Our Blog

Valentine’s Day is on the way, and sweet treats are a Cupid-approved Valentine’s tradition. Make your day even sweeter by showing your smile some love while enjoying your favorites.

Choose Healthy and Braces-Friendly Desserts

When it comes to desserts which are good for you and your braces, some are love at first bite:

• The Charms of Chocolate

If you’re head over heels for chocolate, good news! Soft chocolate candies and truffles and moist chocolate cakes and cupcakes are a safe (and tasty) choice.

For a richer chocolate experience, consider dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is often called a “superfood” because it’s packed with nutrients and antioxidants. Dark chocolate also contains less sugar than milk or white chocolate, so it’s the perfect dental choice for chocoholics.

• Dairy Delights

Dairy foods might be your perfect match when it comes to maintaining healthy teeth and gums. The calcium and phosphorus minerals in milk, yogurt, cream, and other dairy products help strengthen and restore tooth enamel. The vitamin D in dairy foods helps our bodies absorb these minerals and put them to work. Vitamin D also plays a role in preventing gum disease.

Creamy puddings, parfaits, ice creams, and gelatos—without chewy or crunchy additions—are easy on your braces. For even healthier options, try yogurt-based desserts. Yogurt has less sugar than its creamy cousins as well as probiotics for better gum and oral health.

• Fancy Fruits

Perhaps fruits are the apple of your eye. After all, fruits are a wonderful source of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. Flavorful smoothies, juicy fruit kabobs, and rich sorbets might be less traditional Valentine’s choices, but are no less delicious! When made with pureed fruits, soft fruits, and thin-sliced fruits, they’re braces-friendly as well.

Since a little decadence is expected on Valentine’s Day, why not treat yourself to strawberries dipped in chocolate? Besides the vitamins and minerals which strawberries offer, they also contain malic acid, which can act as a natural tooth-whitener.

Avoid Treats on the Naughty List

Okay, Cupid doesn’t have a naughty list. But if he did, these foods would definitely be on it because of the damage they can cause to your teeth and braces.

• Hard and Crunchy Confections

Hard candies, peanut brittle, lollipops, nutty candy bars—if it’s hard to bite into, it’s hard on your braces, and can damage brackets and wires.

• Chewy Candy

Caramels, taffy, licorice and other super-chewy rolls and candies can break brackets and bend wires. And they’re difficult for John Burke to remove from the surface of teeth and braces.

• Sticky Sweets

Soft and sticky candies like gumdrops, jellybeans, and other gummy treats stick to your brackets and wires, making it hard to clean sugary remnants from your teeth and potentially damaging to your braces.

• Sour Candy

Sour candies and sour gummy anythings aren’t good for your teeth. Highly acidic foods erode the mineral strength of your tooth enamel, and this can lead to tooth sensitivity and tooth decay.

Treat Yourself Well—But Not Too Often!

While it’s tempting to enjoy Valentine’s treats all day long, do your enamel a favor and snack moderately. Eating frequently throughout the day, or “grazing,” defeats one of your body’s amazing natural methods of cavity prevention.

It’s not just people who enjoy sugar—oral bacteria love sugar, too. Sugar fuels the bacteria which are responsible for cavities. Bacteria in plaque use sugar to create acids which, like acidic foods, cause enamel erosion and decay.

Part of the body’s natural cavity-fighting mechanism is saliva. Saliva washes away food particles and bacteria, provides minerals to reinforce enamel strength, and helps neutralize acids.

But it takes about 30 minutes for saliva’s neutralizing process to begin. Constant snacking delays acid neutralization and reduces its period of effectiveness. Limit your snacks and avoid grazing to help your body’s natural defenses work their best for you.

Give Your Smile Some Extra TLC

We all enjoy a special dessert on a special occasion–and Valentine’s Day certainly qualifies! Just remember to take special care with your dental hygiene after enjoying sugary treats.

• Brush and Floss

Be sure to brush and floss as often as the team at Burke Orthodontics recommends. It’s a good idea to give your teeth an extra brushing after an especially sugary confection to remove food particles from brackets and wires.

