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The Fourth of July is a great time to get together with friends and family members for BBQ, games, fireworks, and other celebrations in honor of our country’s independence. While your fellow revelers eat hot dogs and wave flags, you can impress them by sharing these fascinating facts and historical tidbits about some of our country’s traditions and symbols from the team at Benson Orthodontics.

The Statue of Liberty

With a torch in one hand and a tablet in the other, the Statue of Liberty is one of the most iconic and recognizable symbols of our country. However, as recognizable as certain parts of the statue are, not many people know that broken shackles, which represent oppression and tyranny, are lying at Lady Liberty’s feet. According to the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, the copper-plated lady weighs in at a whopping 450,000 tons and has been holding her torch up for more than 125 years, which must make for some impressive arm muscles.

Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

Since 1916, people have been flocking to Coney Island on the Fourth of July to witness what some people call the “superbowl of competitive eating.” Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating contest challenges competitors to devour as many hot dogs as they can in just ten minutes, with the current record holder swallowing a whopping 68 hot dogs! If you’d like to witness this bizarre and frenzied eating competition but you won’t be anywhere near Coney Island on the fourth, don’t worry. ESPN has been broadcasting this popular event for several years, so you can watch from the comfort of your couch while you eat a reasonably portioned meal.

The History Behind Fireworks

Viewing the nighttime fireworks display is exciting way to finish off the fourth. Many people know that these brilliant displays probably originated with the Chinese. However, many historians also believe that fireworks were stumbled upon when the Chinese roasted bamboo sticks over fires and watched them explode. After many years of roasting the sticks, a group of alchemists created an early form of gunpowder, which they stuffed into the bamboo sticks to create an even more powerful explosion, paving the way for the today’s modern fireworks.

Whether you’re planning on visiting the Statue of Liberty, watching fireworks in Mt. Juliet or Lebanon, TN, or even participating in a hot dog eating contest, Dr. Bart Benson and our team hope you have a safe and fun-filled holiday. Happy Fourth of July!

Between kids, work, and attempting a social life, your existence can start to feel like a giant hamster wheel of doom. Hectic living is just a part of our world, but that doesn’t make it easy. Luckily there are some low and high tech tools to get your life under your control - until science makes it possible to grow that extra pair of hands!

THE COMMAND BOARD
White boards are magic. And cheap! Markers in jelly-bean colors make that blank space into anything you want. Together
they can be a not-so-secret weapon for keeping your life in line. Companies have been making calendar white boards for years and they run around $35 at your local office store. You know where we’re heading, hang that bad boy in a central location and let your organizational juices flow. Making sure everyone in the house knows what is on the monthly agenda gives you a leg up on the everyday insanity, so it’s not all on you to be the keeper of The Plan.

Anybody can add to the Command Board, allowing all events to get their fair share of attention and planning. If your teen wants a night at the movies, put it on the board. If your sweetie wants a lunch date, the board is where it’s at. Your life will be in one, colorcoded place and nobody in the house will be in the dark, making organization into a team effort.

ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY GOOGLE
If you have a smart-phone, organization apps seem like gifts from the gods. There are a lot of things out there, and they all offer to solve your organizational woes. Some are shiny and customizable, others are family oriented and have special
little icons for the kidlets and the parental units. Most disappoint pretty soon out of the gate. But not Google Calendar. This one operates on email addresses, allowing you and your partner in crime to add events to the same calendar - so long as you’ve opted to view each other’s information. Set reminders days, hours, or minutes ahead so you always know what’s
coming up. The user interface is ridiculously easy to maneuver and the app works on both iOS and Android systems, so it doesn’t matter whether you’re an Apple or Samsung fan, your info is accessible. The best part? It’s on you all day, every day, so there is no way for soccer practice, date night, play-dates, or anything else you do (there’s a lot!) to escape you.

Dr. Bart Benson and our team at Benson Orthodontics are pleased to offer Damon Smile to our patients. This treatment is a faster and more comfortable way to straighten teeth and can improve your smile at any age, often without tooth extractions. Damon Smile braces not only help straighten your teeth, but their use can also lead to greater confidence, a better self-image, as well as personal and professional advancement.

Traditional orthodontic treatment often requires the removal of healthy teeth and/or the use of palatal expanders to make space for braces, which usually means treatment takes longer, is more uncomfortable for the patient and can leave a narrower arch and a flat profile.  

When using Damon Smile, however, straight teeth are achieved with light, biologically-sensible forces, and are specifically designed to improve each patient’s overall facial result. The system uses unique self-ligating braces, in which a specialized clip with a “door” replaces elastics or other ties. The “door” guides the archwire and allows the teeth to move gently into the proper position. Because of the increased flexibility of the self-ligating brace, it exerts less pressure on the individual tooth; this means you won’t have to get adjustments as frequently.

Another advantage is the gentler, low-friction force means you won’t experience the long-term discomfort from intense pressure on your teeth, or the tight wires that are so common with traditional braces.

If you have been thinking about an orthodontic procedure, come see us at Benson Orthodontics for an assessment to see if Damon Smile is right for you! Give us a call today at our convenient Mt. Juliet or Lebanon, TN office!

Also known as onchophagia, the habit of nail biting is one of the so-called “nervous habits” that can be triggered by stress, excitement, or boredom. Approximately half of all kids between the ages of ten and 18 have been nail biters at one time or another. Experts say that about 30 percent of children and 15 percent of adults are nail biters, however most people stop chewing their nails by the time they turn 30.

Here are four dental and general reasons to stop biting your nails:

1. It’s unsanitary: Your nails harbor bacteria and germs, and are almost twice as dirty as fingers. What’s more, swallowing dirty nails can lead to stomach problems.

2. It wears down your teeth: Gnawing your nails can put added stress on your pearly whites, which can lead to crooked teeth.

3. It can delay your orthodontic treatment: For those of our patients wearing braces, nail biting puts additional pressure on teeth and weakens roots.

4. It can cost you, literally: It has been estimated that up to $4,000 in extra dental bills can build up over a lifetime.

Dr. Bart Benson and our team recommend the following to kick your nail biting habit:

• Keep your nails trimmed short; you’ll have less of a nail to bite.
• Coat your nails with a bitter-tasting nail polish.
• Ask us about obtaining a mouthguard, which can help prevent nail biting.
• Put a rubber band around your wrist and snap it whenever you get the urge to gnaw on your nails.
• Think about when and why you chew your nails. Whether you are nervous or just bored, understanding the triggers can help you find a solution and stop the habit.
• If you can’t stop, behavioral therapy may be an effective option to stop nail biting. Ask Dr. Bart Benson and our team for a recommendation.