Ask Dr. Hughes: At what age should my child visit for a consultation?

Many parents in Alexandria and surrounding areas believe they must wait until their child has all of his or her permanent teeth to visit Dr. Herbert Hughes for a consultation, only to discover treatment would have been much easier if started earlier. When, exactly? Age seven, according to our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists, who recommend that every child have an orthodontic check-up no later than age seven.

That’s right—seven.

You might be thinking: "What’s so great about age seven?" Enough permanent teeth have arrived for Dr. Hughes to make a determination about whether any problems are present. The first molars have come in, providing an opportunity to check for malocclusion, or “bad bite.” Also, the incisors have begun to come in, and problems such as crowding, deep bites and open bites can be detected.

Orthodontic evaluation at an early age provides one of two positive outcomes: For some, early identification or problems will lead to easier or shorter orthodontic treatment in the future. For others, a healthy prognosis will provide immediate peace of mind.

Early evaluation, of course, may signal a need for early treatment. For some children, early treatment can prevent physical and emotional trauma. Aside from spurring on years of harmful teasing, misaligned teeth are also prone to injury and are detrimental to good oral hygiene. So, if your child is nearing his or her seventh birthday, give us a call at Hughes Orthodontics to schedule a consultation! End of the summer is a great time to come in!

Back to school with Hughes Orthodontics

Now that many of our fantastic patients are back in school (or are getting ready to head back), Dr. Hughes and our team want to remind all of our patients about the importance of scheduling appointments in advance. With school, clubs, sports and family functions to consider in the fall, we know that it can be challenging to find time to visit Hughes Orthodontics. In order to accommodate all of our patients' busy schedules, it is important that you plan ahead for your appointments so that we are able to provide you with an appointment time that is convenient for you.

As always, please remember to give Dr. Hughes and our team advance notice if you are unable to make an appointment. If we receive enough notice, we might be able to schedule another patient for that time. Feel free to give us a call at 703.360.8660 if you have any questions, or if you would like to schedule your fall appointment.

Happy learning,

Dr. Hughes and staff

Are you reading this summer?

With summer here for only six more weeks, Dr. Hughes and our staff wanted to remind all our patients about the importance of reading. With school out, we know it’s easy to keep putting off reading and learning this time of year, but reading during the summer is actually a vital step in brain development and helps ward off the dreaded “summer slide.” Plus, grabbing a book you just can't put down is always fun!

Today, we thought we’d ask: What's on YOUR summer reading list? What are some of your all-time favorite reads?

Out of ideas for great summer reads? Then check out these summer reading lists for the entire family that we came across this morning, from Barnes & Noble.

Happy reading! Be sure to share with us your summer picks or your all-time favorites on our Facebook page!

Don't forget that mouth guard this summer! From Dr. Hughes

Would you believe we're already halfway through summer? As the weather gets - and stays - hot, the chances for you athletes to sustain a mouth injury gets likelier and likelier (because most of you are spending so much time outdoors or participating in more sporting events). Dr. Herb Hughes and our staff at Hughes Orthodontics would like to remind our young athletes in treatment to always take care of both your mouth and appliances while participating in contact sports.

That includes wearing a mouth guard at all times when you're out on the field. Only by using a mouth guard can kids with and without braces avoid serious sports injuries. And don't forget to ask us for a mouth guard - Dr. Hughes will provide a mouth guard for anyone in active treatment! We hope you're having a terrific summer!

Hughes Orthodontics, encouraging you to join the Braces Brigade!

Have you ever thought about sharing your experience in braces in writing, but just didn't know how? Well, our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists are proud to offer the Braces Brigade campaign, where not only you can share your experience with millions of people, but you can come away with a $100 American Express gift card as well.

All applicants must either be an orthodontic patient here at Hughes Orthodontics or the parent of a patient (pre- and post- treatment stages are fine).

To complete your Braces Brigade application, you'll need to provide:

* Name
* Age – Must be 14 years of age or older
* E-mail
* Phone number
* Stage of orthodontic treatment
* A photo of your braces/smile
* A sample blog post – picture yourself as a member of Braces Brigade and show off those blogging skills! (100 word minimum)

In your blog, we encourage you to answer the following questions:

• Why did you decide to get orthodontic treatment?
• What advice would you share with other orthodontic patients?
• What does it feel like to get braces on?
• What foods do you miss the most?
• What new foods have you discovered?
• Do your friends have braces or retainers?
• Where is the first place you’re going to show off your new, beautiful smile?
• How has your new smile changed your life?

If you're under 18, your parents must fill out this form along with your official entry, giving you permission to enter the contest.

Dr. Hughes and team encourage you to apply today! GOOD LUCK!!

Ask Dr. Hughes: What’s so bad about biting my nails?

We’ve all heard that biting your nails is an awful habit, but you many wonder- really- what’s so bad about it? Recently, our team at Hughes Orthodontics found an interesting article that discusses how biting your nails affect your teeth and oral health.

Nail biting, also known as Onychophagia, is a common habit among various age groups, including primarily children, teens and young adults. Nail biting is generally triggered by stress and most often decreases with age. That being said, nail biting is unsanitary, unattractive, as well as unhealthy for your teeth!

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. We hope this helps!

Share your Fourth of July plans with Dr. Hughes!

For many of our patients at Hughes Orthodontics, the Fourth of July is a day of fireworks, picnics, playing at the lake or spending quality time with family. Most people recognize Independence Day as a time to celebrate and commemorate the anniversary of the signing of our Declaration of Independence. It's also a time to honor all our soldiers - past and present - who continue to place themselves in danger every day so that we Americans may celebrate our freedoms.

What about you? What are your Fourth of July plans? Are you heading to a barbecue? Hitting the open road with family? Are you planning on using fireworks?

Share your July 4th adventures with us on our Facebook page! We even encourage you to post your photos! Have a GREAT weekend everyone!