2 Treats to Avoid this Halloween

Happy Halloween from everyone at Quest Johnson Orthodontics! Halloween is the perfect opportunity to talk to your child and remind them about the importance of sticking to their health routine. This includes brushing your teeth, flossing, wearing your retainers, using mouthwash and other health tips.

If you recently received orthodontic treatment such as braces or in the middle of your treatment, we recommend you avoid these sweet treats.

Popcorn Balls: These are often a big hit on Halloween night. You may find a couple of these in your child’s Halloween bucket. Have some floss on hand after enjoying these treats. Please be aware, if you have braces, these are probably not an ideal treat.

Hard Candies: You want to watch out for hard candies on Halloween and beyond. These can break your teeth and can be damaging if you have braces. On top of that, hard candies can cause the sugar to wash all over your teeth. This is due to having the hard candy for longer periods in your mouth.

National Orthodontic Health Month: 3 Benefits of Orthodontics

October is National Orthodontic Health Month! The importance and benefits of Orthodontics exceeds beyond just a beautiful smile. Here are 3 benefits of orthodontics.

1. Prevent Cavities – Orthodontic treatment is the process that straightens teeth through various treatment plans such as braces and Invisalign. Straight teeth are easier to clean and therefore prevent bacteria that can cause cavities. 
2. Self-Esteem – A beautiful smile will allow you to shine and confidently live your life uninterrupted. 
3. Helps Bad Bites – Orthodontic treatment can fix bad bites such as overbites and under bites that make it difficult to eat, chew and sometimes speak.

Spooky Treats #Orthodontics

Happy Halloween! If you just received braces or looking for something different to try this Halloween, here are 2 incredibly delicious alternative to sweet treats and hard candy that can harm your teeth if you have braces.

Graveyard Shakes: 

What You Need:

• 1 ¼ cup milk  
• 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup  
• 1 large scoop chocolate ice cream  
• 1 large scoop vanilla ice cream  
• 2 Oreo cookies, finely crushed  
• 1 soft ghost-shaped marshmallow 

Directions:

• Combine milk, chocolate syrup and both scoops of ice cream in a blender.  
• Mix well and pour into clear glass.  
• Sprinkle a layer of the finely crushed cookies onto the top of the shake.  
• Then, set the ghost-shaped marshmallow in the shake to make it appear as though it’s rising out of the top. 
• Serve immediately.  Makes one serving.

Check-in 4 Charity: October

At Quest Johnson Orthodontics, we believe in a world where kindness can impact lives and change futures. We are part of the Check-in 4 Charity program where every month, we feature a charity either locally or nationally to support.

All you have to do is check-in with an image or status update on Facebook and a donation is made on your behalf from us. This month were donating to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation’s mission is to prevent and cure breast cancer by advancing the world’s most promising research.

“Breast cancer knows no age, gender or race. As the most common cancer in women worldwide and the second most common cancer overall, it remains a fact of life. Nearly 1.7 million women around the globe were diagnosed in 2012, and incidence rates are on the rise.” We all know someone affected by cancer, even specifically breast cancer. We believe everyone can help in any way to ensure a future where people can live their lives cancer free.

Adult Orthodontics

As we grow older, our teeth begin to shift and move. Even if you had orthodontic treatment when you were younger, our smile may not be what it once was. There’s good news! Tooth alignment can be changed at any age if your gums and bone structure are healthy.

At Quest Johnson Orthodontics, we offer a variety of treatment options that are designed for different age groups, including adults. The variety of treatment options allows adults to live their life uninterrupted by orthodontic treatment. So weather you choose to get Invisalign or braces, our priority is to ensure you are comfortable and satisfied throughout the entire treatment process.

We want you to smile confidently and orthodontic treatment can do that for you! Not only will your smile shine brighter, orthodontic treatment will improve the health of your teeth and gums. Crooked teeth and a bad bite can contribute to gum and bone loss, tooth decay, abnormal wear of the tooth enamel and surfaces, headaches and jaw joint pain.

Mouthwash Differences

Mouthwash is an essential part of a good oral hygiene routine, that often goes unnoticed. But did you know there are multiple types of mouthwash? Each also has a different function and works in different ways to help your teeth.

Fluoride Mouthwash:
You’ve heard how fluoride helps your teeth. Well fluoride in mouthwashes, does just that and helps protect your teeth from cavities and tooth decay. Be careful when using this type of mouthwash because an intake of too much fluoride is not good.

Antiseptic Mouthwash:
This is the most common type of mouthwash, you probably have some in your cabinet. This type of mouthwash contains alcohol and used to eliminate bad breath and fight infections in your mouth. Along with brushing your teeth and flossing, all three work together to fight bad breath and bacteria.

Cosmetic Mouthwash:
The only benefit of this mouthwash, to your oral health care is to mask bad breath.

Natural Mouthwash:
Natural mouthwash has the same functions of all the other mouthwash, except their ingredients are natural. It is the popular alternative to alcohol-free mouthwash.

If you have any questions about what type of oral hygiene products to use during and after your orthodontic treatment, please do not hesitate to ask us.

Common Questions to Orthodontics

With locations in Mooresville and Elwood, Indiana, our practices’ top priority is to provide you the highest quality orthodontic care in a friendly, comfortable environment. You might have a few questions on orthodontic treatment and what it entails. Here are a few of our common questions that we get asked.

What is an Orthodontist? 
An Orthodontist is much different from a dentist. While all orthodontist are dentist, not all dentist are orthodontist! An orthodontist is a dental specialist in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dental and facial irregularities. Orthodontists must successfully complete an additional two to three-year residency program of advanced dental education in orthodontics.

What age should my child see an orthodontist? 
The American Association of Orthodontics recommends that your child be evaluated by age seven. This allows orthodontist to detect and evaluate problems that exist, advise if treatment will be necessary, and determine the best time for the treatment. Early detection of any orthodontic problems is important in order to take early corrective action and avoid more difficult treatment later.

How long does orthodontic treatment last? 
Every patient varies on how long orthodontic treatment will last, it depends on the orthodontic treatment plan and patient. However, braces may be on between 6 to 30 months or, in rare instances, longer. This depends on the development of the dentition, the severity of the problem, patient cooperation, and the degree of tooth movement required.

Does it hurt? 
Thanks to technology and our expertise, orthodontic treatment has improved dramatically. As a rule, braces make your teeth tender and sore for a few days, but it is not painful. Today’s braces are more comfortable and use technology that reduces the discomfort