Blog

Most of our patients at Dr. Hablinski’s office love fun facts – LOVE THEM, in fact. After all, who doesn’t? But what about orthodontic fun facts? The American Association of Orthodontists has come up with some fun facts about orthodontics that Dr. Mark Hablisnki and our team thought you would enjoy. Have a great rest of the weekend & a wonderful rest of the summer!
• There are nearly 4 million people in orthodontic treatment throughout the United States. Three out of four are younger than 18.
• The first mechanical treatment for correcting irregular teeth was suggested by Gaius Plinius Secundus (A.D 23-79).The American Association of Orthodontists is comprised of more than 12,000 members in the United States, Canada and abroad.
• The time required to complete orthodontic treatment ranges from 12 to 36 months depending on the nature and severity of the problem.
• Of the 160,000 dentists in the United States and Canada, 8,000 are practicing orthodontists.
• The cement that attaches the braces to the teeth is now made with a special fluoride-releasing substance.
• Wires activated by body heat used in today’s braces originally were developed by NASA for use in the space program.
• In addition to alleviating or preventing physical health problems, orthodontics can boost self-esteem as treatment aligns teeth, jaws and lips.
• Famous orthodontic patients include: Dr. Joyce Brothers, Hale Irwin, Cher, Diana Ross, Phyllis Diller, Cher, Diana Ross, Phyllis Diller, Chelsea Clinton, Whoopi Goldberg, Daisy Fuentes and Brandi.

We hope you’re having a great week and a great summer so far! If you are planning on traveling with family this summer or think you might not be able to make it to your scheduled appointment with Dr. Hablinski, please let us know ahead of time so that we may be able to accommodate you, as well as schedule another patient at that appointment time.
Also, we ask that you give us a call and and let us know if you have any new phone numbers or if your contact information has changed! Please call us with any updates to phone numbers and addresses, so we may be able to reach you. Thank you! Enjoy your weekend!

On Monday, Dr. Hablinski and team will be busy celebrating America’s 235th birthday. And because we know our patients love fun facts, we thought we’d provide you with some fun facts about Independence Day! Have a great Fourth of July weekend everyone, and we’ll see you next week!!
– Independence Day was first celebrated in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776.
– An estimated 2.5 million people lived in America in July 1776. Today, an estimated 309 million people reside in the United States.
– The major objection to being ruled by Britain was taxation without representation, which meant that people didn’t want to be taxed by a government that did not represent them.
– In 1941, Congress declared 4th of July a federal legal holiday. It is one of the few federal holidays that have not been moved to the nearest Friday or Monday.
– The stars on the original American flag were arranged in a circle to ensure that all colonies were equal.
– America’s mascot, the bald eagle, can achieve speeds of up to 200 miles per hour when making a predatory dive. During a normal flight, bald eagles can travel up to 30 miles per hour.
– The American flag patch is backwards on U.S. Army uniforms. The reason? The blue field on the flag (the part with the stars) faces forward to symbolize carrying the American flag into battle.
– Someone who specializes in the history of flags is called a vexillologist.
– The word ‘patriotism’ comes from the Latin patria, which means ‘homeland’ or ‘fatherland.’
– According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Americans consume over 150 million hot dogs during their Independence Day festivities.
– Speaking of food, there’s a 1-in-6 chance the beef on your backyard this Independence Day weekend grill came from Texas. The Lone Star State is America’s leader in the production of cattle and calves.

Hello Dear Patients,
Just wanted to let you know that Dr. Hablinski and Mrs. Hablinski were in San Antonio for an Orthodontic meeting this past weekend and it was quiet informative and fun. Yes, it was hot, but we learned a lot of stuff; and it was a very emotional Christ centered devotional Sunday morning. We did a lot of brain storming and will be implementing the new ideas into our practice. Hope everyone is having a great summer.

Traveling this summer? Heading on a camping trip? Lying on a hammock resting in your backyard?
Whatever you’re up to, summer is a great time for kids to continue learning, maintain the skill level and prepare for the school year. With summer only weeks away, some of us at Dr. Mark Hablinski Orthodontics have been thinking increasingly about the importance of reading, which we encourage for all our patients.
Out of ideas? Ask us for suggestions, and Dr. Hablinski and team would be happy to provide a few titles. You may also ask a librarian here in Houston for some ideas or check out these summer reading lists we came across this past week.
We hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Now that June is here, our team at the office of Dr. Hablinski thought we’d tell you June is National Smile Month, and a good time to remind all our patients to practice good oral hygiene between your visits to our convenient Jupiter office, as well as your general dentist.
That means you too, parents! After all, there’s more and more evidence that suggests folks with gum disease are more at risk for serious health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and strokes.
Below are a few simple steps you can take to improve your oral health so that you may celebrate National Smile Month for many, many years to come:
* Brush at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
* Floss everyday to clean between your teeth and braces.
* Reduce your intake of sugary foods and drinks during your orthodontic treatment
* Visit your dentist regularly (every 6 months or as recommended by your dentist)!
If you have questions about any of these tips, we encourage you to give us a call, ask Dr. Hablinski during your next visit or ask us on Facebook!

Dr. Hablinski’s office will soon be involved in various sports and summertime activities. Whether you’re going away to camp for a few weeks, playing catch in the backyard or participating in various team sports this summer, you’re going to need to know how to take care of their bright smiles!
Here a few common questions Dr. Hablinski and team hear from our patients:
How can I help prevent my teeth from becoming chipped or broken while I play sports this summer?
The most important thing we want you to remember is wear your mouthguard.
If I’m hit in the mouth, and a tooth gets knocked out, what can/should I do? What should I do if I am injured on a weekend when the office is closed?
If you find that you or someone you know has just had a tooth knocked out, here are the steps that you should take.
• Act quickly
• Handle the tooth by the crown, never by the root.
• If possible, reposition the tooth into the socket immediately.
• If not possible, then keep the tooth moist (use milk or keep it inside your cheek) until you can see your dentist.
• Go to your dentist as soon as possible. The best chance to save your tooth is if you can see your dentist with in the first half hour of your tooth being knocked out.
Once you are at your dentist’s office, they will probably replant and stabilize the tooth. A root canal will be performed later.
Can my teeth be fixed if they are chipped, broken or knocked out?
Yes, check with your general dentist who deals with cosmetic dentistry.
Are sports drinks bad for my teeth? What can I drink to stay hydrated and keep my teeth healthy?
Yes, sports drinks can erode the enamel due to the acids in these drinks. The best way to stay hydrated is with WATER.
If I wear Invisalign aligners, will they help protect my teeth, or do I still need to wear a mouth guard?
You need to remove your aligners and place a mouthguard to protect your teeth from injuries when playing a sport. However, more and more evidence is showing that Invisalign acts almost as well as a mouthguard.
Can I still play sports while wearing my retainer, or is it best to take it out?
Best to take it out and replace with a mouthguard.
Can I still wear a mouth guard with braces?
Yes, you should get a mouthguard to protect your teeth when wearing braces. Ultimately, the mouthguard will require trimming to accommodate the braces.
Please let us know if you have any other questions! Or, you may also ask us on Facebook!