Page 16 avavvyvy avvy S iorn oreniioor a avvy iori by Jim Miller Easy-to-Use Dental Care Products for Elderly Seniors Dear Savvy Senior, I have arthritis and hand tremors that aff ects my grip strength and makes brushing my teeth diffi cult. I’ve read that electric toothbrushes can help make the job easier. Can you make any recommendations for seniors? Arthritic Alice Dear Alice, For seniors who suff er from arthritis or have other hand weaknesses or tremors, an electric toothbrush is an often turned to solution for keeping your teeth clean. At the push of a button, an electric toothbrush will do everything but shake, rattle and roll to do the cleaning for you, and most come with a wide, slightly weighted handle and rubberized grip that make them easier and more comfortable to hold on to. How to Choose With dozens of diff erent electric toothbrushes on the market today, here are several points to consider to help you choose: Cost: The cost of electric toothbrushes will range from $10 for a model with replaceable AA batteries to more than $200 for some models with rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, multiple brushing modes, smartphone integrations, and other features. How much are you willing to spend? Brushing action: Brush heads tend to be either “spinning” (they rotate very fast in one direction, then the other, and bristles may pulsate in and out) or “sonic” (they vibrate side to side). Both methods are eff ective and a matter of personal preference. Electric versus battery: Choose a brush with a built-in rechargeable battery and an electric charging station. They’re much more convenient and cost eff ective than toothbrushes that use replaceable batteries. Brushing timer: Since most dentists recommend brushing for two minutes (most adults average about 45 seconds), get an electric toothbrush with a built-in brushing timer – most have them. Some brushes will even split the two minutes onto four 30-second intervals and will notify you when it’s time to switch to a diff erent quadrant of your mouth. Extra features: Most higher-priced electric brushes come with extra features like cleaning modes, pressure sensors, a charge-level display and more. There are even “smart” toothbrushes that connect to a smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth to track brushing habits. What extra features do you want? Best Electric Toothbrushes According to Consumer Reports – an independent, nonprofi t product testing and research organization – the top electric toothbrushes for 2024 are the Oral-B iO 7 Series ($150); Oral B Genius X 10000 ($200); Bruush Electric Toothbrushes ($95); and the Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100 ($120). And the top rated low-cost electric toothbrush is the Brightline 86700 ($30). The New York Times Wirecutter, another popular product reviewing service, rates the Oral-B Pro 1000 ($40) as the best electric toothbrush followed by the Philips Sonicare 4100 ($40). Easier Flossing Tools If fl ossing has become challenging too, a good alternative to traditional string fl oss are fl oss picks. These are disposable plastic-handle tools that have fl oss threaded onto them, which makes them easier to hold and use. DenTek, Oral-B and others sell packages for a few dollars or check out the Listerine UltraClean Access Flosser, which comes with a toothbrush-like handle for a better reach. Some other fl ossing products to consider that are easy on the hands are the WaterPik Power Flosser ($15), which gently vibrates to dislodge embedded food particles between your teeth. Or consider a water fl osser, which use high-pressured pulsating water to remove food particles and plaque and will stimulate your gums in the process. WaterPik off ers a variety of water fl ossing products at prices ranging between $40 and $140, as does Oral Breeze, which off ers the Shower Breeze and Quick Breeze water fl ossers (around $40) that connects directly to your faucet or shower head. All of these dental care products can also be found at your local pharmacy or retailer that sells personal care items or online. