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Happy 2021 from Bethesda and Spring Valley Orthodontics! As the new year begins, I’ve set some new professional and personal goals for the months to come.

In the office, I’d like to expand the number of patients she sees who are using the game-changing technology that is BRIUS. Treatment using BRIUS is completed much faster than traditional braces and aligners. If you are looking for more information regarding BRIUS please follow this link to learn more about the advantages about choosing this treatment option.

At home, it’s all about finding balance. It can be so difficult, especially in a COVID world! And it might be even harder when we are able to do more again. We all need to remember to take time to recharge and focus on what is meaningful. For me that means more yoga, stretching, and meditation. We can’t forget to take time to connect with ourselves in a fast-paced world.

I also plan to continue learning, mostly through academic journals. I’ve love to take advantage of all the Washington, D.C. area has to offer in terms of art and history. Once it’s safe to get out more, of course!

With the COVID-19 vaccine starting to become available to healthcare workers and the elderly, and soon the public at large, there is so much promise on the horizon for us all. I can’t wait to take the COVID vaccine! I also forward to seeing my patients smile without a mask.

Regardless of what your resolutions are for the year, I hope you will recommit (or continue to stay committed) to your oral hygiene. Remember three simple words for you: floss, floss, floss!

January brings us in welcome change and newness. Have a phenomenal start to the year and I can’t wait to see you in the office!

You have done a lot of work to get the perfect smile. You wore your Invisalign aligner trays and cared for your teeth, and now your treatment is done. You still need to take care of your teeth to keep your beautiful smile. Keeps these things in mind when you think about your oral care routine.

Retainers

Many patients do require a retainer after Invisalign treatment. This will be based on your unique situation. If a retainer is recommended, use it as directed. Retainers prevent your teeth from shifting back into their original position. You should also avoid hard, crunchy foods for the first couple of weeks as your teeth adjust. For younger patients, retainers are normally used until the wisdom teeth come in or are extracted.

Brushing and Flossing

Brushing and flossing must be part of your daily oral care. Flossing helps remove the plaque, which becomes tartar or calculus. This build up can lead to gingivitis and gum disease. Your gums may be more sensitive for a week or two after your orthodontic work is completed. A warm salt water rinse may relieve discomfort.

Your teeth may be slightly sensitive for a short time. They have been protected by your Invisalign aligner trays and now are fully exposed. You might want to try a sensitive toothpaste to get through the transition. Just ask; we will be glad to recommend the best type for your needs. If your teeth are stained, a professional whitening treatment can be considered.

Regular Dental Checkups

You still need to have regular dental exams. Professional cleanings and X-rays make sure that both your teeth and gums stay healthy so you can keep your teeth for life. If cavities or other problems are found, they can be taken care of quickly.

If you have any questions about how to care for your teeth after your Invisalign program, please ask our Bethesda team. We want you to keep your healthy smile and enjoy the results of your Invisalign treatment.

Wearing braces limits some of the snacks you can eat. However, you still have plenty of choices for fun and healthy foods that will not harm your braces. You can even enjoy a few crunchy treats as long as you choose them carefully.

Sweet Treats

Puddings provide a sweet and safe snack while you are wearing braces. You can even select flavored puddings such as caramel to satisfy the urge for items you should not eat. They can be purchased already made or whipped up at home. You can even select low-sugar varieties that still taste good. Ice cream and yogurt are also choices; just avoid products with nuts.

Healthy Snacks

Fruits are excellent for a healthy snack. You just need to avoid biting into hard fruits such as whole apples. You can avoid the problem with fruit cocktails packed in water. Cocktails still have the nutritional benefits and flavor, but contain softer pieces. Avoid fruits packed in heavy syrup, though; these tend to have too much sugar.

Crunchy or Salty Snacks

Not all crunchy foods are bad; you just need to limit the crunch. Walnuts are a softer nut that can normally be eaten safely. Small cheese crackers satisfy the need for crunchy and salty. You can also allow pieces to dissolve slightly in your mouth before chewing, to reduce any risk.

