February 2018
800 South Washington St. Afton, WY 83110 (307)885-4337 | www.drlivingstondds.com
Life with Livingston Dental
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From One Beautiful Wilderness to the Next
members are very supportive of one another, too, and we enjoy potlucks, birthdays, and holiday gatherings throughout the year. We know a visit to the dentist can be scary. Maybe you’ve had a bad experience in the past or maybe you just don’t like having your teeth cleaned. Our staff will help you feel comfortable, and we’ll do whatever we can to make a visit to the dentist a better experience for you. Trust and respect are the two foundations of any relationship, and that’s what we hope to develop with our patients. Know that we’re not just here to tell you what to do for your teeth. We offer you options so you can figure out which treatment is best for you. What I enjoy most about this job is getting to know my patients and providing compassionate service to them. We improve the quality of people’s lives, because to better someone’s oral health betters their whole health. It’s an incredible job.
Star Valley makes the perfect place for our kids to learn about the outdoors and give back. Did you know the national average for Boy Scouts who become Eagle Scouts is just 2 percent, but here in the valley, it’s over 50 percent? I think that number tells you something about our community. We learn hard work, discipline, and an appreciation for the outdoors here. Scouts perform thousands of hours of service each year, and all four of my boys have been a part of it. As a parent and scoutmaster, I’ve watched hundreds of young men advance from Cub Scouts all the way to Eagle Scouts, learning skills and interests along the way. When he was earning his merit badges, my son enjoyed getting his dentist badge. Today, he’s a dentist practicing in Oregon, and works in our office once a month completing implants and surgeries. Our community is very important to our work team, too, and we strive to give back, from community service to patient appreciation. Each year, we devote a day to our veterans. Two times a year, we go out and clean a section of the highway. We put on barbecues, monthly drawings, and other fun activities for our patients. Our team
I grew up in Canada, where we made the most of our cold winters and green forests. We spent every season outdoors, from snowmobiling and skiing to camping, hiking, and fishing. My father was a truck driver, so he was gone a lot when we were kids. He was a hard worker and provided for our family, even though his job meant traveling many miles every week. Seeing that as a kid, I thought, “If I ever have a family, I’d like to be around when they are involved in sports and plays.” When I got older, I wondered, “How can I provide for my family and be home more than my dad got to be?” After going to dental school in Nebraska, I considered returning to Canada to practice, but I fell in love with Wyoming. It’s a close match to our northern wilderness, and my kids enjoy many of the same activities I loved as a kid. We’ve lived here for 28 years now, and it’s a beautiful place to work and raise a family. The answer, it turned out, was dentistry.
Feel free to call us if you have any questions. We look forward to meeting you!
1 Livingston Dental
Wait — Screen Time Is Good for Kids? How a Balanced Media Diet Bolsters Child Development
of screen time would be better spent climbing a tree or running in the backyard. But in October of 2016, they offered new recommendations for parents. For infants and young toddlers, the research still sides pretty heavily against the use of iPads and television. Before 18 months of age, a child lacks the cognitive capabilities allowing them to apply the lessons of technology to real life, and even after that, the APP recommends that media consumption should be limited to “high-quality programming, such as the content offered by Sesame Workshop and PBS.” But for kids ages 5 and up, parents should avoid banning screen time outright, and instead function as their child’s media mentor. Instead of decrying time spent building complex structures in “Minecraft” as hours that could be spent on the soccer field, we should set expectations and boundaries to ensure that children can deepen their experience of the world through media, not hamper it. The problem starts not with the screen itself, but when the consumption of media becomes problematic, replacing regular face-to-face interactions and physical activity. But with a balanced media diet, kids can have the best of both worlds.
If you Google the effects of screen time on children, you’re sure to be bombarded with horror stories. Numerous articles claim that, beginning in infancy, the more time a child spends in front of a TV, phone, or computer, the worse their developmental outcomes will be.
At first glance, the research is utterly conclusive. It seems we should throw out every TV in our house, smash
our kids’ smartphones, and usher our children into the great outdoors as soon as possible. But what most of these studies fail to take into account is the content of the electronic media. Obviously, if a child spends two hours a day binging episodes of “The Big Bang Theory” or screaming obscenities into a headset while playing “Call of Duty,” it’s going to negatively impact their experience of the world along with their mental and physical health. But not all content is created equal. In the past, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended strict limits on electronic engagement for kids, following the old line of thinking that any kind
For a More Secure Smile
The last thing you want to be worried about when speaking in front of an important group of people — or even when you’re eating lunch alone — is a tooth falling out. Not only is it embarrassing, but it also creates a dangerous choking hazard. Dentures and bridges can sometimes cause this to happen. If you’re someone who wants to avoid situations like this, why not consider an implant? A dental implant is a strong, solid structure that is surgically fused into your jaw bone beneath your gums. Dentists are then able to place replacement teeth onto the structure, which doesn’t require any adjacent teeth to be ground down. These implants feel natural and are sturdy enough that they won’t move or slip out when you’re eating or talking. In the past, implants were placed using information from X-rays. As time passed and technology improved, however, a better method emerged. With the use of a CT scanner, dentists are able to determine where placements should go with more accuracy than ever before. The scan provides a 3-D image of a patient’s mouth and includes information in regard to bone Say Goodbye to Dentures
density, locations of nerves and sinuses, and the precise location of each tooth. This gives doctors the ability to seek out the best placement for an implant before surgery. For this reason, we at Livingston Dental have invested in doing our implant surgeries with a CT scanner. We strive to give the best treatments possible, and this technology enables us to do just that.
