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Recently, my son, Jarred, who is a 4th year Dental student at UT Memphis, and I went to a CE course in Monroe, Louisiana, which is right down the road from West Monroe, Louisiana; home of the Duck Commanders and the Duck Dynasty TV show on A&E. The speaker had arranged for Uncle Si and Mountain Man to have lunch with us and pose for some photos. Mountain Man sat at our table and, let me tell you, he speaks in “real” life just like he does on the show!

He entertained us with his backwoods wisdom and stories of his childhood. The story I remember best is when he got his first shotgun for Christmas and was so excited that he slept with it for a week! Uncle Si showed up a few minutes late with his Tupperware glass and jug of tea. He made up for it by giving us each an autographed copy of his book “Si-cology 101.” Reading

about his childhood reminded me of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer, “Jack.” His book also includes various stories about college life, Vietnam, twice joining the army, and his family. I definitely recommend checking it out!

- Dr. Bart Benson

On March 17, everyone has a little Irish in them. St. Patrick’s Day is a joyous celebration of Irish heritage. The holiday originated as a commemoration of Saint Patrick, who brought Christianity to Ireland. The saint arrived in Ireland in 432 and earned the reputation of a champion of Irish Christianity. March 17th, the day of St. Patrick’s death, has been commemorated by the Irish for over 1,000 years. St. Patrick’s Day is still observed as a religious feast day by several Christian denominations, but it is better known in the public imagination as a rich celebration of Irish culture.

St. Patrick’s Day has been an official public holiday in Ireland since 1903. Each year, the Irish celebrate with a several-day festival that includes theater performances, music, fireworks, and festive parades. The celebration is also a public holiday in Northern Ireland, Montserrat, and Newfoundland and Labrador. In other parts of the world with heavy Irish populations, it is an unofficial celebration of Irish heritage. Parts of Great Britain, Canada, Argentina, South Korea, Switzerland, New Zealand, the United States, and Australia commemorate the holiday each year. Typical celebrations in these countries include drinking green beer, wearing green, eating traditional Irish foods, parades, and shamrock decorations.

Many people, Irish and non-Irish alike, take part in the “wearing of the green” on St. Patrick’s Day. In fact, the color originally associated with Saint Patrick was blue. His use of shamrocks to explain the Holy Trinity to the Irish made the green clover emblematic of the holiday, leading to the traditional green attire worn by thousands on St. Patrick’s Day. Other little-known facts about St. Patrick’s Day include the following:

• Each year, the United States and Ireland face off in a rugby competition called the “St. Patrick’s Day Test.”
• Montreal celebrates the holiday with an annual parade, which has been held each year since 1824. The Montreal city flag even features a shamrock in its corner, as a nod to its Irish heritage.
• The Guinness World Records named St. Patrick’s Day the “Friendliest Day of the Year.”
• Along with Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day is one of the most widely celebrated saint’s day in the world.

No matter your cultural heritage, St. Patrick’s Day is a great time to let loose and celebrate your inner Irish-ness! Don your greenest attire and exclaim “Erin go Bragh!” (Ireland forever!) to everyone you meet. From Dr. Bart Benson - have a great St. Paddy’s day!

Choosing an orthodontist, like choosing any healthcare provider, is an important decision! We recently sat down with our newest patient, Linda, and her mom to ask her why they chose Benson Orthodontics.

As Linda's mom tells us, Linda's general dentist firstly referred their family to Dr. Benson. Earning the trust and recommendation of our local dentists means that Dr. Benson and our team strive to deliver exceptional experiences and beautiful smiles each and every day.

But, what Linda's mom tells us really helped with their decision was the feeling of complete confidence in and excitement for Linda's treatment with Dr. Benson after just the first visit. Being confident in your care is such an important factor in your orthodontic treatment, and instilling this confidence and excitement is what we're all about!

Today, Dr. Bart Benson and our team thought we would offer a few tips for our patients currently undergoing orthodontic treatment. For those of you wearing braces, it’s important to be even more dedicated to good oral hygiene than those not currently in treatment.

After getting your braces, it is important to know how to take care of your teeth in order to ensure that your braces stay intact and do their job so that your teeth are in top-notch condition after you complete your orthodontic treatment.

Braces are known to trap food, which contributes to plaque formation. If it is not carefully removed from the teeth and gums, plaque will develop into decay or gum disease, leading to costly delays during your treatment. It is important to practice good oral hygiene by following instructions from Dr. Bart Benson during your treatment.

We are proud to offer supplies to help fight plaque, such as a proxabrush, dental floss, and floss threaders. The use of an electric toothbrush and or a water pick can also be helpful in combating cavities and decay. And, of course, our team at Benson Orthodontics suggests brushing at least twice a day.

We hope that helps! If you have any questions, please give us a call at our Mt. Juliet or Lebanon, TN office or ask us during your next adjustment appointment!