4 Ways Smiling Improves Our Health!! :)

WE’VE ALL HEARD the old cliché that it takes more muscles to frown than to smile, so you should smile to conserve energy! That’s actually false. It takes a minimum of ten muscles to smile but only a minimum of six to frown, so the expression should really be “smile to burn calories!” But smiling will do much more for your health than just giving your face a workout.

Here’s four ways smiling benefits our health.

#1: Reduces Pain

Smiling releases endorphins, which are our bodies’ feel-good hormones. They serve as natural painkillers with no side-effects. What’s particularly interesting about this is that it’s the smile itself that releases the endorphins, not the attitude behind it.

Our brains are so hard-wired to associate smiling with joy that even a fake smile will get you the chemical benefits. So whenever you get injured, it really is a good idea to grin and bear it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyMHt1Gw5rE

#2: Relieves Stress

Another thing the endorphins released by smiling do for you is help relieve stress. A study in 2012 tested how quickly subjects’ heart rates could go back to normal after performing a stressful task. One group was instructed to hold a pencil between their teeth (which forces a smile) and the other was instructed to hold the pencil between their lips (which forces a neutral expression). The subjects with the biggest smiles recovered the fastest.

This goes back to the way our brains react to smiles. We don’t just smile when we’re happy; smiling can actually make us happy, which means you really can “fake it till you make it” when it comes to smiling!

#3: Boosts Our Immune System

Relieving tension and stress by smiling can have a profound cumulative impact on your health. It can make you more resilient against illness and it can even reduce your chances of getting cancer by lowering the number of stress-induced mutations your cells go through.

#4: Increases Longevity

Smiling doesn’t just make you look younger and more attractive; it can also add years to your lifespan. Taking advantage of every opportunity to smile (and then some) could make you live up to seven years longer!

Let Those Smiles Shine!

As adults, we average a paltry 20 smiles per day, while children will light up with a smile 400 times in that same day! Imagine the health benefits we could rack up if we could start smiling like we did when we were kids? Some people keep their smiles to themselves because they aren’t happy with the way their teeth look, but we can help you get and keep a smile you’ll be proud to show off.

Our biggest reason to smile? Our patients!

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

What Is An Orthodontic Assistant?

PEOPLE ARE COMMONLY CONFUSED about what the exact role of an orthodontic assistant is. We want to set the record straight (just like we do your teeth)! Our orthodontic assistants are an invaluable part of our team and practice–to be honest, we couldn’t get much done without them!

Orthodontic Assistants Are Specially Trained To Serve You

We are committed to training our assistants on the job to establish a trusting rapport & ensuring a positive dental experience with our patients; all while maintaining a clean and safe working environment per OSHA standards.  Throughout our patient's treatment, our team will assist Dr. Kevin with patient care, take impressions & 3-D scans & photographs, place & remove brackets, fit & cement bands, change arch wires and deliver orthodontic appliances.  As well as provide good oral hygiene practices, such as tooth-brushing & flossing techniques. 

Our assistants are trained & licensed through the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) to take X-rays with our digital 3-D Panorex & Conebeam Imaging System.  

Our orthodontic assistants are specially trained to serve YOU–our valued patients!

Our Patients Are Our Priority

Our priority is providing the highest quality of care to our patients. And we couldn’t do it without the amazing orthodontic assistants in our office! Do you have any questions for our assistants? Let us know in the comments below!

As always, thank you for choosing our practice. We love our patients!

www.coghlanorthodontics.com

Back to School!

It's that time of year again!

Summer is almost over and school is officially back!

BUT, just because you are going back to school doesn't 

mean you should forget about your Orthodontic Care!

Here is a list of supplies we recommend 

to keep at school if you have braces:

Travel toothbrush
Toothpaste
Floss and floss threaders
Flossers 
Wax
Interdental brushes
Retainer Case
Mouthguards

And a couple things to remember:
*NEVER take an appliance out and put in a napkin!
*ALWAYS have your retainer case!
(If you need one, stop by our office...They're FREE)!
*ALWAYS WEAR your appliance at school, if that's what Dr. Kevin told you to do!!
**AND MOST OF ALL, TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT 
COGHLAN ORTHODONTICS!!

Let's talk about AcceleDent

We all want our teeth to move fast during orthodontic treatment with as little pain as possible.  This is the aim of AcceleDent.  These effects are stated on the homepage of acceledent.com.

