This is Dr. Searby wishing you a Happy New Year and belated Merry Christmas.

Last week was my 65^th birthday. I guess I’m officially old. Quite the milestone, but hardly the end of the road.

There’s nothing like getting old. Kids don’t get it. Middle agers don’t understand either… Yet.

Getting old isn’t fun. I’m not looking forward to more loss of strength, arthritis, trouble sleeping, and peeing issues.

What’s with that, anyway?

Adding insult to injury, if you ask me…

But I’ve found a Mission for myself and my dental practice.

And it’s you. And all of the other aging good people like us.

We don’t want or need the dentist of our childhood.

We need a dental specialist in the unique problems of older folk.

Turns out, that’s me.

God has blessed me with great health, and apparently, a long working life helping people.

People like us. Older folks with simpler desires and requirements.

Standing in the gap, alone

I wish I could tell you that there are dozens of dentists who are focused on us older Americans.

Who go out of their way to make us comfortable and give us solutions that are age-appropriate and thoughtful.

But there is nobody else that I know who tries to care for the dental health of seniors and the elderly.

I find myself absolutely alone in my chosen elder dental niche.

And I’ve tried so many times to get more help with Seniors and their catastrophic tooth and health related problems:

The Government has rejected us. There is no Medicare coverage for teeth. Every other body part is covered, except the mouth which so commonly falls apart! How did that happen?

Insurance companies avoid us. There is no private dental insurance available anymore. Unless you still work for IBM or another big company, you are completely on your own financially.

Physicians have rejected my offers to help and educate their older patients. One even threw me out of his office because I wanted to talk to him about helping his own patients get healthier. I imagine if I’d been a drug company rep with a bucket of money, I’d be welcomed.

(They are almost all on the take. Try Googling ‘Dollars For Docs’, you’ll see what I mean).

Organized Dentistry ignores us. There are recognized specialists for children, gum disease, root canals, public health (whatever that is). But NO Geriatric dental specialists. We don’t exist, I guess.

Local dentists focus on our checkbooks only offering only the most expensive treatments possible, ignoring the classic, age-appropriate more economical solutions. It’s all implants, all the time.

Nobody other than I has an in-house denture lab so that they can treat seniors. Nobody.

Will you please be a Good Samaritan and help me help other old folk?

Your referrals matter immensely, so please tell everyone you know!

Most of the people I see each day have been referred by their friends, family, and co-workers.

It’s truly humbling and I appreciate it so much.

Only by being Good Samaritans and actively trying to help our fellow older friends can we make a difference.

To hear you tell it, you have already told lots of friends and family about our ProDentures practice and me. But honestly, you may have to push your loved ones into calling us.

Who looks forward to going to the dentist?  Nobody, me included.

It’s scary, unpleasant, not cheap, and often a bit painful for a while. Yuck!

But it’s the right thing to do. And if you don’t help them help themselves, there’s NOBODY ELSE who will even try.

Don’t let them ignore their pain any longer.

And don’t let them make a bad choice by going to someone who doesn’t respect the reality and the dignity of aging.

I hope 2019 is a wonderful year for you (and for me… for us!).

God bless you and yours.

Dr. Paul Searby, founder of ProDentures speaks candidly directly to you about getting older and shares his very personal philosophy about how our teeth don’t age as well as we do.

Most people simply end up with some form of Gum Disease, often as a result of a lifetime of poor dental hygiene.

This can cause serious problems for many folks suffering from other systemic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

Anyone suffering from gum disease is well advised to maintain a health dental regimen.  However, once the teeth and supporting structures begin to fail, there are few affordable options.

At ProDentures we help older adults by providing low cost, high quality solutions like dentures, partial dentures, tooth extractions and dental implants, as well as traditional dental services and maintenance.

Our facilities have an in-house dental lab allowing us to not only make dentures in just a single day, but it keeps the cost down which helps older folks who are on a budget.

We have two convenient locations in Houston.  One in the northwest part of town and the other on the southwest side.

