The Haas Family's Busy Weekend!

Nothing like a Sunday, except in our house it does not mean relaxing. We have spent the whole day so far moving an old crib/daybed out of my daughter's room to make way for her new big girl bed which should arrive anytime.

Ella has grown since she went up north, Sarah and I think it is due to all the good northern air, food and exercise while she was up there with the inlaws. She came back about 2 weeks ago and her crib which has been a daybed for the past 2 years is now much too short and necessitated us spending 3 hours at Ikea yesterday picking out a new bedframe, mattress, bedsheets and pillows. It was fun for Ella, exhausting for mom, dad and Ethan.

This morning consisted of Sarah and I taking the door off Ella's room (which left us both in a sweat as the bolts had been painted over by my mother inlaw and was practically glued into the holders). Once the door was removed getting the crib down the stairs and out the main door was a workout, but thankfully we succeeded and now we wait with an empty bedroom (let's hope Ikea makes it today or Ella has no where to sleep!)

We were hoping with Ella moving into a bed we would coerce Ethan into moving into one as well, but no such luck. Ethan loves his crib, he says "it is cozy, comfortable and DOES NOT WANT A BIG BOY BED!!!" So we wait, who knows how long...possibly until he moves away to college?

So that was the Haas Family's eventful weekend, let's hope next weekend includes some relaxation!

Have a great Sunday,
Nathan

Toddler and Child Day at the Dentist @ Stonebrook Dental

Tomorrow is another Toddler and Child Day at the Dentist, Saturday August 14, 2010 from 9am-2pm. Looking forward to seeing all the children and their parents for another exciting day of introducing dentistry to little ones!

We are fully booked and booking for our next toddler day on Sat. September 18, 2010 from 9am-2pm.
4256 Bathurst St, Suite 405 (Bathurst Medical Centre).

See all of you tomorrow,

Nathan Haas

One month until school...

This summer just seems to be flying by! As many of you know my kids were up at the grandparents this summer in the Sault, it lasted all of July which suprised me! I honestly thought the kids would be back in a week, but they were having too many good times to bothered being homesick. Sarah and I went up last week to pick up Ethan, but Ella was not ready to come home so she decided she would stay one more week on her own. I am happy to say she is coming home today. Our home has truly felt empty and quiet without our kids and it made Sarah and I wonder what we did before kids (our lives felt busy then, nothing compared to now!). We did enjoy a few days of sleeping in past the regular waking hour of 7:30am, going out for a dinner here and there at the ungodly hour of 8pm!!! and enjoyed some peaceful reading and watching TV, but that gets old quickly...

So the countdown begins to school. I like the month of August but I feel for the kids...those final few weeks before school starts can be bittersweet; you want to go back to see your friends and teachers, but those carefree days of summer are behind you and homework begins.

We will start the countdown and preparations soon, back to routine for the kids (which is good for all of us!).

Have a great weekend!
Nathan

Long time no write!

Well it has been awhile since I have wrote anything here, this spring/summer has been extremely busy! First off at the office, we have been busy seeing many students who are off for their summer break and need some deep teeth cleaning after a long year at school. Welcome backs students!

We celebrated Ethan's 3rd birthday on Canada Day which was great. All those fireworks and festitivities to celebrate our country's birthday provided an excellent background to his. We had to explain to him a few times that not everyone's birthday falls on a special day like Canada Day when their is so much going on. Neverless, we had a fantastic day and finished the day with an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen, all of our favourite!


Our family life had been busy up until July 2nd when our children went up north to the Sault to stay with their grandparents for the summer. Sarah and I were very worried that both Ethan and Ella would be homesick, but they have put those fears to rest when each phonecall to them ended in, "I have to go now mom and dad, I am going to play with...or I am going...or I am busy..." We are so glad they are having a great time but we cannot believe that our 4.5 and 3 year old are growing up so quickly and do not seem to 'need' us as much at they used to. Don't get me wrong the quiet time to do things that I remember enjoying prior to having children is nice, but I wouldn't trade it for the world! Actually I cannot totally remember what took up my time prior to them!


