Halloween safety tips, from Stone Oak Orthodontics

Trick-or-treat! In the spirit of October’s sweet and spooky holiday, Halloween, Dr. Norris would like to remind all of our patients to be safe while celebrating with friends and family. The American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, has provided trick-or-treaters with some tips for a ghoulishly good time.

A few Halloween safety guidelines:
• Young children should always be accompanied by an adult
• Carry a flashlight
• Wear a light-colored or reflective costume
• Choose face paint over masks for young ghosts and goblins
• Have an adult inspect all treats before the children dig in

Many treats can cause havoc for trick-or-treaters who are going through orthodontic treatment. If you happen to damage your braces, please give Dr. Norris and our staff a call immediately. Typically, small problems can be solved over the phone.

Dr. Norris invites patients to our 2010 Candy Buy Back!

Would you like to turn your Halloween candy into cash? Dr. Norris would like to remind all of our patients and their families to be mindful of how sticky treats can impact children's teeth and their orthodontic treatment. So, in an effort to promote a safe and healthy Halloween, Dr. Norris will buy back the candy you collect this year!

You're Invited to our 2010 Candy Buy Back

Who: All of our patients, friends and family

What: For every pound of wrapped candy that you bring in to our office, you will receive $1 and we will donate $1 to the Bulverde Animal Shelter. All candy will also be donated to our troops overseas.

Where: Stone Oak Orthodontics

When: Tuesday, November 2, 2010 from 5-7pm

Why: To earn cash for your Halloween candy, raise money for the Bulverde Animal Shelter, donate candy to our troops overseas, and avoid damage to your braces that could prolong treatment time!

Tell Stone Oak Orthodontics what's on your mind!

Week after week, Dr. Norris and team blog about important topics pertinent to orthodontic treatment care and your well-being, including innovative orthodontic techniques we offer. This week, we thought we’d step back and ask you, our wonderful patients and readers: what’s on your mind? What would you like to know about the always-changing field of orthodontics? What would you like us to focus on our blog in the coming months? Perhaps there’s something you’ve wanted to ask us for a while now?

Let us know by posting here or on our interactive Facebook fan page!

So… take it away and we’ll try to answer any questions you may have!

October is National Orthodontic Health Month

Did you know that October is National Orthodontic Health Month? Dr. Norris and our team know how tempting this time of the year can be for your sweet tooth. With all of the caramel, candy corn, and lollipops that are often passed around to trick-or-treaters, we know that it can sometimes be hard to find hard candy alternatives.

However, there is good news! Today, we would like to share a few braces-friendly holiday foods with all of our patients, courtesy of the American Association of Orthodontics, or AAO. These treats are delicious, and provided that you remember to brush and floss after indulging, these foods will not cause damage to your beautiful smile.

Orthodontic-Friendly Treats
• Soft, melt-in-your-mouth chocolates
• Peanut butter cups
• Milk shakes
• Gelatin
• Peeled, thinly sliced apples
• Ice cream

Thanks to everyone who attended the Stone Oak Orthodontics 2010 Patient Appreciation Party!

Dr. Norris and our team at Stone Oak Orthodontics would like to thank all of our patients who attended our 2010 Patient Appreciation Party. The event was a huge success! We reserved the Palladium Theater to show two different 3-D films, and there was a juggler, face painting, a balloon artist, and caricatures for all of our patients.

If you haven't already, be sure to check out our Facebook page to view the complete event photo album. Thanks again to all of our wonderful patients and staff who attended the Patient Appreciation Party!

A great braces-friendly fall recipe! From Stone Oak Orthodontics

Fall is here, and sometimes we here at Stone Oak Orthodontics just feel like a hot delicious meal is in order. Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) made an appetizing (and braces-friendly!) fall dish that is sure to delight. Let us now what you think of this great fall recipe!




Pasta Pomodorini

Ingredients:
• ¾ pound spaghetti or spaghetti
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• ¼ cup sliced garlic
• ½ teaspoon finely minced Calabrian chilies, or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 pint small cherry tomatoes, stems removed, crushed between your thumb and forefinger
• Sea salt, preferably gray salt
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves, each torn into 2 or 3 pieces
• Wedge of Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta. While the pasta cooks, heat the 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over moderate heat. Add the garlic and cook until the slivers are golden brown and crisp, then add the chilies and cook for about 30 seconds. Raise the heat to high and add the tomatoes. Simmer briskly to soften the tomatoes and thicken the juices, about 3 minutes. Season with salt. When the pasta is al dente, scoop out about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. Return the pasta to the warm pot off the heat. Add the sauce and the basil and mix well. Add some of the reserved cooking water if the pasta seems dry. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and grate Parmesan over the top to taste. Drizzle with a little more olive oil. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Enjoy this great fall dish and have a great week!

--From Dr. Norris and staff

A few Invisalign® tips from Dr. Norris

Many people know that Invisalign is a great solution to braces if you don't want to experience the look and feel of traditional metal braces. What few people know, though, is that just like traditional braces, Invisalign requires proper care to work effectively. Good oral hygiene is highly important, even when you are wearing something in your mouth that you can take out to eat with. It's still likely that your aligners can build up plaque if not treated properly.

When wearing your Invisalign aligners, Dr. Norris wants you to ask yourself the following questions:


1. Am I eating with my aligners on? - These aligners are removable and should be taken out when you eat.

2. Am I drinking anything other than water with my aligners on? - Though it's not necessary for you to take out your aligners while you drink, think about how sticky soda is. If you take out your aligners when drinking a soda, you have a better chance of keeping your aligners clean.

3. Am I brushing before putting the trays on? - The aligners have both an inside and outside. Keeping the outside clean is easy. Keeping the inside clean is also simple: just make sure you've brushed your teeth before putting the trays on.

These are all very simple steps, and ultimately, they help to keep you building good oral habits. If you have any questions about Invisalign or your treatment here at Stone Oak Orthodontics, give us a call!