Business Technology Reviews

Originally posted on List Garage.

The biggest challenge that most dentists face is how to get patients. This is true especially if you are just starting out.

Educate

Teaching the community about dental health is one of the best things you can do.

By helping others you will be building good will as well as bringing your self a lot of attention. You will also be establishing yourself as an expert in dental care and when it comes to health everyone wants to be treated by an expert.

There are a number of ways that you can go about doing this. Having a blog is a good place to start. Or you could create a dental video series like this one. What ever method you use, just make sure that you are providing good information and getting it in front of people.

Care

Your patients want you to care about them. The better you know them the more comfortable they will feel when they come to you.

If you build a good reputation in the community you will get a lot of referrals from happy patients. Most people find a new dentist through referrals from family and neighbors so this is a great opportunity for you.

Be a Person

Let your patients see that you have a personality. No one wants to be treated by a cold dentist who just comes in and does his job without speaking.

Let this personality come thorough on your website in your blog posts or your videos. The more you show your personality the more people will like you.

This message brought to you by Arizona Periodontal Group.

Image credit: Flickr

Originally posted on List Garage.

‘Tis the season of giving. If you have a special someone, or maybe someone that you want to be a special someone, then you are probably deciding what you can get them. Here are a few tips for things you can get no matter what your relationship is.

Charm Bracelet

Charms are a great gift. One good thing about them is that once she has the bracelet you can keep adding to it. You will never run out of gift ideas because you can always get her another charm.

Also the charms that you buy are a great way to send a personal message. If she loves the beach you can get her a little surf board. If she likes to cook you can get her a tiny frying pan.

Charms are a great way to get her a nice gift that shows you put some thought into it.

Gloves

Warm hands warm heart. Someone said that right? Isn’t that how the saying goes? Anyway, regardless of phraseology, your special someone will love some new gloves just in time for the coldest months of the year.

One of the things I hate the most about winter is going out to my car and having to touch a steering wheel that is freezing.

The great thing about gloves is that they come in a variety of styles and materials. If you are trying to say “hey your cute” you could get a pair of fuzzy knit gloves. If you are hoping the relationship will get more serious you can go with expensive leather.

Scarf

A few good scarves are essential in the winter time. Not only is a cold neck super uncomfortable but if you don’t wear a scarf you will end up hunching your shoulders. That is a recipe for a sore neck. So unless you like giving neck messages you should make sure that her neck is comfortable wrapped in insulation.

Like gloves you can get a range of scarves from high end silk to wool and cotton. No matter what your relationship status you can find something that works for you.

Or you could skip the scarves and enjoy the massage time. Your choice.

Message brought to you by Watchus.

Image credit: Flickr

Originally posted on Family Dental Tips.

Do you ever wake up with headaches? Does your jaw sometimes get stuck or does the joint make clicking or popping noises? Do you ever have facial pain? These are all symptoms associated with TMJ. This disorder effects the muscle and tissue surrounding the temporomandibular joint where you jaw connects to your skull.

If you have any of these symptoms they you know that they can really affect your capacity to live and be happy. Luckily there are solutions.

Home Treatments

There are a few things you can do at home that can lessen the effects of TMJ. WebMD gives these directions; Eat softer food, relax your jaw, use massage, apply heat, and stretch your jaw muscles.

This advice is great for lessening the symptoms and will likely keep the problem from getting worse. But it does nothing to provide a solution. If left untreated your TMJ could get worse. If you already have a serious problem than these things will not likely do anything for you.

Professional Treatments

The only permanent way to fix your problems is to see your dentist. This is important for a number of reasons. First, the list of symptoms for TMJ is similar to that of other disorders.

Only a dentist can determine definitively that you do have TMJ. Second, if you have TMJ, doing home treatments the wrong way can compound the problem. Your dentist will be able to instruct you on the best way to stretch or apply heat and massage.

Make sure you are getting the right treatment. Don’t let you jaw pain get you down.

Originally posted on Hack Alley.

