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January 2012
The Smile Line "The tooth, the whole tooth, and nothing but the tooth."
An eNewsletter from Michael D. Gillespie, DDS |
Greetings!
Last year my New Year's resolutions included reading at least one book per month and improving my health and fitness. I did great on the reading but struggled with the fitness part. Many people make resolutions to lose weight, to "do better", and so on, but never seem to get past the planning stages. Experts say writing down your goals and reviewing them periodically increases your chance of success. Others say to break down your goals into bite-size pieces. So when vowing to lose 20 pounds, you should also plan smaller goals such as cutting the number of soft drinks you consume in half or walking on a treadmill for 10 minutes daily, building up in 5 minute increments. My goals for 2012 are written down, so I hope to see you in the gym or book store, but not in Mickey D's! Happy New Year!
Michael D. Gillespie, DDS |
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| Easy to Do, Easy NOT to Do |
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In "The Slight Edge", author Jeff Olson states that regular attention to simple disciplines can turn into massive success. The components of life-transforming actions are the mundane tasks that are very easy to do. They are also easy NOT to do, which leads people to put them off.
In one illustration Mr. Olson likens the process to activating a large cog in a giant machine. After many hours of pushing on the cog, seeing no immediate results, suddenly the cog  moves almost imperceptibly. The next push moves it a llittle more until finally the machine is put into motion. Once the cog is in action it gains momentum and pushing it is effortless. There are many routine actions we can take that, done daily, even when no immediate result is seen, can lead to great improvements in our health, relationships, jobs and finances. They are easy to do, but also easy NOT to do.
When debating on going to the gym or staying in bed another 30 minutes, remember: easy to do, easy NOT to do.
When deciding whether to eat a handful of walnuts or a handful of Peanut M&Ms: easy to do, easy NOT to do.
Whether to floss your teeth or put it off until tomorrow: easy to do, easy NOT to do.
Making the wrong decision won't really affect you today, or even tomorrow. But taken over the course many days, weeks, and years, The Slight Edge Effect works in the reverse, leading to undesirable consequences.
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Starting in January we will be able to remind you of your appointments using the latest technology. Over the past several months we have asked our patients to fill out new information forms because we found their contact and health information had become outdated. Many people  have disconnected their landlines and are using cell phones only. Others are connected to their computers and email is their preferred form of communication. And, for anyone under 30, text messaging is the way to get in touch. Taking all of this into consideration, we will begin using eMinders to remind our patients about upcoming appointments. Don't worry--we will still send out postcards for cleaning appointments in addition to our eMinders, but are finding that emails and texts are a quick and efficient way to touch base with our patients.
When you receive a text or email eMinder, you have the ability to "opt out" if you do not want to be contacted in either way. Our goal is to improve our communication with you and look forward to your feedback as we seek to better our services! |
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At the most recent American Heart Association scientific meeting in Orlando, Dr. Zu-Yin Chen presented the results of a multi-year study of over 100,000 individuals. The study found that those who had their teeth cleaned at least twice in two years had a 24 percent lower risk of heart attack and 13 percent lower risk of stroke than those who had not.
It is well-documented that poor oral hygiene is associated with an increased risk of heart disease due to effects of inflammation-causing bacteria in the mouth. Other studies have related gum disease with the delivery of preterm low birthweight babies as well as difficulty in controlling diabetes in affected individuals.
Flossing your teeth is a must for healthy people. The toothbrush simply cannot access the areas between t he teeth to remove plaque or food debris.
If you are not a regular flosser, start by keeping floss in your nightstand and using it daily. Some people state they are not able to manipulate the floss properly. Floss holders are available to help with those who struggle with dexterity.
Easy to do, easy NOT to do! |
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"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."
Walt Disney |
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611 S. Haywood St.
Waynesville, NC 28786
828.456.9007
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