We’re so pleased to present a link to Dr. Archer’s recent interview with her Alma Mater Dalhousie University! In addition to briefly talking about her own time as a student, Dr. Archer discusses her passion for ensuring that accessible health care is available to everybody and the importance of the D.E.A.R. Project (Dental Elder Abuse Response).
Read the full interview here!
Picking your New Year’s Resolution is the easy part – actually keeping it is a whole other kettle of fish. If you’re struggling not to break the goals you set for yourself this new year, we have some tips to help keep you strong!
Find a Support System
Misery loves company, right, so why not extend that to include keeping your new year’s resolution? Find a buddy or support group to vent to about your difficulties sticking to your resolution and in turn listen to their complaints. Offer each other suggestions, tips and moral support. While it might not make things easier, it’ll give you someone (or a group of someones) to turn to when you need a distraction or commiseration, and chances are they’ll be able to help you get back on track if you do find yourself straying.
Reward Yourself
Give yourself something to look forward to! Award yourself prizes or treats to match certain goal milestones. Let’s say you planned to lose weight this year. Why not treat yourself with the gift of going to see a movie or trying out that new Lush bath bomb you really wanted to buy? If your goal was of the mental rather than the physical variety (i.e. learning to control your anxiety), then let yourself indulge in a venti Starbucks drink of your choice. Sticking to your goals is hard, so make sure you let yourself acknowledge when you’re doing a good job!
Keep Your Goals Realistic
Make sure that the goals you set for yourself are within reason. It’s one thing to say, “I’m going to cut down on my sugar consumption” and another to say “I’m never going to eat sugar again ever.” While the second goal is technically attainable, it’s incredibly difficult and much harder to psych yourself up to. Start small and build up to it if you really want to eliminate sugar completely, but don’t raise the bar too high right from the start. Which leads into the last point:
Stay Positive
It’s not going to be easy. There are going to be days you’re ready to phone it in and give up. There will be days where you do cheat, or give in, or slack, and you’ll wonder if maybe you should just quit completely or if it’s even worth trying again. Don’t let negativity overwhelm you! Everyone stumbles and falls, but the key is to force yourself to get back up again!
With 2016 fast approaching, there’s no better time to get started on your list of resolutions. Here’s a dental checklist to help you keep on top of your oral hygiene as well as your personal goals for the New Year!
With the holiday season in full swing, many of us are both dreading and looking forward to all the sugary treats we’re guaranteed to be surrounded by.
In order to make the upcoming Holiday season less punishing to both our teeth and our stomachs, we’ve scoured the internet to come up with a list of some of the best low sugar desserts we could find so you can spend your vacation indulging without guilt (or at least, with considerably less guilt.)
Peanut Butter & Pretzel Truffles
Try this delicious truffle recipe from eatingwell.com if you’re looking for something salty and sweet!
“Cocoa-Nut” Bananas
Not only are these banana bites super easy easy to make, but they’re also full of healthy, unprocessed ingredients.
Butterscotch Frosted Cupcakes
These are some of the more traditional treats you can make, but even the reduced sugar recipe doesn’t make them taste any less incredible!
Easy Chocolate Mousse
The use of high quality bittersweet chocolate is what prevents this mousse from packing on the calories and fat of most traditional desserts.
Yogurt “Cheesecake” with Strawberries and Pineapple Syrup
This recipe is packed with fruit and uses yogurt as a healthy cheesecake alternative.
We’d love to hear what some of your favourite healthy/low sugar desserts are to make during the Christmas and holiday season.
Let us know what you think of the recipes above and share some of your favourites with us too!
In case you missed it, check out Dr. Archer’s segment about the importance of facing your fear of the dentist on a recent episode of Downright Domestic.
It’s that time of year again – in just a couple of days, adorable trick or treaters decked out in their spookiest and most creative costumes will roam door to door looking for sweet treats. The only problem? A whole bunch of them will wake up the next morning with a tummy ache (and likely the start of at least one cavity).
We’re not suggesting you completely boycott handing out candy (or cutting your children off from the sugary treats they collect entirely). Instead, why not practice moderation?
Balance Out The Goodies You Hand Out
Instead of just buying a jumbo bag of chocolate bars, mix up what you’ve got in your trick or treat bowl. Throw in some toys (maybe a pirate eye patch or glittery temporary tattoos) and choose the treats you do include with caution.
Try to avoid anything that’s likely to get stuck in between children’s teeth too easily (a lot of chewy candies like sour patch kids, fuzzy peaches, and watermelon slices can cause some serious dental trouble down the road) and stick to items that aren’t hard enough to break teeth (giant gumballs, jawbreakers, and some lollipops can crack a tooth if they’re bitten into by an overeager kid).
Check out this Business Insider list for some of the healthier Halloween Candy options.