There’s something captivating about an airport—travelers from all over the world walking around, a sense of excitement in the air (whether it’s excitement about heading out on a vacation or being back home after a trip), the feeling that any destination in the world is virtually right there waiting to be visited, the thrills of takeoffs and landings, the marvel of modern transportation . . . There’s really just no other place quite like an airport.

It’s no wonder, then, that so many should be drawn to careers in the air travel industry. When we were children, many of us probably thought it would be great to be a pilot, but as you grow and mature, you realize there are several other jobs in the air travel industry that capture that same allure and that might be more practical for your circumstances. After all, being an airline pilot means by definition that you’ll spend a lot of time away from home. Jobs working in and around the airport, however, allow you to work in the same exciting industry while still being there for your family. The pay for many of these positions is great, as well.

So, if you’re attracted to the air travel industry but don’t like the idea of a pilot’s constant requirement to be away from home, you should look into options working at the airport itself, jobs that let you have your head in the clouds during the day but your feet on the ground at night. If you like the outdoors, look into jobs involving all the airport ground support equipment that keeps the whole air travel industry up in the air. Timberline GSE produces a wide array of equipment that is vital at the airport.

Originally posted on Hack Alley.

Isn’t food supposed to provide you with all the vitamins and minerals you need? If the entire array of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients your body needs is found in a balanced and diverse diet, why would I need to take vitamins or mineral supplements? Isn’t taking supplements unnatural? Animals out in nature don’t need supplements for this and that.

Have these thoughts ever crossed your mind? A lot of people talk themselves out of a better quality of life with thoughts like those. Let’s consider things a bit and decide whether vitamins and mineral supplements are really worth it. After all, there’s an entire thriving industry built up around nutritional supplement manufacturing and the idea that these kinds products are indeed beneficial. Here are a few things to consider.

A Lot of People Don’t Eat a Nutritious Diet

Sure, in theory you can get all the vitamins and minerals the human body needs from eating a healthy balanced diet. But when you actually start looking at what foods contain what vitamins and minerals, you may realize that you rarely if ever eat certain foods that are the only major sources of particular nutrients. Some vitamin and mineral deficiencies are actually very common, even among people who think they’re eating a diverse and healthy diet. For example, B-12 and iron deficiencies are a normal occurrence in the United States. Just because you’re eating plenty of food doesn’t mean you’re not malnourished. Much of what Americans eat today is devoid of real nutrition, and a good multivitamin or mineral supplement can help compensate for what your diet isn’t providing. Manufacturers like AMT Labs offer supplements in forms specifically made to be easily absorbed by your body.

Animals Out in Nature Aren’t a Great Reference Point

Just because wild animals out in nature don’t take supplements doesn’t mean supplements are unnatural or unnecessary. Wild animals have pretty short life spans and are prone to all kinds of health problems. Do you really want to use their diets as a guide for nutrition? That’s one of the great things about not being wild animals: we’re smart enough to be able to find ways to improve our health and avoid nutrient deficiencies.

So, don’t assume that because multivitamins and the like don’t grow on trees that they’re not beneficial. Supplements can help you get the nutrients you need so you can live a healthy life.

Originally posted on List Garage.

When was the last time you’ve been to the dentist? For a little under half of American adults, the answer is not in the last year. We all know you’re supposed to go to the dentist twice a year, so why are so many people skipping out? Here are many reasons why people end up not going to the dentist for extended periods of time.

Turning 18 and Moving Out

For many young adults, the last time they’ve gone to the dentist was when they were still under their parents’ roofs. It’s pretty easy to go to the dentist when you’re still at home. Your parents make the appointment, and better yet, they pay for it! Once you move out, it can be easy to entirely forget about going to the dentist.

The key here is just to make that first appointment. At your appointment, they’ll probably schedule your next appointment, too, and then it gets easy to get back in the rhythm of things. You just keep on going to those appointments, and your teeth will thank you.

Indefinite Procrastination

For procrastinators, it can be very easy to stop going to the dentist if you fall out of regularly scheduled appointments. It’s easy to say you want to go to the dentist and plan on doing it, but it’s also easy to put it off another month. It’s just been a busy few weeks. I’ll go next month. Next month comes around again, and the call to the dentist gets put off again. Without even realizing it, years can pass this way without ever stepping into the dentist’s office. There’s no real deadline here, so the procrastinator never hits a point where they feel they absolutely have to finally go to the dentist—unless of course you’re in agony from the pain of advanced tooth decay.

