Huron Smiles - August 2020
August 2020
HuronSmiles Simple and Stress Free What Dentistry Should Be
530 Iowa Ave. SE #102, Huron, SD 57350
605-352-8753
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Dog Days of Summer Hide-and-Seek With Bella
August means we’re officially in the dog days of summer. I love animals, but I haven’t had many dogs in my life, partially because my first one was a bit of a disaster. When I was little, my family got a toy poodle named
and learning her personality. When we first got her, she never barked, so at first, we were worried something was wrong. But everything was just fine, and she learned to bark with time. Fortunately,
Bella has never been a yappy dog. In fact, she’d much rather “talk” to us by making little throat noises to get our attention. It’s so cute, except when she wants to talk all through a movie.
Princess. She was the only dog I had as a child because Princess was not well potty trained. She
did her business all over the house, and as if that weren’t enough, she chewed on shoes too. One time, she even chewed on my homework folder. I had to go to school the next day and tell my teacher that my dog ate my homework — or at least part of it! We only had Princess for a few weeks before we had to find her a new home.
We love having Bella around. She’s my little snuggle buddy after work and my alarm clock in the morning. Bella loves going on walks, so she never lets me sleep through taking her on a morning walk. Bella also loves to play hide-and-seek with her favorite dog treat, Oinkies. We used to play a game where I would hide a treat for her to find. Then Bella flipped it around. Now she will hide her treat, then come talk to me until I go find it. Bella can be a pretty good hider. There have been a few times when we found an Oinkie under the pillow at bedtime. It’s both adorable and a little gross. I wanted a dog for years, and Bella is by far the best dog I could ask for. There’s nothing better than coming home after a long day and seeing her so excited to greet us. Bella is such a good dog, and she makes every day even better! Do you have pets who brighten your day? I’d love to hear about them — and see pictures — next time you’re in the office. Just be ready to see plenty of Yorkie pictures in return.
For years, I begged my mom to get another dog, but she always said no after Princess. I didn’t end up getting another dog until I was an adult. I wanted to get a dog when I was in dental school, but I was so busy and I didn’t want to leave a dog home alone all day. After Dr. Morales and I got engaged, we decided it was finally the right time. Two years ago, we got a Yorkie puppy, our little Bella. We were head over heels for her right from the start. When we started looking for Yorkies, we found a breeder on Facebook and went to meet them in a Walmart parking lot. The moment we saw Bella through the window of the van, we knew we had to have her. How could we say no to such a cute face? Taking care of Bella was nothing like taking care of Princess. It’s was so different raising a puppy from the time she was 4 months old. I remember teaching Bella how to go up and down the stairs, potty training her,
–Dr. Kassandra Gorena
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DEPRESSED, ANXIOUS, OR ANGRY? TRY LISTENING TO ROCK ‘N’ ROLL!
2020 has been a difficult year. If you’re feeling frustrated, angry, or depressed right now, you’re not alone! All over the world, people have been trying different strategies to cope with their feelings, including yoga, meditation, exercise, binge-watching their favorite TV
“During any given year, depression affects approximately 5%–8% of Americans,” FCR reports. “According to our survey
participants, the vast majority — around 89% — turn to music in order to feel better. The top genre for depressed listeners is rock, followed closely by alternative, pop, and hip-hop/rap.”
shows, and even baking banana bread. But perhaps the most universal outlet and cure for pent-up emotions is music. Do you remember the clip that went viral in March of Italians in quarantine, singing together from their balconies? If you do, that’s probably because it made
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the blues came in last on the list.
you smile. TIME heralded it as proof that “the country’s spirits are still strong,” and it’s just one small example of how music uplifts people. This isn’t just an anecdotal effect, either. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, music can help us process emotions and fight mental health conditions like anxiety, dysregulation, depression, trauma, sleep disorders, schizophrenia, and more. So, how can you take advantage of music’s power to turn your mood around? One option is to create music of your own, but another is simply to listen. When it comes to flipping a bad mood on its head, a survey conducted by the Family Center for Recovery (FCR) suggests that rock is the genre of choice.
To put the power of music to work, create playlists for each mood that you want to turn around, like “Anger,” “Frustration,” “Sadness,” “Anxiety,”
or “Grief,” and fill them with songs from genres associated with fighting that feeling. According to FCR, rock is the most popular antidote to sadness and anxiety, and it’s also high on the list for anger, along with pop and country. Frustrated people opt for variations of rock, pop, punk, and heavy metal, and those stricken by grief turn to soft rock or soul. The artists are up to you, so fill up your lists, press play, and let the music do its work.
OUR PATIENTS SAY IT BEST
“Great place! Very friendly and fun! Love the atmosphere!” – Jodi E.
“Very friendly, kind, competent staff. They explain what they are going to do, before doing it, and try to meet all your requests to help you feel relaxed. They even offered me a blankie and sunglasses.” –Katie P. “Friendly, caring staff who always greet you with a smile. They provide quality care to their patients.” –Nathan H.
