Frequently Asked Dental/Orthodontic Questions:

When it comes to the health and longevity of your teeth, you probably have several questions. Here are several common questions we at Smile Team Orthodontics get asked regularly and some answers that may be helpful to you:

Q: When should my child be seen my an orthodontist?
A: According to the AAO, your child should be seen my an orthodontist by age 8.

Q: Do I really need to floss every tooth?
A: Yes! Flossing helps to remove food and build up that brushing leaves behind and helps to keep your gums healthy.

Q: Why do my gums bleed?
A: There can be multiple reasons your gums bleed but the most common is inadequate removal of plaque from the teeth and gums. Click here for more information.

Q: Should I have my wisdom teeth removed even if they are not causing me any problems?
A: It is recommended to have your wisdom teeth removed in adolescent age when the roots are much smaller. If you have any questions or concerns be sure to contact your dentist for an evaluation.

Q: How important are baby teeth?
A: Even though the baby teeth will eventually fall out and be replaced by permanent teeth the baby teeth are extremely important in maintaining space for the permanent teeth.

Q: How long should I wear my retainers?
A: You should wear your retainers as instructed by your orthodontist. We recommend wearing them at night for as long as you would like to maintain the shape and position of your teeth and smile.

Q: How often should I see my dentist?
A: It is recommended to be seen by a dentist every 6 months. This way your dentist can monitor any possible problems and prevent others from occurring.

Q: My braces are causing sores in my mouth; what can I do?
A: Sores caused by braces are very common. Dental wax and oral antiseptics are helpful in making you more comfortable.

Q: What should I do if I have a problem with my braces?
A: We recommend you call our office in the event you are having a problem with your braces and if you are having a problem when we are out of the office you can call our emergency phone for assistance.

Q: What foods should I stay away from when I have braces?
A: It is best to stay away from anything hard, sticky, and chewy when you have braces.

I hope these answers have been helpful in clarifying any questions or concerns you may have. If you would like anymore helpful tips just visit our website at www.smiletean4u.com.

Chalice Fraser, RDA
www.smileteam4u.com

The Hardest Work We Will Ever Do (But – the most important) (continued)

Well, "Now that I know it is important", you might ask, “fine, how do I do it?”  Or you may not ask, but I am going to give you what I have learned, anyway.  

First, forgiveness is a decision.  A decision which says the person I need to forgive owes me nothing.  I totally release him!  For many of us, this decision is not enough.  I know my work of forgiveness is not done when I think about the person or the situation and those old feelings rise in my heart. 

Second, I have to follow James of the Bible’s suggestion – I have to pray for my enemies.  I cannot tell you how it works, but I can tell you it works.  If I pray for the individual, asking God to bless him and give him the desires of his heart, before long the anger, bitterness and resentment goes away.

Again, I can’t explain why or how it works.  I can tell you, though, through my experience and by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ  – it works!

Here are some other helpful Bible verses on forgiveness:

• Ephesians 4:32
• Matthew 5:23-24
• Matthew 6:14-15
• Matthew 18:21-22
• Numbers 14:19-20

Dr. David R. Sain, D.D.S.

www.smileteam4u.com

Halloween Candy Dos and Don'ts:

          

         With Halloween festivities only a few hours away, there is sure to be an abundance of hard, sticky, chewy candy being handed your way. But if you have braces or an orthodontic appliance, use your better judgment and stay clear of such candies. Did you know every time a bracket comes off, it has the potential to add three months to your treatment? Is that Starburst worth wearing your braces several more months?

          You don’t have to miss out on the Halloween candy just because of your braces though. 

There are several “orthodontist-friendly” treats you can eat such as:

• Plain M&M
• Hershey Bars
• Candy Corn
• Kit Kat Bars
• Hershey Kisses
• Three Musketeers
• Malt Balls
• Sweet Tarts
• Peppermint Patties
• Cookies and Cream
• Snow Caps
• Cup Cakes
• Soft Cookies

Be sure to stay away from these Halloween nightmares:

• Caramel
• Bubblegum
• All hard candy
• Taffy
• Licorice
• Nuts
• Jelly beans
• Candy corns
• Popcorn
• Caramel and candy apples

Allie Todd, RDA, CDA
www.smileteam4u.com

What's the Best Way to Clean My Retainer?

Now that your braces are off, you have retainers to help maintain all the hard work you've done over the past few years. Wearing your retainers as prescribed by your orthodontist is extremely important to maintaining your results and the longevity of your beautiful smile.

You may have noticed that over time your retainer can appear dull or even have an unpleasant smell. The best way to keep this from happening is by cleaning your retainer regularly. Ideally, you need to clean your retainer every time you take it out of your mouth and before you put it back in for the night. If you take your retainer out to have a snack or even to drink something, it is best to brush your teeth before putting the retainer back in. The food that is left on your teeth will transfer onto your retainer. Over time that food will harden and removing it from your retainer will be difficult.

So, how do you clean your retainers and what do you use? Luckily, you will not need any special materials to clean your retainer. You can use the same cleaners that you use on your own teeth. Be sure that you always use cold water, use toothpaste and a toothbrush, scrub all surfaces of your retainer, and then rinse them thoroughly. If you feel like your retainer needs some "freshening" you can fill a small bowl with cold water and add Listerine or Scope to help sterilize the retainers. You can even add a cap full of Hydrogen Peroxide to the cold water if you would like.

