Halloween Tips from Drs. Simon, Haerian, and Ludwig

Halloween can be a scary time for your teeth. The American Association of Orthodontists offers these tips to keep your teeth safe from decay during the Halloween Season:

• Don't get into a sticky situation....avoid sticky or chewy candy and snacks. These include hard or chewy candies, caramel, licorice, taffy, bubblegum, (even the sugarless kind) and jelly beans.

• Good alternatives for people with braces include soft chocolates, peanut butter cups or other melt-in-your-mouth varieties.

• If you eat sweets, do so in moderation. Don't be tempted to grab another handful from the bowl filled with treats. Parents may want to limit the time during which children eat from the Halloween bowl.

• Regular brushing and flossing are more important than ever during the Halloween season, when teeth may receive more exposure to sugary foods that can cause cavities. People with braces should be especially conscientious about brushing and flossing often.

If you have any other questions about how to keep your teeth and braces safe from sugary foods, call our office. Have a safe and enjoyable Halloween!

Trick or Treat!

-Drs. Simon, Haerian, Ludwig and staff

A beatiful smile that was worth the wait!

Brennan started coming to orthodontic office of Drs. Simon, Haerian, and Ludwig in July of 2003 at age 7 (the age the American Orthodontic Association recommends as a good time to start evaluating a child’s teeth). It was easy to see that he would require orthodontic treatment in the future to correct his severe crowding issues. Our team evaluated him on a yearly basis until he was ready to start treatment at the best optimal time so he would be in braces the least amount of time possible. However, with a very slow eruption pattern, it actually took longer than estimated. We worked with Brennan on every step of that orthodontic journey until the mission was achieved – a beautiful smile!

Mom and Brennan agree that is was, indeed, worth the wait!

A Festive and Braces-Friendly Recipe to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day

If you're planning to spend St. Patrick's Day celebrating your Irish heritage, or just enjoying the festivals, food and "wearing of the green"- we've got a treat for you! Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists have a tasty and braces-friendly recipe that is perfect for today. Corned Beef Casserole presents a twist on the traditional St. Patrick's Day corned beef and cabbage, and will surely become a family favorite!

Corned Beef Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 (8-ounce) package medium egg noodles, uncooked
• 1 (12-ounce) can corned beef
• 1 (10.5- to 14-ounce) can cream of celery soup, undiluted
• ¾ cup milk (use just ½ cup if using larger soup can)
• 1 Tablespoon dried minced onion
• ¼ cup bread crumbs (seasoned or toasted plain)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. In a saucepan, cook the noodles just until tender; drain. In a large bowl, chop the corned beef into a coarse crumbly texture.

Stir in soup, milk and onion. Grease a 2-quart casserole. Add the noodles and the corned beef mixture and stir together well. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top.

Bake covered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serves 6-8 people.

Try serving the casserole with petite whole green beans from the freezer…or add 1 cup of finely chopped purple cabbage, 1/4 cup diced onion and 2 teaspoons fennel seed or powder for some true Irish flavor.

Happy St. Patrick's Day, from all of us at Drs. Simon, Haerian, & Ludwig!