January 2009 Newsletter

What´s New at Savon

• Quote Of The Month
• Savon Golf Classic - April 25, 2009
• Articles of Interest - The Use Of Aloe Vera In Dentistry
• December’s Free Membership & Secret Word Contest Winners
• To Your Health - Colds vs Flu
• A Question From A Member - Cleanings Are Quicker...Why??
• Dental Fun Facts
• Dental Talk - A Member Chat Forum
• Straight Off The Press - Savon Q Print

◄ Back to What´s New At Savon - Monthly Newsletter Home Page

In every newsletter you will find a secret word or phrase.  When you locate the word or phrase, copy the entire paragraph and paste it into an email along with your Savon membership ID number and your name.

Send the email to customerservice@savondentalplan.com.  The emails will be printed, and the winning entry will be drawn on the 15th of the following month.  All entries must be received by the 10th of the month (i.e.  July 10th for June's newsletter, etc.).  The winning entry will receive a check from Savon for $25.00.  Only one entry per family is allowed, and you may only win once per 12 months.  The secret phrase for January is "generally more severe"

Quote of the month:  “Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession.  I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.”

Ronald Wilson Reagan (1911-2004) - 40th President of the United States

Savon Golf Classic - April 25, 2009

It's Time To Play Golf!  The weather is beautiful and it's for a great cause. The annual Savon Golf Classic in scheduled for April 25th.  at the beautiful Coyote Lakes Golf Club. This event will benefit The Salvation Army's inner city youth programs. These programs offer kids educational tutoring by students at A.S.U.  and a host of after school activities  They are proving to young kids that there is more to life than getting into trouble and running with gangs.

News of interest:
The use of Aloe Vera in Dentistry

An article by Richard Sudworth June 1997

The dental uses of Aloe Vera are multiple.  It is extremely helpful in the treatment of gum disease; it reduces the bleeding of the gums; it is powerfully antiseptic in gum pockets and its antifungal properties help greatly in the problem of denture stomatitis.

Aloe Vera has been used medicinally for a few thousand years.  It was sufficiently in demand that Hannibal was known to have gone to war over it in order to obtain control over its growing area (N.  Africa).  It is still very much in use today for a wide range of ailments.  Orthodoxly it is used in burns units to great effect and is increasingly being used in the treatment of dermatological lesions.  Several studies on burns have been conducted in comparison trials between Aloe products and non-Aloe.  The Aloe seems to promote more rapid healing and pain relief.

There are many species of Aloe but the main medicinal one is Aloe Vera Barbadensis.  It is a member of the lily family and grows in hot places.  The problem with Aloe has always been that of maintaining its therapeutic function because it is unstable and oxidizes rapidly like any cut leaf or fruit.  If it grows near you, this is not a problem.  It has been due to the relatively recent successful stabilization process that has so greatly increased the use of Aloe to a worldwide population.

Aloe acts in many ways.  It is particularly known for its penetrating capacity to reach deeper layers of the dermis when applied topically.  It has strong antiseptic properties being bactericidal, fungicidal and virucidal.  It promotes cell growth.  It is neurologically calming and also acts as a detoxifying agent.  I think it will be a long time before it is thoroughly understood just how extensively Aloe does work.  At present, there is a research program being conducted into its uses which is part NHS funded.  If we consider the constituents of Aloe, it will be easier to understand its range of action.

The dental uses of Aloe Vera are multiple.  It is extremely helpful in the treatment of gum disease – gingivitis and periodontitis.  It reduces swelling of the soft tissues and consequently this reduces the bleeding of the gums.  It is powerfully antiseptic in gum pockets where normal cleaning is difficult.  Its antifungal properties help greatly in the problem of denture stomatitis, ie.  red and sore mucous membranes which are permanently covered by a denture – this is a form of thrush.  Cracked and split corners of the mouth are also subject to fungal infection and this can be cured by Aloe.   Its antiviral properties help in the treatment of cold sores (Herpes Simplex) and shingles (Herpes Zoster).  It is a powerful healing promoter and when inserted into extraction sockets is very beneficial.  It can be used in any surgical wound.  It has a use in root canal treatment as a sedative dressing, healing promoter and file lubricant.  In an article of this length and nature, it is not possible to go into greater detail.

