Filomena Sousa

One of our favorite longtime patients, Filomena Sousa, stopped in last week.  We are grateful for her loyalty and love to see her smile!

Longtime patient Filomena Sousa with dental hygienist, Sue McEnaney.

Happy Birthday Dr. Pappey!

Dr. Pappey celebrated his birthday today with a custom cake made by assistant Andrea Drolet. Happy Birthday Dr. Pappey and thanks for a delicious cake Andrea!

April is National Facial Protection Month

Five of the nation’s top dental associations want to remind young athletes to play it safe by wearing a mouth guard during recreational and organized sports this spring. Research estimates that about 2 percent of all children or adolescents who participate in sports eventually will suffer a facial injury severe enough to require medical attention.

The American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) are coordinating with the Academy for Sports Dentistry (ASD), American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) and the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) to promote National Facial Protection Month in April.

National Facial Protection Month strives to raise public awareness and remind parents/caregivers, coaches and athletes to play it safe while playing sports.

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry’s Policy on Prevention of Sports-related Orofacial Injuries, sports accidents reportedly account for 10 to 39 of all dental injuries in children and are most often caused by direct hits with a hard object, such as a puck or ball, and player-to-player contact.

“A properly fitted mouth guard is an essential piece of any athlete's protective equipment,” said Dr. Paul Nativi, DMD, FASD, past president of the Academy for Sports Dentistry. “Mouth guards protect the teeth from being knocked out, broken and displaced. Mouth guards prevent injuries to the bone and tissues around the teeth. They also help prevent injuries to the mandible (lower jaw) and temporomandibular joint in the jaw. Tooth loss incurs a tremendous financial, emotional, and psychological expense. Protect what you have — wear a properly fitted mouth guard.”

The dental associations offer the following tips to help prevent facial injury:

1.  Wear a mouth guard when playing contact sports. Mouth guards are significantly less expensive than the cost to repair an injury, and dentists and dental specialists can make customized mouth guards that hold teeth in place and allow for normal speech and breathing.

2.  Wear a helmet. Helmets absorb the energy of an impact and help prevent damage to the head.

3.  Wear protective eyewear. Eyes are extremely vulnerable to damage, especially when playing sports.

4.  Wear a face shield to avoid scratched or bruised skin. Hockey pucks, basketballs and racquetballs can cause severe facial damage at any age.

Make protective gear mandatory for all sports. Athletes who participate in football, hockey and boxing are required to wear mouth guards. If mouth guards have been proven to significantly decrease the risk of oral injuries, why is it not mandatory in every sport for kids to be required to wear them?

Please call our office at (978) 454-2924 for an appointment if you are interested in a custom mouth guard.

(Source: ADA)

Nutrition Tips for Pregnancy

Did you know that a baby’s teeth begin to develop between the third and sixth months of pregnancy? That's why making smart food choices now can help set your child up to be Mouth Healthy for Life. During your pregnancy a sufficient quantity of nutrients—especially vitamins A, C, and D, protein, calcium and phosphorous—are needed.

To assist you in making healthy eating choices, the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Policy Center has compiled this list of tips to follow during pregnancy:

• Eat a variety of healthy foods, such as fruits; vegetables; whole-grain products such as cereals, breads or crackers; and dairy products like milk, cheese, cottage cheese or unsweetened yogurt.
• Eat fewer foods high in sugar, including candy, cookies, cake, and dried fruit; and drink fewer beverages high in sugar, including juice, fruit-flavored drinks, or soft drinks.
• For snacks, choose foods low in sugar such as fruits, vegetables, cheese and unsweetened yogurt.
• Read food labels so you can choose foods lower in sugar.
• If you have trouble with nausea, try eating small amounts of healthy foods throughout the day.
• Drink water or milk instead of juice, fruit-flavored drinks or soft drinks.
• Drink water throughout the day, especially between meals and snacks. Drink fluoridated water (via a community fluoridated water source) or if you prefer bottled water, drink water that contains fluoride.
• To reduce the risk of birth defects, get 600 micrograms of folic acid each day throughout your pregnancy. Take a dietary supplement of folic acid and eat foods high in folate and foods fortified with folic acids, including: 
  • Asparagus, broccoli and leafy green vegetables such as lettuce and spinach
  • Legumes (beans, peas, lentils)
  • Papaya, tomato juice, oranges or orange juice, strawberries, cantaloupe and bananas
  • Grain products fortified with folic acid (breads, cereals, cornmeal, flour, pasta, white rice.)