• Drink Water

Water not only hydrates, it encourages saliva production. And, if you can’t brush right away, rinsing with water helps remove food particles from your teeth and braces.

Valentine’s Day is a day celebrated with all kinds of sweet things, and one of the sweetest is your healthy smile. Make this Valentine’s Day in Frankfort, IL special by showing your smile the love it deserves!

Valentine’s Day is on the way, and sweet treats are a Cupid-approved Valentine’s tradition. Make your day even sweeter by showing your smile some love while enjoying your favorites!

Be Choosy with Your Desserts

When it comes to healthy desserts, some are love at first bite:

• The Charms of Dark Chocolate

If you’re head over heels for chocolate, good news! Dark chocolate is often called a “superfood” because it’s rich in nutrients and antioxidants. And there’s more! Because dark chocolate contains less sugar than milk or white chocolate, it’s the best dental choice for chocoholics.

• Dairy Delights

Dairy foods might be your perfect match when it comes to maintaining healthy teeth and gums. The calcium and phosphorus minerals in milk, yogurt, cream, and other dairy products help strengthen and restore tooth enamel. The vitamin D in dairy foods helps our bodies absorb these minerals and put them to work. Vitamin D also plays a role in preventing gum disease.

You can make your Valentine dairy treats extra-healthy with yogurt. Yogurt desserts often have less sugar than their creamy cousins, and yogurt contains probiotics which combat harmful bacteria and support gum health.

• Fancy Fruits

Perhaps fruits are the apple of your eye. After all, fruits are a wonderful source of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. Flavorful smoothies, juicy fruit kabobs and parfaits, and rich sorbets might be less traditional Valentine’s choices, but are no less delicious!

Since a little decadence is expected on Valentine’s Day, why not treat yourself to strawberries dipped in dark chocolate or yogurt? Besides the vitamins and minerals which strawberries offer, they also contain malic acid, which can act as a natural tooth-whitener.

Avoid Sweet Treats on the Naughty List

Okay, Cupid doesn’t have a naughty list. But if he did, these foods would definitely be on it because of the damage they can cause to teeth and dental work.

• Sour candies and sour gummy anythings aren’t good for your teeth. Highly acidic foods erode the mineral strength of your tooth enamel, and this can lead to tooth sensitivity and tooth decay.
• If you wear braces, chewy, nutty, hard, and sticky foods can damage your wires and brackets. Instead, choose braces-friendly treats like soft chocolates and truffles.
• Similarly, for people with crowns, bridges, or dentures, hard, sticky, and chewy candies and other foods can potentially dislodge or damage dental work. Dr. Tavory can help you choose the healthiest options on the Valentine menu.

Treat Yourself Well—But Not Too Often!

While it’s tempting to enjoy Valentine’s treats all day long, do your enamel a favor and snack moderately. Eating frequently throughout the day, or “grazing,” defeats one of your body’s amazing natural methods of cavity prevention.

It’s not just people who enjoy sugar—oral bacteria love sugar, too. Sugar fuels the bacteria which are responsible for cavities. Bacteria in plaque use sugar to create acids which, like acidic foods, cause enamel erosion and decay.

Part of the body’s natural cavity-fighting mechanism is saliva. Saliva washes away food particles and bacteria, provides minerals to reinforce enamel strength, and helps neutralize acids.

But it takes about 30 minutes for saliva’s neutralizing process to begin. Constant snacking delays acid neutralization and reduces its period of effectiveness. Limit your snacks and avoid grazing to help your body’s natural defenses work their best for you.

Give Your Smile Some Extra TLC

We all enjoy a special dessert on a special occasion–and Valentine’s Day certainly qualifies! Just remember to take special care with your dental hygiene after enjoying sugary treats.

• Brush and Floss

Be sure to brush and floss for the amount of time recommended by the team at Tavory Family Dentistry—brush at least two minutes in the morning and evening, and floss at least once each day. It’s a good idea to give your teeth an extra brushing after an especially sugary confection.

• Drink Water

Water not only hydrates, it encourages saliva production. And, if you can’t brush right away, rinsing with water helps remove food particles from your teeth.

