The 411 on Halloween treats, from Dr. Poggio & Otay Lakes Orthodontics

For parents in Chula Vista worried about kids going overboard on candies, sugar and other sweets, Halloween is a dreaded annual event (no pun intended).

All those sweet, sour and sticky candies may taste great, but these treats are known to damage teeth, as well as braces! Did you know sour candies can be acidic to your teeth, and actually wear down the enamel that protects them? This can cause tooth decay and cavities! Sour and fruity candy, such as Starburst and Skittles, are the worst for your child’s teeth since these candies have a low pH value, which can ruin enamel.

In addition, we also want your child to steer clear of sticky, chewy, gummy and nutty goodies. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends softer treats, such as soft chocolate or peanut butter cups, or melt-in-your-mouth foods. Trick-or-treaters who indulge should make sure they brush and floss between teeth, around brackets and at the gum line. If damage occurs, call Dr. Poggio as soon as possible.

So what's a parent to do?

As Halloween draws nearer, try to limit the amount of these candies that your child eats, and when your child does eat them, either have him or her rinse their mouth with water afterward or have them drink some milk or eat a slice of cheese.

Hope this helps! Happy Halloween!

Love your smile? Then we invite you to review Otay Lakes Orthodontics on Google!

Serving the Eastlake area of Chula Vista, orthodontist Dr. Valeria Poggio and our team are dedicated to excellence in child and adult orthodontics. Our goal is to provide our patients and their families with personalized care, exceptional service, and amazing results.

Whether you have visited our office for a week or for years, we'd love to hear your feedback about Dr. Poggio and Otay Lakes Orthodontics! Now with the Internet, it’s even easier to write your thoughts and share them with the world. We'd want to encourage you to write a review of us on our Google page. It only takes a moment!

You may share your story here.

Thank you and have a great rest of the week!

"I'm 45 - I'm probably too old for braces, right?"

Nope - absolutely not! At Otay Lakes Orthodontics, no one is "too old" for braces. Orthodontic treatment can be successful at any age, and adults especially appreciate the benefits of a beautiful smile. In fact, one of every five patients in orthodontic treatment is over 21 and - not only that - but Dr. Poggio and our staff recently read a statistic that the number of adults getting orthodontic treatment has actually jumped 24 percent since 1996!

Yes, braces help make your pearly whites strong, healthy and perfectly-aligned, but perhaps another reason for the spike in adult braces is this: folks in Chula Vista and everywhere else want to look and feel great. In an age—and society—where looks matter as much as anything, and at a time when evenly-aligned teeth might be the difference between getting a job or a promotion, adults are choosing—wisely—to invest in orthodontics.

If you’ve been thinking about getting that perfect smile, Dr. Poggio would love to have you visit for a consultation. Please give us a call at (619) 482-2412 to set one up!

Ask Dr. Poggio: Why are regular checkups so important?

Dr. Poggio wants to know: Are you brushing and flossing daily properly during your orthodontic treatment? If your answer is yes, that’s wonderful! But, don’t forget that it’s also important for you to visit your general dentist every 3-to-6 months in addition to brushing your teeth and flossing (and visiting our office, of course).

Yes, October is National Orthodontic Health Month. But this month also marks National Dental Hygiene Month, which is why it can be a great time for a checkup, which can help you maintain good oral health, especially during your orthodontic treatment at Otay Lakes Orthodontics.

Your general dentist can check for problems that might not be seen or felt, detect cavities and early signs of decay, treat oral health problems early and show you how to properly brush and floss your teeth.

During an oral exam your dentist can check the health of your mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks and tongue. Checkups will also include a thorough teeth cleaning and polishing. If you have not visited the dentist in the last six months, let us know during your next visit with Dr. Poggio and we will provide a few great references in Chula Vista or nearby communities!

At Otay Lakes Orthodontics, October marks National Orthodontic Health Month!

Would you believe we're almost in October? Dr. Poggio and our staff know October is National Orthodontic Health Month, and our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists - or AAO- have provided a helpful website that provides important information on protecting your braces, including tips for trick-or-treaters, braces-friendly Halloween recipes, facts about braces and treats you should avoid while wearing braces.

Dr. Poggio and our staff definitely recommend you check out the AAO's website for information about keeping your braces in tip-top shape. Also please feel free to give us a call at (619) 482-2412, ask us on Facebook or ask Dr. Poggio during your visit!

Have a wonderful weekend and stay safe this Halloween season!

Dr. Valeria Poggio, helping you save face this fall

Last week, Dr. Poggio and our staff discussed the importance of wearing your retainer after completing your treatment at Otay Lakes Orthodontics. Today, however, we thought we'd talk about another important appliance you should always have handy: your mouth guard.

The fall months bring an increase in outdoor activities and a greater chance of our athletes in treatment damaging their precious mouths and pearly whites. If you play sports, it's important that you consult Chula Vista orthodontist Dr. Poggio for special precautions, such as wearing a mouth guard. A protective mouth guard is advised for playing fall sports such as soccer, basketball and especially football.

Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists have provided the following tips for keeping your kids safe on the field:

• Wear mouth guards during contact sports
• Wear a helmet
• Stretch before and after a game or practice
• Wear protective eye wear
• Wear a face shield to avoid scratched or bruised skin
• Be observant—even as a spectator

All of these can reduce injuries. Only by using a mouth guard and other forms of facial protection can kids with and without braces avoid serious sports injuries. Please give us a call if you have any questions about mouth guards or your treatment!

The importance of retainers

If you recently completed treatment at Otay Lakes Orthodontics, we’d like to congratulate you! Now that your braces have been removed, we will provide—or have provided you—with retainers. After braces are removed, teeth can shift out of position if they are not stabilized. Retainers provide that stabilization. They are designed to hold teeth in their corrected, ideal positions until the bones and gums adapt to the treatment changes. Wearing retainers exactly as instructed is the best insurance that the treatment improvements last for a lifetime. Here are some things to remember when you receive your retainers:

* Wear your retainers full time, until the doctor instructs otherwise. Wearing your retainers at night ensures that your pearly whites won’t relapse.
* Take your retainers out when eating...and always put retainers in their case! (Most appliances are lost in school lunch rooms or restaurants.)
* Clean retainers thoroughly once a day with a toothbrush and only a small amount of toothpaste. Use warm but not hot water.
* When retainers are not in your mouth they should ALWAYS be in a retainer case.
* Retainers are breakable, so treat them with care. If retainers are lost or broken, give us a call immediately.
* Remove retainers when swimming or during any sporting activity in which the retainers could fall out and get broken or lost (cheerleading, basketball, etc.) or when you should be wearing a mouth guard (football, soccer, etc.).

We hope this helps! You can always contact our team if you have any questions!