Floss Lines Produced to improve your dental health and awareness Editor: Jan Bretz

Have you wondered why we check your blood pressure at every visit? Some patients may experience anxiety in a dentist’s office and have elevated blood pressure. By comparing blood pressure readings with previous readings, we are able to see if a patient’s pressure is normal or has changed. It would be dangerous, in some cases, to treat a patient with severe hypertension. Checking blood pressure is a free service that is beneficial to our patients and very important to us. We want to care for the whole patient.

Recently, patient Marlene Davidson, whose blood pressure had always been normal, had a reading in our office of 137/100. At our urging, she saw her doctor who put her on blood pressure medication to help her avoid a stroke. “I hadn’t been happy with myself for some time,” Davidson says. “Now I’m back on the treadmill and eating a low-fat diet, taking better care of myself.”

At 105 pounds, Lori Schwarting didn’t seem a likely candidate for blood pressure problems. But when she visited our office in August after a week’s vacation, her BP was 176/110. Eighteen months prior to that her pressure also had been high—160/96, which she attributed to being in the dentist’s office. “I didn’t take it seriously, but this time I was about as relaxed as I could be. What a shocker!” says Schwarting. “Dr. Howe called the doctor and made an appointment for me before I left the office. She even called me that week to see if I’d followed up.” Schwarting’s doctor immediately put her on blood pressure medication. She says for her it was a wake-up call, and she now intends to reduce the stress in her life and exercise as well. “I can honestly say my energy has returned since I went on medication and my frequent headaches are gone. I appreciate what Dr. Howe did. She has a reason for all of it.”

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From Dr. Howe

A long-time and much loved patient came to our office a couple of years ago, having difficulty opening the door. After helping her in, I noticed her speech was slurred. When she said she wasn’t feeling well, I called for assistance. I wasn’t surprised to learn later in the day she had suffered a stroke.

While such a life-threatening situation was a one-time occurrence in our office, discovering high blood pressure is not. We frequently find higher than normal readings. About 1 in 3 U.S. adults has high blood pressure putting them at risk for heart disease and stroke. We routinely check blood pressure using an Omron blood pressure cuff, one that our patient Dr. Alexander Kingsley says is highly accurate and the same one they use in his surgery practice. We believe that checking BP is vital information we need to have to treat you and valuable information for you to share with your doctor.

1217 North Cotner Blvd.Lincoln, NE 68505-1837Phone: (402) 466-9632Fax: (402) 466-9632

Email: dmhowedds@windstream.net

Dr. Donna M. Howe and Dr. Paul A. Hansen

Blood Pressure Check at the Dentist’s Office?

Visit us on the web at howedental.com.

Fall offers many trade-offs for the shorter, cooler days, and one of them is the abundance of a favorite fall fruit—juicy, ripe apples!

Apples have been called “nature’s toothbrush” because their fibrous texture massages and stimulates gums, reduces bacteria, and increases saliva flow. Apples also contain tannins, which can aid in preventing tooth decay and gum disease.

Apples are also high in pectin, a form of soluble fiber that lowers both blood pressure and glucose levels and helps maintain healthy digestion. The nutrient boron in apples supports strong bones and healthy

brain function, and quercetin in the skin of the apple may reduce various cancers and may be one of the best food sources to protect against Alzheimer’s (nootropics.com/quercetin/index.html). If you want the full benefits of this powerful fruit, it’s the whole fruit you want to eat.

Be sure to wait 30 minutes to brush, as you should with other foods. It is important to clean lingering sugars from your teeth. But food temporarily weakens enamel, and brushing too soon can remove some loosened enamel.

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Dental News Important to Women

Women Winning Battle of Sexes When it comes to taking care of their health, women are winning hands down. And, according to a study in the Journal of Periodontology, women are also more proactive than men in maintaining healthy teeth and gums. They are 26% more likely than men to floss daily and 74% of women would be embarrassed by a missing tooth, a possible consequence of periodontal disease, compared to 57% of men.

Fears Related to Bisphosphonates?

Concerns relating to treating patients who take bisphosphonates, bone strengthening drugs, pertain only to those who are undergoing extensive chemotherapy, states our own Dr. Paul Hansen, Prosthodontic Section Director in the Department of Adult Restorative Dentistry at the University of Nebraska. He also says that problems associated with dental treatment are not present in other cases.

