One of my regular treats in life is indulging myself at Whole Foods after “getting my hair processed”. While I was in the checkout line I came across the August edition of Ode Magazine, an international magazine intelligent optimists. What struck me was the title of the issue, since we’ve had recent blogs and discussion about The Power of Laughing-the medical benefits of humor.

Of course, I couldn’t resist buying the issue, not only because I’m an optimist, but I spend most of my day either laughing or trying to help others do the same with something funny or helping them look better and feel better. Worth the whopping 5 bucks ( you get it for free by clicking the link above…call it part of your “stimulus package”).

Here’s some great highlights:

• “A laugh a day keeps the doctor-and the cardiologist and the psychiatrist-away”  In an article about Medicinal Mirth, Dr. Michael Miller, director of the Center for Preventive Cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, investigated the link between humor and heart health in 2005. Miller says mental stress is associated with damage to the endothelium, the inner lining of blood vessels. Eventually this damage encourages inflammation and plaque buildup on the endothelium, which, with the resulting arterial stiffening, can lead to a heart attack.”Our studies found a direct effect of laughter on the endothelium, and recent studies in Athens found improvements in arterial stiffness following laughter,” Miller says. The studies, performed at Athens Medical School and Hippokration Hospital and published last May in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, confirmed the detrimental effects of stress and beneficial effects of laughter on arterial stiffness in a group of volunteers who alternately watched upsetting and funny videos. Unlike more elastic arteries, stiff-walled arteries increase the risk of stroke and heart attack. “Laughing 15 minutes daily, or more, may be another important therapeutic lifestyle measure for maintaining vibrant heart health,” Miller says.
• Just a spoonful of laughter helps your sugar go down. Evidence from Japanese investigators shows that laughing may help people with diabetes stabilize their blood sugar levels, especially the spikes that commonly occur after meals. The scientists, from the Foundation for the Advancement of International Science in Ibaraki and the Diabetes Center at Tenri Yorozu-sodansho Hospital in Nara, demonstrated that genes related to NK cells, which may also help regulate blood sugar levels, were turned on after patients with type 2 diabetes (the most common kind) watched comic videos, but not after they were compelled to listen to lectures about diabetes. Further, their post-meal blood sugar levels were much improved after the funny videos.
• “Laughter is the essence of life” according 70 year old Dhyan Sutorius who teaches Laughing Meditation to get not only in touch with your “inner giggler”, but also to add joy to the calming effect of meditation, which further cleanses your body of the hormone cortisol, which is a major sourse of stress causing weight gain and cardiovascular damage.
• “Laughter is universal.” says Jurriaan Kamp, the Edittor in Chief of Ode. It helps bridge the gap between cultures and experiences. In essence, when people are laughing together, they recognize they are not alone.

Mark Twain said ” The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter”

With that kind of attitude, there could be better health and peace in our world.

We all need a good chuckle. Please share a good joke, a humorous cartoon, what makes you laugh or even a link to your favorite funny video.

Looking forward to reading and seeing them, as well as sharing them with others.

Keep smiling right

Hugh

Moth Body Connection dr michael miller, effects of laughter, funny videos, heart health, preventive cardiology

Just got back from the International Federation of Esthetic Dentistry Meeting. Quite a learning experience meeting and listening to dentists from throughout the world. It’s amazing the level of interest and talent from places near and far. Can’t wait to visit my new friends in the future.

I received an email recently from my friend David Merriman Scott. We were comparing notes on dentistry and he mentioned a great E-Book called Healthy Mouth, Healthy Sex by Helaine Smith DMD of Boston, MA.

Of course the title is very intriguing. What I really love about it is the focus of dental care at different stages in life. Dentistry is truly becoming a resource for long term health but also an important link to enjoying life more fully.  You and others should find this information to very helpful.

Please share your comments or share with others.

Keep smiling right,

Hugh

Comfortable Dental Care, Dental Health, Mouth Body Connection David Merriman Scott, Esthetic, Helaine Smith, Sex

Hello again….time really does fly! Between taking care of my family and our wonderful patients, filming a video, as well as lecturing in Las Vegas and Hawaii ( mostly work folks) and assuming my new role as President Elect of the AACD, I’ve had a full plate for someone who is trying to diet.  For the many who have enjoyed the insights and insider information into dentistry and anti-aging, I promise to catch up as well as get back on schedule .

