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Thanksgiving is meant to be spent with friends and family enjoying the company of those around you. And we can't forget the food!!! We understand that with braces some foods are limited. There are still ways for you to enjoy the foods being served!

Brace friendly foods:

Turkey: Remember to cut the meat off the bone before eating it to avoid damaging the braces.                                                                                                                        Ham: Just like the turkey you should have no issues with this one. Cutting meats into smaller pieces may make it easier to eat.
Stuffing
Vegetables: If you have corn, make sure to cut it off the cob. Mashed potatoes, cornbread, steamed vegetables are great choices because they are soft and easy on your teeth.
Muffins: Rolls or other bread. Just double-check that there are no added nuts!

Foods to avoid: 

• Caramels
• Hard croutons, nuts, or crunchy crusts 
• Raw carrots, apples, or corn on the cob ( unless it's cut off the cob) 

These candies may damage orthodontic appliances and can really set your orthodontic treatment back. Stay away from candies such as;

• Caramels
• Taffy
• Hard candy
• Chewy candy
• Jellybeans
• Licorice
• Bubble gum
• WarHeads
• Popcorn

Candies you can eat with braces include;

Softer candies that don't require the force of biting down hard, and more of the candies that will melt in your mouth.

• Chocolate (without caramel or nuts)
• Peanut butter cups
• KitKats
• 3 Musketeers
• Cookies

Make sure to brush thoroughly around your braces especially after indulging in sugary snacks!
No need to miss out on the trick-or-treating fun but enjoy candy in moderation and snack wisely! If you do find a bracket not attached to the tooth, call your orthodontist as soon as possible to make an appointment to repair the loose bracket so your treatment is not delayed.

Back to School activities are back in full swing!  Kennell Orthodontics wants to send your children back to school prepared for school life with braces or new orthodontic treatments. Pack your child their very own "Back to School with Braces" kit - something as simple as a ziplock plastic bag including items such as:  Orthopicks, orthodontic rubber bands, mini toothbrush and toothpaste, orthodontic wax, small mirror, floss, retainer case and tissues. This kit can easily be tucked into their backpack or locker and will help as a reminder of orthodontic care even when at school.  Start the school year off right with these reminders:

• bring retainer cases to lunch room and keep retainer in it to avoid accidentally throwing it away with lunch trash;
• always wear protective mouth guard for all fall sports - this will help prevent brackets from breaking and inner lip from rubbing against braces.

At our office we know that one of the most anticipated appointments for patients is the day they will get their braces off and see their brand new smile for the first time. One of the most fun and rewarding parts of our job is sharing in the excitement alongside them. We decided to dedicate a full day to this on May 4th, and we celebrated Star Wars Day with a Braces-Off celebration!

Our team decorated the office for the occasion with smile balloons, which created the perfect backdrop for fun pictures. One of the best parts about getting your braces off is being able to eat all of the hard and crunchy foods that you couldn't have before. We had this in mind when we gave out special Rocky Mountain candy apple treats to our patients, along with other goodies. We are SO grateful that our Braces-Off celebration was a successful experience for our patients, and we're already planning another Braces-Off celebration in the Fall at our Plymouth location!