mother

In Loving Memory of
Stasia B. Gorczyca
February 6, 1930 - December 18, 2001

MY MOTHER INSTILLED IN ME the love of music. When I was 3 1/2 years old, she started teaching me the piano. When I was 8, I began flute lessons and together, my mother and I took an incredible musical journey.

At 12, I joined my mother, a violinist in the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra, in playing Smetana Moldau Suite. My flute teacher, Faust Fiore, was first flute, and I was second. In High School we also played together in the Fall River Symphony, where I was first flute and Mom played second violin not far from my seat.

My mother was in the audience of my every musical adventure: All Eastern Orchestra, under the baton of Benjamin Zander, Young Artist Showcase, WQXR New York, Carnegie Hall with the MIT Symphony Orchestra, Longwood Symphony Orchestra — every competition and recital. We had a great time.

In Boston, when I was a dental student at Harvard School of Dental Medicine, I had some great flute teachers. These included Louis Moyse, Claude Monteaux, John Heiss, and Lois Schaefer of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. I used to practice 2 hours a day during dental school and am still occasionally referred to as “the flute girl of Vanderbilt Hall.”

My mother was principal violinist of the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra when she was in high school. At the very end of her life, she was the very last 2nd violinist. I used to kid her and say “Mom, you’re almost behind the curtain!” She would say “I don’t care, I’m still playing!”

I’m happy to report that my son Richard, age 12, has now been playing the violin for 8 years. On Saturdays, he is a student at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in the Pre-College Division studying music theory, violin, chamber music, and playing in the orchestra.

Please honor Stasia by supporting the Stasia Gorczyca Endowment Fund:

Stasia Gorczyca Endowment Fund
New Bedford Symphony Orchestra
P.O. Box 2053
New Bedford, Massachusetts 02741

WE ALL KNOW it’s possible to catch a cold from someone who’s under the weather. Did you know cavity-causing bacteria can be passed from person to person too?

Bacteria Is At The Root Of Cavities

While sugary treats often take the blame for causing cavities, the real culprits for tooth decay are bacteria. Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus are bacteria which stick to our teeth and eat food particles left behind from our last meal, producing acids which threaten gum health and cause tooth decay. And just like cold-causing bacteria, these bacteria like to travel.

Bacteria Travels From Person To Person

Whether it’s through sharing a drink or kissing a loved one, cavity-causing bacteria can be passed from person to person the same way many other bacterial infections can. Studies have shown that “catching a cavity” is not only possible, it happens far more often than you might think.

One of the most common transmissions is from parent and child. Cavity-causing bacteria is commonly passed along to a child when a mother or father tastes food to ensure it’s not too hot or when he or she “cleans” a pacifier by sucking on it before handing it over.

Take Simple Steps To Stop The Spread Of Bacteria

What can you do to reduce your risk of transmitting these cavity-causing bacterias to someone else?

• Floss and brush frequently.
• Chew sugar-free gum—this promotes saliva production and washes away plaque and bacteria).
• Be mindful of drinks and eating utensils you’re sharing and the risks that are involved.
• Be aware of other behaviors which may spread these bacteria.

Trust Our Practice For Solutions

Nobody wants to inadvertently “catch a cavity.” Our practice is committed to providing you with the best information possible to help you create a healthy and resilient smile. If you have any questions about this, be sure to ask us! We love visiting about your orthodontic health. You can also comment below and reach out to us on social media.

Visit us at Gorczyca Orthodontics in Antioch California for a free oral exam and orthodontic evaluation. Call us at (925) 757-9000. Find us at the Deer Valley Dental Professional Center, 5201 Deer Valley Road, right behind Deer Valley High School.

Your smile is our inspiration.

Top image by Flickr user bigbirdz used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

MEN: AFTER YOU GET ENGAGED, prepare to say "I Do" to a beautiful new smile.

Get Your Smile Ready For The Big Day

Most men seeking orthodontic treatment, are brought to the orthodontist by a woman. Usually, it is their fiancee wanting to get her future bride groom's smile ready for the big day.

In other cases, it could be a wife, who, after marriage decides that she would like her husband to have a functional bite and beautiful smile. This is what a wife would love to look at across the dinner table each night.

Otherwise, it is a mother who wants her son to look his very best for when he meets the right girl, dates, gets engaged, and for his wedding day.

Beautiful Smiles Help In Many Areas Of Life

Men: no matter which woman brings you to the orthodontist, having straight teeth, a beautiful smile, and great self-esteem, affects how you feel, who you date, getting engaged, your professional success, self-confidence, and getting married.

We Can Help Bring Out Your Best Smile!

If you are a man and you would like to have the beneftis of beautiful straight teeth, call us for a complimentary consultation for braces, Invisalign, or retainers at Gorczyca Orthodontics (925) 757-9000 or www.clubbraces.com.

To find an orthodontist near you, visit the American Association of Orthodontists at www.mylifemysmile.org.

Men: thinking of getting engaged or married? Get ready with a beautiful new smile for life and the big day ahead.