Dr. Paul Levi receives the 9th Annual Yankee Dental Congress Clinician’s Award!

Dr. Paul Levi has recently been awarded the 9th Annual Yankee Dental Congress Clinician’s Award. This award recognizes him as a New England Dentist who has been supportive of the Yankee Dental Congress both as a clinician and as a volunteer. With this honor, there will be a donation made on Dr. Levi’s behalf to the dental school of his choice. He will be formally recognized at this year’s Presidential Awards Ceremony & Reception, which will be held in January.

Associates in Periodontics is thrilled for Dr. Levi to have received this very special recognition from the Yankee Dental Congress. He has dedicated his life to helping others. Please join us in congratulating him on this very well deserved recognition.

Thank you

-The team at Associates in Periodontics

An interesting study about smoking and your overall health

Everybody knows that smoking causes lung cancer, but did you also know that smokers and tobacco users are susceptible to a variety of other health problems at a faster rate than non-smokers?

It’s true! According to a recent study in Annals of Internal Medicine, women who smoke 15 or more cigarettes a day are 10 times as likely as nonsmokers to develop peripheral artery disease (PAD), which narrows and blocks your leg arteries. This disease is caused by the buildup of plaque, and results in serious cramping and fatigue in the hips. PAD is also associated with an increased risk of heart attack or stroke. Women in this study were all U. S. women health professionals, all whom were 45 years old and older. The study monitored 39,825 women for an average of 12.7 years.

At Associates in Periodontics, we strongly recommend that patients not use tobacco products. Please let Dr. Shuman, Dr. Levi, Dr. Kolesar and Dr. Halliday know if you need support to quit smoking. We can help by recommending different options to help you quit, and above all we will support you throughout the quitting process. We are dedicated to helping you protect your oral health – and quitting smoking is significant step in the right direction.

Coffee and diabetes, is there a connection?

At Associates in Periodontics, we know most folks enjoy a hot-brewed coffee in the morning, sometimes even followed by a latte in the afternoon. According to a recent study in the European Journal of Clinical Investigation, this might even be a good habit!

Whether you drink one cup o'joe or seven or more cups of coffee each week, the study showed that drinking coffee reduces the risk of Type 2 diabetes. The study examined coffee consumption and diabetes risk in 2,332 Taiwanese men and women age 40 and older. Drinking seven or more cups of coffee a week reduced the risk of Type 2 diabetes by 63%, while those that drank just one cup o'joe cut diabetes risk by 33%.

Study results showed that there was a decrease in glucose levels as coffee consumption increased. Researchers speculate that the magnesium in coffee may affect diabetes risk, since it is known to improve glycemic control and insulin resistance. Coffee may also have contributed to weight loss.

Caveat: Coffee consumption and Type 2 diabetes were self-reported, so misclassification is possible.

Drs. Shuman, Kolesar and Halliday create many smiles at the Special Olympics!

At Associates in Periodontics, we enjoy not only providing our patients with exceptional periodontal care, but also giving back to the Burrlington and Barre communities whenever possible. Our team recently volunteered at the Special Olympics, providing free dental checkups and oral hygiene instructions at the Special Smiles tent. Dental hygienists used stuffed animals to demonstrate the best strategies for brushing and flossing, and all athletes were provided with an electric tooth brush and floss after their appointment. Dr. Shuman, Dr. Kolesar and Dr. Halliday all participated in the event, along with Nancy, Heather and Helen from our team. There were many smiles at the Special Smiles tent—our team had a great time participating in the event!

For more information about the Special Smiles tent, be sure to check out the Burlington Free Press article. Or, you can always ask our team any questions on our Facebook page.

Tell Associates in Periodontics what's on your mind!

Week after week, Dr. Shuman, Dr. Levi, Dr. Halliday and Dr. Kolesar blog about important topics pertinent to periodontal treatment and your well-being, including dental implants and sleep apnea oral appliances. Today, we thought we’d step back and ask you, our loyal patients and readers: what’s on your mind? What would you like to know about the field of Periodontics? What would you like us to focus on our blog in the coming months? Let us know by posting here or on our Facebook fan page!

So… take it away and we’ll try to answer any questions you may have!

Associates in Periodontics Asks: What are your Independence Day plans?

This coming Monday, July 4th, is Independence Day and the United States of America will be turning 235 years old! It’s a day to commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence and also a time for every American to pay homage to our soldiers, past and present, who have placed themselves in harm’s way so that we may continue to enjoy our freedom.

Our team at Associates in Periodontics will be celebrating this Monday and we would like to know, what are your plans for the 4th of July? Will you be out in the sun? Have you stocked up on fireworks? Are you going to grill up your favorite summer foods? Are you staying in town or heading somewhere else? If you have a 4th of July tradition, we would love to hear about it.

Whatever you plan to do, Associates in Periodontics hopes you have a fun and safe holiday! Feel free to upload your 4th of July photos to our Facebook page and let us know how your Independence Day turned out this year.

Smile Wide- June is National Smile Month!

According to the American Dental Association, a person’s smile outranked eyes, hair and body as the most important physical feature, which is why it’s important for our team at Associates in Periodontics to support National Smile Month this June.

Here are a few simple steps you can take to improve your oral health so that you may celebrate National Smile Month for many, many years to come:

• Brush at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, for two minutes each time. If you have trouble keeping to the two minute rule, consider an electric toothbrush with a built-in timer. These can help ensure you’re getting in adequate brushing each day.

• Floss every day to clean between your teeth. Flossing 3-to-5 minutes each day is recommended, but even 60 seconds of flossing has a great benefit over not flossing at all.

• Reduce your intake of sugary foods and drinks as much as possible. It’s okay to have a bit of a sweet tooth every once in awhile, but make sure to brush after consuming these types of foods to prevent tooth decay.

• Visit our office regularly (usually every six months apart).

If you have questions about any of these tips, we encourage you to give us a call.