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Can you believe it’s already October? We don’t know about you, but we’re ready to welcome all things spooky (for a little bit) at Pack Orthodontics. In fact, we’ve already decorated our office to get in the Halloween spirit. For today’s blog, we asked around our office what everyone loves most about Halloween and to share some of their favorite Halloween memories. 

There is so much to look forward to with Halloween fast approaching! Morgan looks forward to the costume events, candy, and parties. Hope also enjoys dressing up (along with the candy, of course), Laurie is looking forward to trick or treating with her daughter and Denise plans on celebrating her son’s birthday! Megan likes the costumes and decorations because her neighborhood always goes all out. Nina likes visiting haunted houses. McKayla likes dressing up! Laura always loves to see the little kids on Halloween night asking for candy and likes noticing creative Halloween decorations. 

Our staff reminisced over past costumes they had fun wearing or creating. Denise made her son a robot costume one year. Laura remembers dressing up as Cruella de Vil and her sister as a dalmatian when they were little girls.  Megan’s favorite costume was from her childhood as well when she dressed up as Pebbles from The Flintstones--her mom even made the car! Hope and her husband went as Forrest Gump and Jenny which they said was one of their favorites. One year Nina dressed as a deer and her boyfriend as a hunter. Morgan masqueraded as the devil (yikes!), Laurie put on some ruby red slippers and went as Dorothy and McKayla went as the Mad Hatter. 

Some of our staff also remembered all their first costumes. Morgan was dressed as a lion and according to her it was not cute!  Her parents were trying to go for the Lion King vibe and it did not turn out well. Hope doesn’t remember her first-ever costume but the first one she can recall is being dressed as a mummy.  Denise went as a princess back in the ’70s with a face mask while McKayla thinks she was either a pumpkin or a bear. The two that Nina remembers are her witch and clown costumes, and Laura’s mom dressed her up as a rag doll. 

Morgan, Denise, and McKayla shared some of their funny Halloween moments from the past with us. Morgan remembers Halloween when she was living alone in her very own apartment. She didn’t realize that trick or treaters only knock on your door if there was a sign on the door! She had so much leftover candy (which isn’t the worst thing in the world). Denise and her mom used to dress up and scare kids in her neighborhood. She even chased an older trick or treater down the street. McKayla recalls receiving a rather odd treat one Halloween-- ranch and an orange crush! What’s the strangest treat you received on Halloween? 

As with almost every holiday, there’s always something delicious to look forward to. For Halloween, it’s all the great candy options. There is a vast variety of candy we enjoy in our office like Milkyway, Snickers, candy corn, Reese’s Cups (pumpkin-shaped too), Kit Kats, 3 Musketeers, Nerds, and any fun-sized candy bars. What are some of your favorite Halloween candies to indulge in? 

In addition to the costumes, the candy, and the decor, there are so many great movies, too. Our staff is almost unanimously decided on how wonderful Hocus Pocus is! Some of our staff prefers happier Halloween films like Halloweentown.  Some of our other staff enjoy scarier films like Scream. Nina likes watching any scary movie by Rob Zombie! 

Everyone has similar plans of taking either their child or grandchildren out for Halloween night. Morgan is thinking of spending time with her niece and nephew, they are dressing up as the Adams family! Hope will take her 9-year-old daughter trick or treating, Laurie will also take her daughter trick or treating and her daughter is dressing up as a ninja. Denise will spend time with her grandkids. Elias will be a T-Rex and Lennon a pumpkin. Megan will take her two children, Cooper and Jacob, out. McKayla will spend time with her newborn baby! We are so happy for McKayla! Laura plans on staying home to pass out candy. 

We hope everyone has a safe and fun Halloween this year! We can’t wait to see you in our office again soon.

All Hallows' Eve, more commonly known as Halloween, is a yearly event celebrated on October 31, and one that is anticipated by the young and young at heart all over the world. Some scholars claim that Halloween originated from Celtic festivals that honored the dead or that celebrated the harvest, while others doubt that there's any connection at all to Samhain (a Gaelic harvest festival.) Regardless of its origin, our team at the Orthodontics office of Dr. Pack hopes that Halloween is fun and enjoyed by all of our awesome patients!

Trick or treat?

In North America, Halloween is predominantly celebrated by children who dress up in costumes, which range from scary to cute, who then go around the neighborhood knocking on doors asking "trick or treat", and they are given candy in return. Trick-or-treating is a time honored tradition, and though many parents groan at the pounds and pounds of candy collected by youngsters and fear for the health of their teeth, there are a few things you can do to help their teeth stay in great shape until the candy is gone:

• Limit the amount of candy they can consume each day
• Have them brush their teeth after eating candy
• Avoid hard, chewy candies as they can stick in hard to brush places
• Keep candy out of sight to reduce temptation
• Don't buy candy too far in advance to limit pre-Halloween consumption
• Help or encourage your children to floss

Halloween Fun

Halloween isn't just about gorging on candy; there are other events associated with this festive day including carving jack-o'-lanterns, painting pumpkins, decorating sugar cookies, bobbing for apples, going to haunted houses, or just curling up on the couch with a bowl full of popcorn and watching some classic, scary movies.

