OLIVE OIL: Let’s all use more of it!

Olive oil is a top source of oleic acid, an omega-9 fatty acid that is converted during digestion to oleoylethanolamide (OEA), a hormone that helps keep brain cells healthy. In a new study from the University of California, Irvine, rodents fed OEA were better able to remember how to perform two tasks than those that didn’t eat it. Researchers hypothesize that OEA signals the part of the brain responsible for turning short-term memories into long-term ones. “OEA seems to be part of the glue that makes memories stick,” says Daniele Piomelli, PhD, a professor of pharmacology and biological chemistry at the university.
Serving tip: Drizzle on roasted veggies or salad, or mix with crushed garlic and a pinch of salt and spread on toasted whole grain bread. Or blend equal parts olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and water with a squeeze of lemon and use as a dip for crisp veggies like radishes or cucumber. Healthy daily amount: 2 Tbsp.

You don’t need a Ph.D. or an M.D. to intuitively sense that fresh grapes are good for you.  After all, people have been cultivating and eating them for thousands of years.  From ancient times onward, grapes have also delighted our senses with their beauty, sweetness and luscious, thirst-quenching qualities.

Today, research scientists have been discovering exciting new facts about grapes and why they may benefit health in so many ways.  Here are seven great reasons to add grapes to your day:

1. Grapes Deliver Antioxidants and Other Polyphenols. Grapes of all colors contain a variety of antioxidants and other polyphenols.  These beneficial antioxidants neutralize harmful free radicals to help prevent the process of oxidation that damages cells.  Sounds pretty technical, but in fact, neutralizing free radicals happens naturally when we eat foods like grapes that contain lots of antioxidants.  When free radicals are left to their own devices, a condition called “oxidative stress” occurs.  Oxidative stress is now associated with numerous health conditions and chronic illnesses.
2. Love Your Heart:  Eat Grapes. Human studies have shown that eating a variety of grapes may help support a healthy heart by improving blood flow, arterial flexibility and blood vessel function. Grape consumption may also help prevent platelet aggregation, which can lead to clot formation.  Grapes also promote healthy arteries by helping prevent the oxidation of bad “LDL” cholesterol, which is a key contributor to the build-up of plaque in the arteries.
3. “Grape” News for High Blood Pressure. In a recent series of laboratory studies, rats were fed a salty diet and their blood pressures rose as a result.  When grapes were added to their diet blood pressure levels dropped, heart function improved and inflammation was reduced throughout their bodies.  These animals also showed fewer signs of heart damage compared to those who did not receive grapes in the diet.
4. A Boost for Colon Health. In a small human study of colon cancer patients, those who ate 2 1/2 cups of grapes per day for two weeks were able to inhibit certain genes that promote tumor growth in the colon.  This benefit was observed in the healthy tissue of the subjects’ colons, not the cancerous, indicating a potential role for grapes in maintaining a healthy colon.
5. All Eyes Are On Grapes. In a recent laboratory study, grapes prevented blindness in mice that were prone to developing retinal damage in old age, similar to age-related macular degeneration in humans.  When compared to lutein, grapes offered significantly more protection.
6. Grapes are Brain Food. In preliminary studies, grapes seem to help protect brain health by counteracting oxidative stress and inflammation, or by targeting the actions of certain genes involved in age-related diseases of the brain.
7. Supporting Men’s Health. Prostate enlargement is a significant concern for men.  A series of animal studies showed that consuming grapes helped to protect against the loss of bladder function associated with a partial obstruction – similar to that resulting from an enlarged prostate – which can cause the bladder to weaken.  Adding grapes to the diet provided a strong antioxidant effect and membrane-protective properties that significantly reduced and reversed bladder damage caused by a partial obstruction.

A permanent tooth that is knocked out can sometimes be put back in place. In most cases, only permanent, adult teeth are reimplanted into the mouth. Baby teeth are not reimplanted.

CAUSES:

Tooth accidents are commonly caused by:

Accidental falls

Sports-related trauma

Fighting

Car accidents

Biting on hard food

First Aid

Save any tooth that has been knocked out. Bring it to Dr. Koshki as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the less chance there is for Dr. Koshki to fix it. Hold the tooth only by the crown (chewing edge).