Soft granola bars are also an option. Check the granola ingredients to ensure there are no large nut pieces, and brush your teeth afterwards. Otherwise pieces can become stuck in your dental work.

If you have any questions about safe snacks, do not hesitate to ask Dr. Negaar Sagafi and our staff.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now has approved not one, but two, vaccines for COVID-19 and we could see final data on a few others later this winter. This news is good … very good … but I do want our patients to know that things still won’t be completely back to normal for some time. If you have questions about what’s coming next, or about the vaccine, I hope you’ll ask our team, or your family practitioner.

In the meantime, let’s going to try to answer a few common questions.

People Are Having Reactions To The Vaccine – Doesn’t That Indicate It’s Unsafe?

In short: no. In fact, if the reaction is a fever or aches and pains those actually are a sign that your body is processing the vaccine correctly. That discomfort means you’re building immunity. Truly adverse reactions to reactions to vaccines are rare. If your pain or fever hasn’t subsided after a day or two, give your doctor a call, but chances are, just like with the regular flu vaccine, you’ll feel better in no time.

Trying to explain how aches and pains mean a vaccine is working? Check out the August 14 episode of But Why? A Podcast for Curious Kids for an engaging, kid-appropriate discussion with your little ones.

When Will I Get The Vaccine?

That question is up to each state to answer. In Maryland, there will be three phases of delivery:

• Phase 1A: health care workers, long-term facility care staff, and first responders;
• Phase 1B: high-risk individuals, including those with underlying conditions, and adults who live in congregate settings (e.g., homeless shelters or long-term care homes);
• Phase 2: individuals who work in “essential industries”; and
• Phase 3: the general population.

Right now, Maryland is in phase 1A, which as WBAL-TV explained, includes hundreds of thousands of individuals.

According to WUSA-9, the District of Columbia’s plan is very similar to Maryland’s except that individuals at long-term care facilities are in the first group of recipients.

Will My Doctor Give Me The Vaccine? How About My Dentist Or Orthodontist?

Perhaps. Each state, each city, and each local health system will determine how, to whom, and where the vaccine will be administered. Because the goal is to get the vaccine as quickly as possible to as many people as possible, it is likely that you’ll see it being administered in places where you wouldn’t usually go for healthcare.

Businesses might be able to offer the vaccine onsite to employees, for example, or schools or even malls and convention centers could become vaccine sites. We certainly are looking into the possibility of offering our patients the vaccine when supplies are more plentiful. Stay tuned, but please also remember that the two current vaccines are not yet approved for use in individuals under the age of 16. Chances are mom and dad will be inoculated well before the kiddos. 

How Long Does The Vaccine Provide Protection?

The short answer is: we do not know. We know the individuals who participated in the vaccine trials continue to be evaluated and, so far, it looks like the drugs are working even months after being administered, but it’s impossible to know how long that will last.

We’re watching this question closely, so feel free to discuss it during your next visit!

Can I Take Off My Mask Once I Have The Vaccine?

The short answer is: no. As noted above, because it will take a while for everyone to receive the vaccine, things still will not look “normal” for some time. And while we know that the vaccine does a very good job of protecting you from getting sick, we are not sure yet if it prevents you from spreading the virus.

Dr. Purvi Parikh, an immunologist with the Allergy and Asthma Network who was a co-investigator for the Pfizer vaccine trials, explained why to the data analysis website FiveThirtyEight. She said, “Theoretically, a vaccine should stop both the infection as well as the transmission and spread,” but noted, because the focus of these clinical trials was narrow, scientists only looked at whether the vaccines prevented illness and were safe, not into other questions like whether vaccinated people can still spread the virus.

We wear masks to protect our loved ones, our neighbors, our teachers, and, yes, our orthodontists and dentists. We’ll be asking you to wear masks in our office even if you have received the vaccine.

If you have other questions, please don’t hesitate to raise them during your next visit, or to give us a call. We’re here for you.