A day to thank and honor America’s veterans

Have you thanked a veteran lately? November 11 is Veterans Day - the perfect holiday for thanking and honoring those who have serve and have served our country at home and abroad. In celebration of Veterans Day, Drs. Terry and Bill Dischinger and our team would like to share a few fun facts about our flag, this national holiday, and our country’s history!

• There are 23.2 million veterans in the U.S.
• The flag was first approved by Congress on June 14, 1777
• Each of the flag’s colors signify different American values- red is for valor and zeal, white is for hope, purity, and cleanliness of life, and blue is for heaven, loyalty, sincerity, justice, and truth
• Research by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) helped develop the CAT Scan, the cardiac pacemaker, and the “Seattle Foot” to give those hurt the ability to run and jump
• Veterans Day, a day that was originally called Armistice Day, is a time to thank and honor the men and women who have served in our military.
• When the flag is displayed next to another flag against a wall, the U.S. flag should be on its own right (on the left side when facing the wall).
• There are five states with over 1 million veterans in their population – California, Florida, Texas, New York, and Pennsylvania
• The VA healthcare system now has 171 medical centers, 126 nursing home care units, and 35 live-in care facilities
• President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the official legislation for Veterans Day on June 1, 1954, changing the name of the holiday from Armistice Day to Veterans Day
• Take a Veteran to School Day is a program that was developed by HISTORY in 2007 to connect students and veterans.
• Veterans Day is often confused with Memorial Day. Memorial Day is a time for remembering and honoring the men and women who died while serving our country, or as a result of injuries that incurred in battle. Veterans Day honors and gives thanks to all veterans who served and currently serve our country.

October is National Orthodontic Health Month

Can you believe October is already upon us? October happens to be National Orthodontic Health Month, and this month-long event is organized by our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO.

Many treats can cause havoc for trick-or-treaters who are going through orthodontic treatment, and these treats may cause damage that could prolong your treatment time. The AAO recommends patients avoid the following Halloween treats, or recipes with these ingredients:

• Caramel
• Nuts
• Popcorn (including un-popped kernels)
• Taffy
• Jelly beans
• Hard pretzels
• Licorice
• Bubblegum
• Taco chips
• Ice

If you happen to damage your braces, please give Drs. Bill and Terry Dischinger and our staff a call immediately. Typically, small problems can be solved over the phone. Loose brackets or wires can usually be made more comfortable by applying some wax until the you can come into our office.

What do you love about The Dischinger Team?

From your very first visit to The Dischinger Team serving Lake Oswego, OR and surrounding areas, our doctors and team strive to provide superior treatment in a pleasant, friendly atmosphere. We thought we’d ask you, our wonderful patients: Have you been especially impressed by Dr. Terry or Bill Dischinger's work? Did our team go out of their way to make your day? Are you in love with your new smile?

Whether you've visited The Dischinger Team for a week, months or years, Drs. Bill and Terry would love to hear your feedback about the way we run our office. There are lots of ways you can share your experience with our practice, but we encourage you to head to our Google Places page and write a review there.

Thank you,

-The Dischinger Team

Eating healthy this summer with The Dischinger Team

This summer, as you and the family head to out to the ball game—whether it’s at a Major League park or the local tee ball game, The Dischinger Team wants to remind you to stay healthy. It is important it is to make smart, healthy choices when it comes to snacks and drinks. Here are some tips you can use to avoid greasy, ballpark foods:

1. Eat before you go!

2. What are you drinking? Water is always a cheap, refreshing option. Gatorade, Powerade and VitaminWater work as well, though keep in mind their sugar levels. Remember to stay hydrated in the hot weather!

3. Bring your own snacks. Remember that these must be in unopened packages when you enter the gates.

4. Before the game, get some exercise. You’ll be sitting for two- to three hours at the game, so be sure to take a walk or a light run before you head out.

5. Calories, calories, calories. From hot dogs to fries to pizza, the ballpark stands typically sell high-caloric foods. But most venues will also offer healthier options, such as crab cakes, chicken sandwiches, turkey wraps or soups and salads.

Enjoy the game! We look forward to seeing everyone at our BBQ this week!

-The Dischinger Team

Question # 7

7. How many venues are there in South Africa for the 2010 World Cup?

Question # 5

5. What country is the defending World Cup Champion?

Tell Dischinger Orthodontics: What should we blog about this summer?

As the summer rapidly approaches, our team at Dischinger Team Orthodontics strive to continue writing about important topics related to orthodontics and your treatment at our office.

To help us continue doing that through the course of the summer, however, we'd like your help: We thought we’d step back a bit today and ask you, our patients and readers: what’s on your mind? What would you like to know about the always-changing and exciting field of orthodontics? What would you like us to focus on our blog in the coming months? Perhaps there’s something you’ve wanted to ask Drs. Bill or Terry Dischinger for a while and just haven't had the chance? Let us know by posting here or on our Facebook fan page!

We hope you have a great weekend!

Dischinger Orthodontics, wishing you a safe, relaxing and memorable Memorial Day weekend

Make no mistake about it: Memorial Day is a time to honor our fallen heroes as well as to celebrate the unofficial start of summer. Whether you're headed to a family barbecue, a camping trip, hitting Oregon's open roads or just hanging out in your backyard this weekend, our team at Dischinger Orthodontics would like to hear all about it!

We wish you a happy, safe, enjoyable and relaxing Memorial Day weekend!