Jan 16, 2014
It wouldn’t be January without New Year’s Resolutions.
It is said that the concept of a New Year’s Resolution dates all the way back to the Babylonians. The custom originated as a gesture involving “moral favors” which were essentially personal promises to be good to others – the purpose was mostly to please God. It eventually evolved into dedicating time to reflect upon the previous year, and to contemplate the year to come. The goal, once again, was to make better use of personal talents to please God, treat people well, and to avoid habitual sins in the future.
Pretty cool stuff, and it seems pretty similar to the New Year’s Resolutions that we make today. We resolve each year to better ourselves in at least one important aspect of life – physical health, mental health, spiritual health, personal finance, family life etc. But if these resolutions are so important, then why do so many people seemingly fail?
It is believed that one of the main reasons is because we are too secretive. We don’t tell others what our resolutions are, and instead we bottle it up and keep it to ourselves. Now, some resolutions can certainly be personal and you might want to keep them to yourself. However, if you share your New Year’s Resolution and make it well known to family and friends, then you are much more likely to stick with it because they will help hold you accountable.
That is where we come in! In 2014 you should make your smile a priority. Whether it is committing to coming in religiously for all of your scheduled regular cleanings, or getting those veneers or that invisilign that you have always wanted to finish off that perfect smile…2014 is your year and we are here to help you every step of the way. Light up a room this year with your brilliant smile.
Call our office to set up an appointment today!
Source: http://billpetro.com/history-of-new-years-resolutions
Jan 16, 2014
As we brought in the New Year a few weeks ago, we allowed ourselves a little time to reflect on all happened in 2013. Here are some of the reasons why 2013 was amazing at Falmouth Dental Arts.
- Dancing with the Dentists – one of our dreams was to sponsor an event that brought the local dental community together to raise money for charity. In the late summer/early fall of the year 2012, an idea of “Dancing with the Dentists” was born and just over a year later on November 16, 2013, the dream became a reality. The overwhelming support we got from so many people was truly amazing and humbling, and bringing together over 400 of our peers from the Maine dental community for a night of fun outside of our offices made for a magical and unforgettable time. In all, the event raised more than $25,000 to be donated to Maine Dental Lifeline. Dancing with the Dentists exceeded all expectations for its inaugural season and was certainly one of the highlights of our year, thank you to all who attended and supported the cause. And plus, our very own Dr. Brian Brunacini and his wife Dr. Jenny Fultz-Brunacini took home the trophy as the dancing champs of the night!
- Celebrating 275 years of combined staff experience – In 2013 our staff celebrated 275 years of combined dental experience between all of us! We take a lot of pride in our commitment to continuing education and constantly absorbing new knowledge so that we are positively providing you with the best dental experience we possibly can with all the cutting edge techniques and technology. Giving you the highest quality care possible and making sure you are more comfortable than you have ever been at a dentists’ office is something we pride ourselves on. We attended a few notable classes and workshops in 2013. One focused on dealing with gluten intolerance/sensitivity and celiac disease, and another course we took focused on the diagnosis of periodontal disease. Both were extremely beneficial.
- Our Facebook Page grew to 220 likes – We started the year in January 2013 with 75 “Likes” on our Facebook page and by New Years Eve 2013 we had grown to 220 “Likes.” This may not seem like a big deal, but it means a lot to us. We love keeping in touch with our patients and building relationships with you! This is another tool that allows us to do that when you can’t come in to visit us. We love engaging with you on social media and we are very active on our page, so if you haven’t had the chance to “Like” the FDA Facebook page yet, head over and do it now! We like to have some fun too…we promise it’s not all posts about teeth – check out our page to see for yourself!
The year 2013 had some incredible highs for FDA and we are very grateful. The greatest thing about our job, however, is getting to see you when you come in to visit us, whether it be for a regular cleaning or for more extensive dental work. Coming into our office every day and working with the most amazing team around and getting to help the best patients around achieve and maintain their dream smile is why we do what we do. Thank you for contributing to such an incredible year in 2013, and we can’t wait for what 2014 has to bring!
Falmouth Dental Arts wishes you and yours a very happy and healthy 2014!
Dec 19, 2013
It’s that time of year again… along with the cold weather comes, well…colds. Stuffy noses, sore throats, headaches, coughing – you know the drill. ‘Tis the season.
But did you know that an infection or abscess in your back teeth can spread into your maxillary sinus and cause an infection there as well?
As you might know, you have several sinuses, but only one of those sets can be affected by tooth-related issues. The maxillary sinuses are on either side of your nose and come in close contact with the roots of your upper teeth. Because the two are so close, abscesses from the upper back teeth can make their way into your maxillary sinus and cause an infection.
Most cases are due to a viral infection and resolve over the course of 10 days. However, if your sinus infection or toothache has been nagging for weeks, you may have a maxillary sinus infection that relates to an unknown infection in your teeth! So if you are prone to sinus infections, you may not think to visit with us, but perhaps you should!
Here are some common signs and symptoms of sinus infections:
- Headache, localized facial pain/pressure, or toothache – a dull, constant, or aching sort over the affected sinuses is common with both acute and chronic stages of sinusitis. This pain is typically localized to the involved sinus and may worsen when the affected person bends over or when lying down. Pain often starts on one side of the head and progresses to both sides.
