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August 2018
Celebrating the Importance of School Sports SLAM DUNKS AND TOUCHDOWNS
As we gear up to go back to school, I know a lot of my younger patients are getting ready to try out for school sports. Though a knee injury and replacement surgery have kept me away from any game for about 10 years, I really loved sports when I went to school. There are few other opportunities for kids to learn the same degree of teamwork and discipline. It’s also a great way to get kids off their phones for a little while. My dad was a basketball coach, so I grew up on the hardwood. When I was in junior high, I hit my growth spurt and ended up being one of the tallest kids on the team. I was happy to play forward and center, though my dad kept trying to get me to improve my dribbling. I didn’t listen and learned that was a huge mistake when I reached high school. My teammates were all getting taller and I wasn’t! Needless to say, I really should have listened to my dad. Ultimately, I ended up being a better football player than a basketball player. I was a quiet kid, but when I was on the field I could let my aggression out. I enjoyed the intensity of contact sports. Years later, my two sons played lacrosse in high school, and I fell in love with the game. If my school had offered lacrosse, I would have traded in my football helmet for a lacrosse stick in a heartbeat. Even though I haven’t been able to play myself for years, I still love sports. I encouraged my kids to play when they were
in school, and I like catching the games on TV, especially basketball. I remember being surprised when I noticed a lot of players in the NBA wear mouthguards when they play. In high school, they forced us to wear mouthguards in football to protect our teeth, but not basketball. But it makes sense for pro athletes to wear mouthguards when you consider the fact that, in addition to preventing broken teeth, mouthguards offer many other benefits.
This means a player is getting more oxygen and has the energy to play a little harder for a little longer. Additionally, a well-fitted custom mouthguard can help prevent or minimize the severity of a concussion if a player gets hit in the head. Mind you, professional athletes aren’t wearing the boil-and-bite mouthguards I and a lot of my teammates used while in school. Here at the office, we’re proud to offer custom mouthguards designed to perfectly fit a young athlete’s teeth. And there’s still plenty of time to get the perfect mouthguard made before the starts of the next sports season. Here’s to all the athletes we have at the office. Good luck this season, and be sure to drink plenty of water. –Dr. Stuckey
“Ultimately, I ended up being a better football player than a basketball player.”
A lot of these guys are wearing mouthguards because it helps them breathe better. You see, when you wear a mouthguard, it brings the jaw forward and opens the airways more.
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3 WAYS TO
Mentally Prepare Your Kids for the School Year
It may not feel like it yet, but summer is coming to a close, and summer break is ending along with it. Soon, the kids will be back to early morning breakfasts before the school bus arrives and late-night study sessions. Thankfully, there are some steps your family can take during these closing weeks of summer to ensure your kids hit the ground running this school year. Set an Early Bedtime For many kids, summer schedules are flexible. They may have become accustomed to sleeping in and staying up late without any obligations. Getting back into the rhythm of the school year can take some getting used to. In fact,
have assignments to worry about yet, can be a great opportunity to help them prepare a study schedule. Ask the following questions to help them get started: “Do you want to dive right into homework when you get home? Do you need to accommodate for a sport or extracurricular activity? Do you work best when doing your assignments in one large chunk, or would you prefer taking breaks in between assignments?” Your kids may find that last year’s schedule doesn’t work for them this year. Emphasize that this is okay; part of growing up is learning how and when you work most effectively. Don’t be afraid to help them switch things up as the school year progresses. Ask Your Kids How They Feel
according to psychologist Cherie Valeithian, it can take upward of two weeks to properly adjust to a new sleep-wake cycle. So why not give your kids a head start and ensure they begin the school year bright-eyed and bushy-tailed? Outline a Homework Schedule
Maybe your kids are excited about the school year. Maybe they are anxious, or perhaps they’re just disappointed to see summer vacation come to an end. Starting a dialogue about the aspects of school your kids are looking forward to and those they’re dreading can help you dispel myths and identify problem areas. More than anything else, this can help your kids feel at ease about the coming year.
Resuming a homework regimen can be a difficult transition for some kids. Late summer, when they don’t
What Makes Thursdays the Best?
Ashton Johns’ Amazing Balancing Act
Ashton divides her time between two other dental offices. But she says Briarfield is her favorite office to work at! This is very high praise when you consider how long Ashton has wanted to work in dentistry. “When I was little, I had to have braces twice,” Ashton says. “But I didn’t mind. I loved going to the orthodontist. The work they did there fascinated me. Once the doctor even let me work on my own teeth. My parents knew it wasn’t normal for a kid to love teeth as much as I did, so they set me in the direction of working with teeth for a living.” Initially, Ashton thought about becoming a dental assistant, but when she shadowed a dental hygienist at a dentist’s office, she found they did a lot more than hygienists at an orthodontist’s office. Ashton says her fate was sealed when she watched the hygienist polish a patient’s teeth. From the time she was 13, Ashton had her sights set on being a dental hygienist.
Ashton’s love of dentistry is part of what makes her such a great hygienist. The other part comes from how much she truly cares about her patients. “When patients come in with so much stuff on their teeth and they tell me they only brush once a day, I really encourage them to make a point to brush at least twice. Not everyone listens, but when patients do take my advice to heart, during their next visit I always see a huge difference in their teeth. It’s such an accomplishment to know I’ve been able to help my patients, because I know what a positive impact that one change will have on their health.” In her free time, Ashton enjoys swimming and rollerblading, though she admits free time has been pretty scarce recently because she’s busy planning her upcoming wedding! Ashton and her fiancé will be saying “I do” this December. Next time you’re in the office on a Thursday, be sure to congratulate her!