The various forms of Aloe used in dentistry are: – the toothpaste; the jelly for healing promotion, which can also be used for burns, stings, insect bites and many skin lesions; the Aloe & Propolis hand cream which helps to counteract frequent hand washing and the wearing of latex gloves; the Aloe activator spray which is excellent for throat infections, painful erupting wisdom teeth and joint pains; lastly, the Aloe juice which is taken as a drink.  This is used in conjunction with any topical treatment for skin lesions, joint lesions and, in itself, as an amelioration in irritable bowel syndrome.  The juice is also a strong detoxifying agent and if used in conjunction with the planned removal of mercury amalgams acts as a scavenging agent for mercury, a neuro-sedative and immune enhancer.  As a routine general tonic it generally makes people feel better who are otherwise not well enough but not frankly ill.  Because of the many properties and functions of Aloe, it is a powerful nutritional supplement and ant i-oxidant.  It protects and promotes healing.

It is important to choose an Aloe product which is concentrated, pure, stabilized and preferably grown organically.  Some products carry a label bearing an accreditation "Seal of Approval of the International Aloe Science Council".  This seal guarantees those desirable necessities outlined above.

Congratulations to L.  Hoppe of Tucson, AZ  Winner of our December drawing for 1 free additional year of membership.

Ms.  Hoppe was the winner of December drawing for 1 year of membership for free.

Congratulations to our winner and thank you to everyone that entered the drawing.

Congratulations to A.  Hopper of Phoenix, AZ  Winner of our December Secret Word Contest

Ms.  Hopper's correct answer was drawn and a check for $25.00 was sent to her.

Make sure that you look for the secret word this month, it could be worth $25.00 to you!!

To your health:

Colds vs Flu It‘s here and it‘s in full force, flu season that is! Of course it‘s nothing to celebrate, but how can you be sure you‘re treating the flu and not just the common cold? Let‘s look at the facts:

The FLU (influenza)

• Is contagious and is spread when someone who is infected sneezes, coughs, or speaks
• Can be prevented with vaccines, can be treated with prescribed or over the counter medication
• Can cause complications such as pneumonia and require hospitalization
• Can be fatal in elderly people, people with chronic diseases or illnesses, or anyone with a weak immune system

• fever • cough • aches • chills • fatigue
• weakness • exhaustion • sneezing • sore throat • chest congestion

The Common COLD:

• Is contagious and is spread when someone who is infected sneezes, coughs, speaks, or touches something
• Is very difficult to prevent, but over the counter cold medication should provide some relief
• Can cause complications such as sinus, ear, and bronchial infections
• Will get better on it‘s own (over time) with or without medication

• runny nose • congestion • sneezing • weakened sense of taste
• weakened sense of smell • scratchy throat • cough

A question from a member:

Question:

My cleanings used to take 45 minutes to an hour.  Now, they take less than 30 minutes.  How can I be sure I‘m getting the same quality of cleaning as before?.

Savon's Answer:

In this age of technology, the days of “old-fashioned” dentistry are just about over.  The cleaning that once took an hour and half does, in fact, now only takes a few minutes.  Why?  Because they now have equipment that allows them to perform the same procedures at record speed with double the accuracy. This not only benefits the dentist by allowing them more time, but it benefits you as a patient as well. Most of the high speed cleaning equipment used now days are virtually painless and clean your teeth more thoroughly. We can, however, understand the concern. Not too many people are familiar enough with dentistry to notice all of the advances of technology, so the shock of the sudden change in procedure is more than understandable.  Just keep in mind that these new technologies are designed for the comfort and well being of the patient.

Dental Fun Facts

• A person breathes 7 quarts of air every minute


• Phobophobia is a fear of fearing


• The attachment of the human skin to muscles is what causes dimples


• Between 25% to 33% of the population sneeze when they are exposed to light


• During his or her lifetime, the average human will grow 590 miles of hair


• An apple, onion, and potato all have the same taste. The differences in flavor are caused by their smell. To prove this - pinch your nose and take a bite from each. They will all taste sweet


• Drinking water after eating reduces the acid in your mouth by 61 percent


• In Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, in the late 50's thru early 70's, there was a dentist named Dunat Yelle


• By age sixty, most people have lost half of their taste buds


• A passionate kiss uses up 6.4 calories per minute

Dental Talk - a member blog forum

Come blog with us!  Dental Talk with Savon is a fun forum to post your interesting topics! Your comments are welcome, it‘s free to use and no membership is required. Some of the topics include; Make brushing fun with a tooth tunes toothbrush… Having trouble understanding dental language?? Flu Bug is at it again! Diabetic-Friendly Cookie Recipes

Straight off the press: