Seahawks vs. the Patriots. Hmmm. Since the Houston Texans didn’t make it I guess I will root for the Seahawks. All the hype about deflated footballs doesn’t inspire me to cheer for the Patriots. If your head has been in the sand, don’t watch television, listen to the radio or get news updates online then you have to check out this video.

I love the Super Bowl! It’s not only fun to watch the game and commercials but it’s a great excuse for a get together with friends. One of my favorite Super Bowl snacks is white queso made with cream cheese. Its to die for! Here is the recipe, try something new this Sunday.

2 packages cream cheese

1 lb Jimmy Dean sausage cookedSuper

1 can Rotel Tomatoes

1 small can black olives (optional)

Combine all in microwave safe bowl and cook for 2-4 minutes until melted, mix and enjoy with your favorite tortilla chips

By Deborah Burroughs RDA, native Houstonite

I was fortunate to be able to go to the Bass Concert Hall this past weekend to see the hit musical, Mama Mia. The show was part of the Broadway in Austin series sponsored by The Bass Concert Hall in 2014 and 2015. Mama Mia was based on the smash hits of ABBA. They were a band from the 70’s that were famous for big hits such as “Dancing Queen” and “The Winner Takes All.” Many of their songs are still very popular today.

Mama Mia takes place on a small island in Greece. Sophia, is a young woman who has always wanted to know the identity of her biological father but her Mother has never shared that information with her. She decides to take matters into her own hands and invite her Mother’s past boyfriends to her upcoming wedding on the island. The three unsuspecting men all agree to attend believing that they have been invited by Sophia’s mother, Donna. She has hopes that her father will be willing to walk her down the aisle on her big day.

And although, Donna is unable to determine which of the three men attending the wedding is Sophia’s real father, they all agreed that they would be honored to walk her down the aisle and be present in her future. They are all determined to remain close now that they have all reconnected.

Mama Mia is by far one of my favorite plays. The encore is always such a fun surprise if you are seeing it for the first time. Donna, and her girl band, The Dynamo’s, make an unexpected visit to sing “Dancing Queen” one last time while dressed in outrageous orange jump suits encouraging the audience to sing along. The cast did a great job of keeping the audience entertained all the way to the very end. I can’s wait to see it again next year.

Happy Broadway Review from Tina at 12 Oaks Dental Far West

It’s the season of sneezes and coughs, and the risk for colds and the flu is on the rise. At our dental office in Austin, we strive to keep our patients healthy, but even we don’t have a cure for the common cold. While many of us turn to over-the-counter medicines to put our pesky coughs to sleep, cough medicines can actually contribute to tooth decay and cavities.

Cough syrups and lozenges often contain sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, and alcohol. While these ingredients help relieve some symptoms and make managing a cold a bit easier, they can also cause damage to your teeth.

Sugars

Mary Poppins may have been on to something when she sang, “a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.” Many cough medicines include sugar to make the liquid easier to take and not so awful tasting. However, sugar is a main contributor of tooth decay and cavities. Mouth bacteria consume sugars which are then broken down into acid. This acid attacks the enamel and leads to decay.

Alcohol

Alcohol naturally causes your mouth to become dry, and when your mouth is dry, your teeth are at risk for damage. In a normal, healthy mouth, saliva is produced at a rapid rate — about a quart of saliva a day! Saliva is important for the health of teeth because it helps wash away sugar and acid. Without it, sugar and acid are left on the teeth for longer periods of time, increasing the risk of decay and cavities.

Tips to Keep Your Grin Healthy

Many cough suppressants are taken right before bedtime. This itself can contribute to a higher likelihood of decay. Since there saliva production decreases at night, the use of a cough syrup before hitting the hay can make saliva production extremely low. Additionally, taking a dose of your medicine of choice prior to falling asleep will allow the dangerous ingredients to linger on teeth even longer. That, plus the decrease in saliva, is a winning recipe for cavities. Try taking medication with meals, brush your teeth after swallowing syrup, or use a pill form of the medicine instead.

All of us at our Austin dental office hope you’re staying healthy this cold and flu season. If you succumb to the pestering effects of a cold, use caution when taking medicine and follow the tips above to help protect your smile.

Welcoming patients from Austin, Westlake, Cedar Park, and surrounding areas.

The type of dentistry we practice at my dental office in Austin, that ensures comfort, oral health, and overall wellbeing, wasn’t always the norm. If we go back a few years, a mere 9,000, we find some extraordinarily crazy beliefs, wild practices, and a dental philosophy that’s much different from today’s standard.

Ancient forms of dental care didn’t revolve around prevention, and treatment actually only occurred after a problem already developed. In years past, dentists and doctors didn’t know how to properly treat tooth pain, and they didn’t know what exactly caused a toothache.

There’s a Worm in Your Tooth

In 5000 BC, the Sumerians accredited tooth pain to the legendary tooth worm, a myth that was widely accepted until the 1700s. The story of the tooth worm was that tiny worms bored into the tooth and destroyed it from the inside out, causing a lot of pain. To treat it, some practitioners would either extract the tooth or mistake the actual tooth root as a worm and pull it out. Talk about painful.

It’s All Greek to Me

In ancient Greece, throughout 500-300 BC, Hippocrates and Aristotle began to study teeth. The famous, intelligent duo not only studied how teeth grew in, but also how to treat decay and gum disease, and how to extract teeth using forceps. What’s perhaps even more interesting is that 1,000 years later, during the Middle Ages, those actually performing the extractions were not dentists, but barbers.

A Dentist is Born

It wasn’t until between 1650 and 1800 that modern dentistry practices, treatments, and knowledge came into play. Credited as “The Father of Modern Dentistry,” 17th century French physician Pierre Fauchard not only spearheaded the development of many of the procedures we use today, he also developed the process for dental fillings and determined the connection between sugar and tooth decay. Because of his discoveries, the first dental college opened in Baltimore in 1840 and dentistry became a recognized profession.

Dentistry has surely changed throughout the years, thankfully for the better — and less painful, primitive, and worm-infested. Yet without the innovations and dedication of those who came before us, the treatments offered at our Austin dental office wouldn’t be available. Additionally, thanks to the advancements in dental technology and continuing education, we’re able to provide our patients with the services they deserve, and do it comfortably.

Welcoming patients from Austin, Westlake, Cedar Park, and surrounding areas.