Preferred Dentist in Munster
“Since we opened our doors, we’ve been treating Lake County residents with one-on-one, friendly care – the sort of care we’d want for ourselves.
Ridge Dental Care
619 Ridge Rd Munster IN 46321
(219) 836-1111
https://www.ridgedentalcare.com/cosmetic
https://www.ridgedentalcare.com/implant-options
https://www.ridgedentalcare.com/about-us
http://www.yelp.com/biz/ridge-dental-care-munster
Dentistry has changed a lot over the years. It used to be you would only go to the dentist for a filling, root canal, or teeth pain. And, since the these visits were often less than pleasant to, folks didn’t go out of their way to go to the dentist. Thankfully fear is no longer an issue and dentists can now help you with things other than your teeth.
Dental fear is prevalent in many people, as it should be, since your mouth is very sensitive – and susceptible to pain. Plus, if someone is standing over you with a sharp tool going into you mouth – it can be a bit nerve racking.
Dentists can now help you deal with dental fear through oral sedation. Sedation medication focuses on anxiety rather than localized pain like anesthesia. The most commonly recognized drug for sedation is Valium. How sedation medication is administered is up to the dentist. (It could even be started the day before the procedure.) And, of course how much you may need or which medication is best for you, are reasons to consult your neighborhood dentist.
Now, let’s say that you are not anxious about visiting the dentist, you just don’t go because you have other things to worry about, like the fact you’re not sleeping, nor is your family, because the train that is your snore, keeps everyone awake.
Though snoring is not a 100% cause or sign that you may have sleep apnea – it may be. There is a lot of information on sleep apnea available online and of course you should consult your dentist or physician if you are concerned you may have it. The point is, if you believe you have sleep apnea, your neighborhood dentist may be able to treat it. Dentists can help with sleep apnea by making a splint for your mouth called a mandibular advancement splint.
Chances are, you or someone you know, is either anxious or suffering from sleep apnea. Once you have attained the proper medical advice and find that you may be suitable for either of the above procedures, make an appointment with your dentist, they would be happy to help you find the best course of action to take.
Used under Creative Commons Licensing courtesy of Rob Boudon
“My teeth are fine, they don’t hurt. . .a lot!” “I don’t need to go the dentist.” “Besides, even if I had the time, I know I don’t have the money.” “And, if I had both the time and the money, why would I pay somebody to hurt me, I’m not like that.” “I’m not afraid I simply… my teeth don’t hurt!”
Twenty years ago the above statements wouldn’t be surprising to most dentists. They’ve heard them all. What is surprising is that even today these same statements reverberate in the halls of toothdom . Today, even with sedation dentistry, smaller more precise dental instruments, and anesthesia, people are still reluctant to go a dentist. Of course some of that reluctance stems from the FOC factor (fear of cost). Today there is very little reason not to see a dentist. Of all the above misgivings, the FOC factor is probably the biggest. But, oral health is not something that should be sidelined due to misgivings – it’s that important.
Let’s address the elephant on this page. Fear of cost is very real for a lot of folks, though this country has the best health care on the planet – it’s also the most expensive. However, FOC brings up multiple silver linings. First, consider the ROI (return on investment). If you can have healthy, comfortable, good-looking teeth – what is that worth? Also, in terms of real cost, getting dental work done is really not that expensive. Lastly, if you need a big dental procedure done you can finance it. P.S. if you have to choose whether to finance a new car or oral care – this article isn’t for you.
Now that the FOC elephant is put back in its cage, let’s talk about the other “reasons” people don’t go to the dentist. Pain! At this point in our history dental pain is all but imaginary. Have you been to a dental office recently? The dental tools are microscopic (not really but they are very small). Some dentists even use lasers. If smaller instruments aren’t enough, there is always anesthetic and if that’s not enough there is sedation and music (most dentists have digital music you can listen to while work is being done on your teeth).
What will hurt is if you keep putting of regular dental visits until the pain is unbearable. Dentists are doctors and like any doctor, they need to be seen regularly. Take care of your teeth, so that they can take care of you!
Image Used under Creative Commons license. Photo Credit: Head In Hands by Craig Dennis.
Looking for a way to improve your memory about something? Ditch the technology.
I know that technology is a time saver, it keeps everything in one place, but it does absolutely nothing to boost your brain power because your brain knows that once you’ve typed it into a file, it’s stored and it doesn’t have to think about it again.
The next time you have to write something down, try picking up a pen and paper.
Something in the brain engages when we write by hand rather than using a keyboard. Perhaps because we have to actually slow our brain down to keep up with our pen. It was our first tool when we began the process of reading and writing, and evidence demonstrates that kids learn to read faster when they are taught to write by hand than on the computer.
In a recent study, college students were divided into two groups. One group was instructed to take notes by hand. The other group was allowed to input notes on their laptop.
The students who typed out their notes were able to take more notes, their conceptual understanding of the material was markedly decreased. Even more striking, even when both groups were allowed to study their notes for an exam several weeks after the lecture, those who handwrote their notes performed much better than those who had a near-perfect transcript of the lecture.
How can that be? Writing by hand takes longer. It’s slower. The notes aren’t nearly as complete. The authors of the study believe that is the key. Faster learning isn’t necessarily better learning. Slowing down improves retention and understanding.
Pen and paper note takers also had to stop taking notes when they needed to understand something. Those using a keyboard were able to keep up with the flow of words without any problem, but their ability to retain what they heard is where they failed. Their fellow students who paused from time to time had to process the information in real time.
The more notes, the poorer the results. Taking notes with a keyboard can be done in a relatively mindless fashion. Pen and paper students were forced to pay careful attention.
The next time you find yourself typing up notes, for whatever reason, consider your purpose. Studies have shown that keeping a journal is an especially productive and insightful practice. But those who use their keyboard to journal demonstrate fewer specific memories of events than those who journal the old fashioned way, with pen and paper. If you need to really remember something, grab a pen and paper.
Photo Credit : writing in the journal from Erin Kohlenberg via Flickr
Whatever we can do to make you more comfortable, and to give you a brighter, healthier smile, you can rest assured that we will make it happen.”
Ridge Dental Care
619 Ridge Rd Munster IN 46321
(219) 836-1111
https://www.ridgedentalcare.com/implant-options
https://www.ridgedentalcare.com/about-us
https://www.ridgedentalcare.com/dental-blog
http://www.yelp.com/biz/ridge-dental-care-munster
