Dressing for a Cold-Weather Run

Dr. Mark Moynier, a dentist in Colorado, practices with BrightNow! Dental. An avid runner, he has participated in over a dozen marathons since 2003, including the New York City Marathon and the Boston Marathon. Running is one of Dr. Mark Moynier’s favorite morning activities.

Many runners prefer staying indoors during the winter instead of running in cold weather. However, as long as you dress properly, there is no reason you shouldn't run in the cold.

During outdoor runs in the winter, you lose about 10 percent of your body heat from your head. Wearing a hat or cap isn’t enough, however, since you also need to protect your face from the cold. To do this, wear a face mask, scarf, or bandanna with a thermal hat.

From there, protect your torso and legs by dressing in warm layers. For the base layer, wear a thin, synthetic material, such as polypropylene, to wick moisture from the body. Wear an insulating layer of fleece or another warm material for the middle layer, and wear a waterproof/windproof layer on the outside.

Finally, to keep your feet dry and warm, wear wicking sock liners underneath warm fleece or wool socks. You may also need larger running shoes to accommodate the thick socks. Your shoes must be comfortable and water-resistant.

Foundational Colorado Front Range Gardening Techniques

Based in Thornton, Colorado, Mark Moynier, DDS, leads Bright Now! Dental and provides a host of coordinated services that encompass periodontal and orthodontic care. In his free time, Dr. Mark Moynier enjoys outdoor activities such as mushroom hunting and organic gardening. 

A 2016 Denver Post article brought focus to a “no-strain" method of organic gardening developed by Larry Stebbins and detailed in the e-book The Backyard Vegetable Gardening Guide: A Monthly Primer for the Organic Gardener in the Colorado Front Range and Beyond. 

A foundational principle is to avoid tilling the soil after the initial working of the soil in order to add amendments. Frequent tilling disturbs habitats of beneficial organisms, such as earthworms. At the same time, tilling also unearths other seeds that have been buried, which can amplify weed issues. 

Other core principles detailed in the book include composting, growing plants in raised beds, and utilizing immediate-succession planting methods in ensuring a continual harvest. Savvy gardeners also select vegetable varieties known to thrive in the Front Range region just east of the Rockies. These include beans, peas, tomatoes, and broccoli, with plum tree varieties also thriving in the area. Coordinated strategies can significantly boost garden production, which can be challenging at high elevations.

Three of the Best Places to Run in Boulder, Colorado

An alumnus of Columbia University’s School of Dental and Oral Surgery (now the College of Dental Medicine), Mark Moynier, DDS, strives to stay physically and mentally sharp by beginning most days with a run. As a resident of a city considered to be one of the best running destinations in the country, Dr. Mark Moynier has ample options when choosing where to get his morning exercise. The best of these options include the following:

- Mount Sanitas. The 5K loop at this small mountain tests runners with more than 1,300 feet of elevation gain. Those not ready for such a challenge can build their stamina on shorter one- and 1.3-mile trails.

- Flatirons Vista. Flatirons Vista is home to two relatively flat loops that allow for picturesque views of canyons and other natural sights. The aforementioned pair of trails combines to stretch for 5.2 miles through forests and prairies, but runners can add more distance by connecting with the adjacent Doudy Draw trail network.

- Mesa Trail. A classic local route, Mesa Trail takes runners on an approximately seven-mile tour of the scenic wonders of Boulder. Trees provide shade for much of the way, but visitors should expect some sun exposure on the trail’s south end.

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.