Wow, that happened fast! The last two weeks have left my head spinning. I'm going to venture a guess and say anybody who was still planning on traveling over spring break when I wrote my last blog, had their plans changed rather quickly, myself included! With vacations canceled, school canceled, parties canceled, work canceled, I thought I would check out the different virtual vacations and tours the internet has to offer. Buzzfeed has a link to virtual vacations. This website has a wide variety of locations to look at, it is mostly stationary webcams, but I think the kids will really like Laikipia County, Kenya webcam and the safari animals. Here is a link from VRBO, the vacation home rental site. I enjoyed the surfing video the most on this website, but the San Diego Zoo link has a lot to offer too! 25 Amazing Virtual Field Trips When You Can't Be There In Person could be intersting?! So could 28 Free Virtual Field Trips and Activities for Families in … [Read more...]
Spring Break 2020
My plan for this weeks blog was to highlight different activities for spring break, starting with Baby Farm Animals at the Minnesota Zoo. Needless to say, I found myself quickly needing a new topic! Unless you live in a remote area of the Amazon, you've heard of COVID-19 and how it's slowly bringing the world to a halt. It's the only thing people are talking about on TV and social media. I have found it interesting (not sure if that's the right word, maybe terrifying or nerve wracking would be better choices??) watching the disease change our daily lives and habits. People's behavior has been "interesting" to watch too. It started with everyone running to buy hand sanitizer (beware it's coming), then toilet paper (watch out it's here), and now food (school's canceled, the world is coming to an end). As I watched the grocery shelves empty, I couldn't help but notice there were still quite a few vacation posts on social media. For me, it felt wonderful to see life going on as if … [Read more...]
Can Coconut Oil Improve Oral Health?
Last week, we looked at what CBD could potentially do for your oral health. This week, we are going to look at coconut oil. Dr. Bomstad noticed several patients with improved oral health and found out they started swishing with coconut oil. I am curious to know why coconut oil seems to make a difference when it comes to oral health. It turns out, coconut oil can kill the bad bacteria in your mouth that causes cavities, gum disease and bad breath. It is the lauric acid (a fatty acid) in coconut oil, along with monolaurin, that kills the bad bacteria. Monolaurin is the compound that is left when your body breaks down lauric acid. Lauric acid is special because it is a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) which is metabolized differently from other types of fatty acids. Most foods contain long-chain fatty acids. It is recommended swishing 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in your mouth for 15-20 minutes before brushing your teeth in the morning. Coconut oil can clog sink pipes, so spit … [Read more...]
CBD Oil and Dentistry
Cannabidiol or CBD is a compound found in industrial hemp plants. Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, CBD does not produce a high. This quality makes CBD an appealing option for those looking for relief from pain and other symptoms without the hallucinogenic effects. CBD is gaining popularity, but many people still do not know about it's potential health benefits. It is believed CBD could help people with pain management, could reduce anxiety & depression, could alleviate cancer related symptoms, may reduce acne, might have neuroprotective properties, could benefit heart health, may reduce psychotic symptoms, may work as a substance abuse treatment, could have anti-tumor effects, and may prevent diabetes. Notice I said "could", "may", "might" for the health benefits of CBD. Some research has been done, but much more needs to be done to be conclusive about the aforementioned benefits. CBD can interact with certain medications, especially those with a "grapefruit warning". … [Read more...]
What Kind of Orthodontic Treatment is Right for You?
Today there are many orthodontic treatment options. There are traditional or metal braces, ceramic or clear braces, self-ligating braces, lingual braces and clear aligners. The most common orthodontic treatment uses traditional or metal braces. Metal braces do a wonderful job moving your teeth, tend to be the most affordable and allow you to change the rubber band color to add some personality to your braces. The only drawback is they are the most noticeable. Ceramic or clear braces are the less noticeable option in the "traditional" braces category. They do an excellent job moving teeth and move the teeth quicker than clear aligners. Clear braces do require more care as they can stain easily, are more brittle than metal braces and are more expensive than traditional braces. Often they are only used on the top teeth and with older patients. Self-ligating braces are similar to traditional braces, but they do not require the use of rubber bands. Self-ligating braces … [Read more...]
