Take a look at the latest edition of The Monthly Brush-Up!
LESSONS LEARNED FROM BOARD GAMES ANDERSON DENTAL CARE Nathan Brooks, DDS, Inc. FUN AND EDUCATIONAL 7525 STATE RD., STE. A, CINCINNATI, OH 45255 | 513-438-8152 | WWW.ATOWNDENTAL.COM | JUNE 2021 BRUSH - UP
As a kid, I can remember playing board games with my family. I wish I could say it was always fun, but our competitive natures always caused the game to end with someone in tears. (If you play with kids, I bet you can relate!) One of the “favorite” games to play was Sorry!, and my mom was ruthless. She’d always win, and she enjoyed more than she should every time she got to say “Sorry!” and send one of us back to home base. Needless to say, I don’t own Sorry! today. Okay, actually I kind of do, but it’s the original form called Parcheesi, and sending someone back to home while yelling “Parcheesi!” makes it much less painful for all involved. Over the past year, with lots of time at home, my wife and I determined that our kids were old enough to really start getting into board games with us. We tried Monopoly — that one didn’t end so well. But we kept trying until we found a few that we all really enjoy and everyone can participate in. Our family favorites include Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, Azul, and Dominoes. An unexpected benefit to playing these games together is all the teaching opportunities that come from playing games. In Settlers of Catan, we’re talking about basic economics using finite resources, Dominoes is great for counting and matching, Ticket to Ride is great for history and geography lessons, and Azul is great for strategy, patterns, and counting.
I’m finding that games provide natural opportunities to prepare my kids to consider the impact of decisions they make. Another benefit of playing these games has been spending true quality time with my kids. When we’re watching a family movie, I might peek at my phone now and then or be thinking about something else, but with a board game, my full attention is always on the family and the game. I’ve also noticed my kids get really excited when we get to play as a team. I cherish that time connecting with them and working with them for a common goal.
We’ve also pulled out a few of our other favorites from when my wife and I were kids — Candyland, Battleship, and Scrabble are a few. It’s fun to see our kids playing a classic and finding the same joy we experienced as kids. If you’re not playing board games as a family or with friends, I highly recommend it! If you have some favorite board games, we’re always looking for new ones to try and maybe add to our collection. I hope you’ll share the next time we see you!
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Whether you’re a child or an adult, sometimes there’s nothing better than your favorite sticky or chewy candy. Since June is National Candy Month, we thought we’d share some of the best ways to consume your favorite candies and protect your teeth as much as possible! 1. EAT CANDY IN MODERATION. If you are going to have sticky and chewy candy, eat it with a meal instead of as a midday snack. Because your mouth has already produced more saliva during mealtime, eating candy with a meal helps prevent decay. The saliva fights the acid in your mouth and also helps flush out the sugar. 2. DON’T CONTINUOUSLY EAT STICKY/CHEWY FOODS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. The sustained sugar and acid bath will quickly wear away the enamel on your teeth. Limit your exposure by eating the sticky item in one sitting. This also applies to things like cough drops or throat lozenges. 3. RINSE OR DRINK WATER AFTER YOU’VE EATEN CANDY IF YOU CAN’T FLOSS AFTERWARD. The water will help to balance your mouth’s pH and possibly remove some sticky leftovers. 4. WAIT TO BRUSH! Don’t ever brush your teeth right after you’ve eaten. When you eat, sugar and acid start to make your enamel soft. If you brush right away, you are brushing your enamel right off. In about 30 minutes, though, your saliva will have helped your enamel to remineralize, and it’s safe to brush your teeth. 5. GET TRAVEL FLOSS. Next time you are at the drugstore, grab an extra container of floss to keep in your bag for sticky emergencies. You can even find stylish floss containers for a higher, premium price if you believe that might tempt you to floss more often! Your Dentist’s Candy Checklist A SAFER WAY TO EAT CANDY TO KEEP YOUR TEETH HEALTHY
DIY OR BUY?
