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Most times, when our patients get their braces on, they know it's time to part with some unhealthy habits. One of those habits is biting their nails. Fingernail biting and chewing on lips and pencils can be very damaging to the enamel on your teeth also changes how you are biting down on a day to day basis. Nail biting can be harmful to your braces and cause you to break brackets, hence delaying your treatment with Dr. Zach Ehrmantrout. Kicking that habit can be the best thing you can do for yourself.

Also, hard candies and mints can damage your teeth and give you cavities. Especially if you chew those candies. The pure sugar can get crunched into your teeth and linger there for a long time. Avoiding these are the best thing you can do.

If you feel the need to chew mint. Choose sugar free mint gum. Which you can also chew with braces as long as it is sugar free.

Perhaps you're busy planning that perfect family vacation for the whole family? At Hawks Prairie Orthodontics, we know that summer is the season when many families choose to hit the open road—or catch a flight—to make those memories together.

That’s why we want to share a few tips for summer travel from our friends at Yahoo! Shine.

1) Have your teens set the pace—and even the itinerary. No teen wants to be dragged around a city that they have no interest in, by allowing everyone a voice in the trip itinerary, children and parents alike become more invested in the vacation.

2) Everyone offers up a playlist. A trip soundtrack isn’t complete without a hodgepodge of every family member’s favorite tracks!

3) Set a limit on phones/electronics use. This decision has to be specific to your family, but a good rule of thumb is that if you’re setting the rules for minute limits or check-ins that all family members should stick to them—not just teens and tweens.

4) Keep food & drinks on hand. Sometimes a snack is all you need to stay cheery- hunger can oftentimes create unnecessary arguments and tension between families.

5) Don’t make them clean the hotel room. While on vacation, the same rules that apply at home for cleaning don’t necessarily apply while staying in a hotel.

6) Set a gift shop budget. These costs can add up quickly, so be sure to set limits ahead of time!

7) Give them a little freedom. When traveling with tweens and teens, it is important that they are able to have some areas, maybe a five-block radius or even the hotel lobby, where they are able to wander without the whole family.

We hope that these tips are useful for helping plan those family vacations! For more articles on parenting and for the parenting pick of the day, check out Shine. Also, if you have any great family vacation photos, feel free to share them on our Facebook page!

Happy travels everyone!

This weekend, our staff at Dr. Ehrmantrout's office participated in the Relay for Life, a 24-hour event to raise money for cancer research. Each of our staff members walked around the track of Black Hills High School in two hour shifts and sold raffle tickets and took donations. Some of our staff members even camped out. We had a blast!

You can find more photos from Relay for Life on our Facebook fan page! Happy Monday!

Dr. Zach Ehrmantrout wants to know: are you brushing twice a day during your orthodontic treatment? If the answer is yes, that's phenomenal! But, it’s also important for your child to visit the dentist every six months in addition to brushing their teeth a couple times a day, flossing (and visiting Hawks Prairie Orthodontics as recommended by Dr. Ehrmantrout during your treatment). Our staff will tell you regular dental checkups are vital for maintaining good oral health. Your dentist can:

• Check for problems that might not be seen or felt
• Detect cavities and signs of tooth decay
• Treat oral health problems early
• Show you how to properly brush and floss your teeth, even during your treatment

During an exam, your dentist usually will check the health of your child’s mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks and tongue. Checkups also typically include a thorough teeth cleaning and polishing. If your child has not been to the dentist in the past six months, it’s time for you to schedule an appointment!

If you don't have a general dentist in Lacey, Olympia or nearby communities, please ask us and our staff will be happy to provide a few names for you!

Happy Friday and enjoy your weekend!