October is National Orthodontic Health Month and Dental Hygiene Month |
Local company, Classic City Orthodontics (CCO), is all about education and is spreading the word! During the month of October, they are visiting 2nd graders to help educate students on dental care and orthodontic health, including when it may be a good time to visit with an orthodontist. They have visited with Hull Sanford Elementary School, Dove Creek Elementary School, Ila Elementary School, Downtown Academy, and more!
Did you know that the American Association of Orthodontics recommends that children visit an orthodontist by the age of 7 for growth and development assessment? You can avoid complications and prolonged treatment times by starting children at an early age. CCO offers an exciting club for patients who will need braces, but aren't quite there yet. Club Tadpole makes it fun to see if your child's jaw is growing as expected, teeth are erupting as anticipated, and their bite is developing correctly. Children get their own t-shirt and get special prizes, contests, and events!
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To celebrate National Orthodontic Health Month, CCO is sharing tips on Tuesdays for the whole month of October from the American Association of Orthodontists on their Instagram and Facebook pages! These five tips can protect braces, aligners and other orthodontic “appliances” while protecting teeth from decay:
- Avoid sticky situations with your braces and aligners. Stay away from hard, sticky, crunchy or chewy candy and snacks. These include caramel, gummies, licorice, taffy, bubblegum (even the sugarless kind), jelly beans and soft drinks.
- Say “boo” to hard treats – including hard-shelled peanut candies, nuts or nut-filled candies, taco chips and popcorn (especially unpopped kernels). And whether in orthodontic treatment or not, we advise that no one should ever chew ice.
- Brush up! Sweets can cause cavities, which means brushing and flossing are more important than ever during the Halloween season. Orthodontic patients should be especially vigilant about brushing and flossing after consuming sugary or starchy foods.
- Spooktacular news: Not all Halloween candy is off-limits. Good alternatives include soft chocolates, peanut butter cups or other melt-in-your-mouth varieties.
- Make a commitment to oral health. Deciding to avoid hard and chewy sweets before the Halloween season increases your rate of success – and reduces the likelihood that you’ll break braces.
Even if you don't have braces, dental hygiene is extremely important! For the most effective brushing, tilt the brush at a 45 degree angle. Gently move the toothbrush back and forth, but be careful to not be too rough! Cover all the surfaces by getting the top, bottom, inside, outside, and everywhere in between. Lots of bacteria lives on your tongue, so make sure you remember to brush that too!
You can find more about Classic City Orthodontics, and the wonderful things that they do for the community here.
