Have a FaBOOlous Halloween

Wishing our community a Happy & Safe Halloween today! #RIOrtho

What Not To Eat With Braces

You can use common sense when determining what not to eat with braces. Hard, sticky, and sugary foods are types of foods you want to avoid. Hard foods can break brackets and wires, sticky foods can get caught inside your braces, and sugary foods react with bacteria in your mouth to create enamel-rotting acid.

In honor of National Orthodontic Health Month, we at Rhode Island Orthodontic have compiled a list with some examples of foods you should definitely avoid while you have braces.

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

Try This Braces Friendly Mummy Pizza Recipe

Fun name, fabulous flavor! Enjoy your favorite pizza toppings, all wrapped up in delectable puff pastry. Also, it's braces friendly!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 package (17.3 ounces) Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets, thawed
• 6 tablespoons Prego® Traditional Italian Sauce
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 18 slices pepperoni
• 12 slices pitted ripe black olives

DIRECTIONS:

• Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork.
• Sprinkle the flour on the work surface. Unfold 1 pastry sheet on the work surface. Cut the pastry sheet into 3 rectangles along the fold lines. Cut the pastry rectangles in half crosswise, making 6 (about 3x5-inch) rectangles. Place the pastry rectangles onto the baking sheet.
• Spread about 1 tablespoon sauce on each pastry to the edge. Top each with about 2 tablespoons cheese and 3 slices pepperoni.
• Unfold the remaining pastry sheet on the work surface. Cut the pastry sheet into 3 rectangles along the fold lines. Cut each pastry rectangle crosswise into 12 (about 3/4-inch wide) strips, making 36 in all.
• Arrange 6 pastry strips on each pastry, placing them slightly askew over the filling to resemble a mummy's bandages. Brush with the egg mixture. Place 2 olive slices on eachpastry for the eyes.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Let the pastries cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

More On National Orthodontic Health Month

There are so many things that come in October. From the obvious Halloween, to Breast Cancer Awareness, National Pizza Month, and National Orthodontic Health Month, there is a lot to recognize. Being that we are orthodontists, we'll be covering some details on National Orthodontic Health Month and what it entails.

National Orthodontic Health Month was organized to help raise awareness about taking care of your teeth beyond your general dentist, as well as emphasizing the importance of taking care of your teeth properly when being treated for braces. If you have any questions regarding orthodontics that you have yet to find answers for, we are here for you! This is a great time to get your questions answered by the Rhode Island Orthodontics team of professionals. Also, if you have never been to an orthodontist before, now would be a great time to have an orthodontic evaluation exam. Children age 7 and up are encouraged to do so, as well as adults.