Blog

Who doesn’t love to catch some sun rays? Well sunshine lovers, Dr. Jaclyn Scroggins at Junction Orthodontics has news for you! A little sunshine actually HELPS your teeth during orthodontic treatment! Sunshine has been found to improve mood, our immune functions, and increases vitamin D production in our bodies.

The Importance of Vitamin D

While in braces, healthy teeth and gums are of vital importance. Vitamin D helps to support oral health in two ways:

• It helps our bodies to absorb and utilize calcium

Vitamin D has several major functions. One of its major functions is moderating other vitamins and minerals – including calcium. Calcium is crucial because it fortifies our teeth and supports jaw and bone strength. Several studies have shown greater cavity risk for people who live in regions with little sunlight – sometimes as much as double the risk.Read More

We know that exercise is very important for both our mental and physical health. However, have you thought about the effects of running on your oral health? While those two things may seem unrelated, they’re actually not. Fear not. Dr. Jaclyn Scroggins at Junction Orthodontics will explain the correlation between running and oral health.

Oral Health and Running

While the rest of your body may be in great shape, each extra training hour actually increases your risk of tooth decay. Athletes are at risk for two specific oral health problems: dry mouth effects and sports-related nutrition effects. Read More

Good oral hygiene is a crucial part of a person’s health. Thus, it is imperative that parents help teach their kids not only to brush their teeth twice a day but also how to do so effectively. Rather than making it a chore, try to make cleaning their teeth a fun and enjoyable experience. To help, Dr. Jaclyn Scroggins at Junction Orthodontics shares some tips for teaching kids how to properly clean their teeth. Read More

Did you know that the alignment of your teeth can affect your speech? If you struggle to pronounce certain words, your teeth could be the reason why. Thankfully, orthodontics can help. Dr. Jaclyn Scroggins at Junction Orthodontics can provide orthodontic treatment to resolve common oral problems such as:

1. Lisp or Whistling

Lisps or whistles are common in children and adults and are developed due to open bites. An open bite occurs when the tongue doesn’t make a true connection with the roof of the mouth. This typically happens when pronouncing words containing the letter “s” or “z.” Patients with an open bite often pronounce these words as if they have the letters “th” instead of an “s.”

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There are a lot of reasons you should be flashing those pearly whites more often – smiling is good for your health! According to Psychology Today, when you smile you activate neural messaging that benefits your health and happiness. As we close out the year, it is important to find reasons to smile and be grateful for all the lessons we’ve learned and achievements accomplished. For those who can’t find a reason to smile, Dr. Jaclyn Scroggins at Junction Orthodontics has five:Read More

Once you’ve completed orthodontic treatment, you just want to enjoy your brand-new smile. However, one thing patients often worry about is having white marks on their teeth following treatment. Luckily, whether you end up with white marks on your teeth after treatment is UP TO YOU! If you take good care of your teeth during treatment, white marks can easily be avoided.

How White Marks Form on the Teeth

The white marks that appear on your teeth during/after orthodontic treatment are called orthodontic white spot lesions (WSLs). These spots are caused by plaque buildup on teeth. Removing plaque from your teeth is incredibly important because the bacteria in plaque produce an acid that begins to dissolve the mineralized surface of a tooth (and ruin the appearance of those pearly whites).Read More