Halloween Can Make Mouths Scary

Muah ha ha ha ha! It's that evil time of year again. A time when oral bacteria feeds on all of the sugar we consume turning our otherwise happy mouths into scary fright zones of plaque-forming ghouls and gobblins.

Now, I always recommend patients completely avoid foods like candy and soda, and use caution when eating hard, crunchy or sticky foods because they can damage orthodontic appliances and braces, bend wires, require extra visits for repairs and even set back treatment time. However, I realize that kids are going to eat candy during and long after Halloween (and I know the adults are sneaking pieces out of the candy bowl too). Because we are kicking off this two-month holiday season with a candy fest, it makes it that much more important that we are all taking good care of our teeth and still trying to eat a healthy well-balanced diet.

So, all of you candy cravers and chocoholics, make sure you are brushing and flossing at least twice a day. When you indulge in a lot of sweets, try to brush right after doing so. If you don't have a toothbrush readily available, rinse your mouth with water a few times. For those of you in treatment, avoid those sticky foods like caramel apples, fruit chews, and licorice - make sure you have extra wax on hand in case anything starts poking you.

As always, eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, especially raw veggies. If you are worried about crunchy fruits and veggies, slice them really thin or blend them into a delicious smoothie. Take a multi-vitamin everyday to ensure you get the Calcium and Vitamin D that you need to maintain strong, healthy teeth and bones. Eat some protein and fiber at every meal. That will keep you feeling fuller so you don't turn right to the candy and sweets.

Parents,if you are having difficulties getting your child to brush his/her teeth, create an incentive calendar. For not missing any brushes during the week, reward him with a trip to the park or an hour playing video games. Make a schedule so that it becomes a healthy habit.

Remember, you only get one set of adult teeth, so take care of them, or you may end up looking like this guy:

World Health Organization Urges Move Away from Dental Amalgam | The Holistic Dentist

I came across this post by a holistic dentist in Glendale, CA. Many of you are aware that my father, Dr. Jack Alpan, practiced dentistry and was also a naturopathic doctor. Through his tutelage and research of my own, I believe that using dental amalgam, or mercury-containing fillings, is dangerous and potentially very toxic to the body. If you have amalgam fillings, my recommendation would be to replace those fillings with composite or another less toxic alternative.

World Health Organization Urges Move Away from Dental Amalgam | The Holistic Dentist:

There’s been plenty of good news lately on the effort to end the Age of Toxic Dentistry, such as the Malibu City Council’s resolution supporting the global phase-out of dental mercury, which was unanimously approved just last week.

Malibu now joins Costa Mesa and Santa Ana as California cities opposed to dental amalgam.

And now more good news: The World Health Organization has finally released its 2009 report on the “Future Use of Materials for Dental Restorations,” which likewise urges a global “phase down” of toxic mercury amalgam.

The report has been released in preparation for the third of five Intergovernmental Committee deliberations that are expected to lead to the adoption of a legally binding treaty on mercury by 2013. Here is an excerpt from the report:

"In a clear sign that dentistry’s amalgam era is fading, the World Health Organization (WHO) just released its long-awaited report on dental amalgam. In Future Use of Materials for Dental Restoration, WHO urges “a switch in use of dental materials” away from amalgam.

“[F]or many reasons,” WHO explains, “restorative materials alternative to dental amalgam are desirable.” The report describes three of these reasons in detail:

WHO determines that amalgam releases a “significant amount of mercury”: WHO concludes that amalgam poses a serious environmental health problem because amalgam releases a “significant amount of mercury” into the environment, including the atmosphere, surface water, groundwater, and soil. WHO says “When released from dental amalgam use into the environment through these pathways, mercury is transported globally and deposited. Mercury releases may then enter the human food chain especially via fish consumption.”

WHO determines that amalgam raises “general health concerns”: While the report acknowledges that a few dental trade groups still believe amalgam is safe for all, the WHO report reaches a very different conclusion: “Amalgam has been associated with general health concerns.” The report observes, “According to the Norwegian Dental Biomaterials Adverse Reaction Unit, the majority of cases of side-effects of dental filling materials are linked with dental amalgam.”
WHO determines that “materials alternative to dental amalgam are available”: WHO concludes that “Materials alternative to dental amalgam are available” – and cites many studies indicating that they are superior to amalgam. For example, WHO says “recent data suggest that RBCs [resin-based composites] perform equally well” as amalgam. And compomers have a higher survival rate, says WHO, citing a study finding that 95% of compomers and 92% of amalgams survive after 4 years. Perhaps more important than the survival of the filling, WHO asserts that “Adhesive resin materials allow for less tooth destruction and, as a result, a longer survival of the tooth itself.”
We have come a long way. Less than a year ago, dental trade groups were circulating an unedited and unreviewed draft of this report to government officials, implying that it was WHO’s final position. But the draft was riddled with factual errors and scientifically unsupported claims. Consumers for Dental Choice – working with non-governmental organizations, scientists, and environmentalists from around the globe – organized a letter-writing campaign to insist that the draft be immediately withdrawn, accurately rewritten, and properly reviewed.

