Taxes

I am paying my taxes this week.  Boy what fun.  Until I owned my own business I never realized how expensive it is to have employees.  Lets say you make 40k per year.  Do you know how much your employer has to actually pay to have the privilege of you working for them?  They have to pay at least another $8000.00 per year.  The simple way to figure it is to take you salary and add 20%.  And that is if you don't receive health and dental insurance, or a 401k.  Where does that 20% go you ask?  It goes to Social Security, Medicaid, Workman's comp. insurance, and unemployment insurance.  That is exactly why it is so hard for the small business to make it.  We need employees, but they are the biggest expense we have.  Oh and I hate tax season!!!

That is all

My dentist says I have gum disease

So your dentist says you have gum disease.  What is it exactly?  Gum disease is gingivitis in the early stages and periodontal disease in the later stages.  Once you have periodontal disease you always have periodontal disease. 

Gingivitis is in a nut shell inflammation of the gum tissue.  It is a completely reversible disease.  Gingivitis is caused by plaque, which is a waste product (yes their poop) of bacteria that live in you mouth.  Plaque is formed every day by these bacteria and if it is left on or between your teeth it will cause gingivitis and other problems.  If you leave gingivitis alone long enough your body will sense the infection and start to dissolve the bone around your teeth.  Once that bone loss starts you have periodontal disease.  Once the bone is gone it is gone. 

Periodontal disease can be stopped especially if it is caught early.  But again, once you have periodontal disease you will always have periodontal disease.  If you are diagnosed with periodontal disease or even gingivitis your dentist may recommend you come in for a cleaning more than twice a year.  It is critically important that you follow these recommendations. 

In my office I highly recommend the use of a waterpik.  The waterpik is basically a power washer for your teeth and it cleans in between your teeth extremely well.  I have seen patients who have gingivitis start using a waterpik and the next visit their gums look very healthy. 

Gum disease has been linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, respiratory disease, and problems with an unborn child.  Some dental professionals think it may contribute to far more health problems than we currently understand.

If you have been told you have gum disease, you need to take the necessary steps to treat your disease.  Talk to your dentist to learn more about how to take care of your mouth.

That is all

Adventures in traveling

Last week I had to leave town and go to Virginia for a very quick trip.  I was going to be in Virginia for 7 hours.  I flew a red eye out of Salt Lake and had a lay over in Atlanta.  Spent the day in Virginia taking care of some personal business then hopped back on a plane to fly back to Salt Lake.  We were scheduled to land in Detroit for a lay over and then on to our final destination.  About half way to Detroit the Captain comes on the intercom and tells us there is a problem with the front landing gear.  He says that when we land he won't be able to steer the plane.  He says that it is a routine landing situation but that he is going to land us in Cleveland instead of Detroit because there is fog in Detroit.

I had a full day of patients scheduled for the next day.  CRAP!!   As we are landing I look out the window and there are fire trucks and ambulances lined all along the runway with their lights flashing.  We landed without incident though.  I get on the phone with Delta Airlines as soon as we touch down and call to see if there are any flights out of Cleveland to Salt Lake leaving that night.  Of course there aren't.  I get off the plane and talk to the gate agent and there is nothing out of Cleveland or Detroit at all that night.  I hop on a bus to Detroit and sit back and try to enjoy the 2.5 hour ride.

I get into Detroit and get flight arrangements for the next morning.  We will fly to Minnesota then on to Salt Lake.  How fun another lay over.  The next morning for some reason my phone doesn't change time zones so I over sleep.  I have just enough time to get up and get dressed in the same clothes I have been wearing for the last 36 hours with no shower.  Gotta love it!! 

I fly into Minnesota and have a very quick layover then back on the plane for my 5th flight in 36 hours.  On the way to Salt Lake the stewardess comes on the intercom and asks if there is a doctor on board because there is a passenger having some medical trouble.  In my mind I envision us landing in Denver of Iowa or who knows where.  Fortunately that didn't happen and I finally made it back to Salt Lake.  It was a very long couple of days.  But at least the plane didn't crash.  I am not sure what it is but I have kind of rotten luck with travel.  Oh well could be worse I suppose.