Valentine’s Day is a day celebrated with all kinds of sweet things, and one of the sweetest is your healthy smile. Make this Valentine’s Day in Boca Raton special by showing your smile the love it deserves!

Many of us with feline and canine friends are positive we’ve seen them smiling. After all, who hasn’t basked in the tooth-filled grin of their delighted dog or the pleased expression of their contented cat?

Animal behaviorists will tell us, though, that our pets actually use many different body cues to signal happiness—and eyes, ears, and tails are better clues as to how happy or unhappy our furry companions are.

But even though animals don’t smile exactly the way we do, they do share some of the same oral concerns as their humans. Since February is Pet Dental Health Month, let’s look at some dental tips to keep your cats and dogs their healthiest and happiest.

Be Aware of Your Pet’s Dental Health Risks

Did you know that tooth and gum health is essential to the well-being of your canine or feline BFF? While cats and dogs don’t suffer from cavities as much as we do, they can suffer oral pain, infection, and trauma without proper dental care.

• Gum Disease

Gum disease is one of the leading causes of tooth loss in pets. Oral bacteria, food particles, and saliva combine and form plaque deposits which stick to the teeth. Over time, unless it’s removed, this plaque accumulates and hardens into tartar.

When plaque and tartar harden above and below the gumline, pets can develop gum irritation, inflammation, gingivitis, and, eventually, a serious gum disease called periodontitis. Untreated periodontal disease leads to infection, bone and tissue damage, and tooth loss.

• Tooth Resorption

Tooth resorption is another common cause of tooth loss in both cats and dogs. The inside of the tooth structure begins to erode, weakening the tooth and leaving it vulnerable to infection.

The cause of this disease is unknown, but the results can be quite painful and progressive. Your vet can determine which treatments might be effective to save your pet’s tooth or to alleviate pain.

• Trauma

A broken or fractured tooth should be examined by a veterinarian. A root canal, pulp therapy, or extraction might be needed to treat severe pain and infection.

Schedule Regular Exams with Your Vet

Your veterinarian is your partner in keeping four-legged family members healthy. Your dog or cat should see the vet at least once a year for a general checkup. At this time, your vet will look carefully at your pet’s teeth and gums to find any potential oral injuries or diseases.

Regular checkups mean you’ll catch any dental problems before they become more serious. Veterinarians can provide tips on daily dental care, recommend the best diet, suggest hygiene products and toys which promote dental health, and clean and treat your pet’s teeth under anesthesia if needed.

Know When to Call Your Vet

Your pets’ teeth and gums are your best guide to their oral health. If you see any of these symptoms of gum disease or tooth resorption an appointment with the veterinarian is in order:

• unusually unpleasant breath
• brown or yellow stains on the teeth
• swollen or bleeding gums
• pawing at the mouth
• heavy drooling
• loss of appetite

And, of course, If your cat or dog injures a tooth, you should call your vet immediately.

Clean Your Pet’s Teeth

One way to make sure that your pet’s teeth are the healthiest they can be is with brushing and cleaning. This is a project best started when your pet is young and more easily trained.

There are toothbrushes, toothpastes, and dental wipes designed just for your dog and cat (don’t use human products—they can be abrasive and unsafe). Your vet is the best resource for learning how to get your pet used to a toothbrush or finger brush.

If, despite your best efforts, brushing just isn’t going to happen, talk to your vet about anti-plaque additives, rinses, and gels formulated just for your pet.

Watch Your Pet’s Diet

Like us, our cats and dogs benefit from a dental-healthy diet. Different pets have different needs when it comes to the mix of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients required for strong teeth and bones. Some foods are formulated with anti-plaque ingredients. Kibbles and treats are available with coatings designed to help prevent plaque formation.

Your veterinarian can help you discover the best foods for your pet’s needs, whether commercial or prescription.

We all love healthy smiles. Protect your dog’s fetching grin or your cat’s purr-fect gums in Boca Raton by making their oral health a pet project all year long.

It’s the littlest month of the year, so what better time to think about the dental health of our littlest family members? February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, and we’re here to suggest some of the best dental habits for healthy childhood smiles.