The warm summer sun may be enough to beckon your family outdoors, but lawn games will guarantee hours of fun outside. If you’re handy, there are plenty of great lawn games you can make yourself. If not, buy an off-the-shelf alternative and enjoy the easy setup. GIANT JENGA: EASY DIY All you need to build a giant Jenga tower are two-by-fours that are cut to length. If you’re handy with a saw, you can do this at home. If not, ask to have the wood cut at your local lumberyard. Be sure to sand down the edges before stacking the boards to create a classic Jenga tower! For extra fun, pick a few paint colors and paint each board. Visit ABeautifulMess.com/make-this-giant-jenga to see a complete set of instructions. LAWN GAMES FOR FAMILY SUMMER FUN r ?
Buy: Skip the project and buy GoSports Giant Wooden Toppling Tower online, which retails for about $70 and stacks over 5 feet high.
CLASSIC HORSESHOES: INTERMEDIATE DIY Tossing horseshoes is a great way to pass an afternoon. To play, you’ll just need to set up two sand pits in your yard. Get a handful of horseshoes, and you’re ready to go! Many DIY plans are available online, including one from HousefulOfHandmade.com/ultimate-diy-horseshoe-pit. Buy: Check out the kid-friendly rubber horseshoe set from Wayfair.com, which requires no installation, can be used indoors or alongside your outdoor game, and is safe for younger children. CORNHOLE: ADVANCED DIY The humble beanbag may be the most versatile backyard game piece. It’s used in the popular game commonly known as cornhole. To build your own cornhole set, you’ll need a couple of sheets of 1/2-inch-thick plywood along with two-by-fours, some hardware, and a variety of tools including a drill, jigsaw, and sander. Visit DIYPete.com/cornhole-board- plans to get both written and video instructions. Buy: Ready to play ASAP? Cornhole sets are available from many large retailers around summertime, or you can order a customized set featuring your favorite team, family name, or characters from your favorite movies by looking at Etsy.com.
We may be a dental office, but we don’t alienate our candy lovers! We believe in moderation and oral hygiene. And that even applies to sweets. Never hesitate to ask if you have specific questions.
Whether you buy or DIY, remember to have fun and always supervise your children while playing outdoors, especially when it comes to yard games!
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EXPLORE A NATIONAL FOREST FOR FREE
On National Get Outdoors Day
Many people in the U.S. and across the world have a national park trip on their travel bucket list. While Zion, Yellowstone, and the Great Smoky Mountains are all awesome locales, outdoor enthusiasts often overlook a resource that is less busy, less expensive, and usually right in their backyard: national forests. All but 10 states have a national forest (or more than one!), so if your home state doesn’t have one, it’s very likely a neighboring state does! And there’s no better time to hike, bike, forage for mushrooms or berries, or camp at a nearby national forest than this month. The tree-filled landscape will provide shade and help you beat the summer heat, and to further incentivize visitors, the U.S. Forest Service (the organization that oversees the national forests) is offering a fee-free day on Saturday, June 12, in honor of National Get Outdoors Day! While parking and day-use fees to access national forests tend to be relatively modest, fee-free days open up the opportunity to all visitors. The U.S. Forest Service has a great interactive map tool that prospective park- goers can use to learn more about the forests in their area, amenities and activities, and accessibility. Visit FS.fed.us/ivm/ to access the map and see what’s near your hometown!
If you’re dreaming up travel plans beyond your state’s border, consider visiting these notable U.S. national forests.
• El Yunque National Forest:
Located in Puerto Rico, El Yunque is the only tropical rainforest in the United States.
• Tongass National Forest (pictured): Spanning 16.7 million acres and several islands across Southeast Alaska, the Tongass is the country’s largest national forest. • Salmon-Challis National Forest: This Idaho forest is the largest contiguous wilderness area in the lower 48 and contains the Frank Church–River of No Return Wilderness. • Cibola National Forest and Grassland: Spread across north-central New Mexico, west Texas, and Oklahoma, this forest and grassland area is notable for its diverse ecosystems and wildlife. The Sky Islands portion of the park is also home to over 200 rare plant and animal species.
YOUR MONTHLY NEED-TO-KNOW!
