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It’s hard to believe, but July is already here and half of 2012 has already passed! As July 4th approaches, our team thought it would be fun to share some facts and safety tips for celebrating our country’s independence day.

Fun Facts:

• Betsy Ross, according to legend, sewed the first American flag in May or June 1776, as commissioned by the Congressional Committee.

• The major objection to being ruled by Britain was taxation without representation. The colonists had no say in the decisions of English Parliament.

• The word ‘patriotism’ comes from the Latin patria, which means ‘homeland’ or ‘fatherland.’

• The first public Fourth of July event at the White House occurred in 1804.

• And what could be more fitting than spending the day in a place called “America”? There are five such places in the country, with the most populous being American Fork, Utah, with 21,941 residents. Check out American Fact Finder.

Safety Tips:

• Avoid buying fireworks that are packaged in brown paper because this is often a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays and that they could pose a danger to consumers.

• Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.

• Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.

• To prevent a trash fire, be sure to douse the spent fireworks with plenty of water from a bucket or hose after fireworks complete their burning and before discarding them.

• Make sure fireworks are legal before buying or using them.

What are your plans this 4th of July? Share them with us! We’d love to hear what you and the rest of the community will be doing to celebrate! (Don’t forget to make sure there are no restrictions on fireworks! Check out this link to see if fireworks might be an issue for you this year.)

Also, check out these 4th of July party invitations, eGreeting cards, and delicious recipes!

July 4th eCard invitations!

Happy Independence Day eCards

Independence Day Recipes

Photo by shawnajean

Summer is here, and with summer comes lots of swimming! Our team at Gary Yanowitz DDS Family Dentistry found some helpful pool safety tips that we’d like to share with you, courtesy of our friends at the American Association of Pediatricians.

* Install a fence at least four-feet high around all four sides of the pool. The fence should not have openings or protrusions that a young child could use to get over, under, or through.

* Make sure pool gates open out from the pool, and self-close and self-latch at a height children can't reach.

* Never leave children alone in or near the pool, even for a moment.

* Keep rescue equipment (a shepherd's hook - a long pole with a hook on the end - and life preserver) and a portable telephone near the pool. Choose a shepherd's hook and other rescue equipment made of fiberglass or other materials that do not conduct electricity.

* Avoid inflatable swimming aids such as "floaties." They are not a substitute for approved life vests and can give children a false sense of security.

* Children may not be developmentally ready for swim lessons until after their fourth birthday. Swim programs for children under 4 should not be seen as a way to decrease the risk of drowning.

* Whenever infants or toddlers are in or around water, an adult should be within arm's length, providing "touch supervision."

Have more questions about your children and their safety this summer? Give us a call!

Sleep apnea is a condition that affects more than 12 million of Americans each year. If you have sleep apnea, your breathing will stop periodically throughout the night (as many as 20-30 times!), and deprives your brain of oxygen. This will wake you up each time, although you may not even notice it happening.

Anyone can have sleep apnea, but it tends to be found much more in older male adults over the age of 40. This condition can also influence negative health effects, such as high blood pressure, heart failure, and stroke! Further, the ongoing state of fatigue caused by sleep apnea can lead to problems at work and school, also making driving more dangerous.

Here are some signs of sleep apnea:

• Insomnia or difficulty sleeping
• Loud snoring at night
• Waking up at night short of breath
• Snorting or choking sounds during the night (indicating a restart of breathing)
• Headaches upon waking in the morning
• Falling asleep unintentionally during the day
• Extreme drowsiness throughout the day

If you or your loved ones suffer from sleep apnea, Dr. Yanowitz is able to help relieve your distress! The first step towards leading a healthier and more productive life without sleep apnea is to give Dr. Yanowitz a call and schedule an appointment!

We look forward to helping the families of Pembroke Pines achieve the health and happiness that they need and deserve!

If you have missing teeth, it is crucial to replace them. Without all your teeth, chewing and eating can destabilize your bite and cause you discomfort. Dental implants are a great option for replacing missing or badly diseased teeth. A dental implant offers comfort, support, stability, and is as close to a natural tooth that a restoration can be.

There are many benefits to dental implants:

• Dental implants restore your ability to chew food properly.
• They fill out a face that may otherwise look sunken in because of missing teeth.
• They don’t need to be removed for overnight cleaning and soaking.
• No adhesives are needed.
• You’ll feel more confident to show off your smile to the world.
• Each implant is created to fit in perfectly with the look of the rest of your teeth.

Dental implants would be an appropriate treatment for you if you’re in good health, have healthy gums, and have enough bone structure to support an implant. A simple visit with our office will reveal if a dental implant is the best option to restore your smile to its absolute best.