Grayson DDS

Back to School–Back to the Dentist

Dr David Grayson — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 18:36:01 +0000

Hi Everyone.

Well there's one more week until Labor Day weekend. The summer of 2010 is rapidly coming to an end. Soon the nights will be noticeably longer , the frost will be on the pumpkin, and it will be fall, Thanksgiving, Xmas and 2011. All in a blink of an eye.
So, what now?

Well, with Labor Dy being so late, many schools are starting classes this coming week. And, with children going back to school, it is important that they get that "back to school" dental check-up.

Let's face it: summer is just a laid back time of year for most people. The heat, vacation-time, long days all lend themselves to
paying a little less attention that we might otherwise to certain things. Now that September is knocking on the door, hard, it's time to get back to normal. And, since often dental care is on hiatus along with school, it is imperative that children get their dental exams, cleanings and flouride treatments, so they can face the new school year with sound, healthy teeth.

Don't forget too, that placing sealants on permanent teeth is a great idea for preventing cavities. Sealants are a clear or white plastic painted on the chewing surfaces of permanent molars and premolars. By covering the grooves and crevices that are found there, decay causing bacteria cannot get into those crevices, so cavities re much less likely to form. It is a really easy procedure, requiring neither anesthesia nor drilling. Easiest dental procedure we have! And a great investment in your child's present and future dental health.

So enjoy these last waning days of summer. Have a safe Labor Day weekend, and enjoy parent's Liberation Day– first day Back to School!

This Is Just Unbelieveable!

Dr David Grayson — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 01:09:18 +0000

So here we are, at the end of the first decade of the twenty-first century. Modern people, living in an era of superfast communication, able to purchase things in an instant, able to process info at light speed. Buck Rogers & Flash Gordon move over!
And then you see something like this

That people can possibly believe this kind of hokum, this pile of bushwa, this utter nonsense, I find beyond belief.

The benefits of flouride have been proven for more than sixty years. Tooth decay and loss has decreased dramatically since the advent of flouridation. In fact, as I have written in an earlier blog, the widespread use of bottled water has actually caused an increase in cavities, since most of these bottled waters do not have flouride.

I am stunned that material like this exists, and that people still subscribe to this disproven bunk.

A short post today, folks. As Edward R. Murrow used to say, "Good night and good luck."

We sure need it

Questions and Concerns

Dr David Grayson — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 10:33:03 +0000

I want to thank everyone who has been reading my blog. Nothing gives me more satisfaction than knowing that people are reading what I have to say and are finding it valuable.
And I appreciate the comments that you are making. They really help me to realize that what I say has meaning to many people.

I have a few things I wish to "comment" about in relation to some of the concerns being raised.
As far as any technical computer or coding questions, I have very little idea of how to do any of that. Using the WordPress platform, and a template that is compatible with that platform makes it easy for me to post this blog. I have a webmaster who does the technical stuff for me.
That brings me to the next point of concern that people have written: RSS feed. The RSS feed is now working. Right now it is available using Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. It is not on Google Chrome, at least not yet. I do not know about other browsers. I will try and get more info about Google Chrome, Safari and any others that I can find.

My last comment is regarding responses that I find less than appropriate to post here. Please know that if you send spam, or pornography or anything else I find not appropriate, it will not be posted. I check every response. If you disagree with me, that's fine. If you have legitimate questions or concerns, that's also fine. But spam, off color or downright pornographic names, urls or comments, will NOT be posted. Period.

OK. That's all I have to say on this subject. I don't plan on repeating it . My next blog will be back on target. Have a great weekend, thanks for reading and keep those comments coming.

Dog Days of August

Dr David Grayson — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 20:01:46 +0000

Here we are in the first week of August. What sailors of old called the "dog days of August".

Why were they given that nickname? Wikipedia, that modern source of all knowledge, tells us that they refer to the hottest days of the year, usually between late July and early September. The ancients believed that these days were controlled by the star Sirius, referred to as the "Dog Star." Sirius is called that because it is the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major or Large Dog. It is also the brightest star in the heavens except for the sun. Since it is so bright, the ancients thought it was very hot, and was therefore making the earth very hot.

At this point, you are probably saying, "so what?" What is the point of this? Who cares???
And you would be right to ask!

My point is simply this: at least here in the North East it has been hot HOT H-O-T!
And because it is so hot, and so humid, people can easily overheat, or get heatstroke. Especially for young children, the ill or the elderly, heatstroke can be a very serious and dangerous situation.

So, what do we do? We make sure to not over exert ourselves outdoors. We MUST hydrate adequately. Drinking water over the course of the day is crucial. I cannot over emphasize this enough! When it is hot, we sweat. We lose water (salt too, but the average American diet has more than enough salt to compensate for this loss). We MUST replace this water or else there can be serious consequences.

