Each February, the American Dental Association (ADA) sponsors National Children's Dental Health Month to raise awareness about the importance of good oral health. Dr. Oana Honey supports the ADA in their efforts.

Attached are some fun activities you can use to engage kids of all ages regarding dental health. Download Here

February is also National Pet Dental Health Month.

Did you know that human toothpaste can irritate your animal’s stomach? Watch this video on proper oral hygiene for your pet's teeth.

Fluoride is a mineral that helps prevent cavities and tooth decay to keep your teeth strong! Fluoride comes in two varieties: topical applied directly on the teeth or as part of your diet in a supplement. The most commonly used is the topical form found in toothpaste or in a fluoride rinse. The team at Honey Orthodontics recommends fluoride to help maintain healthy teeth for children, teens, and adults undergoing orthodontic treatment.

Fluoride used in an orthodontic or dental office is a stronger concentration than in toothpaste or mouthwash you can buy over the counter at your local grocery or drug store. If your general dentist prescribes a fluoride product, it usually only takes just a few minutes to apply after your regular cleaning. Once applied, it is suggested patients not eat or drink for at least 30 minutes in order to allow the teeth to absorb the fluoride.

Your general dentist will determine how often to repeat the fluoride process; every 6 months – once a year, especially for kids who poor brushing habits. Additional in house fluoride products such as mouthwashes, gels or antibacterial rinses are often prescribed by orthodontists for additional protect ion of your teeth during treatment to prevent decalcification or white marks around the braces due to poor brushing habits. So obviously, when all is said an done… fluoride is your friend during orthodontic treatment.

When choosing your own fluoride product, be sure to check for the American Dental Association’s (ADA) seal of approval. Products marked with the ADA seal of approval have been carefully examined and have met the criteria of the ADA for safety and effectiveness when using a dental product.

At Honey Orthodontics, we are pleased to provide you with this helpful information and to offer you the finest orthodontic care for you and your family. If you or someone in your family is interested more information about how we can help achieve the smile you deserve, contact our office for a free new patient exam.

The brackets of the braces are the equivalent of the cars of a train, and the track that they follow is the archwire. Once the brackets are placed on the teeth and the archwire is properly adjusted to create a path to great teeth, all that remains for our train is fuel to move in the right direction.

This orthodontic energy is often provided by elastics, the locomotive often commonly referred to as rubber bands. Elastics can be different sizes and strengths according the specific needs of each patient’s orthodontic journey. They are also available in a variety of different colored packets or creatively named animals to make it fun and easy to remember what size you are wearing.

It is important to wear the elastics, as prescribed by your orthodontist, in order to arrive at your final destination. If the elastics are not worn, the braces won’t move and you will not have your braces removed on time or worse yet… achieve a good result. The force exerted by the elastics may cause a bit of soreness at first, but the soreness goes away within a few days, if worn on a regular basis. Fresh elastics provide the most pull, so it is recommended you replace elastics daily to keep everything moving at the same speed for best results.

Traveling the tracks to a healthy smile can be intimidating at first, but understanding how it all works and with the guidance of your orthodontist, you can sit back, enjoy the ride, and be rest assured that you’ll arrive safely in no time at all!

At Honey Orthodontics, we are pleased to provide you with this helpful information and to offer you the finest orthodontic care for you and your family. If you or someone in your family is interested more information about how we can help achieve the smile you deserve, contact our office for a free new patient exam.

The Perfect Smile

Have you ever given any thought to what it actually means to have a “perfect” smile? Most people when asked this question will conjure up mental images of models and Hollywood actors with dazzling teeth. However, there is an actual medical definition of the way the teeth are meant to fit together. The word “occlusion” refers to the alignment of the teeth and the way the upper and lower teeth fit together (bite). Ideally, all upper teeth fit slightly over the lower teeth, just like the top of a house sits over a basement. All teeth are lined up straight and spaced evenly. The upper teeth keep the cheeks and lips from being bitten and the lower teeth protect the tongue. Not all people are so lucky as to have this medically “perfect bite.”

There are any many problems that can lead to a malocclusion, or “bad bite”. For example, crowding of teeth, too much space between teeth, extra or missing teeth, cross-bite, over-bite, and under-bite are all types of malocclusions. Also, various irregularities of the bone structure in the jaws and face can also lead to a malocclusion. Basically, a malocclusion is any misalignment of the teeth or incorrect relationship between the teeth of the two dental arches.

Most forms of malocclusion are inherited; meaning you were born with them through no fault of their own. In addition, thumb sucking and tongue thrusting can also create a malocclusion over time. Premature loss of baby or permanent teeth, accidents, or medically related issues such as allergies or breathing problems can also cause a bad bite.

Most people have some degree of malocclusion, although it usually is not enough to warrant orthodontic treatment. However, those with serious enough problems left untreated, malocclusions or poor bites can become worse. Crooked and crowded teeth are difficult to clean with normal brushing and flossing causing tartar and plaque buildup. This build-up, in turn, can lead to gum disease and tooth decay. Also, a bad bite can wear down the enamel on tooth surfaces and create difficulty chewing and may eventually lead to chronic pain over time.

Malocclusions of one type or another are the main reason that people seek orthodontic treatment. Given all of the negative consequences just described, it is no wonder people want to get the problem “straightened out”. If you think you have a malocclusion, contact Dr.Oana Honey at Honey Orthodontics in Gurnee IL to schedule a complimentary consultation before the situation goes from crowded to worse!

