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Serving With ConfidenceThis month’s newsletter features two of our former patients, the Gist brothers, who proudly serve in our armed forces. Thank you for your service, Grayson and Galen!

Lieutenant Grayson Gist is a 2012 graduate of NKC High School’s International Baccalaureate program and a letter winner in academics, football, and wrestling. He went on to become a 2016 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, where he served in a number leadership positions. He is now at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, assigned to fly the B-2 Stealth Bomber as one of a select few to pilot the Air Force’s foremost strategic asset.

2nd Lieutenant Galen Gist is a 2014 IB graduate of Northtown who lettered in academics, football, wrestling, and golf. He went on to be a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Simpson college, where was a three-year captain and four-year letterman in football. He is currently a first year medical student at Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, the military’s elite academy to prepare physicians to serve our nation’s armed forces.

The Gist family has a history of service to the United States dating from precolonial times. The initial immigrant from Wiltshire was Captain Christoper Gist, who arrived ca 1650 to Baltimore County, MD. His son, Captain Richard Gist, was the surveyor who platted the City of Baltimore and taught surveying to his son, Christopher--who, in turn, taught the art to

WHAT’S INSIDE

SMILEHEALTHfor Patients of Burleson Orthodontics & Pediatric Dentistry | December 2019

®

SMILEHEALTH

Ask One of the Specialists

See some of our patients’ smile transformations!

Before and After Pictures Pg. 2

Q. How safe aredental x-rays?A. Exposure to all sources ofradiation - including the sun, minerals in the soil, appliances in your home, and dental X-rays – candamage the body's tissuesand cells and lead to thedevelopment of cancer. Fortunately, the dose ofradiation you are exposed toduring the taking of X-rays isextremely small.

Advances in dentistry over the years have lead to the low radiation levels emitted by dental X-rays. Some of the improvements are new digital X-ray machines that limit the radiation beam to the small area being X-rayed, and higher speed X-ray films that require shorter exposure time. Also, the use of lead-lined, full-body aprons protects the body from stray radiation (though this is almost nonexistent with the modern dental X-ray machines.)

In addition, federal law now requires that X-ray machines be checked for accuracy and safety every two years, with some states requiring more frequent checks.

Some of our favorite braces-friendly dishes, snacks and more!

Braces Friendly Recipes Pg. 7

Parenting styles play a big role in a child’s development. Learn some tips and techniques on how to raise more optimistic, happy kids.

What Parents Need to Know About Positive Parenting Pg. 6

Learn more about wisdom teeth, including when and why they should be removed

What You Need to Know About Wisdom Teeth Pg. 2

BEFORE AND AFTER

SMILEHEALTH

Daily flossing and rinsing are great ways to clean between the teeth and under the gumline, as well as make sure you cleanse your mouth of bacteria.

Here are some tips on how to most effectively do both:

Flossing: 1. Take 12-16 inches of dental floss and wrap it around your middle fingers, leaving about 2 inches (5cm) of floss between the hands. 2. Using your thumbs and forefingers to guide the floss, gently insert the floss between teeth using a sawing motion.

3. Curve the floss into a “C” shape around each tooth and under the gumline.  Rinsing: It is important to rinse your mouth with water after brushing and after meals if you are unable to brush.  If you are using an over-the-counter product for rinsing, it’s a good idea to consult with your dentist or dental hygienist on its appropriateness for you. Use other dental aids as recommended by your dentist or dental hygienist:  interdental brushes, rubber tip stimulators, tongue cleaners, irrigation devices, fluoride, medicated rinses, etc., can all play a role in good dental home care.

Home Care Tips for Patients

Check Out Some of Our Patients’ Smile Transformations!

At any given time, ask half a dozen adults around you about their wisdom teeth, and there is a good chance you will find that most have had them removed. This is common, considering what they are and some of the risks that they may pose. Many people have them removed during their younger years, for valid reasons, making it a good idea to be familiar with the ins and outs of these teeth, so that you will be better able to deal with them for you and your family.

What They Are, Why Removed

Wisdom teeth, also referred to as your third molars, are the larger teeth at the very back of the mouth. They are the last teeth to come in, usually somewhere between the ages of 15 and 25, which is considered to be the “age of wisdom,” hence their name. While some people have no problems with their wisdom teeth erupting, many others find that they present a challenge and can be risky to the health of your other teeth.

About the time that this third set of molars begins erupting, some common problems also emerge as a result. Some of the problems associated with erupting wisdom teeth include:

• Impaction. According to the National Institutes of Health, wisdom teeth are the most common teeth to become impacted. When a tooth is impacted, it means that the tooth has failed to emerge through the surface of the gum, or that only a portion of it has emerged.

