"Hey, Dr. McFarland! Which toothbrush should my child be using?"

Dr. McFarland and our staff know that brushing your teeth is one of the easiest methods of cavity prevention. But which type of toothbrush should your child use? When choosing a toothbrush, look for round-ended (polished) bristles that clean while being gentle on the gums. Choose one that is specifically designed for kids' smaller mouths and hands. Lastly, throw out a toothbrush after three months if the bristles are fraying. Frayed bristles can harm your gums, and are not as effective in cleaning teeth.

As far as which toothpaste is best? It doesn't matter as long as it has fluoride in it. However, for small children who tend to swallow toothpaste, do not use fluoridated toothpaste. Make sure to touch each tooth and every side of that tooth. Also, you do need to gently brush on your gums.

To learn more about choosing the right toothbrush and toothpaste for your child, we encourage you to read this helpful article from Parenthood.com. Or, you may give us a call at 972.221.2515 and we'll try to answer any question you may have about keeping your child's mouth as healthy as possible!

We hope you have a relaxing and safe Memorial Day weekend!

Invisalign tips with Dr. McFarland

Lots and lots of people know that Invisalign is a phenomenal solution to traditional braces if you don't want to experience the look and feel of traditional metal braces. What few people know is that just like traditional braces, Invisalign requires proper care to work effectively.

Regular (and exceptional) oral hygiene is critical, even when you are wearing something in your mouth that you can take out to eat with. It's still likely that your aligners can build up plaque if not treated properly. When wearing your Invisalign aligners, Dr. McFarland wants you to ask yourself the following questions:

1. Am I eating with my aligners on? - These aligners are removable and should be taken out when you eat.

2. Am I brushing before putting the trays on? - The aligners have both an inside and outside. Keeping the outside clean is easy. Keeping the inside clean is also easy: just make sure you've brushed your teeth before putting the trays on.

And...

3. Am I drinking anything other than water with my aligners on? - Though it's not a necessity for you to take out your aligners while you drink, think about how sticky a soda is. If you take out your aligners when drinking a soda, you have a better chance of keeping your aligners clean.

These are all very simple steps, and ultimately, they help to keep you building good oral habits. If you have any questions about Invisalign or your treatment here at the office of Dr. McFarland, we encourage you to give us a call at 972.221.2515!

How is Dr. McFarland doing? Let us know!

If you've ever been to R.A. McFarland DDS, you'd know we are a trend-setting office, forefront in current knowledge and practice. We are committed to being an office that cares about each patient as if they were our own son or daughter.

Whether you've visited Dr. McFarland for a week, months or even years, we'd love to hear your feedback about how our office is faring! There are lots of ways you can share your thoughts about our practice with the rest of the world, but we encourage you to head to our Google Local page and write a review there.

After all, reviews help Dr. McFarland create more beautiful smiles in The Colony, Flower Mound and surrounding communities.

You may write a review here.

Thank you and enjoy your week! We look forward to reading your reviews!

Happy Mother's Day Week, from McFarland Orthodontics!

Dr. McFarland and our entire team would like to thank all the wonderful moms out there for driving their kids to their regularly scheduled appointments with McFarland Orthodontics and for being so great all the time!

We know that moms should get more than just a day of celebration, appreciation and acknowledgment, but we want you to know we appreciate you all very much! Happy Mother's Day Week and upcoming Mother's Day!