Healing Smiles

Most of you know Dr. Steve Chronister for his work in dentistry, but his other obsession has a lot more horsepower. 🔧🔥
When he's not taking care of smiles, Dr. Chronister is in the garage building custom hot rods. Last Saturday, he helped put on the 18th annual Rev It Up Hot Rod Street Festival, which brought out incredible cars, great people and a whole lot of chrome.
Dr. Chronister no longer plays "el jefe" for the event the way he did for years, but he's still rolling up his sleeves to keep it going. Rev It Up remains as strong as ever and raises thousands of dollars for local nonprofits every year.
Thank you to everyone who came out, showed off their rides and supported a great cause. See you at #19! 🏁

A proposed federal rule would remove Head Start's oral health requirements, including daily supervised toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste and help connecting families with dental care. The American Dental Association opposes the change and warns it could lead to more preventable tooth decay in children who already have limited access to care.
We stand with the ADA in supporting healthy smiles for every child.

ADA opposes proposed removal of Head Start oral health standards The ADA is urging the federal government to retain Head Start requirements related to oral health.

Your smile ages too. As we get older, gums can recede, saliva slows down and the risk of decay and tooth loss rises. Gum disease is also linked to diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

To help keep your natural teeth for life, brush gently twice a day, floss daily, drink plenty of water, limit sugar, alcohol and to***co, and keep up with twice-yearly dental visits. If you notice dry mouth, ask your doctor about your medications. It's a common side effect.

The importance of oral health as you age When your mouth isn’t healthy, it affects all of you. Learn how good oral hygiene can help keep your teeth and gums healthy longer.

✈️🦷 Traveling soon? Don't leave your smile behind!
Before you go, a few quick tips:
✅ Pack a toothbrush, fluoride toothpaste and floss
✅ Use a travel cover that lets your brush air-dry
✅ Keep brushing twice a day and flossing daily, even on vacation
✅ Drink plenty of water and go easy on sugary snacks and drinks
✅ Schedule a checkup before a big trip so small problems don't turn into emergencies
For more travel tips from the American Dental Association, visit mouthhealthy.org/travel-tips.
Safe travels! 🌎

Travel Tips for Dental Health | MouthHealthy - Oral Health Information from the ADA Find out what to do if you forget your toothbrush on vacation, how to brush when water quality is questionable and more.

🧠 In Ohio State's first U.S. trial of psilocybin-assisted therapy for veterans with severe, treatment-resistant PTSD, 75% of participants were in remission just one month later — with no serious adverse events.

The 11-week protocol paired psychotherapy with two psilocybin doses. Researchers say the therapy itself may be just as key as the drug in unlocking lasting change.

A small pilot, but a striking signal for a population too often out of options. 🎗️

For veterans with severe PTSD, psilocybin-assisted therapy may help The first U.S. clinical trial of psilocybin-assisted therapy in veterans with PTSD who got no relief from conventional treatments has established that the protocol is safe, causing no serious adverse events or increases in suicidal thinking or behavior.But the preliminary clinical results exceeded r...

It's okay. we make tree-house calls too.

Big news, Topeka — Healing Smiles Dentistry is moving! 🦷✨

In 1985, Dr. Chronister opened his practice in a tiny, one-chair office at 10th and Topeka. In 1993, we moved to our current home, and over the years we've expanded three times to keep up with the wonderful patients who've trusted us with their smiles.

Now, we're thrilled to begin our next chapter. When our current lease came to an end, a door opened in exactly the right place: the former office of Dr. Julie Swift in the Westboro neighborhood, near Huntoon and Oakley. The layout is a perfect fit for our team, and we're currently remodeling the space and bringing in mostly new, state-of-the-art equipment.

📍 Our new home: 3100 SW Huntoon St., Topeka
🗓️ Seeing patients starting January 1, 2027

Same caring team, same commitment to your smile — beautiful new space. We can hardly wait to welcome you!

🩺 Kids teaching their parents about heart health? VCU Health's Pauley Heart Center is piloting "Teach BP" — a program that trains 4th & 5th graders in Richmond schools to understand blood pressure and share what they learn with family.

The idea: children can be powerful "change agents" for their household's health, especially in communities hit hardest by hypertension.

Sometimes the best health educators are 10 years old. 💙

Hypertension change agents A VCU Health Pauley Heart Centerpilot program expected to launch this year in Richmond area schools will target multigenerational populations to learn about hypertension and associated health risks. Called Teach BP, the program will educate fourth- and fifth-graders about blood pressure and prepare....

🦷 New study: pancreatic cancer surgery patients with 21+ natural teeth survived a median of 60.7 months — nearly 2 years longer than those with fewer teeth (39.1 months).

Researchers say tooth count may reflect the body's long-term resilience, not just oral health. Another sign the mouth and body are deeply connected. 🔬

Natural tooth count linked to survival after pancreatic cancer surgery: study - Oral Health Group Japanese researchers found that pancreatic cancer surgery patients with at least 21 natural teeth had longer median survival than those with fewer teeth.

Good news for sparkling water fans: according to the ADA, plain fizzy water is basically just water to your teeth. In lab testing, it affected enamel about the same as regular water.

A couple of caveats: citrus flavors bump up the acid, so enjoy those with a meal instead of sipping all day. And once sugar is added, it's not really sparkling water anymore. Fluoridated tap water is still the gold standard.

The Truth about Sparkling Water and Your Teeth | MouthHealthy - Oral Health Information from the ADA Despite reports that sparkling water harms tooth enamel, available studies show it’s generally okay to drink. Here are some helpful facts from the American Dental Association.