Tips for Flawless Flossing

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While your household may have brushing two minutes twice a day down pat - that’s not the only thing important for dental health. Daily flossing plays a major role in plaque removal and yet it’s still part of the oral health routine both children and adults often skip!

This Friday is #WorldSmileDay - get your smile ready with these flawless flossing steps from the American Dental Association:

Flossing is specifically designed to reach all those nooks and crannies of the mouth that the toothbrush can’t always reach. Make sure you and your family floss properly using the above step-by-step guide!

If you have any questions about how to improve your child's oral health please give our offices a call. We specialize in caring for children’s teeth in a comfortable and caring environment. Call (516) 798-1111 or visit our website to schedule an appointment.

Apple Picking on Long Island 2015

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Fall is in the air and what better way to celebrate than with some autumn activities! Long Island’s East End is full of orchards and farms providing enough entertainment for the whole family. Take some time this weekend and check out some of the below hot spots for apple picking on LI:

Harbes Family Farm and Orchard - 5698 Sound Ave, Riverhead NY
With four locations, Harbes Orchard in Riverhead is the only one with a 15 acre apple orchard. Grab a ride on the Apple Express and pick your way till your heart’s content. They also offer a delicious assortment of lunch items and sweet snacks!

Lewin Farms - 812 Sound Avenue, Calverton
With a wide variety of pick your own fruits and vegetables, Lewin Farms' 1,100 acre farm is unmatched. Enjoy picking your favorite crops before getting lost in the 5-acre corn maze! Each year the farm produces a new design which is never quite the same as the last. But don’t worry, it’s challenging but certainly doable for any age group.

Milk Pail Farm and Orchard - 50 Horsemill Lane, Water Mill
Spend a day in the Hamptons picking your own apples and pumpkins at Milk Pail Farm and Orchard! Choose from twenty apple varities on dwarf apple trees - so even the tiniest of hands have something to grab!

Hank’s Pumpkintown - 240 Montauk Hwy, Water Mill
Gem mines, corn mazes, and apples - oh my! Family owned and operated Hank’s Pumpkintown has it all! Spend a weekend with the kids picking your favorite apples, getting your faces painted, and eating some fresh picked corn roasted to perfection.

Apple picking is not only great for celebrating the change of season - but eating apples aid in good oral health too! Biting and chewing an apple helps to stimulate the production of saliva, which in turn can reduce tooth decay by lowering bacteria in the mouth! 

Enjoy apple picking this weekend - and remember if you have any questions about how to improve your child’s oral health, give us a call! We specialize in caring for children’s teeth in a comfortable and caring environment. Call (516) 798-1111 or visit our website to schedule an appointment.

What Foods to Avoid When Wearing Braces

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When kids or teens first get traditional braces, they may not realize how quickly their diet has to change. As strong and sturdy as these orthodontic appliances are, they still need to be treated with care. That means eating foods that are brace safe, and steering clear of ones that can cause trouble!

During orthodontic treatment, help your child avoid:

• Sticky Foods - Like gum, chewy candies, etc as they can easily get stuck in brackets and wires - not only causing a mess but tooth decay if not properly removed!
• Hard Foods - Such as nuts, hard rolls, hard candies, etc as they can break or harm the wires and brackets.
• Food on Bones - For instance ribs or chicken wings because these too can damage or knock off wires and brackets.

But don’t get discouraged! There are plenty of foods out there your child CAN eat!

• Fruits and Vegetables - Mashed potatoes, spinach, bananas, etc are all soft and easy to chew. For the harder fruits and veggies (like carrots or apples) just be sure to cut them into smaller pieces instead of biting directly into them.
• Treats - Ice cream, shakes, and smoothies are also great options! The coldness actually helps soothe the soreness caused by the braces as well as reduce any swelling of soft tissue!
• Meats and Poultry - Items like soft-cooked chicken and deli meat are soft enough to not cause problems when your child bites into them.
• Gains - Noodles, pasta, soft-cooked rice, etc are all gentle on the mouth which is key for sensitive teeth.

If you're seeking orthodontic treatment for your child, consult with one of our orthodontists here at Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dental & Orthodontics. Let us help you identify and reduce problems early on to make sure your child’s orthodontic experience is easier in the long run. Call (516) 798-1111 or visit our website to schedule an appointment.

Weekend Fun for the Family (September 19th & 20th)

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Happy Friday! Take advantage of this weekend’s weather and check out some of the family fun events Long Island has in store!

Long Island Family Festival
September 18 - 20
Tanner Park, Copiague
Check out the Eighth Annual Long Island Family Festival this weekend in Tanner Park! Enjoy some live musical entertainment, carnival rides, pet expo, games, food vendors and more!

Farmingdale Village Downtown Music Festival
September 19 - 20
Main Street, Farmingdale
Situated along Main Street, between Prospect and South Front Streets - enjoy three stages of live music, kidzone entertainment, arts & crafts vendors and more - for FREE 99.

Fall Festival at Hicks
September 19 (repeating daily through November 1)
Hicks Nurseries, Westbury
Fall family fun is back at Hicks in Westbury! Take a picture with crowd favorite - Otto the Ghost, enjoy a hayride down a decorated trail, and visit the farm animals. Also be sure to enjoy fresh picked fall treats!

