A Place Where the Whole Family will Smile

We’re your neighborhood family dentist, combining the latest dental innovations and treatments with an old-fashioned emphasis on long-lasting relationships. Located in Dallas, call us today!

8940 Garland Rd Suite 200 Dallas, TX 75218 214.321.6441 drdenarobinson.com bracket systems that are available now are lower friction, so that the discomfort level is considerably lower than what it was back in the seventies when I was going through treatment. The wires we’re using with those low-friction brackets elicit lighter forces, so you don’t have issues with patients who can’t eat for months after they get their braces put on, or hurt for a week after the tightening.”

Many parents believe they need to wait until a child has all his or her permanent teeth before consulting an orthodontist, but doctors today encourage earlier appointments. Dr. Greenberg says, “I like to see kids around 7 or 8, to make sure there’s not any functional or skeletal issues that need to be addressed while they’re growing. Given that’s fine, most adolescents right now are getting their adult teeth at 11 or 12, as opposed to 13 or 14.”

If orthodontic treatment is necessary, it can begin as soon as the permanent teeth are in place, which can allow kids to complete their treatment earlier than in the past. “It’s very rare to see someone in high school these days with braces,” says Dr. Greenberg. “Most people are finished by junior high now.”

Even today, people are in the habit of thinking about dental care as elective health care that can be put off until it’s convenient. Yet, in addition to studies that show a direct correlation between dental health and overall health, poor dental hygiene can also impact a person’s social and economic well-being. The health practitioners interviewed for this article all expressed a desire to see their patients through over the long term. “I like to help people keep their teeth in their head,” Dr. Robinson said. “It’s not easy for me to see somebody once and not see them again.”

Dr. Beadle feels similarly about his practice at Lakewood Family Dental. “I’ve been a patient in this office since I was five years old,” he said. “My grandparents were patients here.”

What’s the best way to enjoy being a girl? Rodgers and Hammerstein compiled a few ideas in their musical, The Flower Drum Song, but that was over fifty years ago. Today, if you ask doctors (instead of songwriters) they are likely to bring up bone health.

“Osteoporosis didn’t used to be a problem 50 years ago because our life expectancy was age 65,” says Dr. James Schermerhorn, an obstetrician and gynecologist in East Dallas. “We all died before our bones gave out. Now life expectancy for a woman is 86. Her bones are aging and losing calcium density and strength.”

Because women build bone mass up until the age of 29, today’s young women have the opportunity to optimize their bone health before they reach 30. This is both the good news and the bad news. Good, because it is easily understood, and bad, because young women aren’t usually concerned with their calcium intake in their teens and twenties. Worse, women in their thirties and older hear this news and assume there is nothing more they can do to improve their bone health.

“We are going to be losing bone from age 30 on. That’s going to happen,” says Dr. Schermerhorn. “But our goal is to minimize the loss. The foundations of good bone health are: adequate cal- cium, adequate vitamin D and adequate exercise.”

The latest findings suggest that healthy levels of estrogen are a factor in promoting healthy bones. If a woman’s menstruation is erratic, it might be a sign of low estrogen levels, which could be caused by problems with the ovaries, or even too much exercise and weight loss for athletic women. During the precious bone-building years, any disruption in a woman’s menstrual cycle merits the attention of a doctor to help ensure hormone levels are adequate.

The top six health threats to women: Cancer Stroke

What about estrogen supplements later in life? In 2002, the Women’s Health Initiative study caused widespread concern due to overwhelming evidence that the risks of taking hormones were greater than the benefits. Recently, doctors are re-evaluating the data. “We know it’s not good if we give hormones to the 60- and 70-year-olds, but the 50-year-olds come out pretty good,” says Dr. Schermerhorn. “If we stay with the lowest effective dose for symptom control, we can get most women through menopause so that it’s not a bad time of life.”

Here at Walnut Hill our tradition of family continues as we announce the hiring of Dr. Jennifer Muller .