If you or someone you care about needs quality dental care at prices they can afford and wishes to visit a safe, clean office with a friendly staff give us a call today at 832-688-9726.

We offer all new patients a Free office visit, Free X-rays, Free Exam and Free 1-on-1 consultation with a professional doctor with many, many years of experience.

Breaking News! A Husband and Wife EMS Team That Are Together 24/7/365! (How can they stand it?)

The truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. Yes, it’s true. I found a non-retired, non-crazy couple who actually spends 24 hours a day with each other…. And seems to enjoy it!

Who’d a thunk it?

Meet our Patients of the Month, Byron and Janis Walker. Nice folks who have the rare accomplishment of working together as an EMS team and staying happily married.

Bryon is loud in every sense of the word. Loud voice, loud upbeat personality, loud love of his wife.

Fate cast them together when Janis filled in for Bryon’s EMS partner and they found their “soul mates”. Eww.

I am not romantic by nature. In fact, my New york upbnringing causes me sever gastric distress when confronted with “true love”.

But that’s what you find here. How else could they stand living and working together 24/7/365?

The classic signs of love are there.

Janis always is with Bryon on his multiple dental appointments. They finish each other’s sentences. They have friendly competitions on who can wear more baubles and bling.

I interviewed them recently about their EMS work. They work more in transporting sick neighbors to and from their medical treatments, rather than scene-of-the-accident paramedics. And they love it!

The Walkers get to know their patients on a very personal level over time and share their emotions.

Their happiness is contagious!

One story was of an elderly patient, “Clyde” who could not speak, only point. The Walkers soon noted that Clyde was never seen outside the facility enjoying the good weather.

So Byron and Janis took Clyde out to eat at a nice restaurant, on their own time and expense. Clyde pointed to lobster, naturally, but a wonderful time was had by all.

And just this small kindness has had a profound effect on Clyde as his family notes how he enjoys his days more. Even getting outside.

It was the good man inside. God knows, it wasn’t his smile.

The surprising thing was how Byron found and won over his soul mate-with a mouth full of really rotten teeth. Testament to his good heart and unavoidable charm. And loudness.

As Byron himself says, “My teeth were downright ugly. You are so self-conscious about it. It changes your demeanor cause you are less willing to show your smile.

“You see old pictures of yourself and you are not smiling, hiding your bad teeth. That’s not who I am, so I’m thrilled with the work you did for me!.

Janis confirmed, “When you find the one for you, the smile doesn’t matter. But you want something better for him. And now his smile is beautiful.” Now that’s a truly happy ending! (Eww.)

Important Pain Relief News!

Combining 2 Advil with 2 Tylenol Works as Well As Codeine – but without the bad side effects!

In a study published in an August 2013 dental journal, the combination of the OTC pain relievers, ibuprofen and acetaminophen were more effective than either alone or any combinations with codeine. Without the nausea, dizziness, and vomiting normally seen with opiods.

Good For Wisdom Tooth Extraction – Maybe For Other Pains

Combinations of differing medicines often will yield greater beneficial effects. Combining he anti-inflammatory ibuprofen (Advil) with the analgesic acetaminophen (Tylenol) most likely works better as each drug works to limit different steps in the pain-producing inflammation process.

Another popular combination is acetaminophen with the narcotic pain killer hydrocodone (Vicodin), but the side effects and risk potential is much higher.

Recommended for dental patients:

400-600 mg ibuprofen with 500 mg acetaminophen every six hours for moderate to severe pain

Assuming you or your loved ones can take NSAIDs like Advil and have occasional short term painful problems, this new information may be useful.

Watch Maximum Daily Doses

Aceteminophen is damaging to your liver if high doses are taken. The maximum daily dose is 300mg. Ibuprofen may not be allowed for patients taking anti-coagulants, but the maximum dose is 2400mg/day.

Good Service At Bargain Prices? From A DENTIST? “What’s the catch?”

You should see your faces when I show you how much money you’ll be saving vs getting dentures done by “regular” dentists or corporate clinics.

