We try to make and keep as many traditions as possible during the holiday season. One of my personal favorites is cutting down our own Christmas tree. We are lucky to have so many wonderful Christmas tree farms in Minnesota, many within a short drive from the Twin Cities. Turks Tree Farm, located just outside of Litchfield, is one we have visited in the past. Some of the highlights include; live reindeer, visits from Santa, free cookies, cider & coloring books, hayrides, a gift shop, and of course plenty of beautiful Christmas trees to choose from. Petersen Christmas Tree Farm is another cute farm located in Clear Lake. Petersen's boasts very affordable tree prices, who doesn't like to save a little money while making memories?! They also have visits from Santa and hayrides. Petersen's allows your family pet to join you while you're picking out a tree, making for the perfect Christmas card photo op! With a gift shop, complimentary cider, candy canes & toys, Petersen's … [Read more...]
Internal Resorption
This blog is inspired by a good friend, recently diagnosed with internal resorption...who's wife happens to be a hygienist! Internal resorption is an unusual condition where the dentin and pulpal walls begin to resorb centrally within the root canal. Basically, your body's own cells are eating away at the tooth structure. Patients suffering from internal resorption will be asymptomatic early on. Teeth with internal resorption typically respond normally to pulpal and periapical tests until the lesion grows significantly in size. The first evidence of the lesion may be the appearance of a pink-hued area around the crown of the tooth, this is the vascular pulp tissue filling in the resorbed areas. Once necrosis (death) of the pulpal tissue takes place, the typical signs/symptoms of an abscessing tooth occur. Some of these symptoms include; bitter taste, bad breath, fever, pain with chewing, sensitivity to hot and cold, swelling of the gum or a pimple on the gum. So now you're … [Read more...]
What’s New in Dentistry?
Do you ever wonder what advances have been made in dentistry? Have you put off going to the dentist? Now IS the time to go! Depending on when your last dental visit was, a lot has changed. Digital x-rays have improved a dentist's ability to look for problems in your mouth. Digital x-rays are faster and more efficient, cutting down on the amount of radiation you receive. Besides looking for cavities, dental x-rays can detect the amount of bone below the tooth, look for placement of dental implants, and check to make sure all of the root has been cleaned out during a root canal. Digital x-rays can also be saved on a computer and used to compare future dental x-rays, allowing your dentist to give you better care by detecting the changes in your oral anatomy earlier. A dental veneer is a thin layer of porcelain that is place over your existing tooth to correct cosmetic defects. Dental veneers are now thinner than ever and thin is good! Thinner veneers help preserve more tooth … [Read more...]
Dental Trivia
We know you wanted to brush up on your dental trivia, so here it goes! Who invented dentures? Around 700BC, Etruscans in northern Italy made dentures out of human and animal teeth. George Washington was a famous denture wearer, but did you know his teeth were NOT made out of wood? George Washington's teeth were actually made from hippopotamus ivory, and human, donkey & horse teeth. "Doc" Holliday may have been one of the most famous dentists. Did you know his real name was John Henry? "Doc" Holliday earned his degree in dentistry from Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery at 20 years old. (Dr. Bomstad was 26) He ultimately died at the age of 36 from tuberculosis. Pennsylvania College of Dental surgery has now become the dental schools of Temple University and the University of Pennsylvania. Famous People you didn't know were dentists: Edgar Buchanan- Actor known for his roles in … [Read more...]
Farmhouse Apple Pie
What you'll need: Two disks of your favorite pie dough 2 1/2 pounds mixed apples, peeled, cored, chopped into 3/4 inch pieces 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 3/4 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon lemon juice Directions: Preheat oven to 375° F. Roll out one of the disks of dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness; transfer to a 9 inch pie pan. Set aside and keep chilled. Roll the remaining dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Set aside on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and keep chilled. Toss the chopped apples, flour, 3/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and lemon juice together and mix until combined. Pour apple mixture into the prepared pie pan and top with remaining dough. Trim, leaving 1/2 inch overhang, fold under and crimp edges. Sprinkle the top with the remaining tablespoon of sugar. Chill for 10 minutes. Bake until … [Read more...]
