FLOSSING WITH BRACES KNOWING THE INS AND OUTS It’s already hard to remember to floss daily, but when you’re wearing Damon braces, or even traditional wire braces, just the thought of how long it takes to floss is enough to make you want to forgo the tedious activity altogether.
Dental Tape If you haven’t flossed in a while, the waxy string might irritate your gums and make them bleed. With time, your gums will get used to flossing, but until then, you can also try dental tape. Dental tape is smooth and spongy, shaped more like a ribbon than a string. It glides more softly between the gums, but if you’re wearing braces, the downside is that you’ll have to use it just like you would regular floss.
Not wanting to floss when you’re wearing braces is understandable, but it can be counterproductive in the long run. Just as you want to improve your oral health by wearing braces, you make yourself more susceptible to cavities and gum disease in the long run if you don’t floss. Fortunately, however, there are a few different tips and products that can make it easier for you to floss with braces. Floss Threaders Floss threaders are inexpensive tools that will cut several minutes off the time it takes you to floss with braces. They look like needles with oversized eyes, and every time you floss, just thread the floss through the eye of the threader and poke the “needle” in
A Waterpik This is the pricier of the three options, but some people prefer it to other options. With a Waterpik, instead of flossing with string or ribbon, you floss with a steady stream of water. Flossing with one of these devices takes about 3–5 minutes, and some of them come with specialized tips for cleaning around brackets and wires.
If you have any lingering questions about flossing with braces, or need any other tips or tricks for
between your teeth. It will carry the floss with it, making for a lot less fuss than trying to get just the floss under the wire and between your teeth. You can buy large packs of floss threaders at most convenience stores.
making daily routines with braces easier, just ask Dr. Alborzi at Alborzi Orthodontics. You can visit her website at AlborziSmiles. com today for a free consultation.
LOUD! Laugh Out
This rice recipe is perfect for getting your kids to eat their greens without realizing it! EASY & HEALTHY GREEN RICE
Ingredients • 1 cup tightly packed spinach leaves • 1 cup tightly packed kale leaves, stems removed
• 1/2 cup
yellow onions, finely diced • 1/2 cup green peppers, diced • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced • 1 cup long-grain white rice 1–2 minutes before adding the blended mixture. Increase heat to bring to a boil. 4. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until liquid has evaporated, 15–20 minutes. 5. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock • 2 tbsp full-fat coconut milk • 1 tsp kosher salt
Directions 1. In a blender, purée spinach and kale with vegetable stock, coconut milk, and salt. Set aside. 2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, sauté onions and peppers in olive oil until soft. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. 3. Stir in rice and cook and toast for
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