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!

Brace Yourself: Braces-Friendly Recipe Ideas

It happened, your child got braces, and now their life is ruined -- their usual words, not ours, of course. 

When your child gets braces, they may feel as if their food choices are limited. And while yes, some snacks should be avoided you can rest assured that there are still plenty of braces-friendly options:

Breakfast Pancakes

A huge breakfast favorite and luckily kids with braces can still eat them! Change up the recipe for a more healthy alternative. TIP: Replace syrup with applesauce. Syrup is high in sodium, sugar, and carbohydrates -- yuck!

Smoothies

A great breakfast for brace-filled mouths on-the-go! Check out these delicious smoothie recipes and keep these tips in mind to keep your smoothie healthy.

Cold Pasta Salad

This can be prepared in a variety of ways with many different ingredients. Your child can enjoy this dish for lunch and/or dinner! Don’t forget: stay clear of hard vegetables that may hurt your child’s mouth. 

Acai Bowls

Acai bowls look good and taste even better! These delicious small berries are packed with antioxidants, amino acids, and essential fatty acids you didn’t know your child needed in their life! Be sure to try one of these recipes.

Lasagna

A delicious dinner dish for kids and they will love to make it with you too! Keep this dish on the light side with whole wheat noodles and lean ground beef.

Frozen Banana “Ice Cream”
This is a healthy alternative to actual ice cream -- dairy, fat, and sugar-free! 

Foods to AVOID:

• Hard nuts, candies, fruits (apples and pears)
• Hard vegetables (carrots and corn on the cob)
• Chips
• Pretzels
• Taco shells
• Pizza crust
• Sticky stuff like taffy, gum, or caramels
• Foods that are high in acidity that could cause discoloration (lemons, limes, or sodas)

For more braces-friendly recipes and orthodontic tips, check out our Pinterest page! 

5 Must Know Travel Dental Care Tips

Have some upcoming vacations planned? We have five dental care tips you should know before you go.

1. Make time for a dental visit.
We know how exciting it is to go on vacation. We also know how much prep work goes into getting the whole family ready to go. While this may not be your first thought, it’s a good idea to schedule a dental visit with us before departure. This way we can look for any possible issues and treat them before you leave.

2. Be prepared for a dental emergency.
From toothaches to chipped teeth, it’s important to know what to do in the event of a dental emergency:

• Toothache: Try and find the source of pain, look for any swelling, redness, or discolorations. Rinse with a warm salt water solution. Check and see if food is lodged between teeth causing pain and remove it with floss.
• Chipped Tooth: Try and save any tooth fragments and rinse with warm water. If there is any swelling, apply a cold compress to relieve pain.
• Knocked Out Tooth: If a permanent tooth is knocked out, timing is crucial. Hold the tooth by the crown (not the roots) and try to place back in its socket if possible. If unable to reinsert, put the tooth in a container of milk or water and contact us immediately.

It’s also wise to keep an emergency dental kit on hand, including gauze, wax (for braces), pain relievers, floss, and our contact information!

3. Know how to protect your toothbrush on-the-go. 
A wet toothbrush in a closed in area is a recipe for disaster (hello bacteria!). So before you pack away your brush, allow it to air dry completely. Consider a travel brush case as it has small holes for proper ventilation. And of course, keep the case clean — wash thoroughly before and after to rid any dirt or bacteria that may be lingering.

4. Bring some sugarless gum.
Chewing sugar-free gum not only helps to relieve air pressure while flying but can be a huge help in cavity prevention. Chewing gum increases saliva production which in turn works to wash away any cavity-causing bacteria. Pro tip: look for the ADA seal on packs of gum for a truly tooth-friendly product.

5. Don’t skip your routine.
It’s easy to fall out of your brushing and flossing routine when you’re not in your own home. Don’t beat yourself up! Just make sure you get back on track — brushing for two minutes twice daily and regular flossing — once vacation is over.

There you have it — five quick tips for travel dental care. For questions or concerns regarding your family’s dental health this season, give us a call or click here to request your appointment» 

Reasons To Get a Custom Fit Mouth Guard

When it comes to sports (competitive or recreational), safety is of utmost concern -- and mouth guards are one of the most important pieces of sports equipment your child needs to stay safe! 

In fact, according to the American Dental Association, an athlete is 60 times more likely to suffer harm to the teeth if they aren't wearing a mouth guard. 

Mouth guards are essential in helping to minimize the risk of broken teeth and injuries to the lips, tongue, face, or jaw during play. 

But with all the options out there - how do you choose which is best for your child? Consider the facts:

• While less expensive, generic boil-and-bite mouth guards can restrict breathing and speech. Additionally, they are difficult to adapt to orthodontic appliances. Custom mouth guards, however, are designed to uniquely fit in an athletes mouth, with no interference with speech or breathing.
• Does your child have braces? A custom fit guard can give them the protection and comfort they need in a mouthpiece.
• Custom guards are designed for optimal oxygen flow while providing the most protection and comfort. This helps an athlete enhance their performance and endurance on the field.
• Stock guards cannot be modified to fit an individual’s mouth and can only stay in place when the mouth is closed. Custom fit guards are made from an impression of the athlete’s mouth taken at a dentist’s office.

While any mouth guard is better than no mouth guard, we encourage you to look into the custom fit option for your athlete. At Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dental, we offer our very own Mouth Guard Center for this exact reason. We will fit your child with a mouth guard 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!

