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This month, our staff at our office want you to be extra careful with your braces and appliances. After all, September marks the start of fall sports and an increased risk to mouth injuries. September also happens to be National Childhood Injury Prevention Month, and Dr. Mark L. M. Powell thought it’d be a good idea to share a few sobering facts about sports and facial injuries, courtesy of our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO).

*More than half of the seven million sports and recreation-related injuries that occur each year are sustained by youth between ages five and 24. Collision and contact sports have higher injury rates; baseball, soccer, basketball, and football account for about 80% of all sports-related emergency room visits, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

*Sixty-seven percent of parents say their child does not wear a mouthguard, yet, 70 percent say their biggest fear when their child plays is that they will get hurt.

*Of the parents whose children do not wear a mouthguard, 84 percent say it’s because the league or coach does not require it.

*The average high school baseball pitcher can throw a fast ball between 75 and 85 miles per hour. This compares to being hit in the mouth by a speeding car!

We hope this helps you remember to wear a mouthguard and other forms of protective gear when participating in fall sports around Jenison, MI! We encourage you to give us a call if you have any questions!

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 Jenison, MI 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!

If you’re wearing braces, then you know they are working hard to straighten your teeth. However, those hard-working braces are also preventing you from easily cleaning your teeth. It is essential that you put some extra attention into preventing tooth decay while wearing your braces. When your braces are finally removed by Dr. Mark L. M. Powell, you want a beautiful, white smile, not decayed or stained teeth. Here, we’ve listed the five best ways to ensure you have the smile you’ve always dreamed of once your braces are gone.

USE A SPECIAL TOOTHBRUSH

A regular toothbrush just doesn’t cut it when you are wearing braces. You also need to use an interdental toothbrush so that you can effectively clean behind the braces. According to HealthGuidance.org, this type of brush has bristles that are shaped like a Christmas tree that can remove food residue in the braces and on the teeth. We also recommend using a WaterPik, with its highly pressurized pulsating water, to help get all of those hard-to-reach places.

BRUSH AFTER EVERY MEAL

Since braces block food from naturally escaping your teeth after eating, it’s important that you take the time to brush and floss after every meal. The less time food has to sit on your teeth, the less likely it is to cause decay. This may seem like an inconvenience, but trust us, when you get your braces off, you will be very glad you brushed after every meal.

DON’T FORGET THE MOUTH RINSE

Even after properly brushing and flossing, there are probably some food particles in your braces. A fluoride mouth rinse is the best way to ensure that every bit of food is removed after meals. If you do not have a mouth rinse available, we suggest using water — it’s better than nothing.

AVOID SWEETS

Prevention is definitely the best medicine when it comes to avoiding tooth decay. If you can nix decay-causing sugary foods from the outset, we promise you’ll spend less time trying to treat problems in the future.

GET REGULAR CHECKUPS

Visit your dentist regularly while you are wearing braces. Our office recommends a thorough cleaning every three to six months. Let our Jenison, MI office know if you have questions about your oral health while in braces - our entire team at our office is here to make sure your teeth are as beautifully straight as they are healthy!

There are several reasons why some people’s teeth grow in crooked, overlapping, or twisted. The most common is hereditary, while other causes include irregularly-shaped teeth or jaws, premature loss of baby teeth, and habits such as thumb-sucking or tongue thrusting. It is very important that you schedule an appointment at our office so that we can make an early diagnosis and treatment plan that will best suit your or your child’s needs.

Establishing a proper bite is not just cosmetic but can dramatically improve our patients' dental and overall health.

Crooked teeth can:

• Interfere with proper chewing
• Hinder proper oral hygiene, which increases the risk of tooth decay, cavities, and gingivitis
• Strain the teeth, jaws, and muscles, increasing the risk of breaking a tooth

Orthodontics is easier today than ever before, with treatment options at our office that fit your lifestyle and schedule. We look forward to helping you or your child achieve the bite and smile that will last a lifetime. Give us a call at our convenient Jenison, MI office to book your initial consultation.