Jennifer’s mom Evelyn Scott, RN is our nurse manager and has been employed at Walnut Hill for 23 years. Dr Muller will open her schedule for appointments in June 2012.

The biggest threats to women’s health are often preventable, according to Dr. Jane Nokleberg of Walnut Hill OBGYN. “Women should be proactive and aggressive about their health, and stay attuned to changes like bloating or fatigue.” She worries that younger women are sometimes not vigilant enough about changes that might signal an early diagnosis. “Women of all ages need to do self-exams,” says Dr. Nokleberg.

Amid all the awareness of pap screens and mammograms, women shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that heart disease is still the number one threat, ahead of cancer and stroke. Dr. Jesy Joykutty of Park Lane OB/GYN Associates — A Baylor-Health Texas Affiliate says, “I like to put the emphasis on preventative health management, to minimize risk of diabetes and high blood pressure,” she says. “It’s also important to stay off multiple medications.”

Research shows that the same three aspects of a healthy lifestyle help reduce risk for all of the major threats to women’s health.

1) Choose to be smoke and tobacco free, and avoid secondhand smoke. This one step will improve circulation and cardiovascular efficiency.

2) Next, eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in fat, to keep cholesterol levels low and reduce the danger of excess weight. Cholesterol causes plaque to build up in arteries. Extra pounds around the waist can be especially dangerous to women, because fat in the abdominal area apparently releases inflammatory molecules into the body.

3) Exercise. It’s important to find an activity you enjoy, so you’ll look forward to it. Adults should get two and a half hours of moderate exercise per week. In addition to cardio for heart health, women should include weight bearing exercise, which helps with bone health.

Katie Brumley of Baylor Tom Landry Fitness Center says that women should not fear lifting weights. “Some women get uptight

Perimenopause

Perimenopause, also called the menopausal transition, is the interval in which a woman’s body makes a natural shift from more-or-less regular cycles of ovulation and menstruation toward menopause. Once a woman goes through 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period, she has officially reached menopause. — Mayoclinic.com: about weight training because they think they’re going to get big muscles,” she says. “Women don’t have the same hormones men do. We don’t have the same amount of testosterone, and our bodies are not going to respond the same way. But women will build lean muscle mass, and look thinner. You’re going to drop dress sizes. Your weight may not change, but your body composition will change.”

Studies show that exercise also helps alleviate the symptoms of depression and anxiety. Our bodies manufacture chemicals, called endorphins, before and after a workout. Endorphins relieve stress and improve moods. Now that fewer women take hormones to deal with the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, many are taking anti-depressants. A common side effect to these medications is weight gain, which exercise can help minimize.

All of that sounds good, but where do we find time to implement it?

Park Lane OB/Gyn Associates proudly announces the addition of Jesy Joykutty, D.O.

At Park Lane Ob/Gyn Associates, all of our physicians are Board Certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. We provide obstetrical care to low and high risk pregnancies, and deliver our babies at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, voted the “Best Place to Have a Baby” by Dallas Child Magazine for the past 5 years.

For over a decade, the physicians at Park Lane Ob/ Gyn Associates have been committed to providing individualized gynecologic care. We are proud to offer all of the most up-to-date procedures including minimally invasive surgery/ robotic surgery.

For an appointment, call (214) 826-2979 or for more information about Park Lane Ob/Gyn Associates, visit www.ParkLaneObGyn.com. We are conveniently located at Park Lane and Central Expressway.

Experiment with modern low-fat recipes; many emphasize fresh foods and minimize the number of ingredients. Need time to watch your favorite TV show? Why not multitask on the treadmill? If you thrive in social situations, join a gym. If you are an introvert, seek out on-line information and buddy-groups.

Make your health a priority, and maximize the joy of being a woman. n

Park

Lane OB/GYN Associates

A Baylor-HealthTexas Affiliate 9101 North Central Expressway, Suite 250 Dallas, TX 75231