Are you wearing your mouthguard? From Dr. Martin

With fall sports almost here for a lot of our patients at Dr. Jennifer Martin’s office, we thought today would be a great time to remind all our young athletes in treatment to take care of both their mouth and appliances while participating in sports – especially contact sports such as soccer and football – this fall.

One of the most important pieces of sports equipment you can wear on the field is a mouthguard. A well-fitted mouthguard, which we’re happy to provide, allows you to breathe and speak more clearly, in addition to protecting your mouth and braces. Only by using a mouth guard can kids with and without braces avoid serious sports injuries. The next time you’re in for an adjustment visit with Dr. Martin, we encourage you to ask us for a mouthguard! In addition, the American Association of Orthodontists has five quick tips for keeping kids safe during sport activities this fall.

• Wear a helmet
• Stretch before and after a game or practice
• Wear protective eyewear
• Wear a face shield to avoid scratched or bruised skin
• Be observant, even as a spectator

We hope you’re enjoying your last days of summer, and invite you all to share your summer photos on our Facebook page!

Ask Dr. Martin: Now that I have braces, which foods should I avoid?

Great question. There are a variety of foods our team at the office of Dr. Jennifer Martin want you to avoid while you’re wearing braces. Some foods can occasionally damage braces, but certain foods can bend the wires or even break the brackets on your braces. If you’re wearing braces, you should avoid starch, sugar and gummy foods, as these foods can be difficult to remove during brushing. Foods that are high in sugar and starch tend to cause plaque, cavities and even tooth decay.

Avoid tough meats, hard breads and raw vegetables such as carrots and celery. Before long, you’ll be able to bite a cucumber again. But you’ll need to protect your orthodontic appliances when you eat for as long as you’re wearing braces.

Foods you should avoid include:

• Chewy foods: bagels, hard rolls, licorice
• Crunchy foods: popcorn, ice, chips
• Sticky foods: caramels, gum
• Hard foods: nuts, candy
• Foods you have to bite into: corn on the cob, apples, carrots
• Chewing on hard things (for example, pens, pencils or fingernails) can damage the braces. Damaged braces will cause treatment to take longer.

If you have any questions on which foods you should be avoiding and why, we invite you to give us a call or ask one of our team members during your next adjustment visit with Dr. Martin! We also encourage you to ask us on Facebook!

Finally, we would like to say good luck to all the students heading back to school in the coming days and weeks! Learn a lot and have FUN! And if you're planning on participating in fall sports, come in to get a mouthguard!!

Tell Dr. Martin about your summer!

The dog days of summer are upon us, and what better time for Dr. Jennifer Martin & team to ask our patients about their summer!

Whether you visited our nation’s capitol, went on a camping trip, visited the state fair or just stayed in town and hung out with friends, we want to know how you’re all spending your summer! Please feel free to share your summer plans and experiences with us below or on our Facebook page as the summer comes to an end soon for a lot of our patients at Dr. Martin's office! We invite you to post your photos as well!

We look forward to hearing all about your adventures! Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Smile wide! It's National Smile Week!

We hope you're all having a great week so far! It’s National Smile Week, and a GREAT time to remind our patients at Dr. Martin's office to practice good oral hygiene to keep those teeth shining during your orthodontic treatment!

Here are a few simple steps you can take to improve your oral health so that you may celebrate National Smile Week for many, many years to come:

* Brush at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
* Floss everyday to clean between your teeth and braces.
* Reduce your intake of sugary foods and drinks during your orthodontic treatment
* Visit your dentist regularly (every 6 months or as recommended by your dentist)!

And remember to smile at people you come across throughout the week, whether you know them or not. Smiles are contagious, and are a good thing to give and to get. We hope you’re all having a relaxing summer!

- Dr. Jennifer Martin and team

Ask Dr. Martin: “I’m 31 – am I too old for braces?”

Of course not! There is no such thing as "too old" for braces!

Dr. Jennifer Martin will tell you orthodontic treatment can be successful at any age, however we know that adults especially appreciate the benefits of a beautiful smile. One of every five patients in orthodontic treatment is over 21.

In fact, we read a fascinating statistic recently: the number of adults getting braces has actually climbed 24 percent in just 14 years! While it's true that braces help make your teeth strong, healthy and perfectly-aligned, perhaps another reason for the spike in adult braces is this: people want to look and feel great.

In an age when your looks matter as much as anything, and at a time when an evenly-aligned set of teeth might be the difference between getting a job or that promotion you've been looking for, adults are choosing to invest in orthodontics. Treatment with Pleasant Hill orthodontist Dr. Martin can be successful at any age, and we know that you adults especially appreciate the benefits of a warm and healthy smile.

If you’ve been thinking about getting the perfect smile you've wanted for years, Dr. Martin would love to have you visit for a complimentary consultation! Please give us a call at 925-676-8485 to set one up!

We hope you're all having a great summer!