Recently, I came accross a terrific article in Scientific American that shows psychological and medical evidence demonstrating the benefits of smiling.  It has been well known in the literature from Norman Cousins, as well as Sigmund Freud, that humor relaxes you when you are anxious and makes you psychologically more resilient.  However, there has been no scientific evidence to show improvements in curing disease. New research is showing a better correlation. According to the article, “laughter does produce short-term changes in cardiovascular function and respiration, boosting heart rate, respiratory rate and depth, as well as oxygen consumption.” Furthermore, the article reports that laughing at a funny film or TV show demonstrates a decrease in blood concentrations of “cortisol” which is well known for increasing LDL ( the “bad” cholesterol) and weakening the immune system.

In addition, in a recent study by researchers , Lee Berk, DrPH, MPH, a preventive care specialist and psychoneuroimmunologist, of Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, has paired with Stanley Tan, MD, PhD,  an endocrinologist and diabetes specialist at Oak Crest Health Research Institute, Loma Linda, CA. After prescribing a daily “dose” of humor–30 minutes of a funny sitcom or video–to diabetes patients ( who were standardly medicated) and not doing so with a control group , they are reporting 26% increase in HDL levels ( “good” cholesterol) and a 66% decrease in C-reactive protein -both well known markers in heart disease. The control group showed only 3% and 26% improvements respectively. Given the strong relationship of cardiovascular problems with diabetes, they are anticipating the use of humor in creating enhancements in the care of both diseases from an emotional and biochemical point of view.

What a difference it would make if laughter could be used to prevent and treat two of the biggest killers in our society!

It’s exciting to know that there are plenty of healthy medical reasons to smile. Could this be a small key to the fountain of youth? It is starting to look that way.

By the way, if you need some humorous reasons to laugh , go watch a funny movie or an old rerun of the Honeymooners or Seinfeld. Also, there is great article on the Art of Smiling by Tina Su , who has a great blog worth subscribing to.                                                           

Of course, if you or a friend need some help with your smile or your giggle, the Flax Dental team is always at your service. According to he latest  research, it could help save your life.

Keep smiling right,

Hugh

Mouth Body Connection american academy of cosmetic dentistry, anti-aging, c reactive protein, CRP, Flax Dental, loma linda university, norman cousins, Seinfeid

My apologies for taking a few weeks off as I was helping plan my daughter’s Bat Mitzvah and two dental meetings. I promise to catch up on my writing over the next few weeks.

While assisting my daughter with last minute details, I was shocked by a very common occurence while walking through three different Atlanta shopping malls -Dental Whitening Kiosks that look like mini-dental offices!

I’ve always been a believer and practitioner of whitening smiles since 1987.  Britesmile had always held a spot at one of our malls, but it was staffed by professionals who had some basic training and provided a reasonably good service.

What is very sad to see is the gross commercialism by opportunists who feel they can provide a “cheap service” to an unknowing consumer in order to make a quick buck. The potential for harm is great:    

• Lack of training in smile treatments and that existing fillings will appear dark after any whitening care
• Poor sterilization techniques or cross contamination
• Undiagnosed dental problems like cavities, cracks, or abscesses that are the reason for a discoloration in the first place       
• Possibility of a dental injury from a burn on the gums or oversensitivity ( who will actually treat it ?)

Basically, the “mall techs” are practicing dentistry with out a license which is outlawed in all 50 states.

Fortunately, the Georgia Board of Dentistry is cracking down   to regulate this abuse of public trust and possible mistreatment.

Bottom line: Your smile and dental health are very precious. Having the advice of a properly trained dental professional ( especially if they have credentials from groups like the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry ) can help you see the “big picture” and avoid a harmful experience. Be sure to take a “smile test” before having any cosmetic enhancement to your pearly whites. All it takes is one bad experience create a bad memory or expensive mistake.

Keep smiling right,

Hugh

smile makeover american academy of cosmetic dentistry, Dental Kiosks, FlaxDental

Years ago ER was “must see TV”. With George Clooney’s return on tonight’s episode of ER, I took a surf of the blogosphere and of found this tidbit on The Blogodontist.