For more information about nutrition during pregnancy, including food safety risks, visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

DID YOU KNOW...

Did you know that drinking green tea can improve your dental health and lower your risk of developing cavities? Streptococcus mutans is the primary bacteria in the mouth. It causes plaque formation and is a leading contributor to tooth decay. The catechins, powerful antioxidants present in green tea, can inhibit the growth of this bacteria and lower your risk of developing cavities. Another added benefit of green tea? Several studies have shown it can reduce bad breath. So instead of reaching for that cup of Joe for an afternoon pick-me-up, why not sip on green tea and enjoy the dental benefits!

St. Patrick's Day Fun Facts

Are you be wearing your green today? Whether Irish or not, millions of people around the world celebrate St. Patrick's Day with toasts, parades and "the wearing of the green." So get your green on today and impress your friends and family with these fun facts about St. Patrick's Day!

1.      St. Patrick, contrary to popular belief, was not Irish and was not born in Ireland. He was born in Britain.

2.      His real name is believed to be Maewyn Succat and he took on the name Patrick upon becoming a priest. Imagine saying "Happy Maewyn Succat's
Day" every year!

3.      When he was about 16, St. Patrick was captured from his home by
Irish raiders who were attacking his family's estate. He was taken as a
slave to Ireland where he lived for six years herding sheep before escaping
and returning to his family.

4.      He later became a devout Christian and priest, retuned to Ireland
and spent most of his life converting the pagans of Ireland to Christianity.

5.      St. Patrick used the shamrock to explain the concept of the Holy
Trinity when preaching.

6.      St. Patrick's Day was not originally associated with the color
green. Hard to believe, but it was the color blue! In several artworks, St.
Patrick is depicted wearing blue vestments. Green became associated with St.
Patrick during the 19th century, presumably by his use of shamrocks to
explain the Holy Trinity. This lead to the traditional green attire worn by
many on St. Patrick's Day.

7.      In Ireland, St. Patrick's Day has traditionally been a religious
holiday. In fact, up until the 1970's, Irish laws mandated that pubs be
closed on March 17th. Since then, St. Patrick's Day was reclassified as a
national holiday - allowing the taps to flow freely once again!

8.      In Chicago, on St. Patrick's Day,  the rivers are dyed green every year.

9.      The very first St. Patrick's Day parade was not in Ireland but in
Boston in 1737.

10.    St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17th because this date
commemorates his death. He died on March 17th in 461 AD.

www.athanasoulasandpappey.com

Dr. Pappey attends the 7th Annual Home is Where the Heart is Gala, benefiting Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lowell

Dr. Pappey attended the 7^th Annual Home is Where the Heart is Gala, benefiting Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lowell (HFHGL). The event took place Friday evening, March 7^th at the UMass Lowell Inn and Conference Center. The festivities included a silent auction followed by a delicious dinner and live auction.  Drs. Athanasoulas and Pappey proudly support HFHGL which is a nonprofit organization that works to strengthen families and communities through affordable homeowner opportunities. This year’s Gala included over 400 guests and raised money to build two new houses in Lowell.  A very appreciative recent homeowner gave a moving account about how this organization has changed her family’s life. Since owning her home, she has more confidence in herself and was so thankful to the Habitat organization for making her dream become a reality. More importantly, she has witnessed what owning a home has done for her children.  They are thriving as a result of having a safe, comfortable place to live and do their homework. This has resulted in better grades for her children in school and a hopeful outlook for the whole family. This truly is a remarkable organization and we were proud to be part of this year’s Gala!