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It’s normal to be a little self-conscious when you first get your braces. Even though you really want to straighten any crooked teeth, or correct a bad bite, you might still be a bit hesitant about sharing your new orthodontic work with the world. What are some ways to get over those under-confident feelings?

• Keep It Clean

Make sure you brush after every meal to reduce the chance of food particles and plaque sticking to your enamel and brackets. Brushing and flossing is particularly important now, not only to prevent cavities, but because nobody wants to see food stuck in your braces—especially you! If you absolutely can’t brush, rinse with water right after eating.

And carry a small bag filled with all the essentials for gleaming braces: a travel toothbrush, floss, a small tube of toothpaste, an interproximal brush, and a handy mirror to make sure you’re good to go. When you know your teeth and braces are their cleanest, you can’t help but feel more confident.

• Express Yourself

Braces are no longer the one-style-fits-all appliances of the past. Traditional metal braces at our Fresno, CA office are more compact, and now come in different colors and shapes. Metal brackets are typical, but ceramic brackets are an option for an almost unnoticeable look. And don’t forget to accessorize!

You can choose from a rainbow of band colors to make a fashion statement that’s uniquely you. Show your spirit with school colors, celebrate the holidays with festive tones, or choose shades that do wonders for your coloring. Whether you go for bold contrast, mono-chromatic subtlety, or “just because I’m in the mood” quirky combinations, let your braces showcase your style. And remember—you can change that style with every adjustment!

• Smile with Confidence

Nothing looks better on you than a confident smile. If you’re a little unsure, practice! Some mirror or selfie time will get you used to seeing yourself in braces. Break them in with friends and family before you go public. Remember that any difficulties with talking or eating should only last a little while.

Above all, you’re still your unique and valued self. You can wear braces and be a good friend, a student, an athlete, a lovestruck Juliet on the theater balcony, a star at your after-school job. Don’t let wearing braces hold you back from the activities you love.  Act like your old self, and you’ll soon feel like your old self!

It’s normal to feel a little self-conscious when you first get your braces. But when you care for yourself and your braces, good things happen! If you’re having difficulty adjusting, talk to Dr. Robert Kubo and Dr. James Kubo. We want to help make sure your journey to a beautiful, healthy smile is as rewarding and as positive as it can be.

Dear Kubo Orthodontic Group Patients,

We are beyond ready to get back to work and see everyone that we have missed so much!  We hope that everyone is healthy, happy, and ready to start a return to a semblance of our regular routines.  The COVID-19 pandemic has changed life as we know it and now we want to update you on our office, it’s measured re-opening, and the steps we are taking to ensure we do everything possible to keep our patients and our team healthy.

While the office has been closed Dr. Bob and Dr. Jim have been busy keeping up to date on information though webinars and Zoom meetings to implement best practices for resuming patient care.  We will be following rigorous scheduling protocols and office measures to ensure the safety and well being of you, our patients, and the team members at Kubo Orthodontic Group.

We ask for your patience and understanding.  We had to cancel hundreds of appointments, and we know there is a strong desire to get your treatment back on track as soon as possible.  We promise we will eventually, but it will not be as efficient as you are accustomed to in our office.  This will benefit everyone.  We will have to be very firm in our processes and procedures.  They have been very well thought out and reviewed by the Dr’s and our entire team.

Our planned reopening is May 26. We will begin rescheduling patients on a first canceled first rescheduled basis, which is fair, efficient, and will serve everyone with getting back on track.  Our office procedures have temporarily changed and will include the following:

APPOINTMENTS

All observation and regular retainer check appointments will be paused until the fall.  We will be exploring the use of virtual visits until we are back to our normal routine.

There will be a limit to 30-40 patient appointments per day, roughly half of our regular appointment load.  The points outlined below will lend clarity to our decision.

Please wait for our office to call you to reschedule your appointments.  We have a very accurate and comprehensive list of our cancelled appointments that will guide us in planning our schedule.

Emergencies will continue only to be defined by pain or bleeding.  For now, broken brackets do not constitute an emergency.

VISITS

When you arrive at your appointment, please stay in your car.  The front door will remain locked.  Please call the office at 438-7600 or text our office cell 281-4682 upon your arrival, then you will be directed to come to the front door for your visit.

Only the patient that is being treated will be allowed to enter the office.  The only exception for this will be for very young patients and only one parent/caregiver may accompany the patient.  Absolutely no other family members or friends will be allowed inside.

Please bring your own mask and wear it to the appointment.  Federal guidelines for social distancing and wearing masks in businesses continue, so please bring the mask you have been using.  If you do not have your own, we will provide one, however personal protective equipment supplies are dangerously low.  If we run out, we will have to close the office again until the supply chain allows us to practice safely.

Your temperature will be taken by staff using a touch less thermometer.  If your temperature is over 100 degrees F, you will be asked to leave and not return for the specified 14 day self-quarantine requirement.

A simple questionnaire assessing your contacts, travel, and well being will be asked not all patients as well.  Any question indicating recent exposure to someone with COVID-19 or having any signs and symptoms of the same will be asked to leave, and not return for the specified 14 day self-quarantine requirement.

Please maintain the 6-foot social distancing guidelines when in the office until seated in the treatment chair.

We will require every patient to use hand sanitizer before being seated.  The tooth-brushing station will be closed, so please brush and rinse thoroughly before you come to the office.

The patient restroom will be closed, so please make sure you prepare for that before arrival.

