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There are many reasons why people love autumn in Bowling Green, OH. Crisp air. Jeweled leaf tones. Reuniting with school friends. Fall sports. Halloween and Thanksgiving.

But there’s one thing about autumn which never appears on anyone’s favorites list: it’s the start of cold and flu season. If you’ve fallen ill, we have some ideas for taking care of yourself—and your dental health—as you recover.

• Stay Hydrated

Proper hydration is vital for healthy skin, temperature, digestion, and other bodily functions. Sweating, fever, diarrhea, and vomiting—common symptoms of colds or flu—cause dehydration.

Dehydration also creates problems for your oral health. Hydration ensures healthy levels of saliva. Saliva helps prevent cavities by washing away bacteria and food particles and neutralizing oral acidity. Saliva bathes the teeth in minerals which keep tooth enamel strong. Hydration also supports healthy bone and connective tissue, which encourages faster orthodontic healing as your teeth move into their ideal positions.

Even if you don’t feel like eating when you’re ill, be sure to drink the liquids you need to stay hydrated. For your dental health, try to avoid overdoing sugary beverages and acidic drinks.

• Eat Healthy Foods

It’s always a good idea to eat nutritious foods, but it’s especially important when you’re not feeling well. Fatty and greasy foods are hard to digest. Processed, sugary, and fast foods filled with empty calories don’t provide the protein and nutrients which can encourage a speedier recovery. And studies suggest that sugar-filled foods can suppress your immune system, the network of cells and organs working together to prevent and fight infection.

A diet rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals will help you recover when you feel up to regular meals again. Foods which contain nutrients like calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D are necessary for healthy teeth. Vitamins A and C are essential for gum health and bone density, which is especially important while you’re in orthodontic treatment.

• Minimize Exposure to Germs—For Yourself and Others!

To help prevent catching colds and flu, be mindful that viruses and bacteria can live for hours and even days on non-porous surfaces like phones, keyboards, and doorknobs. Washing your hands with soap and water before touching your mouth, nose, or eyes, before brushing and flossing, and before you cook and eat will help you eliminate most of the germs which cause colds and flu.

If you do catch something, be mindful of your interactions with others. You can help stop the spread of germs by limiting contact with other people, masking, and covering your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough.

Protect yourself and those around you by being careful with dental hygiene. Never share your toothbrush with others. Don’t let toothbrushes touch in a common container. Always let your toothbrush air-dry since germs prefer moist environments.

And, while it’s unlikely that you’ll re-catch a cold from your toothbrush, brushes are only at their best for three to four months. If yours is past its prime, post-illness is a perfect time to replace your old brush with a clean new one.

• Be Choosy with OTC Medicine

Many cough syrups and cough drops are filled with sugar. Consider sugar-free syrups, or, if you use cough or cold medications which include sugar, rinse or brush afterward.

Look for sugar-free cough drops, which won’t bathe your enamel in sugar as they dissolve. And never crunch down on cough drops. A chipped tooth, cracked enamel, a broken bracket, or a warped wire certainly won’t make you feel better!

• Keep Up with Your Brushing and Flossing

Even when you feel weak and tired, it’s important to brush and floss as usual—with one exception.

Vomiting brings up harsh stomach acids which weaken the mineral bonds keeping tooth enamel strong. Brushing right away can spread these acids around your mouth and your enamel. If you vomit, rinse your mouth with water and wait 30 minutes before brushing to allow your enamel to come back to full strength.

• Stay Home When You’re Sick

You’ll get better faster when you take care of yourself, which includes getting the rest you need to recover. And beyond doing something for your own health, you won’t be risking the health of the people around you.

If you have an appointment scheduled with Dr. Nathan Downey, reschedule as necessary. Your orthodontic team at Downey Orthodontics will be happy to accommodate you to prevent the spread of colds and flu and to make your appointment a more comfortable one.

Don’t let cold and flu season ruin one of the most beautiful times of the year! Follow your doctor’s advice, take good care of yourself when you’re ill, and visit Dr. Nathan Downey again once you’re feeling better to keep your treatment on track.

Halloween is a time to enjoy delicious candies you might avoid the rest of the year. Youngsters who get to dress up and ask for sweet treats out trick-or-treating cherish this holiday.

If you have braces on, Dr. Nathan Downey would like you still to have fun and celebrate Halloween this year!

It’s easy to get carried away on Halloween by eating too much candy at once. Most parents try to prevent the all-too-common sugar high their kids experience on Halloween night. While there are certain candies that should be avoided, not all candy will cause problems for kids with braces. After trick-or-treating, you could trade unsafe candies with siblings and/or friends so they don’t miss out on the sugar buzz.

Dr. Nathan Downey and our team have come up with a list of teeth-friendly treats that should keep you from worrying about breaking your braces. We also came up with a list of candies to avoid, so as to save you a trip to our Bowling Green, OH office. Remember to be extra careful when you indulge this Halloween!

