October Is National Orthodontic Health Month!

It’s October, and we’re celebrating National Orthodontic Health Month along with the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO). Our goal is to help promote orthodontic health and share some tooth-friendly tips about orthodontic treatment to help you create a healthy, beautiful smile!

A great smile starts with healthy, strong, aligned teeth for a proper bite. Our goal is to work with you to create the straight teeth you need for your healthiest smile. We can align the position of the teeth and jaw using braces, clear aligners, and retainers. With orthodontic treatment, teeth can stay aligned in place for years to come. Orthodontics can be used on children, teens, and adults.

Straight teeth aren’t just optimal for appearance’s sake, either. An aligned bite with straight teeth allows better access to thoroughly cleaning teeth and gums when brushing and flossing. Having a correctly aligned bite and straight teeth are necessary to keep out dental decay and gum disease that can otherwise lead to tooth loss.

Benefits of Orthodontic Treatment

• You will create your healthiest bite when your jaw is in its optimal position. It helps you evade issues with biting, chewing, and speaking as well as avoiding sleep apnea.
• Straightened teeth won’t scrape or grind together, prematurely wearing down tooth enamel or causing dental issues later that will require expensive treatment like crowns, bridges, implants, or dentures.
• Attain a self-confident smile you will be proud to show off instead of hiding! Did you know people with attractive smiles are considered more successful in social and work situations?

As you can see, orthodontics has benefits that improve your quality of life!

National Orthodontics Month and Clearing Up Misconceptions

Thanks to the efforts of the American Association of Orthodontists, people can see that:

• Dentists are not automatically orthodontists who can offer braces or aligners.
• Orthodontics can be affordable.
• Periodical orthodontic visits to monitor the process is part of the treatment.
• Orthodontics does not require years to straighten teeth.
• Orthodontic treatment is not only for cosmetic improvements.
• You can choose between braces or aligners to get the results you want.
• Orthodontics is not just for kids and teens. More adults than ever get their teeth aligned!

What You Can Do

• Seek orthodontic treatment for your child while their jaw is still developing to spot potential problems early, and don’t wait until your child loses all their baby teeth before visiting an orthodontist.
• Seek orthodontic treatment if you are unhappy with your smile; it is never too late for straight teeth!

Tips

This National Orthodontic Health Month, we offer you some tips to keep braces or other orthodontic appliances safe while keeping cavities at bay:

• Halloween or not, don’t snack on hard, sticky, crunchy, or chewy candy and treats. Here is the no-go list: anything with caramel, gummies, licorice, taffy, tootsie rolls, bubblegum, jelly beans, and sodas.
• Make sure to stay away from hard-shelled peanut candies, nuts or nut-filled candies, taco chips, popcorn, and ice.
• Brush and floss every day, especially while wearing braces. Sugary-, starchy- or acidic-like materials tend to gather around brackets and other braces gear, so you will want to clean them well every day.
• Treats you or your child can enjoy while wearing braces include soft chocolates (peanut butter cups, peppermint patties), milkshakes, ice cream, Jell-O, cake, doughnuts, and soft cookies. While these are easy on braces, you’ll still want to brush and floss after enjoying them.

Navigating orthodontic treatment during the holiday season does not have to invite tooth decay. By taking just a few tooth-friendly precautions and practicing consistent oral health care, teeth receiving orthodontic treatment can stay strong and healthy for a beautiful smile for years to come. Feel free to call us if you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation with our orthodontic team!