What's New...
Greetings everyone ... Lots of news ... Dr. MacKnight is proud to announce that
he and his wife became proud grandparents of a cute little girl, Lucy Ann, on February 25, 2011!! She's cute
as a button and weighs 8 lbs 7 oz!! His son Eric and wife Tara will make wonderful parents ... and we want to
officially welcome new employee, Dr. MacKnight's lovely wife Carol to our office. Carol has had 15 years of
management experience with over 45 employees under her direction and is truly dedicated to making your dental
experience in our office go as smoothly as possible. She is ready to assist you in any problem or question
you might have. Carol is a natural "people person" and is doing a great job ... Dr. MacKnight was named one of
the "Top Dentists in Cincinnati" in the February issue of Cincinnati Magazine's "Best of Cincinnati" issue...
and as many of you know, Dr. MacKnight and his wife Carol have been showing their dog Bear, a Tibetan Spaniel,
all over the country. He started out as a novice in June and became a Grand Champion in 9 weeks! He has won over
80 awards including Best of Breed in Beverly Hills, Best in Group in St. Louis, and Best of Opposite Sex (Best Male)
in the AKC Eukanuba National Championship. Dr. MacKnight and Carol were with him at Westminster last month in Madison
Square Garden! Although he did not win any ribbons there, they are excited he had the opportunity to compete
at the Westminster Dog Show.
|
Energy Drinks - Healthy Or Not?
Sleep and exercise are proven stress relievers and help promote good health. But, over
90 million Americans do not get a good night's sleep, and many find difficulty developing daily exercise
routines. People are constantly seeking new products and looking for more ways to become energized. Many athletes,
weekend warriors, business people, and homemakers have turned to various energy booster, including very popular
and highly promoted sport and energy drinks like Amp and Red Bull. J. Anthony von Frauhofer,PhD, chief
researcher of a study done at the University of Maryland Dental School, suggests some caution before using these
drinks.
The researchers immersed pieces of human enamel [outside covering of the tooth and the hardest
substance in the body] in 13 popular beverages. The study found that non-cola soft drinks, energy/sports drinks and
commercial lemonade "showed the most aggressive dissolution effect", and in fact, were up to 11 times more erosive than cola.
High levels of some additives, such as citric acid, caused the disintegration of the teeth. Frauhofer advised that people
do not sip these drinks of a long time and that you should follow up that energy drink with some water to help rinse
away the potentially damaging acids.
DENTAL SEALANTS
Research shows most tooth decay found in children occurs in pits and grooves of the chewing
surfaces of the molar teeth. Deep grooves make it difficult to remove plaque and food, even with regular brushing.
Dental sealants were developed to fill these grooves, making the chewing surfaces of teeth smoother, easier to
keep clean and less susceptible to decay. At our office, getting sealants is both quick and painless. We simply
paint on a resin liquid and bond it to the teeth. We generally recommend that children receive sealants as soon as
the 6 year molars are in the mouth, and then again when the 12 year molars are fully in. Sealants can eventually wear and
may require replacement in 3 to 8 years. But they are an excellent, cost-effective, and painless way to prevent tooth decay.
More Tips for Healthy Children's Teeth
- For children under age 2, brush the teeth with a wet toothbrush or a tiny amount of infant toothpaste
- For children over age 2, use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. Crest for Kids is a popular brand.
- By age 7, most children can brush their own teeth, but they still need supervision until age 10 or 11.
- Replace toothbrushes every 3 to 4 months, and after a cold or flu.
- It is important for parents to teach their children to floss at bedtime and to floss for them until age 10 or 11.
|