“Through the use of gentle mini pulses, called SoftPulse technology, bone remodelling is accelerated, allowing teeth to move up to 50% faster”.

“Faster tooth movement may decrease the duration of your orthodontic treatment and may help make your orthodontics more comfortable”.

Many patients are concerned with the cost of AcceleDent.

• Is it worth the cost?
• Why is there a wide range of prices from $700-$1400?
• What is the difference between Orthodontists who are Diamond (Top Provider), Platinum (Premier Plus Provider), Gold (Premier Provider), Silver (Preferred Provider) & Providers?
• Is there a difference in the product?

AcceleDent has Provider Levels:  Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver, & Provider.  These Provider Levels are based on the number of AcceleDent devices carried (purchased) by the practices.  The price difference will vary from Orthodontist to Orthodontist based on the volumes of devices purchased in a single sales order.  

There are published studies by clinical scientists supporting the use of AcceleDent, and those who prefer to take a more cautious approach.  Our office will continue to be a Provider of AcceleDent, but we want to encourage our patients to read the evidence published and decide for themselves if AcceleDent is the device for them.  

Below are links to some published studies.

http://kevinobrienorthoblog.com/acceledent-does-not-reduce-orthodontic-pain-another-trial/

  

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26496680

http://kevinobrienorthoblog.com/lets-talk-acceledent/

Did You Know?

Did You Know?  

Here are some interesting and fun facts about teeth and dentistry: 

• Dr. Edward Angle is the "father" of modern orthodontics.
• Dr. Charles Tweed was the first certified orthodontist in the U.S.

• Over three million miles of dental floss is purchased in North America each year.
• The average human produces 25,000 quarts of saliva (spit) in a lifetime. That is enough saliva to fill 2 swimming pools.
• Snails are very small but they have thousands of tiny teeth all lined up in rows.
• An elephant's tooth can weigh over 6 pounds. That is heavier than a jug of milk!
• Tooth enamel is the strongest substance in the human body.
• Dogs have 42 teeth while cats have 30 teeth.
• Giraffes have 32 used to chew and grind food; their teeth are positioned at the back of their skull instead of the front of their mouths.
• 78% of Americans have had at least one cavity by the age of 17.
• More than 300 types of bacteria make up dental plaque!!
• More people use blue toothbrushes than red ones.
• Like fingerprints, tooth prints are unique to each individual.
• The average woman smiles 62 times a day; the average man smiles about 8 times a day!
• The Blue Whale is the largest mammal on earth, but it eats only tiny shrimp because it has no teeth!
• Ancient Greeks used pumice, talc, alabaster, coral powder or iron rust as toothpaste!
• In 1866, Lucy Beaman Hobbs became the first licensed female dentist.
• In 1986, the winner of the National Spelling Bee won by spelling "ODONTALGIA" (which means toothache)!
• Kids laugh around 400 times a day, adults just 15 times a day!

Smile, Everyday!

Smile, everyday!  Smile, and you could live longer!  Studies have shown that smiling has positive benefits for both your physical and mental health; that smiling releases endorphins and serotonin – which will naturally help to reduce inflammation and pain.  In fact, smiling is a powerful immune booster and mood stabilizer.   Happy people live longer! 

Here are 10 reasons why you should SMILE everyday:

1. Smiling relieves stress
2. Smiling makes us look younger
3. Smiling elevates our mood
4. Smiling helps us stay positive
5. Smiling makes us attractive
6. Smiling is contagious
7. Smiling lowers our blood pressure
8. Smiling makes us feel good
9. Smiling boosts our immune system
10. Smiling makes us seem successful

A research team led by Elizabeth Lawrence of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill published a study documenting, the happier you are, the better your chances of living a longer life.  Happiness appears to be inversely related to perceived stress and may protect against illness through better immune response.  

Bottom line, keep smiling – it’s good for you.  And if you are looking to improve your smile, call us at 812-332-9269 or 800-595-9269 to schedule your Complimentary Consultation and Create your Healthy Hoosier Smile! :)

Safeguarding Your Smile! :)

In our office, we are ALL about safeguarding your smile, and keeping our patients' smiles healthy!  We believe in providing the highest-quality of care to our patients and we are committed to using the highest-quality treatment options to ensure healthy smiles.  That's why we use Opal Seal.  