• Caries. An impacted third molar leads to a high probability of creating dental carries, or cavities, both in that tooth and in the one next to it, as well. This is because they often trap plaque in the area, which is difficult to reach and to clean.

• Cysts. When wisdom teeth are impacted, it can cause cysts and tumors to form around the area. This can lead to additional problems because it can affect the bone, and even damage the jaw. Risks with this involve infections, as well as tooth abscesses.

• Misalignment. The emerging wisdom teeth may not be coming in straight or, even if they do, can cause problems with the other teeth. As they emerge, they often push the other teeth out of alignment.

• Discomfort. The vast majority of people who have dealt with emerging or impacted wisdom teeth know just how uncomfortable the experience can be. From headaches to toothaches, to pain and swelling, the discomfort associated with wisdom teeth can make you miserable.

When to Remove

The best time to have your third set of molars removed really depends on the tooth’s development. A good professional rule of thumb is to have them removed when two-thirds of the root has formed. Ideally, it is recommended that people have them removed by the time they turn 24 years old. This is because it will help to prevent all of the problems listed above, and because the ability to re-grow bone in that area of the jaw is

reduced as time goes on. Also, the third set of molars are usually easier to remove when you are younger, and the recovery period is also shorter during that time.

The presence of your third set of molars is usually associated with an increased risk of periodontitis, which is an inflammation of the gums which can lead to tooth loss, abscesses, infections, and tooth shifting. It is important to note, as well, that an absence of symptoms does not mean that there is no problem or disease.

Additionally, research regarding people who did not have their wisdom teeth removed demonstrates that, the older they got, the more common it was for them to have cavities in those teeth, as well as in the adjacent ones, due to the difficulties of keeping them properly cleaned. In fact, a 2011 study published in the “Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery” reported that, of the nearly 7,000 older adults they studied who had at least one third molar, most of those people had caries or periodontal pathology involving those teeth, and that few had visible molars that were free of disease.

Additional Concerns

There is some controversy regarding whether those who wear a retainer or have had braces in the past need to continue wearing their retainer once the wisdom teeth have been removed. Because there is a risk of relapse if the retainer is not worn, it is recommended that patients continue wearing theirs, as recommended by their orthodontist. Doing so will help to eliminate the risks associated with shifting teeth.

If you are experiencing the emergence of your wisdom teeth, or someone in your family is, be sure you know the facts, risks, and options that are currently available. Having wisdom teeth removed is a common procedure today, one that most people recover from without issue. Removing third molars can be an important step to take if you are having problems now, or as a preventative measure to avoid issues that can arise later.

Either way, it is important to speak with your doctor to learn more about your specific third molar development, risks, and options. When you are dealing with your third molars, it may seem as if they steal the show, due to the discomfort they can cause. But it doesn’t have to be like that, since this is an issue that can usually be addressed without difficulty.

What You Need to Know About Wisdom Teeth

SMILEHEALTH

BRACES & INVISALIGN

From the Doctor’s Desk

SMILEHEALTH

Thinking about braces Before you spend the time and money to straighten your teeth, here are some things you should know. • If you don't already have

an orthodontist, get recommendations from friends or your regular dentist.

• Get at least two opinions, if possible, as a "sanity check." Orthodontists can vary in their treatment approach. Consultations are usually free.

• How much do braces cost? Cost will vary, depending on what is needed and where you live. Research pricing along with treatment.

• Find out if your health plan will cover the cost of the braces, and if so, what percentages so you can budget your out of pocket costs accordingly

• Discuss which options you have with your orthodontist. Traditional metal braces or Invisalign? Top and bottom teeth or just top? Will any teeth need to be extracted? A good idea is to make a list of questions and bring it with you to your initial consultation, so you can address these issues with the doctor and make an informed choice.

• Be realistic about your own expectations, and the impact of braces in your daily life. Are you ready to have them in your mouth and deal with them 24/7?

INSURANCE & FLEX SPENDING

Almost everyone in orthodontic treatment experiences a broken bracket once or twice during their stint in braces. The key is avoiding a few types of foods and habits that are most often the culprits of broken appliances.

First, make sure your child is aware that they should not eat hard, sticky and chewy foods like caramel and hard candy. Your child may have an easy time remembering this rule when you are near, but it may be harder if they are around friends who are not in treatment and are partaking in these types of treats, so make sure that friends’ parents and teachers also know about this and can avoid these types of snacks.

Also, if you hear your child grinding their teeth or notice them clenching, please let us know. Sometimes this can cause broken brackets and often we can fabricate a bite guard to help prevent damage to their appliances.

How Can I Prevent the Braces from Breaking?

Nobody wants to spend more at the dentist office than they have to. Yet there are numerous people who walk out of the dentist’s office each day who will end up spending a great deal more than they had planned. That’s because they went in unprepared and without the information they need to save themselves money!

