It all counts … Pop, Diet Pop, Gatorade, Power Aid, Red Bull ,etc. 

It’s all about the sugars and acids.      If you sip all the time you WILL get decay.

Soda Girl Video

SODA Guy Video

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Medical History Update:

 Why Is This Needed?

Most Patients might not realize the importance of a current medical history with their health professional. 

The safe and successful completion of dental care is often times significantly influenced by a patient’s health and medications.

Let me give some examples of why it is important to keep an accurate medical history of our patients so that we “don’t treat a stranger!”

• Many medications cause dry mouth [xerostomia] … and that leads to a high risk for gum disease and cavities.
• Many medications … and herbal supplements … influence bleeding and clotting times.
• Anesthetics like “Novocain” interact or are influenced by the medications a patient takes.
• Medications can cause patients to faint more easily in the dental chair when we change the position of the chair, or stand up too quickly, or are stressed by their dental care.
• Past medical surgeries, general anesthesia, surgical complications, medicine interactions or problems, and more can influence our treatment recommendations.
• Diabetes, heart disease, and smoking have a significant impact with your dental care.
• Referrals to specialists … like oral surgeons and periodontists … dictate that we know our patients and refer patients appropriately.
• Liability issues can arise if we are not made aware of medical issues that would influence any dental treatment.

Please know that we will keep your information confidential and use it appropriately to recommend dental treatment.  Your trust is important to us, but we do want to be fully aware of any health issues and medications before providing you with care that is in your best interest.

Steve McCormack, DDS

1. We have a Single Application approach to treating COLD SORES …  Ask us about it.                      It shortens the course of the break-out blister and pain.       Now you can heal in a DAY or two, not a WEEK or two.
2. We have a way to stop CANKER SORES in 30 seconds too.      Virtually instant pain relief!

Of Course … We need to see you to verify what is the source of your pain and blisters.  We have to rule out infections, oral cancers, trauma, etc.      Let us help you get pain relief from these annoying blisters and ulcers.

Accompanied by his supportive wife and daughter – watching from the ground, Dr. McCormack jumped from an altitude of 13,000 ft. (over 2 miles)

The Wisconsin Dental Association and the WDA Foundation wrapped up their third Mission of Mercy in the Wausau area,  providing free dental care to more patients than originally planned.   The Greenheck Field House and a high school gym in Weston were transformed into a large-scale, charitable dental clinic on June 24 and 25. Volunteers recorded 2,141 patient visits with adults and children receiving teeth cleanings, fillings, extractions, and more.

Dr. Steve McCormack and his wife Kris, from St Croix Falls, volunteered at the 2 day event.  Dr McCormack saw patients on an emergency basis while his wife helped process thousands of instruments in the sterilization area.

Nearly 100 temporary dental chairs were set up in the gym and everything from extractions to fillings were done in what can easily be described as a M.A.S.H type setting.  Patients were registered in one area, received anesthetic in another, then  taken to a dentist who completed the necessary treatment in the hour or less time slot.

“I can’t say we had the best of equipment and supplies, but the logistics of setting up such a monumental dental setting are staggering.  Miles of plumbing and electrical wires are needed for each dental chair.  Since any patient might need a dozen instruments or more for their treatment, and you multiply that by over 2000 patients, it is amazing to see the teamwork of all the volunteers, “ said Dr. McCormack.

Kris helped sterilize instruments using over 20 large sterilizer units, all running full time.  Buckets of instruments would arrive in the area, and all had to be processed quickly for the remaining patients.

“You feel a little hand tied by the portable equipment and wish you could be providing this care in your own office setting.  I had a foot peddle for my drill that wouldn’t completely shut off.  That meant I had a drill partially running as I would start the procedure.  It was a little unsettling to do dentistry that way, since even at partial speed the drill is running at 30,000 rpm’s.

“Since I had to use my high power optics with a head lamp it meant my field of focus is about an inch wide.  Moving a high speed drill, still running, past a patient’s lip and tongue was a unique challenge to say the least.” said Dr. McCormack.

The value of care exceeded $1.12 million.   A team of 1,050 dentists, assistants, hygienists and support staff from 163 Wisconsin communities were involved.   The first patients lined up on Wednesday, two days before clinic doors opened at 6 AM.

Originating in Virginia and spreading throughout the United States to over a dozen states, Mission of Mercy dental programs have provided 100,000 patients with nearly $50 million in free dental services and treatment since 2000.  The Wisconsin MOM program provides care to the uninsured, the under-insured and anyone who otherwise has difficulty getting to a dentist.