Keeping out of the sun as much as possible, wearing light clothing, a hat and sunscreen of SPF at least 15 is important too. Using the sunscreen properly is also important. It needs to be put on at least 30 minutes before you go outside, to allow it to "soak in". And it should be re-applied after swimming or after about two hours in the sun.

And keep cool . Keeping oneself cool is very important .

So let those dogs of August bark if they must. DON'T let them bite you. Follow those basic, simple rules, and you can get though these hot days, and put the dogs out in September.

That's all have for today. Be cool.

Just Let A Smile Be Your Umbrella…

Dr David Grayson — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:08:58 +0000

In 1927, three songwriters: Sammy Fain, Irving Kahal and Francis Wheeler published "Let A Smile Be Your Umbrella" The lyrics go like this:

Just let a smile be your umbrella
On a rainy, rainy day . . .
And if your sweetie cries, just tell her,
That a smile will always pay . . .

Whenever skies are gray,
Don’t you worry or fret,
A smile will bring the sunshine,
And you’ll never get wet!

So, let a smile be your umbrella,
On a rainy, rainy day . . .

This is great advice. Everyone feels better when they are smiling. And smiles are often contagious.
Just smile at someone and as often as not, they will smile right back at you.
And it just feels wonderful to get a friendly smile back from someone!

But what if I hate my smile? What if my smile just looks ugly, or dark or uneven? How can I possible smile at the world then?

Good question.

The answer is, you don't have to hate your smile. You can easily, quickly and painlessly turn your smile into your best feature, your greatest asset. All it takes is the desire to do it, and the commitment to follow through.

Here at the Dental Hypnosis Center, we are all about remaking and fixing smiles. If you are unhappy or disappointed with the way your smile looks, chances are great that we can help.
All you need to do is call us at 973-984-8020, or visit our "contact us" page on our website at www.graysondds.com, and we will be happy to help. And while at our website, be sure to visit our photo gallery, to see what we have done for others, and what we can do for you.

So all together now: "Just let a [beautiful]smile be your umbrella on a rainy, rainy day…"

Make New Friends But Keep the Old

Dr David Grayson — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:35:00 +0000

"Make new friends but keep the old
One is silver and the other is gold"–Campfire Girls Song

Well, here we are in the summer heat. Temperatures here in New Jersey have been hovering in the mid to upper 90's during the day, the mid 70's at nite.

It's hot, Hot, HOT!

So, with all this heat. why am I writing this post about friends?

Because of two incidents that happened to me this past couple of weeks.

My wife and I visited our grandchildren in Washington DC this past weekend. (We had a wonderful time as an aside). On our way back to New Jersey, we stopped outside of Baltimore and had dinner with a colleague of mine, who is all at one time, my teacher, my coach and my friend. We spent a lovely hour and a half getting to know both him and his lovely wife better. I value his teachings, his advice but most importantly his friendship. He is a new friend. a "silver" friend, as the Campfire Girl song teaches.

I have another friend, who lives in Florida. We have known one another more than 40 years, ever since I walked into my first class in tenth grade, and saw this guy standing on his hands between two desks. At that moment, I knew he was someone I wanted to get to know.

He is also a dentist, and, over the years, I have grown to rely on his advice, counsel and friendship.And this past week, I had occasion to seek his advice and his opinion, on both a professional and a personal issue. And, he was, as always, there for me, ready to lend an ear and render some good counsel.

He is a "gold" friend.

So, why am I writing all this? What does this have to do with my usual blog?

Nothing really. Except: it is always good to try and turn people you meet into silver. And silver people into gold.

When you think about it, all that we really have in our lives are family and friends.

Just something to think about during these hot summer days.

Summer Heat Getting You Down? Beat the Heat!

Dr David Grayson — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:05:26 +0000

Hi Everyone:

Well, here it is July 12, and it has been H-O-T HOT here in Hew Jersey. Last week, the thermometer in my car registered a broiling 105 degrees! Today it was much better, registering a balmy 98!

During these hot days, it is important to remember to keep hydrated. Drink LOTS of water to replenish what you lose sweating. (When I grew up, it was said horses sweat, men perspire and women glow. Times have certainly changed!)
Use common sense. If it is that hot and humid, you might want to defer some heavy exercise until it is cooler. The last thing anyone needs is heat exhaustion, or worse, heat stroke.

What does all this have to do with dentistry you are I am sure asking yourself. Well, truth be told, when my patients visit me, they don't just send their teeth in alone. They usually come as a complete person. So, since I am concerned with complete people, I thought I would render some common sense advice to beat the heat.

OK. I'm done for now. See you soon. In the meantime: keep cool!

