The Go-To Mom Talks Invisalign

Our team at Dr. Ruff's office found a great video that discusses the advantages of Invisalign. In the video, Kimberley Clayton Blaine, "The Go-To Mom," discusses the Invisalign and Invisalign Teen treatments and her personal experience with Invisalign.

To determine if Invisalign is right for you, schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Ruff. Have a great week!

Summer fun with Dr. Charles Ruff

It’s summer here at Dr. Charles Ruff's office, a season full of vacations, adventures and great memories. Whether you are headed to a barbecue, a camping trip, hitting America’s open roads or just having fun in the backyard, Dr. Ruff and our team want to hear all about it! Leave a comment on our Facebook fan page and tell us about your summer!

We also encourage you to post any photos from your adventures to our Facebook wall!

Happy travels,

-Dr. Ruff and team

What’s so bad about nail biting?

We’ve all heard that biting your nails is an awful habit, but you many wonder- really- what’s so bad about it? Recently, our team at Dr. Ruff's office found an interesting article that discusses how biting your nails affect your teeth and oral health.

Nail biting, also known as Onychophagia, is a common habit among various age groups, including primarily children, teens and young adults. Nail biting is generally triggered by stress and most often decreases with age. That being said, nail biting is unsanitary, unattractive, as well as unhealthy for your teeth!

Here’s why:
• It’s unsanitary. Your nails are dirty, almost twice as dirty as your fingers! Hence, biting your nails is just asking for germs and bacteria.
• No good things come to your teeth. Nail biting causes your teeth to constantly be chewing, which is not good for them. This excessive motion wears your teeth down faster than a non-nail biter’s and puts a large amount of stress on your front teeth- contributing to teeth misalignment.
• Braces don’t love it either. Braces already put pressure on teeth, nail biting ads unnecessary pressure, further stressing your teeth and weakening their roots.
• It can be costly. Nail biting can result in up to $4,000 in additional dental bills over one lifetime, according to the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). Yikes!

What can you do about it?
Now that you know how harmful nail biting can be, it’s time to take action to break your nail biting habit. Try to be conscious of your fingernails and to keep them looking good- this will help you resist the temptation. Ask Dr. Ruff or visit the article for tips on how to break a nail biting habit. Good luck!

Why do you choose Dr. Ruff and our team?

Dr. Charles Ruff, serving Waterville, Skowhegan and Dover–Foxcroft, strives to provide exceptional treatment in an informative and friendly environment. Have you had a great experience at our office?

Share your story with the world!



Just select the "Write a Review" button above to write a review on our Google Place Page. We look forward to receiving your feedback!

Thank you,
The team at Dr. Ruff's office

More happy patients at Dr. Ruff's office!

Dr. Charles Ruff, serving Waterville, Skowhegan and Dover–Foxcroft, ME, has been receiving some great patient reviews lately! Check out what our current patients are saying about Dr. Ruff and team!

Rylee H.'s mom: "She just loves it here!"

Zach D.’s mom: "It is always so pleasant to come here."

Anne B., Rosalie’s mom, said on Judys Book: "Rosalie had a good visit. She said she liked the office better than that of her regular dentist. I found the visit informative, with Sarah anticipating and answering questions before I thought of them. Thanks."

Mikayla D. on Judys Book: "I was really scared when I went to my first appoinment and they were really nice and now I love going to my appoinments :)"

Sierra (Invisalign patient): “Sarah came into the office on Christmas Eve because that was the only day I could meet up with her before my flexible benefits expired! Thanks again!!!” AND “Dr. Ruff's office staff should be a role model for other offices.”

Tabitha W. from Judys Book: "Every one was very welcoming. Throughly explained the procedures and steps we would be going through. Granted this was the first step in the process, but regardless, my daughter and I left the appointment feeling like everyone had our best interests at heart."

What's on your summer reading list?

With summer in full swing, all of us at the office of Dr. Charles Ruff wanted to remind our patients about the importance of reading. Sure it’s easy to keep putting off reading this time of year, but reading during the summer is a vital step in brain development and warding off the dreaded “summer slide.” Plus, it's fun!

Today, we thought we’d ask: What's on YOUR summer reading list? What are some of your all-time favorites? Out of ideas for great summer reads? Ask us for suggestions, and our staff and Dr. Ruff would be happy to provide a few suggestions. You may also ask a local librarian for some ideas or check out these summer reading ideas that we came across today, courtesy of Barnes & Noble.

Happy reading! Be sure to share with us your summer picks or your all-time favorites on our Facebook page!

Orthodontic Emergency Care with Dr. Ruff

True orthodontic emergencies are very rare, but when they do occur we are available to you. As a general rule, you should call the 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 with Dr. Ruff.

You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to temporarily solve many problems yourself until you schedule an appointment with Charles J. Ruff, DMD.

The following solutions may help you relieve your discomfort:

Poking Wire: Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it to alleviate the discomfort.

Loose Bracket or Band: If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you should leave it in place and put wax on it. If the wire comes out entirely, wrap the bracket with a tissue.

Loose Wire: Using a tweezers, try to place your wire back into place. If doing this and using wax does not help, as a last resort use a small fingernail clipper to clip the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened. If your discomfort continues, place wax on it.

Loose Appliance: If your appliance is poking you, place wax on the offending part of your appliance.

Headgear Does Not Fit: Sometimes headgear discomfort is caused by not wearing the headgear as instructed by your orthodontist. Please refer to the instructions provided by your orthodontist. If the facebow is bent, please call our office for assistance. Surprisingly, headgear becomes more comfortable the more it's worn, so be sure you’re getting in the prescribed hours.

General Soreness: When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for three to five days. This can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm salt water mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in 8 ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously. If the tenderness is severe, take aspirin or whatever you normally take for headache or similar pain.

Remember, after alleviating your discomfort, it is still very important that you call our office as soon as possible to schedule a time to repair the problem.