Most people call a dentist’s office and ask if the place takes their insurance. But that’s usually the wrong question to ask! Whether or not an office takes your insurance doesn’t mean they are actually in your network. What you really want to know is if they are in your network. Some people hear that the place takes the

insurance, they go in for the appointment, and a week later they get a bill in the mail that shocks them. It’s typically about 40 percent higher than they thought it would be.

Dental offices will usually “take” your insurance and bill for it, but that doesn’t mean they are in your network. When your insurance receives the bill and verifies this information you will be left holding the bill. This is one of the most costly mistakes that people make when it comes to going to the dentist.

If you want to avoid this costly mistake, be sure to ask the office if they are in your network, and even call your insurance company to confirm it. That’s the best way to avoid receiving a bill that’s much larger than you had thought when you set up the appointment. A couple of quick phone calls to confirm someone is in your network can save you a lot of money!

Avoiding Costly Mistakes at Your Dental Visit

SMILEHEALTH

Popular Questions from Patients

Q. What are some braces-friendly foods that I can give my child as a treat or for special occasions?

A. When holidays or other special days come around, it can be challenging to come up with ideas on what kinds of treats you can give kids with braces that won’t create issues with their wires. But you do have some good - and delicious -options for sweet treats, including these popular favorites:

• Cotton Candy

• Peanut butter cups

• Hershey kisses

• Decorated brownies

• Iced sugar cookies

• Soft cereal bars

• Homemade jellies

• Fresh fruit

• Hard-boiled eggs

• Bottled smoothies

• Pudding cups

• Chocolate eggs

• Marshmallows

• M&Ms

• Skittles

• Lollipops

PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

Straight teeth help you to effectively bite, chew and speak. Straight teeth contribute to healthy teeth and gums. Properly aligned teeth and laws may alleviate or prevent physical health problems. Teeth that work better also tend to look better. An attractive smile is a “pleasant side effect” of orthodontic treatment.

One of the most important things that straight teeth give children is a sense of self-confidence. This is an excellent quality to instill in a young child, as they carry it with them into their teen years where they need all the help they can get. Confident teens are more likely to become confident adults, and so by having a smile to be proud of when they are young, they are given a great tool for success that they will appreciate for life.

A person’s self esteem at any age improves as orthodontic treatment brings the teeth, lips and face into proportion. In this way, orthodontic treatment can benefit social and career success, as well as improve a person’s general attitude towards life.

You may be surprised to learn that straight teeth are less prone to decay, gum disease and injury as well. Straight teeth collect less plaque (which is a colorless, sticky film that is composed of bacteria, food particles, and saliva. Decay results when the bacteria in plaque feeds on carbohydrates (sugar and starch) we eat or drink to produce acids that can cause cavities.

Plaque also increases the risk of periodontal (gum) disease. When teeth are properly aligned, and less plaque collects, these risks decline. And when teeth are properly aligned, it is also easier to keep teeth clean. As for injuries to teeth, protruding upper teeth are more likely to be broken in an accident. When repositioned and aligned with other teeth, these teeth are most probably going to be at a decreased risk for fracture.

Untreated orthodontic problems may become worse with time, therefore the best time to get started with care is as a child. Having the proper orthodontic care early will help prevent things like abnormal tooth wear, inefficient chewing function, and excessive stress on gum tissue as an adult as well. It is also more cost effective to treat a child than to do the restorative dental care to treat an adult.

Call our office today and schedule a consultation for your child or for yourself to discuss your options. It’s the first step you can take in having a beautiful and healthy smile…for life!

What’s the Big Deal About Straight Teeth?

TIPS FROM THE DOCTORS

What Parents Need to Know About Positive Parenting

SMILEHEALTH

Famous psychiatrist Carl Jung once said, “If there is anything that we wish to change in the child, we should first examine it and see whether it is not something that could better be changed in ourselves.” He was pointing out that parents often have issues with behaviors that their children have, yet parents may be doing things to bring about that behavior or they may be repeating parenting style patterns that learned from their own parents. If a cycle is being repeated and it’s not based on positive parenting, it may be a good time to consider the benefits of taking a more optimistic approach.

If you spend any time on social media you are bound to have come across the image that people post that states they were raised with things like spankings and yet they turned out just fine. Well, that may be so, but there’s a host of research that backs up the fact that taking a more positive approach to parenting also comes with a wide variety of benefits. Because of this, there has been a movement to try and get more people to focus on positive parenting. It tends to go along with the old saying that you can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar.