Braces-Friendly Sweets

• Solid chocolate: Milk, white, or dark
• Nougat-filled candy bars: Three Musketeers
• Powdery candy: Sweet Tarts, Pixie Stix
• Mint-flavored candy
• Malted milk balls
• Soft cookies
• Peanut butter crackers

Avoid These Treats

• Sticky candy: Starbursts, toffee, Tootsie Rolls
• Hard candy: Suckers, Jolly Ranchers
• Taffy
• Caramels
• Fruit chews
• Gum
• Caramel apples
• Skittles
• M&Ms

When in doubt, ask Dr. Nathan Downey if a particular candy is safe to eat when you have braces. We hope you enjoy your Halloween sweets, and look forward to seeing you at your next appointment! Happy Halloween!

You might be surprised to see one of your second grader’s friends with a dental appliance. Isn’t orthodontic work just for teenagers? And, if not, should your seven-year-old be sporting braces right now? The answer to both of those questions is “Not necessarily.” Two-phase treatment is a process designed to correct issues that arise during different times in your child’s life.

First Phase Treatment

We recommend that every child have an orthodontic evaluation around the age of seven to determine if there is a problem that would benefit from early treatment. First phase orthodontics is not the same as orthodontics for older patients. The focus here is on the developing bone and muscle structures which form your child’s bite and provide space for the permanent teeth when they arrive.

There are some clear-cut orthodontic goals that are much easier to attain when children’s bones are still growing.

• Reducing Crowding

If your child’s mouth is small, the permanent teeth will have little room to fit in when they arrive. We may recommend gently enlarging the upper dental arch with the use of a palatal expander. This device will provide room for the adult teeth, and could potentially shorten second phase treatment time. Sometimes the extractions necessary to create more room for permanent teeth in later years can be avoided, as well as the possibility of an impacted tooth—one which doesn’t erupt because it is blocked by other teeth.

• Dealing with Jaw and Bite Concerns

Bones and muscles do not always develop properly, leading to problems with jaw and facial structure. Your younger child still has growing bones, so this is a great time to gently re-form the jaw into a healthy shape. Problems caused by crossbites, underbites, open bites, and other malocclusions can be reduced with early treatment.  

• Protecting Teeth

If your child has protruding front teeth, these teeth are more likely to be damaged in falls, at play, or while participating in sports. We can gently reposition them.

Second Phase Treatment

Second phase treatment is designed for your older child. After a resting period, when the permanent teeth finish erupting, we should see your child to evaluate any further orthodontic needs. This is the time to finish the process of straightening the teeth and making sure that each tooth fits together properly for a comfortable and healthy bite. This phase usually makes use of braces or aligners, and can take approximately 12-24 months.

Two-phase treatment is not necessary for every child. But there are some unique reasons that early orthodontics might be recommended for your child, even if it’s clear that more orthodontic work will be needed later. Make an appointment with Dr. Nathan Downey at our Bowling Green, OH office, and let’s evaluate your child’s orthodontic needs, whether now or in the future, for a lifetime of beautiful smiles.

One word no one likes to hear is “cavity!”

For those patients of ours wearing braces, hearing that word is especially problematic, considering that delaying any dental work may result in delaying treatment time.

We often blame candy as the culprit behind tooth decay, but other foods and drinks that kids consume can be just as harmful to their teeth, and can lead to cavities and tooth decay. Keeping your teeth or your child’s teeth from decay during treatment starts with a proper diet, and today, our team at Downey Orthodontics will explain the negative effects that candy and other treats, including peanut butter, raisins, fruit juice, and chewy fruit snacks, have on your child’s teeth as he or she undergoes orthodontic treatment. Keep in mind that half of your child’s sugar intake may be coming from beverages that he or she drinks. A major offender is soda, but be mindful of fruit juices as well.

While sugar is known to sit in your child’s teeth and in between and under brackets and wires after consumption, it is important to know sugar is not the only cavity-causing culprit. Carbohydrates, starches, acids, and any food that is chewy or sticks break down into sugars, and can promote tooth decay.

So, what are the alternatives?

Candy such as dark chocolate, sugar-free gum, or anything that contains xylitol, a sugar substitute, is not as harmful for your teeth as hard, chewy, or sticky sweets. Sugar-free gum or gum that contains xylitol are known to reduce levels of bacteria on teeth.

And if you’re still looking for something to snack on, we recommend cutting up easy-to-eat fruits and vegetables. You would also be surprised how much eating a banana or sipping on a glass of water helps you curb snack cravings.

If you’re one of those folks who just can’t stay away from sweets, we encourage you to brush your teeth immediately afterward and swish water in your mouth.

Whatever you eat, Dr. Nathan Downey and our team want you to remember to brush often, floss regularly, and visit your general dentist as your treatment progresses. If you have any questions about sugary foods or drinks, please give us a call or ask us during your next adjustment visit!