Welcome to the Salins Orthodontics Blog! We hope that you enjoy our posts and maybe even learn a little bit about...well...everything! We will explore the world of orthodontics, tell fun and interesting stories and share a bit of our fun personality. Please feel free to interact, ask questions, make comments and share your insight!

Sunday, October 30, 2011

5 tips for avoiding plaque buildup



At Salins Orthodontics, we know nobody likes getting plaque on their teeth. Here are five other ways you can avoid that dreaded enemy of the teeth during orthodontic treatment, courtesy of WebMD.
Let’s start with brushing regularly. Brushing your teeth twice a day with a fluoride-containing toothpaste is vital to a healthy mouth. Make sure you softly brush all the surfaces of your teeth.
Next on the list is flossing daily: a simple daily flossing between teeth clears away plaque before it can cause damage and can also clean plaque at the gum line. Plaque is known to reach the spaces between teeth.
Also, evading a trip to the dentist is probably not a great idea. Let’s say you brush and floss daily. You’re still at risk for plaque. With time, the plaque hardens and turns into tartar. Consider visiting your general dentist at least twice a year or as recommended by your dentist, and you have a lower chance of getting cavities or losing your teeth while wearing braces.
You’ll also want to stop avoiding those fruits and veggies. Believe it or not, there are foods out there that play a key role in keeping plaque off our teeth. They include apples, carrots, cucumbers and other raw fruits and vegetables. You can still eat these types of fruits and veggies if you have braces, but be sure to cut them up into bite sized pieces to avoid breaking off brackets.
Finally, before you pick up that candy bar, remember to not give in to your sweet tooth. Consuming sugary drinks or eating candy or other junk food allows sugar to stick to our teeth. The bacteria, then, becomes plaque, which turns into acid and damages our teeth. Avoiding these five bad habits keeps your plaque in check and your mouth as healthy as can be during your orthodontic treatment with Dr. Snow. If you have any questions, give us a call or ask us on Facebook!

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Friday, October 21, 2011

When is it time to begin orthodontic treatment?


Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) have put together a helpful list that outlines when you should call Dr Salins. Here are some early warning signs indicating it’s time to check in with us:
1. Early or late loss of baby teeth
2. Difficulty of chewing or biting
3. Mouth breathing
4. Finger sucking or other oral habits
5. Crowding, misplaced or blocked-out teeth
6. Jaws that shift, make sounds, protrude or retrude
7. Speech difficulty
8. Biting the cheek or biting into the roof of the mouth
9. Protruding teeth
10. Teeth that meet in an abnormal way or don’t meet at all
11. Facial imbalance or asymmetry
12. Grinding or clenching of teeth
Do any of these warning signs fit you? If so, give us a call as soon as possible!
Hope this helps,
The team at Salins Orthodontics

Always Smiling Brightly

Even though this archeological find shows that dentists have been skilled for thousands of years, rest assured that OUR skills have far surpassed our early mentors!!!


http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/05/090518-jeweled-teeth-picture.html

Friday, October 14, 2011

Don’t skip those regular checkups, especially in October!


Dr. Salins wants to know: Are you brushing and flossing daily properly during your treatment? If the answer is yes, that’s great! But, don’t forget that it’s also important for you to visit your general dentist every 3-to-6 months in addition to brushing your teeth and flossing (and visiting Salins Orthodontics, of course). Regular dental checkups are important for maintaining good oral health, especially during orthodontic treatment.
It’s the perfect time for a visit to the dentist. Why? Because not only is October National Orthodontic Health Month, it’s also National Dental Hygiene Month!
Your general dentist can check for problems that might not be seen or felt, detect cavities and early signs of decay, treat oral health problems early and show you how to properly brush and floss your teeth.
During an oral exam your dentist can check the health of your mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks and tongue. Checkups will also include a thorough teeth cleaning and polishing. If you have not been to the dentist in the last six months, let us know during your next visit and we will provide a few great references here in Lakewood or surrounding areas!

Monday, October 10, 2011

October is National Orthodontic Health Month!


Happy October! For those who don’t know, it’s National Orthodontic Health Month. This month-long event is organized by our pals at the American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO.
Dr. Salins and our team realize that this is a great opportunity for us to raise awareness about the importance of oral hygiene. National Orthodontic Health Month also aims to recognize the dedicated work of orthodontists like Dr. Salins and other dental professionals in Northern California.
The AAO recommends patients avoid the following Halloween treats, or recipes with these ingredients:
• Caramel
• Nuts
• Popcorn (including un-popped kernels)
• Taffy
• Jelly beans
• Hard pretzels
• Licorice
• Bubblegum
• Ice
If you have any questions, please feel free to give us a call or ask us at Salins Orthodontics during your visit this month!

Monday, October 3, 2011

Parsley and Other Ways To Brighten Your Smile from Salins Orthodontics

At Salins Orthodontics we see lots of patients concerned about their bad breath. So we want to educate you about what you can do to really keep your chompers clean and breath minty fresh!

Naturally, good oral hygiene is the first set. With proper brushing and regular dental checkups you can keep bad breath (halitosis) in check.

Certain foods, medications, smoking, sinus issues, or even gum disease cause most bad breath. If the stink lingers for longer than 24 hours, you should see us at Salins Orthodontics. It might be something more serious, like dehydration, zinc deficiency, diabetes, liver failure, kidney failure, or even certain kinds of cancers!

In the meantime, here are some home remedies to keep you smiling bright from Salins Orthodontics.

--Spice Up Your Life
Snack on some cloves, fennel, or anise after each particularly odorous snack.

--Don’t forget the tongue
Lots of people brush their teeth regularly, but leave the tongue alone. One of the main causes of bad breath is food and plaque residue on the surface of your tongue. So give it a nice gentle brush-over too!

--Watch your drinking habits
The worst options are coffee, wine, whiskey, and beer.

--Frequent brushing
Carry a toothbrush with you so brushing after each meal is convenient and refreshing! Trust us, you’ll love the way it makes you feel. If you can’t brush, still swish around a couple sips of water to remove any lingering food.

--Make your own Gargle
Gargling with a home mixture of sage, calendula, and myrrh gum extracts four times a day should ward off that bad breath potential.

--Parsley’s there for a reason
Finish your parsley after you finish your dinner and you’ll find a refreshing breath enhancer. Hate the texture? Throw a couple sprigs in a blender to sip after each meal.

--Sugarless Gum
Always a good idea to carry some mints or sugarless gum for that quick spruce up before you meet the boss.

--Don’t cut that cheese
The stronger the cheese, the stinkier your breath can become. Think about blue cheese and Roquefort? They really get the party started in your mouth and it’s hard to make them leave!

Chewing Gum with Braces


Sugar-Free Polyol Gum/ Nonfluoride Varnishes Help Prevent Cavities 

CHICAGO 9/12/11 – A multi-disciplinary expert panel, convened by the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs, issued a report containing clinical recommendations that sugar-free chewing gum, lozenges, hard candy including  xylitol or polyol combinations, and a prescription varnish with chlorhexidine and thymol could be beneficial in preventing cavities when used as adjuncts to a comprehensive cavity prevention  program which includes the use of fluoride-containing products.  The full report is available on the ADA’s Center for Evidence-Based Dentistry (EBD) website. 

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Love your new smile? Tell the world about it!

At Salins Orthodontics, we understand not everyone is always thrilled about visiting their orthodontist. But here at our convenient South San Francisco & Union City offices, we strive to bring you the best and most comforting experience at each visit at Salins Orthodontics. Today, we’d like to know: What is it about our office that makes you comfortable or puts you or your child at ease? Is it something about our pleasant environment? Our courteous staff?