Dr. V Reminds You That Regular Checkups Are Important!

Are you brushing your teeth twice a day? If yes, that’s great; but, don’t forget that it’s also important to visit the dentist every six months in addition to brushing your teeth a couple times a day. Regular dental checkups are important for maintaining good oral health. Your dentist can:

• Check for problems that might not be seen or felt
• Detect cavities and early signs of decay
• Treat oral health problems early
• Show you how to properly brush and floss your teeth

During an oral exam the doctor will check the health of your mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks and tongue. Checkups will also include a thorough teeth cleaning and polishing. If you have not been to the dentist in the last six months, it’s time for you to schedule an appointment!

Valeriano Orthodontics' Holiday Hours - Charlotte, NC

The holiday season is upon us, and that means in the next couple weeks Valeriano Orthodontics will have special office hours.

Dr. Valeriano will be out of the office the week of December 22nd through the 28th.

The 22nd and 23rd are office administrative catch-up days. A few members of our team, including a patient manager, will be in the office from 8am to 5pm. If you have an orthodontic emergency during this time please call our office and we will be able to help you.

We will be “CLOSED” December 24th, 2008 through December 29th, 2008.

December 29th and 30th we will be open from 8am to 5pm.

On December 31st our practice will be open from 8am to 2pm.

Our office will again be “CLOSED” January 1, 2009 (New Years Day) and January 2, 2009.

We will reopen again on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 8am.

Even while our office is closed we will have a patient manager on-call in case you have an orthodontic emergency. You can retrieve our patient manager’s number by calling our office at (704) 364-6544 and listening to the current recording.

We wish all of our patients and their families a happy holiday season and a wonderful New Year!

Keep Your Teeth Clean and Healthy!

If you are looking for a great way to keep your teeth clean and healthy in addition to brushing and flossing, we recommend using new MI Paste. This product has the ability to deliver calcium phosphate and fluoride directly to the teeth, helps prevent tooth decalcification, can repair any permanent stains, and can also reduce tooth sensitivity.

So how do you use MI Paste?

• Apply the paste at bed time after a thorough brushing

• Place a pea sized amount on your finger and rub onto teeth at the gum line and areas of decalcification (permanent staining). Repeat for other arch

• Leave the paste in place for 3 minutes and then rub the teeth with your tongue

• Do NOT eat, drink or rinse after use for at least 8 hours

This product is not recommended for anyone with an allergy to milk protein or hydroxybenzoates.

Lactose intolerant patients CAN use MI Paste.

MI Paste is not to be used in place of your regular toothpaste. This is a wonderful product that can give great results if used regularly. This product is available for all of our patients to purchase in our office, and makes a wonderful stocking stuffer!

Holiday Foods to Avoid - and Tasty Treats to Eat

Having braces can be tough, especially during the holiday season when there are so many delicious treats everywhere. While it may be tempting, we always recommend that our patients avoid any foods that are hard, chewy, sticky or gooey. Hard foods can break brackets and sticky foods will easily get caught in the bracket and wires.

We still want you to enjoy this time of year though, so here are some suggestions of foods that are “braces-friendly” and will still taste every bit as sweet!

• Soft candies like chocolate or fudge WITHOUT nuts
• Soft cookies
• Cake or pie

As always, remember to brush and floss after eating!!!