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Did you know that more than four million children throughout the US and Canada have braces? At Donald P. Connolly, DDS, Dr. Don Connolly and Dr. Stanley Sokolow and our staff know that kids can be picky and meticulous eaters. If cooking for children without braces is difficult, preparing meals for children with braces is especially daunting.

“Comfort food takes on a whole new meaning when cooking for children with braces,” says Pamela Waterman, author of The Braces Cookbook: Recipes You and Your Orthodontist Will Love. “Whether you have new brackets, elastics, headgear, or more, there are great foods you can eat; it just takes some thought.”

These five braces-friendly dinner recipes will be sure to keep your kids smiling!

1. Macaroni and cheese is the ultimate comfort food. Pasta is soft, so it’s easy for children with braces to eat. The warm, gooey cheese melts in the mouth and doesn’t get stuck in the braces like hard or sticky foods. Chances are good that even the pickiest eater has a soft spot for this homespun classic.
2. The key to braces-friendly cooking is to replace hard, crunchy foods with softer substitutes. In other words, burritos are a better option than tacos, and lasagna is a better choice than pizza. At the same time, if you have the culinary skills to whip up a pizza with a soft crust, you’re going to win the Best Mom (or Dad) of the Year award.
3. Your child may not like fruits and vegetables. In fact, he or she may even try to convince you that with new braces, fruits and vegetables are off limits. Nice try, kids. While your child is wearing braces, prepare meals with cooked vegetables instead of raw vegetables. A vegetable stir-fry is a healthy and soft dinner choice for kids with braces.
4. Whether it’s beef or chicken, meat is a good source of protein. However, meat, even when it’s carefully taken off the bone (kids with braces should never eat meat from a bone), can easily get caught in braces. Sloppy Joes are a good alternative. The beef is softened by the addition of the sauce and less likely to get strung in the wires and brackets of the braces. Serve the Sloppy Joes with a side of mashed potatoes.
5. Ask any child and he or she will tell you that the best part of dinner is dessert. While hard candy, licorice, taffy, caramel, popcorn, and all other chewy candies should be avoided, ice cream and cake are braces-friendly treats that keep kids smiling.

Need more braces-friendly food ideas? Feel free to ask any member of our team.

ClearCorrect has become a preferred and favorite treatment for those that have to wear braces. ClearCorrect offers patients the opportunity to straighten teeth with clear aligners instead of metal braces. The clear aligners will be replaced about every two weeks until your teeth have reached the desired goal set by Dr. Don Connolly and Dr. Stanley Sokolow.

How to Start

You can start this process by having Dr. Don Connolly and Dr. Stanley Sokolow look at your teeth and see if you will be good candidate for this type of treatment. If you are a good match then a set of impressions will be taken right away of your teeth as well as photos and X-rays. These will all be sent off to have your first set of aligners made.

ClearCorrect is able to create 3D designs of your teeth on a computer system to create the exact fit of your specific aligners. The whole treatment plan is completed with this modern technology so that you are able to have the best possible treatment available.

Why choose ClearCorrect?

• ClearCorrect is now one of the most desired treatment plans available. Most patients become self-conscience while wearing braces, but since these are offered in clear aligner’s patients can smile proudly because they are virtually invisible.

• They also offer the convenience of being able to remove the aligners while eating, brushing and flossing as well as playing sports. For teens this is a big plus because it takes away the chance of the braces hurting the mouth if they are hit in the face.

• They can speed up the treatment time if worn as directed, and are usually comparable to the cost of traditional braces as well other treatment options.

Overall Success

With all the benefits that ClearCorrect offers to patients they are quickly becoming one of the most sought after treatments. Patients enjoy the option of removing them to eat as well as when they brush and floss. It’s definitely worth a visit to our Santa Cruz, Aptos, or Watsonville, CA office to see if you are a good candidate for this treatment.

If you are planning on taking a vacation this summer, we ask that you let us know ahead of time so that we may schedule your summer appointments more efficiently. We also encourage patients and their parents to be proactive in determining when they make their summer appointments.

If you will be gone for an extended period (more than six weeks), we recommend you visit Donald P. Connolly, DDS prior to leaving and schedule another visit shortly after your return. Lastly, please remember not to indulge in hard, sticky, and chewy treats while enjoying your vacation. We look forward to seeing you soon and hearing about your adventures!

Halitosis is the fancy, scientific word for “bad breath.” Dr. Don Connolly and Dr. Stanley Sokolow and our team know there are several reasons why you may have halitosis; let’s look at a few:

• Gum disease (also known as periodontal disease) – There are five main types of gum disease, and each one can range from mild to severe. For example the most common one is gingivitis; it is caused by bacteria in the plaque that has been allowed to build up, usually as a result of poor oral hygiene. A more serious and uncommon type of gum disease is called necrotizing periodontal disease. It is most common in people who have a suppressed immune system.
• Smoking
• Dry Mouth – This can be caused by something as simple as a medication you take.
• Food – Of course, if you eat something that is potent like garlic, it is going to give you bad breath.
• Diseases of the Body – Some diseases such as sinus infections and diabetes, among a few other types of infections, can also cause you to have halitosis.

How to Get Rid of Halitosis

The most obvious answer to how to get rid of halitosis is to practice good oral hygiene, although, depending on the cause of halitosis it may not be that simple. If you have an infection that is causing the halitosis then you may need an antibiotic to clear up the infection and then the bad breath will go away. Here are more tips:

• Brush your teeth after every meal and before bed.
• Floss your teeth. The more plaque you get out of your teeth, the better chance you have of not getting cavities or bad breath.
• Address any medical conditions that are not related to your teeth that can be causing the halitosis.
• Ask Dr. Don Connolly and Dr. Stanley Sokolow for a prescription mouthwash that kills bacteria.

Halitosis (bad breath) can be an embarrassing condition to live with, but there are plenty of ways to get rid of it permanently. Start by talking to a member of our team at our Santa Cruz, Aptos, or Watsonville, CA office.