Drs. Battistoni and Beam, celebrating National Orthodontic Health Month

The haunting hours of Halloween can mean big trouble for trick-or-treaters who wear braces! Did you know that October is National Orthodontic Health Month? Nancy, one of our Clinical Assistants, would like to share a few tips to help our patients enjoy the holiday.

Both our La Grange and Oak Park office have copies of Pam Waterman’s Braces Cookbooks 1 & 2, which offer great recipes that will keep braces intact and patients satisfied this Halloween. Try the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip softies & the Black Cherry Fruit Bats!

Every time a bracket is broken, it can set treatment a step back. If an orthodontic patient chews the wrong type of treat this Halloween, and damage occurs, it is recommended that the patient call our office the next business day so that we can access the problem and arrangements can be made if necessary.

We recommend that you sort your child's Halloween candy to remove damaging treats when they are home from trick-or-treating. We suggest looking at treats that are soft, such as chocolate and peanut butter cups. Apples can be sliced thinly and dipped into chocolate or caramel sauce. Remember, kids with braces shouldn't feel deprived this Halloween season!

Ask Jackie: If you weren't a Clinical Assistant at Drs. Battistoni + Beam Ltd, what profession would you pursue?

Hello, everyone! If we haven’t me already, my name is Jackie and I’m a Clinical Assistant at Drs. Battistoni and Beam’s office. Although I love my profession, if I were to choose another ideal job (other than helping make our patients' teeth straight and healthy) it would be in an entirely different field. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to swim with dolphins; it was an amazing experience, and one I remember so fondly. So, if I had to choose an ideal job, it would be to work with them in their training. There was such a peacefulness that came with swimming with them and a mutual trust as well.

Having been an audience member in dolphin shows a few times, I also remember how happy I was watching the relationship between the trainer and the dolphins. I realized how much time and effort must have gone into each jump or trick.

In reality, this does relate to the relationship between me and our patients. We have a special relationship built on trust. My favorite days are ones in which we are able to tell patients, especially those that have been working so hard to create their beautiful smiles, that it’s time for their braces to come off! Today, Drs. Battistoni and Beam want to know, if you were to pursue another profession, what would you want to do?