Nowadays skepticism is the norm. We’re all steling ourselves to be shafted yet again from those we used to trust. (Don’t get me started…)

So your fears are normal, maybe even healthy when the care of a loved one is involved. You deserve a good answer. Here’s the “catch”:

I want ProDentures to be so much better yet cheaper that you feel you MUST TELL all your friends and family.

All great businesses grow mainly by Word of Mouth. I want to make ProDentures the one dental exception where exorbitant fees are NOT seen. So you will feel compelled to share the money-saving secret with others.

That’s the “Why we do it” answer. Here’s the answer to “How we do it”.

“The Four Uncommon Ways How I Made ProDentures Better Yet Cheaper For You!”

Here’s how I made it true:

1. I use an in-house denture lab. By cutting out the middle man, we can make good dentures here and pass the savings onto you.
2. We don’t see children. Most dentists see lots of kids which takes time and doesn’t produce profits. So adult prices have to be raised sky-high to make up the difference. Not at ProDentures.
3. Many steps in dentures can be delegated to my great staff. If I can oversee many patients’ care vs doing it all personally, each one can be priced much cheaper.
4. I choose NOT to overcharge for my extractions and surgery fees. Here’s the dirty little secret: It’s pretty easy and fast to pull teeth after you’ve done thousands.

That’s it. Put your skepticism aside. Please tell a friend. God bless you.

WARNING! Using 2 or more tubes of denture adhesive per week is hazardous to your health!

“My denture adhesive put me in a wheelchair!” “I can’t walk, I can’t drive.”

These were the headlines from news stories where two long-time denture wearers developed severe neurological problems due to their overuse of zinc-containing denture adhesive cream.

According to a 2008 study, which was conducted at the University of Texas SW Medical Center in Dallas, the patients’ hyper-zincemia was caused by excessive zinc intake through use of denture creams.

The danger is in the amount used

The study noted that while one tube of denture cream should last 3 to 10 weeks, patients in the study were all using at least two tubes of denture cream a week.

Although zinc is an essential mineral for cell function, it can be harmful in high doses because it inhibits the absorption of other minerals. As a result, people who ingest too much zinc develop copper and iron deficiencies that can lead to severe numbness and weakness from nerve damage.

Nerve damage from zinc toxicity can be life-altering.

Symptoms include: abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, anemia, and dizziness. Full blown neuropathy can include disabilities like those reported in the 2010 headlines shown above.

“Its’ a pretty rare problem”

So said Dr. Michael Cartwright, an assistant professor of neurology at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine who has treated patients with the suspected link, “There are many, many people who use denture cream who don’t develop any kind of neurological disease.”

“We don’t know why it happens in some people – if they’re using large amounts (of denture cream), or if they have some other predisposition to copper deficiency.”

But denture adhesive can help.

Denture creams are clinically proven to seal out food that cause irritation and pain; help prevent gum irritation; improve comfort, and confidence; and improve stability, retention, and bite forces.

ProDentures^® folk should be safe.

But your friends and family with loose dentures may be at risk!

Your new denture(s) should be very close fitting and not need more than a dab of adhesive, if any.

But you probably know someone who is making do with an old loose denture – – using risky gobs of denture cream.

If their denture cream is a zinc-containing product, they may be in danger. Please tell them ASAP!

Old, loose plates are paid for, but may not be safe. Not if filled up daily with nerve-killing goo!

“They Laughed When I opened A Low-Cost Denture Practice But When My Patients Started To Smile…”

Most dentists don’t “get” me.

When all of my fellow dentists are trying to perform (and sell) only the most complicated and costly procedures, I’m trying to go “back to the basics,” and it’s working!

How I Am Building ProDentures^® With A “Fool Idea”

Here’s my crazy idea:

I believe that good people who have no teeth or lots of bad teeth would like less costly and more conservative choices to look better and get healthier.

Or like it says on our billboard:

Good Dentures At Great Prices!

