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New to braces? Here are some meal ideas to get you started!

smoothie

To celebrate #BreakfastWeek we’ve put together some ideas that are great for all our brace wearers out there!

Breakfast

Porriage or weetbix with cinnamon and banana (Don’t be adding sugar!)

Oats soaked in yogurt with grated apple and soft berries

Scrambled egg with beans

Smoothie (we love banana and mango!)

Pancakes with mushrooms and poached egg

Lunch

Cooked pasta with cucumber, tomato pepper (chopped into small pieces) with mayonnaise and chicken

Tuna salad

Homemade soup

Baked potato with cottage cheese and salad

Egg mayonnaise on soft bread

Dinner

Spaghetti Bolognese

Mashed potato, stewed beef and cabbage

Chilli and rice

Macaroni cheese

Teriyaki salmon and noodles

Risotto

Meatballs and pasta

Foods to avoid while wearing your brace:

  • Hard nuts, hard fruits
  • Crisps
  • Crusty bread
  • Pizza crust
  • Sticky stuff like chewing gum and toffees
  • Foods high in acidity lemons, limes and sodas.
  • Hard fruit and vegetables should be cut into bite size pieces not bitten.
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6 ESSENTIAL STEPS FOR GOOD ORAL HYGIENE

So your on your way to a new smile! Follow these 6 essential steps to ensure that you maintain excellent oral hygiene. Plaque left on tooth surfaces can cause irreversible damage called decalcification. These white ‘chalky marks’ are not caused by the brace but by ineffective tooth brushing during treatment.

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BRUSHING

  • 3-4 times a day – Tooth brushing is very important! Brush on a morning, an evening (before bed) and after every meal. This means you will have to clean your teeth during school/work hours. Make sure you brush all your tooth surfaces and get in and around the brackets efficiently. Don’t forget to brush your gums!
  • Brush for at least 2 minutes each time

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TOOTHBRUSHES

  • There are two types of brushes you will need to clean your teeth thoroughly. The first is and orthodontic toothbrush – It has a ‘V’ shape, designed to go around the brackets. The second one is called an interdental brush
  • This is essential to clean between the brackets and under the wire
  • The places your toothbrush can’t reach.
  • Replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months to ensure your teeth are getting the best clean.

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TOOTHPASTE

  • Use fluoride toothpaste, it doesn’t matter which one as long as it contains fluoride. Use a pea sized amount on your toothbrush.

MOUTHWASH

  • A fluoride mouthwash is recommended to keep the enamel of the teeth strong when the fixed appliance is in place. This should be used every night at a different time to brushing.
  • Hold it in the mouth for a fill minute and ‘swish’ around for it to reach all areas of your mouth.
  • This is NOT a substitute for tooth brushing!

FLOSSING

  • It might seem like you can’t floss whilst your braces are on, but you can. You can get special flossing products for when you’re wearing your orthodontic appliance
  • These include interdental brushes and floss threaders. You can do this at least once a day.

DISCLOSING TABLETS

  • If you or your orthodontist feels like you aren’t brushing your teeth correctly these are perfect for showing you the places that you have missed.
  • Simply chew the tablet and ‘swish’ it round your mouth for a few seconds and it will colour the areas of your teeth and gums that you have missed. You can then brush away the areas that you haven’t reached. Do this a 1-2 times a week to keep you on top of your brushing and keep your teeth and gums healthy.
  • Remember to put Vaseline on your lips to avoid dying your lips a bright colour!

By following these 6 simple rules you can ensure a wonderful new smile.

