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5 Tips to Overcoming Your Fear of the Dentist

21 Friday Aug 2020

Posted by asefquader in Adult Dentistry, General Dentistry

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Dental, Dental Fear, dental pain, Dentist, dentistUSA, Dentophobia, Fear of the Dentist, overcoming fear

Is there any profession that brings out peoples fear more than the dentist? Fear of the dentist, or Dentophobia is brought on by different issues ranging from childhood experiences, to the feeling of a lack of control while sitting in the dentist chair. Whatever the issue might be, here are some tips to help you overcome your fears and help your smile become the brightest it can be.

  1. Find a dentist you trust

Overcoming a fear of the dentist all starts with trust. Ask friends and family if they have a dentist they like. If you can’t find a recommendation from someone, try DentistUSA.com. Once you find your dentist…

2. Explain your fears

This information will help your dentist determine the best course of action to help you manage your fears, will build a trusting relationship and help you feel more in-control when in the dentist’s chair.

3. Deep breathing

There are many breathing exercises that can help relax you. If those don’t help, you might ask you dentist about…

4. Additional medication to help relax

Many dentists recommend nitrous oxide, sedation or anti-anxiety medication for nervous patients. Talk to your dentist about these options to see if it might help.

5. Visit your dentist regularly

The more you go, the more you’ll get used to the sights and sounds. Just regular check-ups and cleanings will also help prevent issues that might lead to other, more painful procedures, which could cause more anxiety.

Daily Dental Hygiene to Stay Healthy During COVID-19

26 Thursday Mar 2020

Posted by asefquader in Adult Dentistry, COVID-19, dentistUSA, DentistUSA.com, General Dentistry

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Coronavirus, COVID-19, Daily Dental Care, Dental, Dental Care COVID, Dentist, isolation, quarantine, Tooth care

We are in the middle of our second week of the COVID-19 isolation and most dental practices around the country are only open for emergency cases. It is now imperative to get into a healthy tooth care regiment as you probably won’t be able to see a dentist for some time. We talked to Dr. Ian Rodd, D.D.S. and he gave us some Do’s and Don’ts to help keep your smile healthy and white, while your dentist and his team are in isolation.

Do’s

– Brush your teeth

Twice a day for a full two minutes each time. It seems simple enough but most people don’t meet the two minute requirement. You’ll also want to use a soft bristle brush. Anything harder can wear away enamel and damage your teeth and gums. Don’t forget to turn the water off while brushing!

– Floss

Floss once a day. It’s easy and quick to do and will help clean your teeth more thoroughly than just brushing. Here is how to do it: How to Floss

– Scrape your tongue daily

This is a great way to get rid of unwanted bacteria as well as freshen your breath.

– Gargle after meals

Gargling with an over the counter mouthwash is the best, but most of us don’t carry around a bottle of Scope everywhere we go. Just a simple rinse with water is a good substitute if nothing else is available. When available add salt to lukewarm water to gargle as a disinfectant.

– Check your mouth and throat for any changes

Many features of your mouth that may appear unusual are natural parts of the oral cavity. However, inform your dentist of any NEW changes that appear like lumps, bumps, ulcers or if you have bleeding gums.

Most of the time, stress or changes in your environment lead to these issues and they are not of huge concern. But in some cases it can be an early warning of something more serious. A simple call to your dentist to describe what is going on can help ease your fears of anything more serious.

Don’t

-Don’t brush too often and don’t use a hard bristle brush

Too much brushing with a hard brush can lead to irritated gums, followed by gum recession. It is also too much for the surface enamel that protects the teeth. Brushing too much with a hard brush or too hard with a soft brush can scrape away the surface of the tooth leading to a yellow smile and sensitive teeth. It is sufficient to brush twice a day for two minutes each time, using a soft bristled toothbrush.

– Don’t eat sugar in excess

Sugar promotes bacteria growth. So stay away from high sugar foods and beverages (e.g. candy, soda and fruit juices).  If you are a candy lover, try to find some sugar free alternatives. Don’t forget to wash your mouth after eating sweets and if possible substitute sugary foods with more fresh fruits like apples or pears that help clean teeth as you chew.

We’d like to thank Dr. Rodd for his help! If you keep to these do’s and don’ts, your smile will remain bright and healthy until we come out of isolation (which we hope will be soon). And once this is all over visit your dentist, it will be time for a checkup!

 

Athletes Turned Dentists

13 Thursday Sep 2012

Posted by asefquader in General Dentistry

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athletes, Dental, dental school, Dentist, Olympics

I have always enjoyed watching the Summer Olympics. Not only for the spirit of coming together in goodwill and competition but also for the passion that these young people exude. These athletes have trained for most of their young lives for one shot at glory. After the Olympics are over, their athletic careers are over and they set out on a new life path.