Why Go Positive

Most adults know that being positive in life is associated with more happiness, being more confident, and a host of other benefits. But they don’t always see how taking that same approach to their parenting style can be beneficial. The good news is that moving toward a more positive parenting style can bring about great changes in kids and help them develop in a healthy way that has lifelong benefits. Positive parenting is believed to help grow kids who are more peaceful, more confident, have fewer behavioral issues, are less aggressive, and who have a better relationship with their parents. Plus, kids end up happier, more empathetic and are usually less stressed when their parents take a positive approach to raising them.

Here are some things to keep in mind when it comes to using positive parenting techniques:

• Catch them doing good more. It’s easy for parents to pick out the mistakes kids make, but they don’t always catch them doing good and provide the feedback on it. When kids get praise for good behavior, they are more likely to want to exhibit more of it.

• Avoid being overly critical. Even if they have brought home a grade in math that you feel is below their potential, rather than being overly critical and criticizing them, let them know you are happy for the effort they made, but you really believe that if they apply themselves a little more that they are capable of doing even better.

• Help your child to develop a healthy self-image. This will go a long way toward helping them to be more confident, avoid bullying, and be more willing to try new things and be socially engaged.

• Try to avoid overreacting. It’s easy to overreact to situations, but it tends to distract attention from the real matter. In parenting, it is important to pick your battles, so you are not trying have a disagreement with your kids about everything.

• The punishment should always fit the crime. There are times when a teen may need a consequence for their actions, but there are also times when there are natural consequences that should be enough. For example, if they don’t study for a test and get a poor grade, then that is their natural consequence and they will have to deal with the fallout that comes from that.

• Be clear about goals and expected behavior with kids so they know what is acceptable and desired. Be honest and direct and help guide them in the right direction when making decisions, but try to let them ultimately make some decisions on their own.

• As difficult as it may be for some parents, it is important to try to respect a teen’s privacy to a certain extent, and to let them know their opinions are respected. Even if you may not agree with them, you still respect the right for them to have and express them.

• When kids do something that parents don’t approve of, it’s important to separate the child from the behavior so that they understand it’s the behavior you don’t like, rather than them.

• If there are behaviors that need to be changed, work with your child to set goals to help make it happen. By discussing it and setting concrete goals, you will both have something to measure the changes by to see if progress has been made. They will also feel good and confident by being a part of setting those goals and then working to achieve them.

Having a positive outlook doesn’t mean that you never get upset or that you never experience negative emotions. But it does mean that you know how to deal with them in a calm manner and are able to bounce back quickly when you do experience them. Parents set an important example for their kids of how to behave if they don’t care for someone’s behavior. They are always watching and learning. Optimistic parents who engage in positive parenting tend to lead to kids who grow up to be more resilient and positive, too, which is always a good thing.

George Washington. He also served as a captain in the colonial militia, acting as Washington's guide and principal scout in the French and Indian War.

Christopher's son, Richard, was killed in battle during the Battle of King's Mountain; another son, Nathaniel, was chartered by Washington to for Gist's Additional Regiment and served as a colonel, including capture in South Carolina and subsequent escape of he and his regiment. Nathaniel's nephew, Mordecai, served as a general of the Revolution.

Nathaniel, while living among the Cherokees, fathered a son, George, who was the sole survivor of a raid on Nathaniel's plantation while he was in Kentucky, Since George was a half-breed, he was taken by the raiding Cherokees and raised as Sequoyeh (Cherokee for "pig foot" due to a club foot deformity); he is well known in Native American history as the originator of the written language of the Cherokees--a necessity since, as a silversmith, he had to be be able to execute various documents to engage in trade.

Both Grayson and Galen's grandparents and all but one of their great uncles and aunts served as officers in WWII. All were Navy except one uncle on their paternal side who was Army Air Corps and was lost returning from a mission over Japan toward the end of the conflict. He commanded a B-29 Superfortress, making Grayson successor to a lineage of elite bomber pilots.

Serving with Confidence (continued)

COVER FEATURE ARTICLE

SMILEHEALTH

TIPS FROM THE DOCTORS

Delicious Braces-Friendly Recipes

Fruit Burrito Ingredients:

1/2 cup buckwheat flour

3/4 cup coconut milk

2 tablespoon coconut sugar

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon baking powder

Directions: Combine all ingredients and whisk.

One at a time, pour crepe recipe in a pan of low-med heat.

Flip when it is 90% cooked.

Serve with fresh fruit and pure maple syrup.

Your Pediatric Dental Specialists in Kansas City Are you looking for a pediatric dental specialist for your family? The specialists at Burleson Orthodontics & Pediatric Dentistry are trained to help your child feel at ease during dental appointments. With more early morning and after-school appointments than any other dental office in Kansas City, our time is not more important than your time. Guaranteed.

(816) 929-6916 www.BurlesonOrtho.com