Your fiancé can make you happy.
Your dentist can make you smile.

Hello to all of the Doctors, patients, friends and staff affiliated with Chalet Dental Care!

I practiced dentistry for 34 years, including three years in the US Army in West Germany.  I founded Chalet Dental Care in 1984 and ended my career there when I retired in 2001 and sold my practice to Dr. Brent Fredrickson.  From the first day we worked together, I have been impressed by Brent’s professional talents and compassion for his patients.  He was trained at the U. of Iowa and his ability to immediately and easily handle any dental situation that was presented to him impressed and amazed me.

I am often asked whether I miss the dental profession.  I do miss my patients who blessed us with their confidence in and patronage of our dental office.  Many or you became friends or close acquaintances with whom we enjoyed a mutual trust and appreciation that was far more personal than a typical business relationship.  I also missed my wonderful staff, many of whom are still providing quality care and TLC to Chalet’s patients.  These highly competent professionals relate to their patients very much like you are family.  They know most if not all of your family members, where you live, where you may work, where you go on vacation and the names of your pets, etc.

Since I retired I live in Saint Paul from May through October and in SW Florida from November through April.  I enjoy playing golf, some traveling and spending quality time with my wife Ginnie and enjoying her very extended family (I married a lady with 8 children) which includes 13 grandchildren and over 400 total family members now into their 8^th generation.

Warmest regards and best wishes to you all,

Dr. Lawrence J. Record

Your teeth are made of a form of the mineral calcium. Bacteria that naturally live in your mouth combine with food particles and become plaque, which secretes acid that can weaken a spot in your tooth enamel, which in turn, becomes a cavity, also called tooth decay. Fluoride helps to prevent this tooth decay in three ways:

1. The fluoride in your saliva can be absorbed into the surface of a tooth where decay has occurred. The presence of fluoride then attracts other minerals, such as calcium, resulting in the formation of new tooth mineral.
2. The fluoride present in your mouth not only repairs the decay damage to your teeth, it creates a tooth surface that is more resistant to decay. The mineral that is re-formed on your tooth by fluoride is a “harder” mineral compound than what existed when the tooth initially formed and is therefore more resistant to the acid in plaque.
3. The third way in which fluoride prevents tooth decay is to decrease the rate at which the bacteria in dental plaque produce acid. Fluoride disrupts plaque’s ability to metabolize sugars, which lowers the amount of acid that will be produced, which means fewer attacks on your tooth enamel.

To take advantage of these decay-preventing properties, you need prolonged exposure to a very small amount of fluoride. Brushing three times a day with toothpaste that contains fluoride is an ideal way to keep fluoride in your saliva. So is drinking fluoridated water. Research has shown that simply introducing fluoride into a city’s drinking water supply can reduce its inhabitants’ rate of tooth decay between 40 and 70 percent.

If given to children while teeth are forming, fluoride becomes part of a child’s teeth and gives some protection from decay for the life of the teeth. However, the intake of fluoride in young children should be monitored. Too much fluoride in this developmental stage of your child’s life can lead to dental fluorosis, a discoloration of the tooth enamel. That’s why you should help your child brush his or her teeth when they’re very young (up until about age six). Use only a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste and make sure your child doesn’t swallow their toothpaste. If your child is younger than two, talk to your dentist about an alternate to fluoride toothpaste.

Used with an excellent regime of oral hygiene and a balanced diet, fluoride can help keep your teeth cavity free for life. If you have any questions please contact us at 651-488-5888 or visit our website www.chaletdental.com