Of course, the Olympics are just part of the story. Most professional athletes retire from their sport in their mid to late 20’s and, contrary to popular belief, most of them have to find jobs once they are done. This got me thinking, “What do these athletes do after they have ’retired’?”

Now that’s a very broad question and, as you can imagine, there is a myriad of different occupations. They range from broadcasting to restaurant owners, car salesmen to insurance salesmen, and (the reason I’m writing this blog) Dentists!

Turns out, there are quite a few athletes turned dentist. There are hall of fame golfers, Olympians and even a Heisman trophy winner. Here is a list of 4 renowned athletes who have found a second career as dentists:

Dr. William Abb “Billy” Cannon

Billy Cannon was an All-American running back for Louisiana State University and the 1959 Heisman Trophy winner. He was signed out of college by the Houston Oilers (then part of the AFL) in 1960 and enjoyed an 11-year playing career with the Oilers, the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs. He was a two time All-Star and won the AFL Championship twice during his football career. He still holds the Oilers (now the Tennessee Titans) franchise record from most point (30) and most touchdowns (5) in a single game.

After his retirement, Cannon earned his D.D.S. degree at the University of Tennessee and additional degrees in orthodontia from Loyola University Dental School. He is currently the resident dentist at the Louisiana State Penitentiary where the inmates call him “Legend.”

Fun Fact: Billy Cannon was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008

Wendy Louise Houvenaghel

Dr. Houvenaghel is a British racing cyclist and dentist from Northern Ireland. She took up riding after she got her degree in dentistry and got her first call up to the national team in 2003 at the age of 29. She has represented Great Britain in the 2012 and 2008 the Olympics Games, most notably winning the silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Games and gold in the team pursuit at the 2008, 2009 and 2011 Track World Championships.

Houvenaghel was part of Great Britain’s Team Pursuit squad for the 2012 Olympics but did not ride in an event (which she was not to thrilled about) and thus lost out on a chance for a medal. The team went on to win the gold and break the world record without her.

Houvenaghel is contemplating a full retirement from cycling, returning to her home in Cornwall, England and a return to dentistry.

Fun Fact: Wendy Houvenaghel was a dentist in the Royal Air Force.

James “Gentleman Jim” Lonborg

“Gentleman Jim” Lonborg was the Cy Young  award winning pitcher of the 1967 pennant winning Boston Red Sox (becoming the first pitcher in Red Sox history to win the award). He enjoyed a 15-year career playing for the Red Sox, the Milwaukee Brewers and the Philadelphia Phillies. In addition to winning the Cy Young award in 1967, he also played in the All-Star game and finished prominently in voting for the MVP award, finishing 6th.

After retiring, Lonborg attended the Tufts University Dental School and has worked as a dentist in Hanover, Massachusetts since.

Ian Browne of MLB.com caught up to Dr. Lonborg and he had this to say about both of his careers, “I was blessed to be a Major League ballplayer for 15 years and to come into a beautiful career like dentistry. It’s hard to compare. The life of a dentist is a little more realistic, a little more grounded. I’ve enjoyed my patients and their families, and providing service to them. A lot of people take it for granted but I take it very seriously.”

Fun Fact: On the sitcom Cheers, the photo of Sam Malone pitching is actually that of Lonborg.

Emmett Cary Middlecoff

Cary Middlecoff took a different route. He was a dentist first and then realized his potential as a professional golfer.

Dr. Middlecoff played collegiate golf at the University of Mississippi where he was the school’s first golf All-American in 1939. Middlecoff won the Tennessee State Amateur Championship for four straight years (1940–1943). He obtained his Dentistry degree from University of Tennessee, in 1944 and joined the United States Army Dental Corps for the remainder of World War II. In 1945 Cary Middlecoff entered a PGA Tournament and won. Realizing his ability, he quit the family’s dental practice and turned professional in 1947.

His playing career lasted from 1945 through 1961. He won 3 Major Tournaments (the 1955 Masters and 1949, ‘56 U.S. Open) and during the 1950s, won 28 Tour titles, more than any other player during that span.  In total Dr. Middlecoff won 40 PGA Tournaments, good for 9th in all time PGA Tour wins.

Back problems and struggles with his nerves during competition forced his retirement from the professional tour when he was only in his early 40s. He turned his attention to television and earned a reputation as one of the best golf television commentators. He also appeared in two motion pictures as himself (Follow the Sun in 1950 and The Bellboy in 1960) and wrote a newspaper column, “The Golf Doctor.”

In 1986, Middlecoff was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Fun fact: Cary’s father Herman Middlecoff was a friend of legendary golfer, Bobby Jones and once asked him to persuade his son to pursue dentistry, not golf. But after Middlecoff won the 1955 Masters, Jones said, ‘‘the way he filled those 72 cavities during the last four days makes me think I may have been wrong.”

Next time you are looking for a great dentist, perhaps one that played a professional sport, check out DentistUSA!

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