Basic Tips for Proper Cycling Etiquette

Mark Moynier, DMD, has spent more than three years as a dental professional with BrightNow! Dental in Thornton, Colorado. When he is not tending to patients, Mark Moynier, DMD, enjoys leading a physically active lifestyle. A few of his preferred pastimes include marathon running and cycling.

There are several aspects of cycling etiquette individuals should observe in order to maintain safety while riding. When cycling on a public roadway, cyclists should more or less behave as a car. This involves obeying all traffic signals and signs, riding with the flow of traffic, and yielding to pedestrians. If a cyclist plans on using a crosswalk to cross a street, it may be advisable to get off and walk the bike.

Of course, dealing with cars is only one small aspect of cycling. Engaging with other riders is a whole different animal. In order to safely and efficiently pass another rider, individuals should pull up close to the rider ahead of them, loudly and clearly announce, “on your left,” then wait for the proper response. Once the lead rider has pulled to the right or waved the trailing rider on, individuals can say thank you and make a safe pass.

Visibility is another key element of cycling etiquette, particularly when riding beyond the confines of clearly marked cycling paths and bike lanes. Wearing brightly colored clothes and adding reflectors are great for maintaining visibility, as are headlights when riding at night. Lastly, individuals should perform safety checks on their bike before every ride. New riders should take their bike to a local shop and ask for a tutorial on performing a thorough check in order to minimize the likelihood of an accident while on the road.

The 2019 Southwest Dental Conference

As a dentist at BrightNow! Dental in Thornton, Colorado, Dr. Mark Moynier regularly completes procedures such as fillings, extractions, root canals, and bridges. Over the years, Dr. Mark Moynier has attended multiple professional conventions and conferences, including the Rocky Mountain Dental Convention. 

The Rocky Mountain Dental Convention has been attracting regional dental professionals to Denver, Colorado, for more than 75 years. The annual event features a series of exhibits, hands-on workshops, clinical courses on a variety of dental topics, and educational and developmental opportunities from a roster of leading clinicians. Time here renews excitement in a career that is constantly improving for the benefit of the patient, while providing continuing education necessary to be compliant with Colorado Dental Board requirements.

The 2019 Southwest Dental Conference will take place January 17-19 at the Colorado Convention Center in downtown Denver. Participants can register to receive continuing education credits for specific courses. In general, the American Dental Association Continuing Education Recognition Program offers one credit for every hour of qualifying continuing education activities. For more information, visit rmdconline.com.

Three Ways to Make Yourself a Better Morning Runner

The recipient of a doctor of dental surgery from Columbia University, Mark Moynier draws upon more than a decade of experience as a full-time general dentist with Colorado's BrightNow! Dental. Beyond his professional pursuits, Mark Moynier is an avid runner who likes to go for runs early in the morning to start his day.

Running early in the morning isn't always easy, especially for those who aren't morning people. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to better prepare yourself for a morning run.

1. Establish good sleeping habits. Before you start thinking about waking up early for a run, you should practice good sleep habits. Instead of watching TV or looking at electronic devices late at night, consider a more meditative nightly routine to help you wind down after a busy day. You should also plan to sleep at the same time every night and avoid alcohol or caffeine three hours prior to bedtime. 

2. Wake up early, consistently. Sure, there will be days where you can, and should, sleep in, but especially if you are not a morning person, this will make the pre-dawn wake up feel routine. This will also help the body be awake and physiologically prepared to run at the earlier hour. 

3. Sleep in your running clothes. As strange as it might seem, simply wearing your running clothes to bed can give you extra motivation to wake up and go for an early morning run. This is truly an odd habit for most, so lay out your clothes the night before. This will reduce the number of decisions needed at that hour will helps you get out the door on time.

4. Eat a small snack. You don't want to eat too much before a run, however, a small snack to help fuel your run is essential. Kick-start your blood sugar by eating a banana, energy bar, or crackers and peanut butter. Unless it's a race, make that snack about 100 calories. On race days, you will be up much earlier and will have time to eat a larger meal. Make sure to also drink a glass of water before your run as well.

Do I Need a Root Canal? - Potential Symptoms

As a general dentist at BrightNow! Dental in Colorado, Dr. Mark Moynier performs a broad range of procedures. Dr. Mark Moynier frequently draws on his experience in offering root canal therapy.