April Newsletter

Spring Is In The Air at Chalet Dental Care

		Happy April to all of our patients at Chalet Dental Care! We hope that this monthly newsletter finds all of our patients enjoying the nice spring weather we are having. As promised, Chalet Dental Care is working hard to create beautiful smiles and improve our patients overall dental health. Here are some things happening at Chalet: ~ This month you get to meet myself, Bridget, the one behind the scenes of the newsletters, blog, Facebook, and other social media sites! I have a lot of fun connecting with patients and I hope that you can all join in on the fun. If you have any ideas, community events, or information you would like to share on our social media sites just let me know. Our goal is to get involved in the community and learn more about our patients. I hope you enjoy my Bio, and yes I am from Iowa, so you can’t give me a hard time! Just kidding! ~ We launched our new Referral program “Share a Chalet Smile”!! We are so excited and we hope that our patients are too! There is nothing better than having our current patients refer family, friends, and others to Chalet. We want to reward our patients for doing so, as well as offer something special to our new patients. Pick up a referral card at your next visit! Thank you to those who have already shared their Chalet smiles or stories. ~ April is Oral Cancer awareness month, and we posted an article on our blog, click here to read about signs and symptoms of oral cancer and how early prevention can save your life. ~  Guess what? Chalet Dental Care is on Pinterest!! Yes, Pinterest!! We are having a great time pinning and we want you to follow us! We will be giving away fun prizes to our followers, so make sure you join in! Pinterest is a pinboard-style social photo sharing website that allows users to create and manage theme-based image collections such as events, interests, hobbies and more. You will love it! Click here to follow our pins! ~  Are you getting married this summer? Did you know that Chalet Dental Care offers a “complimentary” wedding polish to the happy couple before they walk down that aisle? We want you to show off your pearly whites for those pictures and special guests that attend your special day! Call today to schedule an appointment for your “wedding day polish”. In This Newsletter: April is National Facial Protection Month Common Cosmetic Dental Questions April is National Facial Protection Month Nearly 60,000 people injure their faces annually while playing baseball and more than 100,000 people suffer facial injuries from bicycle accidents. This month enhances public awareness of facial protection and specialized treatment for facial injuries … Read Article Common Cosmetic Dental Questions By American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Common Cosmetic Dental Questions Q: I don’t like my teeth or my smile – what can I do? A: A wide variety of options are available to improve how your teeth work and the way your smile looks … Read Article		Hello, my name is Bridget LaBahn and I am your patient care coordinator! I moved to St Paul this past summer from Sioux City, Iowa to join the Chalet team. I have been lucky to surround myself with such great co-workers and awesome dentists! I started as a dental assistant in 2002 and then went to school and completed my MSAS from the University of South Dakota. I enjoy working with patients and you will find me up front next to Lori when you come in for your dental appointments. I love Social Media and connecting with patients by offering the latest news, events, and prize giveaways through our social media sites. I am married and have one daughter who will be starting kindergarten this fall.   In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family, running, and fishing with my husband (only when the fish are biting). By the way, if you know of any lakes with biting fish, let me know! Chalet Dental Care 1651 N Dale St Saint Paul, MN 55117 (651)488-5888 Our Website Send Us an Email

By visiting the dentist regularly and adopting a lifestyle that includes good habits, you can take steps to prevent oral cancer. During your regular visit, your dentist will check for signs when completing an oral exam. The dentist will examine tissues by evaluating your lips, check your gums, your tongue, and evaluate the roof and floor of your mouth. Here are some signs that your dentists looks for:
• A red or white patch
• A sore that bleeds easily or does not heal
• A thick or hard spot or a lump
• A roughened or crusted area
• A change in the patients bite
• Numbness and/or tenderness
If you experience problems with chewing, swallowing, or speaking with your tongue, you should also let your dentist know. If your dentist finds any changes in oral tissue or abnormalities in the mouth, face or neck you can be referred to a specialist for a biopsy or for further evaluation. At Chalet Dental Care, we follow the recommended guidelines of the American Dental Association.
There are several risks factors that can be avoided to prevent oral cancer. The Oral Cancer Foundation stated that “close to 40,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer this year. It will cause over 8,000 deaths, killing roughly 1 person per hour, 24 hours per day”. Here are some important risk factors that can be avoided:
• Avoid smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes –Smokeless tobacco products also can increase one’s risk of developing oral lesions.
• Avoid heavy drinking- Drinking more than two drinks a day can put you at a higher risk.
• Avoid repeated and prolonged sun exposure to the sun –Try wearing lip balm with SPF.
• Try eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables to lower your chances
Oral Cancer is important and by visiting the dentist regularly you can prevent or detect any early signs. At Chalet Dental Care, your health is important to us! Call today to set up your next appointment.

