Orthodontic Blog

If you were to put your toothbrush bristles under a high-powered microscope, what you would see might give you nightmares: millions of bacteria, busily crawling up and down your toothbrush bristles, consuming proteins that came from your mouth, and still clinging to the bristles even after you’ve rinsed them with water. Rinsing your toothbrush after [...]

Dry mouth, also medically known as xerostomia, is the condition of not having enough saliva, or spit, to keep your mouth wet. Nobody likes a dry mouth. It is an uncomfortable and sometimes oddly unexplainable sensation that most people like to avoid. It is not a condition that automatically sends you into a panic about [...]

Since the introduction of the power toothbrush in the 1960s, this tool has undergone many technological advances, from design and bristle motions to rotation oscillation and sonic vibration. What is rotation oscillation? That’s when the head of the toothbrush alternately rotates in one direction and then the other. Power toothbrushes can deliver up to 50,000 [...]

Halitosis is the fancy, scientific word for “bad breath.” Dr. Meena Wilde and Dr. Natalie Swoboda and our team know there are several reasons why you may have halitosis; let’s look at a few: Gum disease (also known as periodontal disease) – There are five main types of gum disease, and each one can range [...]

So you’re about to get braces. Congratulations! You are taking a very smart step to improve the health of your teeth as well as get that killer smile in shape. But, as with anything that is good for you, there are a few things you will have to avoid while you “do your time.” Some [...]

If you’ve just started wearing orthodontics, you probably know that it’s taking a while to get used to them. That is normal, but it can sometimes seem like every bit of pain and discomfort seems like an emergency. In this blog, we will outline some common orthodontic emergencies and tips for how to avoid them. [...]

While they may sound refreshing, especially after participating in sports activities or after a jog, recent studies suggest that energy and sports drinks can damage tooth enamel, thus elevating your cavity risk. These drinks are especially popular among our younger patients. In the study, researchers analyzed the fluoride content and pH levels of 13 sports [...]

Nobody likes bad breath, and although it can sometimes be difficult to tell if you have it, it is always better to practice good oral health than risk having a smelly mouth. There are many ways to reduce or eliminate bad breath, some are definitely more effective and longer lasting than others. In this blog, [...]

  Millions of patients around the world are currently undergoing or have already completed orthodontic treatment. On average, traditional braces can take up to two years or more to straighten the teeth, a time that is filled with periodic orthodontic visits at Wonder West Orthodontics to monitor progress and tighten the braces. Though the outcome [...]

Not everyone is born with a million-dollar smile, not even some celebrities. The following stars have all had their moments as a “brace face,” either as a child, teenager, or adult. You might be surprised to learn about stars who had braces (including Gwen Stefani, who got braces just because she could!). Take a look [...]