orthodontic snacks

State fairs are renowned for their mouthwatering array of indulgent treats, from deep-fried delights to sugary sensations. However, for individuals with braces, navigating the fairgrounds can be a challenge, with many traditional favorites posing potential risks to orthodontic appliances. Fear not, braces-wearers! Here are five delectable state fair foods that are not only delicious but also safe for your braces:

1. Cream Puff: Beat the heat with Wisconsin's world-famous Cream Puff. It's a cool and creamy treat that's perfectly suited for braces-wearers. This is everyone's favorite State Fair food - a deliciously satisfying dessert.
2. Cheese on a Stick: Indulge in the irresistible allure of cheddar cheese, dipped in breading, and deep fried. This is a beloved fairground treat that won't wreak havoc on your braces. This is Wisconsin and we enjoy our cheese, especially on a stick and deep fried!
3. Cotton Candy: Satisfy your sweet tooth with a cloud of sugary delight that poses no threat to your braces. Cotton candy melts in your mouth, eliminating the need for excessive chewing and ensuring a braces-friendly experience that's as enjoyable as it is nostalgic.
4. Funnel Cake: Treat yourself to a taste of nostalgia with a fair favorite that's braces-friendly when enjoyed in moderation. Funnel cake, with its soft, doughy texture and powdered sugar topping, is a delectable indulgence that won't interfere with your orthodontic treatment.
5. Kebabs: Sink your teeth into a flavorful skewer of grilled meats and vegetables, a savory option that's braces-friendly and packed with protein. Enjoy the tender, juicy goodness of kebabs without worrying about damaging your braces, making it a satisfying and wholesome option for fair food enthusiasts.

With these braces-friendly options in mind, you can navigate the state fair with confidence, indulging in the irresistible flavors of the season without compromising your orthodontic treatment. So go ahead, savor the sights, sounds, and tastes of the fair, knowing that these delicious treats will keep your braces and your taste buds happy all day long. When the day is done - remember to brush and floss!

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Before you grab something to drink-- stop and think about your teeth! Coffee and tea can stain your teeth. Soft drinks, sports drinks, juice, and vitamin waters often contain a lot of sugar and acid. Diet or “sugar free” sodas contain acid that also harms your enamel. Sugar and acid  weaken the enamel and can result in  tooth decay and cavities.

What can you do to reduce tooth decay? Drink soda, sport drinks, juice, and flavored waters in moderation. After drinking sweet beverages, be sure to brush your teeth or rinse your mouth with water to dilute the sugar.

Water is an even better choice. It has no sugar, no acid, and no calories. In many communities the tap water has fluoride to help strengthen your teeth. Plus, if you use a refillable water bottle you are helping to protect the environment.

Remember: healthy teeth require healthy food and beverage choices, regular brushing and flossing, and regular checkups with your dentist. The reward is a beautiful, cavity free smile!

Be sure to ask Dr. Douglas Barden and his team if you have any questions. Follow Barden Orthodontics on Instagram Facebook or Twitter to get more tips and helpful orthodontic information.

Did you know that the most common oral health diseases are tooth decay and gum disease? Not so coincidentally, they are also the easiest to prevent. As much as we would like for the brushing and flossing to do all the work for us, in reality, we really are what we eat — and a healthy diet is just as important for dental health as it is for the rest of the body.

Eating well boosts your immune system, and makes you less susceptible to gum disease and tooth decay. When you maintain a balanced diet, you provide your body with all the nutrients it needs to succeed. So what does a healthy, balanced diet entail? It’s really quite simple. Here are some tips:

1. Focus on lean meats, veggies, whole grains, and healthy fats. Healthy food = Healthy teeth!
2. Limit your intake of sugary drinks like energy drinks and soda. Healthy beverages are important!
3. Keep your sweet tooth in check.
4. Beware of acidic meals and snacks that are high in salt and sodium.
5. Drink lots of water.

