Foods to Avoid During Your Orthodontic Treatment

There are a variety of foods Dr. Alton Bishop wants you to avoid while you're wearing braces. Some foods can occasionally damage braces, but certain foods can bend the wires or even break the brackets on your braces. If you’re wearing braces, you should avoid starch, sugar and gummy foods, as these foods can be difficult to remove during brushing. Foods that are high in sugar and starch tend to cause plaque, cavities and even tooth decay.

Avoid tough meats, hard breads and raw vegetables such as carrots and celery. Before long, you'll be able to bite a cucumber again. But you'll need to protect your orthodontic appliances when you eat for as long as you're wearing braces.

Foods you should avoid include:

• Chewy foods: bagels, hard rolls, licorice
• Crunchy foods: popcorn, ice, chips
• Sticky foods: caramels, gum
• Hard foods: nuts, candy
• Foods you have to bite into: corn on the cob, apples, carrots

Also, chewing on hard things (for example, pens, pencils or fingernails) can damage the braces. Damaged braces will cause treatment to take longer.

If you have any questions on which foods you should be avoiding and why, we invite you to give Bishop Orthodontics a call or ask our staff during your next visit.

Bishop Orthodontics, Taking Steps to Reduce Our Environmental Impact

We are living in an age with a renewed commitment to conservation, and are frequently reminded to recycle, reduce and reuse. Earth Day is today, April 22nd, and we thought this would be a great time to discuss everything that Bishop Orthodontics does to conserve our natural resources and the environment.

Did you know that we offer patients account access 24 hours a day, seven days a week? We offer convenient and secure online services with our Patient Login system. You can view all of your account information, and even receive appointment reminders through email or text messages. Since this information is submitted electronically, we eliminate the use of large amounts of paper and printing materials.

Dr. Alton Bishop and our team would love to hear how you minimize your impact on the environment. Leave us a comment below or you can also visit our Facebook page and post something on our wall.

Happy Earth Day!

Mouth Guards and Spring Sports Injuries, with Dr. Bishop

Wouldn’t you believe it, it’s already springtime! The spring months, however, bring an increase in outdoor activities and a greater chance of kids damaging their precious mouths and pearly whites. If you play sports, it's important that you consult Dr. Alton Bishop for special precautions, such as wearing a mouth guard. A protective mouth guard is advised for playing spring sports such as baseball, soccer, lacrosse and others. Be sure, however, to avoid mouth guards that custom form to your teeth as these will resist any tooth movements we are trying to achieve.

In case of any accident involving the face, check your mouth and the appliances immediately. If teeth are loosened or the appliances damaged, please schedule an appointment with Bishop Orthodontics.

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 at Bishop Orthodontics.

Mother's Day Contest at Bishop Orthodontics!

Bishop Orthodontics is having a Mother’s Day Contest! Here's how it works:

Send a picture of you and your mom to bishoporthodontics@comcast.net to be posted on the Bishop Orthodontics Facebook Page and you will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win brunch at her favorite restaurant!! What a perfect gift for Mother's day!

Feel free to give our office a call if you have any questions about this contest. Good luck to everyone!

-Dr. Alton Bishop and team

Flossing with Braces 101

Dr. Alton Bishop will tell you that keeping your teeth clean is more important than ever when you have braces. Food bits have more spots than usual to hide in your mouth, so you must be diligent in order to avoid bad breath, swollen gums, discolored teeth and cavities. If you remove plaque regularly during treatment, you'll experience better results and shorter treatment time.

Here is a very concise video explaining the proper way to floss your teeth with braces. Give Bishop Orthodontics a call if you have more questions about flossing. Enjoy!