Apple Orchards
What a beautiful fall! Now is the perfect time to visit an apple orchard. We've had the opportunity to visit a few apple orchards throughout the years and we definitely have our favorite. Fall Harvest Orchard in Delano is one we have gone back to time and time again. They have a lot of baby animals for the kids to feed and hold, pick your own apples (or pre-bagged apples if you prefer), pumpkins, gourds, hay bales, corn stalks, wagon rides, and food. We love the laid back, family friendly atmosphere and our children adore the baby animals. Fall Harvest Orchard is definitely a highlight for our family. http://fallharvestorchard.com/ Recently, we took a trip to Deer Lake Orchard in Buffalo. I chose the pre-picked pie apples because we always get a nice variety of apples that way. Deer Lake Orchard has very cute retail/craft items. They also sell a variety of pies, jams, caramel apples and popcorn. … [Read more...]
Do You Know What Your Teen is Drinking?
By now, most schools have done away with soda machines, opting for "healthier" choices instead. Just how healthy are your children's options? This picture depicts some of the choices found in your children's schools. If we were to compare a can of Live Wire Mountain Dew to some of these options, you would find there are 46 grams of sugar in a Live Wire Mountain Dew. There are also 46 grams of sugar in Kiwi Strawberry Snapple and S'mores Starbucks Frappuccino. There are approximately 51 grams of sugar in an Arizona Green Tea, 52 grams of sugar in PowerAde and Gatorade. While there is no sugar in the Sparkling Ice water, the acid found in this beverage (and multiple others) really does a number on your teeth. Now, if you look at calorie content, you will find Live Wire Mountain Dew has 170 calories per can. Kiwi Strawberry Snapple has 190 calories, Arizona Green Tea has 210 calories, S'mores Starbucks Frappuccino has 290 calories, both PowerAde and Gatorade contain approximately … [Read more...]
Baby’s First Tooth
Wondering when your baby will get their first tooth? Most babies get their first tooth between 6-10 months old. Generally, it is the bottom middle two teeth (central incisors) that come in first, followed by the top middle two teeth between 8-12 months old. If your baby does not have any teeth by 18 months old, a visit to your dentist for an xray is recommended. Most children will have all 20 primary teeth by the time they are 30 months old. Some signs of teething are excessive drooling, fever, crankiness, and pain with biting/chewing. To ease the pain for your little one, you can try giving them a frozen wash cloth or teething ring. Oral pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help, as well as topical pain relievers like Orajel. It may be tempting to give your baby hard toast or frozen fruit, but their intense gnawing can cause a chunk to break off, creating a choking hazard. Also, do not listen to your mother in law and rub their gums with a little … [Read more...]
Injury to a Tooth
Accidents can happen at any time of the year, resulting in broken or missing teeth, but it seems to be especially prevalent during Minnesota summers. If you find yourself in this situation, seek medical treatment immediately. Assuming you have no other injuries, other than to your teeth/mouth, call your dentist right away. The quicker you receive treatment, the more likely the tooth will be able to be saved. Find your tooth, if it hasn't been knocked across the baseball field, racquetball court or even swallowed, lightly rinse it off and try placing it back into the socket (hole). If you can't put the tooth back, place it between your gum and cheek to keep it moist. If holding the tooth in your mouth is not an option, a glass of milk or saline solution can work too, but your mouth is best. The most important thing is to receive immediate care. You have about an hour to get to the dentist before your tooth is no longer viable. Upon receiving immediate care for your tooth, your … [Read more...]
Easy Strawberry Pie
Summer in Minnesota can't come quick enough or last long enough. It seems like I fit a year's worth of living into three short months. With all the summer fun, I'm always looking for quick and easy recipes. Here is an easy strawberry pie recipe everyone will enjoy! Start by baking your favorite pie crust and letting it cool. Wash and remove the stems of 6 cups whole strawberries Mash 2 cups of strawberries in medium bowl with potato masher, should equal 1 cup mashed strawberries Mix 1 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in a saucepan Add mashed strawberries and 1/2 cup water to sugar and cornstarch Cook sugar-strawberry mixture over medium-high heat, stirring all the time, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil 1 minute, then cool. Beat 3 oz softened cream cheese and spread over bottom of pie crust. Pile on whole strawberries and pour cooled strawberry mixture over the top. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until set. This pie … [Read more...]
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