If you’re someone who has always made their appointments on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, there’s a chance you’ve never met one of our wonderful dental hygienists, Ashton Johns. Since joining the team last September, Ashton has been coming in on Thursdays to take care of patients. Hailing from Archbold,
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Seal of Approval
Do 4 out of 5 Dentists Really Recommend Chewing Gum?
We’ve all seen the commercials: An attractive spokesperson holds up a pack of gum and happily boasts, “4 out of 5 dentists recommend our brand!” This is surely bogus, right? Everyone knows sugar is bad for your teeth, so why would dentists ever recommend chewing gum? It may be because that particular gum doesn’t actually contain any sugar. Candies like caramels and lollipops are public enemy No. 1 when it comes to tooth health, but many types of chewing gum contain non-cavity- causing sweeteners like aspartame, sorbitol, or mannitol. Because of the absence of sugar, chewing gum can be surprisingly good for your teeth. The act of chewing increases your mouth’s flow of saliva. This may sound a little gross, but saliva helps break down the food you eat, neutralizing the enamel-destroying acid produced by bacteria in plaque. When you chew gum after meals, you actively help combat harmful oral bacteria. Clinical studies have found that chewing sugarless gum for 20 minutes after a meal can help prevent tooth decay. Other studies suggest that gum may also help remineralize teeth, reduce decay and plaque, and prevent or even reverse gingivitis.
How do you know if you are buying sugary candy or cavity-fighting super gum? Check the label for the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance. The ADA Seal is awarded to companies or products that are able to produce “scientific evidence that demonstrates the safety and efficacy of its product, which the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs carefully evaluates according to objective requirements.” Basically, if companies can prove their product helps your teeth in some way, their product may earn a seal of approval. Chewing gum cannot replace regular brushing and flossing, but it can help protect your teeth between brushings. If you want to see if your favorite gum is helping you prevent cavities, check out the full list of sugarless gums that have been awarded the ADA Seal at MouthHealthy.org/en/ ada-seal-products.
From the Ministry of Silly Band Names Dr. Stuckey’s Playlist
Laugh Corner
Have you ever heard a song on the radio you really liked, only to look it up later and discover the artist is behind several other songs you’ve enjoyed over the years? That was my experience after listing to the song “Walk on the Ocean” on the radio. I remember thinking, “I really like this sound. Who are these guys?” Turns out, “these guys” were an alternative rock group called Toad the Wet Sprocket. The band formed in 1986 with Glen Phillips on guitar and lead vocals, Randy Guss on drums, Todd Nichols on guitar, and Dean Dinning on bass. They’d all attended San Marcos High School just outside Santa Barbara, California. Their first public appearance was an open-mic contest. Though they didn’t win, Toad the Wet Sprocket would go on to enjoy mainstream success and release a number of platinum albums, including “Fear” and “Dulcinea.”
out, that’s by design. The name comes from a Monty Python comedy sketch in which a news journalist reads a nonsensical report about the lead electrical trianglist of a fictional band called Toad the Wet Sprocket. Eric Idle, the man who wrote the sketch, claimed, “I was trying to think of a name that would be so silly nobody would ever use it, or dream it could ever be used.” As the real band got ready for their first gig, they still didn’t have a name and decided to temporarily use Toad the Wet Sprocket as a reference to the Monty Python sketch. Phillips would later call the band name “a joke that went on too long.” Silly names aside, I really do enjoy their sound. There’s a lot of acoustic rock in their songs and they blend it with their lyrics really well. I can’t think of a better soundtrack to close out summer than Toad the Wet Sprocket.
Rock band names can be pretty weird, but Toad the Wet Sprocket takes the crown for ridiculous. Turns
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What Sport Did You Play in School?
How to Prepare Your Kids for School All Over Ohio With Ashton
The Truth About Sugar-Free Gum Dr. Stuckey’s Playlist
Keep Your Kids Safe on the Way to School
Protect Your Children During Their Commute TRANSPORTATION SAFETY TIPS
Sharing the Road When school starts, the roads become even more cluttered than usual. On top of people heading to work, there are large buses making frequent stops, parents rushing to drop their kids off, and young kids biking or walking to school. With the added tension on the road, it’s important to be alert and move cautiously. Slowing down in school zones or around young pedestrians will keep you vigilant and could potentially save lives.
With the school year fast approaching, families are in preparation mode. Parents are busy buying new clothes and school supplies and thinking about the best way to get their kids safely to school. Keeping your child safe on their commute starts with knowing the transportation method that works best for you and the rules that accompany that method. Taking the School Bus According to the United States Department of Transportation, the school bus is the safest means of transportation to and from school. Buses are built to withstand a hit and distribute the damage throughout the vehicle, keeping its passengers safe and sound. Knowing basic bus safety will help kids be mindful when taking the bus. Before the school year starts, take your children to the bus stop
and show them where they should stand when the bus approaches — a minimum of three large steps or 6 feet from the street. Tell your kids about the importance of sitting still and not standing in the bus while it’s in motion. Kids on the Road
Whether your child is biking, walking, or even skateboarding, it’s vital that they
know and follow the rules of the road. All children should practice road safety behavior, such as riding on the right side of the road, wearing helmets, stopping at stop signs, and watching out for cars. Internalizing these habits will help them stay aware of their surroundings when traveling to and from school.
Teach your kids to be prepared and safe on the road to ensure that they have a healthy and safe school year.
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