Smile now, smile later, smile often! From Dr. White

Great news to report this Monday! People with big, happy smiles may actually out-live those who don’t, according to a recent study conducted at Wayne State University in Michigan this month.

Dr. White knew that positive emotion has been linked to both physical and mental health, but researchers at the university did something interesting: they used information from the Baseball Register to look at close-up smiles of 230 players who began their baseball careers prior to 1950 by studying their smile intensity (wide smile, no smile or partial smile).

The researchers then took into account other factors associated with life longevity, such as body mass index, career length and, believe it or not, college attendance. They found that players who weren't smiling died at the average age of 72.9 years. Players with partial smiles lived to be 75. Those with big, wide smiles, however, lived on average to be 79.9 years old!

Our take-away from the new study? Smile now, smile often and you might just live longer! Have you perfected your smile by visiting Braces By White lately? If not, give us a call and have a great week!

Play it safe this spring, from Dr. John C. White

We've blogged about the advantage of wearing a mouth guard when playing sports, and we thought a reminder wouldn’t hurt. You see, April happens to be National Facial Protection Month, and it’s a good time to remind our young athletes about staying safe on the field this spring.

According to the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation, children, high-school athletes and adults will have more than 5,000,000 teeth knocked out in sporting events this year. By simply wearing a properly fitted mouth guard, these accidents could prevent this along with other traumatic facial injuries.

Not only do mouth guards save teeth and protect jaws from breaks, but they also may protect against neck- and central nervous system injuries. In addition to mouth guards, Dr. White says it’s a good idea to wear a helmet, face shield and protective eyewear when playing sports this spring. Protective gear is vital for anyone engaging in tooth or mouth-threatening activities. If you have any further questions about any of these tips, please contact our staff. Stay safe and have fun!

Tell Dr. White what’s on your mind!

Week after week, our team writes a blog about important topics pertinent to orthodontic care and your well-being, including innovative orthodontic techniques Dr. White offers. This week, we thought we’d step back and ask you, our amazing patients: what’s on your mind? What would you like to know about the always-changing field of orthodontics? What would you like us to focus on our blog? Perhaps there’s something you’ve wanted to ask us for a while now? Let us know by posting here or on our interactive Facebook fan page!

Take it away and we’ll try to answer any questions you may have!

Ask Dr. White: Are retainers really that important?

If you recently completed treatment at Braces by White, we’d like to congratulate you! Now that your braces have been removed, Dr. John White will provide you with retainers. After braces are removed the teeth can shift out of position if they are not stabilized. Retainers provide that stabilization. They are designed to hold teeth in their corrected, ideal positions until the bones and gums adapt to the treatment changes. Wearing retainers exactly as instructed is the best insurance that the treatment improvements last for a lifetime. Here are some things to remember when you receiver your retainers from Dr. White:

* Wear your retainers full time, until Dr. White instructs otherwise.
* Take your retainers out when eating...and always put retainers in their case! (Most appliances are lost in school lunch rooms or restaurants.)
* Clean retainers thoroughly once a day with a toothbrush and only a small amount of toothpaste. Use warm but not hot water.
* When retainers are not in your mouth they should ALWAYS be in a retainer case.
* Initially, you may find it difficult to speak. Practicing speaking, reading, or singing aloud to get used to them quicker is a good idea.
* Retainers are breakable, so treat them with care. If retainers are lost or broken, give us a call immediately.
* Try to remember to bring your retainers to your appointments.
* Retainer replacement is expensive...with proper care they will last for years!
* Remove retainers when swimming or during any sporting activity in which the retainers could fall out and get broken or lost (cheerleading, basketball, etc.) or when you should be wearing a mouth guard (football, soccer, etc.).
* Keep retainers away from hot water, pockets, the washing machine and napkins.

We hope this helps! You can always contact our team if you have any questions!

This March, what are you up to? From Dr. White

It's almost that time of year again: springtime. The daffodils and buttercups are ready to be picked, the birds are chirping, the sun is warming up and the smell of freshly-cut grass is wafting from baseball fields nearby. Today, Dr. John White and our professional team thought this would be a good time to ask: What are your plans for March?

Are you ready for spring? Are you participating in school sports this year? Do you have exciting plans? We’d love to know them all!

You may share your stories or plans with our team here, on our Facebook fan page or by giving us a call!

What are patients saying about Dr. John C. White?

Dr. White and our team deliver the highest quality orthodontic care in a personalized environment here in Hudson and Northfield Center. At Braces by White, we strive to make orthodontic treatment fun and enjoyable. Just see what our patients have to say!

"Convenient location. State-of-the-art office." ~ Debbie M.

"Dr. White explains everything in a calm and understanding matter." ~ Justin R.

"3 things actually--skill, thoroughness, kindness." ~ Zachary V.

"Our orthodontist, Dr. White, is always friendly and shows genuine interest in his patients. He is very knowledgeable about his field and very willing to share this knowledge!" ~ Tyler F.

"He shows he is confident in what he is doing, knowledgeable in his field, and understanding what results patients are looking for." ~ Kasey M.

Fun facts with Dr. John C. White

Who loves fun facts? Most people. Who loves orthodontic facts? Everyone. The American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, has come up with some fun facts about orthodontics that Dr. John C. White and the staff at Braces by White thought you might enjoy. Have a terrific weekend!

• There are nearly 4 million people in orthodontic treatment throughout the United States. Three out of four are younger than 18.

• The first mechanical treatment for correcting irregular teeth was suggested by Gaius Plinius Secundus (A.D 23-79).The American Association of Orthodontists is comprised of more than 12,000 members in the United States, Canada and abroad.

• The time required to complete orthodontic treatment ranges from 12 to 36 months depending on the nature and severity of the problem.

• Of the 160,000 dentists in the United States and Canada, 8,000 are practicing orthodontists.

• The cement that attaches the braces to the teeth is now made with a special fluoride-releasing substance.

• Wires activated by body heat used in today's braces originally were developed by NASA for use in the space program.

• Famous orthodontic patients include: Dr. Joyce Brothers, Hale Irwin, Cher, Diana Ross, Phyllis Diller, Chelsea Clinton, Whoopi Goldberg, Daisy Fuentes and Brandi.