Leah is in the 2nd grade at Mount Pleasant Elementary School and was off school today. Daddy and Leah spent the morning together at home, and then Leah came to the office.

Dr Patrick Wahl co-wrote an article about rubber dams in 2010 for the journal Endodontic Practice: Wahl P, Andrews T. Isolation: a look at the differences and benefits of rubber dam and Isolite. Endo Practice 2010;3(2):52-55.

Pat’s article was cited in “Rubber dam use during root canal treatment : Findings from The Dental Practice-Based Research Network” in the current (February 2013) Journal of the American Dental Association. Way to Pat! Dam it!

Dr. Mervin and Joy with baby Betsy and two nieces, approximately 1959, before Dr. Mike was born.

The good people at Dogtopia (on Concord Pike behind Fairfax Shopping Center) love taking care of lots of dogs, including the dogs of many people at Wahl Family Dentistry. In the Dogtopia newsletter, there was an article “Doggie Dental Tips” that had some good advice on helping with your dog’s oral health. The original link was on Animal Planet (http://animal.discovery.com/pets/healthy-pets/dental-dog-care-tips-tricks.htm)

Our insurance adminstrator’s dog Zero was kind enough to “show his teeth” for this entry.

You put a lot of thought into keeping your dog healthy: quality food, routine checkups, plenty of fitness. But what about his teeth?
Oral hygiene is an often-overlooked but important factor in your dog’s overall health. If he has a toothache or sore gums, he’s dealing with pain and stress that you may not even know about. Left untreated, bacteria introduced by the problem can enter the bloodstream and affect his heart, kidneys or liver. Veterinarians report that an estimated 85 percent of dogs over age 4 are suffering from some form of periodontal disease, a painful oral condition that can lead to tooth loss and infection. The good news? All of these problems are preventable with regular dental cleanings and professional checkups.
Like regular grooming or the daily jaunt outside, dental care should be something your dog comes to expect each day. But it won’t happen overnight; most dogs take some time getting used to someone poking around in their mouth. Most owners need to warm up to the idea, too! Ideally, introduce dental care when your pooch is still a puppy. But don’t stress if you just realized that your adult dog’s teeth need some attention. Just take a slow, patient approach, and remember that lots of love and treats go a long way in winning him over.
Most experts agree that daily brushing is ideal, but if that’s unrealistic, aim for three to four times per week. And don’t be an overachiever: If your pup’s patience only lasts for you to brush half his teeth today and the other half tomorrow, that’s fine. Just remember which half you did each day!

Pacifiers can be a comfort to small children and their parents, but using them for too long can be harmful to children’s teeth. Dr. Jean shared a link with some excellent tips on giving up the pacifier. Among the tips are “planning the good-bye,” including getting ready for a special visit from the “Binky Fairy,” who will take a box of collected pacifiers to “take to all the babies who need them.”
http://www.metrokids.com/MetroKids/January-2010/Break-Free-of-the-Binky

Kira made this sign for her room, which she shares with her guinea pig Snowflake.

Kira was excited to get her braces on today. Dr. Anzilotti and his fantastic staff are a great combination of compassion, caring, and competence.