You can take the tooth to Dr. Koshki by following one of these tips:

Try to place the tooth back in the mouth where it fell out, so it is level with other teeth. Bite down gently on gauze or a wet tea bag to help keep it in place. Be careful not to swallow the tooth.

If you cannot do the above step, place the tooth in a container and cover with a small amount of whole milk or saliva.

The tooth can also be carried between lower lip and lower gum or under the tongue.

Consider buying a tooth-saving storage device (Save-A-Tooth, EMT Tooth Saver) for your home first aid kit. This type of kit contains a travel case and fluid solution.

Also follow these steps:

Apply a cold compress to the mouth and gums to ease pain.

Apply direct pressure using gauze to control bleeding.

Go to see Dr. Koshki right away.

If your tooth is badly broken, your nerve endings may be exposed. You will need immediate dental help to avoid infection and pain.

You may not need an emergency visit for a simple chip or a broken tooth that is not causing you discomfort. You should still have the tooth fixed to avoid sharp edges that can cut the lips or tongue.

Do NOT handle the roots of the tooth. Handle only the chewing edge — the crown portion of the tooth.

Do NOT scrape the root of the tooth to remove dirt.

Do NOT brush or clean the tooth with alcohol or peroxide.

When to Contact Dr. Koshki

Call Dr. Koshki right away when a tooth is broken or knocked out. If you can find the tooth, bring it with you to your visit with the dentist.

If you cannot close your upper and lower teeth together, your jaw may be broken. This requires immediate medical help; please visit urgent care of ER for assessment and possible treatment.

Prevention

Wear a mouth guard when playing any contact sport.

Avoid fights.

Avoid hard foods, such as bones, stale bread, and tough bagels.

Do not chew ice.

Be careful when eating popcorn.

Do not use your teeth as tools to bite off tags or threads.

Always wear a seatbelt.

Dr. Koshki’s goal is to help you keep your healthy teeth for a lifetime of smiles!

Color is a part of our everyday life. But it does more than add variety and visual stimulation to our life. It can actually affect our mood, health, and happiness. How you may ask? Here are four fascinating ways that color affects us on a daily basis.

Color Affects Our Perception

The military, for example, understands how the greens and blues of uniforms call respect to mind in soldiers facing those uniforms, but greens and blues in the base hospital are calming. Nursing scrubs come in colors dedicated to restfulness and peace. Police uniforms are neutral tans or browns or navy blues. Restaurant uniforms are usually navy blue or tan or black. People wearing these colors are perceived as protective and professional. It’s amazing how much of our lives is actually organized by color without us realizing it. Color does affect our perception, and we should be aware of it.

Color Improves Health

Researchers at MIT know that color affects body functions and illnesses. Colors are being used in treating diseases. Called photobiology, research is showing that colors affect brain waves, blood pressure, respiratory characteristics and circulation. While photobiology remains in the realm of psychological effects, there is some evidence it has a physical effect. Color is known to have an effect on the endocrine system, which is controlled by hormones in the brain and thyroid. Colors are perceived by the brain, which sends messages to the thyroid that something needs healing.

Other examples include Russia, who uses ultraviolet light for their miners. This, they believe, prevents lung diseases. Blue appears to heal many ills. Bridges in England are painted blue to eliminate suicide attempts. Blue light is now used for newborn babies with jaundice.

Color Affects Appetite

Did you know that the restaurants you regularly attend likely use color to make you hungrier? Restaurants have known that the colors red and yellow stimulate appetite, so they will use that to make customers want to eat more of their food. Painters in Boca Raton will be happy to paint your kitchen red or yellow to make the kitchen a happy eating place. Take McDonald’s for example. Red and yellow are their base colors, and they cover their restaurants in these two colors. So if you suddenly feel hungrier once inside McDonald’s, color may be a part of that.

Conversely, blue and green are likely to suppress your appetite. So if you’re trying to lose weight and eat fewer calories, consider putting yourself in an environment of comforting blue and green colors that are likely to suppress your appetite and help you eat less. You can also paint your kitchen these colors if you are overly concerned about eating too much at meal times.

