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Building relationships and staying connected with our community and our patients is important to the team at Bel Air Orthodontics. With that in mind, we recently joined the millions of others on Facebook. It's a great way for you to stay current on the latest news about our practice, so we invite you to Like Us on Facebook.

We'd love to have your feedback and to hear about your accomplishments, so feel free to send us your comments and share your photos with the team at Bel Air Orthodontics.

Dr. Godwin and the team at Bel Air Orthodontics don't want you to spend your summer vacation worrying about or dealing with an orthodontic emergency, so here are a few helpful reminders to keep your orthodontic appliances in check:

First and foremost, remember that we are 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.

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.

Third, if you lose your retainers, don't panic! Call our office immediately so that we can schedule an appointment to take impressions for new appliances. Vacation 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!

Thank you for taking the time to visit our blog. Please check back often for updates on fun and exciting events happening at our office, important and interesting information about orthodontics and the dental industry, and the latest news about our practice.

Feel free to leave a comment or question for our doctor and staff – we hope this will be a valuable resource for our patients, their families, and friends!