Information provided by the American Dental Association & the Oral Cancer Foundation.  Click on the links to learn more.

• Stay Green! Focus on your fruits & veggies: Add one serving to one meal each day and increase it every few weeks. It is best to buy frozen, fresh or organic.  Fresh is Best so shop at your local farmer’s markets in your community.
• Count your Calories! Focus on foods with more of the vitamins and nutrients that you need.
• Don’t be tempted! Try to eat fruit and yogurt for dessert to satisfy that sweet tooth. Trail mix & nuts are great snack ideas.
• Make your grains whole when it comes to cereals, crackers, pasta & brown rice.  Don’t let the package lie.  Make sure it says WHOLE grain.
• Try something new! Try a new healthy food, such as fish or a new veggie recipe.  Soups are very nutritional and include lots of vegetables.
• Focus on low-fat or fat-free milk! Low-fat milk has fewer calories and less fat with the same great taste.

The ADA site has some great tips on ways to improve your health. If you would like to learn more, click here.

Patients who snore at night or lose sleep from slight to moderate Sleep Apnea can be treated by the dentist.  If you feel you lose sleep at night due to snoring or irregular breathing you can wear an oral appliance that can help manage your symptoms.

According to PubMed Health, Sleep Apnea is a condition in which the flow of air pauses or decreases during breathing while you are asleep because the airway has become narrowed, floppy, or blocked.

Are you at risk for Sleep Apnea?  Sleep Apnea can affect anyone at any age. Risk factors include:

Males

Being overweight

Large Neck (17in or greater in males, 16 in or greater in females)

Being over the age of forty

Having large tonsils, a large tongue, or a small jaw bone

Family history of Sleep Apnea

Gerd, Gastro esophageal reflux

Nasal Obstruction due to deviated septum, allergies, or sinus problems

Information provided by Web Md

If you feel you suffer from Sleep Apnea you should visit your primary doctor for a diagnosis.   Sleep Apnea is a common problem, but is under diagnosed and can be dangerous to your health.  If left untreated it can lead to other health complications such as: high blood pressure, stroke, heart failure, irregular heartbeats, diabetes, depression, and worsening of ADHD.  At Chalet Dental Care we have options available and answers if you have questions about snoring and Sleep Apnea.

Congratulations Eva!

]]> http://www.chaletdental.com/2012/03/final-nickelodeon-winner/feed/ 0 http://www.chaletdental.com/2012/03/brighten-your-smile-help-a-child/ http://www.chaletdental.com/2012/03/brighten-your-smile-help-a-child/#comments Fri, 02 Mar 2012 15:33:04 +0000 Bridget http://www.chaletdental.com/?p=2097

From March through June, hundreds of dental practices throughout the U.S. and Canada professionally whiten teeth to raise money for seriously ill, disabled, and underprivileged children in their local communities and around the world. They are members of the Crown Council, an alliance of leading-edge dental teams that are passionately committed to promoting oral health, fighting oral cancer and serving their communities through charitable work.

There are two ways you can help:

~1~ Using your cell phone:  text:  SMILE(space)914 to 84465 to donate $10 to children’s charities.

~2~From now through June, Chalet Dental Care will be offering a Whitening Special for $125 with up to 25% of the proceeds going to the Smiles For Life Campaign.

50% off all proceeds donated to the Smiles For Life Campaign will be given right back to our Community to the United Gospel Mission Dental Clinic.

Join in, brighten your smile by helping a child.  For only $10, you can make a difference!