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20 Oct What Can I Eat with Braces This Halloween?

Halloween is just around the corner, and we know that means kids everywhere are getting excited to spend a night dressed up as scary monsters, patrol their neighborhoods, and – of course – gorge themselves on mounds of candy. But while all that candy may be a dream come true for a child, it’s a true nightmare for teeth. The sugars and acids in candy can rot away enamel, and because many candies are hard, sticky, gooey, and crunchy, they pose a mortal risk for braces. As your dedicated Medford orthodontist, we at Euksuzian Orthodontics wanted to give some guidance on the best candies to protect braces this Halloween.

How to Protect Braces During Halloween

By and large, braces are most susceptible to candies that are particularly hard, crunchy, sticky, or gooey: anything with a risk of breaking off a bracket or getting stuck under an archwire carries the most serious potential for damage. For those reasons, avoid candies like the following:

• Jolly Ranchers
• Sugar Daddies
• Tootsie Rolls
• Lollipops
• Laffy Taffy

Another thing to keep in mind is that while sugar presents a less immediate threat, it still can cause tooth decay and derail treatment. For this reason, candies that contain xylitol – a sugar substitute – will be less damaging than candies containing pure sugar.

So what can you eat this Halloween? In general, look for candies that are soft but not sticky, don’t require much bite force to chew, or dissolve in the mouth easily. Try to opt for candies like these:

• Soft peanut butter cups
• Ice cream
• Soft milk chocolate
• Milk shakes
• Smoothies
• Soft candy bars
• Fruits like apples cut into tiny pieces

Contact Your Medford, NJ Orthodontist

With a careful eye towards dietary health, you can easily protect braces this Halloween without ruining the fun. We hope you found this guide helpful, and as always, we’re here for you if you have any questions. Feel free to contact us if you’d like more information about keeping braces safe this Halloween, and don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment at our office if you want a post-candy checkup. Until then, we wish you a happy, braces-friendly Halloween!

14 Jan How to Get the Most Out of Your Braces

The team at Euksuzian Orthodontics strives to make your experience wearing braces as enjoyable and comfortable as possible! Our Medford, NJ orthodontist, Dr. Sarkis Euksuzian, specializes in gentle and comfortable orthodontic care to make wearing braces a positive experience. Here are some tips for getting the most out of your braces to help ensure the time you spend in treatment is positive and enjoyable.

Steer Clear of Braces-Busting Foods

When you had your braces placed on your teeth, we told you how important it is to avoid eating foods that can damage or break your braces. You should steer clear of hard, crunchy, gooey and sticky foods. Regardless of how tempting that sticky candy bar or hard crusted bread may be, refrain from eating these types of foods that can harm your braces. If you do end up breaking your braces due to something you ate that you shouldn’t have, it could extend the time you spend in braces, which is something neither you nor your orthodontist wants!

Keep Your Braces Clean

To ensure that you don’t develop tooth decay or gum disease while wearing braces, be sure to brush and floss your teeth very well. Food particles and plaque can easily hide and build up in all the nooks and crannies around your braces. You should brush your teeth four times per day and floss at least once per day, preferably at bedtime. In addition to your regular toothbrush, we recommend using an Interdental toothbrush (Proxabrush) which is a small tool that makes getting between and around the brackets and wires easier.

Don’t Skip Your Adjustment Appointments

Your regularly scheduled adjustment appointments are very important as this is when we check your progress and make necessary adjustments to your braces. If you skip these appointments, it can slow down the treatment process and extend the time you spend wearing braces. Orthodontic treatment is a 2-way street so to speak as both you and your orthodontist have responsibilities to ensure you receive the optimal result which is a straight, healthy and beautiful smile!

Contact Us at Our Medford Orthodontist Office

These tips are designed to help you make the most out of the time you spend in braces. It’s also important to get answers to any questions you have about your braces. We serve patients from throughout the greater South Jersey area including Mt. Laurel, Marlton, Mt. Holly, and the surrounding communities. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, as we’re always happy to talk with you!

