The Newsletter from Peninsula Orthodontics
Dr. Vicki Ross DMD
401 Oyster Point Rd. Suite D
Newport News, VA 23602
(757)249-4203
www.peninsulabraces.com
Spring into
Summer
Think before you bite!
Inside this Issue:
• Mythbusters….
Orthodontic Edition
• Did you know?
• Welcome to our family
• Brace Friendly Recipes
• Fun Stuff
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NO GUM!
NO ICE CHEWING!
NO HARD OR STICKY CANDY!
NO PENCIL CHEWING!
AVOID HARD PIZZA CRUST, BAGELS
AND PRETZELS!
SLICE HARD FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES INTO THIN SLICES!
Brackets don’t normally just “fall off”.
Patients often eat a hard or tough food
while away from home which loosens the
bonding material. Then, perhaps while at
home, a soft food is eaten and the bracket
“falls” off.
Unfortunately, if this becomes habitual, a
$10 fee will be charged for each broken
bracket. Be advised that your insurance
will not cover this.
The highest compliment our office can
receive is a referral from our patients.
Thank you for your confidence by referring
your family and friends.
Remember:
Keeping brackets on the teeth is the
secret of completing treatment on
schedule… or even finishing early!
If two people with braces kiss, can their braces become locked together?
With today’s smaller sleeker braces it is extremely difficult – almost impossible – to lock braces while kissing. Also,
braces are not magnetic, which means any “attraction” felt is on the part of the wearers, so feel free to pucker up.
Will my braces set off the metal detectors in the airport?
You are cleared for takeoff – the lightweight materials used in braces will not affect metal detectors.
Do I really have to floss my teeth while wearing braces?
That is true. Improper or infrequent flossing can lead to gingivitis which is recognized by puffy red gums that easily
bleed. If it goes on for too long, gingivitis will lead to periodontal disease, which includes the loss of bone around
the teeth. Loss of bone can lead to early tooth loss. Becoming a U.S. president like George Washington may be one
of your goals, but you certainly don’t want wear dentures like he did!
George Washington did wear dentures, but contrary to popular belief, they were not made of wood (cherry or
otherwise). A team of researchers performed laser scans on a set of Washington's dentures in 2005 at the National
Museum of Dentistry in Baltimore, and identified their contents as ivory, gold, lead, and human teeth.
Can braces rust?
No. Today’s braces are made of new stronger materials, like titanium alloy, and will not rust.
Will my braces interfere with radio signals or electronic devices?
No. Radio-loving gadget fanatics can rest easy.
Can I play a musical instrument?
Well of course you can – that is if you could play a musical instrument before you got braces! It may take some time
for your lips to adjust the mouthpiece of brass and wind instruments, but with a little extra effort you’ll adjust
quickly. If needed, we can provide you with a lip protector during the adjustment period.
Will braces increase my chance of being struck by lightning?
No. With or without braces the chances of a lightning strike remain the same which, in the U.S. in any one year,
according to nationalgeorgraphic.com, is one in 700,000.
Now that I have braces, can I still play sports?
Yes, but be sure to wear a mouth guard. Mouth guards are one of the least expensive pieces of protective
equipment available. Not only can mouth guards save teeth, they may also protect against jaw fractures. Mouth
guards are advisable for anyone, whether they wear braces or not. We provide generic mouth guards at no cost to
our patients. If you prefer a little more custom fit, you can purchase a “boil and shape” protector, such as the Shock
Doctor brand.
Will my braces attract unwarranted attention from fish?
Scuba divers - there is no need to cancel your next dive trip. The small brackets used in today’s braces, especially
ceramic or tooth-colored brackets, will not attract attention from unsavory fish or sea life.
Once braces are removed, my teeth will remain straight forever, right?
Wrong. Teeth move throughout one’s lifetime, therefore it is important to hold on to retainers and wear them as
long as possible to maintain a healthy, beautiful smile. Once you have invested in braces, both time and money, it
would be shame to let them move back to where they came. We typically follow our patients while in retention for
up to 2 years as part of their orthodontic treatment. At that time we ask patients to continue night time retainer
wear for as long as possible, even though they are no longer coming in for adjustments.
Did you Know?
What to do with those leftover Easter Eggs?
Try this--
Nifty “Eggs”periment
What are you eating?
Vending machines are a quick way to satisfy hunger. You put
in $1.50 and you get back a candy bar, bag of chips or even a
soda…but that’s not all! Vending machines not only dispense
sweet treats and caffeine bursts, but they also dispense
cavities!
Every time you chow down on that chocolate bar the
bacteria in your mouth have a party feasting on the sugar.
The sugar quickly turns into acid; that’s right, ACID!!! The
acid sits on your teeth and eats away at the tooth’s natural
enamel (the stuff that protects your tooth from decay).
When this enamel is eaten away by the acid, you get a
cavity! Brushing your teeth after eating a sugary treat can
help prevent cavities; but before you indulge remind
yourself: “can’t brush? Hold the sugar!”
