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Are Your Braces Triggering Your Canker Sores?

A few weeks into orthodontic treatment, you notice a tingling or burning sensation in your mouth. A few days later, canker sores appear. Fortunately, canker sores are not often a serious issue, but they sure can be annoying! These small ulcers can pop up in your mouth and on the inside of your lips and take days to heal. However, they are quite easy to prevent, especially once you understand what triggers them! 

Braces and Canker Sores

The unfortunate news is that braces can contribute to canker sores. This mainly happens in patients that are already prone to canker sores. They may experience an increase in sores because the mouth is adjusting to a big change when beginning orthodontic treatment. Braces can irritate oral tissue, which leaves it vulnerable to tiny lesions to form, such as canker sores.

Luckily, avoiding possible triggers and practicing good oral hygiene can help you to avoid or lessen the instances of canker sores.

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5 Reasons to Smile in the Year

There are a lot of reasons you should be flashing those pearly whites more often – smiling is good for your health! According to Psychology Today, when you smile you activate neural messaging that benefits your health and happiness. As we close out the year, it is important to find reasons to smile and be grateful for all the lessons we’ve learned and achievements accomplished. For those who can’t find a reason to smile, Dr. Kevin Theroux and Dr. Brooks Barefoot at Total Orthodontics has five:

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Common Speech Problems Orthodontics Can Help

Did you know that the alignment of your teeth can affect your speech? If you struggle to pronounce certain words, your teeth could be the reason why. Thankfully, orthodontics can help. Dr. Kevin Theroux and Dr. Brooks Barefoot at Total Orthodontics
can provide orthodontic treatment to resolve common oral problems such as:

  1. Lisp or Whistling

Lisps or whistles are common in children and adults and are developed due to open bites. An open bite occurs when the tongue doesn’t make a true connection with the roof of the mouth. This typically happens when pronouncing words containing the letter “s” or “z.” Patients with an open bite often pronounce these words as if they have the letters “th” instead of an “s.” 

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Thanksgiving Gratitude In Greenwood Village and Lone Tree CO

Thanksgiving Gratitude Lone Tree CO Here at Total Orthodontics, our team believes in the simple power of gratitude. What better time of the year to express our gratitude than Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving brings to mind different thoughts to different people.

To most, it brings visions of a family Thanksgiving feast with roast turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing with yummy gravy, cranberries, squash, and of course…pumpkin pie! To a student away at school, it may mean coming home to be with those they miss and possibly some much needed down time from the daily rigors of school and studying. Then again for others…are you ready for some football… a day off from work… or a long weekend?Read More

Halloween “Treats” May Really be “Tricks

Halloween Treats Greenwood Village CO Halloween Treats…You have all heard about the damage that sugar and certain “sticky” candies can do to your teeth and your braces when undergoing orthodontic treatment. Well, our Team at Total Orthodontics wants to remind all of our patients and future patients about the dangers one more time. We know Halloween is supposed to be a fun time of year for kids of all ages… but it can turn into a “nightmare” of damaged braces for kids and parents if the wrong types of treats are consumed. Not only the discomfort involved as a result of broken wires and brackets but also the inconvenience of coming office for an extra visit with your busy school and/or work schedules.

Here at Total Orthodontics in Lone Tree or Greenwood Village CO, we love Halloween treats but we also have a responsibility to increase the awareness of potential damage certain candies can cause if patients are not careful about which treats to eat. Click here to download a Do’s and Don’ts Treat List offered by the American Association of Orthodontists. As a reminder, print it off and post in on your refrigerator for all to see.Read More