July

Dr David Grayson — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 23:57:13 +0000

Hi Everyone:

Strange as it seems to me, the year 2010 is more than half over. I think the older one gets, the quicker time goes. I am not sure exactly why that is, but my grandmother, may she rest in peace, used to say that life was like stampeding cattle. The older I get, the more I see she was right. I know to my grandchildren, time seems infinite. Not to me.

So, what is my point? Just that, as time flies by, we tend to put off those things that are not at the top of our "to do" list. Especially now, with times being so difficult, we just forgo things that we otherwise might have purchased or done.

This is not always a bad thing. Do we really need that huge SUV, or that second vacation? Maybe so, but the times give us pause.

However, some things are worth the price paid, and more. Delaying dental treatment is not one of those things that can reasonably be delayed. Dental disease,either in the case of small cavities, or of beginning gum disease, is easily treated. Left uncared for, cavities can grow until the pulp of the tooth, containing the tooth's nerve tissue and blood supply, becomes infected and abscesses. Now, instead of a simple filling, we are looking at a root canal and a crown, or perhaps even worse, tooth loss. Gum disease, left untreated, can lead, not only to gum problems and tooth loss, but is also related to serious metabolic diseases. ( For a thorough discussion of this, please read my article on gum disease found by clicking here).

So don't be penny-wise and pound foolish. Don't defer needed dental check-ups until "things get better." The economy eventually will, your dental health may very well not.

Please feel free to call us at the Dental Hypnosis Center of NJ for any questions or concerns about this issue, or about any other dental or hypnosis concern : 973-984-8020.

That's all for today. Enjoy the summer, keep cool and have some fun!

Whoa Doc. Do I Really Need Those X-Rays?

Dr David Grayson — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 17:10:22 +0000

Hi Again Everyone:

First, I hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable Fourth of July. Periodically, I get asked if they have a Fourth of July in England. I respond that it usually comes between the third and the fifth!

OK to more serious matters. I am often asked if X-rays are safe and if they are needed. Let me assure everyone reading this that dental X-rays are very safe. The amount of radiation received is so minute that, in a typical full set of X-rays, you receive more radiation in a typical outdoor setting in a month, than you do from dental xrays.

So why are they necessary? There is much that cannot be seen by the naked eye. Cavities occuring between teeth ( a common "hiding place"), bone levels, proper tooth development in children, and much more are only detectable using X-rays. Not using them would make an examination incomplete at best.

That said, there are differences among X-rays. The traditional X-ray film, which has been around for nearly a century, are a good, useful tool. But there are disadvantages. They can fade or discolor, like most film. They need to be developed, which takes a certain amount of time. They are difficult to send to either other dentists, or to insurance companies. They need to be copied, dried , mailed, etc. They can get lost.

A much better option is digital or computerized X-rays. The advantage here are several. first, the radiation required to obtain a visible and useful image is about 70-80% LESS than with film, even the high speed film used today. The images are stored on computer; thus they have an indefinite shelf life. They will never fade or discolor. They are easily emailed from one office to another. In our office we routinely email x-rays to insurance carriers. No getting lost here. I have had, on several occasions, the opportunity to discuss a patient with a dentist in another town, or even state, within minutes of first seeing the image. This is very helpful to both doctor and patient.

We have been using the digital x-ray system in our practice for several years. We cannot imagine how we worked without it.

Missing Teeth? No Need to Suffer. Implants Can Save the Day!

Dr David Grayson — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 20:35:05 +0000

Hello Everyone

I want to take a few minutes to talk about missing teeth. Many people will say, so what? It's only one or two (or more) teeth. I can certainly do without it (them)

Wrong.

The loss of one tooth will often lead to the loss of others. Here's why: When a tooth is lost ( say a molar), the teeth on either side of it, begins to shift so as to close the space. Moreover, the tooth on the opposite arch ( say an upper tooth in the case of a missing lower one) will start to drift downward since there is no longer anything to prevent it. As the teeth shift, the bone around them begins to change. These changes lead to weakening of these teeth, as their "foundation" is no longer as strong as it was before.

Eventually, these shifted teeth can become periodontally involved , causing them to weaken even further, leading to more tooth loss, and the cycle begins again.

So, how can we prevent this?

If a tooth is lost, it is important to replace it. The use of implants is one very excellent method that we are using in dentistry.

With implants, a cylinder of titanium, sometimes coated with artificial bone, is pressed into the jawbone. Over a period of several weeks to months, the bone begins to fuse with the implant, causing it to become very strong. Once completely healed and fused to the bone, a wide variety of restorations can be placed, from a single crown, to fixed bridgework or even removable dentures. Of course this all depends on the number of missing teeth and the number of implants placed. But the possibilities are many.

I invite everyone to visit my website and visit my page on restorations and implants by clicking here: implants If you have any questions, concerns,or wish further information or to make an appointment please feel free to call us here at the Dental Hypnosis Center 973-984-8020