Opal Seal is an advanced bond enhancing primer from Opal Orthodontics and is much like the protective dental sealant used by your general dentist, acting as a barrier to plaque.   It is used to prepare the teeth before we put your braces on and has the ability to deliver a constant, safe, low dose of fluoride to the enamel throughout your orthodontic treatment.  Along with excellent oral hygiene, Opal Seal will effectively improve your enamel health.

Here are 5 important ways Opal Seal helps to safeguard healthy smiles:

• Fluoride Releasing
• Maintaining Enamel Hardness
• Nonporous Barrier between plaque and enamel
• Esthetic Appearance since it is nearly invisible
• Fluorescence with a black light, which makes it easy to see during routine checkups

http://www.opalorthodontics.com

We encourage all of our patients to ask questions about how to keep your teeth clean and your mouth healthy during your orthodontic treatment.  We want to protect against decalcification (unsightly, white stains from poor oral hygiene) marks and Safeguard your Smile!! :)

New Year, New Smile

New Year! New Smile! New You!

2016

It is a new year and time for new beginnings. Many of us make New Year's resolutions to with the intention of improving our lives. Put Coghlan Orthodontics on the list. This is a wonderful time to take the first steps to a new smile. We offer many options to improve your smile and give you more confidence for the coming year. Even if you think that traditional braces may not be the route for you we have a variety of options for you including Invisalign, braces, or removable retainers. Our new patient exams are complimentary, so do not hesitate to call and schedule an appointment today at 812-332-9269. Let us be a part of your New Year and your New Smile.

Here are a few of our New Year's Resolutions for a Healthy Smile:

• Eat Plenty of Fruits and Vegetables ~ Eating well is important for your dental health!
• Quit Smoking or Using Other Tobacco Products ~ Tobacco use can can cause tooth discolaration, cavities, gum disease, oral and lung cancer, gum recession and tooth loss!
• Limit Your Alcohol Intake ~ Excessive alcohol intake may also contribute to increased gum recession!
• Brush at Least Twice a Day & Floss at Least Once a Day ~ Without proper brushing & flossing, you may develop red, swollen, bleeding gums, which will lead to gum disease!
• See Your Dentist for Regular Checkups ~ By visiting your dentist at least twice a year, you can prevent any dental health problems before they cause discomfort and expensive treatment!  

Be Thankful!

On the fourth Thursday of November, we celebrate Thanksgiving Day!  November is a month for Giving Thanks!  Giving thanks takes practice, however, we can get better at it over time.  November is a month to make gratitude our discipline; take things with gratitude & don't take things for granted. 

Here are a few simple ways to give "Thanks" (not only for November, but all year long):

• Be grateful
• Thank others for what they do
• Pray
• Give a sincere thank you
• Volunteer
• Give a genuine smile or a heartfelt hug
• Be kind & lend a helping hand
• Pay it forward
• Give praise
• Share what you have with others
• Give compliments

CAUTION! Halloween Treats Ahead

Halloween Treats

Don't be TRICKED into eating the forbidden TREATS. 

Halloween is a time for many to indulge in scrumptious treats, although with braces or an orthodontic appliance one must be cautious. Eating incorrect foods can cause breakage of your brackets or appliances and can extend your overall treatment time. Don't be TRICKED into eating the forbidden TREATS.  Here are some examples of treats that are excessively sticky or chewy and should be avoided:  Tootsie Rolls,Taffy, Starburst, Gummies, Bubble Gum,Twizzlers, Skittles, and Caramels, however Sugarless Gum is allowed.

We also encourage avoiding hard candies, such as Jolly Ranchers, Suckers, and Caramel Apples as they will stick to your brackets or appliances and can also cause breakage.

So please be safe while Trick or Treating this year and be selective when choosing  treats to eat!

For alternative treats and Halloween recipes visit our Coghlan Orthodontics Pinterst page:     https://www.pinterest.com/coghlanorthodon/

Orthodontic Health Month

October is National Orthodontic Health Month

WE ARE CELEBRATING!!

In honor of National Orthodontic Health Month we are having a month long celebration!

We are going to provide you with guidelines on appropriate Halloween treats, recipes for alternatives to the sticky, chewy treats, coloring contest, costume photos, guess the candy corn contest, and special treats for all!!

Print off a copy of our coloring page and bring it with you to your next appointment to be entered in our contest. There are three age groups: 3-7, 8-11, and 12+ with prizes awarded to each winner.