- Acute and chronic sinusitis may be accompanied by thick nasal discharge that is usually green in color and may contain pus (purulent) and/or blood.
- Infection of the eye socket is possible, which may result in the loss of sight and is accompanied by fever and severe illness. Another possible complication is the infection of the bones of the forehead and other facial bones.
- Sinus infections can also cause middle ear problems due to the congestion of the nasal passages. This can be demonstrated by dizziness, “a pressurized or heavy head”, or vibrating sensations in the head.
- Other symptoms of sinusitis include bad breath and Post-nasal drip.
Generally, tooth abscesses are painful. However, once in a while there’s no discomfort at all—it depends on the location of the infection. If you’re experiencing pain (even if the pain goes away), or any of the other symptoms listed above, let us know. We can help catch problems—and infections—before they spread.
Source: http://dentaltipz.blogspot.com/2013/12/sinusitis-and-dental-office.html
Dec 19, 2013
At FDA we love this time of year. Celebrating with friends and family, festive decorations, cooking and eating traditional recipes, and of course, exchanging gifts.
Our gift to you is the something that we are certain you would never expect from us…CANDY! Yes, candy. But not just any candy…
Researchers are developing a new candy that is actually GOOD for your oral health!
Now, we understand that you are probably thinking one of three things:
- Healthy candy? Yea right…that is way too good to be true.
- Any healthy candy has got to taste absolutely disgusting.
- This is some sick Christmas joke.
However, we are not joking, this candy is in fact REAL and we are telling the TRUTH!! Simply put, an ingredient in the candy has proven to reduce levels of bad, cavity-causing bacteria in mouths. Also, sugar-free candy such as this one actually stimulates saliva production which is good for oral health.
Let’s explain this a little further…
Our mouths are comprised of a delicate balance of good and bad bacteria. When we clean our teeth, the aim is to get rid of cavity-causing bacteria while allowing good bacteria to thrive.
Now, researchers have developed this sugar-free candy. The research team, led by Christine Lang, believes that this good bacteria in the candy binds with the harmful bacteria in the mouth and prevents it from reattaching to the teeth. Without the ability to latch onto teeth, saliva washes the bad bacteria away and potential for developing cavities declines. Seems to make sense, right?
Lang and her team used 60 subjects in their initial trial. Twenty subjects ate candy with 1mg of good bacteria, another twenty subjects ate candy with 2mg of good bacteria, and the remaining twenty subjects ate candy that tasted similar, but contained no good bacteria (the control group).
In total, each subject ate five candies during the course of the 1.5-day experiment. They were not allowed to perform any oral hygiene activities during this time, and they were also not allowed to consume coffee, tea, wine or probiotic foods.
Results showed that nearly 75% of the participants who ate candies with the good bacteria had “significantly lower” levels of bad bacteria in their saliva than before, compared with the control group. Additionally, the subjects who ate candy with 2 mg of good bacteria had a reduction in bad bacteria levels after eating only one piece of candy.
So, we are telling you the truth! Sugar-free candy that actually benefits your mouth and potentially reduces risk of cavities may not be far away.
Merry Christmas to all!!
Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/269685.php?utm_campaign=webinar%2520promotion&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=11371487&_hsenc=p2ANqtz–KzY1yjt8pP671JS6XiUPLxRkWXOdqrCBS0U3gyYDJWBH-kYtaCAK_WzNWE59EGrXjbxATQbCf–WCEMg2BlcyaP0SXQ&_hsmi=11371487
Nov 26, 2013
In it’s inaugural season, Dancing With the Dentists exceeded all expectations in raising well over $40,000 for Portland’s Healthcare for the Homeless Dental Clinic, and Maine Dental LifeLine. Conceived by Dr. Glen Knock and patterned after the wildly popular “Dancing With The Stars”, local dentists were paired with professional ballroom dance instructors to put on a dazzling display of footwork and fun. Over 400 people attended and cheered the contestants on at the Italian Heritage Center in Portland. Host Shannon Moss, DJ Mike Violette, and judges Governor John Baldacci, physician and author Dr. Christiane Northrup, and radio personality Ken Altshuler helped make the program one to remember.
Each contestant danced either a ballroom or Latin dance and the audience and judges voted for who they thought was the best. None had ever done ballroom dancing before September. A wonderful twist was that the dancers were all dentists married to dentists and the vote was tallied for the best couple. There was even a family angle with Dr. Joseph Penna and his wife, Maine Dental Association President Dr. Demi Kouzounas competing against their daughter and son-in-law, Drs. Nichol Penna and Doug Delli Colli! Also dancing were the overall winners, Dr. Jenny Fultz, the dentist at the Healthcare for the Homeless Dental Clinic, with her husband Dr. Brian Brunacini. Drs. Killian and Tarryn MacCarthy rounded out the four couples.
The generosity of Northeast Delta Dental and Tom’s of Maine helped underwrite the program, with Delta’s donation earmarked for Dental LifeLine. Many other donations and ticket sales helped make this first ever Dancing With The Dentists a huge success. Everyone is looking forward to next November and the second Dancing With The Dentists!
Check out some pictures of the event! Photo credit to No Umbrella Media!
It wouldn’t be January without New Year’s Resolutions.