Ortho & Overall Health

I actually just completed my ortho treatment and couldn't be happier! This is a picture toward the end of my case.
I can't believe how much easier it is to keep my teeth clean and how it has changed my smile.

There are many benefits to orthodontic treatment. Did you know that teeth in proper alignment are less prone to break and easier to keep clean? Clean teeth develop less problems with decay and gum disease. Additionally, misaligned teeth can cause abnormal wear of tooth surfaces, inefficient chewing, and stress on gum tissue and bone that support the teeth. In extreme cases, misaligned teeth can result in chronic headaches or pain in the face or neck.

Each treatment plan involving orthodontic care is different. There are express cases and there are full cases. In some cases, you might need to see a specialists. Schedule a consultation if you are interested in learning more about clear braces.

Orofacial Development: Kids & Sleep

Have you heard your child snore? Take a moment to read Mouth Breathing: Adverse Effects on Facial Growth, Health, Academics, and Behavior to learn about how sleep disorders impact children. Talk to your child's dentist or pediatrician if you have concerns about your child's sleep hygiene and orofacial development. Consider checking in on your child or use the baby monitor every now and then to monitor his or her sleep patterns.

Local pediatricians often refer parents to healthychildren.org as a resource for many health, developmental, and nutritional issues. This site also has information available for the different ages & stages that talks about sleep. Check it out—It could literally change your child's life!

Sip All Day, Get Decay

Added acid in the food industry comes in basically two forms: phosphoric acid and citric acid. Phosphoric acid is added to all carbonated drinks to preserve the carbonation (the bubbles) until the beverage is opened. Citric acid, which is made and produced as a byproduct of the corn industry, is used as a preservative. To note, we are not talking about citric acid in its natural form--citrus fruits. Although, citrus fruit in the form of juices is just as damaging.

As you may recall, pH is a relative scale we use to indicate acids and bases. A neutral pH is 7 which is for the most part the pH of our bodies. Water is also at a neutral pH. Battery acid is highly toxic at a pH of 1. Most juices, energy drink, sour candies, and sodas range in pH between 2.4 and 4.0. Tooth enamel starts breaking down at a pH of 5.5. The root surface of teeth starts breaking down at a pH of about 6.5.

The Minnesota Dental Association launched a Sip All Day, Get Decay campaign to bring awareness to this issue. The acid in sports drinks, energy drinks, and sodas, whether they contain sugar or not, is the primary cause of weakened tooth enamel. With each sip, acid attacks the teeth for approximately twenty minutes. Consider sipping on water and save those other drinks for a treat!