4th of July Ortho-Friendly Treats

Every year on the 4th day of July we celebrate a great American holiday, Independence Day. Flags of bright red, white and blue appear everywhere you go. Independence Day is celebrated on the 4th of July because it was on July 4, 1776, that members of the Second Continental Congress, meeting in Philadelphia, adopted the final draft of the Declaration of Independence.

The best things about the 4th of July are Family, Food and Fireworks. Everyone will show off their patriotism in different ways on Saturday. One way to show support for Independence Day that the entire family to enjoy is by making 4th of July themed treats. Since some of our patients are currently abiding by Dr. Wentz’s rules to avoid anything hard, sticky and super sugary, we've listed 5 tasty ortho-friendly treats for our patients under treatment to enjoy.

5 Ortho-Friendly Fourth of July Treats (For recipes click the name of each treat)

Cupcake Cones

Red, White and Blue Fruit Salad

Patriotic Punch

Jell-O Firecrackers

Red, White and Blue Cheesecake

Share your treats and your 4th of July fun with us, Tag us in your photos on Instagram and post photos to our wall on Facebook.

Protect Your Smile This Summer

It’s summer time so that means it’s time to get out and have some fun in the sun. Grab the kids and head outside. While you’re enjoying yourselves it’s still important stay safe which includes protecting your smile.

We advocate protecting your smile all year round, however summer is a time where playing and fun activities are turned up a notch. Here are a few tips for enjoying your summer safely.

Stay hydrated

It’s going to get pretty hot this summer here in Lubbock and all around Texas. When you’re out in the sun you have to stay hydrated, but make sure you are drinking fluids that are good for you. Sports drinks that claim to help you with endurance usually are high in sugar. Super sugary drinks are not the best for your teeth. Sugar produces acid that causes tooth decay which can lead to cavities among other issues. To stay hydrated your best option is to drink lots of water.

Remember the foods you must avoid

Summer is filled with sweet treats, but you have to remember while under orthodontic treatment you must avoid certain foods. To protect your orthodontic appliance stay away from sticky, hard and crunchy foods and treats. Find healthier foods you can snack on that are tasty and good for you.

Guard your grill

Summer is filled with fun and physical activities for kids and families. While participating in physical activities you have to protect your mouth with a mouth guard. Mouth guards protect teeth and jaw from potential injuries. Contact us for information regarding custom mouth guards.

Make your appointments

Summer time = free time for kids since they are on vacation from school, which is the perfect time for dental check-ups. You must make sure you make all of your scheduled appointments with Dr. Wentz to ensure that we can track the progress of your treatment.  Along with visiting us, it is important that you schedule time for a check-up with your dentist to make sure your teeth and gums are healthy.

We hope that all of our patients have a awesome summer and remember this summer we are giving away cash prizes when you complete a good deed. All you have to do is let us know about your act of kindness and you’ll be entered to win. Contest ends August 28th, 2015.

Pick the Right Snacks

Sometimes getting kids and teens to eat healthy isn't an easy task, especially when they’re busy with school and other activities. And as parents we’re even busier. It’s OK to admit that sometimes it’s just easier to grab fast food on the way home from work or toss our kids a couple bucks to purchase lunch in the school cafeteria. But proper nutrition not only insures that our kids will grow into healthy adults, it also insures that the money we spent on their orthodontic care does not go to waste.

Did you know that a proper diet provides all the essential nutrients to bones and tissues undergoing change? So, the healthier you are the better the results of your orthodontic treatment.

Knowing this, here are 4 quick, tasty and nutritious snacks your kids are sure to love.

1. Cheese: Cheese is one of the healthiest snacks for your child’s teeth. In addition to providing calcium, cheese also helps fight cavities. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, Cheese stimulates the body’s salivary glands to clear the mouth of debris. This means cheese disrupts the development of cavities, especially when eaten as a snack or at the end of a meal. Also…the Calcium and phosphorous found in cheese prevents decreases in the plaque’s ph level and work to re-mineralize the enamel of your child’s teeth.

2. Whole Wheat Bread: Whole wheat bread gives kids their iron, vitamins, magnesium, and zinc. So instead of making a sandwich on white bread for lunch use Whole Wheat Bread instead. It’s a little change that will make a big impact.

3. Oatmeal: Instead of high-sugar, high-fat options from the grocery store, try baking a batch of low-fat oatmeal cookies. Raisins, cranberries, dried apricots and nuts can be great additions to the cookie dough because of their nutritional value & taste.

4. Yogurt: Eating dairy is not just healthy for building strong bones, but is essential for maintaining a strong, healthy mouth. Consider Yogurt as an alternative to ice-cream for dessert. When mixed with berries and granola…yogurt is a tasty treat.

For more information about which foods are best for keeping your kids and their teeth healthy visit our website or call our office directly.

Eat Better, Beat plaque

You've heard over and over about the basics of maintain good oral hygiene: brush twice a day, floss daily, visit your dentist twice a year and stay on top of orthodontic appointments. However, in between in order to keep your mouth healthy you must eat foods that help main oral health.

When you eat foods that are not good for your teeth, like sugary foods, you are aiding the production of bacteria formally known as plaque. Plaque is a soft, sticky film that builds up on your teeth and contains millions of bacteria. The bacteria in plaque cause tooth decay and gum disease if they are not removed regularly through brushing and flossing.

Here are some healthy foods and drinks to add to your diet to protect your teeth.

Dairy products: cheese, milk, yogurt
The calcium in dairy products helps put back minerals your teeth may have lost due to other foods.

Fiber-rich fruits and vegetables:
These foods stimulate saliva flow which is the best defense your teeth has against cavities and gum disease.

