Dr. Greenberg Talks Thumb Sucking

Along with favorite blankets, teddy bears, and nap time, thumb-sucking can be one of the most comforting aspects of childhood. According to a recent report, between 75% and 95% of infants suck their thumbs, so chances are there's a thumb-sucker (or a former thumb-sucker) in your family. Is this cause for worry? Dr. Greenberg tells all.

In most cases, no. However, it's important to pay attention to your child's habits, in case his behavior has the potential to affect his oral health.

What Is Normal Thumb-Sucking Behavior?

The majority of children suck a thumb or a finger from a very young age; some even start inside the womb. Sucking is a natural reflex for an infant, and it serves an important purpose. Sucking often provides a sense of security and contentment for a young one.It can also be relaxing, which is why many children suck their thumbs as they fall asleep.

According to the American Dental Association, most children stop thumb-sucking on their own between the ages of two and four. They simply grow out of a habit that is no longer useful to them.

However, some children continue sucking beyond the preschool years (although studies show that the older a child gets, the lower his chances of continuing to suck his thumb). If your child is still sucking when his permanent teeth start to erupt, it may be time to take action to break the habit.

What Signs Should I Watch For?

First, take note of how your child sucks his thumb. If he sucks passively, with his thumb gently resting inside his mouth, he is less likely to cause damage. If, on the other hand, he is an aggressive thumb-sucker, placing pressure on his mouth or teeth, the habit may cause problems with tooth alignment and proper mouth growth. Extended sucking may lead to a need for orthodontic treatment in the future.

If at any time you suspect your child's thumb-sucking may be affecting his oral health, please give us a call at Greenberg Orthodontics or bring him in for a visit. We can help you assess the situation.

Don't Take That Dental Chair For Granted from Greenbarg Ortho

If you went to a dentist with a toothache in the 1700s, and he prescribed the removal of your tooth, it's quite likely that you wouldn't have had even a stool to sit on during the process. In fact, your dentist may have asked you to sit on the floor, at which point he would have stood behind you and secured your head between his knees. This position was ideal for two reasons: it provided easy access to your teeth and it kept your head still. (The reason you would not have kept your head still on your own, of course, is that this was prior to the invention of dental pain-killers.)

The first dental chairs were simply everyday wooden chairs with the headrests removed, but with arms in place – the arms being useful for the patient to cling to during a painful extraction.

In the 1790s, an American dentist named Josiah Flagg devised a more comfortable setup for the patient, fixing a padded headrest to the back of a simple wooden chair. He also made it more convenient for the dentist, by adding an extension to the chair that provided storage for commonly used tools.

James Snell of London created the first chair that was designed specifically for dental work in 1832. Snell's chair featured both a back and a seat that allowed for minor adjustment. Innovations in dental chair design improved and multiplied, and by the late 1800s, over eighty different chair designs could be found on the market.

The true precursor to the modern dental chair, constructed by James Beall Morrison, merited a British patent in 1867. The base of the chair was made of iron, and the chair itself boasted both a headrest and a footrest. A ball-and-socket joint beneath the chair, accessible by a foot pedal, let the chair tilt backwards and forwards as well as to the right and left. The chair also allowed for over three feet of vertical adjustment.

As in all other aspects of dentistry, chair technology continues to advance: today's chairs are made of steel, plastic, and aluminum; they involve electronic or hydraulic components, which provide for quick and smooth movements; and they take into account the latest in ergonomics and hygiene.

The next time you find yourself in a dental chair, lay back, relax, and remember that you're enjoying the finest chair experience that dental history has to offer! And let us know at Greenberg Orthodontics how we can help with your orthodontic needs.

Marvelous Molasses Cookies for Everyone in Orthodontic Care

The wisdom of the ages tells us that necessity is the mother of invention. Brenda Waterman, age thirteen, offers new proof of this proverb. When getting braces mandated cutting a list of foods out of her diet – including her much-loved treat of caramel apples – she devised a work-around recipe that let her indulge her craving. This clever replacement for caramel apples was the inspiration for The Braces Cookbook: Recipes You (And Your Orthodontist) Will Love, which Brenda created along with her mom, Pam Waterman.

Anyone with braces knows that it's important to avoid sticky foods, crunchy foods, hard foods, chewy foods, and so on. It's easy to look at the list and think, "What can I eat?" The Watermans' new book tackles that question with creative and thorough answers in the form of 50 braces-friendly recipes, plus additional tips and advice – enough to reassure any doubter.

Neatly divided into chapters such as Definitely Deserved Desserts and Be-Nice-To-Me Beverages, The Braces Cookbook offers a broad assortment of recipes from main courses and sides to breakfasts and snacks. An all-around guide, the book also offers suggestions for packing lunches, preparing quick meals, and handling parties and restaurants, where the food selection isn't under your control. There's even a section of tips for dealing with the soreness that can arise in teeth and gums when braces are adjusted.

Purchase The Braces Cookbook for your kitchen, and pick up an extra copy or two – they make great gifts!

Get a sneak peak with the following recipes:

Marvelous Molasses Cookies

They smell wonderful even before baking, they melt in your mouth, and they never harden up. Yum – the best of gingerbread and ginger snaps in one!

* 1 cup shortening
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 1 egg
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1/2 cup molasses
* 1/2 cup warm water
* 1 tsp baking soda
* 1 tsp cinnamon
* 1/2 tsp ginger
* 2 1/2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Baking time 11 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine shortening, brown sugar, egg, salt and molasses, using an electric mixer and beating until fluffy. Add cinnamon and ginger. In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir the baking soda into the warm water; add water mixture to the molasses mixture alternately with the flour until well blended.

Drop by tablespoons onto greased cookie sheets. Bake for 11 minutes at 350 degrees. Makes about four dozen. Store in a covered container.

Smoke Screen with Dr. Vickie Greenberg

Everybody knows that smoking causes lung cancer, but did you also know that smokers and tobacco are susceptible to a variety of oral health problems at a faster rate than non-smokers?

It’s true! Smoking is responsible for almost 75% of gum disease in adults; and, similar to smokers, adults who smoke pipes and cigars, as well as those using smokeless tobacco, are just as susceptible to gum disease and other tobacco related health problems.

As soon as you use tobacco products, you become more likely to experience any of these oral-health problems:

• Oral cancer
• Gum disease
• Tooth loss
• Loss of bone in the jaw
• Gum recession
• Delayed/impaired healing process after oral surgery or any other treatment
• Decreased success rate of dental implant (tooth replacement) procedures
• Mouth sores
• Loss of your sense of taste and smell
• Bad breath
• Tooth and tongue stains

If you are interested in protecting your oral health we strongly recommend you quit using tobacco products! The following steps are recommended by the Surgeon General to help you quit smoking and using tobacco:

• Get ready – set a quitting date and remove all materials from your home, car and office
• Get support
• Learn new skills and behaviors
• Get medication and use it correctly
• Be prepared for relapse or difficult situations

For support, start with Greenberg Orthodontics! We can help by recommending different options to help you quit, and above all we will support you throughout the quitting process. We are dedicated to helping you protect your oral health – and quitting smoking is significant step in the right direction.