We hope that everyone has been enjoying the summer, hopefully with a chance to spend time outdoors with your family and friends! In this newsletter, we want to express our thanks for again nominating us for the Frederick News Post’s Best of the Best competition in the Best Dental Practice category, and launch our campaign to show you why we deserve your votes.
It’s time to think about athletic mouthguards for the forthcoming school year, and to consider a yummy grilled veggie pizza!
As always, we couldn’t do it with our wonderful patients and team members. Thank you!
In This Issue:
- Best of the Best
- Mouthguards (Athletic Guards) Prevent Dental Injuries
- Highlights from “The Worst Foods and Drinks for Your Teeth” (New York Times)
- Honoring Our Team Members
- Recipe of the Month (from Ryn, Front Desk Coordinator): Grilled Vegetable Pizza
- Please Leave us a Review!
Since 2015, the Frederick News-Post has encouraged readers to vote for their favorite local businesses, organizations and attractions in hundreds of categories, in their Best of the Best (BOB) Contest.
In 2021 you made us a finalist in the Best Dental Practice – TOP 3! (See the Frederick News Post website)
Thank you so much to those who nominated us as Best Dental Practice in 2022! We’re now in the running to be one of the top 5! This week, on Facebook, we started giving you reasons for why we should be the winner this year! Please follow us to view our posts!
- First Round Voting July 27-Aug 2 will select the top 5
- Second Round Voting Sept 10-16 will select the top 3
We’d be honored to have your vote in the first round, and also in the second if we make it!
MOUTHGUARDS (ATHLETIC GUARDS) PREVENT DENTAL INJURIES
Inspiration: https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/m/mouthguards
Imagine what it would be like if you suddenly lost one or two of your front teeth. Smiling, talking, eating—everything would suddenly be affected. Knowing how to prevent injuries to your mouth and face is especially important if you participate in organized sports or other recreational activities.
With the new school year coming up, it is time to consider whether your children can use a mouthguard, and schedule an appointment with us to get digital impressions of their teeth. Athletic guards take a few weeks to be fabricated, so now is the perfect time to start thinking about this.
Mouthguards typically cover the upper teeth and are a great way to protect the soft tissues of the tongue, lips and cheek lining. “Your top teeth take the brunt of trauma because they stick out more,” says Dr. Thomas Long, a private practice dentist and team dentist for the Carolina Hurricanes professional hockey team. “Your bottom teeth are a little more protected because they are further back.”
When Should You Wear a Mouthguard?
When it comes to protecting your mouth, a mouthguard is an essential piece of athletic gear that should be part of your standard equipment from an early age.
While collision and contact sports, such as boxing, are higher-risk sports for the mouth, any athlete may experience a dental injury in non-contact activities too, such as gymnastics and skating.
Protecting Your Braces or Dental Restorations
A properly fitted mouthguard may be especially important for people who wear braces or have dental restorations, such as bridges, crowns, or veneers. A blow to the face could damage the brackets or other fixed orthodontic appliances.
If you have a retainer or other removable appliance, do not wear it during any contact sports.
Mouthguard Care and Replacement
Talk to your dentist about when is the right time to replace a mouthguard, but replace it immediately if it shows signs of wear, is damaged, or is ill-fitting. Teens and children may need to replace their mouthguards more often because their mouths are still growing and changing.
Between games, it’s important to keep the mouthguard clean and dry. Here are some tips for making sure your mouthguard is always ready to go:
- Rinse before and after each use or brush with a toothbrush and toothpaste.
- Regularly clean the mouthguard in cool, soapy water. Then, rinse it thoroughly.
- During your regular dental checkups, bring your mouthguard for an evaluation. Your dentist may also be able to give it a thorough cleaning.
- Store and transport the mouthguard in a sturdy container that has vents so it can dry and keep bacteria from growing.
- Never leave the mouthguard in the sun or in hot water.
- Check fit and for signs of wear and tear to see if it needs replacing.
- Some mouthguards have fallen victim to family pets, who see them as chew toys. Store your mouthguard and case somewhere your pet cannot get to it.