As in the situation of forgetting about the dentist after moving out, the key here is to make that first appointment. For the procrastinator, this really solves everything. Having an appointment means there is a deadline, and you can break the cycle of eternal postponement.

Lack of Funds

This is a very common reason for putting off dental care. Who wants to spend extra money not accounted for in the monthly budget? If this is what’s holding you back, talk to your dentist about financial options. Many dentists offer very doable payment plans to meet the demands of even the most limited budgets. Dental care might not be as unaffordable as you initially assume.

Dental Fear

Many people simply don’t go to the dentist because they don’t like the anxiety and potential pain they associate with the dentist’s chair, the high-pitched, menacing drone of the drill, the bright lights in your eyes, probing gloved hands, unknown faces hidden behind surgical masks—it’s like an alien abduction or something, right?

Well, most dental visits are actually nothing like that. Successful dentists have a warm and friendly way about them that quickly eliminates most of that potential discomfort from the start. If you’re still worried about a trip to the dentist, though, you should look into sedation dentistry options. Modern dentistry allows you to have the procedures you need while feeling completely calm and relaxed throughout. Experts in this kind of dentistry, like Sander White, DDS, take all the anxiety out of the experience and help you get the dental care you need without any worries.

Make that Call

Whatever your reason has been for putting off going to the dentist, break the cycle and take care of your teeth. Years from now, when you still have healthy natural teeth instead of dentures, you’ll be glad you made an appointment with your dentist and then kept up with regularly scheduled visits after that.

Originally posted on Family Dental Tips.

While some mouthwash companies may have tried to advertise this refreshing rinse as a convenient alternative to floss, make no mistake: as delightful and convenient as it would be, mouthwash in the morning is no substitute for daily flossing. There’s a reason dentists and periodontists recommend flossing, and that’s not likely to change, no matter what anti-bacterial rinses come along.

Sure, mouthwash may kill bacteria, but only the bacteria it can get to, on the surface of plaque buildup. Mouthwash actually can’t penetrate the plaque very well to kill the bacteria inside and under it, and even heavy swishing and intense gargling isn’t enough to dislodge plaque from your teeth.

Floss, on the other hand, actually removes plaque. Floss completely scrapes away the plaque, taking the bacteria with it and leaving the bacteria no home to move right back into. What brushing does for the exposed surfaces of your teeth, floss does for the tooth surfaces in between teeth and down below the gum line. When it comes to overall oral health and keeping your teeth into old age, flossing is actually more important than brushing. Brushing is very helpful in slowing tooth decay, but gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults, and flossing is your weapon against gum disease. That’s why dentists and periodontists like the Perio Group are so insistent on flossing.

This doesn’t mean mouthwash doesn’t have a rightful place near your bathroom sink. While it doesn’t replace floss, it is still very helpful in freshening your breath and keeping your mouth clean. In conjunction with brushing and flossing, mouthwash can contribute to an all-around healthy smile. So, don’t throw out your mouth wash. Just make sure you’re not using it as a misguided replacement for flossing your teeth every day.

Originally posted on Inspiration Mill.

The teenage years can be an especially difficult time for both you and your child. So much is changing for your son or daughter. His or her body, societal expectations, and personal wants and needs are all in a stage of major transition. More than ever, your child cares what his or her peers think of them. They may feel pressures to become sexually active or to consume alcohol or use drugs. They’re trying to decide where they fit in, and their friends become very important to them, for better or for worse.

This is all a very normal part of the transition from childhood to adulthood, and it can be difficult for teens and parents even in the most ideal circumstances. Some butting heads and mild rebellion is probably to be expected as your child becomes an adult and learns to direct his or her own actions. They feel they’ve matured and are responsible, and it’s natural for them to resent what they feel is arbitrary authority from parents.

