January 23rd, 2015
Here at, Ballou Orthodontics, we strive to create an environment to ensure every patient is as comfortable as possible. Having a sore mouth is never fun, and in most cases, is common at the beginning of treatment and lasts about 1 week. After that, it can occur from time to time during your treatment, because often times your wires get tighter. The good news is it does get easier as you go! Here are a few tips on how to help relieve some of that pain.
Wax on, Wax off: The inside of your mouth may develop a few sores from your brackets rubbing against your cheeks or lips. You can use wax to help relieve some of the irritation. See our other blog: 3 Common Problems & Solutions While Wearing Braces, on how to do so.
Take it With a Grain of Salt: It is very common to develop sores on your lips and gums, because your mouth is not use to the roughness of your braces yet. To help ease some of the irritation, try rinsing out with a cup of salt water several times a day.
Brrr… it’s Getting Cold in Here: Sometimes the pain that is associated with braces can be too much to challenge yourself to eat some foods like hamburgers or fresh vegetables. Instead, we recommend eating softer foods like yogurt, soups, & mashed potatoes. We also recommend eating ice cream! You scream, we scream, we all scream for ICE CREAM J. The coldness from the ice cream will help numb your mouth and can temporarily relieve some pain. (Be careful to avoid ice cream containing nuts).
Knock It Out: Braces can cause quite a bit discomfort at times, but it doesn’t require a heavy, hitting narcotic. Often times, a normal dose of Tylenol or Ibuprofen will do the trick.
We hope you have found this helpful, and always remember we know what you’re going through. If you have any questions or concerns never hesitate to contact our office. Happy Days & Smile On 
November 3rd, 2014
October was a busy month here at Ballou Orthodontics. We hosted our 1st Annual Pumpkin Decorating Contest. Patients could jazz up their pumpkins however they liked. They could…Bling it… Paint it… Wrap it… The sky was the limit! All they had to do was decorate their pumpkin, bring it by our office to be displayed with our friendly scarecrows and on Halloween we selected 2 winners! Both Hayden & Jamie had 2 great pumpkins that we couldn’t just chose one, so we chose both! Great job guys they looked awesome!
Also, make sure to keep your eyes peeled as you will be able to find us at various local events throughout the upcoming months. During the month of October, we participated in the Castle Hills Elementary School annual Candy Lane Carnival. We ran a Candy Corn Contest during the event where 5 lucky winners won AMC movie theater gift cards! Our grand prize winner for the Candy Corn Contest was little X-Man, Ryan
Stay tuned for more Ballou Orthodontic Buzz… & as always, we will see you soon!
September 4th, 2014
Ballou Orthodontics was a proud sponsor for a couple local events that we wanted to take a quick moment to mention.
The first event was the 10th Annual Castle Hills Kid’s Triathlon, which took place on Saturday, August 16th. This event benefitted the Castle Hills Outreach program while promoting family unity, fitness and of course…FUN! Children aged 4-16 years old competed in a triathlon, which included swimming, biking and running events of various distances.
The second event is the Castle Hills Elementary Boosterthon Fun Run. This event promotes fitness, leadership and character, while also raising money for the school to use in projects such as remodeling their library. It is estimated that ~800 kids will participate in the Fun Run!
We are very excited to have helped make both of these events possible and look forward to seeing all the kiddos out there staying fit and active!
June 2nd, 2014
At Ballou Orthodontics, we try to make wearing braces as comfortable as possible for our patients. However, from time to time we know accidents happen. We know braces can sometimes irritate your gums, tongue, and cheeks. Here are 3 common problems, and their solutions.
Problem #1: Irritation of lips and cheeks
With braces being a new piece of equipment in your mouth it’s very possible you may get sores on your lips or even cheeks.
Solution: Wax on, Wax off.
Do it like the Karate Kid… wax on, wax off You can use orthodontic wax to cover up the part of the bracket that may be causing you some irritation. Pinch off a little bit of wax, roll it up in to a ball, and gently press it against the bracket that is bothering you.
Problem #2: Pokey Wire
Did you know that a pokey wire is not necessarily a bad thing? Often times, a pokey wire is a sign that your teeth are moving in the right direction. As your teeth start to un-crowd in the front, your wire in the back will appear to be getting longer. When this happen it can cause some irritation in the back of your mouth.
Solution:
Just like in Problem #1’s solution this can also be applied to a pokey wire incident. However, in rare and extreme cases, if you are unable to get in to your orthodontist and need immediate remedy, you can try taking a pair of nail clippers and gently clip the piece of wire that may be poking you.
Problem #3: Broken Bracket
Broken brackets are the most common orthodontic emergency that we see here at Ballou Orthodontics. Broken brackets are often caused when a braces wearer eats a certain type of food that their orthodontist recommended they avoid during their treatment.
Solution:
Often times, a broken bracket does not bother a patient. However, if the bracket is sliding around on your wire and is causing some irritation you can try using wax to hold it in place.
In any emergency it is always recommended that you call your orthodontist as soon as possible to ensure that you don’t have to come in before your scheduled appointment to address the problem. Happy braces wearing