Use It as a Teaching Opportunity
Use Halloween as an opportunity to teach your kids about good dental hygiene. Come up with a reward system – they get to indulge in some of their Halloween spoils so long as they promise to brush and floss right after.
Make sure to follow up with them; if they listened, it means they can have a little bit more candy the following day. If not, then they to prove to you that they can be trusted to take good care of their teeth before having any more.
As you get older, it can be easy to let certain aspects of your oral hygiene routine slide. This can be particularly dangerous as you make yourself more susceptible to cavities, plaque build-up, and even bacteria that can spread and negatively affect your overall health.
Here’s a list of some simple steps you can take to ensure you’re keeping your mouth happy and healthy no matter what age you are.
Limit Sugar Intake
This is important across the board, but especially if you’re susceptible to tooth decay or other dental issues. Try to limit how much sugar you have, check the labels of foods you’re uncertain about before eating them, and when you do allow yourself to indulge – eat those sweet (or sticky) snacks with a meal to limit the likelihood of decay. In addition, do your best to cut down on adding sugar to things like coffee and tea.
Stick to Water as much as Possible
Yes, it sounds boring, but water is a vitally important part of maintaining good health. In addition to keeping your body hydrated, water helps flush away any food particles that might be lingering in between your teeth after eating.
If you find plain water with every meal dull, why not switch it up with sparkling water? Depending on the brand (and the ingredients) you can ever try different naturally flavoured options like lime, lemon, and orange.
Use a Soft Toothbrush and Be Thorough
Brushing and flossing at least twice a day is the most important thing you can do to maintain your oral health. If you find yourself experiencing any sense of discomfort while brushing, don’t let it dissuade you from keeping up with your hygiene. Make sure you’re using a soft bristled brush that will be gentle on your gums, and if the actual size of the brush is a problem, try a child size that more easily reaches the back of your mouth or a powered toothbrush with a large handle that’s easier to hold on to.
When brushing, make sure to get your teeth and gums as well as the folds between the teeth and the cheeks. If you wear dentures or partial dentures, don’t forget to take them out before brushing and clean them separately using the appropriate materials.
Be Aware of the Effects your Medication can Have on your Mouth
Ask your doctor and dentist if there are any specific side effects or concerns you should be aware of if you start taking a new medication. Some drugs can cause dry mouth, for instance, which can increase your chance of developing tooth decay because it limits the saliva production in your mouth.
Other meds might contain sugar which can linger in your mouth. See if there’s a sugar free option available, and if not, make sure to always rinse your mouth out with water after taking them.
We’ve all had those days where it feels like absolutely everything that can go wrong does. It can be easy to give in to your negative emotions, but we have some tips to help you keep your head and stay positive no matter what life throws at you.
Allow Yourself to be Angry
or sad, or frustrated, or jealous. Whatever emotion is currently taking over your mental state – acknowledge it and let it run its course. There’s nothing inherently wrong with feeling upset; it’s how you deal with your emotions that define you. Say your co-worker got a promotion you’d been quietly hoping for. It’s normal to be angry and envious, and it’s okay to let yourself acknowledge that. So long as you don’t let your feelings affect your behaviour (i.e. gossiping about your coworker, invalidating them to make yourself feel better) there’s nothing inherently wrong with feeling the way you do.
Stay Away from Toxic People
We all know the type – no matter how good things are, there’s always something to complain about. Toxic people suck the joy out of everything and can really do a number on your own mental health. Learning to recognize and avoid toxic people can drastically boost your own levels of happiness. Sometimes it can be difficult (or impossible) to cut certain toxic people out of your life, but if you can at least limit your exposure to them, it can make a big difference.
Smile
Seriously. Smile. All the time. Even when you don’t feel like it. Smile at the person behind the till who’s in training and taking a lot longer than you’d like to ring up your order. Smile at the bus driver. Smile at yourself when you catch your reflection in the mirror. Studies have shown that smiling a lot really does positively affect your health and outlook on life. The more you smile, even if it feels forced at first, the more likely you are to keep doing it in the future. It really is a positive example of faking it until you make it.
Be Grateful for What You do Have
Never take anything for granted and acknowledge the good things in your life. No matter how bad things are right now, they could always be worse, and while it’s totally normal to wish things were better, don’t forget to keep your perspective.
Find Healthy Ways to De-Stress
Maybe it’s reading a new book, or taking up knitting, or even creating a Pinterest account, but everyone should have a completely stress-free pursuit they can dive into when they need a mental break. Now’s the time to try new things and explore until you find that perfect hobby.
Keep Trying
No matter what it is that’s got you down, don’t let it stop you from pushing forward. If you don’t fail, you don’t learn. Some of the most successful and happiest people have failed the hardest in the past, but they used what happened to them as an opportunity to learn. Keep your eyes on the road ahead of you and don’t let a stumbling block in the road keep you down.
Have a child under the age of 12?
The Canada Dental Benefit is only available until June 30, 2024.
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