Your Computer Is A Great Tool For Having Teeth You Like All Your Life!

This blog is really targeted to my own patients, many of whom have heard this before, but I wanted to share it anyway. Lots of people who are not my patients read this Blog.

So I'm going to tell you all why your computer is a great tool for dental health.

Social Networking. New words in our language.

If you're under 30 you probably know all about social networking. It's old news to you.

If you are much older, maybe it's not (unless your kids have dragged you into this new world of how to communicate).

But fear not! Social networking is not some plot to confuse you or make your life more complicated than it already is. Actually, it's simple. And useful, too.

So read on and I'll tell you why you should use the social networking tools to keep in touch with your dentist (assuming your dentist is one who wants to keep in touch with you).

Here is a sentence you may not have ever thought of: Your computer is an important tool to help you have teeth you like when you get older – or even when you are old.

Yes. I said your computer is a great way – maybe one of the best ways – to help you have teeth you like for your whole life.

I'm not saying you don't have to brush and floss and be reasonable about sugar and all the rest of that.

I'm saying that today there are some new tools that hugely improve your changes to stay dentally healthy. And here's some good news: they are FREE. And EASY. And even FUN.

What a deal! Ready to hear how they work? Here goes. Don't get nervous! Read all the way through.

Social networking is a group of places out there on the internet that allow people to talk to – or even talk with – others. You don't have to talk. You can just listen. This is sometimes called "lurking" by web savvy folks.

This Blog is an example of this. You are listening. You can talk if you want by typing in a comment at the bottom in the place that says "comments". You don't have to. But you are here and learning. And it's FREE. And it was EASY to get here, right?

My office is also on two other social networking places in addition to this Blog.

One is called Facebook (hang in there, don't drop out. Keep going).

Facebook is FREE and EASY. What happens when you get a place of your own on Facebook is that you can hop over to other people's places and read what they write on their place (the place they write is called their Wall). Some people let everyone see what's on their Wall. Some people want to allow only certain people to see. Facebook lets you be a Friend of other people and then you can see what's on their Wall and they can see what's on yours. And if you are a Friend you can write on your Wall and your Friends will see what you wrote and you can also write on their Wall. But you don't have to. You can just lurk.

I let everyone see my Wall, not just those who choose to become Facebook Friends. I write stuff on my Wall that I believe will be helpful and interesting to my patients. And we can also talk back and forth and keep up with one another if we like. Our patients are neat people and we like them. And I don't mind if the rest of the world sees what I share. I like to spread the good news of today's amazing world of 21st century dentistry around.

Here's how you do this. You go to www.facebook.com. And you sign in. If you are not already on Facebook, you just think up a name and a password and that's it. Pow! You have a Wall. Once there, you can search for my Wall. Search for Steve Ross. That's it.

When you finish this Blog, go ahead and check it out. It's FREE and it's EASY.

Another social network place is called Twitter. Also FREE and EASY. You go to www.twitter.com. Sign in (or Sign Up) and there you are. Twitter works with short little messages (called tweets). They are all 140 characters or less. You can see my tweets if you Follow me. I'm DrSteveRoss on Twitter. Sign in, search for me and when you are there, just click Follow. That's it. All my tweets will automatically show up on your Twitter place after that.

You would not believe how much Social Networking will help you to be a Smart Dental Patient. Information is powerful. Why not use all the tools available? Especially when they are FREE and EASY.

Not all dentists are reaching out to help their patients like this. But I believe it's one of our most important jobs as a dental office to educate our patients in every way we can.

So don’t be nervous. Dive into the Social Network world. You can spend as much or as little time as you like there. It's all FREE. And it's very EASY.

Be a Smart Patient. Smart Patients have the best dental health.

Thanks for staying with me this far. And if you want to talk with us, just send us e-mail. You don't have to be my patient; that's OK. We'll be glad to talk with you. And do visit our web site. Lots of good info there.

Fear of Apples and the Dentist

Here is a little story told to me by a friend who blogs elsewhere. I think it has great relevance to the world of dentistry.

Seth wrote:

At the farmer's market the other day, not one but three people (perfect strangers) asked me what sort of apple to buy. What do I look like, some sort of apple expert? Apparently.

In our industrialized world, people are now afraid of apples. Afraid of buying the wrong kind. Afraid of making a purchasing mistake or some sort of pie mistake.

There are two big reasons people don't buy something:

1. They don't know about it.

2. They're afraid of it.

If we can get our patients (and potential patients) past those two, then we get the chance to prove that they need what we dentists do for them and that it is a very good value. But as long as people are afraid of what dentists do, we're stuck -- and so are they.

People are afraid of tax accountants, iPods, chiropractors, non-profits, insurance brokers and fancy hotels. They're afraid of anything with too many choices, too many opportunities to look foolish or to waste time or money.

Hey, they're even afraid of apples. :-)

Maybe your experiences with dentistry have been not too pleasant. Maybe you find dentistry confusing, too high tech, or maybe you do not think you need to have any dentistry because you're OK.

I gotta tell you right here, right now: If your dental experiences are unpleasant, you are in the wrong office. If you are still scared at the dentist, you're in the wrong office.

Dentistry can be and should be comfortable and you should be feeling cared about and cared for and confident in your dentist's office. If you are not, you should look elsewhere. Dentistry is very important, not only for your teeth but also for your general health.

In other blogs I'll talk much more about the relationship between dental health and serious illnesses like cancer, heart disease and other disasters.

