November 10, 2016

I have written before on the benefits of Xylitol, the sugar substitute that possesses 40 percent fewer calories than sugar and has been shown to decrease the amount of cavities that people get. It can be found in specifically formulated things like gum and mints. However, it is important to know that xylitol, even in small quantities, is toxic to dogs.

The dental benefits of xylitol have been known since the 1970’s. Xylitol is not metabolized by the decay-causing bacteria Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans), making it nonacidogenic and thus noncariogenic (not decay causing). Studies have also indicated xylitol decreases the levels of S. mutans in both plaque and saliva. As a result, patients who use… (Read More)

November 3, 2016

A quality run can do so much good for a person, not just physically, but mentally as well. You can feel accomplished even after the most relaxed of days, or blow off steam from a stressful one. Time seems to stand still and all is right with the world for those few miles. Running has helped you stay fit for years, and you wish fixing your smile could be as simple and long-lasting. There so many different things wrong with your teeth, you don’t know how you could fix everything. Dr. J. Peter St. Clair and Dr. Leonard Strauss can give you that perfect, enduring smile with porcelain veneers in Rowley. (Read More)

August 6, 2015

I will wrap up part 3 of my series on easy ways to maintain dental health in adult life next week. I was going to write on Cecil the lion last week but wanted to follow the story a little longer.
By now, everyone has heard of Cecil the lion’s demise in Zimbabwe at the hands of an “American Dentist.” There has been much written about the fact that the hunter was a dentist. In fact, the day after the story broke about Cecil, The Washington Post published a column entitled “Why dentists are so darn rich.” It quickly referenced how much the “rich” dentist paid for his hunt and then bombarded dentistry as… (Read More)

January 11, 2014

A list of New Year’s resolutions is really like a “to-do list” on a larger scale. As with many to-do lists, some of the items on it keep getting pushed down in the ranking of priorities because of the constraints of time. So I have a suggestion to keep in mind when making pledges to yourself about what you are going to do this year: Make purifying your time your first resolution.
Many driven people pride themselves on how many tasks and commitments they are able to take on. Eventually, reality catches up and this philosophy of always doing more becomes counterproductive, as you inevitably have to approach your growing list of commitments at… (Read More)

January 20, 2013

There are five major reasons that people do not get the necessary dental care they need. They are money, time, lack of concern, fear and trust. Let’s take a quick look at each one and see if any of them fit you and what dentists often try to do to overcome these obstacles for patients.
Although you may think that money would be the number one reason people avoid ideal dental treatment, it is not. Even in these tougher economic times, money, although a significant barrier for many is still not the number one issue for most. Yes, dental care in some cases can be a significant investment. With insurance industry’s unwillingness to raise… (Read More)

January 3, 2013

If you are reading this column, the end of the world did not happen on December 21st and it’s time to think about the ways in which to improve our lives for 2013.
As readership has grown for The Town Common, I thought it was appropriate to re-publish this column so that new and old readers could benefit from this list. It is a great way to start a new year.
These 21 suggestions for success are authored by H. Jackson Brown, Jr. I have a framed picture of these hanging in my office and read them every day. I get comments about them all the time from people saying how much they… (Read More)

November 26, 2012

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I was in travel mode for a few straight weeks of continuing education courses. This past week I was in Detroit, which I will discuss below. This coming weekend I was scheduled to travel to northern New Jersey. Well, Hurricane Sandy postponed those plans. My heart goes out to those affected by her devastation and I wish them the best as they try to pick up the pieces and return to normalcy.
This week I would like to discuss two other areas of devastation that I encountered on my most recent trip to Detroit. The course itself was a live-patient course utilizing a unique type of… (Read More)

November 11, 2012

Typically, fall and winter tend to be my heaviest time for continuing education. What is continuing education for a dentist? It is a must. As in any profession, learning never stops. If you stop learning, you halt growth both professionally and personally.
Dentistry offers continuing education in every aspect of the profession. Dentists can learn everything from new techniques in “filling” teeth to using Botox. In the next month I am travelling to Detroit to learn some new surgical techniques, New Jersey to learn a different way to do root canals, and Arizona for a refresher course on treatment planning and communication with patients. Travelling and being away from home is not my favorite… (Read More)

October 24, 2012

Last night I heard a commercial for a cholesterol medication in which the person playing the doctor says, “I wish my patients could see what I see.” I believe there are two ways to look at that statement.
The commercial showed an image of animated artery walls clogging with particles of plaque clinging to one another making the opening of the artery smaller and smaller. This is a visual that is easy to understand.
The second, and more subtle way to take this statement, is the doctor wishing that patients could see what happens to patients over time with and without compliance to taking medication or changing their diet. If patients could only… (Read More)

October 5, 2012

On Sept. 13, at New York City’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s urging, New York City’s Board of Health approved what’s believed to be a first-of-its-kind ban on the sale of supersized sugary beverages. In six months, if there’s no lawsuit filed to block it, containers of Coke, Pepsi and sugar-laden flavored drinks larger than 16 ounces will be outlawed at restaurants, movie theaters, food carts and sports arenas. Business violators would be subject to a $200 fine.
This ban doesn’t stop someone from buying two 16-ounce cups or bottles of soda. Nor does it apply to convenience stores or grocery stores. And, of course, New Yorkers are free to drink however much they want at… (Read More)