Come in to the office, visit us on our Facebook page:
 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Coghlan-Orthodontics/246058248741283?sk=wall
and follow us on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/coghlanorthodon/
to join in all of the fun all month long!!

We are seeing PINK

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

We are seeing PINK!!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is an annual campaign to increase awareness and early detection of the disease. While most people are aware of breast cancer, many forget to take the steps to have a plan to detect the disease in its early stages and encourage others to do the same. Make a difference! Spread the word about mammograms and encourage communities, organizations, families and individuals to get involved.

We are raising awareness this month by wearing pink gloves in our office. A portion of the proceeds from the purchase goes to fund breast cancer research and outreach programs. 

So let's take a moment to support those who are battling and to remember those who have lost their courageous battle with the disease. 

Observation Crew

                                   Observation Crew

JOIN OUR OBSERVATION CREW

Not sure if your child is ready for braces?

It is recommended by the American Association of Orthodontics that every child have an orthodontic evaluation around the age of seven.  Although an evaluation is important, many children do not require treatment at this age.  Therefore, we at Coghlan Orthodontics have created an observation program especially for these patients.  Our office will continue to monitor your growth and reevaluate you periodically at no charge.  When Dr. Kevin determines that you could benefit from the orthodontic process, only then will you begin treatment. To schedule your free orthodontic evaluation please call our office at 812-332-9269.

Join our Team!! Hoosiers Outrun Cancer 2015

Please join our team!!

Coghlan Orthodontics is participating in Hoosiers Outrun Cancer on September 26,2015 and we are inviting you to join our team. This is our 5^th year participating in the walk/run and this year we are excited to announce that we are also a corporate sponser. Look for our colorful signs and banner along the zig zag portion of the race.

This year we are celebrating our honorary patient, Cole Winnefeld, brother  to our patient Lauren. He was diagnosed in April 2009 with Neuroblastoma and recently lost his battle. Coghlan Orthodontics is dontating $10 to the Sloan Kettering Cancer Center where Cole was treated, for every participant that joins our team. 

Lauren and Cole Winnefeld

Not able to join us that day? Don’t worry, you can still sign up to be a spirit participant and $10 will still be donated in honor of Cole and your support will continue to help others battling cancer.

To sign up to join our team, click on the link below: 

http://www.hoosiersoutruncancer.org/faf/home/waiver.asp?ievent=1125401

• Agree to the HOC waiver
• Select "Join a team"
• Select "Coghlan Orthodontics" from the drop down menu

For more information on donating to Sloane Kettering Cancer Center in honor of Cole, click on the link below:

https://supportcookiesforkidscancer.org/BATCOLE

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

          Approximately 25 million adults in the U.S. have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which can cause them to stop breathing hundreds of times a night for anywhere from a few seconds to more than a minute. OSA is a chronic condition that occurs when our muscles relax during sleep, allowing soft tissue to collapse and block the airway. As a result, repeated breathing pauses occur, which reduce your oxygen levels. These breathing pauses are followed by brief awakenings that disturb your sleep. Common signs of OSA include snoring and gasping or choking sound during sleep. Like snoring, OSA is more common in men, but can occur in women too, especially during and after menopause. Untreated OSA raises your risk for serious health problems, such as high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, chronic acid reflux, and erectile dysfunction.

How is OSA diagnosed?

          A doctor must determine if your snoring is a sign that you have OSA. A physician who is a sleep specialist can provide you with a complete sleep evaluation. This may involve either an overnight sleep study at a sleep center or a home sleep apnea test. The sleep doctor will interpret the data from your sleep study to make a diagnosis.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure

          Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is the traditional medical treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. CPAP requires a mask, over the nose and mouth, connected to a hose that blows air to it from a constantly running machine. Although CPAP is effective in treating OSA, many patients find it uncomfortable, noisy, and difficult to travel with.

Oral Appliance Therapy

          Oral appliance therapy (OAT) is another treatment for obstructive sleep apnea and can be an effective alternative treatment to CPAP. Administered by a dentist, oral appliance therapy uses a custom-fit “mouth guard-like” device worn only during sleep to maintain an open, unobstructed airway. The type of appliance is best chosen after an examination and consultation with a dental specialist.

Did you know there are thousands of dentists trained to help treat and manage your snoring and sleep apnea? The American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM) is an association of dentists who help patients control obstructive sleep apnea and snoring through the use of oral appliance therapy (OAT). If you have trouble tolerating Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) and need an effective alternative for living with sleep apnea, call us to today to schedule an appointment and learn more about how OAT can help you get a good night’s rest.