Not that he needed alot of help in being more attractive, Hollywood heartthrob George Clooney , who is rated a “10″ by most women, had a smile makeover in the past year that makes him look more energetic and more youthful. 

Worn, shorter and yellow teeth shown in the photos below gave George ( a.k.a. Dr. Doug Ross) a more aged appearance. Without a doubt his improved smile is a great accessory to his image.

Usually when a smile ages like this, it is a sign of bite imbalances and/or the effects of grinding. Looks like George got some excellent help rebuilding the edges of lost enamel with porcelain veneers or crowns, possibly some laser care for his gums, and hopefully treating the cause first with some bite therapy.

Certainly ER becomes more important with Dr. Doug on the show tonight–giving all of us (especially George Clooney) plenty of more reasons to smile.

Keep smiling right,

Hugh

smile makeover Blogodontist, dental makeover, dr. doug ross, Flax Dental, George Clooney, porcelain veneers, smile makeover, yellow teeth

Sitting here in Chicago at the world famous Chicago Midwinter Meeting, helping plan the future of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. I feel very inspired that when we plan new vistas of learning and helping our members serve their patients even better.

Just read an interesting article on pain management that explains why a relaxing environment can make dental visits more pleasant.

Thank heaven for satellite radio!

It sure makes everyone happier when we give our Flax Dental patients their Bose surround sound noise elimination headphones and let them chill. Even better, when you know you have science recommending that we allow people to choose their own personalized music channel. We usually try to note which one(s) they pick–saves time in letting people relax. Some people are “surfers” ( like me) but most settle into their comfort zone.

Of course I miss the days when we were playing endless streams of comedy like Seinfeld. But when I know that we are giving our patients a more valuable ( and perhaps more entertaining ) dental visit, we are helping in ways that dentistry never dreamed possible.

It’s truly a blessing that I get to help dreams come true on a daily basis–as well as in the future.

Until next time, keep smiling right,

Hugh

Comfortable Dental Care american academy of cosmetic dentistry, chicago midwinter meeting, Flax Dental, FlaxDental, Seinfeid

Just recently, Flax Dental collaborated with the Queen of Hearts Foundation to promote awareness about the mouth body connection between women’s heart disease and gum infection.

Here are some important facts to know:

• More than 500,00 women die of heart disease annually-breast cancer deaths are estimated at 40,000-making heart disease the number one killer of women
• According to many past and recent research studies, it has been shown there are two obvious cardiovascular biomarkers caused by gum disease-C-reactive protein (CRP) and Lipoproteinassociated Phospholipase A2 ( Lp-PLA2).
• Any gum disease that is diagnosed and treated early enough has enormous impact on improving the chances of decreasing heart disease (more details)

At a recent event in our office we raised funds to help QOHF continue their outreach educational services. Their founders, Katy Attebery and Carmen Perez are very passionate about saving lives. We are proud to be associated with them.

We hope you will join them too–not just helping yourself, but also helping a friend.

Changing lives and saving them adds so much energy and gratitude to what we do every day at Flax Dental.

We hope everyone can be just as lucky.

Until next time, keep smiling right

Hugh

Mouth Body Connection anti-aging, biomarkers, c reactive protein, Carmen Perez, CRP, Dental, heart disease, Katy Attebery, phospholipase a2, QOHF

I thought of the title of the old Fats Domino song recently as my Flax Dental staff and I watched Diane Sawyer’s recent show on ABC’s Good Morning and 20/20 ” Heroes of the Hills”  http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=6889704.  As we watched the film, you see young children in the poorest parts of Appalachia drinking Mountain Dew soft drinks like most kids have milk.             

The Results: rampant tooth decay that ultimately leads to tooth loss. According to the Centers for Disease Control, this region of Kentucky now leads the nation in having the great number of missing teeth.

For those who don’t know,  Mountain Dew and many other “energy drinks” have high sugar, high caffeine, and high acid contents ( with pH levels below 4) that literally “eat your teeth”. Mountain Dew is very popular because of it’s caffeine content is 50% higher than Coke or Pepsi. It supposely helps with depression, etc. for many kids.

