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There are a variety of foods Dr. Mark Powell wants you to avoid while you're wearing braces. Some foods can occasionally damage braces, but certain foods can bend the wires or even break the brackets on your braces. If you’re wearing braces, you should avoid starch, sugar and gummy foods, as these foods can be difficult to remove during brushing. Foods that are high in sugar and starch tend to cause plaque, cavities and even tooth decay.

Avoid tough meats, hard breads and raw vegetables such as carrots and celery. Before long, you'll be able to bite a cucumber again. But you'll need to protect your orthodontic appliances when you eat for as long as you're wearing braces.

Foods you should avoid include:

• Chewy foods: bagels, hard rolls, licorice
• Crunchy foods: popcorn, ice, chips
• Sticky foods: caramels, gum
• Hard foods: nuts, candy
• Foods you have to bite into: corn on the cob, apples, carrots

Also, chewing on hard things (for example, pens, pencils or fingernails) can damage the braces. Damaged braces will cause treatment to take longer.

If you have any questions on which foods you should be avoiding and why, we invite you to give the office of Dr. Powell a call or ask our staff during your next visit.

It seems like in today’s world, every day feels like social media day. However, June 30th is officially Social Media Day, “a day to celebrate the revolution of media becoming social.” Much like the use of cell phones, checking and updating social media has become a daily routine for many people. We here at Dr. Powell's office are particularly grateful for social media because we are able to interact with patients like you.

Recently we found a very interesting study about social media that was presented on May 25, 2011 by Edison Research and Arbitron that presents some very interesting statistics about social media use in America today. One fascinating highlight is that approximately 46 million Americans who are the age of 12 or older check their social media sites and services several times a day. Check out the full study for more interesting information about social media and social networking.

As you might have noticed, we love engaging in conversation with our patients online. It’s a great way to connect with our patients. It also helps us share news, photos, ideas, and upcoming events at the office. We have found that our Facebook fan page and blog are great tools for making this connection.

Dr. Powell and our team want to continue to improve our social networking presence. Let us know how you would like us to be using our social media or what you would like to see posted on the blog.

Happy Social Media Day!

Summer is here! Kids and adults alike will now be spending more time outside being active and enjoying the hotter temperatures. What’s better on a hot summer day than a delicious treat that will cool you down after doing something active in the summer sun? Luckily, our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) have just the thing, Watermelon Sorbet! You can find the complete recipe below:

Watermelon Sorbet

Ingredients
• ¾ cup water
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 2 to 3 cups watermelon, diced, no seeds or rind

Directions
In a small saucepan, heat the water, sugar, and lime juice on medium high for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Chill this “syrup” at least 20 minutes. In the meantime, place the watermelon chunks in a food processor or blender and liquefy them. Add the chilled syrup to the watermelon puree and blend. Freeze sorbet in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. Serve immediately.

Happy Summer!

According to the American Dental Association, a person's smile outranked eyes, hair and body as the most important physical feature, which is why it's important for our team at Dr. Powell's office to support National Smile Month this June.

Here are a few simple steps you can take to improve your oral health so that you may celebrate National Smile Month for many, many years to come:

* Brush at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Here's a helpful video showing you how to brush with your braces on.
* Floss every day to clean between your teeth.
* Reduce your intake of sugary foods and drinks during your orthodontic treatment with Dr. Powell.
* Visit your dentist regularly (usually every six months apart).

If you have questions about any of these tips, we encourage you to give us a call.