When choosing a snack, consider more nutritional options
that will not only satisfy your hunger, but won’t cause acid
build up resulting in cavities:
--Fresh Fruits (berries, oranges, melons, pears, etc)
--Fresh Vegetables (salad greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc)
--Yogurt or milk
--Crackers or bread
--Cheese
--Sliced meat
Entertain your children while you educate them with this
simple science experiment that gives little ones a visual
illustration of what plaque is and why brushing makes it go
away. Gather the items you will need for this experiment:
· 1 hard-boiled egg with the shell on
· 12 ounces of Coke, Pepsi or other dark colored cola
· 1 container large enough to hold the cola and egg
· 1 plastic bowl
· 1 toothbrush
· 1 drop of fluoride toothpaste
· Clean-up supplies
Explain to your child that plaque is a sticky layer
of germs that collects on their teeth. Without
regular brushing, plaque can cause serious
problems, for example holes in the
teeth (cavities) or swollen gums (gingivitis). Tell
them that you are going to do an experiment to
see how plaque coats the teeth, and why
brushing twice a day is important for healthy
teeth and gums.
Conduct the experiment:
1. Make the comparison between the white color of the egg
and the white color of your child’s teeth.
2. Place the egg into the container and pour the cola over it,
so that it completely covers the egg.
3. Let the egg sit in the cola for 24 hours.
4. Remove the egg from the cola. The egg will be stained
and yellowish.
5. Explain to your child that the colored layer that has
appeared on top of the eggshell is just like the layer of
plaque that occurs on her teeth.
6. Place the egg in the plastic bowl and give your child the
toothbrush with the drop of toothpaste on it.
7. Let them brush the “plaque” off of the egg. The yellowish
film will disappear, exposing the white eggshell. Explain that
the same thing happens when they brushes their teeth.
Allison P, Allyson J, Amanda M, Andrew F, Andrew M, Angela B, Ashante
G, Ben H, Bethany D, Brooke G, Brooklyn M, Byron B, Caleb B, Cameko P,
Carmello W, Cassie H, Cloe M, Cole B, Danielle Y, Dawne D, Deshante H, Destini, F, Dymond A,
Ellie M, Emiley B, Emily G, Erin P, Ethan B, Gabby M, Heather G, Ivy L, Janiece A, Jaycee M, Jax
G, Jessica E, Jessica L, Jessica S, Jinny L, John W, Jordan T, Joshua D, Justin T, Kaden B,
Kajika S, Logan M, Logan S, Malcolm S, Matthew C, Matthew P, Matthew R, Michael C, Michaela
P, Olivia C, Rachael N, Ryleigh B, Seth Y, Sophia M, Stacy A, Taylor G, Terek K, Vanja M, Whitney
J, Yolonda D, Yolonda G, Zach A, Zoe M
Alec M, Alexis C, Amanda K, Annabelle H, Andrew L, Annie C, Bailey C, Bonnie
N, Brad L, Brandon P, Brooke E, Brooklyn B, Carly B, Cassidy S, Chris K,
Curtis J, Essence L, Hayley D, Hunter S, Joanna C, Jacob A, Jake D, Jess M,
Jill S,John L, Joshua R, Kelsey S, Kennedy C, Ki’Lan S, Latavia D, Laura C,
Laura J, Luke S, Mackenzie M, Madalyn M, Megan V, Molly C, Nicole S,
Patricia B, Rhonda B, Rysleigh R, Salvador H, Sam R, Sarah D, Sarah M,
Savannah H, Shelby R, Willie H, Zach F, Zach S
Brace Friendly Recipes
It’s a great idea to stay away from sugar as much as possible, so try substituting an
artificial sweetener like Truvia, Splenda, Equal, or Sweet & Low. Make sure you check the
conversion chart on the product’s web page for the correct substitution.
Banana Oatmeal Smoothie
Almonds, cooked oatmeal, bananas
and yogurt meet up in your blender
for a power breakfast. Drink this
Banana Oatmeal Smoothie before
your morning exercise routine and
you’ll have the energy you need to
get through your workout.
Ingredients:
2 whole Bananas (best with brown
flecks on peel)
2 cups Ice
1/3 cup Yogurt - preferably Greek
yogurt flavored with honey
1/2 cup Cooked oatmeal
1/3 cup Almonds
Instructions:
Pour all ingredients in blender
pouring ice in last. Blend on high for
30 seconds or until smoothie
thickens.
If you have a great healthy recipe, please let one
of our staff members know.
Tuna Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
½ pounds Bow Tie Pasta
1 cup Carrots, Shredded
15 ounces, fluid Sweet Green Peas,
Drained
10 ounces, weight Tuna In Water,
Drained
½ cups Mayonnaise
3 Hard Boiled Eggs, Chopped
2 Tablespoons Sweet Pickle Relish
½ teaspoons Black Pepper
Preparation Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of water to a
boil. Place the pasta in the boiling
water and allow to cook for 12
minutes, or until tender. Drain.
2. While the pasta cooks, prepare
the remaining ingredients and place
in a large bowl.
3. Pour the hot pasta into the bowl
and stir until thoroughly combined.
4. Cover and refrigerate until ready
to serve.
FUN
STUFF
Sarah Elliott’s
basketball
team is
undefeated
April
Elizabeth Harrington
is the 2012
Valedictorian and a
National Merit
Finalist
Count all the
Eggs
January Winner
Emma Hirsekorn
correctly guessed 72 snowballs
May
How many sunflower seeds
do you think are in the jar?
February Winner
Ian Crispen
correctly guessed 33 strands of beads
June
How many miles did Sonya drive from
Poquoson, Virginia to Boise Idaho and
back?
March Winner
Kayla Engot
was the closest guess of the 89 and the
correct amount was 90
Chloe Finlay is
the SCA Vice
President at
GMS, and has
the lead role in
the school play
Dr. Ross, Lisa and
Michelle completed
their first whole
marathon this past
November
At your next appointment, pick up a “Brag a Little” form. Share your accomplishments or goals so that we may
broadcast your news in our next Newsletter.