26th Annual Long Island Apple Festival
September 20
Sherwood-Jayne House, East Setauket
Join in on a day of autumn celebration at the Sherwood Jayne House located on Old Post Road, in Setauket. There will be an Apple Pie Baking Contest, fresh apple cider, homemade food, old fashioned games, traditional music, wagon rides and more!

If you have any questions about how to improve your child's oral health please give our offices a call. We specialize in caring for children’s teeth in a comfortable and caring environment. Call (516) 798-1111 or visit our website to schedule an appointment.

 

5 Tips for Fighting Cavities

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Tooth decay is the most common, chronic childhood disease. The good news? It’s preventable! By following the below tips, you’ll be well on your way to ensuring your kids have a lifetime of good dental health!

1. Start Prevention Early - Even though you may not see teeth erupting in your child’s mouth, early oral care should still begin. Wipe your child’s gums with gauze or a soft, damp cloth after each feeding. Getting your little one used to having their mouth cleaned can help when it’s time for the toothbrush to come into play!

2. Avoid Giving Baby Juice or Formula at Bed Time - It’s common to put your child to bed with a sippy cup or bottle, but do be careful of what liquid you put in there. Milk, formula, and juice all contain sugar. Giving your child any of these liquids overnight gives bacteria its chance to eat away at tooth enamel, contributing to tooth decay.

3. Teach Your Kids How to Floss - In addition to brushing teeth two minutes, twice a day, its also important to ensure flossing is in their oral health routine as well. Brushing doesn’t reach all the crevices in the mouth and that’s where floss comes in. Flossing is the most effective way to remove any food and plaque that gets trapped between the teeth.

4. Limit Sports Drinks and Sodas - Both are huge sources of sugar and if not cleaned off the teeth well, the bacteria in the mouth can feed on it producing acids. Over time, this acid wears away at the teeth and the process of decay begins. Stick with water whenever possible!

5. Talk to a Dentist About Sealants - Sealants are just a thin, plastic coating painted on teeth. When applied to the chewing surfaces of molars, sealants act as a barrier between the tooth and harmful bacteria. This helps protect the teeth through the cavity-prone years of ages 6-14. 

Finally, another tried and true method of cavity prevention is bringing your children in for their regularly schedule dental appointments. This way we have the opportunity to spot an irregularities and catch any problems fast. Call (516) 798-1111 or visit our website to schedule an appointment. Don't forget to LIKE us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter for updates and industry news.

Mouth Healthy Foods for Your End of Summer BBQ

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Having a barbecue this Labor Day weekend to close out the summer? Make sure you add these mouth healthy foods to your soirée: 

Choose your crunch wisely. Chips may be standard, but they aren’t the most mouth healthy treat for your teeth. Instead, keep your serving dish full of apples, pears, and veggies like carrots, celery, and raw broccoli. These snacks work like natural toothbrushes, stimulating saliva and scrubbing off any build-up.

Crush, don’t cube. Chewing on ice cubes may seem refreshing, but ice is no friend to your teeth. Chewing on cubes can leave your teeth vulnerable to a dental emergency (think chipped teeth) and can even damage enamel. Instead of adding ice to drinks, keep all your beverages chilled in a cooler of ice. If you do need ice, use crushed instead.

Say cheese! Dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese are low in sugar and rich in calcium and phosphorous, which aids in strengthening and protecting enamel. Plus, studies have shown that eating more dairy may lower your risk of gum disease. Set out a cheese plate or add a slice to your burgers!

Serve infused water. Sugary beverages, like soda and sports drinks, cause dry mouth and eat away at your teeth. Offer water instead, with a twist! Infuse your water with whatever fruit you’d like - just go easy on citrus fruits as the acid in lemons and limes can be harsh on teeth.

If you have any questions about how to improve your child's oral health please give our offices a call. We specialize in caring for children’s teeth in a comfortable and caring environment. Call (516) 798-1111 or visit our website to schedule an appointment.

5 Fruits for Healthy Teeth

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Looking for tooth healthy options for your child's lunch box this school year? Or maybe you simply want better options for your own teeth! We know healthy living has always been associated with eating enough fruits and veggies, but did you know certain fruits are known to be particularly beneficial to the teeth? Find out five below!

Apples. Biting and chewing an apple helps to stimulate the production of saliva, which in turn can reduce tooth decay by lowering bacteria in the mouth! Apples also contain magic acid, a chemical used in teeth whitening products that helps dissolve stains.

Bananas. Loaded with essential vitamins, minerals, and potassium, bananas are key to a healthy mouth. Plus the inside of the banana peel can help in teeth whitening! Simply rub the inside of the peel around your teeth for about 2 minutes so the minerals can absorb into your teeth and whiten them.

Watermelon. This summer fruit is rich in Vitamin C, which greatly benefits the teeth and gums. They are also fibrous, which means they can help scrub your teeth as you chew!

Oranges. The citric acid in oranges can help control the acidity levels in your mouth - especially as it encourages salivation. Known to be a source of Vitamin C and calcium, drinking a glass of OJ daily can supplement the calcium in your diet and help build stronger teeth!

Strawberries. A natural tooth whitener that contains both an astringent and Vitamin C. The astringent naturally aids in the removal of surface stains while Vitamin C helps to clear away plaque. 

For more tooth friendly fruits and vegetables, click here!

Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dentistry has three Long Island locations. We specialize in caring for children’s teeth in a comfortable and caring environment. Call (516) 798-1111 or visit our website to schedule an appointment.