Message to Postmenopausal Women: Increase Yearly Dental Checkups

Postmenopausal women need to see the dentist more often, according to research from the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and the Cleveland Clinic. They tested two groups of postmenopausal women. Both groups, those taking bisphosphonates and those who were not, had increased levels of dental plaque even while following guidelines to see their dentist twice a year, brush twice a day, and floss. Elevated dental plaque levels can endanger the jawbone of normal postmenopausal women and reverse any gain in bone mass from bisphosphonates. Postmenopausal women, according to the findings, may need to see the dentist as many as four times a year to control dental plaque with deep periodontal cleanings. Bisphosphonate therapy isn’t enough to keep jawbones healthy.

Hype for the Humble Apple

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Annual Summer and Winter Parties Keep Us Connected

Dr. Paul Hansen, Leader in Continuing Education for Dentists

Without research and continuing education, dentists not fresh out of dental school may fear they may not be up to date or that their skills have gone stale. Our own Dr. Paul Hansen, President of the Lincoln District Dental Association, is committed to ensuring that doesn’t happen. He currently organizes continuing education for 240 members of the Lincoln district. Sessions range from one hour to two all-day sessions per year and are well attended.

In addition, Hansen is a contributor to continuing education conventions in other parts of the country, including one in San Antonia, Texas. Hansen uses cases he has personally worked on as a basis for his lectures. Googling every question a dentist has or keeping up with the daunting task of reading through every dental journal is not as valuable or practical as being able to hear from experienced dentists who can answer questions and provide leadership. Dr. Hansen, who has received numerous teacher awards, is a valuable resource for dentists throughout the country.

Staff members recently traveled together to Omaha for an all-day excursion where they visited Lauritzen Gardens, shopped in the Old Market, ate dinner at Upstream, and walked over the Bob Kerry Bridge into Iowa. The weather was beautiful! Nancy Vice, Patient Administrator said, “It was fun. I loved it.” “It gave us a chance to just sit and talk without interruptions, ” says Dental Assistant and Patient Administrator Jeanette Heiman.

The staff also has a Christmas party they look forward to every year. Their parties have varied from attending a performance at the Lied Center to dinner at Doctor Howe’s home. “We are friends as well as colleagues!” says Dr. Howe.

Donna M. Howe, D.D.S.Paul A. Hansen, D.D.S.1217 North Cotner Blvd.

Lincoln, NE 68505-1837

PRST STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDLINCOLN, NE

PERMIT NO. 923

Type to enter textYour Professional Staff:

Donna M. Howe, D.D.S.

Paul A. Hansen, D.D.S.

Deb Lockhorn Dental Hygienist

Jeanette Heiman Dental Assistant Office Manager Corinne Spilker Dental Assistant

Dee Hines Dental Assistant Judy Rippe Dental Assistant Nancy Vice Patient Administrator

Walk the Talk — Take a Healthy Vacation by editor, Jan Bretz

Many of you who know Dr. Howe, who regularly bikes or walks to work, won’t be surprised to hear about what she did on her vacation. As we’ve done in the past, Randy and I shared a vacation with Dan and Donna. And, as usual, the vacation included activity. We stayed in a cottage on the Illinois River then traveled to Raccoon Lake in Parke County, Indiana. In both places, we ate healthy meals in our cabins. We indulged in a shared cup of ice cream on a break from our bike ride along the river and an occasional bit of dark chocolate, but we took a walk after dinner instead of having dessert. Donna and I practiced yoga for 30-40 minutes each morning. And every day the four of us rode our bikes for several hours. One day while I

visited a high school friend in Indiana, Donna rode an additional fifteen miles to a nearby state park where she hiked with Randy while Dan kayaked.

Later in the week, we drove to Indianapolis where we stayed in a motel. We biked along the Indiana Central Canal and the White River and two of the bike trails through the area. Even while eating in restaurants, we made healthy choices that didn’t blow what we’d been doing on other days. We had a great time biking, reveling in the beauty of Indiana’s fall colors and aromas. We returned feeling both energized and relaxed rather than sluggish and bloated.

I highly recommend Dr. Howe’s favorite kind of vacation––one packed full of good, healthy food and lots of activity!