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SAY ‘NO!’ TO NAIL BITING
Biting your nails can also force your teeth to move. Repeated pushing and pressure causes teeth to shift, resulting in problems with your bite or gaps in your teeth. Another serious issue nail biters may encounter is root resorption, when the jawbone actually reabsorbs the roots of the teeth, weakening them and leaving them vulnerable to falling out. If you have braces and bite your nails, you’re even more susceptible to resorption. All this, and we haven’t even talked about bacteria yet! Dirt and germs get trapped under
Be Kinder to Your Teeth
Nail biting is a widespread habit. Researchers estimate that one-third of the world’s population, including nearly half of all teenagers, bites their nails. Many believe this compulsive behavior arises from stress or boredom, but even though it’s been studied extensively, there are no concrete explanations for why so many humans do it regularly. What we do know, however, are plenty of concrete reasons why it’s important to break this habit. It might seem like your teeth are much stronger than your fingernails. In the short term, this is true because your teeth easily chomp and tear through your nails. But over time, your teeth will fall victim to the habit as the friction results in chipping, cracking, and gradual erosion. That means excessive biting can wear enamel away, leaving your teeth vulnerable to decay.
our fingernails no matter how clean we try to keep them. So when we put our fingers in our mouth, that bacteria transfers to our teeth and gums and may cause periodontal disease or other illnesses. If you’re a nail biter trying to break the habit, there are some simple solutions. Try trimming your nails regularly so there’s nothing to bite. You can also paint your nails with polish or coat them with bitter substances to deter yourself from biting. If you think stress is causing you to engage in this vice, keep a stress ball nearby and grab it instead of giving in to the biting urge. Keep your teeth and nails healthy by keeping them away from each other. You’ll avoid potentially expensive damage, and breaking the habit will help you find more productive reactions to stress and boredom.
Have a Laugh
Rhubarb Cake
Nature’s favorite tart vegetable — yes, rhubarb is a vegetable! — is in season once again. Celebrate rhubarb season with this simple, delicious cake.
Ingredients • 2 1/4 cups white sugar, divided • 1 tsp baking soda • 1/2 tsp salt • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 eggs, beaten • 1 cup sour cream • 3 cups rhubarb stalks, diced • 1/4 cup butter, softened
Directions 1. Heat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking dish. 2. In a large bowl, combine 1 1/4 cups sugar, baking soda, salt, and 2 cups flour. 3. Stir in eggs and sour cream until smooth. 4. Fold in rhubarb and add mixture to the prepared baking dish. 5. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup sugar and butter until smooth. 6. Stir in 1/4 cup flour until mixture is crumbly. 7. Sprinkle mixture on top of cake batter and bake for 45 minutes. 8. Let cake cool for 5–10 minutes and serve.
Inspired by The Minimalist Baker
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530 Iowa Ave. SE #102 Huron, SD 57350 605-352-8753
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HuronSmiles Simple and Stress Free What Dentistry Should Be
Inside This Issue
What Was Your First Pet? Page 1 The Best Genre of Music to Combat Depression Page 2 Hear From Our Happy Patients! Page 2 Why You Should Quit Biting Your Nails Page 3 Rhubarb Cake Page 3 The Best Grandfather a Kitten Could Have Page 4
THE STORY OF GRANDPA MASON How a Feral Cat Came to Care for Orphaned Kittens
When cats are orphaned as kittens, they don’t get the chance to develop all the skills needed to become successful cats. Just like human children, kittens need older role models too. The most famous cat role model had a rough start in life but became an inspiration for kittens and humans alike. His name was Grandpa Mason, and during the last years of his life, he stepped up and gave love, care, and guidance to the orphaned kittens that lived with him. The Canadian animal rescue group TinyKittens rescued Grandpa Mason in 2016 from a property that was scheduled to be bulldozed. The poor feral tabby was suffering from many health problems, including severe dental issues, a badly injured paw, and advanced kidney disease. Since TinyKittens is a no-kill rescue organization, euthanization was out of the question. Given his health conditions, veterinarians predicted the battle-scarred Grandpa Mason didn’t have long to live, so TinyKittens’ founder, Shelly Roche, took him in and provided him with a comfortable place to sleep, plenty of food, and time to relax in the last months of his life. Grandpa Mason had a hard time adjusting to domestic life and would often
shy away from being petted. In an interview with The Dodo, Roche described him as “an elderly gentleman [who] lived his whole life a certain way, and then, all of a sudden, [was] forced to live completely differently.” After Grandpa Mason grew accustomed to his home, Roche took in several foster kittens, and those new roommates completely altered Grandpa Mason’s behavior. Roche expected him to hiss, swat, or growl at the kittens when they invaded his space, but he didn’t. Instead, he allowed them to crawl all over him and appeared to enjoy it when they licked his ear. Suddenly a playful, affectionate, and gentle personality came out of Grandpa Mason as he played with, bathed, taught, and cared for the orphaned kittens that Roche welcomed into her home. Potentially due to the kittens’ influence, Grandpa Mason surpassed his prognosis by more than two years. During the last few years of his life, Grandpa Mason passed on important lessons and good manners to the kittens he looked after and adored, as a true grandfather should. He passed last September, but he spent his last night in his ultimate happy place: snuggling in his bed surrounded by kittens.
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