Feb 27, 2014
On February 7th our office wore red in honor of National Women’s Heart Health Day. Heart problems – like heart attack and stroke – are the number one cause of death of women around the globe. We have participated in the movement for 2 consecutive years now and we plan to continue doing so to continue to spread awareness in hopes to save just one life. This blog post is dedicated to educate you on ways that you can “Know Your Risk” to keep yourself and other women in your life safe, as well ways in which you can join the movement. Please enjoy and know that together we can make a difference.
First order of business is for you to “Know Your Risk.” You may not even know that you are at risk for heart attack, stroke, or other heart conditions. That is a large part of what makes this so scary. Family history, eating habits, and sleep patterns are a few of the key factors that could raise a woman’s risk of heart disease. Knowing what puts you at risk and being proactive by fighting those risks could save your life!
So you may be asking… “What are the risks?”
As we mentioned before, family history, eating habits, and sleep patterns are a few, but it doesn’t end there. Weight, body mass index, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high glucose levels in your blood are all things that put you at risk for heart disease.
Now that you know what the risks are, you may be asking, “How and when should I test for those things?”
Here are some guidelines from the American Heart Association that will help you answer those questions.
- Blood pressure – every regular health care visit starting at age 20
- Cholesterol – every five years starting at age 20. More often if: total cholesterol is above 200; if you are a man older than 45 or a woman older than 50; if you’re a woman whose HDL is less than 50 or a man whose HDL is less than 40; if you have other cardiovascular risk factors
- Weight/body mass index – every health care visit starting at age 20
- Waist circumference – as needed starting at age 20
- Blood glucose – every three years starting at age 45
You can start right now by assessing yourself by clicking this link to start your health checkup: https://www.goredforwomen.org/know-your-risk/find-out-your-risk/heart-checkup/
Feb 27, 2014
Oftentimes, people don’t participate in these sorts of things because they do not know how to start to get involved. Not knowing where to begin can be scary and add stress to your already stressful life. But just think of the potential implications if you don’t join…
Joining this movement is easy. It starts with taking care of yourself. Then you can take care of your loved ones. Then, before you know it, you are an advocate for Heart Health everywhere you go.
Here are 10 ways that you can “Go Red” provided by the American Heart Association:
- Know Your Heart Score
- Live Healthy
- Know the Signs of a Heart Attack
- Start Walking
- Wear Red
- Host a ‘Wear Red Day’ Event
- Help your Community Go Red
- Go Red Online
- Shop for the Cause
- Support Go Red
It doesn’t always have to be extravagant or a monumental event to be helpful and beneficial. Every little bit helps, and it especially helps you! Get the list in more detail by clicking this link to it’s page on the American Heart Association website!
Also, check out this video! http://vimeo.com/85786476
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