long way toward making a positive first impression. In industries where first impressions mean the difference between success and failure, teeth — and by extension, good genes or great dental work — mean everything. Some publications, like SELF magazine, have speculated that veneers are the secret behind the blindingly white smiles of many celebrities. The thin porcelain shells are multi-purpose solutions: They can conceal gaps, lengthen teeth, and hide crooked smiles. It’s a permanent process that involves bonding the veneer directly to the tooth, and it takes just two weeks to complete, allowing the stars

to skip over the awkward, infamously long process of straightening their teeth with braces.

Some celebrities, like NeNe Leakes of “Real Housewives of Atlanta,” model Chrissy Teigen, and “Scrubs” actor Donald Faison have

admitted to having veneers, but others keep their cosmetic changes on the down-low. Still, if you’re interested in Hollywood culture, you have to wonder: Who do celebrities trust with their pearly whites? The answer for many is Beverly Hills dentist Kevin B. Sands, the self-proclaimed “dentist to the stars.” His website is filled with in-office photographs of himself posing with the likes of Kim Kardashian, Sofia Richie, Tyga, Robert Gronkowski, Hailey Baldwin, Kendall Jenner, Iggy Azalea, Emma Stone, Justin Bieber, Robert Downey Jr., and Miley Cyrus. Porcelain veneers, cosmetic dentistry, dental implants, and sedation dentistry all rank among his specialties, and Dr. Sands has even started offering his services in Dubai to appease his star-studded clientele. If you’re thinking of seeking out a celebrity dentist for a smile makeover to follow in the footsteps of your favorite star, consider this: Veneers cost anywhere from $1,500–$2,500 per tooth. Braces, which cost $3,000–$10,000 per set, might be the more appealing option after all.

against your gums to avoid pain, abrasion, and damage. Instead, glide the floss gently through your teeth. If your gums are bleeding, there may be a problem with your tools. To Fluoride or Not to Fluoride? What you use on your tools can be just as important as the tools themselves. Opt for toothpaste with fluoride to prevent tooth rot and cavities, but if you choose not to use fluoride, look for toothpaste with a high concentration of xylitol. This additive can protect the mouth from tooth decay. If you have temperature-sensitivity issues, choose a sensitivity-based toothpaste to actively fight it. There are even options for patients who suffer from dry mouth, those who struggle to maintain oral health, cancer patients, and patients with special needs. As for your kiddos, children’s toothpaste is great for those who struggle with spitting, but once your child has the brushing routine down, they can begin to use higher-strength adult toothpaste. When it comes to your oral health, finding what is going to work best for you and your family is the key to success. Inquire with our dental experts about the best tools for you at your next appointment!

With major advancements in the oral health industry, patients have more options than ever. But you don’t have to break the bank to keep your chompers healthy and clean. Follow these tips for better at-home oral health care. Whitening Products The dental health industry has made loads of dollars whitening teeth, but some products cause more harm than good. Avoid whitening toothpastes or strips that may contain silica particles that remove protective tooth layers along with the stain. These products are not customized like the whitening regimens at the dentist, so the products can be too harsh. Instead, choose a customized plan that we create for you! Your teeth will be better protected and pearly white. The Perfect Tools With options ranging from hard to ultra-soft bristles, many patients believe they need to use a toothbrush that is specialized for their needs. Instead, we almost always advise choosing toothbrushes with ultra-soft bristles. Hard bristles can destroy your gums and cause irreversible damage. In that same vein, be very careful not to use a toothpick or wedge floss

BUILD A BETTER SMILE!

