Happy Halloween from Bishop Orthodontics!

Trick-or-treat! In the spirit of tonight's sweet and spooky holiday, our staff at Bishop Orthodontics would like to remind all of our patients in both Edwards and Frisco to be safe while celebrating with friends and family. The American Association of Orthodontists were kind enough to provide trick-or-treaters with some tips for a ghoulishly good time.

A few Halloween safety guidelines:
• Young children should always be accompanied by an adult
• Carry a flashlight
• Wear a light-colored or reflective costume
• Choose face paint over masks for young ghosts and goblins
• Have an adult inspect all treats before the children dig in

Many treats can cause havoc for trick-or-treaters who are going through orthodontic treatment. If you happen to damage your braces, please give us a call immediately. Typically, small problems can be solved over the phone.

We wish you all a safe, fun and happy Halloween night!

Dr. Bishop & team want to know: what's on your mind?

By now, you’re probably familiar with the drill: Every week, our creative staff at Bishop Orthodontics write about topics related to orthodontic care and your health, including innovative orthodontic treatments offered at our offices in Edwards and Frisco.

This week, though, we thought we’d ask our remarkable patients: what’s on your mind? What would you like to know about the exciting field of orthodontics? What would you like us to focus on our blog going forward? Perhaps there’s something you’ve wanted to ask Dr. Alton Bishop but haven’t found the time? Let us know by posting here or on our Facebook fan page!

Give us your best shot, and our team will try to answer any questions you may have!

A few tips to stay healthy this cold season, from Bishop Orthodontics

It's that time of year again...cold and flu season! To promote a healthy and clean environment here at Bishop Orthodontics, we give a great deal of attention to sanitation and sterilization in our Edwards or Frisco offices at all times, as well as following all requirements for sterilizing instruments and work surfaces.

For the protection of other patients, Dr. Bishop and our staff, we always ask that patients reschedule their appointments if they have any type of cold or illness that can infect others.

Maintaining and protecting oral hygiene equipment is also important this flu season. To protect your toothbrush from bacteria follow these steps:

• Wash your hands before and after brushing

• Allow the brush to air dry after each use, harmful bacteria dies after being exposed to oxygen

• Store the toothbrush in an upright position to allow water to drain and dry faster

• Replace toothbrush after every cold or flu or every 3-4 months when bristles appear worn

Hope this helps! Stay healthy!

- The Bishop Orthodontics team

Spider bites, a delicious (and braces-friendly) Halloween recipe!

Dr. Bishop and our team know how tempting this time of the year can be for your sweet tooth. With all of the caramel, candy corn, and lollipops that are often passed around to Halloween trick-or-treaters, we know that it can sometimes be hard to find hard candy alternatives.

We thought we'd share a great braces-friendly Halloween recipe with all of our patients, courtesy of the American Association of Orthodontics, and “The Braces Cookbook” by Pamela Waterman. This Spider Bites recipe is delicious, and provided that you remember to brush and floss after indulging, this is a cookie that won’t bite back!

Spider Bites

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp. water
• 1 Tsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup cocoa
• 1 Tsp. salt
• ½ Tsp. baking powder
• 1 package black rope licorice, cut into 1-inch pieces**
• 1 small tube of white (or color of choice) frosting
• Toothpicks

Directions:

For baking instructions, click here. Enjoy this delicious recipe, and have a wonderful weekend!

- Dr. Bishop and team

At Bishop Orthodontics, October marks National Orthodontic Health Month!

If it's October, it can only mean one thing here at Bishop Orthodontics: it's National Orthodontic Health Month, and our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists have created 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. Bishop and our staff recommend you check out the AAO's website as well for helpful tips on keeping your braces in tip-top shape. If you have any follow-up questions about keeping your braces in tip-top shape, please feel free to give us a call, ask us on Facebook or ask Dr. Bishop or staff during your visit!

Have a great weekend!