24 Nov Braces-Friendly Thanksgiving Recipes

Those of you wearing braces may be wondering if you’ll be able to eat all of the delicious food on your table this Thanksgiving. After all, our Medford and Marlton orthodontist Dr. Sarkis Euksuzian has told you to avoid eating crunchy, hard, chewy and sticky foods because these types of foods can damage or break your braces. But the team at Euksuzian Orthodontics has good news for you! Even though you must avoid foods that can harm your braces, there are still many foods you can enjoy!

Here are a couple braces-friendly recipes to try for Thanksgiving that you and even your family and friends not wearing braces will love.

Chicken & Broccoli Casserole

This casserole full of creamy chicken and broccoli won’t bust your braces and it’s perfect for the Thanksgiving holiday. Plus, it’s a breeze to put together, which means you won’t spend too much time in the kitchen.

Ingredients:

1 8 oz package cream cheese spread

½ cup milk plus 2 tablespoons (divided)

1 tsp garlic powder

2 cups frozen broccoli, thawed & drained

1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1 ½ lb boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese spread, 2 tablespoons milk and the garlic powder until blended. Add the chicken, broccoli, cheddar cheese and rest of the milk and mix. Put the mixture into a large baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Soft Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

These pumpkin bars can be enjoyed while everyone else is eating sticky pecan pie and other chewy desserts you must avoid.

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1 2/3 cups sugar

¾ cup vegetable oil

30 oz can pumpkin puree

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp salt

Frosting Ingredients:

1 8oz package soft cream cheese

1 cup butter, softened

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large bowl, mix together eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until well blended. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Stir the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well. Put the batter in a 10 x 15 ungreased baking pan and bake for about ½ hour or until done. Allow to cool.

To make the frosting, combine all the frosting ingredients together in large bowl and blend together well. Frost the pumpkin bars when completely cool and cut into squares and serve.

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We hope you enjoy these braces-friendly recipes! Dr. Sarkis Euksuzian and his staff would like to wish everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday!

28 Sep When Can I Get My Braces Off?

Our Medford, NJ orthodontist Dr. Sarkis Euksuzian is routinely asked by his patients how long they can expect to wear braces. The answer to this question is that treatment time really depends on each individual’s specific orthodontic problem being addressed. Generally speaking, treatment times can range from 12 to 30 months with the average time spent in braces being approximately 24 months.

The criteria that Dr. E. uses to gauge whether a patient’s treatment is complete includes:

1 – The Severity of the Problem(s) Being Treated

The main factor in determining how long treatment will take is the degree of severity of the oral problem(s) being treated. Treatment time may be longer when teeth are impacted or when the upper and lower jaws fail to develop at the same time. Obviously, the amount of correction a patient needs determines how long braces must be worn. In short, the more teeth need to be moved, the longer treatment takes.

2 – The Patient’s Age

In most cases, children and teenagers respond faster to orthodontic treatment because they are still growing. Adults on the other hand often have to wear braces longer. The specific type of orthodontic appliances being worn also influences the length of treatment as some types of braces provide faster results than others.

3 – Oral Hygiene and Patient Cooperation

Another factor that helps determine how long a patient must wear braces is how well the patient maintains good oral hygiene. If the patient does a good job of brushing and flossing their teeth while in treatment and sees their family dentist regularly, treatment will move along as planned. But if a patient does not brush or floss well and develops dental decay or gum disease, treatment time can take longer as the tooth decay and gum disease will need to be treated.

Speak to Our Medford Orthodontist

Since every patient is unique, it is important to talk to Dr. Sarkis Euksuzian regarding the estimated time you can expect to wear braces.

We are always available to speak with you! If you have any questions about orthodontic treatment, please call us at our office or contact us online. We are conveniently located in Medford, NJ and serve patients from throughout the greater South Jersey area including Mt. Laurel, Marlton, Mt. Holly, and Voorhees, NJ.