Halloween Around the World

Some countries, like Australia, frown upon Halloween, claiming it is an American event and not based in Australian culture, while others like Italy have embraced the fun and celebrate much as Canadians and Americans do. Mexicans have been celebrating this fun day since around 1960, and it marks the beginning of the Day of the Dead festival. Some countries in Europe have come late to the party, but since the 1990s, countries like Sweden, Norway, and Germany have started celebrating Halloween as well, and finding children in costumes or having ghosts hanging in windows has become commonplace.

Halloween is about fun; stepping outside our normal lives and donning a costume or gathering with friends to knock on doors and ask for candy is as much a part of our culture as hot dogs and barbecue on Labor Day. Have a safe and happy Halloween from the team at Pack Orthodontics!

When patients ask Dr. Pack about who benefits from Invisalign clear aligners, the simple answer is this: almost everyone. Unlike conventional braces, they are removable, which makes eating and cleaning your teeth much easier.

They are molded to fit each patient’s mouth and are practically invisible. Because aligners apply less force in straightening teeth than metal braces, the risk of harm to your teeth is reduced.

Benefits to adults

Traditional braces are associated with children and teenagers. Many adults want to have their teeth straightened but hesitate to wear metal braces. They also worry about having to change their diet and not be able to eat the foods they normally enjoy.

If you are an adult who’s considering braces, our team at Pack Orthodontics will tell you Invisalign aligners is a great option for discreet teeth straightening. Your teeth will be straightened with virtually invisible braces.

The aligners are easily removable when you eat, so you can enjoy any food you normally would consume. You simply clean your teeth normally after eating and you won’t have to worry about getting food stuck in your braces.

If there is a special occasion during which you do not want to have any braces in your mouth at all, you can remove the aligners for up to four hours without causing any damage.

Benefits to teenagers

Dr. Pack and our team know that teenagers are often involved in sports and other after-school activities, and generally lead pretty busy lives. If your teen plays a musical instrument, you may be concerned that having metal in his or her mouth will interfere with ability to play. Invisalign aligners avoid the damage that can happen with traditional metal braces.

For sports that require players to wear mouthguards, the expense of specially constructed mouthguards to fit over braces is also eliminated. The aligners can be removed during sports activities and teens can easily wear a mouthguard. Teenagers who play musical instruments simply remove the aligners while practicing or playing in the band or orchestra.

Teenagers routinely have trouble flossing teeth between the wires and brackets of traditional braces, but Invisalign allows for easy dental cleaning. Since Invisalign aligners are removable, brushing and flossing are simpler and more likely to be performed.

For more information about Invisalign or Invisalign Teen® treatment, or to schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Pack, please give us a call at our convenient Murfreesboro, TN office!

It’s useful to know some of the common problems that can arise when you get braces. Even if you take great care of your braces and teeth, you might not be able to avoid certain issues or side effects that accompany braces. But don’t worry: These are all common problems that can be taken care of by following some simple advice.

If you just had your braces put on, you may notice some general soreness in your mouth. Your teeth are starting to adjust to having to shift, so they may ache, and your jaw might feel tender at first. This will subside once your mouth becomes used to the new appliance in residence.

You may experience soreness on your tongue or mouth, which may be a sign of a canker sore. Canker sores are common when braces rub against your mouth. You can use ointments to relieve pain and numb the area that’s been irritated. Canker sores are commonly caused by broken wires or loose bands on your braces.

Common Issues

• Loose brackets: Apply a small amount of orthodontic wax to the bracket. You might also apply a little between the braces and the soft tissue of your mouth.
• Loose bands: These must be secured in place by Dr. Pack. Try to save the band for repair.
• Protruding or broken wires: Use the eraser end of a pencil to push the wire carefully to a less painful spot. If you are unable to move it, apply orthodontic wax to the tip. If a mouth sore develops, clean your mouth with warm salt water or antiseptic rinse.
• Loose spacers: These will need to be repositioned by Dr. Pack and possibly replaced.

Avoiding Issues

You should avoid certain foods that could cause major damage to your braces. No matter what you eat, make the effort to cut your food into small pieces that can be chewed easily. This will prevent chunks of it from getting lodged between brackets.

Avoiding hard and chewy foods is also wise. Some foods can break your hardware: for example, popcorn, nuts, apples, gum, taffy, and hard candies. Avoiding any foods that easily got stuck in your teeth when you didn’t have braces is a good rule to follow.

The appliances in your mouth are bound to attract food particles and make it easier for plaque to build up. By making sure you brush and floss carefully every day, you can prevent stains and cavities from developing over time. Dr. Pack and our team recommend brushing and making sure that food isn’t lodged between your braces after every meal.

Having braces can be very exciting, but it can also be challenging at first. Watching for these common issues during your first few weeks can prevent problems down the road. If you experience a lot of pain from your braces, contact our Murfreesboro, TN office and we can try to resolve any issues.

Braces can sometimes be a pain, but they’re well worth it once your new smile gets revealed!