TTC_01_16_19_Vol.15-No.12.p1-12

January 16 - 22, 2019 www.TheTownCommon.com Page 9
Health & Wellness
BY J. PETER ST. CLAIR, DMD
I recently had the opportunity
to do some dental hygiene
appointments for a hygienist who
was out for a family emergency.
While at first I was not particularly
excited about doing this because
I have my own busy schedule, I
have to say, it was both gratifying
and eye-opening.
Typically, when I check a
patient after a hygiene exam, I am
examining clean teeth and will
briefly discuss any concerns the
patient or the hygienist has. But
on this day, I got to spend much
more time with patients who I
normally only see for five minutes
after they see the hygienist.
My first patient was a 20-yearold,
very pleasant and bright
young man, who has not had
to spend very much time in
“my” chair. As I read through
his chart to look at the notes
the hygienist had made from
previous appointments, I noticed
that there had been repeated
discussions about his homecare.
As we started our appointment, I
realized I was up against the same
issues the hygienist had seen on
previous appointments.
I asked this young man, “When
was the last time you brushed your
teeth?” He replied, “It’s been a few
Brighter Smiles...
The Precious Gift of Time - Part 2
days because I have been busy.”
Of course, I had the reaction that
you are probably having right
now – how in the world can you
go a few days without brushing
your teeth? As I worked my way
through the plaque and heavy
bleeding due to inflammation
from the debris, we talked about
the Bruins game we both watched
the night before.
I know what you thinking – If
you have the time to watch the
Bruins, you have the 2 minutes
it takes to brush your teeth – I
thought the same thing. However,
instead of approaching it this way
and trying to convince him that
he needs to work on his priorities,
we discussed some of the health
consequences of long-term
inflammation as he gets older. We
will have to see if this discussion
had any impact on him the next
time he comes in.
Another patient I saw was an
adult woman who has also spent
little time in “the back” with
me. Over the past few years, the
hygienist’s notes had indicated a
history of severe headaches and
jaw muscle tension as well as my
recommendation to consider a
nighttime appliance. She took
daily medication to manage her
headache issues and even had
occasional injections to treat her
symptoms.
On this day she was in severe
muscular pain. In addition to
completing her dental hygiene
services, I had the opportunity
to do a more complete exam and
have a more in depth discussion
about her problem. In spending
more time with her I was also
able to ask more questions and
learn much more about her
symptoms and possible etiology.
We discussed her concerns about
moving forward with treating
both her headaches and looking
further into some sleep related
issues which could be causing
her other symptoms. She is still
reluctant to move forward with
my recommendations because she
feels her issues are from another
origin.
Changing our habits, like
brushing habits, or making a
change to improve any aspect of
our health is difficult for many.
My experience with these two
patients, as well as other patients
I saw that day, reinforced that
making a change is often not as
easy as just briefly mentioning it.
It is important for providers and
patients to take the time to discuss
what the barriers are that are
holding them back from making
improvements in their health.
Time is the most important gift
a health care provider can give.
Dr. St. Clair maintains a private
dental practice in Rowley and
Newburyport dedicated to healthcentered
family dentistry. If there
are certain topics you would like to
see written about or questions you
have please email them to him at
jpstclair@stclairdmd.com. You can
view all previously written columns
at www.jpeterstclairdentistry.com/
blog.
The Harsh Reality of Social Security
The start of the New Year means
having to face just what our 2.8 percent
Social Security increase really means. I
had done the math: my 2018 Social
Security plus the welcome 2.8 percent
increase equals the benefit amount for
2019. There would be more money to
spend, I assumed.
Here is where it actually stands:
Groceries -- Last January I saved
all my grocery receipts for the
month so I would have a list of what
Senior Scene
everything cost. It’s only been a year,
but everything has gone up. Not one
single item has gone down in price.
Housing -- Two months ago, the
notice arrived about rents going up
$20 on Jan. 1.
TV/Internet -- The monthly cost
of cable TV and Internet service rose
over $30. I called and threatened to
cut the cord, and they suddenly found
a deal that brought the increase down
$20.
Electric -- The power company just
announced a 13 percent increase in
kilowatt-hour costs.
Miscellaneous -- On the occasional
expense end of things, my favorite
shirt, which I wear out and then
replace every year, went up $10. Oil
changes are up $15.
The sum of all this means that I’m
actually worse off than I was last year.
Many of us are in this same situation.
Over 20 percent of married couples
and over 40 percent of singles have
Social Security for 90 percent of their
income. We not only aren’t adding
to emergency savings, we’re barely
hanging on.
I’ll include as many cost-saving tips
in this column as I can this year. But
if you haven’t retired yet, spend 2019
practicing living on only the amount
you’ll get from Social Security. Use
every extra dollar to pare down debt
or add to your savings.
(c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
Dr. Laura anne Potvin, P.C.
oPtoMetriStS
EYE CARE
FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY!
Dr. nYLa LaMBert
Dr. KatHLeen Horn
Dr. CatHLeen DouCette
NOw LOCATED AT
939 SALEM ST., GROvELAND
978-374-8991
What does your
smile say about you?
Whether you are missing teeth or are unhappy with the
ones you have, it may be time to explore your options.
All Phases of Dental Care Including:
• Grinding/Clenching/TMJ Therapy
• Sleep Apnea/Snoring Treatment
Learn More: www.stclairdmd.com
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