Vaping and Dental Health
Vaping is quickly taking over as a "healthy" alternative to smoking, or at least that is what we are lead to believe. E-cigarettes are relatively new to the market, they have been around for only 15 years or so, making the long-term effects fairly unknown. Recent studies have found e-cigs/vaping to be just a harmful as smoking to the cells in your mouth. Vaping can contribute to gum disease, tooth loss, and oral cancer. As with traditional cigarettes, the vapor in e-cigarettes makes contact with your mouth when the vapor is the hottest. This heat can irritate and cause damage to sensitive gum tissue. Nicotine, often found in e-liquids, is highly addictive. When you stop using it, you can go through withdrawal, feeling depressed and crabby. Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, which means it reduces blood flow to tissue, which inhibits the tissue's ability to repair itself. Research also shows it harms the developing brains of kids, affecting memory and attention. Nicotine damages … [Read more...]
Do You Suffer From Dry Mouth?
Dry mouth affects 10% of all people and tends to affect women more than men. There are many causes of dry mouth. Medications tend to be the most common cause of dry mouth, but other causes include; dehydration, radiation treatments, diabetes, smoking, hormone imbalances, sinusitis, mouth breathing, pregnancy, and dry air to name a few. Bomstad Dental has always offered prescription toothpaste to help treat dry mouth, we now have some samples of XyliMelts for you to try too. XyliMelts are fully dissolving oral adhering discs that slowly release xylitol and natural lubricants. XyliMelts claims to stimulate saliva, reduce acid reflux and heartburn while sleeping, and reduce plaque and tooth decay by delivering xylitol. We are curious to hear what you think of XyliMelts? Should our office carry this product full time? Currently, XyliMelts are available without a prescription at WalMart, CVS and Rite Aid, and for a limited time you can try a sample from our office. Feel free to … [Read more...]
April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month
Nearly 50,000 people are diagnosed with oral cancer every year, which makes oral cancer screenings essential. At Bomstad Dental, your hygienist performs a cancer check every time you visit her. Another reason why it is so important to have regular dental check ups. Some of the risk factors for oral cancer include, but are not limited to; Tobacco and alcohol use Age-most oral cancer is diagnosed in people over 40 Diet-a poor diet low in fruits and vegetables impacts your risk of oral cancer HPV-this is a sexually transmitted disease known at the human papillomavirus and it has been linked to oral cancers, especially in younger individuals (an HPV vaccine is now available) Some symptoms indicating you could have oral cancer include; A lump, irritated area or a sore Difficulty chewing or swallowing or a change in speech A red or white patch, mostly on the tongue or floor of the mouth A feeling of numbness on the tongue or other area of your mouth … [Read more...]
Welcome, Dawn!
We are excited to announce, Dawn, has joined our team! Dawn will primarily be assisting Dr. Karban on Thursdays and Fridays. She comes to us with 20 years of experience in the dental field. Dawn received her dental assisting degree from Rochester Community & Technical College. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two young boys. In her free time, Dawn loves to spend time with her family, baking & cooking, and paddleboarding in the summer months. Dawn is a very organized, detail oriented person and we are thrilled to have her! Make sure to welcome her the next time you are in the office. … [Read more...]
Meet Molly!
We are excited to introduce to you, Molly! You will see Molly's smiling face working at the front desk when you come into Bomstad Dental. Molly is a graduate from St. Mary's University in Winona, Minnesota. She lives in Eden Prairie with her husband, Paul and infant son, Eli. They also have a puggle named Cuddy after Minnesota Twins player Michael Cuddyer. Besides being a huge Twins fan, Molly enjoys spending time at her cabin, playing games, reading and family time. This Christmas Molly is looking forward to watching her nephews open gifts and of course, Eli's VERY first Christmas! Every Christmas, Molly has Italian food in honor of her grandma, usually rigatoni & meatballs or lasagna-I'm going to have to hit her up for some recipes! She will be hosting her family on Christmas Eve and will spend Christmas Day at her in-laws' home. Molly's favorite thing to do during the holidays is spend time with family. I was excited to hear Molly used to dance every year in the … [Read more...]
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