Smile-Friendly Movie Snacks for Summer

With summer approaching, it’s prime season to settle into a cozy seat at the movies and enjoy one of the season’s many blockbuster movies.

Of course, a true movie experience wouldn’t be complete without some classic movie snacks. However, as you well know, when you have braces, you have to make some compromises on what you eat. Don’t worry though -- there are a bunch of snacks you can get at the movies that are completely compatible with your braces.

Hot dogs and pizzaMost movie theaters sell these snacks, which are a better to eat than sticky gummies and Milk Duds that will get stuck in between your brackets and arch wires. 

Soft pretzelsYou should try to stick to soft foods, and soft pretzels are a good snack to eat. Try it with cinnamon or salted with cheese. 

Ice cream and frozen yogurtIce cream and yogurt bars with varieties of toppings are becoming popular in theaters. Milkshakes also are safe to eat and a tasty, cool summer treat. 

Soft, fresh-baked cookiesSome movie theaters sell fresh-baked cookies. Chocolate chip cookies should be a safe option for moviegoers. 

Chocolate candyTry to stay away from candy bars with nuts and caramel, but there are plenty of options to choose from including Hershey’s bars, M&Ms, Reese’s Pieces and Kit Kat bars. 

Sodas and slushiesThese sugary drinks aren’t good for your teeth, but they won’t damage your brackets and wires. Just make sure you brush your teeth after the movie to make sure there isn’t any sugary residue left on your teeth. If you can sip water between swigs of the sugary drinks, that can help wash the Gummy candiessugars off your teeth.
Some snacks to stay away from are popcorn, gummy worms, bubble gum, nachos, and candy bars with caramel. These snacks can be your worst enemy at the movie theater because you will be left picking at your braces instead of enjoying the movie. If you do decide to eat these risky treats, make sure to bring a toothbrush, floss and a Proxabrush to go between braces and teeth to remove food and plaque.

Looking for an excuse to sport a great smile this summer? Talk to Reed Orthodontics about your options for a straighter smile!

April is National Stress Awareness Month

Sponsored by The Health Resource Network (HRN), a non-profit health education organization, Stress Awareness Month is a national effort to inform people about the dangers of stress, successful coping strategies, and harmful misconceptions about stress that are prevalent in our society.During April, health care professionals across the country will join forces to increase public awareness about both the causes and cures for our modern stress epidemic.As an orthodontist, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the mental health benefits of smiling. In fact, a study from the University of Kansas department of psychology suggest that smiling can reduce stress and make us feel better:

“Age old adages, such as ‘grin and bear it,’ have suggested smiling to be not only an important nonverbal indicator of happiness but also wishfully promotes smiling as a panacea for life’s stressful events,” said researcher Tara Kraft. “We wanted to examine whether these adages had scientific merit; whether smiling could have real health-relevant benefits.”

To investigate the claim, the researchers recruited 169 willing college students for a hands-on experiment. But they had to engage in a bit of deception. Actually telling the participants that they were testing whether smiling would make them happier would have distorted the results, so the students were told that the experiment was about multi-tasking.

Next, the students were put in “multi-tasking situations” that were intentionally designed to be stressful. In the first one, they were asked to trace a star shape with their non-dominant hand while looking only at a mirror image of it, and were misled about the average person’s accuracy in completing the task. While attempting to execute the maneuver with as few errors as possible to win a reward (a chocolate), they were continually reminded to hold the chopsticks in their mouths to maintain the intended facial expression. Afterward, they were instructed to do the same as their hands were submerged in ice water.

The experiment’s findings were startling. As a whole, the smilers had lower heart rates while recovering from the stressful tasks than those who had assumed neutral expressions, and those with Duchenne smiles had lower heart rates yet. Even those who were smiling only due to their instructed chopstick position—without explicitly being told to smile—showed the same effect. Since heart rate is an indicator of the body’s stress response, it seems as though the act of smiling actually reduced the participants’ overall stress level.

Click here to jumpstart your smile and contact Reed Orthodontics today!

Good Places to Eat in the North Hills

As you probably know, Reed Orthodontics just opened up its second office in the North Hills, located at:

4725 McKnight Rd., Suite 107

Pittsburgh, PA 15237

412.369.0600

If you’re looking to make an appointment or already have one, there are lots of great places to eat in the area. We’ve gathered up some of the best restaurants in the North Hills, for your perusal --  support these local businesses in the North Hills!

