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Thanksgiving is one of our offices most cherished times of the year. It’s a time for togetherness, reflection, and gratitude. With the hustle and bustle of the day-to-day operations, we often forget to appreciate what we have and to thank the people in our lives who have loved and supported us from day one. We have a big office with many varying traditions and holiday plans, but one aspect of the holiday is consistent with us all: quality family time.

Dr. Jim will be in San Antonio with one of his daughters and two of his grandkids for Thanksgiving while Dr. Mary Rose will head to Iowa. Lucie is going to California to be with family and Rosanna will head over to Lubbock, TX. The rest of the team will be home in Albuquerque with family and loved ones.

With so many families you can definitely expect many traditions going on, too! Rosanna and her family play spoons after the huge holiday meal and Mary Jo and Leslie are always ready to watch some football. Dr. Mary Rose and her husband will be cheering in person while they go to the Iowa vs. Nebraska football game on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Speaking of the big meal, we each have our own spin on what the feast will consist of. A dessert consisting of pumpkin is always a good choice for Leslie and Mary Jo. Leslie enjoys pumpkin cheesecake and Mary Jo pumpkin pie.  Dr. Mary Rose goes for something a little different with a cranberry chutney. She absolutely loves it!

Aside from all the good food, this holiday is also a time we love to express what we're thankful for. Dr. Mary Rose is thankful for good health, her grandkids, and, of course, her friends at work! Leslie is the most grateful for her seven-month-old daughter.  Leslie also values volunteering and prepares food baskets at church.

No matter how you celebrate, we hope it’s joyous and filled with new memories to cherish. One of Dr. Mary Rose’s favorite Thanksgiving memories was when her grandmother, who is Dr. Jim's mom, used to host 75 people for Thanksgiving dinner at her house.  All of the guests had to eat from real plates and have a seat at the table.  After dinner, the crew proceeded to the bowling alley to close out the night.

We hope you all have a wonderful holiday and we look forward to seeing you soon!

Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world. Many people have a cup, or two, or even three a day. It’s common to drink it in the morning to wake up and get ready for the day, as an afternoon pick-me-up, or just to catch up with a coworker or friend.

These days there are many different kinds of coffee flavors to enjoy, so it’s almost impossible for a person not to like it. But as delicious as coffee is, it’s worthwhile to be aware of the effects it has on our dental health.

Coffee contains a lot of tannic acid, which is what causes its dark color. Tannic acid ingrains itself into the grooves of tooth enamel, and that leads to serious stains. In addition to containing tannic acid, the fact that coffee is generally served very hot makes your teeth expand and contract, which allows the stains to penetrate even farther into the enamel.

Drs. James and Mary Rose Twohig and our team know it’s not easy to kick the caffeine habit. If you find yourself needing a cup of joe every day, here are some helpful tips to consider:

• Switch to decaf coffee.
• Make it a habit to drink a glass of water with your coffee to rinse away the acid.
• Try enjoying your coffee with a straw so the tannic acid makes less contact with your front and lower teeth.
• Pop in a piece of gum after your coffee to help prevent a dry mouth.

If you’re feeling ambitious, you might find that setting a limit on the number of cups of coffee you have per week or even per day can be helpful. You are always welcome to contact our Albuquerque office to discuss potential whitening options as well. We’re here to help!

Diabetes is a chronic disease that increases the risk for many serious health problems, including severe gum disease. November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and it’s a great time for us at Twohig Dentistry to remind our patients that the way you care for your teeth at home doesn’t just affect your oral health; keeping your mouth healthy is vital to your overall health, too.

Diabetes is the result of a deficiency, or lack of the hormone insulin to properly transport glucose (blood sugar) to the cells throughout the body. According to the American Diabetes Association, the most common types of diabetes are Type One (90-95 percent of cases), Type Two (five percent), and gestational or pregnancy diabetes. Women who have had gestational diabetes have a 35 to 60 percent chance of developing diabetes, mostly Type Two, in the ten to 20 years following their pregnancy.

In the past decade, researchers have found links between periodontal (gum) disease and diabetes. Not only are people with diabetes more vulnerable to gum disease, but diabetes may also have the potential to affect blood glucose control, as well as contribute to the advancement of diabetes.

Nearly 26 million Americans currently live with the disease, with an additional 79 million in the pre-diabetes stage. There is some good news we want you to know, however; you can protect your gums and teeth from the effects of diabetes by visiting our Albuquerque office for an exam. Patients who are living with diabetes may require more often visits to ensure their dental health remains in tip-top shape. Many insurance plans provide expanded benefits for diabetic patients, and Drs. James and Mary Rose Twohig can tell you how often you need to come in for an appointment.

For more information on how we can help, please do not hesitate to give us a call at our Albuquerque office.

All Hallows' Eve, more commonly known as Halloween, is a yearly event celebrated on October 31, and one that is anticipated by the young and young at heart all over the world. Some scholars claim that Halloween originated from Celtic festivals that honored the dead or that celebrated the harvest, while others doubt that there's any connection at all to Samhain (a Gaelic harvest festival.) Regardless of its origin, our team at the dental office of Drs. James and Mary Rose Twohig hopes that Halloween is fun and enjoyed by all of our awesome patients!

Trick or treat?

In North America, Halloween is predominantly celebrated by children who dress up in costumes, which range from scary to cute, who then go around the neighborhood knocking on doors asking "trick or treat", and they are given candy in return. Trick-or-treating is a time honored tradition, and though many parents groan at the pounds and pounds of candy collected by youngsters and fear for the health of their teeth, there are a few things you can do to help their teeth stay in great shape until the candy is gone:

• Limit the amount of candy they can consume each day
• Have them brush their teeth after eating candy
• Avoid hard, chewy candies as they can stick in hard to brush places
• Keep candy out of sight to reduce temptation
• Don't buy candy too far in advance to limit pre-Halloween consumption
• Help or encourage your children to floss

Halloween Fun

Halloween isn't just about gorging on candy; there are other events associated with this festive day including carving jack-o'-lanterns, painting pumpkins, decorating sugar cookies, bobbing for apples, going to haunted houses, or just curling up on the couch with a bowl full of popcorn and watching some classic, scary movies.

Halloween Around the World

Some countries, like Australia, frown upon Halloween, claiming it is an American event and not based in Australian culture, while others like Italy have embraced the fun and celebrate much as Canadians and Americans do. Mexicans have been celebrating this fun day since around 1960, and it marks the beginning of the Day of the Dead festival. Some countries in Europe have come late to the party, but since the 1990s, countries like Sweden, Norway, and Germany have started celebrating Halloween as well, and finding children in costumes or having ghosts hanging in windows has become commonplace.

Halloween is about fun; stepping outside our normal lives and donning a costume or gathering with friends to knock on doors and ask for candy is as much a part of our culture as hot dogs and barbecue on Labor Day. Have a safe and happy Halloween from the team at Twohig Dentistry!