Softly Brushing Your Way to Clean Teeth, From Snow Orthodontics

Just as there are so many different types of toothbrushes to choose from, each brush also has a different type of bristle! There are generally three different types of bristles; hard, medium, and soft. We always recommend that our patients, especially children and seniors, use a soft bristled toothbrush.

Using a hard and medium bristled brush can actually harm your teeth and gums by stripping the enamel from the teeth and irritating the gums so that they become red and sore, and can even cause gum recession. If you do use a hard or medium bristled brush as a personal preference, we recommend using an electric toothbrush.

Soft bristles are much gentler on your teeth and gums, and while patients of all ages are recommended to use soft bristled brushes, they are particularly great for children, seniors, patients recovering from a dental procedure, and patients wearing braces.

Soft bristles, and even extra-soft bristles are every bit as effective when it comes to cleaning your teeth; in fact, if you currently use a hard or medium bristled brush, try a soft bristled brush next time you buy a toothbrush and we bet you won’t even notice a difference!

--Dr. Snow

Summer Fun with Dr. Snow!

Its summer here at Snow Orthodontics, a season full of vacations, adventures and great memories. Whether you are headed to a barbeque, a camping trip, or just having fun in the sun, we want to hear about it! Leave a comment on our blog and tell us about your summer!

Happy Travels,

-From Snow Orthodontics

Snow Orthodontics Around the Web

If you've ever visited us at Snow Orthodontics, you already know that Dr. Snow and the rest of the team love connecting with their patients. We love the ability to communicate with all of you online too! Besides our web site and our blog, Snow Orthodontics is on many other networks too!

* Share a video with us, or watch one of ours on our YouTube channel

* Become a "fan" of Snow Orthodontics on Facebook

* View and comment on our photos on MySpace

See you around the web!

--Snow Orthodontics

Hi Desert Children's Dental Clinic

Snow Orthodontics is heavily involved in the Lancaster and Palmdale communities, and the Hi Desert Children's Dental Clinic is just one example. Here is a description of what we are up to to make proper dental care available to the less fortunate:

Since its incorporation in 1986, the Hi Desert Children’s Dental Clinic has served the Antelope Valley by providing free dental care to children ages 5 to 17 from low income families with no dental insurance.

The need for dental services became apparent when local dentists visited many schools in the area. They discovered over 10% of the children examined had never seen a dentist; 20% had not seen a dentist in over a year; and approximately 30% of the children needed extensive dental treatment.

Each year local dentists, coordinated by Gilbert H. Snow, D.D.S., offer and provide screenings for the children of the Antelope Valley. Parents are alerted about their children’s dental problems and then put in contact with the Hi Desert Children’s Dental Clinic. The Clinic is made possible through the volunteer efforts of local dental professionals and generous community support. It is a private, non-profit, tax exempt organization funded by various community groups.

Through screenings and referrals from community organizations and school nurses, the Hi Desert Children’s Dental Clinic is able to arrange treatment for these children. The families apply to qualify under the guidelines set by L.A. County. Family income, size and dental insurance available determines whether they qualify for treatment. Once a child’s application is approved, the Clinic Coordinator arranges for the child to be seen by a dentist in a private dental office. There is no charge for the visit or the treatment provided.


Our only funding for this program comes from an annual event here in Antelope Valley, entitled "Thunder on the Lot". This event is held annually, and all proceeds go to children's charities like the Hi Desert Children's Dental Clinic.

Invisalign Days at Snow Orthodontics

Snow Orthodontics recently held an Invisalign day at each of our office as part of an office pride and educational event. Each office got their spirit on, wearing the orange and blue invisalign colors. Take a look at a few pictures below!




Thanks to everyone for participating! Stay tuned for the next Invisalign Day at Snow Orthodontics to help decide if Invisalign is right for you!

--Dr. Snow

Bottled Water May Be Behind Tooth Troubles, Dr. Snow Explains

We at Snow Orthodontics want you to know that as more families turn to bottled water and away from the tap, they may be missing out on one important ingredient that most brands of bottled water fail to include: fluoride!

As of 2005, bottled water is second only to soft drinks as the most popular drink in the United States, beating out milk, juice, and – more significantly – tap water. Between 2001 and 2006, the amount of bottled water sold in the U.S. rose an average of 10% per year. And many dental health specialists point to bottled water’s increased popularity as the culprit behind rising rates of cavities.

Because fluoride helps strengthen teeth, it is an important component of maintaining good oral health. The benefits of fluoride were noticed in the early part of the twentieth century, when researchers found communities with low levels of tooth decay. It turned out that these towns had measurable levels (around 1 part per million) of fluoride in their drinking water.

Beginning in the 1940s, communities have fluoridated their water supplies, and dentists have seen a significant decline in cavities ever since. The American Dental Association endorses both community water fluoridation and the use of fluoride-containing products as a safe means of preventing tooth decay. Between tap water and toothpaste, most of us get sufficient amounts of fluoride.

But if your family avoids fluoridated tap water in favor of ever-more-popular bottled water, you could be missing out on the levels of fluoride necessary to make a difference in your oral health.

If bottled water is your water of choice, check the label to make sure that your brand contains fluoride. As of a 2006 decision, the FDA allows bottled water containing .6 to 1.0 milligrams per liter of fluoride to carry a label stating that fluoridated water may reduce the risk of dental cavities or tooth decay. The ADA has backed this decision.

Of course, simply drinking fluoridated water is not a magic ticket to perfect teeth. To keep your choppers in tip-top shape, it’s important to brush and floss daily and avoid sugary sweets, in addition to maintaining your fluoride intake and visiting us at Snow Orthodontics regularly.

How To Stay Young & Healthy

Whether you’re 5 or 50, your health depends on your awareness of what’s good for you. But in a world filled with fad diets, blaring advertisements, and unintelligible ingredient lists, we at Snow Orthodontics know it can be difficult to determine exactly what is good for you – and what’s not.

For straightforward guidance on how to live a long, healthy life, we recommend Brush Your Teeth! And Other Simple Ways to Stay Young and Healthy by Dr. David Ostreicher. The book sums up good health in six fundamental principles: hygiene, diet, attitude, exercise, sleep and personal safety.

Drawing on nearly three decades of experience as an orthodontist and professor of health and nutrition, Dr. Ostreicher definitively answers age-old debates, like the best way to prevent colds and flu (your mom was right: wash your hands). He provides straight talk on a variety of diet choices including salt, fats, carbs and organic food, and he documents the importance of regular sleep, stress reduction and positive thinking to your overall health. His suggestions throughout are simple, clear, and inexpensive.

Dr. Ostreicher advocates a back-to-basics, common-sense approach to staying young and healthy. We at Snow Orthodontics couldn’t agree more, and we’d like to repeat the title of his book as our favorite piece of advice: don’t forget to Brush Your Teeth!