Looking for an awesome summer camp for your athlete? Check out Long Island Youth Football Player Academy! All camps are led by USA Football certified coaches who truly believe that each player should be able to learn the fundamentals of football while maintaining a safety first outlook. We're so proud to be a premier sponsor of such a wonderful camp.

How to Create a Summer Routine

What we love most about summer is that it’s two months of carefree ease. So long are the days of rigid morning schedules (who remembers the struggle of trying to get their kids’ teeth brushed and clothes on before the always punctual 7:35 a.m. bus?) and the after-school activities runaround.

But be careful not to abandon a daily routine completely — otherwise, your summer may completely slip by. Help keep a sense of order while still savoring the lazy days of summer with these tips:

Break Your Day Into Sections 

While you may not have to assign a time to each chore as you did during the school year, you should break your day into three sections — morning, afternoon, and night. Keep a general list of 3 - 5 things that need to get done during each block of time and check them off one-by-one.

Get Your Kids Involved

No matter their age, there’s always something your little ones can help (or at least try to help) with. Now that you have more free time in the morning let them pick out their outfit. In the afternoon, ask them to help make sandwiches for lunch. And at night, have your kids help put some toys away before sitting down for dinner. With the entire day free, summer is the perfect time to give your kids just a little bit more responsibility.

Create a Summer Bucket List 

Another fun activity to do with your kids one afternoon? Create a summer bucket list! From the park down the block to a museum in New York City, let your kids’ creativity run wild. Now, the next time you hear your little one say, “I’m bored,” you can turn to the list for fun ideas!

Utilize Charts

Especially if you have two or three children, remembering who did what (and when) can get exhausting. Instead of keeping everything organized in your head, throw it down on paper. A simple chore or brushing chart will help keep your home running smoothly long after summer has ended.

And would you look at that — we’re one step ahead of you! To help keep your little one’s oral health a priority this summer, we’ve created a brushing chart you can print and hang up right now! Click the link below to download.

DOWNLOAD»

Dental Health Tips for Summer

Ah, summer, one of our favorite seasons — filled with trips to the beach, sleep-away camps, family getaways, poolside BBQs and more! With all these new activities added into your daily routines, it’s no wonder maintaining good oral hygiene and healthy eating habits can be a struggle.

This summer, don’t take a vacation from your dental health. Follow the below tips to ensure nothing but bright smiles all summer long!

Keep Healthy Habits

We know those ice cream truck bells can be tempting, and with all the extra activities summer brings, healthy habits can fall by the wayside. It’s certainly important to enjoy yourselves, but even remembering the below three tips can keep those pearly whites cavity free!

Don’t Skip Your Dental Routine.
Schools out — which means later curfews and sleepy mornings. Resist the urge to skip brushing before a late bedtime or late wake up. Brushing for two minutes, twice a day and daily flossing are both key ingredients for excellent dental health. Looking for ways to keep your family on track this summer? Consider tacking up a brushing chart!

Stock Healthy Foods.
With kids (and possibly, their friends) home all day, it can be hard to limit snacking, but you can be proactive in choosing the right snacks to stock in your pantries. Swap out sugary treats with healthier options — cubes of cheese, almonds, fruits, veggies, pretzels, peanut butter, and hummus are all tooth friendly!

Drink Water.
Sugar-loaded juices or sodas are great to enjoy on occasion, but too much can contribute to tooth decay! Instead, stick to water — it’s refreshing, hydrating, and optimal for dental health. Slice up some fresh fruit to add flavor!

Bonus: Check out our infographic for more summer health tips for the whole family!

Avoid Dental Emergencies this Summer

Where would you prefer to spend a beautiful sunny day: outdoors or in a dentist chair dealing with an emergency? Assuming you didn’t choose the latter, and we don’t blame you! With a little knowledge and preparation, you can spend your days in the sunshine instead of our waiting room. Always remember to:

Wear a Mouth Guard During Play.
Mouth guards prevent serious injuries, from concussions to broken teeth. While they’re mandatory in collision sports (like football or hockey), it’s important to wear them for contact sports as well (baseball/softball, soccer, volleyball, etc.)! While any mouth guard is better than no mouth guard, we urge you to come in for a custom guard fitting at our dedicated Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dental Mouth Guard Center! Custom guards are more comfortable, don’t restrict breathing or speech, and provide the highest level of protection.

Follow Pool Rules.
The pool is a common source for dental injuries each summer. We often see patients who fell after running on a slick surface or hit their chin after diving into shallow water. That’s why it’s so important to follow pool rules to prevent losing, chipping, or breaking a tooth!

Know What to Do in the Event of a Dental Emergency.
Sometimes despite our best efforts, accidents still happen! To prepare yourself for mishaps, keep an emergency dental care kit on hand. This kit should include gauze, wax (for braces), pain relievers, floss, and our contact information.

Schedule Your Checkup with Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dental

This summer, work to make memories that last a lifetime — and as much as we love to see you, we don’t want those memories to include an emergency dental visit. So in addition to following pool rules, maintaining your dental routines, and wearing mouth guards, you’ll want to also schedule a check up before any long vacations. This way we can help spot any potential problems and treat them before you leave!

For any questions regarding your family’s dental health this summer, we’re only a call away! From dental emergencies to routine cleanings, we have three Long Island locations for your convenience. Click here to request your appointment»