| Vitamin Supplements... in summer?! |
Summer is winding down & we're in the middle of our least-loved season: smoke! Like it or not, it's is part of southern Oregon living. Summer is usually sunny and bright: a plus for the immune system. Did you know that our amazing bodies get an immune assist from the sun? We make our own Vitamin-D right in our skin with direct sun exposure. About 30 minutes of summer sun per day is enough to keep our metabolic shelves stocked. And vitamin D is what our immune system needs to fight off infection and protect us from bacteria, viruses (you may have heard of one in particular recently), fungi, & environmental allergens. In winter (and on smokey summer days!) we get much less sun exposure and therefore make less vitamin D. So be sure to supplement with D3 daily during those times. Some say flu season can be thought of as 'low vitamin D season'. Oh, and Vitamin D isn't the only super supplement. Try starting this regimen now for a serious immune boost:
- Vitamin D3 2,000 (if you can only find 5000IU supplement that's fine just take it every other day)
- Vitamin C 1,000 IU per day
- Quercetin 250 mg/day
- Zinc 20-40 mg/day
- Melatonin 6 mg before bed (as a gentle sleep aid)
- Mouthwash containing cetylpyridinium chloride (I recommend Act for the topical fluoride) - 1/2oz swish daily after brushing/flossing before bed; spit but don't rinse afterward.
Even on a hot summer day, if there's smoke blocking the sun, remember to take your vitamins!
-Dr. Jake |
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| Dental LOL |
 A woman calls the dentist and asks:
"How much to pull a tooth?"
The receptionist replies: "$195"
"How much if a student dentist does it?"
"$95"
"How much if he doesn't use local anesthetic?"
"$45"
"Alright. I'd like to make an appointment for my husband." |
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| Is Your Filling Supposed to Last Forever?
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 Fillings can be made of very different materials. In the past, they have been made of metals, while now they are usually made of a resin-type material that is tooth colored. And if you think about how your fillings work, they undergo a lot of stress in their workplace: pH changes from baking soda (very high) to lemon juice (very low). Temperature swings from ice cream to coffee. Salinity changes, and also wet and dry cycles. There's the mechanical stress of food chewing. Also, there's what we call parafunction: when we use our teeth for something other than their intended function of chewing our food. This can be clenching or grinding the teeth - a term, 'bruxism' is often used to describe this. Also, when we use our teeth as tools, that is also parafunction and it puts stress on the teeth, which, arguably, we can do without. So three cheers for those fillings! They really do a great job for a long time. |
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| Chronic Health Issues & Oral Health |
If you have chronic health issues, you probably know that those issues are also affecting your teeth and your health. Diseases like diabetes, cancer, bulimia and anorexia, osteoporosis, or cardiovascular problems can greatly degrade your oral health. This is because your dental condition is directly related to your bodily health. For example, if you suffer from bulimia, frequent vomiting will lead to stomach acid touching your teeth and destroying the enamel, which causes more chances for infections and decay in the form of cavities. Or, if you suffer from osteoporosis, the affect of medications that treat it affect the ability of your bones to heal which can be a problem following routine oral surgery. Sometime having chronic health issues requires you to ask for help. From a doctor, from a friend, or from family. There's no shame in asking for help. We all need help every now and then. You can always reach out to us & we're happy to help any way that we can.
-Layerdental Team
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