Color Can Improve Behavior

Research in Canada shows that school children benefit from changes in the color of their classroom. Their classroom was changed from orange to light and dark blue. The children were tested and it was found their behavior improved due to a drop in blood pressure. The darker color stimulated the children, whereas the cooler colors calmed them.

The next time you plan on  painting the rooms in your home, perhaps a little extra thought to the color scheme is in order.

A little Dental humor…

Thankfully, Dr, Koshki has immaculate hand writing!

Although the array of flosses and flossing products can seem daunting, choosing dental floss does not have to be difficult.

You may be new to flossing or you may want to recommit to making daily flossing a part of your regular oral care routine. But no matter what reason you have for choosing dental floss, the most important point to remember is that the best floss for you is the floss that you will use every single day.

Results from a recent study published in the Journal of Periodontology showed that there was no difference in the plaque-removing ability of four different types of flossing products. In this study, 25 people were assigned to use four different products: an electric flosser, an unwaxed floss, a woven floss, and a shred-resistant floss. All four floss products showed significantly greater plaque removal compared with tooth brushing alone, and the electric flosser showed the highest average plaque reduction after one use.

Are you curious about electric flossers but worried about whether they are safe?

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Dentistry compared the safety and plaque-removing ability of an electric flosser and a standard dental floss. In this study, 78 people were assigned to use either a standard dental floss or an electric flosser. After 30 days of use, both groups had significantly less plaque on their teeth than before they began their daily flossing routines, and the electric flosser and the standard floss were equally effective at removing plaque. In addition, both flossing methods were found to be equally safe. No signs of trauma to the hard or soft tissues in the mouth were associated with using either product.

Since research shows that the electric flossers are as safe and effective as the standard floss, should you choose an electric flosser instead of one of the many types of standard floss? Many people can benefit from electric flossers, especially older adults who may have trouble manipulating floss with their fingers. Older children and teens may be more likely to use electric flossers than standard floss because they find them fun, especially if they like using electric toothbrushes.

If you’re uncertain about which type of floss is best for you or a member of your family, ask Dr. Koshki or his Team of hygienists for advice. Here are some points that might be helpful:

• Large gaps between your teeth, or generally very easy to floss? We recommend  “Listerine GumCare” which is a woven floss.
•  Not much space between your teeth? We recommend “Listerine Ultra Clean” which is a stretchy tape with micro-grooves.
• Waterpik Aquarius and Sonicare AifFloss are both available for purchase  in our office for extra help. We provide individualized instructions on how to use these important tools. Invest in your good oral health!

Many patients ask Dr. Koshki “Do I really need to floss in between all of my teeth every single day?”

Dr. Koshki loves this question… his answer is given with a smile; “Certainly not! Only floss the teeth that you want to keep for your lifetime – forget about the rest, they’ll go away!”

Just remember that when it comes to dental floss, flossing every day is the most important choice you and your family can make.

DRY MOUTH AND HARD CANDY: NOT A GOOD MATCH!  …. Many medications cause dry mouth as a side effect. While this may seem like little more than a nuisance during the time that the medication is necessary, the condition could have a serious long term impact on individuals’ oral health.

One reason for this is because those who are experiencing dry mouth often turn to sugary hard candies to stimulate saliva production. Many health experts say that this is the absolute worst thing they can do.

Holding sugary candies in the mouth for long periods of time to combat dry mouth can result in damage to the root of teeth. Individuals with this type of tooth decay often must endure hours of procedures to correct the problem

There are certain mouth rinses such as Biotene that are specially formulated to stimulate saliva production, which studies by the National Institutes of Health have shown are effective at mitigating dry mouth.
Use special products recommended by Dr. Koshki and his Team to add fluoride and calcium phosphate as protection for your precious tooth enamel such as MI Paste and Fluoridex.

If you have questions about how to deal with dry mouth, or any other oral health concern, Dr. Koshki is only a call or email away! You can also contact Dr. Koshki through his Facebook, Twitter and right here, on his website.