• For many children in Appalachia, many get Pepsi in their baby bottles
• Some have as many as 12 cavities by the time they are 2 years old
• Many grow unable to attempt cleaning their teeth because they are so tender and painful

Thankfully, Edwin Smith, DDS has come to the rescue in his roving dental office, a converted 18 wheeler, to help these children break the habit and make their mouths healthy and smiles white once again.

Although Pepsi, Co. has denied responsibility in the past, the company recently donated $150,000 to help out Dr. Smith.

That’s very nice. Just a lttle late in the game. Kind of reminds me of a cigarette company donating a gym to a school for exclusive rights to a cigarette machine in the cafeteria.

What really would be great is if Pepsi–and every softdrink maker out there–would prominently display the acid content, sugar levels, and caffeine amounts so that people would realize the dangers of what they are drinking.

Even better, since psychologists have shown that “Showing often leads to doing”   

Put a picture of child who has several dark cavities and missing teeth on each can with a warning label!

What are your thoughts or comments?

Dental Health anti-aging, centers for disease control, Dental, Diane Sawyer, edwin smith, fats domino song, Flax, FlaxDental, wellness, white smile

After several months of updating, I am very happy to restart our Blog to share the innovative artistic and scientific side of lifelike and durable cosmetic dentistry as well as update you on the latest information on anti-aging and wellness that goes beyond our website www.FlaxDental.com .

As my Internet friend Seth Godin shared with many others at the beginning of the year: ” The opportunity this year is bigger than ever: to lead change, to create a movement in a direction you want to go. While the rest of your world huddles and holds back, here’s a golden chance to use cheap media, available attention and great talent to make something that matters.”

The intent of this forum is to not only increase your knowledge to inform yourself and your friends. I want to encourage comments and question so that we have a collaborative relationship as we do with our patients. The important thing is to learn and grow so that we make “something that matters”.

I am looking forward to spending this journey with you. 

Hugh

Welcome anti-aging, cosmetic dentistry, dentistry, FlaxDental, lifelike, Seth Godin, wellness

This year we celebrate 20 years of serving Atlanta and smiling faces in the Southeast. As we venture forward with remodernizing our office, looking back on our journey makes us appreciate the blessings of our constant commitment to improvement in our service and care for you.

• Opened practice on Memorial Day ,1987 in Dunwoody, GA with a focus on cosmetic dentistry
• 1991- Became one of the first dentists in the world using both an intraoral camera and voice activated technology
• 1993- Attended both the Pankey Institute and the Dawson Center to gain expertise in better and complete patient care ( and got married too)
• 1994- Became a member of the AACD and published first article in the Dental Leader
• 1995- Elected President of the Atlanta Society for Cosmetic Dentistry (and became a dad).
• 1996- Moved to expanded facility to add higher technology
• 1997- Became only the 4^th Georgian to become Accredited by the AACD
• 1998- Created concierge type practice to improve service to patients (and second daughter born)
• 1999-Began first major lectures to the dental community (will be speaking in Canada, London, and New Zealand in 2007-2008)
• 2001-2003 Co-Chair AACD Meeting in Orlando
• 2002-2003- Raised $36000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Team In Training after wife successfully finished stem cell transplant
• 2003- Introduced laser and sedation dentistry to practice and became a leading authority on conservative laser cosmetic dental care starting the “Be The Future” lecture series
• 2003- Named “Member of the Year” by the AACD
• 2004- Present-Elected to AACD Board of Directors
• 2005-2008- Co-Chair AACD Meeting in New Orleans
• 2005-Started the Disaster Relief Fund to help dentists affected by Hurricane Katrina and other future disasters
• 2006- Founded the Georgia Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry
• 2007- Named to the editorial board of Practical Procedures in Aesthetic Dentistry –one of the world’s leading dental journals
• 2007-Patient featured on the cover of the Journal Cosmetic Dentistry- which has been described as one of the cover photos ever
• 2007-Awarded the “AACD Humanitarian of the Year”
• 2007-Began fully digitizing practice to expand services and comfort-now and in the futur

We thank you and everyone for their support-not just in the past but in the next 20 years.

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