A successful MOM event focuses on:

• Providing free access to critical dental care while placing a high priority on patients suffering from dental infections or pain.

• Raising public awareness of the increasing difficulty adults and children with limited financial resources face in accessing critical dental care.

• Challenging patients, policymakers and dental professionals to work together to reduce dental disease and improve the oral health of Wisconsin residents, including those who have been promised care by the state.

Wisconsin’s dental Medicaid and BadgerCare programs are grossly underfunded, which denies patients necessary economic purchasing power.   Increasing access depends on additional financial investment by the state, because coverage alone does not equal care.

• The state reimburses about 30-35 cents for every $1 of services provided in a private dental practice.  Federally Qualified Health Centers, like those recently opened in Rice Lake and Chippewa Falls, are reimbursed for dental services at about twice the amount paid to private dental practices.   In addition, FQHC buildings and equipment are frequently paid for by the government – a substantial advantage over private practitioners.
• A Wisconsin work force report released in January 2010 details the tremendous increase in the state’s MA population. About 1 million low-income individuals, or 20 percent of Wisconsin residents, are beneficiaries of MA coverage in a 12-month period. The number of MA individuals who where continuously enrolled in MA for 12 months nearly doubled between 2000 and 2008.
• The state’s most current dental MA data shows Wisconsin and federal governments spend just 1 percent, or just $76 million of a $6.6 billion annual MA budget, on oral health programs for children and adults. In comparison, 80 percent of other states spend a greater percentage of their MA budgets on delivering dental care to low-income patients.

“It was a long day, what with a 3 hour drive over and back to Wausau, with all the dentistry in between.  The patients were extremely grateful, despite the long lines and limits to care.  Next year the event will be in Madison, so maybe the legislature can get a close up look at the needs of so many.  It was great to see so many volunteers with a smile on their face throughout the day.  It was frustrating though to get help to only 2000 people, but I know it made a difference to them.  I’ll be back next year, “ said Dr. McCormack.

1. Get detailed information on uses and side effects for your drugs.
2. See how each of your drugs interact with each other … use the “interaction checker section.”
3. Identify pills when you aren’t sure what they are … use the “pill identifier section.”
4. See any FDA  drug alerts … use the “news and alerts section.”

It’s a very safe, affordable,  and effective product that gives very nice results.

Visit the Link Below to get more information.

Opalescence Whitening Link

Please note …  garlic, ginger, ginkgo, and ginseng are among the many herbs that affect bleeding time.  Your health care professional needs to know what supplements you may be taking, including natural herbs.

American Society of Anesthesiologists … Herbs & Their Side Effects

Consumer Lab  …  Herbs & Vitamin Reviews

Natural Medicine Comprehensive Database

The ADA recommends that a dentist examine a child around their first birthday.    A dental visit at an early age is a “well baby checkup” for the teeth.     Besides checking for tooth decay and other problems, Dr McCormack and his staff can show you how to clean the child’s teeth properly, make good diet choices, review appropriate bottle and sip-cup beverages fluoride recommendations,  and how to evaluate any adverse habits such as thumb sucking.  

The Teething Cycle
When teeth first come in, some babies may have sore or tender gums.     Gently rubbing your child’s gums with a clean finger, a small, cool spoon or a wet gauze pad can be soothing.      You can also give the baby a clean teething ring to chew on.      If your child is still cranky and in pain, consult us or your  physician.       Most children have a full set of 20 primary teeth by the time they are three years old. 

Primary Teeth Eruption Chart

Most primary, or “baby” teeth are erupted by age 2 or a little older.

The first permanent teeth to erupt are the upper and lower front 4 incisors.  It is not uncommon for the permanent lower incisors to erupt just inside the baby teeth and then push the baby teeth aside.   Your child will get their first permanent molars at about age 6 to 7.

They will continue to keep some baby teeth until age 11 or 12.   By age 13 or 14  most children have only permanent teeth.

Motivating people to make positive changes to their behavior can be difficult.    Direct attempts to persuade them may backfire and/or cause resistance.

But by empathizing with you about the difficulty of quitting and by offering you ongoing support, we may become a trusted ally.

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Let us help you learn various ways to quit smoking.  Medications like Chantix and various QUIT programs may give you a fighting chance.      Wanda Brown, RN at St. Croix Regional Medical Center specializes in various Quit Programs, too.

Use the Link at the bottom of the page to access information on Chantix … and feel free to ask us about helping you quit.