This past weekend we visited the kids as we missed them a little too much. We drove all night after our workday on Thursday so we could arrive when they woke up on Friday morning. The kids were very surprised as they had expected us Friday evening (we hadn't told them we were leaving after work). We spent Saturday at the Sault Ste.Marie Rotary Day Parade and Carnival. It was great and to say the crowds were minimal compared to any Toronto venue of the sore it an understatement. The parking was a breeze, we obtained a parking spot about 100 metres from the carnival grounds, this compared to Toronto is like night and day as most know who live here. The carnival grounds were huge and nobody was wedged together, it took place on the waterfront and this was such a great background to the whole experience. On Sunday we sadly left as the kids waved goodbye, they had plans, they were going with grandma and grandpa to the Sault Locks to feed the ducks and geese.

Ella started YMCA day camp yesterday and absolutely loved it. The only downside was Ethan was sad as he was too young to go to, but luckily he got lots of spoiling from grandma and grandpa which made up for it.

We will be off again next week up to the Sault for the August long weekend, thank goodness for extra holiday days during the summer so we can visit our kids we miss so much!

Have a great day!
Nathan

This week we are back to work and we plan again next week to head up for the August long

Toronto Oral Cancer Screening Program

What an amazing week of weather so far, I must say the humidity is a little much and something I can do without but summer is here for Toronto! I hope you enjoyed your weekend as much as I did, my family went down to the Crystal Beach on Lake Erie and did some swimming in the lake! Myself and my wife were not as adventurous as the kids, they will in fully and swimming!!! The water believe it or not was bearable, not freezing but definitely not warm, definitely refreshing.

This Saturday marks our first Toronto Oral Cancer Screening Program which is sponsored by Zila. The test itself is quick and painless. It starts with a manual examination of the oral cavity as well as the head and neck, followed by a raspberry flavoured rinse for 1 minute. After the rinse is complete we use a special fluorescence light to check all the tissue in your mouth for possible tissue changes.

With new information coming out everyday about products in our environment that have the potential to cause precancerous changes, it is more important than ever to provide oral cancer screenings at a minimal of once per year.

Read on about environmental risk factors for developing oral cancer.
Environmental cancer risks may be more dangerous than you think

How to prevent oral cancer, read on to find out!
Fighting cancer through healthy living

If you live in Toronto and would like to come out this Saturday May 29, 2010 for a free oral cancer screening feel free to call Stonebrook Dental at (416)636-4227 to make an appointment (we have a few time slots still available!).

Have a great Wednesday!
Nathan

New simple test to detect periodontal disease...coming soon!

New Simple Test to Detect Periodontal Disease-patent pending

This article was in my inbox this morning and I must say I cannot wait until this product comes to Canada. To be able to prevent gingivitis and periodontitis, possibly before it even starts is simply amazing! As well, by treating a inflammatory disease before it starts would be great to help prevent other systemic illnesses which are inflammatory in nature, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and rheumatoid arthritis (and many others). I will definitely add this to my practice once it is in Canada.

That's my news of the day!
Nathan

Poor animals

As an animal lover and dog owner, I was so saddened over the Newmarket shelter that has/is euthanizing hundreds of animals due to ringworm.
Animals at Newmarket shelter to be euthanized

I am not a vet so I don't want to make comments that are not based on veterinary information, but I do know that ringworm is a fungal infection that is treatable. Ringworm is also easily transmittable thus I understand possibly hard to contain in a closed environment with many animals. How could this happen?

Giving my miniature schnauzer Molly some love right now.

Nathan

Mother's Day at the dentist's house

First off, Happy Mother's Day!!! I hope that all of you Toronto mothers have an amazing mother's day!

Our mother's day started with sugar-lot's of sweets for my wife and the mother to my children. Yes, we are a dental home, I am a dentist and my wife a dental hygienist, but on special days like today we do not discriminate against chocolate...and lots of it!

My wife loves Ferrero Rocher chocolates and we woke her up with a bunch which she proceeded to eat and so did my kids. Of course we brushed after these sweet indulgences but all morning my kids have been BEGGING for more chocolates. We ate our eggs and fruit for breakfast so they should be quite full but they are desparate for the chocolates, enough that I have had to hide them in a cupboard-up high!  Let's just say my kids do not get treats all the time and when a day starts off like it did today-it is their lucky day!

Just a reminder for many of you about our Oral Cancer Screening Program open to all GTA residents on May 29, 2010 from 9am-2pm call Sarah at (416)636-4227 to make you free appointments.