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10 top reasons to smile

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  1. 1. Smiling makes us attractive   There is a huge attraction factor to those who smile, we are drawn to them! Frowns and unhappy people push people away, so keep smiling.
  2. 2. Smiling relieves stress  When we are stressed it really shows up in our faces. Smiling can help us! When you’re stressed try your best to keep smiling and you will defiantly see a change in how you feel. It prevents you from looking tired, run down or upset. It makes other people think you are happy and you will feel a lot happier in yourself.
  3. 3. Smiling changes our mood  Next time you are feeling down, try putting on a smile. There’s a good chance you mood will change for the better. Smiling can trick the body into helping you change your mood.
  4. 4. Smiling is contagious  When someone is smiling; straight away they lighten up the room and make things more positive. If someone is smiling and seems a really happy person, it will make you want to smile as well. It changes the moods of others as a smiling person brings happiness with them. Make sure you smile lots and you will draw people too you!
  5. 5. Smiling boosts your immune system  When you smile you are more relaxed so your immune function can improve. Smile and you could prevent certain virus like cold and flu.
  6. 6. Smiling lowers your blood pressure  See if you notice a difference? Sit down at home and take a reading of your blood pressure. Spend the day smiling and measure your blood pressure after. You should see a reduction in your blood pressure, give it a try!
  7. 7. Smiling releases endorphins, natural pain killers and serotonin  Smiling is a natural drug, it releases endorphins, natural pain killers and serotonin and together these make us feel a lot better in our selves.
  8. 8. Smiling lifts the face and makes you look younger  No one needs to go for the expense of a face lift, just smile! Smiling will use muscles to lift your face and make you feel and look younger.
  9. 9. Smiling makes you seem successful  Smiling people appear more confident, are more likely to be promoted, and more likely to be approached. Put on a smile at meetings and appointments and people will react to you differently.
  10. 10. Smiling helps you stay positive Try this test: Smile. Now try to think of something negative without losing the smile. It’s hard. When we smile our body is sending the rest of us a message that “Life is good!” Stay away from depression, stress and worry by smiling.
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National Smile Month – Local schools brush up on their knowledge on the importance of good oral hygiene!

The UK’s largest and longest running oral health campaign is on its way. National smile month takes place between May 18th and June 18th and is the perfect opportunity to educate the local community on how important Oral Health is. It’s a time for as many people as   possible to get involved in this jam packed, fun month where hundreds of events and activities will take place.
Here at St Michaels Orthodontics we think it is very important for everyone to have a good understanding on how important good oral health is, especially young children! We feel if children learn young then hopefully in the future there will be a lower percentage of adults with dental problems. Two members of staff here at St Michaels, Katie and Kate, make regular visits to local schools and present a talk on oral hygiene, braces and ourselves at St Michaels Orthodontics. Recently they have visited 3 different classes, one at Flushdyke Junior and Infant School and two at Towngate School. They came back with such great feedback on how much the children and teachers learnt from the talk! They were amazed how much they learnt, two minutes of brushing is actually a very long time! Also who’d of thought flavored water contained so much sugar? The children and teachers won’t be drinking that as much anymore! The children loved getting involved and learning about how the brush their teeth properly, what to use, what’s good and what’s bad for your teeth and the consequences if good oral hygiene doesn’t take place.
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There are so many ways of getting yourself, your team and your friends involved. Why not select a few people and do a sponsored leg wax or create an eye catching display full of posters and information. Why not do a smileathron? Here at St Michaels Orthodontics we love taking as many pictures (selfies) as we can with the national smile month smilies. It’s a fun and easy way of taking part. You could even get your hands dirty and get all creative baking some tasty little treats to sell and raise money. Last year the staff at St Michaels did a full week of baking and raised a great amount of money for this event. Our therapist Katie and her nurse Kate also set up a cart at our local shopping centre handing out leaflets, toothpaste samples, balloons and pens as well as stopping shoppers walking past and having a quick chat about the importance of good Oral Health. There’s so much to do so there’s no excuse to not take part!   bun pj buns Continue reading →
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World Radiography Day

Radiographers worldwide can celebrate the discovery of x-radiation by Wilhelm Roentgen in 1895. World radiography day is celebrated on the 8Th of November every year, its 24 hours in the year that is dedicated to celebrating the work done by all radiographers round the world. It is a chance to increase public awareness of diagnostic imaging and radiation therapy.

The international day of radiography 2012 marked the 117th anniversary of Wilhelm’s discovery of x-rays. Many events took place all over the world to celebrate this day. In the UK, the Royal College of Radiologists organised a free public lecture by Dr. Phil O’Connor. Dr O’Conner served as head of musculoskeletal imaging at the London Olympics in 2012.

The European Society of Radiography has published two booklets dedicated to this important day. ‘The story of radiology’ which is all about the history of radiology and ‘Making cancer visible’.

The international society of Radiographers and Radiological Technologists would like to encourage all radiographers over the world to celebrate this great discovery. So get celebrating!

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