Happy Back-to-School Month!

We understand how crazy and stressful this time of year can be. There’s so much to do and yet it feels like there’s not enough time to do it! No fear, we’re not here to add anything to the list. Instead, we’re here with a few helpful tips to keep your children’s smile (and brackets!) healthy this school year.

We highly encourage staying on top of your child's daily oral health habits once school is back in session. We suggest having them brush their teeth after breakfast/before school to ensure clean braces and a healthy, fresh smile at the start of their day. After lunch, encourage your student(s) to rinse down their meal with some water. This will help minimize the effects of sugary foods and drinks. We strongly encourage our patients to pack their bags with a travel-size toothbrush so they can brush midday. Since it’s small and easy to use, they can use it in the bathroom or at the drinking fountain. If they cannot brush at school, try to tuck in an after school brushing. Then finally, make sure they brush again at bedtime – it’s important to go to bed with clean braces!

Alright, let’s talk sports! For our student athletes that are interested in playing a contact sport during their orthodontic treatment, make sure they have an orthodontic mouthguard that fits with braces on. A mouthguard will protect your child from injuries to their teeth, brackets, and can even provide protection from severe injuries to the head. If your child does encounter a dental injury, make sure to call your dentist right away. If damage to your braces occurs, please let us know as soon as possible. Also, be careful with sports drinks! They often contain a lot of sugar so it's best not to drink too much. If possible, opt for plain water!

Lastly, we wanted to take a moment to point out that tooth decay is the number one chronic infectious disease among children. On average, students miss more than 51 million school hours each year because of dental related issues. A check-up every six months is still recommended during your orthodontic treatment in order to prevent cavities and other dental problems. You only have one set of teeth for the rest of your life so it's important to take good care of them!

That’s all! From all of us here at Chan & Chen Orthodontics, we wish you the best of luck this back-to-school season.