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Brace yourselfBy Times staff
© St. Petersburg Times, October is National Orthodontic Health Month. Timely? Or cruel? You decide: * * * If it's sticky, chewy, hard or crunchy, it's a food anyone wearing braces should avoid. * * * Children should get an orthodontic checkup no later than age 7. * * * Future braces may feature heat-activated nickel-titanium wires developed through NASA, which gradually reposition teeth when the wires reach mouth temperature. * * * Tooth decay in children has dropped 57 percent over the last 20 years. * * * Seniors have the most tooth decay and gum disease. * * * If you can't brush, chewing sugarless gum stimulates saliva, which helps wash away decay-causing acids on teeth. * * * Peanuts and cheese may also help counter acids. * * * About 4.5-million people in the United States and Canada are receiving orthodontic treatment. -- Sources: American Association of Orthodontists, American Dental Association.
 © St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved. 
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