Hughes Orthodontics, reminding you to play it safe this spring

April, also known as National Facial Protection Month, is upon us, and for Dr. Hughes and our team at Hughes Orthodontics, that only means one thing: it’s once again time to remind our dear patients to protect their faces and pearly whites. Above is a helpful video from our friends at the AAO about staying safe on the ball field this spring.

According to the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation, children, high-school athletes and adults will have more than 5,000,000 teeth knocked out in sporting events this year. For our team at Hughes Orthodontics, that's just not acceptable.

We hope the above video helps. Dr. Hughes will tell you protective gear is vital for anyone engaging in tooth or mouth-threatening activities. If you have any further questions about any of the tips offered in the video, please contact Hughes Orthodontics. And remember to have fun and stay safe!

Smile, and you might just live longer! From Hughes Orthodontics

People with big smiles may live than those who don’t! That, according to a March 2010 study at Michigan’s Wayne State University. Dr. Hughes has known for quite some time that positive emotion has been linked to both physical and mental health, but researchers at the university did something quite interesting: they looked at photos of 230 ball-players who began their careers in baseball prior to 1950.

The players' photos were enlarged, and then studied their smile intensity (ranging from big smile, no smile or partial smile). The players' smile ratings were compared with data from deaths that occurred from 2006 through 2009. The researchers then corrected their analysis to account for other factors associated with life longevity, such as body mass index, career length and even college attendance.

The results? Researchers found that players who weren't smiling in the photos died at the average age of 72.9 years. Players with partial smiles lived to be 75. Those with big smiles, however, lived on average to be almost 80 years old!

Smile now, smile often and you might just live longer! Have you been perfecting your smile by visiting Hughes Orthodontics on a regular basis? If not, give us a call!

Don't be fooled! From Dr. Hughes

Today is traditionally known as April Fools' Day. Dr. Hughes and our fun staff would like it if you shared a story about a trick you played, or a friend played on you, on this silliest of days.

Feel free to post them here or on our Facebook page, and try not to get fooled today!

Tell Hughes Orthodontics what’s on your mind!

By now, you’re probably familiar with our blog-writing process: Each week, Dr. Hughes and our staff write about important orthodontic topics and your well-being, including the orthodontic treatments offered at Hughes Orthodontics. This week, though, we thought we’d step back and ask you, our amazing patients: what’s on your mind? What would you like to know about the always-changing and exciting field of orthodontics? What would you like us to focus on our blog? Perhaps there’s something you’ve wanted to ask Dr. Hughes for a while now? Here’s your chance! Let us know by posting here or on our Facebook page!

Give us your best shot, and we’ll try to answer any question you may have!

Happy St. Patrick's Day, from Dr. Hughes and team!

Dr. Hughes hopes you remembered to wear green when you stepped out the door this morning? Whether Irish or not, millions of people around the world celebrate St. Patrick's Day with toasts, parades and "the wearing of the green." Here are some fun facts about St. Patty’s Day our team at Hughes Orthodontics know you will enjoy:

• St. Patrick’s Day is observed on March 17th because that is the feast day of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. It is also a worldwide celebration of Irish culture and history.

• The name “lephrechaun” has several origins. It could be from the Irish Gaelic word “leipreachan,” which means “a kind of aqueous sprite.” Or, it could be from “leath bhrogan,” which simply means “shoemaker.”

• Some American towns have Irish names. They include: Shamrock Lakes, Indiana; Shamrock, Oklahoma; Shamrock, Texas; Dublin, California and Dublin, Ohio and Mount Gay-Shamrock, West Virginia.

• Despite what you may have heard, St. Patrick never banished snakes from Ireland. In fact, no snakes exist or ever existed in Ireland. Ireland is surrounded by icy ocean waters, much too cold to allow snakes to migrate from Britain or anywhere else.

• St. Patrick's Day was first celebrated in Boston, in 1737. Approximately 34 million Americans claim Irish ancestry. That’s almost nine times the population of Ireland, which has 4.1 million people.

March is National Nutrition Month! From Hughes Orthodontics

A couple of weeks ago, we blogged about February being National Children's Dental Health Month. Well, our team at Hughes Orthodontics also supports National Nutrition Month. Every March, Dr. Hughes and thousands of orthodontists in the U.S. celebrate this occasion, and this year is no different. This March, Dr. Hughes wants you to think diabetes, obesity and periodontal disease, and how healthful eating and physical activity may improve periodontal health.

Small changes really can make a big difference, and the American Dietetic Association (ADA) has some advice on ways to start improving your diet this March:

• Focus on fruits and vegetables: Add a serving each day to one meal and increase it every few weeks. Adding more of these foods into your diet is important whether you buy frozen, fresh or organic.

• Think fresh, think local: From farmer’s markets to community-supported agriculture, you have many options to find new, fresh foods here in Alexandria.

• Make every calorie count: When you are choosing between options, focus instead on the one with more of the vitamins and nutrients that you need. Sometimes, foods with fewer calories aren’t always the healthiest options.

• It’s tempting, but…: If you have a sweet tooth, have fruit and yogurt for dessert. If you or your little one craves a snack in the afternoon, enjoy some trail mix or nuts.

• Expand your horizons: Try a fish you’ve never eaten before or find a new vegetable recipe. By testing yourself, you might find new healthy favorites to add to your regular grocery list.

If you have additional questions about periodontal disease or keeping yourself and your mouth healthy, please give us a call!

Dr. Hughes wants to know: What are you up to in March?

It's still cold, but it’s almost springtime. The daffodils and buttercups are on their way, the sun is warming up and the smell of freshly-cut grass is wafting from baseball fields nearby. Dr. Hughes and our team thought this would be a good time to ask: What are your plans for March?

Are you ready for spring? Are you participating in school sports? Do you have exciting plans? We’d love to know them all! You may share your stories or plans with our team here, on our social networks or by giving us a call!