Black and Green Tea:
Both teas contain polyphenols which can suppress or kill bacteria that could attack the teeth.

Foods with fluoride:
This includes drinking water and products you prepare with water like powder sugar-free juices. Commercial prepared poultry, seafood and cereal provide fluoride nutrients as well.

Remember maintaining you’re oral hygiene habits helps you keep a healthy mouth. Brushing and flossing regularly removes plaque from your teeth. Having a clean mouth is important. It gives you fresh breath and a nicer-looking smile. For our oral hygiene tip click here!

Get Out and Get Active!

Did you know May was National Physical Fitness & Sports Month? 

Recently implemented, during May the President’s Council on Fitness Sports and Nutrition highlights the importance of healthy lifestyles, being physically active, and participating in sports activities. May is the ideal time to promote going outside and being active in nice weather. Warm weather motivates people to get moving. Versus the winter season, during warmer weather people are encouraged to go outdoors for free play, sports, and a healthy dose of physical activity.

According to the President’s Council on Fitness Sports and Nutrition, studies have shown that active kids do better! While it’s great to see our youth outside and active when the weather is nice, they alsoneed physical education and activity year-round. It’s a fact that children can be motivated by their parents, so why not get the whole family involved?

Here are a few ideas to get your family moving: (source: letsmove.gov)

• Play tag, swim, toss a ball, jump rope, hula-hoop, dance to music or even play a dancing video game. It doesn’t have to be sports—just get your family moving!
• Walk the dog, go for a jog, go on a bike ride, take the stairs or head to the park and let kids run around for a while.
• Celebrate special occasions—like birthdays or anniversaries—with something active, such as a hike, a volleyball or soccer game or playing Frisbee at the park.
• Get the whole family involved in household chores like cleaning, vacuuming, and yard work.
• Walk instead of drive whenever you can. If you have to drive, find a spot at the far end of the parking lot and walk to where you’re going.
• Park farther away and count with your children the number of steps from the car to your destination. Write it down and see if you can park even farther away on your next stop.
• Train as a family for a charity walk or run.

We continue to encourage great overall health for all of our patients. Share with us on Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) what your currently doing or what do you plan on doing as a family to stay active!

The Fab 5 of Food Groups

What you eat not only affects your oral health, but you overall health as well. It is important to be conscious of the food you are consuming. So before you eat think about what should be on your plate.

Whether it’s a quick snack or a full course meal, you should be mindful of your food choices. By making the choice to be mindful of what you are eating you are making the decision to include foods in your diet that are good your overall health. Tooth decay, periodontal disease and other health issues can be prevented by having a well-balanced diet. If you wondering how you can make it simple to eat better, it’s easy. All starts with choosing the right foods. The best way to do this is by choosing foods from the five food groups known as the building blocks for healthy dieting. Those food groups are: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and dairy.

What’s in each group?

Fruits:
Any fruit or 100% fruit juice counts as part of the Fruit Group. Fruits may be fresh, canned, frozen, or dried, and may be whole, cut-up, or pureed.
See the Fruit Group food gallery for examples.












Veggies:
Any vegetable or 100% vegetable juice counts as a member of the Vegetable Group. Vegetables may be raw or cooked; fresh, frozen, canned, or dried/dehydrated; and may be whole, cut-up, or mashed.

Vegetable Group food gallery for examples.

Grains:

Any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley or another cereal grain is a grain product. Bread, pasta, oatmeal, breakfast cereals, tortillas, and grits are examples of grain products.

See the Grains Group food gallery for examples.

Protein: All foods made from meat, poultry, seafood, beans and peas, eggs, processed soy products, nuts, and seeds are considered part of the Protein Foods Group. Beans and peas are also part of the Vegetable Group.
For more information on beans and peas, see Beans and Peas Are Unique Foods.









Dairy: All fluid milk products and many foods made from milk are considered part of this food group. Most Dairy Group choices should be See the Dairy Group food gallery for examples. fat-free or low-fat. Foods made from milk that retain their calcium content are part of the group. Foods made from milk that have little to no calcium, such as cream cheese, cream, and butter, are not. Calcium-fortified soymilk (soy beverage) is also part of the Dairy Group.

At Wentz Orthodontics we care about the health of all of our patients. In addition to your health, while under orthodontic treatment being mindful of what you eat also means eating foods that are safe for your orthodontic appliance. There are certain dietary habits that are known to cause breakage of orthodontic appliances. Our aim is to achieve the treatment goals with as few disturbances as possible due to appliance breakage, and to minimize the side effects of poor diet choices. Remember, teeth move best in a healthy environment and in individuals with excellent overall health. Be sure you have a well-balanced diet.

The Best Gift are Handmade, Do-It-Yourself this Mother's Day

Ready to give you Mom an awesome Mother’s Day gift?

One of your Mom’s favorite holidays is only 4 days away! Have you figured out how you’re going to show appreciation for the number 1 lady in your life? Mother’s Day is the when we take time to say “Thank You Mom” in an extra special way. Cards and flowers are just fine, but how about a new way to show Mom you care. Show your Mom exactly what she means to you by making her something from the heart. They say the best gifts (especially for Mom) are handmade.

Here are great 5 DIY Mother’s Day gifts: (click gift names for DIY details)

Mason Jar Sewing Kit

Photo Magnets 

Custom Kitchen Towels 

DIY Jewelry Holder

Instagram Sachets and Beanbags 

Also, remember you have until May 7th, 2015 to enter our Mother Day Contest and give your Mom a chance to enjoy a lovely spa day!

We hope our patients and parent of patients have a great Mother’s Day, we appreciate you all! Let us know how you spent your Mother’s Day share your photos on our Facebook page!