November 2008 Newsletter
What´s New at Savon
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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 November is "100 Single Colored Flyers"
Quote of the month: "An optimist is a person who starts a new diet on Thanksgiving Day." (Irving Kupcinet 1912-2003)
Cohen’s Corner – Straight talk from the Doctor:
So my teeth are really connected to the rest of my body!!
Studies for the last few years have shown a definite connection between periodontal ("gum") disease, cardiovascular disease, and stroke. Diseases of the oral cavity, such as periodontal disease and its part in the overall general health of the individual have been reported in the literature for many years including the 2000 Surgeon General's Report on "Oral Health in America."
As we talked about in a prior Cohen's Corner (June 2006), periodontal disease is one of the most common and wide spread diseases in the world. It is estimated that about one out of ten adults, and after the age of 50; one out of every three adults have periodontal disease. In late middle age, when cardiovascular disease and stroke are prevalent we also find a prevalence of periodontal disease. One of the detrimental side effects of periodontal disease is a presence of bacteria in the blood stream. These bacteria may represent a very large risk factor in the development of cardiovascular disease, myocardial infarction (heart attack), and stroke.
In a 2001 conference of clinical experts in oral infections and systemic diseases the new and growing science relating periodontal disease to systemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and stroke were discussed. Although in an article entitled, "Periodontal disease and the risk of Cardiovascular (weakening of the arterial walls that can lead to a stroke) disease" it was found that there was not a large association between Periodontics and stroke, the jury is still out on this one.
The researchers discussed the limitations of the First National Health and Nutrition's Examination Survey on periodontal assessments as "quite crude as compared with assessments in more recent studies." They concluded that this poor technique in gathering information could have resulted in a very flawed conclusion to the study of the interaction of periodontal disease in its relationship to stroke. The outcome of these first generation studies on the possible connection of infection with periodontal bacteria and the inflammatory systemic interaction needs further and more controlled studies.
In 2002 this issue was re-addressed and it was found that there is in fact a link between periodontal disease, heart disease, and stroke.
To summarize, science and research is now pointing to a direct relationship of periodontal disease to heart disease and stroke. With an estimated periodontal disease rate of 33% of the people over the age of 50 and the large numbers of people that die each year from stroke and cardiovascular disease, these findings could have a profound outcome on the treatment of stroke and cardiovascular disease. As science has now shown, in case there was ever any question about it, yes, your teeth are connected to the rest of your body.
As we come to the last two 'Cohen's Corner" of the year, I want to wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season.
Remember, we are here to make your understanding and use of dental services as easy and affordable as possible. We pride ourselves on the services we offer you to help keep your oral health in the best of care. We look forward to another great year in 2009 of serving you as we continue to expand Savon Dental Plan, America's Dental Plan throughout the nation.
Have a happy Thanksgiving and I'll talk to you next month!
Dr. Bruce Cohen
Congratulations to D. Morin of El Mirage, AZ Winner of our October drawing for 1 free additional year of membership.
Ms. Morin was the winner of October's drawing for 1 year of membership for free.
Congratulations to our winner and thank you to everyone that entered the drawing.
Congratulations to R. Willford of Bend, OR Winner of our October's Secret Word Contest
Mr. Willford's correct answer was drawn and a check for $25.00 was sent to him.
Make sure that you look for the secret word this month, it could be worth $25.00 to you!!
To your health:
Don't pack on holiday pounds
The holidays are right around the corner and you know what that means... LOT‘S OF FOOD! And we wonder why the holiday season is the HARDEST time of year to eat right and not pack on the pounds. Follow these simple tips and you can have your candied yams and eat them too!
•Avoid the munchie table! This is going to be difficult, I know, so if you must, reach for healthier options like the veggie or meat platter. If you simply can‘t resist, allow yourself some fudge or a few cookies in moderation. One or two, not the whole plate!
•Leave the eggnog alone! Or any alcoholic beverage for that matter. It‘s hard to resist that glass of wine or eggnog, but you‘ll thank yourself later when you slip on that favorite pair of jeans, and besides, when you get hammered, you eat more.
•Go for smaller portions the first time around! There‘s no need to heap your plate with potato‘s and gravy and everything else you see on the table. There WILL be room for the deviled eggs! Just fill your plate with portions you will actually eat, and then if you‘re still hungry, go back for the things that wouldn't fit on your plate the first time around. Also, if you take only a small amount of each entree you want, take smaller bites as well. Take the time to chew each bite slowly. This not only allows you to enjoy your scrumptious meal, but fills you up faster and helps you eat less.
•Learn to stop yourself! If you‘re satisfied, STOP. There will be plenty of leftovers, so there is no need to stuff yourself so full that you have to unfasten the top buttons of your pants just to breathe!
