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SOME EATING HABITS ONLY apply while you’re in braces. But learning how to snack smart will also help you maintain great oral health AFTER you’re done with treatment.

So what’s the danger in snacking? Well, every time we eat, our mouths go to work cleaning things up and restoring “balance”. Having three meals a day is one thing. But when we continuously snack, our mouths struggle more to maintain that clean, happy balance—especially when we’re eating the wrong kinds of foods.

The Types Of Foods We Snack On Make A Difference

While you’re in braces, it’s best to avoid really sugary, sticky, and acidic foods altogether. So use this time to get to know other great snack foods that work for you. Keep these tips in mind:

1. Be more aware! Notice WHICH snacks you eat, and WHEN you’re eating them.

2. Keep “teeth-healthy” snacks handy. At first you’ll miss the sweets. But very quickly your tastes will adjust and smart snacks will easily tide you over between meals and late at night. Here are some suggestions:

• Crunchy, fibrous fruits and vegetables actually scrub your teeth and increase saliva flow.
• Protein-rich foods like beans, meats, and eggs have phosphorus and minerals that help build strong teeth. Try edamame as a snack!
• Cheese is sugar/starch free, and dairy products are high in calcium, which is great for teeth.

Did You Know An Apple Is Like A Mini Toothbrush?

When you’re craving a snack, practice putting away the crackers and cookies. Opt for something that’s good for your teeth instead. One special note about apples, though: we do NOT recommend eating an apple off the core while you’re in braces. Instead, cut it up into easy, bite-size pieces. 

Eating Treats With Your Meals

Don’t torture yourself. If you choose, having a starchy or sugary treat once in a while is fine. Eating them at the right time can help too, and potentially have a less damaging effect on your teeth.

• Eat treats WITH a meal to help dilute their effects and wash them down. During meals, you have increased saliva flow to clean away debris, counteract acids, and remineralize your teeth.
• Follow up with brushing or rinsing.

Do you have smart snacking tips of your own? We’d love to hear them! You can leave a comment below, or you can always reach us on our Facebook page.

Call us at Gorczyca Orthodontics, (925) 757-9000, or find us at clubbraces.com if you have questions about smart snacks for your smile.

Thanks for your trust in our practice! We appreciate you!

NEW SMILE, NEW YOU. Your Invisalign smile makeover will take years off of your appearance, make you feel young again, and give you a reason to smile.

Invisalign Is An Easy Way To Improve Your Smile

Invisalign is a fast and easy way to correct your bite, tooth position, and smile to prepare your teeth for your gorgeous smile makeover.

Invisalign is a comprehensive orthodontic treatment. Combined with the wearing of orthodontic rubber bands, Invisalign will move your teeth and correct your bite to make your smile ideal.

Invisalign And AcceleDent Can Drastically Reduce Treatment Time

Orthodontic treatment combined with the technology of AcceleDent can cut your Invisalign treatment time in half giving you a fantastic bite and smile in less than two years.

We Can Help With Your Smile Makeover

This case was completed by Board Certified Orthodontist Dr. Ann Marie Gorczyca and General Dentist Dr. Jeffrey Haug of Antioch, California. Both doctors are located at the Deer Valley Dental Professional Building, 5201 Deer Valley Road in Antioch, California.

For a complimentary orthodontic consultation and information about your smile makeover, visit us at www.clubbraces.com or call us at (925) 757-9000.

Turn back time with Invisalign and a smile makeover today. Here's to your beautiful and youthful smile.

ONE BY ONE, over and over, cute and tasty, fun flavored, multi-colored jelly beans violently attack your teeth and your oral hygiene.

Be Careful: Jelly Beans Can Wreak Havoc On Teeth

Caught in a braces dragnet, jelly beans may sit for hours on your teeth spreading their sugar leading to plaque formation and enamel decalcification. Eaten before bed without brushing, jelly beans are like an oral hygiene nuclear attack.

Chewy, sticky, and hard, jelly beans adhere to your braces and teeth making it difficult for your saliva and tongue to wash them away. Like a sugar invasion, jelly beans set up camp and coat your teeth with their stickiness which can only be removed by brushing and flossing.

Cavity producing bacteria love to eat jelly beans even more than you do! They eat the jelly beans and produce acid which damages your tooth enamel and causes tooth decay. Long term, jelly beans create holes in your teeth called cavities.

Practice Good Oral Hygiene To Protect Your Teeth

Be sure to brush and floss your teeth as soon as possible after eating jelly beans. If you're a jelly bean eater, consider adding a plaque prevention rinse to your oral hygiene regimen. Brush for two minutes twice per day, floss, and visit your dentist and hygienist regularly twice per year for excellent oral hygiene.

Orthodontist Dr. Ann Marie Gorczyca recommends eating jelly beans in moderation and avoiding jelly beans if you have braces. Find us at www.clubbraces.com.

Be sure to drink water and brush and floss as soon as you can after eating jelly beans. Prevent your dental hygiene attack of the jelly beans.

RECENT STUDIES ESTIMATE about half of all adults have some form of gum disease. Shocking, isn’t it?

One reason the spread of periodontal conditions is so common is because gum problems progress slowly and often painlessly. In many cases, dental neglect and skipping regular checkups allow periodontal disease to seriously damage gums and even underlying bone structure before action is taken!

When bone structure is weakened, teeth can begin to drift out of place. Normally, when teeth need to be aligned, orthodontic treatment including braces or retainers can do the job. But when gums are infected, things become more complicated.

Periodontal Disease Can Delay Orthodontic Treatment

Attempting orthodontic treatment on a mouth affected by periodontal disease can invite even more problems. The pressure of braces on already weak bone structure can cause teeth to move unpredictably and cause further damage.

The first order of business should be getting periodontal disease under control. Once gums are healthy enough to provide the needed support for orthodontic treatment, gaps can be closed and teeth can be straightened.

Expert Diagnosis is Key

In general, periodontal disease should be addressed before moving any teeth. However, in some cases, applying orthodontic treatment sooner can help to alleviate gum problems!

Each individual situation is different, and by getting to know your unique dental profile, we can develop the optimal treatment plan for you. Information provided by your general dentist also helps us decide the best way to proceed.

Take Care of Your Gums, With Braces or Not

Even if you’re not planning on getting braces anytime soon, caring for your gums is crucial for oral health—and total-body health! Healthy gums are linked to lower risk of chronic conditions like heart disease, arthritis, and diabetes.

We view orthodontics as an essential part of your overall well-being. Along with treatment, our goal is to help you establish dental habits that will not only benefit your smile, but your total health and quality of life!

Thanks for being our valued and patient and friend! We invite you to talk with us on your next visit if you have any questions.

Top image by Flickr user Nicolas Henderson used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.