Dream Big for 2012 - Office Motto for You & Us

How do you recharge for the new year? Staples Dental takes a day away from the office to refocus our philosophy and recommit to our goals. This year, we are working to help you focus on your overall health, encourage you to "dream big" and be the very best you can be - inside and out. We take our inspiration from several books, including "The Four Agreements," Enchantment," "The Fish! Philosphy" and "The Starbucks Experience." Come join us on a discovery of making the most of life, ourselves and, of course - our smiles!

Join us and take a look at our kick-off meeting so you too can be re-energized for 2012.

Supercharging our brains before the meeting begins!

Are we a nice bunch or what? One of us is camera shy so she volunteers to be the photographer for the group photos. Maybe someday we can get "D" front and center - like she is when you walk in the office!

Doc introduces the theme of the meeting and gets us in the right frame of mind to "Dream Big."

Staff members Heidi, Crystal and Deann show us a training DVD featuring the famous Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle. It's a crazy place that teaches important concepts for the work environment with "Be There, Play, Make Their Day & Choose Your Attitude." Who knew selling fish could be so much fun?

We had a little swag for everybody as a reminder of what we learned. It's always fun to take home gift bags!

Have you noticed that our office manager Deann giggles a lot? That's what makes having her at the front desk so pleasant!

Jenna and Billie gave us an overview of the book written by the CEO of Starbucks. They have a great product and brand, but they also try to make a difference in a positive way. We are regulars at the Starbucks in the Smith's next to our office!

Doc and the Mrs. enjoy a cup of tea! Notice the pretty teeth? If you like Ann's smile ask Doc how you can have one just like it!

Think about the people and places that make you feel good and that you automatically gravitate to. It's all about "Enchantment" and how they create it. Ann gives examples from an awesome book on the subject.

Doc and "his girls" are ready to enchant you! Isn't he a good sport to put the sparkle on?

Look at Crystal's expression. She makes us laugh everyday!

Dr. Staples wraps up the day with thoughts on the book "The Four Agreements."

1. Be impeccable with your word.

2. Don't take anything personally.

3. Don't make assumptions.

4. Always do your best.

This meeting was not about the technical part of what we do in the dental office, but about striving to be better people everyday in all areas of our lives. It was a great day for all of us and we hope it will influence how we serve and take care of you!

Green Tea Strengthens Teeth

By now, you've probably heard the health benefits of drinking green tea. But, did you know it can also help prevent tooth decay? A new study shows a cup of green tea a day may keep your teeth stronger. How? The study reports a naturally occurring substances in green tea has bacteriocidal effects, helping to kill mouth bacteria and ward off tooth decay and gum disease.

So, what's the catch? You must NOT add sugar to your green tea. It will negate the benefits to your mouth.

Dr. Staples can help you with questions regarding your overall health and how it impacts your oral health. Learn more about his dental health treatments. Call his office today to set up an appointment!

Dry, Hot Summer! What About Your Mouth?

With this Las Vegas summer heat, what have you been doing to cool off? Don't forget to drink lots of water! Did you know that your saliva actually prevents tooth decay too? It serves many purposes. If you have been experiencing dry mouth, come visit us. Learn more about the symptoms of dry mouth and what you need to know.

Call for an appointment at 702-991-0404 before Labor Day and get a BPA-free water bottle!

Link Between Diabetes, Oral Health

A new study shows dentists may be able to identify pre-diabetes or people undiagnosed with diabetes, according to the Journal of Dental Research.

"Periodontal disease is an early complication of diabetes, and about 70 percent of U.S. adults see a dentist at least once a year," the study's senior author, Dr. Ira Lamster, dean of the College of Dental Medicine.

Dr. Staples believes dentists need to look out for your overall health, not just make your smile beautiful.

Dr. Staples can diagnose periodontal disease and make recommendations for your optimal health. Prevent serious health conditions by regular dental visits to Staples Dental.

Oral Health in America

More and more health care organizations are recognizing the importance that dentistry plays in our society's overall well-being. Poor oral health can start a chain reaction for disaster in the rest of the body. Our teeth and gums are connected in vital ways to the delicate balance of systems that our body needs to function. Here is another example of how the medical community is trying to spread the word.