Tokyo Sushi Buffet

4801 McKnight Rd

Get Directions

(412) 366-4288

From their website:

Tokyo is the ultimate seafood and sushi Restaurant in a family atmosphere. At Tokyo we developed the highest standard for buffet style dining. Our Japanese inspired cuisines are created with only the freshest and finest ingredients. Sushi is our specialty and we offer lots of it. Our guests enjoy over 40 selections of sushi and sashimi that are not only skillfully prepared but artfully presented as well. Including hand rolls that are made to order Tokyo also serves domestic and imported beer, wine and sake.

Pelegrino’s Pizza & Pasta

4846 McKnight Rd

Get Directions

(412) 837-1919

From their website:

Pelegrino's Pizza is a place for family, offering affordable, high quality food inspired by authentic family recipes….We serve fantastic pizza and pasta, every part of which is made from scratch - from our dough, to our sauce, which is made fresh daily from our secret family recipe. We wish to impress you with our great food, customer service & family values. We offer not only a variety of delicious pizzas, but fine Italian dining in a family atmosphere.

Mad Mex - North Hills

7905 McKnight Rd

Get Directions

(412) 366-5656

From their website:

We spin an American food mashup of Mexican, Southeast Asian, and Spanish. We aren’t scared to put fun things together if they taste good...Sure, there are easier ways to do it. But why would we put frozen food out for our favorite friends? We make just about everything from scratch daily. We believe that the closer we are to the Earth, to picking the vegetables from the field, the better the food…No lard, simple marinades of citrus and spices….Because we love Mexican food. Big flavors, big plates, fire and sunshine, beer and tequila to wash it down. Great flavors. Warm tortillas and big piles of rice and beans.

Bella Ria’s

5336 Perry Highway, West View

Get Directions

(412) 939-3610

From their website:

Bella Ria's strives to serve the best homemade foods using the highest quality ingredients available. Everything we serve is made in house by Rich or Eric. From our tempting desserts, Hardwood Smoked Meats, Fresh Pastas, Butchering, Pizza Dough and Sauces, to our wide assortment salad dressings we do it all.

Click here to contact Reed Orthodontics new North Hills office today!

6 Things You Should Never DIY

Lately we’ve been hearing about a disturbing trend of people trying to create makeshift “DIY” orthodontic devices. As we’re sure you know, this probably isn’t the best idea -- and the American Orthodontic Association has said that this can result in a “substantial risk for irreparable damage."

Of course, anything relating to your personal health should be handled by a medical professional. Here are some other things you should NEVER try to DIY:

Sunscreen

Although it’s possible to make your own sunscreen with zinc or titanium dioxide, it can be near impossible to figure out the SPF of the substance you’re making. Always buy your sunscreen and be sure you’re using an SPF level that fits the season and your needs.

Dishwashing Liquid

Although many cleaning DIYs can work great, dishwashing detergent can be a toughie. Trying to make your own dishwashing liquid can result in impurities in the solution, leading to streaks and clumping at the bottom of your dishwasher. Plus, you eat off those plates -- buy buying your own detergent, you ensure that your dishes are truly clean and safe to eat from.

Contact Lens Solution

Just like DIYing your own orthodontics, trying to make your own contact lens solution can be dangerous. Sure, the store-bought kind can get expensive, but you may risk irritation and infection.

Nail Polish

Leave this to the professionals. The selection of nail polish that you find in stores have been developed by professionals, ranging from superpigmented to all natural. Trying to make nail polish from scratch involves specialty ingredients and solvents that can create dangerous fumes and skin irritation if not combined properly.

Hair Dye

Let hair care professionals at the salon take care of this one. Experimenting with ingredients and color dyes can damage your hair and have downright terrible results. Just like DIYing your own sunscreen, you’ll never know how disastrous it can be until it’s too late.

Eye Drops

Just like contact lens cleaner, trying to formulate your own eye drops is a bad idea. In fact, if you don’t have any store-bought eye drops and your eyes are feeling dry, water (when used with freshly washed hands) is a better option than a DIY eye drop solution.

Don’t DIY your braces! Call Reed Orthodontics today at 412.369.0600.

How to Smile About Being Single on Valentine’s Day

It’s that time of year again! Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, and if you’re a single adult it’s easy to feel left out, especially if all your friends are out doing things with their significant others.

But look on the bright side! Being single on Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to reinforce your confidence that you are enough and don’t need the validation of others in order to achieve self confidence. Here are just a few reasons why being single on Valentine’s Day isn’t the worst thing in the world:

No Pressure

You won’t have to worry about buying gifts, bringing flowers, or meeting another person’s expectations for a day. The only person whose approval you need is yourself!

