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“Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.”  -John Muir

These days, kids are spending about half as much time outside as they did 20 years ago. It’s also estimated that kids ages 8 to 18 spend over seven hours a day using some form of digital entertainment. This translates to our youth being far less active and far less inclined to spend time outdoors. While this may not seem overly alarming to some, children could be missing out on important life lessons and emotional connections that one can only experience through nature. Here are a couple reasons why getting your kids outside should be a priority.

1. It makes kids happier. Studies have shown that kids who play outside are far less likely to be as stressed as other children who spend their time indoors. When kids get outside, they lose track of time. The endless supply of things and places to explore helps to cultivate natural curiosity.
2. It makes them healthier. The rise in childhood obesity in this country should have parents concerned. Logging countless hours of video games or sitting in front of the computer or TV screen won’t help. Taking kids outdoors is not only a terrific way for them to get exercise, it’s a natural immunity booster as well. Subjecting children to different types of pollens, allergens, and bacteria can help bolster their immune system to keep them less susceptible in the future.
3. It allows them to utilize their senses. Smell, taste, and touch have gone to the wayside of sight and sound in the digital age. Getting kids outside can open up those senses that may not be as sharp due to their lack of use.

The best thing about the outdoors? It’s free! So get out there with the munchkins and start exploring; it may have lasting benefits for their future.

Summer is almost here, which means a season full of vacations, adventures and great memories is just around the corner for our patients at Benson Orthodontics.

Everyone wants a glowing and radiant white smile when the sun comes around and we have a few reminders to keep your pearly whites healthy and beautiful over the summer! Try to stay away from drinks that will stain your teeth like coffee, soft drinks, or dark colored juices. Not only will drinks like this weaken your enamel but they will also darken that fabulous smile you're working on! Another tip is to try and focus on brushing your teeth; everyone knows that when busy schedules start picking up, getting a good brushing session in tends to take the backseat! A good tip for keeping your mouth safe from staining and other possible pitfalls is to rinse your mouth with water after any meal you can’t fully brush your teeth after. Your teeth, inside and out, will benefit!

And remember, whether you are headed to a barbecue, a camping trip, or just having fun in the backyard this summer, we want to hear all about it! Make sure to let us know what you’re up to below or on our Facebook page! We also encourage you to post any photos from your adventures!

There’s no question about it … getting a tooth knocked out is a truly scary and traumatic experience. It usually happens as the result of some kind of oral trauma, such as a baseball hitting your jaw or tripping and slamming your mouth against a railing. This is known as avulsion, with the knocked-out tooth called an avulsed tooth. The first step is not to panic, but be ready to act quickly. This is a serious dental emergency, and you can’t delay if you want to save the tooth. Following are the steps to take.

First, find the tooth and pick it up by the crown, not the root. Wash it under cold running water for a few seconds if it’s dirty. Put the tooth in a glass of milk to keep it safe. Then, hightail it to the dentist so we can help you get it reattached. This ideally needs to take place in less than an hour — or within minutes, if possible — which reinforces why a knocked-out tooth is such a dental emergency. If you can get to the dentist quickly and keep the tooth in milk, you have a good chance of saving it.

There’s one additional obstacle to consider, however, which is that oral trauma can be a secondary issue to head trauma in injuries of this nature. As important as it is to save the tooth, you should first be evaluated for signs of head injury if the situation warrants it. Once you confirm that head trauma isn’t a factor, the first priority should be getting to the dentist for immediate reimplantation.

Your teeth are precious. Once your permanent teeth come in, they need to last you a lifetime. Extensive tooth decay can lead to dental caries and the need for fillings, crowns, bridges, and dentures.

While these fixes can go a long way toward maintaining your quality of life, they cannot compare to your natural teeth. Getting braces is no excuse to let up on your thorough oral health routine: You need to take good care of your teeth before, during, and after braces to benefit completely from the gains you get from newly straightened teeth.

Why You Should Maintain Good Oral Health for Life

Begin a complete oral health regimen as early as possible in life, and maintain this routine throughout your life. Keeping your (or your child’s baby) teeth clean establishes a routine. It preserves healthy baby teeth whose function is to save space for the permanent teeth when they are ready to come in. Care of your permanent teeth helps preserve the enamel and prevent decay.

Take Special Care with Braces

It is important to pay attention to oral health when you have braces. If you do not take special care of your teeth during the months or years that you have braces, you risk irreversible damage to your teeth. Care is more difficult with braces because food can easily get stuck. In addition to brushing twice daily and flossing each day, Dr. Bart Benson and our staff suggest avoiding sticky foods.