Stay cool with a braces-friendly summer treat!

Summer is here! Kids and adults alike will now be spending more time outside being active and enjoying the hotter temperatures. What’s better on a hot summer day than a delicious treat that will cool you down after doing something active in the summer sun? Luckily, our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) have just the thing, Watermelon Sorbet! You can find the complete recipe below:

Watermelon Sorbet

Ingredients
• ¾ cup water
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 2 to 3 cups watermelon, diced, no seeds or rind

Directions
In a small saucepan, heat the water, sugar, and lime juice on medium high for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Chill this “syrup” at least 20 minutes. In the meantime, place the watermelon chunks in a food processor or blender and liquefy them. Add the chilled syrup to the watermelon puree and blend. Freeze sorbet in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. Serve immediately.

Happy Summer!

-Dr. Ruff and team

Now that I have braces, what can I eat?

There are a variety of foods Dr. Charles Ruff suggests you avoid while you're wearing braces. Some foods can occasionally damage braces, but certain foods can bend the wires or even break the brackets on your braces. If you’re wearing braces, you should avoid starch, sugar and gummy foods, as these foods can be difficult to remove during brushing. Foods that are high in sugar and starch tend to cause plaque, cavities and even tooth decay.

Avoid tough meats, hard breads and raw vegetables such as carrots and celery. Before long, you'll be able to bite a cucumber again. But you'll need to protect your orthodontic appliances when you eat for as long as you're wearing braces.

Foods you should avoid include:

• Chewy foods: bagels, hard rolls, licorice
• Crunchy foods: popcorn, ice, chips
• Sticky foods: caramels, gum
• Hard foods: nuts, candy
• Foods you have to bite into: corn on the cob, apples, carrots

Also, chewing on hard things (for example, pens, pencils or fingernails) can damage the braces. Damaged braces will cause treatment to take longer.

If you have any questions on which foods you should be avoiding and why, we invite you to give us a call or ask our staff during your next visit.

The Great Halloween Candy Buyback at the office of Dr. Charles Ruff

Did you attend Dr. Ruff's Great Halloween Candy Buyback this evening? If not, you still have another chance to trade in your Halloween candy for cash!

This Saturday, Nov. 6th, Dr. Ruff and our team will be hosting another candy drop off from 10am until 12pm at our office. While trick or treating is fun, it's no good for your teeth or braces. For every pound of candy that you share, Dr. Ruff will pay you $1. We will also be donating all of the candy, as well as toothbrushes, to our troops through Operation Gratitude.

We can't wait to see all of our patients at The Great Halloween Candy Buyback! If you have any questions about the candy buyback, or if you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Ruff, don't hesitate to give us a call.

Dr. Ruff announces our Great Halloween Candy Buyback!

Dr. Ruff and team are excited to announce our National Orthodontic Health Month event, The Great Halloween Candy Buyback. Trick or treating is fun, but it's no good for your teeth or braces. That's why Dr. Ruff would like to buy back your candy this year!

For every pound of candy that you bring in to our office, Dr. Ruff will pay you $1. We will also be donating all of the candy, as well as toothbrushes, to our troops through Operation Gratitude.




The Candy Buyback will take place Thursday, Nov. 4th between 4:30- 6:00pm. There will also be a drawing for prizes, the opportunity to meet local troops, tour a Hummer, send notes to our servicemen, and you will get a goody bag!

Dr. Ruff and our team look forward to seeing all of our patients at The Great Halloween Candy Buyback! As always, don't hesitate to give us a call if you have any questions, or if you would like to schedule a consultation.