Babies 

• Even before your baby cuts her first adorable tooth, you can start proactive dental care by gently wiping little gums with a clean, moist gauze pad or soft cloth twice a day. This removes bacteria and food particles and helps prepare your baby for brushing.
• When that first tooth does appear, or by age one if it hasn’t yet erupted, it’s time to schedule a visit to the dentist. At this first visit, your child’s dentist will check jaw and tooth development and can give expert guidance on teething, brushing, how much and which kind of toothpaste to use, and topics like thumb-sucking and pacifier use.
• When baby teeth arrive, use a small soft-bristled toothbrush designed to fit comfortably in tiny mouths.
• Use toothpaste as recommended. Children under the age of three who use paste should use a very small amount, no larger than a grain of rice.
• Prevent “baby bottle tooth decay”—don’t put your baby to bed with a bottle. This allows the sugars in formula or, when your child is 12 months or older, milk, to bathe the teeth throughout the night. And babies and toddlers never need sugary juices or sodas in those bottles!

Toddlers 

• Help your child develop a positive relationship with his dental team. Read books or watch videos to help your child learn what to expect. Practice with him by having him open his mouth while you count his teeth. Plan visits when your child isn’t hungry or tired. Be positive yourself—your child will take his cues from you!
• Schedule regular appointments for exams and cleanings. Your child’s dentist will check tooth and jaw development, look for any signs of decay, and evaluate potential problems such as prolonged thumb sucking or pacifier use. 
• By age three, children have most or all of their baby teeth. Use a soft bristled brush to clean your child’s teeth twice each day. As she grows, demonstrate how to brush properly. Your dentist and hygienist will have some great ideas on technique!
• Daily flossing should begin as soon as your child has two teeth which touch. 
• Around age six, your child may be transitioning to solo brushing and flossing—but your oversight is still needed. Make sure all the surfaces of the teeth, including the tops of new molars, are brushed thoroughly. You might provide a timer or a two-minute song or video to make sure your child spends enough time brushing. Flossing can be tricky for young hands, so you’ll need to help with that task for a few years more.

School-Aged Children

• Orthodontists and dentists recommend a first visit to the orthodontist by age seven, or earlier if you notice your child has trouble chewing or biting, if the teeth don’t seem to fit together properly, or if you have any concerns about bite and alignment. When potential problems are discovered right away, early intervention can prevent more serious orthodontic issues from developing later. The team at Burke Orthodontics in Frankfort, IL is happy to answer any questions you might have about early interventions!
• If your child is beginning orthodontic treatment, you can help make the journey easier: 
  • Keep up with appointments and adjustments—missed appointments can delay your child’s progress. 
  • Braces can make brushing and flossing more difficult, so try special brushes and floss designed just for braces. 
  • If needed, remind your child to wear bands or aligners for the recommended number of hours each day. 
  • Be encouraging! Remind your child that these months in braces or aligners will lead to years of healthy, attractive smiles.
• Talk to your dentist about sealants. Permanent molars usually erupt between the ages of six and 12. Sealants are thin coatings which protect the chewing surfaces of these molars from food particles and cavity-causing bacteria which would otherwise collect inside grooves in the enamel.
• Children who play sports and engage in activities with a chance of physical contact should have a well-fitted mouthguard to protect their teeth. Be ready to replace it as often as recommended by John Burke or if it’s damaged.
• Increases in hormones during puberty can lead to puberty gingivitis, and swollen, red, and bleeding gums can be the result. Proactive dental hygiene will prevent gum disease from developing. Make sure your child brushes two minutes, twice a day, and flosses once per day. If symptoms persist, it’s time to see the dentist.
• A nutritious diet is essential for healthy teeth and gums. Give your child solid nutritional building blocks with a diet rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals. If your child wears braces, have a variety of appealing, braces-friendly foods on hand. 

Help your child enjoy a future of healthy, confident smiles by working in partnership with your child’s dentist and the orthodontic team at Burke Orthodontics. They are ready every month of the year with advice and expertise to make that healthy dental future a reality!