The Night Before Christmas (with my braces)

Twas the night before Christmas, Santa flying all places
Delivering presents to children with braces.

There’s lights on the tree and a wreath on the door
I’m merry as can be when my teeth are not sore!

The cookies so crunchy, the roast beef so chewy,
But I must eat food that is softer and gooey…

My family munched on their chocolates and dips
Well, those only would have gone straight to my hips.

While Santa shouts orders to Blitzen and Vixen,
I’m cleaning my braces — my teeth they’re a-fixin!

This year I’ve been good, gone the extra mile
So Santa, this year I want a new healthy smile!

Goodbye crooked teeth, and spaces too tight;
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good bite!

Ortho, Ortho, Ortho
(to the tune of Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel)

I had a maloclussion
It bugged me every day
The ortho said he'd fix it
And to him I did say,

Oh ortho, ortho, ortho
When do these braces go away?
When will my teeth be straightened?
What can I eat? Oy vey!

And so I wore my braces
Brushed after every meal
I also wore elastics,
for I was no schlameel.

Oh ortho, ortho, ortho
When is my next appointment?
My gums are feeling kinda sore
May I have some ointment?

I couldn't chew the brisket
Or bite the chocolate gelt
At least there were the latkes
In my mouth they did melt!

Oh ortho, ortho, ortho
I simply cannot wait
Til the day these braces leave,
And all my teeth are straight!

So now it's two years later
And I’m grinning in style
As I light my menorah, I think:
I sure love my straighter smile!

Oh ortho, ortho, ortho
When do these braces go away?
When will my teeth be straightened?
What can I eat? Oy vey!

Have a fun and safe holiday season! Remember, one of the best gifts you can give yourself is to take good care of your teeth! Special thanks to Lynn from archwired.com for the original ideas (we’ve tweaked them just a little).

One such unconscious behavior is the way we chew and swallow our food. Virtually from birth, consuming food is such a primal act that it would never occur to most people to pay attention to the way we go about it. Infants swallow with their tongues thrusted against their gums, which is fine for babies and very young children. However, as people get a bit older, they usually change over to a swallow with the tongue placed on the roof of the mouth.

Most people develop this unconscious ability to chew and swallow in the natural manner by about age 7. However, some people never stop swallowing with their tongues against their teeth. The formal medical term for this condition in adults is “orofacial muscular imbalance” or in simple terms… a tongue thrust. It can cause serious problems in the long run, especially with how teeth and jaws come together when children are growing.

Your immediate reaction may be, “So what? How can something as small as the placement of someone’s tongue be such a big deal?” Consider a couple of facts first. Human beings swallow between 1,200 and 2,000 times every day. With each individual swallow, the tongue puts about 4 pounds of pressure on whatever surface it is placed against. The soft and resilient tissue of the roof of the mouth can handle this pressure well, but teeth simply cannot.

The tongue is a very strong muscle and over time will push the front teeth forward and apart from the lower teeth and actually affect jaw growth causing them to grow apart. This creates space between the upper and lower teeth, which is known as an “open bite.” Tongue thrusting can also sometimes lead to an embarrassing lisp because the normal air tight seal is not created to form all words correctly.

The bad bite created by tongue thrusting can be addressed with orthodontic treatment. Dr. Oana Honey can evaluate if braces and appliances can bring the teeth back to their rightful positions and correct adverse jaw growth if treated early before a child stops growing. If it is not caught in time, surgical intervention as an adult is the only way to correct the problem.

Also, be aware if the underlying cause of tongue thrusting such as mouth breathing from allergies or enlarged tonsils and adenoids is not addressed, the orthodontic correction can relapse. Retainer wear to maintain the correction is critical under these circumstances.

The American Association of Orthodontics recommends that all children have an orthodontic evaluation by age 7. This check-up can catch a number of different problems in time for early orthodontic treatment to be effective. Tongue thrusting is one such problem that can be redirected if caught early.

You are your child’s first defense against orthodontic problems that can hinder healthy teeth and a beautiful smile. Do not hesitate—contact our office to schedule a free consultation today to determine if your child is a candidate for early orthodontic preventative treatment.

That's right! Kathryn Heigl never worried about her teeth not being straight until she decided to get married. What was the easiest and least emotionally traumatic solution for someone who is in the spotlight and can't be seen wearing braces… Invisalign! At Honey Orthodontics, we offer teens and adults the braceless alternative to having the beautiful smile you always wanted.

If you have been thinking about straightening your teeth, contact our office for a complimentary appointment to find out how easy it is to accomplish this with Invisalign. We see every patient in our office as a celebrity and look forward to discussing orthodontic treatment options with you.

See what Kathryn Heigl has to say about Invisalign on YouTube… Leave a comment below and tell us what impact you think a smile has on our day to day lives. As a consumer, we are interested in your opinion.

Whether you are a prominent sports figure like San Antonio Spurs player Manu Ginobili, one of the top ten actors in the world like Tom Cruise, or a "diva" like Gwen Stefani…braces are cool at any age. Read this article recently posted on celebrities wearing braces who are in the public eye every day. If they can do it… so can you.

Invisalign is a great option if you don't want others to notice you are going through orthodontic treatment to straighten your teeth. Unfortunately, not every orthodontic problem can be treated with invisible braces. Some orthodontic problems can only be corrected with traditional braces, whether clear ceramic brackets or metal brackets.

No matter what your orthodontic problem, Honey Orthodontics can help you choose your best orthodontic treatment option to create the beautiful smile you deserve.

Leave us a comment and tell us how you feel about wearing braces at any age….