A root canal is a common procedure that can save a tooth with diseased or damaged pulp. Any kind of damage to pulp causes the internal structure of the tooth to break down and leads to the growth of bacteria inside the pulp chamber. If left untreated this can lead to more widespread infection and a painful and dangerous abscess at the root of the tooth.

Most patients will suspect that a tooth's pulp is infected or injured because they experience intense pain when they chew or bite with the damaged tooth. Hot or cold temperatures can also cause intense and lasting pain that will often prompt a patient to visit the dentist. 

The patient may also notice tenderness and swelling of the gums that surround the tooth. Visual inspection may reveal a pimple on the gums that resists healing or erupts repeatedly in a similar spot. The tooth itself might look darker than usual in color. While these symptoms are less likely to bother the patient enough to make an appointment, they are no less important. Infections that go undetected for long periods of time can do damage to the root(s) and the surrounding bone so that the tooth must be extracted. They can also grow large enough to cause the adjacent teeth to begin to hurt as well.

The presence of these symptoms can help a dentist to determine whether a patient might need root canal therapy. They are not the only clues, however, and they do not enable a patient to self-diagnose. Symptoms that mimic those of teeth needing a root canal may only need a new filling, or a recent filling or crown may need to be adjusted. 

The quality of your care is very important and most of the information needed can only be gathered with a clinical examination. That's why scheduling an appointment with a dentist is so important to accurately determine the source of the pain and what the appropriate course of treatment should be.

A Diversity of Edible Mushrooms in the Colorado Rockies

Mark Moynier, DDS, is a Thornton, Colorado general dentist who guides BrightNow! Dental and offers a coordinated suite of care that includes the services of a periodontist and orthodontist. Dr. Mark Moynier has a passion for organic gardening and also enjoys foraging for mushrooms in the area where he lives. 

Encompassing myriad elevations, the Rocky Mountains offer abundant mushroom varieties in their lower elevations, with fungi concentrated in riparian areas surrounding streams and bogs. Among the sought after species is the Morchella esculentoides, or common morel, which fruits in spring beneath cottonwood trees. Other edible varieties include the red pine mushroom which is part of the milk cap genus, and the diminutive Laccaria laccata, which often appears in large groups. 

One unique fungi that makes an appearance in late fall is the Tricholoma populinum, or sand mushroom, which appears in sandy, dried up riverbeds in the vicinity of cottonwoods. One way to find this edible treat is to look for the paw marks of foraging deer that have hunted for the mushroom under fallen leaves. 

Higher up in montane forests from 5500 to 9000 feet, mushroom hunters seek out premium varieties such as the Tricholoma magnivelare, or white matsutake, which is found amidst fallen lodgepole pine needles. Another favorite at this elevation range is the Boletus barrowsii, or white king bolete, which is often found near ponderosa pine and white oak.

Tips for New Mushroom Hunters

Colorado dentist Mark Moynier practices at BrightNow! Dental in Thornton. In this capacity, he performs a wide range of dental procedures, including whitening teeth and fitting dentures. Outside of work, Mark Moynier enjoys mushroom hunting, which has become a popular activity for people who love the outdoors and enjoy exploring. 

Here are several things new mushroom hunters should remember:

- Start easy. There are several edible varieties that are easily identified in the field because of their unique appearance or features. 

- Be patient. Hunting for mushrooms can take time, so patience is a necessary skill for all mushroom hunters. Cutting corners can lead to the incorrect identification of mushrooms. Once you have mastered the easiest identified species, study a new variety native to your area and carry a note card with all of its defining features before setting off to hunt.

- Check for tree types. Many mushrooms grow on or near specific varieties of trees. For example, morel mushrooms are fond of apple and elm trees. Because of this, you should start by looking for certain tree types. When you find one of the trees mushrooms like, start looking for mushrooms, which may grow up to 100 yards from their preferred trees.

- Triple-check identification. Properly identifying mushrooms is vitally important for safety reasons. Instead of relying on one source, always use multiple sources to identify mushrooms. Do not consume a mushroom with any features that contradict the description of an edible species. 

- When in doubt, there is no doubt. So, you've hiked all day and you are rightfully proud of your haul. While you may have identified all of the edible varieties correctly, older mushrooms may have too many worms to be salvageable or become bitter and inedible. So, if you're not sure, just throw them out. It's not worth ruin a carefully prepared dinner to find out the hard way.