Patients will rinse with a 1.5% percent hydrogen peroxide mouth rinse at a cup at the chair.  Rinse 30 seconds and then spit back into the cup where an assistant will suction it.

Patients will be seated at least every-other-chair in the office to maintain proper social distancing.  This is one of the reasons for having less patients scheduled per day.

We ask for your understanding while we try to address all of your treatment needs during your visit.  We will have strict scheduling timed so we may not be able to complete everything at your visit, but we will do our best.

If parents have any questions or concerns after the appointment please call and leave a message and one of the Dr.’s will get in touch with you as quickly as possible.

SOCIAL

WE LOVE OUR PATIENTS AND HAVE MISSED YOU!  You all know we love to chat at your appointment.  Please understand that conversations may be significantly reduced to allow for social distancing, running on time, disinfection of treatment chairs and instruments.

We will not be providing our coffee and water during this time of returning to normalcy in the office.

TEAM

We will take the temperatures of every team member, including Dr. Bob and Dr. Jim,  immediately upon arrival at work, and after lunch.  Any team member at 100 degrees F or above will go home.

Every team member will answer the health questionnaire that our patients are required to answer, and will do so every day.  If any questions disqualify the team member, they will be sent home following the same procedures we are asking our patients to follow.

GENERAL

You will find upon arrival that our furniture has been rearranged. Plexiglass barriers will be in place at the front desks, financial office, and consultation room to provide an extra level of safety for all.  Our goal is to ensure the health and well being of our patients and our team.

We are very grateful for every one of our patients, and this time away has only served to make us even more thankful for each of you.  You are the life force of our practice, and this is why we have waited for we take your safety VERY seriously.  We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding.  Expect that your treatment progress has been delayed, as has your estimated completion time.  We wish that was not the case, but this is a consequence of something that no one could foresee or control.  Please forgive us as we are focusing on getting each of you back on track while not exposing our team members or patients to unnecessary risks.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call or office or call/text Dr. Bob or Dr. Jim directly.  We love all of you and let’s all stay healthy and start smiling again!

Warmly,

Dr. Bob, Dr. Jim, Jami, Kathy, Julie, Kathryn, Sally, Patty, Lilly, Alexis, and Debra

Now that you have braces, it is more important than ever to maintain good oral hygiene during your treatment, says Dr. Robert Kubo and Dr. James Kubo. While we trust you will continue brushing and flossing on a regular basis throughout your treatment at Kubo Orthodontic Group, you also have to mindful of what you eat. Our team will tell you that while all those sweet, sour and sticky candies may taste great, these treats can actually damage your teeth and braces!

Sour candies, which many people like to snack on,  can be acidic to your teeth, and actually wear down the enamel that protects them, resulting in tooth decay and cavities. If you do indulge in eating these candies at some point during your treatment, be sure to wash your mouth out with water, drink milk or eat a few slices of cheese. These foods will help neutralize the acid in your mouth.

Besides cavities and tooth decay, many people do not realize that good oral health and hygiene are important to your overall health too—researchers have discovered the connection between periodontal disease and other major health concerns, such as heart disease. Therefore, it is important to maintain a good oral hygiene routine just as you did before your braces. This includes visiting your dentist here in Fresno, CA every six months, brushing and flossing daily and using an antibacterial mouthwash, as well as visiting Dr. Robert Kubo and Dr. James Kubo for your regular adjustment appointments.

For more questions about foods you should avoid while wearing braces, or if you have any general questions about your treatment, we encourage you to give us a call, ask us at your next adjustment appointment or ask us on Facebook!

Whether it’s a dull and throbbing ache or a sharp pain, toothaches can come in many different forms. Chances are you’ve had the discomforting experience once or twice in your life. It’s the type of experience that nobody wants to have, because a toothache can be as annoying as fingernails scratching a chalkboard.

What’s a good way to describe a toothache? Let’s see … your mouth feels as if it’s being besieged by one of those Loony Tunes-style jackhammers. As fate would have it, toothaches always seem to occur over the weekend, when our office is closed and your favorite dentist has Gone Fishing, leaving you to suffer until Monday and forcing you to cancel your reservation at that high-end restaurant you’ve been anticipating all week.

Not so fast!

While you’re probably going to want to skip the rib-eye steak, there are numerous tried-and-true home remedies you can use to ease the pain until you can make an appointment with our office. Here’s a look at four ways to soothe a toothache.

• 1. Don’t underestimate the power of salt water. Rinsing your mouth with warm salt water will both soothe your toothache and disinfect your mouth. However, make sure the water is warm; cold water can further exacerbate a sensitive tooth. Follow up the saltwater rinse by swishing your mouth with hydrogen peroxide.
• 2. Clove oil, eucalyptus oil, peppermint oil, and vanilla extract are proven to be comforting elixirs. Dip a cotton swab in one of these mixtures and apply it to your tooth and gums. These substances, which you may even have in your kitchen cupboards, are known to have pain-relieving qualities. For the best results, repeat the application throughout the day.
• 3. Eating yogurt is good for toothaches and mouth pain. Yogurt is filled with healthy bacteria that combat pain. Afterward, place a cold compress on your jaw.
• 4. Try flossing. Your toothache might be throbbing and severe, but there’s always a chance the pain is caused by a piece of food awkwardly lodged in your teeth.

In the event of a persistent toothache, Dr. Robert Kubo and Dr. James Kubo should be contacted no matter the time of day or night. We’re here to help you return to a happy, pain-free life!