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from Monmouth County Woman - May/June 2021

Nina Radcliff, MD

7 Dr. Balaji’s Office Keeps the Smiles Bright

Professional Dentistry Aesthetic Dental Creations is a dental office known for creating relationships with their patients. In other words, there is nothing #

average about the practice. As an alumnus of the world-renowned Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Training, he can provide services that most What’s With The CBD Craze?traditional offices cannot. His specialized training in adhesive dentistry, smile design, and TMJ/Migraine Therapy gives him the opportunity to provide incredible and unique dental care.

CW: What is a typical first visit like? The Endocannabinoid System (ECS)

This visit is the most critical and will be very thorough. We take digital In order to understand what cannabidiol (CBD) is, we first need radiographs, which have one-tenth the radiation exposure as traditional x-rays. to learn more about the endocannabinoid system or ECS. This We also take high resolution dental photographs. You will be able to assess the system was discovered in the early ’90s and has been researched condition of your dental health in true high definition. Our patients will also receive a head/neck exam, oral cancer screening, and periodontal evaluation. After these results come back we are able to prepare a comprehensive treatment plan. ever since. The ECS is a network of receptors (CB1 and CB2) that are present throughout our body. They reside in places like the heart, lungs, brain, gut, skin, etc. Our bodies produce CW: How has Covid changed the overall structure of your practice? molecules (endocannabinoids) such as anandamide (AEA) and

To be honest, it didn’t change the structure. My practice is not a big multi- 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), which bind to these receptors, provider practice that sees 30-40 patients a day. I have always valued quality over allowing our internal functions to run smoothly. This is known as quantity. My patients rarely wait to be seen and we run on time. This business homeostasis. philosophy has allowed me to continue to see the same number of patients per day CB1 receptors are mainly found in the central nervous system, as before the pandemic. CW: What options do you offer for adults looking to avoid traditional braces? Dr. Balaji pictured with his beautiful family. and CB2 receptors are found in the peripheral nervous system, especially immune cells. When our bodies don’t produce enough molecules to bind to these receptors, we go toward a state of imbalance. This can lead to inflammation, free radical production, immunodeficiency, etc. CBD is a naturally occurring component derived from the hemp plant. People often confuse the cannabis plant with the hemp plant. The cannabis plant contains tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) while the hemp plant contains little to no THC. You will not get the “psychoactive” effect or “high” with hemp-derived CBD. CBD’s molecular structure is similar to that of our own endocannabinoids so it has the ability to bind to the CB1 and CB2 receptors. When CBD binds to these receptors, it allows for balance or homeostasis. Our bodies are bombarded daily with free radical production as a result of stress, poor diet, obesity, inflammation, smoking, etc. By offering our ECS high-quality CBD products, it gives our bodies a fighting chance to combat any potential imbalances we may have. What to look for in CBD We offer Six Month Smiles, which is essentially short-term orthodontics and is specifically for those adults. It is for patients mostly concerned with the appearance of their front teeth. We are actually one of the first dentists in Ocean County to offer this procedure. Besides it being a safe and effective cosmetic solution, it is also highly affordable and fits most lifestyles. The brackets are tooth colored so it isn’t as distracting as traditional metal braces. We also offer Invisalign for those who don’t want wires or brackets. We have taken the best aspects of braces and modified treatment and the materials to give adults a common-sense solution. CW: Tell us about the precautions you have implemented since the onset of the pandemic? Dental offices have always been safe places to visit. We have been early adopters of PPE since the early 80’s. We did add additional protective barriers to keep everyone safe during these unknown times, but this was in addition to the steps we have always taken. We brought in different equipment to allow us to practice even safer dentistry. We follow CDC guidelines when it comes to sterilization and safety protocols and screen all patients prior to their appointments. We make decisions CW: What do you think is important when visiting a dental office? For us, it’s about truly respecting our patient’s time and providing quality dental care. I do not expect them to wait for me. My motto has always been quality over quantity, every single time. We are an office that thrives on quality of care and respect for our patient’s time. That means you will never encounter a waiting room full of people when going in for your visit, whether it’s a cleaning or annual checkup. CW: Has your office remained busy or are patients more cautious about coming in? Our office has remained busy and in some cases even busier than before. People had put off treatment because of the pandemic so naturally there was an influx of patients once everything opened up again. Because patients were more stressed they broke more teeth due to clenching and grinding habits. All in all, I have been just as busy (if not busier) than pre-Covid. CW: How has your staff transitioned to this new normal? based on the most current information available. It is important to know that since the Farm Act of 2018 was My team is incredible. They understand the complexity of this virus and passed, it took the hemp plant off the controlled substances list. That the landscape it brings to any small business. They have met and tackled the being said, there are many companies that source low-grade CBD challenges while providing the same quality of care that we pride ourselves on. Our from hemp plants that aren’t grown in organic soil. It is important to patients enjoy coming here not only for the dentistry we provide, but also for the know that poor soil will result in toxins that can be laced within the relationships that are created. I am blessed to be a part of that. I couldn’t do any of hemp plant. You should also look for a CBD that is full spectrum so this without caring people working alongside me. that you get the added benefit of all the healthy components of the CW: When you are not improving your patient’s smiles, what do you whole hemp plant, which include terpenes and other cannabinoids. enjoy doing in your free time? Since CBD is an oil, it is important to find a water-soluble product My wife and I have two children that keep us quite active. I coach my son’s so that you get the most for your money. If it separates like oil baseball team and get to watch my daughter compete in high school track and and water, it likely won’t have a significant effect on your ECS. soccer. I also enjoy golfing when the time allows. We also enjoy spending time with 732-363-5370 And finally, the CBD you purchase should have the United States Hemp Authority stamp of approval to show it has met the stringent friends and family whenever possible. The County Woman Magazine www.TheCountyWoman.comrequirements of a high-quality CBD. May/June 2021 Feel free to email or call us to learn more about the high-quality CBD products we offer.

New Whiting /Manchester Location in Ocean County!

University Urology Associates of New Jersey is Proud to welcome Nabet G. Kasabian, MD to the group.

Telehealth appointments available for your safety

Meet Dr. Kasabian of University Urology Associates of New Jersey

Dr. Kasabian has returned to New Jersey from the Wilmington Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Wilmington, Delaware where he served as a Staff Urologist to our Nations Veterans. He has been in practice for 30 years. He graduated from the Autonomous University of Guadalajara in 1982 and completed his postgraduate training at the Boston University Medical School Residency and Fellowship Program in Neuro-Urology and Female Urology. He has been in many practice settings and has taught several residents in programs affiliated with University Hospital in Newark, and the East Orange Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center (UMDNJNewark Medical School), Elmhurst Hospital Medical Center, and The Mount Sinai Hospital (Mt. Sinai School of Medicine), and Cooper University Hospital (UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Camden, New Jersey). He is Board Certified by The American Board of Urology and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He joined UUANJ in January of 2021.