But right now I want to say that it should be the goal of your dental office to make your visits pleasant and even (gasp) fun. Yes, fun!

We do it. Some of my colleagues know what I'm talking about and my own patients definitely do, too.

Don't let yourself be short changed by an uncaring dental office that doesn't value your need to trust and feel good.

If you are uncomfortable, scared or untrusting at the dentist, move on to an office where you are not.

You do not have to be my patient to talk with us about this. We will be glad to hear you out and give you advice. Just send some e-mail and we will get back you promptly.

You can also leave comments at the bottom of this Blog. I'd love to hear from you. Just click on the word "comments". I'll respond to you.

Some Useful Quotes From My Teachers and Mentors

From time to time, it's good to think of some of the wisdom gained from mentors and teachers, because they are sometimes forgotten in the rush of daily life. I have been blessed with wonderful teachers and I want to share some of the memorable quotes from them.

So here goes. I hope some of these inspire you.

Enjoy!

You can leave comments at the bottom of this Blog. I'd love to hear from you. Just click on the word "comments". I'll respond to you.

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Regardless of your lot in life, you can build something beautiful on it.

~Zig Ziglar

When I was young I observed that nine out of every ten things I did were failures, so I did ten times more work.

~George Bernard Shaw

I bring you the gift of these four words: I believe in you.

~Blaise Pascal

Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.

~Ronald E. Osborn

Time flies. It’s up to you to be the navigator.

~Robert Orbden.

Learning is not compulsory...

neither is survival.

~W. Edwards Deming

If you don’t think every day is a good one, just try missing one.

~Cavett Robet

There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.

~Edith Wharton

Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.

~Martin Luther King

Decision is the spark that ignites action. Until a decision is made nothing happens.

~Wilfred A. Peterson

What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.

~Zig Ziglar

When people say, Motivation doesn’t last.”

I say...

“Bathing doesn’t last either.

That’s why I recommend it often.”

~Zig Ziglar

Patient Education and the Dear Doctor Library

Patient Education is a way of life for us in our office. I believe that one of our most important missions is to empower our patients with the information and understanding they need to keep themselves dentally healthy for their lifetime. We want our patients to be the smartest patients on the planet.

This Blog is only one way we do that. We reach out in many ways, both in the office and through the internet.

Our patients can get their questions answered anytime they ask. We will answer their e-mails and send them information sheets on almost anything they need. We actually talk with our patients here in the office. We like them.

We are exploring the use of videos to send or post to communicate with our patients. We just got a new toy that is just plain fantastic for this. It's called a Flip Camera, and it makes things so easy. We are really excited about this!

Today I want to talk with you about something special I really like that helps us with this mission.

There is a wonderful magazine called Dear Doctor. I have been associated with it and featured in it since the beginning. It is the very best source of patient education for regular folks I know of. It is beautiful, well written and interesting.

I want to be clear right now that I receive no payment or financial gain from Dear Doctor for saying nice things about them and I do not work for the magazine. With that understood, here's what I want to share with you.

One of the best things about being associated with Dear Doctor magazine is the Digital Library. By accessing the library, each and every article featured in the magazine can be seen, printed and shared. This is a marvelous resource. And it costs you nothing.

Here's how to get there: Go to www.deardoctor.com/ross and click on the library section on the right side.

Check it out and please let me know what you think of it and how it has helped you.

You can leave any comments at the bottom of this Blog. Just click on the word "comments". We'll respond to you.

Thanks for reading. We appreciate your time and your interest.

Halloween, Candy, Cavities and Protection

Rerun from October, 2009

Are you seeing pumpkins? Is the world turning orange?

Sure! It's almost Halloween. One of the most fun times of the year, especially for kids (of all ages).

But you say you're a parent? You're worried about candy and tooth decay?

Well, good for you. You want your kids to have fun trick or treating, but you want to protect them.

Here's what you need to know.

Teeth naturally get covered with a bacterial called plaque. The bacteria in plaque eat sugar. Then they make acid. Acid attacks tooth enamel and then other bacterial get into the enamel and cause tooth decay.

But you knew that. So what can you do to prevent tooth decay and still let your kids enjoy the traditions and fun of Halloween?

There's nothing mysterious about it. There are several strategies that work. You should do them all.

1. First tip for parents: When the kids return with their treats, dump them out on a table and pick out the best stuff for yourself.

2. Clean teeth will hardly ever decay. Send the kids out with clean teeth. Good oral hygiene before they walk out the door for Halloween trick or treating is simple. Be sure they have clean teeth before they go out.

3. Don't let them go crazy. It's really OK for most kids to have some candy, but a sensible limit is good tactics. Rationing over a few days is smart.

4. Clean again after they eat the stuff. Even a good mouth rinsing with water is good if brushing is not possible.

5. NEVER let kids go to bed without brushing. Overnight, mouths dry up and the plaque works even harder to break down teeth.

6. An over-the-counter fluoride mouthrinse is a good idea. Once a day after brushing. Fluoride toughens enamel and discourages bacteria.

7. Don't lecture. Kids don't like to be lectured at. Educate, explain, but don't turn into the "Mom and Dad of Doom". They'll tune you out.

One more thing. This is unpleasant, but you have to be VERY careful about what kids collect on Halloween. Do not allow your kids to eat unwrapped candy, or any other food. Not only is it unsanitary, it is dangerous.

Halloween is a fun time. Have fun, stay safe and help your kids have healthy teeth.

As always, if you have questions or need advice, just let us know.

You can comment on this blog by clicking on the word "comments" just below. We'll respond.