ARMING YOUR MOUTH WITH THE TOOLS IT NEEDS

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Dr. Meg’s Supermom Survival Guide Helping Your Baby Find Relief From Teething Many sleepless nights and screaming fits can result from teeth erupting from a baby’s gums, but with gels, toys, and teething rings, it can be hard to discern which option is best for relief. As a dental expert and a mom to five children, Dr. Meg has a few tips to help! Unfortunately, numbing gels can be dangerous for your baby and do little to actually numb the pain. These gels will likely rub off before the numbing agent can go into effect, and the numbing agent can kick in after the saliva washes the gel off the gums and carries it around the lips and into the throat. This impacts a baby’s ability to swallow, which can become detrimental to their well-being. Instead, Dr. Meg recommends the following home remedies that are sure to soothe a baby’s aching gums! 1. She will often freeze low-sugar yogurt with Popsicle sticks poking through the bottom. Freeze the yogurt to the point where it’s solid but not too frozen, so the baby can gnaw on this homemade Popsicle and enjoy a healthy snack. You can also do this with seedless watermelon and peel-less apple slices. 2. Find rubber, mesh, or gel-like rings or blocks, and cool these toys slightly. Again, as your baby chews on these items, they will feel cool relief. Some toys and chewers even have options for including food into the mix! 3. Wet a washcloth with cool water, chill it in the refrigerator or freezer — be careful not to freeze it completely — and allow Baby to suck and chew on it. 4. If all else fails, your finger can offer the pain-relief your baby needs. Just make sure your hands are clean when Baby needs relief in a pinch.

Laughing Gas! Q. What did the werewolf eat after he’d had his teeth taken out? A. The dentist Q. What did the dentist say to the golfer? A. You have a hole in one!

How to Assemble a Veggie Skeleton

For the Head Your favorite paleo-friendly dip makes a great canvas for a face. Pour it into a bowl and build features on top using different veggies. For the Ribcage Sliced cucumbers make for great vertebrae, and bell pepper slivers can be used to simulate ribs. Alternate between the two to give your skeleton some backbone. For the Arms and Legs Any long and straight vegetable will do the trick here. If you want to be anatomically accurate, consider using some spherical vegetables for joints. Don’t be afraid to get creative and wacky with your veggie skeleton. The whole point, after all, is to have some fun and give people a reason to smile.

While gels may not be the solution they promise to be, other medicated creams can work wonders. Rotating the appropriate dosage of Tylenol or Advil can offer relief, while petroleum jellies or lip balms can soothe the region around a baby’s lips from drool-related rashes. Do not smear these products directly onto a baby’s lips to avoid as much ingestion as possible. Teething is an unavoidable part of development for babies, but you can make the experience bearable for your child. Learn more supermom tips for teething and oral health on our website.

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Designed by Their Owners The World’s Wackiest Homes The Lings Share Tips for Keeping Kids Entertained 1 Famous Teeth The Best Tools for Your Smile 2 Dr. Meg’s Supermom Tips: Teething How to Assemble a Veggie Skeleton 3 Crazy Homes Not Built by Architects 4

staircase looks like human vertebrae, skeletal hands act as towel hooks in the bathroom, and tendril-like fixtures surround the living room couch. Perhaps the most out-of-character addition to the house is a large mural of the bat symbol painted on the garage door, which is the origin of the property’s name. Hobbit House, Inverness-Shire, Scotland Surprisingly, Stuart Grant’s cozy forest cottage was not inspired by the hobbit holes of “Lord of the Rings.” In fact, Grant built it over 15 years before the first movie was released. Still, it’s hard not to imagine some magical creature taking up residence in this house, which appears to be an extension of the forest itself. Gnarled tree trunks frame a circular door, moss coats the roof, and ivy covers most of the walls, all belying a cozy interior fit for many a hobbit meal or dwarf song. These homes may not be for everyone, but that’s kind of the point. Each of these homes was built by a specific resident, for a specific resident. Still, you can’t help but be impressed by the determination of their owners to make something truly one of a kind.

It doesn’t always take a master architect to create a breathtaking home. Some homeowners have shunned suburban domiciles and, with a little artistic vision and a lot of determination, built homes that capture their identities. Quirky, meticulously constructed, and always unique, here are a few of the world’s wackiest homes designed, and sometimes built, by their owners. FreedomCove, British Columbia, Canada When someone says they live on the water, they probably don’t mean they actually live on the water. But for artists Wayne Adams and Catherine King, the statement is literal. Freedom Cove, their remote, magenta-green island home, floats in Clayoquot Sound near Vancouver Island. They started building it from old, interlocking steel docks in 1991, and now it includes 15 platforms, four greenhouses, a guest house, an art workshop, and more. Bat Casa, SanMiguel, Mexico The best word to describe this home is probably “anatomical.” That’s certainly the aesthetic movie set designer and Bat Casa resident Steve Rood was going for. The

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