Diamons

Patient Education

Photography by Dr. Padval

Psssssssst—Secret Sugar

Lurks in Every Pantry Your sugar bowl sits on the table, and you lift its lid only to sweeten your morning coffee. You deserve a medal for exemplary nutritional behavior! Are you sure? Most folks eat more of it than they realize—150 pounds per year average. That’s 6 ounces—3/4 of a cup—every day. Two-thirds of Americans are overweight, many of them children. Doctors predict that an epidemic of diabetes will follow the obesity epidemic. Lose that sugar bowl and you still consume it in cakes, [...]

By |2015-12-01T00:00:41-08:00December 1, 2015|Patient Education|

Why to Use Dental Insurance by the New Year

If you have dental insurance, then be sure to get the most out of your coverage by using it before the year's end. Especially when your deductible has already been met for the calendar year, go for all the dentistry you can squeeze out of your policy before benefits expire. With a little planning—we'll help—we can complete your present treatment plan long before you're facing a new deductible. Another common situation is if your insurance plan has a maximum allowable benefit for the calendar [...]

By |2015-11-24T00:00:48-08:00November 24, 2015|Patient Education|

All About Antibiotics

Because we’re concerned about more than your teeth… If you’re a woman taking oral contraceptives, it’s understandable that you might not wish to mention this prior to a dental procedure. But it’s truly important that we know, and here’s why: Your dental procedure may include an antibiotic prescription to fight bacterial infection. It’s known that some broad-spectrum antibiotics can reduce the effectiveness of a birth control pill, increasing the chance of pregnancy. Antibiotics are wonderful weapons against infection, but they have their limitations. A [...]

By |2015-11-17T00:00:10-08:00November 17, 2015|Patient Education|

When Heartburn Comes with the Check

It might be a big Italian meal—meatballs, lasagna, red wine— or a serious encounter with stuffed jalapenos. Whatever your preference, if you suffer heartburn, you’re going to pay for it. Every month, 40% of the population suffer heartburn. An unlucky 10% reach for the antacids or acid blockers daily. Heartburn is a symptom of gastroesophageal reflux, the escape of acids from the stomach back into the esophagus. There is a burning sensation behind the breastbone, maybe a sour taste in the mouth. Mild- to-moderate [...]

By |2015-11-10T00:00:40-08:00November 10, 2015|Patient Education|

Is Your Mouth Older Than…

A mouth at age 50 enters a whole new world marked by a set of problems you never dreamed of when your mouth was filled with bubble gum and the latest slang. Celebrate Great Taste! Expect taste buds to fade gradually with age. But the senses of taste and smell can disappear quickly in diabetics—or overnight as a result of stroke, Parkinson’s or Huntington’s Disease. Have the loss checked out—and make food more palatable with herbs and spices. Don’t Swallow Bitterness! Menopause often leads [...]

By |2015-11-03T00:00:02-08:00November 3, 2015|Patient Education|