Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Autumn Snacks

We are now at a time of year that is known for unhealthy snacks. Carmel apples, popcorn and candy make dentists cringe. It is a known fact that sugar causes tooth decay. Furthermore, most candy is detrimental to orthodontic treatment. I'm sure we explained to you what foods you need to limit and avoid when you have braces, but just to recap, let's discuss them again. Avoid these: caramel, crunchy peanut butter, gooey chocolate bars, hard candy and nuts, Starbursts or taffy, gummy bears (and their gummy friends), gum and popcorn. Also, you need to limit soda and sugary drinks, and be sure to eat corn chips one corn chip at a time. And that is for starters. All the many candies that are not on the list can also be harmful if eaten in excess, because the sugar build up between the braces and teeth can be detrimental.

Even if you don't have braces, excessive sugar is dangerous, especially for children. Along with the obvious tooth decay, excessive sugar can promote obesity, hyperactivity and lack of concentration in school. Because of this, I have listed some suggestions for the Autumn season.

  1. Limit sweets. You and your children do not have to eat all of the candy, dessert and unhealthy snacks offered to you. As a family talk about selecting favorites and discarding the rest. You many think this sounds wasteful, but this is not nutritious food I am asking you to discard. It's basically toxins.
  2. Seek fun, family activities that do not revolve around sweets. There are many other activities your children can participate in that do not include the constant barrage of candy.
  3. Visit an apple orchard and then make healthy desserts with the apples. Not only does this promote healthy eating, but provides an afternoon of family fun.

The season of harvest is phenomenal. But I have seen the results of poor eating habits. And if you (or your child) are having braces, you are investing in your smile. Maintain that investment with healthy eating.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Celebrities and Braces

I have discussed the benefits of braces in previous posts. Braces improve your smile, which leads to higher income and better health. Today, let me talk to you about celebrities who have used braces to improve their appearance and, therefore, their lives.

Many celebrities have worn braces. Monica, Dakota Fanning, Drew Barrymore, Estelle, Gwen Stefani, Angelina Jolie, Dwight Howard, as well as and Serena and Venus Williams all wore braces. Chelsea Clinton, just before her wedding last year, thanked her parents for having her wear braces as a child. As adults, Whoopi Goldberg, Tom Cruise, Danny Glover, Barbara Walters, Chris Rock and Diana Ross all wore braces as an investment in their smile and themselves. Nicolas Cage wore a lower brace while receiving a Writer's Guild award in 2003, Cindy Crawford wore braces while filming a Pepsi commercial and Katy Perry wore braces in her video to her latest hit, "Last Friday Night". All of these individuals invested in their smile and, therefore, themselves. They knew that when the world saw them in braces, they would be portrayed as individuals who were willing to make a small sacrifice for a better life.

Why not make the same investment that all of these people made, and see where it takes you. Call my office today at (248) 569-8770 for your free consultation, and see what doors a health smile opens for you.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Smiling Will Make You Look Younger

Smiling will actually make you look younger! Does it sound hard to believe? Well there is truth behind that statement. The muscles we use to smile lift the face, making us look younger. It is the equivalent to a face lift, without the surgery. Furthermore, when you smile, you look more attractive, and that will make people believe you are younger as well, because many people equate attractiveness with youth. But there is even more. Smiling not only affects how you look, it affects how you feel! And if you feel good, you take on less stress, and as well, will look younger. Smiling, therefore, is more important than ever.

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you realize how much value I place in your smile. And it's simple: the quality of your smile is in direct relation to the quality of your life. That makes investing in your smile a wise choice. So take the first step to making that choice by calling my office at (248) 569-8770. You are not just investing in your smile. You are investing in the quality of your life.