Our Blog

Have you ever wondered where all those missing retainers go?

Well, our patients have some amazing stories to tell. Fact, fiction or just plain silly . . . only our patients know for sure. All we ask is that the stories entertain us, and many of our patients deliver just that. We thought we’d share a few of the stories we have received as a regular Blog feature. Here's this month's story . . .

A Seemingly Perfect Pitch

I was standing on the pitcher’s mound, ready to deliver the perfect pitch to my younger  cousin, David. He lifted his bat with confidence, and with my eyes glued to the catcher’s glove, I threw the first pitch. WHAM, the ball soared high, stretching across the clear blue sky. It looked so gracious gliding into the horizon until we realized that the ball was heading straight for our neighbor’s yard. David and I exchanged  worried looks. “This is bad,” I said. The expression on David’s face said it all.

“What are we going to do?” David said abruptly. I looked around for a second, before making a brave decision.

“I guess I’ll have to climb the fence,” I croaked. I started for the fence, trying to conceal the fear within my body. When I finally reached the fence and started climbing, I remembered that our neighbor had huge dogs that he kept outdoors. It’s not that I have anything against large dogs, but these dogs have had a long history of abuse from what I’ve heard. As soon as I got to the top of the fence, my jeans  got caught on a strip of metal. I fell to the opposite side putting a minor tear in the left leg of my jeans. To my surprise, the dogs were nowhere in sight. I got up slowly and started creeping up to the baseball, only to trip on an old galvanized bucket that was lying in the yard. I held my breath, but there was still no sign of the dogs. “I was one lucky duck” I thought.

I shot right back up, brushed the dirt off my jeans, and trudged toward the ball. I picked it up and took a deep breath. I found it hard to suppress a triumphant smile.  I decided that it was time to leave, but as I took my first step toward the fence, a rubber ducky toy was waiting beneath my foot. QUACK! “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I mumbled.

The jingle of dog tags filled the air, followed by agile footsteps. That’s when David yelled, “RUN!” I launched myself toward the fence as the dogs followed a little bit too closely for comfort. I was just about to throw myself onto the fence, when one of the dog’s teeth sank right into my behind. I yelped as a surge of pain swept through me. Not only did the dog bite my rump, but it tore the back of my jeans open causing my retainers to fall out of the pocket. The dogs were distracted by the strangle plastic objects so that was my cue to make an escape. I hopped over to the other side of the fence where David welcomed me with open arms and a worried look.

“C’mon David,” I said, “I’ll tell you all about it when we get inside. I think my retainers just saved my life!”

Bel Air Orthodontics is a proud partner and official drop-off location for Harford County Education Foundation's 2019 Stuff the Bus School Supply Drive. The annual Stuff the Bus School Supply Drive helps stock HCEF’s Tools for Schools Resource Center, a store where Harford County teachers can shop for free school supplies for their classrooms and students in need throughout the school year.

Here’s How You Can Help Us Stuff the Bus

We’ve set a goal to raise $1000 in school supply donations, and we need your help. We want to make donating easy and fun, so we’re kicking off the supply drive with our Fill Our Pool For Back to School Raffle. For all the Raffle details, visit our Contest page. As an official drop-off location, donations will be accepted from both our patients and the community through September 13th, so please share this information with your family and friends.

Looking for items to donate? You can download this list of school supplies requested by HCEF's Tools for Schools Resource Center. All Fill Our Pool Raffle donations will go to HCEF’s Stuff the Bus School Supply Drive. To learn more about the Stuff the Bus Campaign and The Harford County Education Foundation, visit www.harfordeducation.org.

Together, we can make a difference!

Summer is in full swing! It’s time for lazy days by the pool, summer camp and family vacations. But before you rush out the door to your next summer adventure, the team at Bel Air Orthodontics wants to remind you about the importance of keeping your retainer and your smile safe this summer.

Here’s a fact: More retainers are lost over the summer that any other time of the year! Why, you ask? There a number of factors, but it comes down to the fact that your retainer is spending too much time out of your mouth! Summer fun brings a change in your daily routine, more meals with family and friends, and that usually means more opportunities to lose, break or forget your retainer.