For more information visit: www.aadsm.org

Epworth Sleepiness Scale

          The following is an Epworth Sleepiness Scale which can be used to assess daytime sleepiness. This can be helpful in determining if an individual is attaining adequate amounts of restful sleep.

How likely are you to doze off or fall asleep in the following situations, in contrast to felling just tired? This refers to your usual way of life in recent times. Even if you haven’t done some of these things recently try to work out how they would have affected you.

Use the following scale to choose the most appropriate number for each situation:

                                                0 = would never doze or sleep

                                                1 = slight chance of dozing or sleeping

                                                2 = moderate chance of dozing or sleeping

                                                3 = high chance of dozing or sleeping

It is important that you answer each question as best you can.

Situation

Sitting and reading_________________________________________ 0   1   2   3

Watching TV_____________________________________________  0   1   2   3

Sitting, inactive in a public place (e.g. a theatre or a meeting)______ 0   1   2   3

As a passenger in a car for an hour without a break______________ 0   1   2   3

Lying down to rest in the afternoon when circumstances permit_____0   1   2   3

Sitting and talking to someone_______________________________ 0   1   2   3

Sitting quietly after a lunch without alcohol______________________0   1   2   3

In a car, while stopped for a few minutes in traffic                             0   1   2   3

Total Epworth Score_______

Understanding your score

0-10     Normal range in healthy adults

11-14   Mild sleepiness

15-17  Moderate sleepiness

18 or higher  Severe sleepiness

If you scored 11 or higher consider seeing a sleep medicine specialist to diagnose and treat the cause of your sleepiness.

Summer Vacation

July is here and a summer vacation may be in your future. Whether traveling across the world, across the country, or across the street vacation is a wonderful time to relax, rest, and reconnect with family.

        Our tips for an excellent summer trip:                                        

•    Use plenty of sunscreen
•    Laugh
•    Take lots of photos
•     Relax                           
•     Eat yummy food

Our office family is also going on vacation, we will be closed starting Monday July 6^th and will return to the office on Tuesday July 14^th. If you have any question or problems during this time you can call our office at 812-332-9269 and leave a message. If you have an emergency please contact your general dentist for assistance.

Please share your vacation photos with us on our Facebook page to earn extra $$Coghlan Cash$$.

                                                              

Fathers are Special!!

On Father's day this year I want to thank all the dads who make a difference in their children's lives. We love to see fathers taking an active role in the lives of their kids. We see dads everyday in our office that have a positive influence on our patients. They are involved and it shows.  Having a father understand the treatment  aids us by actively encouraging compliance with treatment.  A little fatherly persuasion is always helpful in obtaining a successful treatment outcome. Of course it only works when the relationship is developed over many years, with a lot of love and sacrifice. This bond is a wonderful thing that cannot be bought or demanded, but earned with great time and effort.  A great father is certainly not perfect, but their love and devotion to their children is never questioned.

I can honestly say that I have been blessed with the gift of a wonderful father. He has taught me so much that I could never catalogue all the lessons; If I was wiser as a child I would have. It would be an excellent manual on how to be a father, a book we are never given.  Lessons like these are learned through experience and are often felt in the heart not analyzed in the mind. He showed me I can do anything. Never be afraid to attempt things, if you are prepared and put the effort in to it, you will be successful. I may not get the outcome that I desired but I would be better off.  No experience is a bad experience unless you let it be. He instilled a tremendous work ethic in me that began in 8th grade when I cleaned the office on the weekends, continued with working in the lab in high school and college, to finally treating patients after finishing my orthodontic training. Every task no matter how small was important and if you did the work you owned the outcome. His wealth of orthodontic experience was a tremendous advantage for me when I joined the practice as a new graduate in 1989. I was amazed by how little I knew when I arrived after 6 years of dental/orthodontic school. He certainly has been the biggest influence on making me the clinician I am today. Most importantly he showed me how to treat people and not just straighten teeth. To place the patient first, serve them and treat them as you would want to be treated. We are partners with a common goal. If your service to them is the driving force in your practice then you will sleep well at night. 

I will finish with a big thank you to  all the fathers out there doing their best. Keep the focus on the right sight and I hope you sleep well at night!

Dr. Kevin