Farewell Mary… All The Best!

Mary Conery, one of our Registered Dental Hygienists, has decided that she is ready for retirement and will see her last patients at the end of June. She has been a dedicated member of our dental team for 21 years. We appreciate very much her devotion, ideas and the excellence she has put into making this dental practice a success. We’ve had many patients tell us, “Don’t ever let Mary retire!”  We tried….. but to no avail!  Her smile, laughter and warm, caring attitude toward patients and team members alike will certainly be missed.

As employers, Dr. Michelle and I are truly lucky and thankful to be surrounded by such a great team we have working at Crow Family Dentistry. Our employees, like Mary, have been with us for many years.  Some of us have grown up together in a way.  Myself, I’m still growing up!

We know you will miss Mary, as will we. She has been the perfect employee and is a good friend. Thank you, Mary, for your many years of service. You have made Crow Family Dentistry a better place and have served our patients well.

Please take a look at my interview of Mary. She has a message for you, our awesome patients, and gives some information about her career and her plans for retirement.

She has been announcing her retirement to patients for months now.  However, many of you may not get a chance to see her for treatment again before her last day with Crow Family Dentistry.

Please join us for an open house on June 15th from 6-8 pm at our office to say farewell to Mary. You will have a chance to meet Sue, our other dental hygienist, our new hygienist Kristen and other members of our team.

Don Crow, DDs

Oral Cancer. Early Discovery Can Save Lives

ORAL CANCER KILLS ONE PERSON EVERY HOUR, 24 HOURS A DAY IN NORTH AMERICA

• The incidence of oral cancer increased 11% in the United States in 2007.

• Unlike several other cancers, the survival rate for oral cancer has remained unchanged for decades.

• The overall 5-year survival rate for oral cancer is 52%, but when discovered early, it increases to 80% – 90%.

• Unfortunately, only 35% of oral cancer cases are diagnosed in the early stages. Why? Because there have been few advances made in screening techniques.

• Pre-malignant changes actually start below the surface, at the basement membrane. These changes may not be apparent to the naked eye until the disease progresses to the surface

• The number of head and neck cancers linked to the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV) has increased sharply over the past two decades, and the virus now accounts for more cancers than tobacco or alcohol

  Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2011/10/05/hpv-linked-to-more-oral-cancers-than-smoking/#ixzz1fhomEzMx

The VELscope® System is a revolutionary hand-held device that provides dentists, hygienists, and other oral health care professionals with an easy-to-use adjunctive mucosal examination system for the early detection of abnormal tissue. The VELscope® System Handpiece emits a safe blue light into the oral cavity, which excites the tissue from the surface of the epithelium through to the basement membrane and into the stroma beneath, causing it to fluoresce. The clinician is then able to immediately view the different fluorescence responses to help differentiate between normal and abnormal tissue. In fact, the VELscope® System is the only adjunctive device cleared by the FDA to help discover oral mucosal lesions that might not be apparent or visible to the naked eye and to help surgeons determine the appropriate surgical margin for tumor excision.

At Crow Family Dentistry we offer to use our VELscope® System on all patients to supplement the visual oral cancer exam which we have always performed.  This examination is:

• Painless, non-invasive, with no rinses or stains required
• Quick.  It only one or two minutes
• Low cost.  Currently our fee is $15.

We are committed to saving lives!

Beware Of Valentine’s Day!

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and you may be getting ready for some big fat kisses to come your way.

So even though at Crow Family Dentistry we’re concerned about cavities, gum disease, bad breath and lots of saliva, we won’t use this month’s blog entry to gross you out about kissing. But we will tell you some interesting facts that you can tell your kissing partner right after they smack one on you!!

Anthropologists have argued for years about the origin of kissing. Many now believe that it has evolved from the time when mothers chewed food for their babies and then went mouth to mouth at feeding time. (Well, okay – we might gross you out a little bit!) This action became so comforting to babies that the habit continued even after they could chew for themselves, and then developed into a sign of affection.

Nowadays kisses aren’t just about romantic love. Of course parents kiss their children. Worshippers often kiss religious artifacts. Some people kiss the ground when exiting an airplane. And who doesn’t want to have a “boo boo” kissed when they get a bruise?

