Friday fun facts with Flower Mound Orthodontics!

Everyone loves fun facts, especially when they're with our team at Flower Mound Orthodontics. Fun, fun, fun! The American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, has come up with some fun facts about orthodontics that Dr. Sankey and our team thought you might enjoy.

• 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.

• In addition to alleviating or preventing physical health problems, orthodontics can boost self-esteem as treatment aligns teeth, jaws and lips.

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

Dr. Sankey, wishing you a happy Parents' Day!

Our team at Flower Mound Orthodontics wants to know, do you and your family have any plans for this weekend? If you didn't know already, the third Sunday of every July is Parents' Day! According to the Congressional Resolution, this holiday is a time for recognizing, uplifting, and supporting the role of parents in the rearing of children, similar to Mother's and Father's Day.

Our team at Flower Mound Orthodontics would like to wish you a safe and happy Parents' Day! Thank you to all of the amazing parental role models in our Flower Mound, TX community! If you have any stories or pictures to share with us, we encourage you to share them on our Facebook page.

Have a great weekend,

-Flower Mound Orthodontics

How nail biting affects your oral health, from Dr. Sankey

We’ve all heard that biting your nails is a bad habit, but you many wonder- really- what’s so awful about it? Recently, our team at Flower Mound Orthodontics found an interesting article in the Huffington Post on about how biting your nails affect your teeth and oral health. Today, Dr. Sankey and our team would discuss some of the article's findings.

Firstly, let’s get the facts straight. Technically, nail biting is called Onychophagia, and is a very widespread habit among various age groups. Nail biting is often triggered by stress and commonly decreases with age. That being said, nail biting is unsanitary, unattractive, unhealthy for your teeth, and expensive!

Here’s why:

• It’s unsanitary- Your nails are dirty, almost twice as dirty as your fingers! Hence, biting your nails is just asking for germs and bacteria.
• No good things come to your teeth- Nail biting causes your teeth to constantly be chewing, which is not good for them. This excessive motion wears your teeth down faster than a non-nail biter’s and puts a large amount of stress on your front teeth- contributing to teeth misalignment.
• Braces don’t love it either- Braces already put pressure on teeth, nail biting ads unnecessary pressure, further stressing your teeth and weakening their roots.
• It can be costly- Nail biting can result in up to $4,000 in additional dental bills over one lifetime, according to the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). Yikes!

What can you do about it?

Now that you know how harmful nail biting can be, it’s time to take action to break your nail biting habit. Try to be conscious of your fingernails and to keep them looking good- this will help you resist the temptation. Ask Dr. Wayne Sankey or visit this article for more advice on how to stop nail biting.

Parental Spotlight: 7 tips for traveling with teens

Hey, parents! Are you planning that perfect summer vacation for the whole family? Here at Flower Mound Orthodontics, we know that summer is the season when many families choose to hit the open road- or catch a flight- to make those memories together. That’s why we want to share a few tips for summer travel from our friends at Yahoo! Shine.

1) Have your teens set the pace—and even the itinerary. No teen wants to be dragged around a city that they have no interest in, by allowing everyone a voice in the trip itinerary, children and parents alike become more invested in the vacation.

2) Everyone offers up a playlist. A trip soundtrack isn’t complete without a hodgepodge of every family member’s favorite tracks!

3) Set a limit on phones/electronics use. This decision has to be specific to your family, but a good rule of thumb is that if you’re setting the rules for minute limits or check-ins that all family members should stick to them- not just teens and tweens.

4) Keep food & drinks on hand. Sometimes a snack is all you need to stay cheery- hunger can oftentimes create unnecessary arguments and tension between families.

5) Don’t make them clean the hotel room. While on vacation, the same rules that apply at home for cleaning don’t necessarily apply while staying in a hotel.

6) Set a gift shop budget. These costs can add up quickly, so be sure to set limits ahead of time!

7) Give them a little freedom. When traveling with tweens and teens, it is important that they are able to have some areas. Maybe a five-block radius or even the hotel lobby, where they are able to wander without the whole family.

We hope that these tips are useful for helping plan those family vacations! For more articles on parenting and for the parenting pick of the day, check out Shine. Also, if you have any great family vacation photos, feel free to share them on our Facebook page!

Happy travels,
-Your friends at Flower Mound Orthodontics

What are patients saying about Flower Mound Orthodontics?

Flower Mound Orthodontics, serving Flower Mound, Texas and surrounding areas, has been receiving some great patient reviews lately! Check out what our current patients are saying about Dr. Sankey and team!

"The service we have received from Dr. Sankey's office has been absolutely wonderful. From day one everything has been extremely easy and the office personnel are wonderful."

"His bedside manner is very friendly, like he's been friends of the family a long time, even though we just met."

"They are all so nice and work together as a team to make this life changing experience something fun and easy."

"The entire staff makes me feel at home. Everyone is both very friendly and professional. Dr. Sankey is very thorough in explaining anything related to treatment."

Have you had a great experience at Flower Mound Orthodontics? Please let us know! You may write a review here. Have a great Independence Day weekend! We look forward to reading more reviews!