Unfortunately, there’s no “one size fits all,” magic diet that will automatically improve your oral health, but following the five guidelines above as best you can is a great way to start. Food and drinks that are high in sugar or acidity weaken your enamel, stain your teeth, and make you more likely to develop a cavity or gum disease.

At Barden Orthodontics, we like to encourage our patients to drink a lot of water during the day. Doing so not only keeps you hydrated, but also helps rinse out the sugar and acid from various things you’ve consumed during the day.

If you think your diet might be affecting your smile, come pay Dr. Douglas Barden a visit or give our Milwaukee, WI office a call! We’re always happy to answer your questions.

It's important to think about beverages that you drink and how that impacts your teeth. Some people choose bottled water over tap because they think it’s cleaner. Some do it out of convenience: It’s easy to grab a bottle of water to take with you for the day as you run out the door or hop in your car.

Whatever the reason, bottled water has been coming in ahead of tap water for the last couple of years. What many people may not know is that choosing bottled water over tap can actually be detrimental to your dental health.

Most brands of bottled water fail to include a vital ingredient: fluoride. Fluoride plays an important role in helping maintain good oral health because it helps strengthen our teeth. Stronger teeth mean a lower chance of tooth decay, and who doesn’t want that?

When we choose bottled water over tap water, we deprive our pearly whites of something they might very well need.

The good news is that the American Dental Association has endorsed both community water fluoridation and products that contain fluoride as a safe way to prevent tooth decay. If bottled water happens to be the preference for you or your family, you don’t necessarily have to force everyone to start drinking tap water.

Just check the label and make sure the brand you purchase contains fluoride.

It’s essential to remember that switching up the water you drink isn’t going to put you on the fast track to perfect teeth, though. Flossing and brushing three times a day is vital!

If you have any questions about fluoride or your dental health, don’t hesitate to ask Dr. Douglas Barden at our Milwaukee, WI office!

While they may sound refreshing, especially after participating in sports activities or after a jog, recent studies suggest that energy and sports drinks can damage tooth enamel, thus elevating your cavity risk. These drinks are especially popular among our younger patients.

In the study, researchers analyzed the fluoride content and pH levels of 13 sports and nine energy drinks by soaking tooth enamel samples in the aforementioned drinks. The samples were soaked for 15 minutes in each drink, and then were soaked for two hours in artificial saliva four times a day for five days.

As much as sports drinks are harmful to your teeth, researchers found that exposure to energy drinks such as Rockstar, Monster®, and Red Bull® resulted in twice as much enamel loss as exposure to sports drinks such as Powerade®, Gatorade®, and Propel® (3.1 percent to 1.5 percent).

Yes, there are health benefits to consuming orange juice, fruit juices, sports drinks, and flavored waters, which can contain valuable ingredients such as vitamin C and other antioxidants; these drinks can also replenish nutrients lost during a sporting event and lower the chance of heart disease and cancer. But, if not consumed carefully, these beverages can harm your teeth. They are full of sugar, which converts to acid and wears away at your teeth, causing cavities, sensitivity, and eventually tooth loss.

Even one drink a day is potentially harmful, but if you are absolutely unable to give up that sports or energy drink habit, we encourage you to minimize their use and rinse with water afterward or chew a sugar-free piece of gum. Do not brush immediately after drinking them; softened enamel due to acid is easier to damage, even when brushing. Remember, it takes your mouth approximately 30 minutes to bring its pH level back to normal. The best thing to do is to wait an hour, then brush to remove sugar that lingers on your teeth and gums.

There are many sports drinks, energy drinks, and flavored waters out there today. Dr. Douglas Barden and our team recommend you take the time to read the labels and learn about the impact of beverages on your dental health. Check for sugar content and citric acid in the ingredients. If you have any questions, or would like suggestions on the best sports drink options, please give us a call at our Milwaukee, WI office or ask us during your next visit!

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