family

THE CDC REPORTS THAT 1 in 5 children (between ages 5 and 11) in the US have untreated tooth decay. Not only should tooth decay be treated in regular dental appointments, it should be prevented! Tooth decay is 100 percent preventable with effective personal care and regular dental cleanings.

YOU Can Help Little Ones Have Healthier Smiles!

1. Encourage them to brush for two full minutes: Pick a song about two minutes long and sing it to them during brushing time.
2. Set reminders to brush twice a day: Brushing after breakfast and just before bed are the best times for preventing bacteria growth from food.
3. Show them flossing is fun, not harmful: Be gentle at first when doing it for them. A bad experience can stop them from flossing on their own.
4. Be persistent: Don’t let fussy children off the hook. Be motivating! Kids may gladly brush for a sticker or star if you make it an activity.
5. Set their first dental appointment before age 1: Having positive dental experiences early will make dental visits easier and less frightening when older.

We Love Helping Young Smiles

At Gorczyca Orthodontics, we see young patients as early as age 4. Functional shifts in bites may cause asymmetric growth patterns and need to be treated early.

Our initial orthodontic exams are complimentary at no charge. If parents are in need of a pediatric dentist for their child or a family dentist for the whole family, we are happy to refer you to an excellent dentist in our East County dental community.

The American Association of Orthodontists and all orthodontists recommend that every child have an orthodontic examination with an orthodontist by age 7. To find an orthodontist near you, visit www.mylifemysmile.org.

Find us Gorczyca Orthodontics, 5201 Deer Valley Road, Suite 1A, Antioch, California (925) 757-9000. www.clubbraces.com

Here's to your child's happy life and health smile.

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

THANKSGIVING RECALLS history and family memories.

My Family's Thanksgiving Heritage

My grandmother came to the U.S. with a third grade education. At sixteen, she sensed imminent war in Poland, a starving nation. When an American came to her village in the early 1900's and offered $3 a week for Wamsutta Mill workers in New Bedford, Massachusetts, she thought, "this is a pretty good deal."

The Wamsutta Mills

On the voyage to Ellis Island she met my grandfather. He became a loom fixer and together they bought a few tenement houses and started a farm. Intrigued by the November holiday which made everyone eat turkey, they decided to raise these birds on the farm. Coming from a religious nation, they named Thanksgiving "Holy Turkey Day."

In the 1950's, my Dad returned to New Bedford, Massachusetts from bootcamp in Pittsburg, California. He sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge on this way home from the Korean War. He went back to college on the GI Bill. He first saw my mother, a third grade teacher, playing piano in a dance band. He thought she looked cute and decided to visit her on the farm to buy one of her turkeys and ask her out on a date. They got married and had two daughters who grew up living on that old turkey farm.

In 1999, after I opened my new orthodontic office in Antioch, California, I decided to take my first real vacation. Eager to find my grandmother's village, I traveled to Poland and drove to an address where only factories now stand. That night, I returned to my Krakow hotel later and rejoined the Harvard Alumni tour with whom I was travelling. There, I ate dinner and shared my day with an older businessman. I described California and my life as an orthodontist. Curiously, I asked him "And what do you do?." He replied "My family owned the Wamsutta Mills in New Bedford Massachusetts."

Wishing you special memories for a Happy and Healthy "Holy Turkey Day."

Dr. Ann Marie Gorczyca

Antioch, CA