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, February 23, 2024 OBITS | FROM PAGE 15 ty of Massachusetts in Amherst, where he received his degree in Civil Engineering. He then served in the Army during the Korean War. He was a platoon leader with the Army Corps of Engineers, and after serving honorably, was discharged in 1961 having attained the rank of Second Lieutenant. fter his discharge he returned to the Boston area. While raising his two children in Walpole as a single father, he worked as a landscape architect in Boston by day, and was a little league coach, then umpire in the evenings for many years. Dick and his wife Gerry moved to Dennisport on Cape Cod where he was a volunteer at the local senior center. He also delivered Meals on Wheels for 20 years. In the 50’s, Dick was a member of the Norwood Curtain Timers theatre group. HE was an avid Red Sox and Cleveland Browns fan, living and breathing both teams through thick and (mostly) thin. He loved humor and remembered hundreds of jokes, who told him the jokes, and the approximate year when he heard them. Art was another passion, Dick was a published illustrator of several books, a cartoonist, and a creator of greeting cards. He will be terribly missed. All services for Dick will be private. Robert “Bobby” “MAD-DOG” Martino I Of Malden. Lost his fight with esophageal adenocarcinoma cancer on February 16, 2024 surrounded by his loved ones. Bobby ~ Legal Notice ~ NOTICE OF ACTIVITY AND USE LIMITATION 100 COMMERCIAL STREET MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS MASSDEP RELEASE TRACKING NUMBER 3-0362 A release of oil and/or hazardous materials has occurred at this location, which is a disposal site as defined by M.G.L. c. 21E, § 2 and the Massachusetts Contingency Plan, 310 CMR 40.0000. On February 15, 2024, Massachusetts Electric Company d/b/a National Grid recorded with the Middlesex South District Registry of Deeds and with the Land Registration Office of the Middlesex South Registry District a NOTICE OF ACTIVITY AND USE LIMITATION on the disposal site, pursuant to 310 CMR 40.1070 through 40.1080. The NOTICE OF ACTIVITY AND USE LIMITATION will limit the following site activities and uses on the above property: • Use of the Property as a residence, school (with the exception of adult education), recreational area, daycare or child care center, or other uses of the Site that could result in a child’s ingestion of existing soils during high frequency or high intensity activities as defined by the Massachusetts Contingency Plan (MCP). • The use of the Property for growing fruits or vegetables intended for human consumption other than in raised containers or beds isolated from the underlying soil. • Any activities and/or uses that are likely to result in damage to or unplanned removal of the engineered barrier at the Property, and/or the disturbance or relocation of the soil located beneath the engineered barrier, without prior evaluation and approval by a Licensed Site Professional (LSP) and notification to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). • Any activities and/or uses that penetrate greater than 12 inches into the cover material overlying the stabilized and solidified soil at the Property, without prior evaluation and approval by an LSP and notification to MassDEP. • Any planned (non-emergency) activities and/or uses which involve excavation or disturbance of, or direct contact with the soil and groundwater, other than subsurface explorations for environmental assessment or geotechnical purposes, routine landscaping, or non-intrusive maintenance of pavement or hardscapes, unless such activities and/or uses are conducted in accordance with the MCP, a Health and Safety Plan, and a Soil Management Plan (SMP). • Changes in future use or redevelopment of the property that involve the placement of future structures intended for continuous human occupancy without the evaluation of potential vapor intrusion scenarios by an LSP and/or the implementation of a vapor intrusion barrier and/or mitigation system under the oversight of an LSP. Any person interested in obtaining additional information about the NOTICE OF ACTIVITY AND USE LIMITATION may contact Aaron Townsley, National Grid, 170 Data Drive, Waltham, Massachusetts, (781) 906-3985. The NOTICE OF ACTIVITY AND USE LIMITATION and the disposal site file can be viewed at the MassDEP website using Release Tracking Number (RTN) 3-0362 at https://eeaonline.eea.state.ma.us/ portal#!/search/wastesite or at the MassDEP Northeast Regional Office, 150 Presidential Way, Woburn, MA, 01801, telephone number 978-694-3200. February 23, 2024 joined the U.S. Navy in 1972 and was a Vietnam Veteran who served his country for seven years and in 1975 took part in “Operation Frequent Wind” which involved the evacuation of refugees from Saigon. During his service, he traveled to many diff erent lands in southeast Asia and Europe. In 1979, upon returning home to Malden, Bobby married the love of his life, Carole Ann and they raised a family together. They started a business known as D.D.S. Courier service providing same day delivery up and down the east coast and Canada from which Bobby retired in 2016. If you had the pleasure of knowing or being friends with Bobby, you would know that he loved to laugh and his motto was, “Laugh at everything and everybody because life is hard OBITS| SEE PAGE 17
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