And it worked! Now WHO has removed all claims of amalgam’s safety. Now WHO has committed itself to “work for reduction of mercury and the development of a healthy environment.” Now “WHO will facilitate the work for a switch in use of dental materials.”

Thank you to everybody who urged WHO to take this important step to protect future generations from dental mercury."

Loving Your Braces Can Lead to Love

Love is in the air at Aesthetic Orthodontics. One of my patients was sitting in the chair the other day making a big to-do about the fact that she couldn't go to Vegas and have fun with her girlfriends because she had her braces on. She said she didn't feel comfortable dating. "I'm on a dating hiatus," she said. Another patient a couple of chairs down had overheard her complaining and said, "Are you kidding me? I met my boyfriend this way, and now I know he really likes me for me." Everyone started laughing.

A lot of my single adult patients worry about being able to date with braces. Anxiety can arise with the thought of going through orthodontic treatment. "I'll never be able to date." "Men won't find me attractive." "Women won't think they are sexy." "Braces are going to ruin my game." "I won't be pretty." Some people decide that they aren't going to date at all. Honestly, would a woman kick Tom Cruise out of bed for having ceramic braces? Would a man not be interested in Nikki Taylor or Gwen Stefani because their teeth adorn little brackets? Not so much.

Think of having braces as a time to reform and transform. Carry off a positive attitude, and you'll have no problem carrying off braces. Find someone who is interested in you for being the incredible person you are and put some faith into the fact that you look amazing with or without your braces. If other people can't see past your braces, they aren't even worth your time.

It's been a joke at our office lately that love is in the air because lots of patients are getting braces before weddings or meeting their soul mate with their braces. A couple of patients are getting married with their braces. Some of my women patients in their forties and fifties don't mind keeping their braces on even longer than they need to because the braces give their lips the "botox effect." They love them because it makes their lips feel fuller and they attract younger guys. As for my male patients, braces make them seem like a risk taker and make them look younger - what isn't attractive about that? The truth is, the object of your affection is going to be interested in you regardless of what's in your mouth (unless what's in your mouth is yesterday's breakfast and seriously bad oral hygiene - nothing attractive about that). So put a big smile on your face and your best foot forward, and nothing, not even a mouth full of metal, will stand in your way.

A Happy Marriage: You and Your Retainer

Retainer, meet patient. Patient, meet retainer. Get to know each other well because you will be seeing a lot of each other. In fact, I now pronounce you patient and retainer til death do you part. Yes, retainers are for life, but the good news is, your teeth are straight for life as well!

Retainers are completely loyal to you as long as you are loyal to them. But if you should decide that you would rather be single for awhile, when you come back to your retainer, the retainer may not be the right fit for you anymore. So what happens when your retainer doesn't fit? Well, it's time to schedule a visit with me. The best case scenario - I'll make you a new retainer. Worst case scenario - you will need to start treatment all over again to get your teeth straight again.

If you have found that you haven't been tried and true to your retainer and it isn't fitting right anymore, schedule an appointment with us as soon as possible. If you think that all hope is lost, it might not be. There are affordable products available that can help make small changes - perhaps that's all you need. Either way, it's best to see an orthodontist just to make sure your bite hasn't shifted and that everything is aligning properly.

After you have finished your treatment and have been in retention (wearing a retainer) for over a year, I always recommend that my patients schedule a yearly appointment to make sure that everything is fitting properly.

There are a few different kinds of retainers. I've highlighted a couple of them below:

Hawley retainers are very common and you probably have seen this type of retainer before. These retainers are removable, and usually gum-colored, but they are available in a number of different colors and patterns. They are a great option for most patients and are a sturdy, reliable retainer.

This is a fixed retainer and is a permanent retainer, so it cannot be removed. It consists of a passive wire bonded to the lingual (tongue) side of the teeth. The wire is thin and barely noticeable. This is a great option for patients who aren't compliant, lose retainers, or don't want to deal with a removable retainer!

For Invisalign and Invisalign Teen patients, Vivera retainers are a good option. They are clear, just like aligners, but are thicker than typical aligners to help hold the teeth in place. These are nice retainers, but for long term, permanent use, I try to encourage other types of retainers.

Spring aligners can serve multiple functions. In addition to being a retainer, they can also be used as a night guard because they are made from a hard acrylic. Spring aligners are also great for making minor adjustments to teeth.




Retainers are essential to keeping your teeth, jaw, and bite in the alignment they were in when you got your braces off and finished your treatment. The key to a happy marriage? Wear your retainer.