It's National Chocolate Cake Day!

Today we can all rejoice because it’s National Chocolate Cake Day. If you’re typically not the type to get excited over random food holidays, today might be a little different because really, who doesn’t love chocolate cake? The smooth creamy dark frosting drizzled over a fluffy, moist rich chocolate cake is appealing to almost every taste bud; and we’re not resisting this dessert today here at #RiOrtho! If you happen to be a fan of chocolate cake, and want to celebrate by baking your own tonight, check out these delicious recipes we found to give your cake a little flare.

Keep reading for your new favorite chocolate cake recipes:

One Bowl Chocolate Cake 

This cake needs no introduction, as it’s been around forever. If you’ve never made it, you’re in for a treat.

Click here for the recipe.


Nutella Chocolate Cake

Do you love chocolate? Do you love nutella? Do you love cake?

If you answered “YES” to all 3 questions above, Nutella Chocolate Cake is for you!

Click here for the recipe.

Don’t miss out on your chance to celebrate chocolate cake, try out one of these recipes tonight! Do you have a yummy recipe to share? Post it below or post it on our Facebook wall!

#DStrong

Hundreds of people gathered together on Misquamicut State Beach last weekend to show support for local Rhode Island boy Dorian Murray.  Dorian is fighting a rare pediatric cancer that is spreading toward his brain, making his treatment ineffective.  To support Dorian, the community learned that his last wish is to become famous.

With the support of the community, Dorian has bee so delighted to have reached thousands and told WBZ-TV last Friday his "newfound name is 'very, very cool." Rhode Island Orthodontic Group recently decided to participate by add a #DStrong shout out post to boost awareness for Dorian.

#DStrong

Check out this video of the 2500-person giant message of love for Dorian Murray, our famous boy from Westerly, RI!

For updates on Dorian, LIKE his facebook page.

Foods to Avoid During Orthodontic Treatment

For most situations, common sense will tell you what to avoid. Hard foods, sticky foods and foods high in sugar must be avoided. Hard foods can break or damage wires and brackets. Sticky foods can get caught between brackets and wires. Minimize sugary foods; they cause tooth decay and related problems. Nail biting, pencil and pen chewing and chewing on foreign objects should be avoided.

Examples of Sticky Foods to Avoid:

• Gum (sugar-free or regular)
• Licorice
• Sugar Daddies
• Toffee
• Tootsie Rolls
• Caramels
• Starburst

Examples of Hard Foods to Avoid:

• Ice
• Nuts
• Hard taco shells
• French bread crust/rolls
• Corn on the cob
• Apples and carrots (unless cut into small pieces)
• Bagels
• Chips
• Jolly Ranchers
• Pizza crust
• Uncooked carrots (unless cut)

Minimize Sugary Foods like:

• Cake
• Ice Cream
• Cookies
• Pie
• Candy
• Only Once a Day:
• Soda
• Sweetened tea
• Gatorade
• Kool-Aid
• Drinks with sugar

It's important to regularly check your braces for bent or loose wires and brackets. In the event of a loose/broken wire or bracket, call our office immediately to arrange an appointment for repair.

Learn about TMJ

The "Temporomandibular Joint," more commonly referred to as the "jaw joint," assists in the basic opening and closing movements of the jaw. Unfortunately, this joint is a common area for recurring pain. Although conventional wisdom suggests that "popping" sounds in the jaw indicates a TMJ dysfunction, this is not always true. Many times, your jaw is functioning properly even if a "popping" sound is present when chewing or talking.

We offer a TMJ exam that evaluates the joint tissue in the "hinge" of the jaw. Possible problems include swelling, deterioration of the joint tissue or damaged joint tissue (which cushions the jaw bones during the opening and closing movement of the mouth). Common pain relievers and cold compresses can provide temporary relief for most cases of TMJ.

For more serious cases of TMJ, we will recommend alternate treatments. Often, we will suggest using a mouth guard to relieve teeth grinding. In some cases, we will instruct you to use orthodontic appliances or retainers to alleviate discomfort or redirect positioning of the TMJ joint. For the most severe cases of TMJ, we may recommend certain invasive procedures.

Contact Rhode Island Orthodontic Group today for more information or to schedule an appointment.