EASY TUNA POKE BOWL
HOW LONG IS A ‘MOMENT’? A moment is a medieval unit of time equal to 1.5 minutes or 1/40 of an hour. This reckoning is derived from the work of Bartholomeus Anglicus, writing in 1240 that each hour was divided into four points, each point into 10 moments, each moment into 12 ounces, and each ounce into 47 atoms. WHO TOOK THE WORLD’S FIRST PHOTOGRAPH? The first photograph, or more specifically, the earliest known surviving photograph made in a camera, was taken by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in 1826 or 1827. The image depicts the view from an upstairs window at Niépce’s estate, Le Gras, in the Burgundy region of France. DO DOLPHINS DRINK SALT WATER? Dolphins and other sea-dwelling mammals can obtain water from their food and by producing it internally from the metabolic breakdown of food. Although some marine mammals are known to drink seawater at least on occasion, it is not well established that they routinely do so.
INGREDIENTS • 2 tsp soy sauce • 1 tsp sesame oil •
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2 tbsp cilantro leaves, chopped 1 scallion, finely chopped 1 cup rice, cooked and cooled
2 tbsp orange juice
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1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/4 cup avocado, cubed
4 cherry tomatoes, quartered
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10 oz canned tuna, drained
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1. First, make the dressing. In a jar, add soy sauce, sesame oil, orange juice, and ginger. Secure the lid and shake until emulsified. 2. In a small bowl, empty the drained tuna and pour the dressing over top. Add the cilantro and scallions and stir until well coated. 3. Divide rice between two serving bowls. Top with the dressed tuna, avocado, tomatoes, and sesame seeds. DIRECTIONS
Inspired by TheKitchn.com
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ANDERSON DENTAL CARE Nathan Brooks, DDS, Inc.
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
7525 STATE RD., STE. A, CINCINNATI, OH 45255
Have You Explored a National Forest? INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1 2 2 3 3 4 Easy Tuna Poke Bowl The Simple Tooth: June Fun Facts DIY or Buy: Summer Lawn Games Eat Candy and Keep Your Teeth Healthy Bringing Back Board Games
THE SIMPLE TOOTH FUN FACTS ABOUT JUNE!
We used to learn all sorts of truly fun facts about our months during elementary school — so, why not revisit them? Here are a few things about June that most people don’t know! 1. NO OTHER MONTH IN THE YEAR BEGINS ON THE SAME DAY OF THE WEEK AS JUNE. It’s true! June 1 babies get a unique day of the week every year. 2. JUNE 14 WILL BE THE DAY OF THE ANNUAL CHINESE DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL. An ancient event to celebrate patriotism and sacrifice, the festival commemorates Qu Yuan, an ancient Chinese poet, who drowned in 278 B.C. His body was never found. Every year, people paddle dragon boats (canoe-like boats) into the water to search for his body.
Since ancient times, this event has turned into a competitive sport for dragon boat racing.
Latin word iuniores , which translates to “younger ones”? Or was it named after the founder of the Roman republic, Lucius Junius Brutus? 5. THE ROMANS BELIEVED THE MIDDLE OF MAY TO THE MIDDLE OF JUNE WAS THE WORST TIME TO GET MARRIED. As the story goes, Ovid, a Roman poet, consulted with the high priestess of Jupiter and asked when would be a good time for his daughter’s wedding. She decreed he should wait until after June 15. Today, however, June is one of the most popular months to get married! We hope you liked these facts and get to enjoy your favorite June holidays. But maybe don’t go too crazy on National Chocolate Ice Cream Day on June 7 — or at least brush your teeth thoroughly afterward!
3. JUNE 14 IS ALSO FLAG DAY TO COMMEMORATE THE AMERICAN FLAG! Our first American flag from 1775 looked too similar to the British flag. So, on June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution that “the flag of the United States be 13 stripes, alternate red and white,” and that “the union be 13 stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.” It became an official holiday in 1916, decreed by President Woodrow Wilson. 4. THERE’S CONTROVERSY ABOUT THE ORIGINS OF THE MONTH OF JUNE’S NAME. Could it have been named after the Roman goddess of marriage, Juno? Or was it after the
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