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October 26, 2011

5 Reasons to Smile!

Filed under: Cosmetic Dentistry,Living It Up — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , — dr_pate @ 2:09 pm

A simple smile can make a big difference. Smiling helps you live longer, improves your attractiveness, and reduces stress levels. People love to be around happy folks, and smiling is good for the soul.

Why Should I Smile?

1.       Smiling changes our mood. When you’re feeling blue, have you ever tried just smiling? Putting on a simple smile can trick your mind and body into being in a better mood. So turn that frown upside, and you will have a better day.

2.       Smiling relieves stress. When we are stressed, it shows all over the face and body. The jaw starts to clench, lines appear on the face, muscles tense up, and we looked tired and worn. A smile can relieve that tension and help you relax. Sometimes, when dealing with stress, the best thing to do is take a moment to smile and calm down, and you’ll realize that everything is going to be alright.

3.       Smiling makes you look younger and more attractive. We are all searching for the Fountain of Youth to maintain vibrant, youthful beauty forever. Smiling big can do the trick– the muscles we use to smile lift our face, so it’s like having a natural face lift. People are also drawn to others who emit warmth and kindness, so wearing a smile can also make you popular.

4.       Smiling helps you stay positive. It’s hard to think negatively when you have a smile on your face—just try it. When your body looks happy, but your mind is thinking unhappy thoughts, it’s hard to continue to stay negative. Keep depression and negative thoughts away by smiling.

5.       Smiling makes you look successful. We all strive to be successful and taken seriously. Right now, finding a job is hard enough because of the poor economy. Put a big smile on your face when you go in for that interview, and you’ll improve your chances of making a great impression. Smiling will help you stand apart from the other applicants. Your future employer will be impressed if you have a genuine smile.

Smiling can make differences in your life. It can help you become happy, healthy, and confident, so why not get the best treatment for your smile? If you’d like brighter, bolder, more attractive teeth, schedule a cosmetic dentistry consultation with Dr. Peter Pate at Dentistry in Buckhead, Atlanta, GA, today. Call 404-266-9424 to find out what he can do to increase your face value.

May 31, 2011

Kick the Habit

Filed under: Cancer,Family Dentistry,General Dentistry,Living It Up — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — dr_pate @ 2:29 pm

Are you a tobacco user? This is a great time to kick the habit!  The American Cancer Society recently stated that 90 percent of people with oral cancer used at least one form of tobacco.

In addition to cancer, tobacco products increase the risk of gum disease, discolor your teeth, give you bad breath, slow your healing after an oral procedure, and can cause white patches and scar tissue inside the mouth.

The tobacco industry recently introduced a dissolvable tobacco product for smokers to use in establishments that ban smoking. The marketing led consumers to believe that smokeless tobacco and dissolvable tobacco products are less harmful than pipes, cigars, and cigarettes. However, snuff, chewing tobacco, and dissolvable tobacco contain more nicotine than cigarettes, thus making them more addictive.

Nicotine is bad enough, but consider the added chemicals that increase the risk of throat, oral, and esophageal cancers.  These products contain cyanide, arsenic, sand, grit, sugars, and sweeteners that irritate gums, generating a higher risk of gum disease.  Gum disease is the #1 cause of adult tooth loss.

Kicking the habit now will reduce your potential for gum disease. When left untreated, gum disease increases the risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, pre-term births, low birth-weight babies, and oral cancer.

I’m Dr. Peter Pate of Dentistry in Buckhead, and I encourage you to be aware of oral cancer and give up tobacco products forever.  Improve the quality of your life, and those of your friends and loved ones!  If you need help quitting, or if you need your teeth whitened after you quit, contact my Atlanta dental office at (404)266-9424 to schedule an appointment. I care for patients in Buckhead and the greater Atlanta area.

May 11, 2011

Low-Fat Chocolate Cake Recipe

Filed under: Atlanta Community,Living It Up — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — dr_pate @ 7:55 pm

Now that we have introduced some healthy foods to incorporate into your everyday diet, you know that dessert is still an option! As a health-conscious cook, your dessert should be low in fat and sugar.

Try this healthy chocolate cake recipe for your next after dinner treat:

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar (or sugar free substitute like xylitol or stevia)
  • 1/2 cup baking cocoa
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 egg whites
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup corn syrup
  • 2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar

Directions

In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In another bowl, whisk egg whites, water, and corn syrup. Stir into dry ingredients. Pour into a 9-in. square baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Nutritional Analysis

One serving equals 176 calories, 1 g fat (trace saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 186 mg sodium, 42 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2-1/2 starch

I’m Dr. Peter Pate of Dentistry in Buckhead, and I encourage my patients to choose a healthy diet and maintain proper oral hygiene habits of brushing twice daily, flossing once a day, rinsing after meals, and keeping your regular dental visits. Call my Atlanta Buckhead dentist office at (404)266-9424 to schedule an appointment.  Enjoy your healthy dessert!

February 14, 2011

Healthy Valentine’s Day Gifts

Filed under: Family Dentistry,Fun Dental Facts,Living It Up — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — dr_pate @ 5:04 pm

Valentine’s Day is often associated with chocolate and sweethearts. Why not shake things up this year and give your sweetheart a healthier gift that won’t land you in the doghouse?  Here are few suggestions:

Breakfast in Bed: You can prepare a love inspired breakfast with heart shaped toast, eggs and/or pancakes, ruby red grapefruit juice, a beautiful red rose, and fruit cut into flower shapes.

