Eat These Foods for Optimal Oral Health

A healthy smile begins with what we eat. If we consume junk food and beverages that have high sugar content or harmful acids that attack the teeth, not only will our oral health status deplete, but our overall health will, too. Dr. Cynthia Wong, DDS of Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics wants each of her patients to keep their permanent teeth for a lifetime. By adding these foods to your diet, you are doing your mouth a favor.

The best food choices that we can make for healthy teeth and gums include cheeses, chicken, nuts, and milk. These foods help protect enamel by providing calcium that enamel needs to stay strong. Water cleans the mouth with every sip, unlike soda, energy drinks, and juices that attack the teeth with acidity. Other food choices include firm, crunchy fruits and vegetables that have a high water content which dilutes sugars and stimulates saliva flow to protect teeth from decay.

If you have questions or concerns regarding nutrition and oral health, please give us a call. To learn more about night guards and all the services we provide, visit www.drcynthiawong.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics in Orland Park, IL, call 708-444-8341.

Holiday Foods with Braces

This holiday season, many braces patients will be attending feasts and parties full of seasonal treats. This raises some obvious questions about what they can eat, which is why Dr. Cynthia Wong’s orthodontic office wants to help guide patients looking for delicious (and possibly nutritious) meals.

It’s pretty obvious that people with braces need to avoid peanut brittle and the baby carrots on veggie platters. But there are still plenty of foods that aren’t especially tough or sticky. Ham, brisket, and turkey are all popular main courses that can be cooked tender enough to not present a challenge to braces. Mashed tubers and potato pancakes are sides that won’t displace any wires, and while raw carrots are out of the question, steamed or boiled vegetables aren’t a problem. Cheese is another safe appetizer, and one of the pleasures people with braces can particularly appreciate is a bowl of hearty winter squash soup.

One thing to remember with a lot of holiday foods, including pumpkin pie and Christmas pudding, is that foods which are soft are often high in sugar. While the risk to orthodontic wires is negligible, they do need to be removed from the teeth as soon as possible. Ice cream and custard are commonly suggested as dessert alternatives, but again, it’s important for people with braces to thoroughly clean their teeth after eating anything sugary due to their increased vulnerability to tooth decay. Keep in mind that lots of holiday drinks are also high in sugar or acidic and that a water chaser is your teeth’s friend.

Cynthia Wong, DMD, operates at 15614 S Harlem #B, Orland Park, Illinois, 60462. To contact her office, call 708-444-8341 or visit Dr. Cynthia Wong and send a message.

 

Chapped Lips

With winter upon us, many people are suffering from dry lips. People with braces tend to be especially vulnerable to dryness and irritation, which is why we at Dr. Cynthia Wong’s Orland Park orthodontic practice want our patients to know how to take care of themselves.

Cold air is not able to retain as much moisture as warm air. The first line of defense against chapping is to avoid exposing your lips to the air, especially when it’s windy. Wrap a scarf tightly over your mouth when you’re outside. When you’re inside, use a humidifier in rooms such as your bedroom where you have to be for a long time. Drink plenty of water, and apply lip balm several times per day, including before you go to bed. Pay attention to the ingredients in your lip balm, because some, such as menthol, makes irritation worse in some people. Avoid licking your lips; saliva evaporates quickly and will leave them even drier.

As for the inside of the mouth, apply dental wax to the brackets in problem areas frequently. You may need to see a breathing specialist if you are unable to breathe through your nose because mouth breathing is likely to dry out the inside of your mouth and make you more vulnerable to ulcers and chapping.

Cynthia Wong, DMD, operates at 15614 S Harlem #B, Orland Park, Illinois, 60462. To contact her office, call 708-444-8341 or visit Dr. Cynthia Wong and send a message.