Jason A. Schermer September 2017

Family Dental Matters Wh i ch Fami l y Membe r Needs to V i s i t t he Den t i s t t he Mos t ?

As we age, our dental needs can change and our teeth face different risks. When scheduling dental visits for your family, is it more important for little Daisy to see the dentist, or should parents make their appointments first?

see the dentist more often than anyone else. Regular visits to the dentist for family members of all ages can help prevent many common dental woes, from tooth decay to gum disease, before they lead to expensive problems. With family schedules getting busier every day, we know how valuable your time is. At the office, we’d love to see your whole family and are more than happy to fit everyone in during one visit! Next time you schedule an appointment, let us know if there are other family members we can help at the same time. We’ll get everyone in and out as soon as possible.

Even before our permanent teeth come in, we need to take care of our teeth. The enamel on baby teeth is thin and can easily wear down and get cavities. It’s important to help younger children care for their baby teeth to maintain the jaw until permanent teeth start to grow. Once permanent teeth do come in, tooth decay is the biggest threat, and it’s also the most common and most preventable disease in children. The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) found tooth decay is five times more

common than asthma! A staggering 51 million school hours are lost every year due to dental- related illness. For adults who brush regularly, tooth decay isn’t such a big problem, but gum disease is. Almost 75 percent of adults suffer from some form of gum disease, though the American Dental Hygiene Association found most of them don’t realize it. Ultimately, we’re going to face challenges with our teeth all our lives. Age doesn’t play a factor in determining if a member of your family should

Leah’s Bad Dad Joke of the Month

ONE-PAN Harvest Pasta

Ingredients •

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 small eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces (4 cups) 1 medium zucchini, coarsely chopped (2 cups) 2 tomatoes or 4 Roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped (1 cup) 1/3 cup chopped red onion 1 (19-ounce) can cannellini beans (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained 2 cloves garlic, minced

1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth 1 cup dried whole grain elbow macaroni 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

What do you call a fake noodle? An im-pasta.

• •

Kosher salt

Ground black pepper (optional) Snipped fresh basil

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Grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions 1. In a very large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, red onion, and garlic. Cook, uncovered, 7–10 minutes or until vegetables are almost tender, stirring occasionally. 2. Add beans, broth, pasta, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer 7–10 minutes more or until vegetables and pasta are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper; top with basil and Parmesan cheese and serve.

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