While a bit of trouble is to be expected, there are several signs that your child may be struggling severely and may need some assistance. If your child gets into trouble with the law, uses drugs, is failing in school, is regularly hostile with you or others, or seems constantly depressed, it may be time to look into professional help. While counseling can be beneficial, what helps many teens is to have a complete change of environment. Boarding schools or boot camps for kids can be very helpful. By getting out of the house, getting away from current friends, and having a chance to completely reevaluate their lives, many teens are able to make major and lasting changes for the better. Institutions like White River Academy are able to help your child realign his or her perspectives and learn how to live a balanced and happy life.

Originally posted on Family Dental Tips.

For many people, flossing is an uncomfortable and bothersome practice. It can be difficult to reach in and get floss into the spaces between your back teeth, and the floss can slip off your fingers and lose tension. Plus, even if you’re able to get the floss set up well, firmly in place, it takes a while to floss between each pair of teeth. With flossing being so annoying, many people find themselves either never flossing or wondering if there’s an alternative. Is mouthwash the answer, the solution to all our floss fuss?!

Spoiler alert: there is no effective substitute for daily flossing.

Many people think mouthwash is an effective replacement for flossing. After all, it kills the germs that cause gingivitis, right? Well, even though mouthwash companies have branded this elixir as being “as effective as floss” (and were subsequently ordered to cease these claims), it’s just not. Here’s why.

Properly using dental floss truly removes plaque buildup in between teeth and below the gumline, where oral bacteria thrive and cause tooth decay (and eventual tooth loss). The physical action of floss on tooth removes the gunk and the unwanted organisms inhabiting that gunk.

Mouthwash on the other hand, has a really hard time actually removing plaque. Even the most vigorous of swishing will leave plenty of buildup in place. “But mouthwash kills bacteria!” you may protest. Sure, it may kill the bacteria it can reach, but that’s just the bacteria on the surface of plaque buildup. Mouthwash doesn’t penetrate very well to the bacteria resting cozily in or under the plaque. Mouthwash cleans the plaque surface. Flossing actually cleans the tooth surface.

Which isn’t to say that mouthwash doesn’t have its place. It certainly makes your breath smell great, and it’s probably great in conjunction with brushing and flossing, but it is no substitute for flossing. Dentists still recommend daily flossing, and that probably won’t change. Dental Partners of Boston and other professional dentists know that flossing is extremely effective at maintaining oral health, and it’s worth the trouble.

Kind of a bummer, right? You were hoping for an excuse to stop flossing (or stop worrying about not flossing), but you’ve still got to floss. Well, if traditional floss isn’t your thing, you should consider trying floss picks. They eliminate a lot of the hassle of standard floss while still providing all the great plaque-removing benefits.

Originally posted on Inspiration Mill.

When you are choosing a gift for somebody, whether it be a sibling, a parent, a child, or a friend, you want to find something that shows you really care about them. The best way to show them you care is by getting them something that really reflects your appreciation of who they are, something that showcases their personality and individuality, like charm bracelets.

For example, getting your dad a tie just says, “Hey, I needed to get you a present, and I recognize that you’re a male.” It doesn’t really show that you put much thought into finding something relevant to your dad on an individual level. The same thing goes for giving gift cards, especially gift cards to places that sell a ton of different types of items. Remember: the more specific your gift is, the more memorable it will be. A lot of people like receiving gift cards—after all, they’re very convenient—but generic gifts like that are pretty easily forgotten. If you want to make an impression and do something they’ll remember, go for individualized gifts. It’s a bit more difficult to choose gifts this way, but it is well worth the extra effort.

Charm bracelets and carefully selected sterling silver charms provide your loved one with a constant, personalized, and trendy reminder that you love them and care about the things they’re into. Charms are available to represent pretty much every hobby or interest you can think of, whether it be sports, animals, travel, music, or whatever. Online stores like Watch Us offer an enormous selection so you can find the perfect charm to create a memorable gift.

A great idea is to make a tradition of giving charms. If you give your daughter, wife, or other loved one a charm bracelet and they like it and wear it, gifting them an additional charm as part of their present every year can become a great tradition, one that shows that you appreciate them and what they’re into.