In case you missed our last giveaway, we're doing another one!  Simply  "Like" us on FaceBook and write a review about your experience with Dr. Radin, and you will be automatically entered to win this fabulous gift basket, running now through the end of December:

This January, you could win this basket containing gift cards to Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa!  What a wonderful way to pamper yourself for the upcoming New Year!  Be sure to enter today!

Now that Halloween is over, you may be wondering what to do with all of that leftover candy.  Before you go stashing it in the freezer, or bringing it to the office, we've got an even better solution: we'll buy it back from you!  We are proud to announce that we will be participating in "Operation Gratitude's" Halloween Candy Buyback Program, in which your donated candy will be sent to our deserving troops overseas.  We'll pay you a $1 per every pound of candy (10 lbs. maximum per family).  Find out more about our Halloween Candy Buyback Program going on NOW! 

You may be wanting to get a head start on your Thanksgiving Day menu since the holiday will be here before we know it!  Preparing a traditional Thanksgiving dinner that's lower in fat and calories but still thrills the crowd isn't hard. All it takes is a few ingredient substitutions and some clever fat-busting techniques. Whether you're following a special diet or just want to take it easy on Turkey Day, try these simple, lighter takes on classic Thanksgiving recipes.

While most parents know the importance of limiting juice, soda and other sugary drinks, what about milk?  Milk contains sugar, too, so how much is too much?  Find out my answer in this month's Q&A column.

If you've ever had a canker sore, you know how painful they can be.  But what if your child gets one?  Would you know how to spot one and most importantly, how to treat it?  What to Do About Painful Canker Sores will address commonly asked questions about these annoying and painful sores.

If you're looking for a chance to relax after the chaos of the holidays and start 2015 off right, then why not enter our newest FaceBook contest?  Find out how in January, we will be announcing the winner of some fabulous prizes to a spa!  Don't forget to check out the winner of our in-office monthly basket prize, and be sure to see what goodies what we're giving away this month.

 

Sincerely,

Bring us your wrapped candy and in exchange we will pay YOU $1.00 per pound! (10 pound max. per family).  

 

 

We are proud to announce that we will be participating in Operation Gratitude, a national program in which dentists "buy back" Halloween candy from local families. The candy is then sent to servicemen and women overseas.    

We will have blank cards here for everyone to write letters to and decorate for the troops. The candy and cards that you decorate for our brave servicemen will be shipped to our troops overseas!

  

Everyone in the community is welcome to participate (not just our patients and their families), so please and help spread the word!

Operation Gratitude seeks to lift the spirits of active duty and veteran members of the military by sending care packages throughout the year. They collect snacks, entertainment, hygiene and handmade items, as well as personal letters to send overseas. Since its inception in 2003, the organization has shipped more than one million care packages. (For more information about Operation Gratitude's Halloween candy buyback program, please click here.)   

 

You might think the words "Thanksgiving" and "healthy" don't belong in the same sentence. But you don't have to prepare a table full of high-calorie and full-fat dishes to get the Thanksgiving tastes you love. Need proof? These classic dishes received a healthy makeover - without sacrificing flavor.

 

Pear, Prosciutto & Hazelnut Stuffing

Crisping the prosciutto and toasting the nuts adds a powerful punch of flavor to the stuffing without going overboard on fat. Diamond Brand now makes packaged chopped hazelnuts, available in most major supermarkets.   

 

Lemon-Garlic Roast Turkey & White-Wine Gravy

The zesty lemon-garlic rub for this turkey gives it amazing flavor. Instead of using a conventional supermarket turkey that's been "enhanced" with added sodium solution, here we brine a natural or organic turkey to keep the meat extra juicy without a lot of extra sodium.   

 

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut squash gives you all the richness you want at your Thanksgiving table - your guests will never believe this soup isn't made with cream.

 

 

Frozen Pumpkin Mousse Pie

For this twist on pumpkin pie, top with a gingersnap crust with pumpkin-infused frozen yogurt filling.

 

Sources: Eating Well; Food Network

 

Canker sores, also called mouth ulcers, are rare in children under 10, but it's possible that this is what's causing your child's discomfort.

A canker sore is a roundish white or yellow open sore surrounded by a red halo. Canker sores usually appear inside the cheeks or lips, as well as on the tongue, gums, and soft palate (the soft tissue around and behind the hard roof of the mouth). They usually appear individually but can also show up in small clusters.

If you see a sore in your child's mouth and you're wondering whether it is a cold sore or a canker sore, just look at where it shows up: Cold sores usually appear outside the mouth, around the lips, chin, or nostrils, whereas canker sores are always found inside the mouth.

 

Causes

It's not really clear what causes canker sores. They tend to run in families, so they appear to have a genetic link. Some people are prone to getting sores when they're under stress.

 

Canker sores can also appear after a trauma to the mouth, such as a break in the skin caused by a dental procedure or by biting the tongue or cheek. There's some evidence that food allergies, viral infections, and dietary deficiencies (in particular, not getting enough iron, folic acid, zinc, or B12) can trigger canker sores.

 

What to Do

Most canker sores will heal on their own in a few days to a couple of weeks. While waiting for them to disappear, your child can take an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen for the pain. You'll also want to watch what they eat. Spicy foods and acidic foods such as lemons or tomatoes can be extremely painful on these open wounds. Stay away from hard, scratchy, or crunchy foods like nuts, toast, pretzels, or potato chips for a while as they can poke or rub the sore.

 

Have your child be extra careful when brushing and avoid toothpastes and mouthwashes that contain sodium lauryl sulfate, which can cause further irritation. Avoid brushing the sore itself with a toothbrush, which will make it worse.

If your child can swish a sip of warm salt water in his mouth and then spit it out, that can also help soothe the pain. (Add about half a teaspoon of salt to a cup of warm water.)

If your preschooler seems really uncomfortable, you may want to give him the proper dose of an over-the-counter pain reliever, like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. (Never give your child aspirin, which can trigger a rare but deadly disease called Reye's syndrome in children with a viral illness.)

 

Although they can certainly be a pain, in most cases canker sores aren't serious and should go away on their own. If symptoms do not go away after a week, or are accompanied by a fever, swollen lymph nodes, or a rash, be sure to contact your child's pediatrician for a diagnosis.

 

Source: BabyCenter   

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