A great braces-friendly fall recipe! From Farina Orthodontist

Fall is here, and sometimes the team at Farina Orthodontics just feel like a hot delicious meal is in order. Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) made an appetizing (and braces-friendly!) fall dish that is sure to delight. Dr. Farina would like to remind you that a healthy diet provides essential nutrients and helps you achieve the best possible result from your orthodontic treatment.

Pasta Pomodorini
Ingredients:
•¾ pound spaghetti or spaghetti
•¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
•¼ cup sliced garlic
•½ teaspoon finely minced Calabrian chilies, or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
•1 pint small cherry tomatoes, stems removed, crushed between your thumb and forefinger
•Sea salt, preferably gray salt
•½ cup fresh basil leaves, each torn into 2 or 3 pieces
•Wedge of Parmesan cheese

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta. While the pasta cooks, heat the 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over moderate heat. Add the garlic and cook until the slivers are golden brown and crisp, then add the chilies and cook for about 30 seconds. Raise the heat to high and add the tomatoes. Simmer briskly to soften the tomatoes and thicken the juices, about 3 minutes. Season with salt. When the pasta is al dente, scoop out about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. Return the pasta to the warm pot off the heat. Add the sauce and the basil and mix well. Add some of the reserved cooking water if the pasta seems dry. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and grate Parmesan over the top to taste. Drizzle with a little more olive oil. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Enjoy this great fall dish and have a great week!

Dr. Farina wants to know: What did you do in November?

Believe it or not, we’re almost in December -- and in full holiday mode! But before you go celebrating, Dr. Farina and his team want to know: Did you do anything exciting this month? Do you have any plans for Thanksgiving? If so, we'd love to hear all about it!

You can share your stories with us here, on our social networks or by giving us a call!
--The team at Farina Orthodontics

Getting you through flu season, from Farina Orthodontics

Traditionally cold and flu season starts in Fall, but this year it seems to have started much earlier and with the number of patients canceling appointments because of flu and H1N1 symptoms Farina Orthodontics is taking additional precautions to help prevent the spread of germs.

To promote a healthy and clean environment, we give a great deal of attention to sanitation and sterilization in our office at all times as well as following all requirements for sterilizing instruments and work surfaces.

For the protection of other patients and our staff, we always ask that patients reschedule their appointments if they have any type of cold or illness that can infect others.

Maintaining and protecting oral hygiene equipment is also important this flu season. To protect your toothbrush from bacteria follow these steps:

• Wash your hands before and after brushing
• Allow the brush to air dry after each use, harmful bacteria dies after being exposed to oxygen
• Store the toothbrush in an upright position to allow water to drain and dry faster
• Replace toothbrush after every cold or flu or every 3-4 months when bristles appear worn

Hope this helps and give us a call if you have any questions! Stay healthy!

Let Dr. Farina and his team know how they're doing!

Whether you have visited Farina Orthodontics for a week or for years, we’d love to hear your feedback about your experience with Dr. Farina and his team! Now with the Internet, it’s even easier to write your thoughts and share them with the world. We'd want to encourage you to write a review of us. It only takes a moment!

You may write a review here.

Thank you and enjoy your week!

--Dr. Farina and the Farina Orthodontics team

Dr. Farina wants to know: Are there teeth grinders in your house?

Grind, grind, grind, grind. If you live with a teeth grinder, especially a night grinder, you may be familiar with this unpleasant sound. Other symptoms of teeth grinding (technically called “bruxism”) include:

•Sensitivity in the teeth
•Tightness or pain in the jaw
•Dull headaches, earaches, or facial pain
•Chipped, worn down, or loose teeth

People frequently grind their teeth in response to stress, so taking measures to reduce or eliminate stress can help solve the problem. Here are some things you can try to stop grinding:

•Cut back on caffeine and alcohol
•Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration
•Relax right before bedtime with a warm bath or shower
•Help your jaw learn to relax by quitting any chewing habits (pens, pencils, gum)
•When clenching or grinding happens during the day, place your tongue between your teeth to serve as a reminder to avoid the habit

If grinding goes untreated, it can lead to chipped teeth, worn enamel, chronic pain, or even TMJ, a painful jaw disorder. If the teeth-grinder in your house can’t stop, make an appointment to see us by contacting us. Dr. Farina and team can help determine the cause of the problem and possibly even prescribe a custom mouthpiece to help break the habit.

Hope this helps. Have a great week!

--Dr. Farina and team