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Once braces come off we know it is exciting to see how great your new smile looks.  And you want to keep it that way, right?  However, some patients forget how important it is to wear their retainers to maintain that beautiful smile after orthodontic treatment is complete.  At Kennell Orthodontics, we give specific instructions to all of our patients on how to properly wear retainers.  Typically, retainers are worn 24/7 for the first three days after braces are removed, then just during sleep thereafter.

Retainers must be worn for life in order to maintain the teeth in position.  Minor tooth movement can occur throughout life, which is why we strongly encourage our patients to always wear their retainers.  Oh - and remember to keep those retainers away from the dog.  Dogs don't just eat your homework, they eat retainers too!

Happy Halloween! Learn what treats you can and can't eat with braces to avoid a SPOOKY smile tonight :)

Good Treats:

• Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
• Kit Kats
• Plain M&M’s
• 3 Musketeers
• Oreo’s & Soft Cookies
• Hershey Bars & Hershey Kisses
• Candy Bars without caramel or nuts

Bad Treats:

• Caramel
• Bubblegum
• Hard Candy
• Taffy
• Licorice
• Nuts
• Jelly Beans
• Candy Corns
• Popcorn
• Chewy Candy
• Caramel/Candy Apples

Five orthodontic-friendly recommendations by the Lakes Regions orthodontist, Dr. Alan Kennell

October is National Orthodontic Health Month. And each October, thousands of kids have one thing on their mind: Halloween candy!  For orthodontists, the Halloween season is all about helping patients avoid potentially sticky situations.

October is the perfect time of year to learn about orthodontic health and how an orthodontist helps patients achieve beautiful, healthy smiles. Besides, everyone knows that Halloween candy can give any orthodontist a scare!

The Lakes Region and White Mountains orthodontist Dr. Kennell of Kennell Orthodontics offers these five timely tips to help protect braces, aligners and other orthodontic “appliances” while protecting teeth from decay.

1. Let sticky foods RIP. If it’s hard, sticky, chewy or crunchy, stay away! Avoid caramel, taffy, bubblegum, licorice, gummies or any snack that can damage brackets or wires. Also, be sure to say “boo” to hard-shelled peanut candies, nuts or nut-filled candies, taco chips and popcorn (especially unpopped kernels).
2. Choose “spooktacularly” soft foods. Opt for soft chocolates, peppermint patties, peanut butter cups or other melt-in-your-mouth varieties.
3. Dare to take extra care. Sweets can cause cavities, which is why brushing and flossing are even more important than ever during the Halloween season. Orthodontic patients should be especially vigilant about brushing and flossing immediately after eating sugary or starchy foods.
4. Set yourself up for success. Kennell encourages parents to keep acceptable treats on hand to substitute for “off limits” candies for trick-or-treating. Parents can also find free, Halloween-themed recipes such as Quirky Quesadillas for Halloween, Delightfully Devilish Deviled Eggs, Mummy Pizza Biscuits, Spooky Spider Web Bean dip and others, on the American Association of Orthodontists’ website at https://www.mylifemysmile.org/recipes.
5. Commit 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 wires.

“We want kids to have fun on Halloween,” says Dr. Kennell. “And there’s no need to feel left out. Patients are free to enjoy acceptable treats in moderation. The payoff is a healthy, beautiful smile. It’s always worth it in the end!”

Nail Biting and Your Oral Health

We’ve all heard that biting your nails is an awful habit, but you many wonder- really- what’s so bad about it? This interesting article discusses how biting your nails affect your teeth and oral health.

Nail biting, also known as Onychophagia, is a common habit among various age groups, including primarily children, teens and young adults. Nail biting is generally triggered by stress and most often decreases with age. That being said, nail biting is unsanitary, unattractive, as well as unhealthy for your teeth!

Here’s why:

• It’s unsanitary. Your nails are dirty, almost twice as dirty as your fingers! Hence, biting your nails is just asking for germs and bacteria.

• No good things come to your teeth. Nail biting causes your teeth to constantly be chewing, which is not good for them. This excessive motion wears your teeth down faster than a non-nail biter’s and puts a large amount of stress on your front teeth- contributing to teeth misalignment.

• Braces don’t love it either. Braces already put pressure on teeth, nail biting ads unnecessary pressure, further stressing your teeth and weakening their roots.

• It can be costly. Nail biting can result in up to $4,000 in additional dental bills over one lifetime, according to the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). Yikes!

What can you do about it?

Now that you know how harmful nail biting can be, it’s time to take action to break your nail biting habit. Try to be conscious of your fingernails and to keep them looking good- this will help you resist the temptation.

Ask Dr. Alan Kennell or visit the article for tips on how to break a nail biting habit.