Day at the Spa: Instead of hyping your sweetheart up with sugar, soothe the nerves with a relaxing retreat to rejuvenate them.  If you are not sure which treatment your honey will prefer, opt for a gift certificate to a favorite spa. You could also purchase a couple’s massage for a romantic date.

Fruit Bouquet: If you are of the theory, “I don’t want to waste my money on flowers that will die,” consider sending your sweetie a tasty bouquet of fruit. Include oranges, cantaloupes, honeydew, grapes,  and strawberries.  For a touch of sweetness, include some dark chocolate-dipped fruits.

Home Spa: If you would prefer a quiet evening at home, buy a gift basket that includes aroma therapy products, bubble bath, and massage oils.  The scents of love and romance include: gardenia, jasmine, lavender, musk, rain, rose, and vanilla.

Weekend Getaway: If budget and time are of no concern, book a trip to a warm climate and enjoy walking on the beach, snorkeling, and swimming with your soulmate.

If you have any other great ideas for a healthy Valentine’s Day, let us know. Just post comments to this blog. And, of course, if you need a more kissable smile, be sure to book a visit with Dr. Peter Pate of Dentistry in Buckhead!

January 13, 2011

Go Green… With Your Tea!

Filed under: Fun Dental Facts,Living It Up — Tags: , , , , , , , — dr_pate @ 12:14 am

You’ve probably heard about the health benefits of green tea, but have you heard about the oral health benefits? Green tea is known to destroy Streptococcus mutans, the main type of bacteria that causes plaque, acids, and tooth decay. By killing S. mutans, green tea fights cavities at the source. In addition, green tea makes tooth enamel slick, which inhibits of bacteria from adhering to a tooth’s surface.

Just a few ounces of green tea can yield these amazing oral health benefits. One study showed that Japanese children who drank a cup of green tea after lunch had significantly fewer cavities than their peers.

Green tea even fights the bacteria that invade a tooth’s pulp.   This means that drinking green tea could save you from needing a root canal. Of 24 types of bacteria taken from a tooth’s infected root, 21 strains were inhibited or destroyed by green tea extract. Amazing!

Winter is the perfect time of year to add green tea to your menu because of the overall health benefits. The wonder-beverage has been shown to be useful against allergens, viruses, and inflammation. It’s also known to reduce the signs of aging and reduce the speed of cartilage deterioration. The list of positives goes on and on. Drink four cups of green tea each day, and you could reduce your risk of cancer. Your cholesterol could go down, as well. It’s good for weight loss and increases the body’s rate of calorie burning. Green tea drinkers show higher bone mineral density, and one study showed that in heart attack patients, green tea can reduce the risk of death by 44% over about 4 years. Wow!

This is a perfect gift for friends and loved ones.  Green tea is the gift that keeps on giving.

January 5, 2011

Promises, Promises (New Year’s Resolutions)

Filed under: Living It Up — Tags: , , , , , , — dr_pate @ 10:53 pm

A recent study tells us that most of us make promises to ourselves on New Year’s Day, then promptly break those vows. About 30% of women tend to make and keep their New Year’s resolutions for over 30 days, but most guys ditch their deals in a day or two. I hope we’re all much more diligent with brushing, flossing, checkups, and cleanings!

According to articles from About.com and USA.gov, these are the top resolutions people make in January. See if any of yours made the list!

  • Spend more time with family and friends
  • Get a better education
  • Land a better job
  • Get fit
  • Lose weight
  • Quit smoking
  • Enjoy life more
  • Manage stress
  • Quit drinking
  • Get out of debt
  • Save money
  • Learn something new
  • Take a vacation
  • Help others
  • Reduce, reuse, and recycle
  • Get organized

It sure would be great to see people add “go to the dentist regularly” to this list! Only half of Americans visit the dentist each year, and the most widespread childhood disease is dental caries (cavities). I want to ask you to make a resolution – a promise to yourself – to come in and see me twice this year. The ADA and most dental professionals recommend a minimum of two checkups and cleanings each year. These visits allow us to find problems in the early stage, when treatment is more effective and less invasive. Early treatment of oral cancer, for instance, improves a person’s survival potential by 80%! This is serious stuff, folks.

So instead of making a promise that’s just not practical, make one you can keep. If you live in the Atlanta area, visit Dentistry in Buckhead for six-month checkups and cleanings, and you could keep more than your promise. Ultimately, you could keep your teeth for life!

October 29, 2010

National Museum of Dentistry

Filed under: Living It Up — Tags: , , , , , — dr_pate @ 3:37 pm

At the University of Maryland, there’s a museum that everyone can relate to.  It’s the National Museum of Dentistry.  It’s affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution.

Everyone brushes, right? So, it just makes sense that every human should want to visit this amazing museum!

Actually, the website is pretty awesome, and the interactive exhibits are fun for kids and adults. For instance, one lets you become a forensic investigator. And we’ve always heard about George Washington’s dentures. You can actually see them at the National Museum of Dentistry.  You might also like the Evel Knievel toothbrush or Queen Victoria’s dental instruments. Another cool collection, the world’s largest of its kind, is the museum’s dental advertising poster art.  If you like the future more than the past, you’ll enjoy the Operatory of the Future exhibit.

Visit http://www.dental.umaryland.edu/museum/ for more information, and if you DO go to the museum, send us pictures to post on Facebook!

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