•Get rid of the temptation! If you simply CAN NOT resist picking at the ham or turkey, get rid of it. No, I don‘t mean throw it away, just ask one of your friends or family to take some leftovers off your hands. The more they take, the less you eat!
Eating better during the holidays is great for winter weight control, but it may not be enough. Even amidst the holiday hustle and bustle, it‘s important to find or make time to exercise. If you don‘t have time to make it to they gym, take a brisk walk after dinner, or better yet, jumpstart your day with a little bit of cardio, this will even help minimize holiday stress!
Here‘s to a happy and healthy holiday season!
The above health material is provided as an information service. It should not be used for diagnostic purposes nor is it intended to take the place of the important relationship between you and your doctor.
A question from a member:
Question;
Why can‘t I choose a specialist as my primary dentist?
Savon's Answer:
Specialists are dentists who provide a specific skill needed for certain dental problems that a general dentist may not be able to take care of. We don‘t allow you to choose specialists as your primary dentists because they are not intended to be your “regular” dentist. Generally, you only see a specialist if your general dentist tells you to. There are rare instances that someone may need to see a specialist on a regular basis, however, it‘s usually for a particular, routine procedure and they would still have to see a general dentist for the rest of their dental needs.
Put the joy back into the holidays
The holidays are coming fast, but surprisingly, the overall mood this year is anything but cheerful. Right about this time every year, we can usually expect to walk in to any department store and wait in line for a half-hour just to check out. Where are all the early shoppers? They‘re at home, clinging to their money like everyone else. The economy is taking a toll on people everywhere. I‘ve heard it a thousand times already, “it‘s going to be a tight Christmas,” or, “I don‘t know what I‘m going to do about the holidays this year…”
It‘s times like these that people should come together as family or friends and remember the true meaning of the holidays. Over the years, the true holiday traditions have been diluted with this image that Christmas isn‘t Christmas if there aren‘t any presents. People budget all year long just to be able to afford the holidays. But where is it written in stone that you have to flock to the nearest shopping mall and drain your savings account every year just to have a “good” holiday? We need to get back to the big picture.
The holidays should be a time for family and friends to gather and celebrate being alive and being together. When did it become appropriate to give someone a list of items they would prefer to have? A gift of love and appreciation should be something that represents how you feel about that person, and it should come from the heart, and it should be quality over quantity. Something from the heart has a lot more value than any dollar amount could provide.
So, if you‘ve found yourself in the same financial damper as the rest of the world, this year, why not focus your attention on togetherness. If you feel like giving gifts, why not make something? Spend some time with the family or some friends, play games, sing songs... Maybe get everyone together and decorate. Check your community calendar for holiday events you can enjoy with the family. There are a thousand things you can do to have a beautiful holiday on a budget, and the memories you‘ll gain will the most priceless gifts of all.
Straight off the press:
What can you get for 5 Cents today?
How about 100 SINGLE COLOR FLIERS!!
Savon Q Print is offering 100 Single Color Fliers for a Nickel
Colors available are Black, Red, Blue and Green
Fliers are printed on 8.5 X 11 20# White Paper Only
Camera Ready Artwork only
Ask about our Low Price Promise!
Contact Clayton at Savon Q Print today.
Office: 602-841-3494 • Cell: 602-488-4500 • Email: Qprint@savondentalplan.com
Savon Golf Classic date is set for April 25th. 2009
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Get your clubs and join us in April.
The annual Savon Golf Classic in scheduled for April 25th. 2009 at the beautiful Coyote Lakes Golf Club.
This event will benefit The Salvation Army's inner city youth programs.
These programs help our at risk youths with programs directed toward education, community involvement and sports.
Those of you that have participated in past events know what a great experience it was. If you have not participated before, we invite you to join us this time.
If you would like to help out, sponsor a hole, or sign up early, contact our chairperson, Corilee at 602-841-3494 or 800-809-3494
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Dental Talk with Savon:
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;
These are just a few of the topics. Our blog site contains many other interesting topics. Please join us!!
Dental Fun Facts:
- 78% of Americans get at least one cavity by the age of 17
- Dolphins get only one set of teeth in a lifetime
- 45-70 seconds is the amount of time most people brush a day (recommended time is 2-3 minutes)
- Dogs have 42 teeth, cats have only 30, and pigs have 44
- The armadillo has 104 teeth!
- Elephants grind down their molars and grow new ones 6 times in their life span (molars are about 7”!)
- The average length of floss purchased each year, per person is 18 yards
- $1.8 Billion is the average amount of money spent on toothpaste annually
- $2,025 Billion - the amount of money spent on Halloween candy in 2001
- 1,611,000 - the amount of school days missed in 1996 due to dental problems
Come back for more in next months issue!
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