Think Tongue Piercing Is Cool? Read This!

An article on Dr. Oz's site may make you think twice. Tongue piercing can turn into a very expensive hobby, with an increase in periodontal disease, chipped teeth and more.

Shift From 'Wants' to 'Needs' in Dentistry

Dr. Staples gave a talk on dental "wants" vs. "needs" at The Southern Nevada Dental Society on Tuesday, March 8. Dr. Staples enjoys sharing his passion of healthy dental lifestyles with his peers. In the early 2000s, patients demanded mostly cosmetic dentistry. According to statistics from the American Dental Association, dental disease was on the decline. In the late 1990's, the ADA predicted that by the year 2030 many dentists would be out of business because we were catching up with dental disease. With new technology and preventative care, we would be eliminating our traditional work. Dentists started offering more procedures that catered to the patients "wants" and a boom started with cosmetic procedures. There is nothing wrong with cosmetic dentistry or providing beautiful and pleasing smiles. But nobody predicted what would happen next.

Change is the only constant in life. By 2007, cracks started to appear in the statistics. The ADA's findings didn't cover the Asian population. Interestingly enough, that population has a higher number in periodontal or gum disease. The Hispanic and African American populations were seeing higher numbers in obesity and diabetes. It is now documented that there is a direct link with obesity and diabetes to not only overall health issues, but to dental disease! The tables have turned and now the dental statistics have flipped backwards.

The tipping point includes the increase in the aging population, the long list of medications that people commonly take that cause dry mouth syndrome, the horrific rise in diabetes and obesity (those two issues go hand-in-hand), and the economic downturn that caused a domino effect keeping people away from their regular dental visits. Dentistry went from the opinions in 1999 that we were gaining and getting ahead of dental problems, to now in 2011 with the complete opposite scenario. Dr. Staples stated in his presentation that he has never seen anything like this in his long career. The doctors attending this meeting wholeheartedly agreed.

Dr. Staples continued on by citing examples of the patients in his practice and listed national statistics to prove his point. With the large number of seniors comes a longer list of medications. Many of these cause dry mouth that in turn causes a turn for the worse in consequences with gum disease, tooth and bone loss. This not only affects our seniors, but also the younger age demographic that take prescription medications that cause dry mouth. Things like anti-depressants and appetite suppressants.

You would have to live under a rock to not notice the news reports about the crisis in our country with the alarming rise in obesity and diabetes in both young and old. Sedentary lifestyles, poor nutrition choices, the shameful food industry that adds fillers, chemicals, additives, and genetic altering ingredients into our food chain that all add up to high Body Mass Index (BMI), or body fat percentage that is too high. Sugars of all kinds and the ever-increasing sodium content add to the problem. Blood pressure and cholesterol levels are also on the rise. All of these things neatly tie into more dental disease. Physicians are being too timid to state the obvious and tell their patients the cold hard truth that could save lives and money in our healthcare system. If only they would push clean eating, proper nutrition with real, fresh foods, and consistent exercise, we could turn this crisis around quickly. Instead, we have pharmaceutical companies and physicians pushing medications to put a band aid on the problem. But the dental exam shows the truth with the side effects causing patients to suffer from declining oral health.

When our economy took a dive, people had to make drastic budget cuts. Businesses eliminated or downgraded benefit packages. People steered away from going to the dentist thinking they would go when things got better. Wrong. Things didn't get better, and that included their dental health. Dr. Staples continued with examples of seeing a surge in missing or loose teeth caused by periodontal or gum disease and infection, pain and discomfort, plus the need for more dental implants. The escalation in dental disease has crossed all lines of age, race, and income levels.

The cracks and changes in just a few short years gives the dental profession shocking new statistics that led Dr. Staples to his final point. Dentists need to reorient themselves and their staff to meet the current needs of their patients. It is a time of serving our fellowman in a way that is more important than ever before. Success does not come in dollar signs, but in using our skills to treat our patients to the best of our ability to bring their oral and overall health back to an optimum level. In so doing, it brings a satisfaction in what we do as a dental community like we have never seen before.