Celebrate Friends

Watching a movie and ordering takeout can be a great way for single friends to bond on Valentine’s Day. Or, if you’re in the mood for a nice dinner, host a dinner party to celebrate your friends.

Do YOU

Even if you don’t have someone to love on Valentine’s Day, you can still pamper yourself. Stay inside and indulge in your guilty pleasures. Eat your favorite food. Read a book. Watch that television show you’d never admit that you watch! And do it without any guilt whatsoever!

Avoid the Commercialism

Valentine’s Day is ripe with marketing and commercialism. As a single adult, you can take the day to avoid all of the constant advertising, long waits at restaurants, and advertising that we all get tired of year after year.

Get Yourself Organized

If you’ve been putting off a bunch of tasks, find one (or a few) and start checking them off your list. You can even start by establishing a to-do list for the next few months.

Appreciate Life!

Finally, a low-key Valentine’s Day gives you the opportunity to appreciate what is great about your life right now. At the very least, you have the independence to do what you want with your time and you can choose who you do it with!

Interested in having the smile you’ve always dreamed of? Contact Pittsburgh’s best community orthodontist, Tina Reed Orthodontics today!

Read All About It!: Adult Braces Journals

One of the main reservations that adults might have about getting braces is that they’re usually going through the process alone. Although you might not know another adult braces-wearer in your own life, thousands have gone through the effective, affordable process themselves and have taken the time to share their experiences with the world.

There are a number of really great blogs out there written by adults who have gone through orthodontic treatment. Some are still going through their treatment, while others continue to journal after their treatment has been completed.

Here are some of our favorite blogs where you can read about the process of getting braces as an adult:

My Journey With Braces

This is an up close and personal look at one girl’s teeth and my journey with braces. The goal of the blog is to document her journey with braces and help people with similar problems. While most people do not have to worry about jaw surgery and getting teeth pulled, this author does, which makes her journey so unique.

My Life with Braces

This blog is great whether you want to be inspired to get braces, just want to look at the slowly-but-definitely-surely magic that the amazing braces can do to your smiling, or if you want to see before and after photos of someone who have had the experience of wearing braces.

Braceface: The Sequel (a jaw surgery and braces blog)

The author of this blog is a 37 year old on the adventure of adult braces and jaw surgery. She got her braces off in July 2013 and continues to blog about it!

Braces Diary: Brace Yourself

The author here tried to record how braces have not only changed the shape of her teeth, but also how it will change her as a person and how people interact with her.

Ready to take the plunge and explore your orthodontic treatment options as an adult in Pittsburgh? Visit Tina Reed Orthodontics online to make an appointment.

How to Stay Smiling Over the Winter

Well, winter is finally here, and of course, so are the winter blues. However, it might surprise you to know that only 5 percent of the U.S. population is actually clinically diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Staying happy and mentally healthy during the winter months is more attainable then you might think. If you approach the season with a positive mindset, you’ll feel better, look better, and of course, smile more.

Here are some tips to help you avoid the winter rut and have a winter worthy of your biggest, brightest smile:

Light Therapy

Lack of sunlight can cause disruptions in your sleep patterns and your mood. Light therapy boxes are one way to combat this and get a little extra Vitamin D. You can use these at home, or at work, with your employer’s approval. The National Institutes of Health recommends that you only use light therapy for 30 minutes daily for a few weeks at a time.

Get Cardio!

If you’ve already resolving to get in better shape in 2015, this one’s for you. Avoid spending full days indoors, which can really drain your physical energy and mood. Getting outside, even in the cold, will result in endorphin secretion and will just leave you feeling better. Consider setting aside 15 minutes every day to walk -- or if you’re super ambitious, do more intense exercise like skiing, hiking, or ice skating.

Take a Breather

The gloomy days of winter are not the time to take lunch at your desk. If possible, go out for lunch, get take out (not delivery), or eat your lunch somewhere besides your desk. It’s crucial to draw a line between work and life, and it can be empowering to file lunchtime in the “life” category, not the ‘work” category. Even if you can’t break for lunch, take short walks throughout your work day, if only to get your blood pumping and get some sunlight. You can even have walking meetings or get a standing desk!

Be a Social Butterfly

You might not see many butterflies during the winter, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be one. Avoid “hibernating” like a bear this winter and make a concerted effort to connect with people socially and professionally. Shake people’s hands, pat people on the back, and give high fives --  these can all promote good feelings or respect and trust, and make you feel connected to society.

Do you work in Pittsburgh’s North Hills? Interested in Invisalign or other orthodontic treatment? Call our brand new North Hills office at 412.369.0600 to schedule an appointment with Tina Reed Orthodontics.