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You and your braces will become good friends over the coming months or years, so it’s important to get your relationship off to a good start. Consider the following recommendations to prevent rocky times ahead:

1. Floss, floss, floss. Yes, it’s a pain to floss around your braces, but it's the best way to prevent gum disease and other oral health problems. Ask Dr. Andrew Nalin and our staff for floss threaders to make the chore easier. Just a few minutes per day will ensure that you don’t face significant dental health issues when the braces come off.
2. Avoid sticky or hard foods. It’s tough to forgo toffee, caramel, gum, and other favorite sticky treats, but your braces will thank you. Sticky or hard foods can break a bracket or wire, so it’s best to avoid them altogether.
3. Chew with your back teeth. If you’re used to taking large bites with your front teeth, it might be time to switch your eating habits. Taking a large bite of food with your front teeth can leave your braces vulnerable to damage. Instead, cut large foods into pieces and use your back teeth to chew. This is especially important with corn on the cob, which should always be cut from the cob.
4. Wear rubber bands and headgear. Rubber bands, headgear, and other orthodontic appliances may seem annoying, but failing to comply with wearing them can increase the length of your treatment by months. Wear them now to avoid problems in the future.

Labor Day is upon us, and that means the non-official end to summer. Before the kids head back to school and temperatures start to cool down, this is your last chance to barbeque in the beautiful Mount Vernon, WA community, head to the lake, and wear your favorite pair of white pants.

About Labor Day

Each year, Labor Day is celebrated on the first Monday of September. It is the one day of year Americans celebrate their achievements in work, which the US Department of Labor says has contributed to prosperity and well-being of America as a whole. Americans have been celebrating Labor Day since the 1880s, and today it is an official federal holiday.

Interesting Facts About Labor Day

• Every year, more than 30 million Americans travel over Labor Day weekend.
• Canada was the first to celebrate Labor Day, and the US soon followed.
• President Cleveland made Labor Day and official US holiday in 1894.
• Labor Day marks the beginning of the NFL and NCAA sports seasons for fans.
• Labor Day marks the end of hot dog season, when Americans consume seven billion hot dogs.

Thanks for being a valued patient of our orthodontic office. Our staff would like to wish you a safe and happy Labor Day weekend. Enjoy your time off!

Wearing braces during your treatment at Nalin Orthodontics presents some unique challenges in the types of food you can safely eat. The wrong items can be difficult to remove from between your teeth and the appliance. Other foods may even break or loosen your braces.

Dinner recipe ideas

Lasagna is a great dinner choice because it provides you with several food groups in one easy dish.

• 1 ½ pounds ground hamburger
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1 pound diced tomatoes — canned is fine
• 12 oz. tomato paste
• 1 package of dry spaghetti sauce mix for seasoning
• 10 oz. box dry lasagna
• 3 cups ricotta or cottage cheese or 1 ½ cups each mixed
• ½-cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 pound sliced or shredded Mozzarella cheese

Brown and drain your hamburger meat. Dice the garlic and simmer the hamburger, garlic, basil, diced tomatoes, tomato paste and powdered sauce mix for ½ hour.

Cook the lasagna noodles as directed on the package and drain.

Beat the eggs and combine them with your ricotta or cottage cheese.

Layer ½ of the noodles in a 13 x 9 pan. Spread ½ of your cottage cheese mix on top of the noodles, then layer ½ of the mozzarella on top. Finish this layer with ½ of your hamburger mix. Repeat the layering with the other half of your ingredients. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.

Meats

You can enjoy ribs and chicken wings as long as you cut the meat from the bone before you eat. The same rule applies to turkey legs; do not gnaw on bones, because this can damage your braces.

Vegetables and fruits

You still need to include fruits and vegetables in your daily meals. Skip corn on the bob, whole apples, and raw carrots. Broccoli is soft but particles can become stuck in your braces, so be sure to brush and floss after your meal.

Desserts

Avoid caramel, taffy, and hard candies for dessert. Pudding and ice cream are fine, but low-sugar versions are best.

Remember that your mouth will be sore after adjustments with Dr. Andrew Nalin. Stick to softer foods until the sensitivity is reduced. Please do not hesitate to ask our team for recipe and meal ideas. We will be happy to take the time to explain which foods items are the best choices and why.

If you have any questions about these recipes, or if you have any questions about eating with braces, please give us a call at our Mount Vernon, WA office!

After patients complete their ClearCorrect treatment at our Mount Vernon, WA office, many will be given retainers to wear at night to prevent their teeth from moving. This is done after all treatment with any type of braces. There are two types of retainers available from Dr. Andrew Nalin: removable and permanent.

Removable Retainers

If you are given the option of having a clear removable retainer to use, it will most likely only need to be worn at bedtime. They are the easiest and most preferred and are able to be removed to brush your teeth, floss, eat, and drink.

Permanent Retainers

If you are not a good candidate for a clear removable retainer you will be given the option of having a permanent metal retainer placed behind your teeth. Permanent retainers are made from a thin metal wire that is attached to your teeth. This type of retainer is the perfect option for those who will not be disciplined enough to wear their removable retainer or keep track of where it is. Once this retainer is placed in the mouth it will provide protection from your teeth shifting for years.

In order to retain the alignment of your teeth and protect all of the orthodontic work you have had completed, speak with Dr. Andrew Nalin about which form of retainer would be best for your individual dental needs.