Hello!
We
hope that you are staying warm during
our cold winter days. We’ve enjoyed
the snow and we hope that you have
too!
The month of February brings many
celebrations locally, dental-related,
and around the world. In this
newsletter, we will observe:
Chinese New
Year- February 1-16th
Black History
Month- February 1-28th
Valentine’s
Day- February 14th
National
Children’s Dental Health Month-
February 1-28th
GDC February
Smile Special- February 1-28th
Chinese New
Year
Xīnnián
hǎo! Chinese New Year or the Spring
Festival, is the most important
celebration observed in China, with
cultural and historic significance. There are
several reasons to celebrate Chinese
New Year:
First,
legend states that the Chinese New
Year stemmed from an ancient battle
against the Nian, a
terrifying beast that attacked people
and ate children. The people used
fireworks and firecrackers to chase
the beast away. This tradition has
been continued until the present time
and the festival serves as a time to
gain good fortune.
Second, it
is celebrated to mark the start of the
Lunar New Year. The festival signals
the beginning of spring, and the start
of a new year according to the Chinese
lunar calendar.
Third,
this celebration, in its earliest
form, was meant for farmers and
workers to have a rest from their
year-long hard labor, and therefore be
ready to resume work afterwards,
refreshed and well-rested.
Chinese
New Year 2022 will fall on Tuesday,
February 1st, 2022, starting a year of
the Tiger. People born in a year of
the Tiger are predicted to be brave,
competitive, unpredictable, and
confident. Celebrations
of Chinese New Year traditionally last
for 16 days, starting from Chinese New
Year’s Eve to the Lantern Festival.
Black
History Month
The United
States, Canada, and Germany observe
February as Black History Month. Other
countries, including the Netherlands,
Ireland, and the United Kingdom,
celebrate Black History Month in
October.
Black History
Month started in 1926 by historian
Carter G. Woodson who proposed marking
a time to honor African Americans and
raise awareness of black history.
President Gerald Ford officially
recognized Black History Month in
1976, calling upon the public to
“seize the opportunity to honor the
too-often neglected accomplishments of
Black Americans in every area of
endeavor throughout our history.”
Today, Black History Month is a time
to honor the contributions and legacy
of African Americans across U.S.
history and society—from activists and
civil rights pioneers such as Harriet
Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Marcus
Garvey, Martin Luther King, Jr.,
Malcolm X, and Rosa Parks to leaders
in industry, politics, science,
culture and more.
Every year
there is also a theme that marks the
celebration. 2022’s theme is focused
on African American’s health and
wellness. According to
the Association for the Study of
African American Life and History
(ASALH), “the 2022 theme considers
activities, rituals and initiatives
that Black communities have done to be
well. This theme acknowledges the
legacy of not only Black scholars and
medical practitioners in Western
medicine, but also other ways of
knowing throughout the African
Diaspora.”
Valentine’s
Day
Valentine’s Day is
named after Saint Valentine, a
Catholic priest who lived in Rome in
the 3rd Century. Many Romans were
converting to Christianity, but there
were strict laws about what Christians
were allowed to do. It was believed
that Roman soldiers should be
completely devoted to Rome and
therefore a law was passed preventing
them from marrying. St. Valentine
began to marry these soldiers in
secret Christian ceremonies and this
was the beginning of his reputation
for believing in the importance of
love.
Eventually,
St. Valentine was found out and jailed
for his crimes against Claudius. While
imprisoned, St. Valentine cared for
his fellow prisoners and also his
jailor’s blind daughter. it is written
that St. Valentine cured the girl’s
blindness and that his final act
before being executed was to write her
a love message signed ‘from your
Valentine’. St. Valentine was executed
on February 14, in the year 270. It wasn’t
until more than 200 years later that
February 14 was proclaimed St.
Valentine’s Day.
The poet
Chaucer in the Middle Ages was the
first to link St. Valentine with
romantic love. This was the beginning
of the tradition of expressing love
and admiration, usually in secret. While
Valentine’s Day is celebrated in most
countries, different cultures have
developed their own traditions. In
some parts of the world, Valentine’s
Day is observed as a day for
expressing love between family members
and friends, rather than that of
romantic couples. Some traditions
include leaving cards, treats, and
gifts for children and others include
acts of appreciation between friends.
National Children’s Dental
Health Month
The month of February is very
important in our dental community. It
is a national health observance that
brings together dedicated
professionals, health care providers
and educators to promote the benefits
of good oral health to children, their
parents and caregivers, teachers and
many others. Each year is dedicated to
an important issue of children’s
dental health to advocate for and
educate. 2022’s theme is “Sealants
Make Sense”.
Sealants are thin, plastic
coatings painted on the chewing
surfaces of the back teeth (the
premolars and molars) to prevent tooth
decay. The sealant quickly bonds into
the grooves of the teeth, forming a
protective shield over the enamel of
each tooth. Sealants are clinically
proven to reduce the risk of tooth
decay up to 80%! It is recommended
that all children receive sealants as
their permanent molars come in,
typically between the ages of 6 and
12.
Sealants are a quick and
pain-free treatment that can be
performed during your child’s routine
dental cleaning or during a separate
appointment. Our hygienist, Jennifer,
will be happy to answer questions you
may have regarding sealants and the
necessity for your child to have them
placed.
February Smile Special
Dreaming of a perfect smile?
Cosmetic veneers can provide a
permanent solution to stained,
chipped, and esthetically unpleasing
anterior teeth. During the month of
February, you will receive 15% off
when you start your treatment case.
Most insurance plans do not cover
cosmetic procedures, however you can
use your HSA/FSA spending accounts for
payment. Discount does not apply when
you use Care Credit and the treatment
case must be paid in full prior to
completion in order to receive the 15%
off. Contact our office via phone or
email us at info@gaithersburgdentalcare.com
to schedule your initial consultation!
As always, we hope that you
and your loved ones stay healthy and
safe! Please wear a mask, social
distance, practice hand hygiene, and
get vaccinated and boosted!
Dr. Gerald Chan and Team
