What is dentistry doing to the environment? How do you measure success...
“Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world….”
Trip to BC to see Grandsons (and another love of my life, my daughter Sarah!) a few months ago….
What are we doing to our environment?
We have very few greener alternatives, how much time do we spend thinking about this problem?
Are we being proactive to reduce, recycle and pay attention to our own personal footprint? Every small but makes a difference.
In particular - I think of the disinfectant wipes (for obvious reasons having learned about Electrolyzed water and how powerful Electrolyzed and simple Salt and water is!!)
Did you know that disinfectant wipes are plastic? The RTU containers are obviously not recycled and billions are now used every day....do we really need to? Is there not a better and more logical way to accomplish the same results? Maybe even using highly effective products, scientifically proven, non toxic and environmentally safe products that take even less time!!
Yes, there is. We need a revolution - we need education first.
This isn’t going to change if we leave it to everyone else to fix. And especially if we leave it to government who seem to think that imposing heavy taxes is the way to teach people to be green.
The answers are out there. One less plastic straw. One less plastic wipe at a time.....
Masks and disinfectant wipes are examples of this confusion.
“They look like paper. They look like cleaners, but what a lot of folks don’t know is these are all synthetic fibres that are plastic basically,” said Ms. Ammendolia. “When they start to shred up over time, it creates microplastic microfibres.”
How many of us talk about saving the environment – and the only thing we do is bring a green grocery bag, when we remember and it’s convenient? What commitment do we really have to making a change? Taking the time to reduce our footprint takes a little effort. Pro-active investment.
Do you know how long it takes for a Nitrile glove to break down?
“Regular nitrile takes decades, if not hundreds of years to biodegrade and break down in landfill. Whereas the biodegradation rate of gloves featuring EBT is far more rapid – typically within 24 months (depending on landfill conditions).”
EBT is not available as a commercial, disposable surgical glove….yet
Would you support a glove company that charged more….but recycled PPE like Kimberly Clark?
This looks amazing – not only gloves, but other PPE. This is not cheap….yet with proper infrastructure and support – these are the type of programs that could encourage an entire industry! Not available from HS in Canada….but what comes first for corporations? The DEMAND needs to be there…and that starts with consumers ASKING and ORDERING…..
Latex gloves decompose in about 5 years. The program from Kimberly Clark (which we don’t have yet and likely won’t see again until everything calms down) is a FANTASTIC answer to the mess of disposable PPE. Reuse, recycle.
How about Chemicals and exposures – like wipes?
Wet wipes and sanitary products found to be microplastic pollutants in Irish waters
Do you really need a plasticized wipe for every surface?
I know, I talk about it too much. EO water. Have you educated yourself about Hypochlorous ?
400+ scientifics on EO/HOCl are conclusive. Hypochlorous is cheap, easy to make on demand and works well. Just Salt + Water + Electricity (sometimes buffered with vinegar to adjust Ph). EO water is Non toxic. Mostly non damaging to surfaces. Has been proven effective as a fog/spray. It’s Cheap. Natural. Effective.
Ya but is it Health Canada approved (or approved in several dozen other countries? Yes. HOCl is recognized and approved in many countries….not just for disinfection of health clinics – but a broad range including optometric, skin care, food industry, water industry, commercial sanitation…..and more.
Give me examples for Health Canada approvals…..
September 17, 2020 – Sonoma Pharma and Nanocyn Health Canada EO water approval
Health Canada Approved Microsafe Nanocyn EO water contains…
Neutral Oxidised Saline 100% w/w Available Chlorine 0.0125% w/w
Here is the Safety Data Sheet link – worth looking at.
The recognized downside of HOCL/EO water was the machines to manufacture were large commercial designs and the product needed to be used on demand due to instability. Overcoming these challenges meant producing what you needed on demand – which has been happening in overseas markets now for several years. The research is good. Street credibility is good. The consequences for the environment and non toxicity is beyond good.
$7000+ for a commercial HOCl generator. Excellent investment, if you need large quantities….
Health Canada view on HOCl – Electrolyzed Water….
Read about Canadian Company Environzye and the many approvals this company has for Electrolyzed Water, here is a link of all the approvals for various industries
Need more evidence particular to Dentistry? Of particular interest to Dentists was the product made by a Korean company and marketed in North America by Megagen and Ecolox – a simple office size device that uses single cell technology to create Electrolyzed Water on demand using just a small amount of salt (and better with a little vinegar to reduce the PH slightly).
Check out the regulatory approvals here….
Then we had a REAL GOOD published summary by an Oral Maxillofacial surgeon that is worth 10 minutes of your time…
“Hypochlorous Acid a Review”
Then there is Egret. A miniaturized version of the Commercial machines – but instead of relying on large amounts of electricity and electrolysis through expensive filters created a patented simplified process. Table Salt, Water and a titanium cell to create EO water at various levels (between 80 - >200PPM with a Ph of 7.0 – 7.5 which can be adjusted with a small amount of vinegar into the “perfect” 100% available range of HOCl if needed).