2 (307)885-4337 | www.drlivingstondds.com
A Fresh Start When you come in for a cleaning, we understand that you may have had
When our patients first came in, we expected to fix Mary’s tooth and replace her crown, but after the exam, I explained to Paul that we would need to make a new plan. We went over three options with them. They could do nothing, take the tooth out, or restore the root canal and crown. Paul and I started talking about Mary and her needs. Because of the progression of her Alzheimer’s, her last few dental appointments were very stressful and hard on her. After discussing what would be best for Mary, we decided their best plan was to remove the tooth. I recommended a skilled oral surgeon, and he assured them Mary could be asleep while the procedure was taking place to make it easier for her. While it was different than the original plan, we collectively found the best option for Mary.
experiences at other places that cause you to dislike, or even fear, getting your teeth cleaned. Here at Livingston Dental, we offer you a fresh start. We recognize that you’re trusting us to do right by you, and we’ll do everything we can to earn that trust. That’s what we did for Paul and Mary.* Mary is suffering from Alzheimer’s, and the disease makes finding her best care a challenge and a necessity. Mary came into our office with a broken tooth and a crown that had fallen off. When we did an exam, we saw that not only was her tooth broken, a previous root canal had abscessed. Though there was an infection, she hadn’t felt or noticed it.
Our work is about listening to our patients and prioritizing their needs. If that means sending you somewhere else that can provide the type of treatment you need, we won’t hesitate to do that. Here at Livingston Dental, your needs come first.
*Names have been changed to protect the patients’ identities.
Puzzle Time! Sweet and Zesty Detox Salad Ingredients
(Recipe inspired by GimmeSomeOven.com.)
For the Dressing: • 1 large carrot, roughly chopped • 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger • 1 tablespoon honey
For the Salad • 3 cups chopped kale leaves • 2 cups chopped broccoli florets • 2 cups chopped red cabbage • 1 cup matchstick carrots • 1 cup chopped cilantro • 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds • 1/3 cup sliced green onions • 1 diced avocado
• 1 tablespoon white miso • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil • Salt and pepper, to taste
Ingredients
1. To make the salad, add all ingredients to a large bowl; toss to combine. 2. To make the dressing, add all ingredients to a blender or food processor. Pulse until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper or add extra honey for a sweeter taste. 3. Drizzle dressing over salad and serve immediately.
CROWN FILLING MOLAR RINSE TOOTH
BRIDGE DENTURE INCISORS RESTORE TARTAR
BITE DENTIST IMPLANT PEDIATRIC SPIT
3 Livingston Dental
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
800 South Washington St., Afton, WY 83110 (307) 885-4337 | www.drlivingstondds.com
Inside Dr. Livingston Shares His Story
When Screen Time Is Good for Kids Dental Implants Provide the Perfect Fit
Our 1st Priority Whip Up This Winter Salad in a Flash!
The 3 Best Places to See Beautiful Flowers
Earth’s Most Beautiful Flower Displays
Washington, D.C. Besides the monuments and historic buildings, one of the biggest attractions in Washington, D.C. is the cherry tree blossoms. Travelers who visit the Tidal Basin during the spring can witness 3,000 trees, which were a gift from Tokyo in 1912, flaunt their beautiful pink blossoms. The best time to see the spectacle is from the end of March through the end of April. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Desert lavender, flowering cacti, pygmy poppies, and rock daisies are just a few of the many wildflowers decorating Anza- Borrego Desert State Park. The various native species are often seen weaved together to form a colorful carpet over any barren patch in the park, which is located just two hours from San Diego. In addition to flowers, visitors often spot bighorn
sheep. Wildflower blossoms vary in intensity each year, but they typically begin to bloom in late February or early March. Next time you’re planning a spring trip, consider visiting one of the world’s most beautiful flower displays. No green thumb required.
Spring is here, which means flora will soon be in full bloom. Flowers can be an easy pick-me-up or a great way to add color to your home, but some people take their flower obsession to the next level by planning botanical-themed vacations. Here are some of the most impressive gardens and flower displays in the world. Netherlands Holland, most famous for its tulips, always draws visitors at the first sign of spring. One of its most famous destinations, Keukenhof, located in Lisse, is among the world’s largest flower gardens. The park is 79 acres and boasts approximately 7 million flowers each year. This colorful garden is open annually from mid-March to mid-May, but mid-April is the ideal time to see the tulips.
4 (307)885-4337 | www.drlivingstondds.com
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