What's on your summer reading list?

Traveling this summer? Heading on a camping trip? Lying on a hammock resting in your backyard?

Whatever you're up to, summer is a great time for kids to continue learning, maintain the skill level and prepare for the school year. With summer only weeks away, some of us at Magness Orthodontics have been thinking increasingly about the importance of reading, which we encourage for all our patients.

Out of ideas? Ask us for suggestions, and Dr. Magness and team would be happy to provide a few titles. You may also ask a librarian here in Houston for some ideas or check out these summer reading lists we came across this past week.

We hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Orthodontic Emergency Care with Dr. Magness

We know true orthodontic emergencies are rare, but when they do occur we are available to you. As a general rule, you should call the office when you experience severe pain or when you have a painful appliance problem that you can't take care of yourself. We’ll be able to schedule an appointment with Dr. Magness.

You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to temporarily solve many problems yourself until you schedule an appointment with Dr. Magness.

The following solutions may help you relieve your discomfort:

Poking Wire: Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it to alleviate the discomfort.

Loose Bracket or Band: If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you should leave it in place and put wax on it. If the wire comes out entirely, wrap the bracket with a tissue.

Loose Wire: Using a tweezers, try to place your wire back into place. If doing this and using wax does not help, as a last resort use a small fingernail clipper to clip the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened. If your discomfort continues, place wax on it.

Loose Appliance: If your appliance is poking you, place wax on the offending part of your appliance.

Headgear Does Not Fit: Sometimes headgear discomfort is caused by not wearing the headgear as instructed by your orthodontist. Please refer to the instructions provided by your orthodontist. If the facebow is bent, please call our office for assistance. Surprisingly, headgear becomes more comfortable the more it's worn, so be sure you’re getting in the prescribed hours.

General Soreness: When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for three to five days. This can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm salt water mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in 8 ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously. If the tenderness is severe, take aspirin or whatever you normally take for headache or similar pain.

Remember, after alleviating your discomfort, it is still very important that you call our Houston office as soon as possible to schedule a time for Dr. Magness to repair the problem.

Share your summer adventures with us!

As the school year comes to an end for a lot of our patients at Memorial Smiles, the days get longer and the hot Texas sun begins to warm up, there’s no better way to beat the heat than jump into a pool or chill under the shade with a cool beverage.

For most of our patients, summer brings a chance to get away from it all and escape everyday life, if only for a week or two. For others, it means a season of relaxation and relief from homework and studying, among other activities.

How about you?

What are your summer plans? Do you have any interesting plans for a summer vacation? Our entire staff (as well as Dr. Magness) would be interested in how you are all spending your summer vacations. If you’re headed to an exotic destination, awesome! If you're going camping, we'd like to hear about it! Going to an Astros game? Tell us! Even if you're staying at home and hanging out, let us know!

Please feel free to share your summer plans and adventures on our Facebook page as the summer rolls along!

Smile! June is National Smile Month!

Now that June is here, our team at Memorial Smiles thought we’d tell you June is National Smile Month, and a good time to remind all our patients to practice good oral hygiene between your visits to our office, as well as your general dentist.

Below 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.
* Floss everyday to clean between your teeth and braces.
* Reduce your intake of sugary foods and drinks during your orthodontic treatment
* Visit your dentist regularly (every 6 months or as recommended by your dentist)!

If you have questions about any of these tips, we encourage you to give us a call, ask Dr. Magness during your next visit or ask us on Facebook!