What’s the deal with all that sour candy?

At Birth-Stewart Orthodontics, we understand sour candy is a part of any respectable goodie bag. But while sour candy can be delicious, they are arguably as unhealthy for your teeth as sweet candy. The reason is, sour candies tend to be very acidic, and are capable of burning your cheeks and gums while wearing down the enamel on your teeth.

In 2008, the Minnesota Dental Association released a study which suggested the amount of acid in sour candies may eat away at tooth enamel and cause cavities. We would like to remind you that if you should experience a craving for sour candies this summer, please:

1. Remember to rinse your mouth with water immediately after consuming candy, drink milk, or eat a couple pieces of cheese.

2. Do not brush immediately after consuming sour candy. The candy’s acidic nature tends to soften tooth enamel. Brushing your teeth can mean abrading the enamel.

3. Limit the amount of sour candies that you consume on a daily basis. If you do indulge, remember not to suck or chew on sour candies for long periods of time.
If tooth erosion has already begun, ask us during your next adjustment appointment or your dentist about ways to reduce sensitivity and continue to protect your teeth. Let us know if you have any questions!

Tell us: What’s on your mind?

By now, you probably know the drill: Week after week, our creative staff blog about topics related to orthodontic care and your health, including innovative orthodontic techniques offered at Birth-Stewart Orthodontics. This week, we thought we’d step back and ask you, our wonderful patients: what’s on your mind? What would you like to know about the exciting field of orthodontics? What would you like us to focus on our blog? Perhaps there’s something you’ve wanted to one of our doctors for a while now? Let us know by posting here or on our Facebook page!

So, give us your best shot, and we’ll try to answer any questions you may have!

Meet Dr. Justin Jergensen!

Our team at Birth-Stewart Orthodontics are extremely proud to announce the latest addition to our team, Dr. Justin Jergensen!

I love not just the science of orthodontics, but also connecting to the patients. It is so rewarding to work with patients, and help them improve their confidence, overall appearance and dental function; all reasons why I love coming to work everyday.

Education

Bachelor's Degree Brigham Young University
Doctor of Dental Surgery University of California-San Francisco
Master's Degree in Orthodontics University of Maryland Baltimore

Professional Associations

American Association of Orthodontics
Middle Atlantic Society of Orthodontists
American Dental Association
Board Certified in Texas, Maryland & Oregon

Outside the Office

When not perfecting smiles, Dr. Jergensen is with his wife, Sandra, and two kids, Carter and Lucy. He enjoys the outdoors, tennis, waterskiing, golf and trying to play guitar.

Do we have your current contact info?

We hope you’re having a great week and a great summer so far! If you are planning on traveling with family this summer or think you might not be able to make it to your scheduled adjustment appointment, please let us know ahead of time so that we may be able to accommodate you, as well as schedule another patient at that appointment time.

Also, we ask that you give us a call and and let us know if you have any new phone numbers or if your contact information has changed! Please call us with any updates to phone numbers and addresses, so we may be able to reach you.

Thank you! Enjoy your weekend!

Patriotic fun facts!

On Monday, we will be busy celebrating America's 235th birthday. And because we know our patients love fun facts, we thought we'd provide you with some fun facts about Independence Day! Have a great Fourth of July weekend everyone, and we'll see you next week!!

- Independence Day was first celebrated in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776.

- An estimated 2.5 million people lived in America in July 1776. Today, an estimated 309 million people reside in the United States.

- The major objection to being ruled by Britain was taxation without representation, which meant that people didn't want to be taxed by a government that did not represent them.

- In 1941, Congress declared 4th of July a federal legal holiday. It is one of the few federal holidays that have not been moved to the nearest Friday or Monday.

- The stars on the original American flag were arranged in a circle to ensure that all colonies were equal.

- America's mascot, the bald eagle, can achieve speeds of up to 200 miles per hour when making a predatory dive. During a normal flight, bald eagles can travel up to 30 miles per hour.

- The American flag patch is backwards on U.S. Army uniforms. The reason? The blue field on the flag (the part with the stars) faces forward to symbolize carrying the American flag into battle.

- Someone who specializes in the history of flags is called a vexillologist.

- The word ‘patriotism’ comes from the Latin patria, which means ‘homeland’ or ‘fatherland.’

- According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Americans consume over 150 million hot dogs during their Independence Day festivities.

- Speaking of food, there's a 1-in-6 chance the beef on your backyard this Independence Day weekend grill came from Texas. The Lone Star State is America's leader in the production of cattle and calves.