That’s the “fool idea” that drives us at ProDentures^®. And that’s why most dentists laugh at my practice.

Hopefully, you think otherwise and appreciate our “back to basics” approach to dental care.

“You Never Heard Such Happy Comments From Our Patients!”

Many of our happy patients found us through www.prodentures.com, our informational website.

But many other neighbors have been referred to us by our happy patients. In case this was you, I’d like you to know more about our unusual practice – so that you can tell your friends and family too!

At the risk or sounding immodest, let me list how we are different and why your friends need to find us:

“11 Reasons Why Your Friends Need To Know About Our New Money-Savings ProDentures^®“

1. 100% FREE exams and all X-rays (Normally $145 or more)
2. Half price or less extractions and dentures compared to other dentists
3. Three choices of quality dentures to fit any budget (Good/Better/Best)
4. 100% Money Back Guarantee on all full dentures (We take all of the risk to your friends’ satisfaction.)
5. Financing is available plus we will file for their dental insurance and they only pay their remaining share
6. One stop shop where all of their dental needs are handled here (Referrals are rarely needed.)
7. Respect of their time with easy to get appointments (Saturdays too)
8. Locally owned practices (Unlike corporate clinics, they can talk to the owners and decision-makers.)
9. Personal consideration with on-time appointments vs. denture clinics’ “cattle call,” take-a-number systems
10. Easy to get to offices: off 290 in Cypress and off I-59 in SW Houston
11. Our main focus is partials and dentures (Though general dentists, we have tons of experience doing just these special procedures.)

Be A Good Samaritan!

Please tell your friends who need major dental work to call us at 1-800-PRO-DENTURES or send them to Prodentures.com!

“Wishing You and Your Family the Best in 2016!”

I’d like to wish you and all of our practice family a wonderful and prosperous 2016. Thank you very much for allowing us to care for your family’s dental health and sending your friends and families to us, too.

The world has become more dangerous and the national economy has remained sluggish. (Don’t get me started.) But God bless Texas!

Our business has grown steadily, due in no small way to you. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

With your continued support and Helping Hand from above, we’ll all see even brighter days next year.

My own high notes for this year are:

• A third grandchild is on the way! My daughter, Laura, who works at our front desk, is expecting again. Due in May!
• My youngest son, Tim, has been accepted into Texas A&M so we’ll finally have an Aggie in the family. Gig em!

And me, I’m just a blessed man. I’ve got a wonderful wife, six great kids, 2.5 granddaughters, and everybody’s healthy. I’ll be 60 this year, my prostate’s OK, and I still have my hair. Whoopee!

May God richly bless you and yours this year. May we all have Peace and Prosperity soon.

What you need to know about dentures

Dentures are an ideal and affordable method to replace missing teeth. Most of the time, dentures fit quite well and give your smile a very natural look. Whether you are looking for replacement dentures in Houston or you are ready to be fitted for your first set, you have many options. Of the dental options available, you can choose from complete dentures and partial dentures. Each of them has its own benefits and disadvantages and while one option might work well for one person, the other could be more suitable for another. It is normal to experience increased saliva flow, some soreness, and possible speech and chewing difficulty in the beginning, however this will subside as your muscles and tissues get used to the new dentures.

Complete dentures

People suffering from total loss of teeth in the upper or lower jaw are in need of a complete set of dentures. This can occur for older patients, but is not uncommon in younger people suffering from periodontal disease. They are also suitable for people who think that their teeth are no longer healthy. Temporary dentures can be fitted immediately after removing your teeth or replacing the old denture while the permanent set is usually placed after your gums have had a chance to heal.

Partial dentures

Patients with a few missing teeth on either the upper or lower side of the mouth can have partial dentures fitted to fill in the gaps.

Hygiene

It is important to clean the dentures regularly to remove any plaque and food deposits. Failing to do so could lead to problems such as bad breath, gum disease or other oral issues. Visit a dentist who has extensive experience with dentures to discover which options might suit you well. Some solutions may cost more than others, but more expensive remedies might benefit you in long term.