Ask Irvine Orthodontics: How do I know when I have an emergency?

Dr. Wanda Claro will tell you true orthodontic emergencies are very rare, but when they do occur our dedicated staff at Irvine Orthodontics are available to you. As a general rule, you should call our office when you experience severe pain or when you have a painful appliance problem that you can't take care of yourself. We'll be able to schedule an appointment to resolve the problem.

Here are some early warning signs indicating it’s time to check in with Drs. Claro and Ghafouri:

1. Early or late loss of baby teeth
2. Difficulty of chewing or biting
3. Mouth breathing
4. Finger sucking or other oral habits
5. Crowding, misplaced or blocked-out teeth
6. Jaws that shift, make sounds, protrude or retrude
7. Speech difficulty
8. Biting the cheek or biting into the roof of the mouth
9. Protruding teeth
10. Teeth that meet in an abnormal way or don’t meet at all
11. Facial imbalance or asymmetry
12. Grinding or clenching of teeth

Do any of these warning signs fit you? If so, please give us a call at (949) 954-5765 as soon as possible!

Drs. Claro and Ghafouri want to know: Are you suffering from a sleep disorder?

Drs. Claro and Ghafouri know sleep disorders are fairly common, with some 50 to 70 million Americans being affected by some type chronic sleep disorder. Some of these progress to Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), which can cause loss of sleep among many other health problems. Snoring is one of the most easily identified symptoms of sleep apnea, and as the condition worsens it can lead to airway blockage, which can severely disrupt your sleep patterns.

Our staff at Irvine Orthodontics will tell you sleep apnea is considered a serious medical problem that, if left untreated, can lead to high blood pressure, which is known to increase your risk of heart failure and stroke. It can also take a toll on your overall energy level, as sleep apnea causes an ongoing state of fatigue.

The following symptoms can indicate the presence of sleep apnea. If you notice one or more of these, we definitely encourage you to give us a call at (949) 954-5765.

* Insomnia or difficulty sleeping
* Loud snoring at night
* Waking up at night short of breath
* Snorting or choking sounds during the night (indicating a restart of breathing)
* Headaches upon waking in the morning
* Falling asleep unintentionally during the day
* Extreme drowsiness throughout the day

Enjoy the rest of Father's Day weekend and we'll see you soon!

Irvine Orthodontics, supporting National Smile Month!

With National Smile Month officially upon us, Irvine orthodontists Dr. Wanda Claro and Dr. Bahar Ghafouri thought this might be a good time to remind all of our patients to practice good oral hygiene between your visits to our office.

Here are a few simple steps you can take to improve your oral health so that you may celebrate National Smile Month for many, many more years to come:

* Brush at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Here's a helpful video showing you how to brush with your braces on.
* Floss everyday to thoroughly clean between your teeth.
* Reduce your intake of sugary foods and drinks during your orthodontic treatment.
* Visit your dentist regularly (usually every six months apart or as recommended).

In addition to these tips, we encourage you to eat cheese (and other dairy foods), Shiitake mushrooms, fish, cooked vegetables, onions and eggs to keep your teeth healthy and sparkling. If you have questions about any of these tips, we encourage you to give us a call at (949) 954-5765. Enjoy the rest of your weekend everyone!

Share your summer plans with Dr. Claro and Irvine Orthodontics!

As the school year wraps up for a lot of our patients at Irvine Orthodontics, the days get longer and the sun begins to heat up in Irvine and surrounding Orange County, there’s no better way to beat the heat than jump into a pool or cool off under the shade with a beverage (non-sugary, of course). For most of our patients, summer brings with it a chance to get away from it all and escape everyday life, if only for a week or two. For others, it means a season of relaxation and relief from homework and studying.

How about you?

What are your summer plans? Do you have any interesting plans for a summer vacation? Does your family have a reunion planned? Our staff would be interested in how you are all spending your summer vacations. If you’re going somewhere exotic, let us know! If you're going camping, we'd like to hear about it! Even if you're staying at home here in Irvine, let us know!

Please feel free to share your summer plans and experiences with Drs. Claro and Ghafouri on our Facebook page as summer 2010 rolls right along!