Egret Labs Canada Electrolyzed Water Generator and 10 micron sprayer
We are out of stock of Egret – the product is doing very well as people learn about the value of a home appliance that eliminates toxic chemicals effectively, and finding the many items that are HARD to clean properly! Lunch bags, back packs, shoes, floor mats, mattresses, cloth chair in reception areas, shower curtains, childrens soft toys. The 10 micron blaster is FAST and EASY to use without having to worry about degrading most surfaces…carpets, floors, furnishings. Door knobs, switches, so much more can be addressed QUICKLY and SAFELY.
Other Green Items for your dental office to consider!!
HVE, Saliva Ejectors from HygoVac – biodegradeable Saliva and HVE and Bamboo cups.
Bamboo Toothbrushes and Interproximal brushes from Pikster – we carry the bamboo interproximal brush, but not the brushes….let’s ask why!
Autoclave instead of dispose? Single use products are dominant in medical. Now we are asked to use disposable syringe tips, HVE, and so many other items that could possibly be reprocessed. The issue being that single use reduces risk….but do the benefits outweigh the consequences. Are there not ways we could efficiently reuse, or recycle many of these products?
Hmmmm….
Does someone else measure your success? The problem with social media.
Amazing book – so many great lessons
I believe that deep happiness comes from continuous personal improvement with a sense of accomplishment.
As human beings, I think we get hung up on money, material wealth and how others perceive our success.
It starts from the time we are born. We need mom and dad to tell us we did well, and when we get that we smile. We feel accomplished and want to do more. This is how we learn. Teachers grade us and compare us to others. Sports teach us to win, and often – not how to lose. Winners receive the recognition, despite how hard of an effort the second place…or tenth place winner exerted. It seems like the kid who did well gets the candy. First place sales gets the spiff. Teachers point out the A+ student. Everyone loses their minds for their favorite athletes that WIN and get paid huge money for that “accomplishment”. Are those winners always the happiest people on earth – or are many of these people only happy for the moment?
Recognition mostly goes to the person who won first prize. I get it, but can we work to instill the values of hard work, perseverance, and personal accomplishment? Recognizing we are all different and unique and have our own talent. Ingraining that the real winner is the person who adopts the values of always doing their best – for their very selves. Instilling that if you are always doing this – you are in fact always winning. That person who “won” often has a team behind them of coaches, supporting family, incredible talented friends…..
The accomplishment is not comparing to others, rather in the sense of accomplishment you feel at the very moment you just took it to another level. Living in the now. Feeling accomplished because of the opportunity….and counting the blessings.
Howard Farran asked me “how successful are the dentists in Saskatchewan that I work with”…..I told him, it depends how you rank “success”…..
It’s my belief that human beings are happiest, at the end of the day, from personal accomplishment and helping others. The pinnacle of recognition is reached from within ourselves. Praising yourself for the hard effort, yet keeping the ego in check. Getting the project started, and finished. A workout completed. You wrote the book. Finished learning how to place an implant. Learned a complicated surgery…..the happiest moments come from helping others in some way while improving ourselves….
In this case, Dr. Howard Farran, the majority of the dentists I work with are successful. Performing procedures they love, lauded by patients, with a team they appreciate and realize they couldn’t live without. They aren’t driven by higher gross income, or having to keep up with the dentist across the street. Success comes from the contentment of the case they just completed and helped someone with their very skilled hands. They did it how THEY wanted, and did it well.
Happiness….it comes from being grateful for what we already have. Sincere appreciation for life itself. Appreciation for love given. Feeling blessed for the tribe that surrounds us. It comes from the trust and faith of other human beings. Sincere love of others, and life. Getting back what you give out….appreciating the happiness is more about giving.
I thank God every night and every morning for my wife, my family, for YOU. I also thank him for the challenges that life presents and the opportunity to use these challenges as a learning lesson to become a better person and hopefully help others as well.
Unhappiness comes from what we don’t have. The endless craving for “something that is missing”. Unhappy because we haven’t “won” first place. We haven’t been recognized for the effort, and it’s never enough. We feel defeated and give up. Unhappy if we don’t have that thing. That love. That trip to somewhere. Our lives aren’t as good as someone else we just saw on social media. We don’t have that thing we just googled and it’s now all over our facebook, Instagram reminding us “something is missing”.
Unhappy is worrying about every criticism you face from others, and never taking a chance. Forgetting that failure is learning and makes you stronger. That a blow to the ego is the way life is supposed to be – nobody is perfect. Unhappy is a bad review, with a fragile defensive ego instead of “I could do better”.
Unhappy people go to bed hoping their higher power will solve their problems. Defeated because of public scrutiny, instead of feeling blessed for the challenge.
Continual improvement is recognizing that you are ahead of where you were. Right now, at this moment you are better than a moment ago and you have the chance to take this moment and realize how good you are! This is a blessing. With the right attitude, you attract the right people in your life, and learn to recognize the unhappiness in others is usually why they are so mean. Realizing that the risks you take are for your own sense of accomplishment, and it doesn’t really matter what someone else thinks….just keep improving and trying to help others with your new skills and you will attract the right type of happiness.
Have a great week ahead!