Your retainer is an important part of your orthodontic treatment, so follow these tips to keep your retainer and your smile looking great:

• Never Wrap It In A Napkin - While a retainer on the table might not be the most appetizing sight, hiding it in a napkin is a quick and sure way to accidentally send your retainer into the trash can!
• Keep It Away From Fido – It’s a fact, dogs love the smell and taste of saliva on retainers and they’ll go to impressive lengths to get their canines on them. Never leave your retainers on a night stand, counter, or table where they can jump up and snag the appliance. Remember, dogs like to chew on things . . . this includes retainers!
• Don’t Be Random – While spontaneity is a good thing in life, it’s a bad thing when it comes to storing your retainer. If you put your retainer in random places, you’re bound to eventually forget where it is. Instead, create designated spots to keep your retainer. Whether it’s the same spot in your purse or backpack, a special drawer in your bedroom, or a cabinet in the kitchen, you’ll always know where it is.
• Take Them Out When Swimming – More than one retainer has ended up lost in the ocean surf, the bottom of a lake or public pool. Don’t let the next one be yours!
• Don’t Put It In Your Pocket - Your retainer is more fragile than you think. Placing it in your pocket often leads to loss or breakage. Just imagine the look on your Mom’s face when she discovers that she tossed that pair of jeans or jacket in the washer and dryer without knowing the retainer is tuck away in the pocket. Let’s just say that story doesn’t end well.
• Don’t Throw It In Your Sports/Gym Bag – Let’s face it, your smelly gym bag is no place for your retainer! Picture the contents of that gym bag . . . dirty sneakers, empty food wrappers, and a host of other undesirable things. Once your retainer is in there, you’re likely to damage, forget or misplace it.
• Clean It With Luke Warm – NOT HOT WATER -  While keeping your retainer clean and bright is important, never use hot water to clean it or boil it to sterilize. Heat will distort and damage your retainers. Instead, soak your retainers in a denture cleaning product like Efferdent once a week to keep them clean.
• Don’t Leave It In The Hot Car – Temperatures in a closed car during the summer can reach temperatures in excess of 130 degrees. Retainers will melt in these temperatures, so remember to take them with you.
• Label Your Retainer Case – If you do happen to misplace your retainer, your chances of having someone return it are much greater if your name, phone number and/or email address are on the case.
• Don’t Forget To Wear It – If you are wearing your retainer when you’re supposed to, you’re much less likely to lose it.  Make wearing your retainer as prescribed your new healthy habit!
• Always Keep Your Retainer In Its Case When Not In Your Mouth – This is Dr. Godwin’s number one rule! Your case is designed to keep your retainer safe when it’s not in your mouth, so remember to use it.

If you do happen to have a retainer mishap over the summer, make sure you contact us as soon as possible so that we can schedule an appointment to make a replacement appliance. Remember, every day that your retainer is not being worn, tooth movement is occurring. So don’t delay, call us today if you have any questions about your retainer wear and care. We hope you have a safe, fun-filled summer!

School is out and summer vacations are just around the corner. Vacations are all about fun, so the last thing you want to do during your summer vacation is to think about or deal with an orthodontic emergency. Don't worry, we've got you covered. Here are a few helpful reminders to keep your orthodontic appliances in check:

We're A Phone Call Away

First and foremost, remember that the team at Bel Air Orthodontics is here for you whether you are in town or away on vacation. If you have an orthodontic emergency, give us a call immediately and we'll do our best to address the problem over the phone.

Find A Helping Hand

Second, if we are unable to help you fix the problem over the phone or if you have difficulty reaching our office, we suggest going online and searching for orthodontic practices in your area. Most orthodontists will lend a helping hand to another orthodontic patient and get them out of discomfort. In fact, Dr. Godwin has helped many out-of-town summer campers himself. It's important for you to schedule a visit with us once you return from vacation so that Dr. Godwin can assess the problem and make any necessary adjustments to your orthodontic appliances. Please keep in mind that broken braces, wires or other appliances will not be repaired at your regular adjustment appointment unless you notify us in advance.

Keeping Your Braces Safe

Third, if you lose your retainers, don't panic! Call our office immediately so that we can schedule an appointment to take scans for new appliances. Vacations and great food go hand in hand, so we realize that it can be more challenging to keep track of your retainers while away from home. To avoid losing your retainers, please do not wrap them in a napkin. Dr. Godwin suggests putting your retainers in their case for safe keeping.

Last but not least, if you have braces, Dr. Godwin urges you to steer clear of the following foods to avoid broken brackets and/or wires while you are on vacation:

• Chewy, sticky or gummy food . . . For example, we know that Boardwalk favorites like salt water taffy and caramel popcorn are temping summertime treats, but they're off limits to patients in braces!
• Apples, pears and other whole foods . . . They're fine if you cut them into thin wedges or bite-size pieces before consuming.
• Bagels and hard rolls
• Bubble gum
• Popcorn
• Corn on the cob - unless you cut it off the cob
• Hard candies
• Hard cookies, pretzels and nuts

Follow these tips and you can have a worry-free vacation. Have a great summer!