As well, our next Child and Toddler Day at the Dentist Program is on June 19, 2010 from 9am-2pm call Stonebrook Dental at (416)636-4227

Have a great mother's day!
Nathan

Children's Tylenol Recall McNeil Consumer Healthcare

Hello parents,

Thought I would post this (those a few days late) for all those who give their children Tylenol. McNeil Consumer Healthcare voluntarily recalled these Tylenol products this past week.
Tylenol Recall

As a dentist who recommends either Tylenol or Advil on occasion for oral discomfort for children, this concerns me and many other parents. You can contact the company directly about the recall at
McNeil Product Recall.

Nathan

Open wide to obtain optimal systemic health!

What we dentists have been saying for a long time, a great dental article from Newswire.ca was sent to my inbox, thought I would share.
Open Wide: Is Your Mouth Trying to Tell You Something About Your Health?

Have a great Thursday!
Nathan

Toddler and Child Dental Program, aka Toddler Day at the Dentist Program

Yesterday was another great day for our toddler and child dental program. Thank you for all the wonderful children and families that came out to introduce their children (most for the first time) to dentistry.

It has been almost two years since the start of our Toddler Day at the Dentist Program and I must say it has been a great two years of meeting toddlers and their families. We have seen hundreds of little ones since the program has started and plan on seeing hundreds more.

I believe our dental program is the first of it's kind in Toronto. We are the first free dental program that introduces toddlers and young children to dentistry in a way that encourages the child to build a positive association with their dental health care providers.  We don't have any special tricks up our sleeves, we simply enjoy children and have developed child and parent friendly dental education so it takes the fear away from dentistry.

Each child is an individual who deserves compassion and understanding. With this in mind, upon introduction of the child to the dental office, dental equipment and team members we use different dental teaching methods for each child. For those who are nervous we may have the parent assist us in the introduction to ease into becoming comfortable in a new environment. After many years of working with kids I have come to realize one method does not work for all and our child dental program takes this into account.

I am sorry this blogpost has turned into talking just about the great pride I take in our child dental program but we (meaning my team and I) feel that after two years of running it is truly making a difference to many young children and their first experience in dentistry. Thank you to all the children and parents who trust us to make dentistry different for the next generation!

Nathan

Taking care of the mouths of the frail and elderly

The ODA recently released a report on the increased importance and need for care of the elderly and frail.

Elderyly and frail need optimal oral care

Some great recommendations came from the report, I am hoping these initiatives can be put into affect, nobody should be forgotten especially those who have raised our generation to bring us to what we are now.

Enjoy your Sunday,

Nathan

You can never know too much about your mouth....

Found some past articles from the Vancouver Sun dealing with the interrelation of oral and systemic health, thought I would share the links with you.


Dentists your best defence against oral cancer

Oral health and overall well being

The window to your overall health? Your mouth

Gum disease linked to common ills

Tooth decay, bleeding gums may herald chronic ills

Overall we have known for years the interrelation between oral and systemic health, but new research that is coming out is linking the two so much more.

I am off to the train show with my son today, looking forward to seeing all the miniature replicas!

Have a great Saturday!

Nathan

Thyroid and Oral Cancer Screening/Examinations

What a glorious Sunday, it may not be hot like last weekend but atleast we have great sunshine! I have spent the first part of the afternoon at the park with my family, I think my kids could spend the whole day their. Our arms are quite sore from all the pushing on the swing, who would've thought pushing a swing could be so much work!

This article was in my inbox when I came home today, thought I would share it with you.
Thyroid Cancer Diagnoses Increasing
Thankfully this cancer can be detected early on. We typically will check your thyroid during a dental hygiene appointment and oral cancer examination, this includes checking all of your head and neck as well as your thyroid gland.

I have been updating my website, feel free to check it out at http://www.drnathanhaas.com/

Have a great day!
Nathan

Breathing through your mouth and health problems.

Last night I peaked into my son's room after I returned from work, he was sound asleep but it didn't sound like it, he was breathing so noisely through his mouth that it sounded like his was speaking/snoring. I have not noticed this before so I am hoping it is just because his nose is blocked slightly due to a cold he may be coming down with, thus the mouth breathing.

The funny thing, I sat down to read some articles on Medical News Today online and this article came up
Mouth Breathing and it reminded me of Ethan's noisey breathing last night. I think I will check up on him for the next few weeks and if it continues will have him see our pediatrician. Mouth breathing can have some far reaching complications!

I hope your Wednesday is going as great as mine, I am spending it with my kids!

Nathan