But February 14th is a day for the romantic kind of kiss, and if you are craving one, there may be a scientific reason. While this action can promote a psychological response of warmth and affection, it also causes your brain to secrete some important and productive chemicals, such as:

• Oxytocin, which helps people develop feelings of attachment, devotion and affection for one another
• Dopamine, which plays a role in the brain’s processing of emotions, pleasure and pain
• Serotonin, which affects a person’s mood and feelings
• Adrenaline, which increases heart rate and plays a role in your body’s fight-or-flight response

But along with that, when you kiss, hundreds or even millions of bacterial colonies are transported from one mouth to the other. And let’s face it – no one wants to kiss a person who has poor oral hygiene, bad breath, or just a generally yucky mouth. So let’s start with the basics:

• Make sure you brush at least twice a day with a soft toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste.
• Floss once per day – if you have trouble flossing or are not sure how, please ask! We’ll be glad to show you the ropes.
• Avoid sugary and acid-laden foods such as soft drinks, sports drinks, and candy. (Okay – we won’t tell anyone if you have a tiny bit of candy on Valentine’s Day!)
• Eat a well balanced diet including lean proteins, healthy fats, fruits and vegetables, nuts and fiber.
• If you need to slip in a piece of gum or breath mint, make sure it contains Xylitol, which has been proven to reduce tooth decay.
• Drink plenty of water! This helps to rinse away food particles, and staying hydrated is good for fresh clean breath.
• See you dentist on a regular basis and call immediately if you suspect there are any problems with your oral condition.

Here at the office of Crow Family Dentistry, we want you to have a kissable February 14th and a lifetime of excellent dental health. If you have any questions or need to set up an appointment, please give us a call at (425) 258-2633.  We are here for you!

The Battle Of The Sexes – Dental Style

In 1965 James Brown sang “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World.” A few years earlier Harry Belafonte sang to us “That’s right – the women are smarter!” So who is right when it comes to dental health?

It turns out one group is more likely to have healthier gums, less plaque and tartar build-up, fewer areas of bleeding gums, and lower incidents of gum disease. This group also is twice as likely to schedule regular dental check-ups and is much better at following through with treatment recommended by their dentist.

To top it off, they have a better understanding of oral health and a more positive attitude about visiting the dentist! So just who are these dental superstars?

According to the Journal Of Periodontology, a professional journal which publishes articles on gum disease – it’s the “fairer sex” who has the advantage when it comes to dental health. Maybe it’s true that “the women are smarter!”

So does that mean females are less likely to have cavities, gum disease, tooth loss, and stinky breath? Sorry guys – the answer is yes.

The good news is – it seems to have nothing to do with genetics or the fact that women and men have a different chromosomal arrangement. It is purely because women take better care of their teeth and gums and see their dentists more regularly.

So how about it guys? It’s time to “get on the stick” – or at least the toothbrush. Start taking better care of your teeth and gums, and be sure to give us a call at 425-258-2633 to schedule your next appointment! And women – keep up the good work!

At  Crow Family Dentistry we care about ALL of our patients – men and women! We are always here for you to answer any questions you should have about your dental health. Give us a call today!

RELAX! YOU ARE AT THE DENTIST!

We’ve all seen Steve Martin’s crazy sadistic dental performance in the movie Little Shop of Horrors or heard a friend’s over-inflated version of a bad office visit (usually involving a root canal), but going to the dentist these days really isn’t scary! With all the modern technology and advanced techniques available, a dental visit can be not just painless but actually relaxing! Right? Right!

Like it or not, most of us go to the dentist routinely to keep our teeth and gums healthy because it’s what we’re supposed to do, not because it’s a favorite activity. But did you know that seventy-five percent of the population experience some sort of dental fear and fifteen percent actually avoid going to the dentist altogether due to severe anxiety? Infrequent dental visits or total avoidance can cause severe health problems, even heart disease.

Here at Crow Family Dentistry, we take fear of dental visits very seriously. We want to make each visit to the dentist as comfortable and stress free as possible. That’s why we do everything we can to communicate with you at your very first visit with us. Knowing a little of your history will help us determine what techniques we can use to make all of your experiences positive.

You are not alone if you suffer from anxiety at the dentist.
Whether it is fear of pain, fear of injury, the awful noise of the drill, smells or other, we can help. Painful treatment is a thing of the past. Even dental injections really shouldn’t hurt with the use of the new super topical anesthetics. Stereo headphones that let you choose your own music to drown out the sound of the drill or background noise are helpful for many. The high-tech laser we use for some procedures can make injections and drilling a thing of the past. And for many, we even offer sedation to help you through your visit with less anxiety. Both nitrous oxide gas and oral sedation medications such as Valium are routinely prescribed.

If we haven’t already addressed your dental fears, shame on us! Please be sure to bring this up at your next visit. We feel your dental health is so important that we take these extra steps to help you to continue to return for stress free dental care in order to stay as healthy as possible.
Please give us a call at 425-258-2633 to schedule your next appointment. With your comfort in mind, we will make sure that every visit is a great one!