Thursday Tooth Trivia, from Dr. W. Clark Andersen

Everyone loves fun facts. Fun, fun, fun! The American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, has come up with some fun facts about orthodontics that our team at W Clark Andersen DDS PC thought you might enjoy.

• There are nearly 4 million people in orthodontic treatment throughout the United States. Three out of four are younger than 18.
• The first mechanical treatment for correcting irregular teeth was suggested by Gaius Plinius Secundus (A.D 23-79).The American Association of Orthodontists is comprised of more than 12,000 members in the United States, Canada and abroad.
• The time required to complete orthodontic treatment ranges from 12 to 36 months depending on the nature and severity of the problem.
• Of the 160,000 dentists in the United States and Canada, 8,000 are practicing orthodontists.
• The cement that attaches the braces to the teeth is now made with a special fluoride-releasing substance.
• Wires activated by body heat used in today's braces originally were developed by NASA for use in the space program.
• In addition to alleviating or preventing physical health problems, orthodontics can boost self-esteem as treatment aligns teeth, jaws and lips.
• Famous orthodontic patients include: Dr. Joyce Brothers, Hale Irwin, Cher, Diana Ross, Phyllis Diller, Chelsea Clinton, Whoopi Goldberg, Daisy Fuentes and Brandi.

Skinny Stickin' the Dam

Over the past 20 years, Dr. Andersen and our team have always been very involved in community events. We have volunteered for and sponsored events like the Relay for Life, high school sports teams, local arts and many others. On January 15th, we sponsored the "Skinny Stickin' the Dam" event. This family event was planned by the Brigham City Recreation Department and was designed to introduce the sport of cross country skiing to families. About 30 people in all participated and made the trek around the Mantua Reservoir. They covered a distance of about 4.5 miles! It was a great day with 2-3 inches of fresh snow and not too cold, thank goodness! It was our pleasure to provide the rental skis so that families could participate free of charge. We look forward to more events like this in the future and hope to see you there!

20 Years and Counting!

Did you know that 2011 marks our 20th year of practicing in the Brigham - Tremonton areas? It is hard to believe that we have been here that long already! It has been a great experience to grow with you and make so many good friends over the last 20 years. We count it an honor to have been able to be a part of your lives and to see so many beautiful smiles take shape. We live and work in a great community!

To celebrate our 20th anniversary, we will be having some fabulous contests, promotions and prizes to give to you, our loyal patients and friends. Most of these contests and promotions will be disseminated via your email. If we do not have your current email on file, now may be a good time to come into either the Brigham or Tremonton location and update your records or just give us a call. As always, we want to be the "best part of our patient's day" so let us know what we can do to serve you better!

Now for the fun stuff... Our first contest will be a video contest. Here's what you do. Simply get a group of family , friends etc. and make a short video about your orthodontic experience. It can be funny, serious, informative, documentary style etc. You can use your friends and family who are, have been or will be patients. It needs to be in digital format and no more than 4 minutes in length. Some ideas could be: "My Life in Braces", or "Can Braces Really get Stuck Together When Kissing?", or "Dr. Andersen is so Cool" ( we like that one). Be creative and have some fun! We will need to have your video entry submitted before the end of March. All videos will be posted on our YouTube channel, and patients can vote or "like" their favorite. The winners will receive $100.00! Get out those cameras and... "action"! Be sure to also check our website periodically for more information.

We hope you have a great 2011! We intend to have a great one!

Dr. Clark Andersen and Staff

Patient Question: What’s so bad about nail biting?

We’ve all heard that biting your nails is an awful habit, but you many wonder- really- what’s so bad about it? Recently, our team at W. Clark Andersen found an interesting article that discusses how biting your nails affect your teeth and oral health.

Nail biting, also known as Onychophagia, is a common habit among various age groups, including primarily children, teens and young adults. Nail biting is generally triggered by stress and most often decreases with age. That being said, nail biting is unsanitary, unattractive, as well as unhealthy for your teeth!

Here’s why:
• It’s unsanitary. Your nails are dirty, almost twice as dirty as your fingers! Hence, biting your nails is just asking for germs and bacteria.
• No good things come to your teeth. Nail biting causes your teeth to constantly be chewing, which is not good for them. This excessive motion wears your teeth down faster than a non-nail biter’s and puts a large amount of stress on your front teeth- contributing to teeth misalignment.
• Braces don’t love it either. Braces already put pressure on teeth, nail biting ads unnecessary pressure, further stressing your teeth and weakening their roots.
• It can be costly. Nail biting can result in up to $4,000 in additional dental bills over one lifetime, according to the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). Yikes!

What can you do about it?
Now that you know how harmful nail biting can be, it’s time to take action to break your nail biting habit. Try to be conscious of your fingernails and to keep them looking good- this will help you resist the temptation. Ask Dr. Andersen or visit the article for tips on how to break a nail biting habit. Good luck!

Getting social with the Braces Brigade!

At the practice of W. Clark Andersen, our patients want to get as much out of their treatment as possible. That includes asking a lot of questions and making sure they take care of both their appliances and oral health.

Would you like to learn more about what to expect during orthodontic treatment, from someone with firsthand experience? Well, our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recently developed the Braces Brigade blog, where past, present, as well as future orthodontic patients from coast to coast document their (or their child’s) orthodontic journeys. The blog will serve as a source of guidance for others as the patients undergo orthodontic care.

Our team encourages you to visit the Braces Brigade blog to read these great and informative blogs—who knows, maybe you’ll learn a thing or two! As always, don’t hesitate to give us a call if you have any questions about the Braces Brigade or your own orthodontic treatment with Dr. Andersen!