Reasons to Wear a Mouthguard [Infographic]

We encourage you to play it safe! Dental emergencies and other injuries can be prevented, with the use of a custom fit mouthguard.

Custom guards are more comfortable, don’t restrict breathing or speech, and provide the highest level of protection.

As you may know, certain sports require the use of mouthguard — like football, lacrosse, wrestling, ice hockey and field hockey. But while they’re not required for others, they should still be worn for sports or activities like basketball, skateboarding, karate, baseball or any sport that poses dangers to the mouth and teeth.

Before this upcoming sports season, be sure to make an appointment at our Mouthguard Center of Long Island! We will fit your child with a mouthguard specific to their mouth and they can choose their colors to coincide with their school, intramural, or PAL league’s uniform. Contact us at any of our three locations today for more information!

Let's Get This Straight: Q&A About Retainers

Hooray -- the time has come, your child’s braces are coming off! No more needing to avoid certain foods or use specialized tools for cleaning, but you're not out of the woods just yet. 

Children’s teeth continue to grow and shift into adulthood, which is why there is a crucial second step to keeping their smiles perfect -- retainers. Here are some answers to the most common retainer questions. 

1. Why Does My Child Have To Wear A Retainer?
Nothing is permanent in orthodontics! We help align the teeth, but they can move after braces come off -- defeating the purpose of all that hard work! Consistent retainer use will help keep their teeth straight and keep you from coming back for braces for the second time, phew!

2. What Kind Of Retainer Will They Get? 
There are multiple kinds of retainers, fixed and removable, which will be chosen based off which one is best for your child’s individual needs. 

3. How Long Will My Child Have To Wear A Retainer? 
Typically, the first six months after braces are removed, retainers should be worn every day. Over time, the teeth will stabilize, and your child can wear their retainer more infrequently -- delivering that news will be a good day!

4. How Can I Help My Child Care For Their Retainer?
First, always make sure your child is carrying the plastic case made to hold their retainer. If they are eating at school or on a playdate, you want to make sure that when they take off their retainer, it is in a safe place and doesn’t contract germs. Your child should remove their retainer before brushing in the morning and at night and clean their retainer before placing it back in their mouth. Give us a call if you have any cleaning questions.

5. Will A Retainer Hurt Them? 
Each retainer is custom fit to a child’s mouth. If they continuously wear it when they are supposed to, it should fit comfortably and not hurt. If your child moves away from the consistent use of their retainer, their teeth will shift, and the retainer will feel tight in their mouth. Help them to remember they can avoid any discomfort and keep their beautiful smile if they consistently wear their retainer.

If you have any other questions or concerns regarding your child’s orthodontic health, please give our offices a call!

Fun Facts About the Tooth Fairy

Have you ever wondered where the Tooth Fairy came from? Or what she looks like? You’re not alone! In fact, the story of the Tooth Fairy varies depending on who you speak to. 

While we don’t have all the answers, we did want to provide you with a few this National Tooth Fairy Day. See below for some fun facts about our fairy friend:

The Tooth Fairy is younger than you may think!
When it comes to American mythology, Santa can be traced to 280 CE, the Easter Bunny - the 1700s, however the very earliest reference of the Tooth Fairy wasn’t until 1908 when featured in the Chicago Daily Tribune!

Losing baby teeth has been long celebrated.
Although the concept of the Tooth Fairy is much more recent, the world has celebrated loosing baby teeth for centuries. In some cultures, the celebration involves throwing baby teeth on a roof or into the sky and asking for a new one! In other cultures, children were warned of the “tooth troll” who will come for them if they don’t brush.

But what does the Tooth Fairy look like?
The Tooth Fairy is certainly very elusive. Is she dainty, resembling Tinker Bell and carrying a wand? Or perhaps she is actually a he, like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in Tooth Fairy! Other cultures believe the Tooth Fairy is actually an animal, or that s/he employs animals to help (like Santa’s elves) — more on that below!

Sometimes, the Tooth Fairy is a little mouse!
With all the children across the world and all the missing teeth, it’s not surprising the Tooth Fairy may need some help. In parts of the world like South America and Asia, the Tooth Fairy has been known to send a little mouse to collect teeth — leaving a small treasure behind. Different areas of the world call him Ratón Perez or just little mouse. Instead of hiding the tooth under their pillow, children may put the tooth in a slipper or under their bed.

What does your household think of the Tooth Fairy? Share your thoughts with us on Facebook! 

Adelberg Montalvan specializes in caring for children’s teeth in a comfortable and welcoming environment, in three different Long Island locations. We understand that kids may fear the unknown, which is why we understand that what we do impacts a child's life forever – so we try to make things fun!