Replacement retainers can be very expensive; making their care extremely important. Following these simple guidelines can help keep your retainers in their best condition possible as well as keeping your smile beautiful for a lifetime.

Chalice Fraser, RDA
www.smileteam4u.com

The Hardest Work We Will Ever Do (But – the most important)!

The Summer Olympics was completed a few weeks ago.  If I could choose one thing in which I want to win a gold medal in, it would be forgiveness.  I want to be a world class forgiver.  I personally think a successful life is not really possible without becoming excellent at forgiveness.

There are a number of sayings about forgiveness that ring true.  A couple of them are:

• Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping the other person will die.

• When you release the wrongdoer from the wrong, you cut a malignant tumor out of your inner life. You set a prisoner free, but you discover that the real prisoner was yourself.

• Unforgiveness turns into resentment, cynicism, and bitterness.  It binds us emotionally and spiritually.  It also can stress us physically to the point of crippling us.

I have heard it said, and I agree, “It’s all about relationships.”  Dr. M. Scott Peck, after his very successful book, The Road Less Traveled, wrote a number of books, including The Different Drum:  Community Making and Peace.  In this book he stresses the important of connectedness and wholeness of community in achieving any kind of mental, emotional, or spiritual health.   When God made Adam, he said it was not good for him to be alone.  Before Jesus really started his ministry, he found 12 men to take the journey with him.  It really is all about relationships.

Being married for 40 years, I have some experience with relationships and the importance of forgiveness.  I don’t care how much we might love someone; we are going to hurt them.  We are human and we all make mistakes and sin against God and our fellow human beings.

Without being a world class forgiver, quality, long term relationships are impossible.  If there is one thing I want to be good at, it is forgiveness.  Without being good at forgiveness, I cannot enjoy the emotional and spiritual wholeness that God has in store for me.

The forgiveness work we may need to do may involve more than just family and close friends.  We may have to forgive coworkers, institutions, governments, churches, judges, deceased parents; the list is endless. 

I do think the hardest work we will ever do is forgiveness.  I also think it is the most important.

To be continued next week – stay turned!

Dr. David R. Sain, DDS
www.smileteam4u.com

Beautiful Things

Have you ever heard the song Beautiful Things by Gungor? If not, I highly encourage you to read the lyrics. This song is a sweet reminder that God will make beauty out of the filth in our lives.

It is so easy for us as humans to have a sense of pessimism when we are faced with troubles. Speaking for myself, my mindset is often "Why me, God? You know I'm not strong enough to handle this!" Our God is not a god of coincidences! If he is putting us through a certain struggle, there is a specific reason for it. Whether it is for our own spiritual growth or so we can help others with their problems, He has a purpose. It's taken me a while to realize this, but it's amazing to see the blessings and good He has brought from my mess. 

We so often pray  for God to simply deliver us from the tribulations we face, but think of the growth and wisdom He'd bless us with if we had prayed for our hardships to bring Him glory! My prayer is we accept the trials with a sense of thankfulness and know he will always make beautiful things out of the dust. 

All this pain

I wonder if I'll ever find my way

I wonder if my life could really change at all

All this earth

Could all that is lost ever be found

Could a garden come up from this ground at all

You make beautiful things

You make beautiful things out of the dust

You make beautiful things 

You make beautiful things out of us

All around

Hope is springing up from this old ground 

Out of chaos life is being found in You

You make beautiful things

You make beautiful things out of the dust

You make beautiful things

You make beautiful things out of us

You make beautiful things

You make beautiful things out of dust

You make beautiful things

You make beautiful things out of us

You make me new, You are making me new

You make me new, You are making me new

You are making me new

Allie Todd, CDA RDA
www.smileteam4u.com

Why Do My Gums Bleed When I Brush and Floss?

picture of healthy teeth and gums

Do you ever notice bleeding when brushing or flossing your teeth? Maybe you have noticed your child's mouth bleeds when he/she is brushing or flossing. Though, there are several reasons your gums may be bleeding (some even being indicators of a serious condition) I will mostly be discussing dental reasons your gums are bleeding.

picture of unhealthy gums

After the age of 25, the leading cause of tooth loss is, surprisingly, not due to cavities but, instead, gum disease. So, what causes gum disease? The initial cause of gum disease is inadequate removal of plaque from teeth and gums. As this sticky film (plaque) sits on your teeth it irritates the surrounding tissue (gums or gingiva). Once the irritation begins and goes untreated it then turns into inflammation and results in an infection. This infection is called gingivitis with one side effect being bleeding. If the infection continues to go untreated it will most likely turn into periodontitis (inflammation of the tissue around the teeth, often causing shrinkage of the gums and loosening of the teeth).

Here are a few common reasons your gums may be bleeding:

•   inadequate removal of plaque from teeth and gums

•   hormone changes

•   family history

•   trauma or injury

•   smoking

•   drug use

•   some types of cancer

Luckily, if caught early, the effects of gum disease can usually be reversed. Some ways to help reduce bleeding and the progression of gum disease are:

•   brush and floss daily (preferably 3 times a day)

•   rinse your mouth daily with Listerine (or other oral antiseptic)

•   6 months cleanings at your dentist's office

•   cut back on sugars

•   use a soft bristled toothbrush

It can take up to a month to stop the bleeding all together and your gums may even become irritated in the beginning, but soon you should notice the bleeding has stopped. However, if the bleeding continues, you may also want to seek an opinion from your dentists. 

-Chalice, RDA
www.smileteam4u.com