THE WORST FOODS AND DRINKS FOR YOUR TEETH
Image source: https://ninateicholz.com/everyday-foods-high-in-sugar-content/
By Kelsey McClellan for the New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/18/well/eat/teeth-decay-food-drinks.html
The New York Times published “The Worst Foods and Drinks for Your Teeth,” an informative piece written by Hannah Seo (updated on 7/20/22). We hope you can access it with this link. (If you cannot access it, please email webmaster@drhlevyassoc.com and request the unlocked link. Here are some highlights from the article.
Avoid:
- Sugary foods, particularly those containing table sugar (sucrose)
- Foods that are sticky, gooey or chewy (like gummies, dried fruits, syrups and candies) linger on your teeth and produce acid for many hours after you’ve eaten.
- Drinks containing sugar (sugary sodas, energy drinks, juices and milkshakes) are especially bad for your teeth because they’re acidic.
- Carbonated beverages (selzers), coffees and alcoholic drinks which are also acidic, especially if mixed with sugary substances
Enjoy:
- Some fresh fruits, vegetables or starchy foods also contain sugars or acids, but are recommended because they contain beneficial nutrients that boost your overall health and can strengthen your teeth and gums.
Good habits:
- Brush twice a day and floss every day.
- Avoid frequent snacking or drinking to minimize the acidity in your mouth
- Drink water after you’ve finished consuming food.
- Promote salivation by drinking less alcohol. and chewing sugar-free gum with xylitol
- Eat fruits rather than drink them, especially if the smoothies or juices contain added sugar.
- Black and green teas may help prevent cavities.
- Get regular dental checkups twice a year at the dentist. “Once a cavity has formed enough for you to notice it, you are well into dental decay.”
Honoring Our Team Members
To learn more about our team members, visit Our Team page on our website.
MVP – Ana
Every month we recognize a team member who has gone above and beyond for our patients or other team members.
In June, we recognized our newest dental assistant, Ana, who has been with us for four months. She was recognized for her excellent instruction and patience helping everyone learn our new iTero dental imaging system. Ana has also gone above and beyond cleaning and turning over our treatment rooms, and keeping on top of instruments in the sterile room. Ana has a go-getter attitude and is always offering her assistance to other members of her team. She is also getting certified to be one of the clinicians authorized to assist Dr. Levy in operating rooms. Ana is a sweet, smart, and very knowledgeable individual, and we are very lucky to have her as part of our team!
Invisible Worker Recognition: Dani
Dental assistant Dani was recognized this month for her excellent organizational skills. She ensures that ordering and inventory of all clinical supplies happens frequently and that we never run out of any of the important materials needed to perform your dental treatments. Thank you Dani for enabling our procedures to run smoothly!
Service Recognition: Kristen and Lise
We are proud of our outstanding team of professionals, many of whom have been with Dr. Harvey Levy & Associates for many years. In June, we celebrated dental hygienist Kristen (left), who has been with the practice for 19 years and brings life to our office with her infectious laughter and kind-heartedness. We also celebrated dental assistant Lise, who was with us for 7 years. Lise (right) has recently found another dental office to work at, but will continue to remain part of our dental family. We wish her the best of luck at her new job!
GRILLED VEGETABLE PIZZA
Source: https://thebranddeco.com/blogs/lifestyle/mamma-mia-grilled-veggie-pizza
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Yield: Serves 1 Pizza
Grilled Vegetable Pizza is not only deliciously easy to make with your favorite veggies, grilled pizza is the best way to make homemade pizza in the summer! You can make it on the grill or in the oven.
Make it vegan: use vegan cheese
Make it gluten free: use a gluten free pizza dough
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ red bell pepper, sliced
- ½ orange bell pepper, sliced
- 1 zucchini, thinly sliced
- ½ cup red onion, sliced into rings
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 16 oz pizza dough, store-bought or homemade
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- ½ cup ricotta
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine the mushrooms, zucchini, peppers, onion, vinegar, water, 3 teaspoons oil and seasonings. Transfer to a grill wok or basket. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until tender, stirring once.
2. Prepare the grill for indirect heat. Brush crust with remaining oil; spread with pizza sauce. Top with grilled vegetables, tomatoes, and cheese. Grill, covered, over indirect medium heat for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and cheese is melted. Rotate pizza halfway through cooking to ensure an evenly browned crust.