The Night Before Christmas for Braces Wearers

Twas the night before Christmas, and I'd been put through my paces
To cook, clean and wrap with my teeth set in braces.

The cookies so crunchy, the roast beef so chewy
But alas I must eat food that's softer and gooey.

My family munched on their crackers and chips
(Well, those only would have gone straight to my hips).

With my chompers a-hurtin from ear to ear
It's been hard to come up with that old Christmas cheer.

But I know that it all will pay off, all of this grief
When two Christmases from now, Santa brings me straight teeth!

This year, however, I'll cut him some slack
And wish for a case that good dental wax!

So goodbye crooked teeth
And spaces too tight!

Merry Christmas to all
And to all a good bite!


Happy Holidays from all of us at DentaKit.com!

DentaKit.com Black Friday / Cyber Monday Savings

It's that time of year once again! Here are some Black Friday and Cyber Monday savings from DentaKit.com. Stock up on your supplies for braces and retainers, including Retainer Brite!

This year, we are offering two ways to save:

SAVE 15% on an order of $50 or more* with Coupon Code:
Cheers2012

- OR -

SAVE 20% on an order of $100 or more* with Coupon Code:

SaveBig2012

(*Your merchandise total, before shipping, must be this amount or more.)

These coupon codes are valid NOW through Tuesday Nov. 27th. Only one coupon code of any type can be used per order. Enter the coupon code on the Shipping/Billing Page when you check out.

The more you buy, the more you save! It's a great time to stock up, and take advantage of your flexible spending benefits before the year ends!

A Couple of Extreme Soft Food Recipes for People Who Can Barely Open Their Mouths and Cannot Chew Much

Recently, both of my teenage daughters (ages 18 and 16) had all of their wisdom teeth removed. It was definitely time for the older daughter. I thought we'd be waiting a few years for the younger one -- but Mother Nature surprised us -- her teeth were almost as developed as her older sister's. And in both girls, the teeth were coming in crooked. To minimize the disruption to everyone's lives, we decided to "do it all at once."

Of course, we stocked up on ice cream, puddings, apple sauce, yogurt, and mac&cheese. I made meatballs and mashed potatoes. But as the days went on, my kids were craving something more substantial and less carby. The problem was: they could barely open their mouths to chew.  And believe it or not, they missed eating vegetables! After a few days, they were really tired of sweets, and eggs didn't appeal to them.

As the primary cook in my house for almost 30 years, I drew on my experience to concoct a few recipes for people who could barely open their mouths and could not chew much of anything. Both recipes involve a food processor or blender. The secret word of the day is: PUREE!!!

Feel free to play around with these recipes to your taste or your needs. 

Super Mushy Enchilada Pie Fortified with Spinach

• 1 lb ground turkey or ground beef
• 1 large onion
• 2 or 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 package of corn tortillas
• 2  15 ounce cans of mild Enchilada sauce (or 1 large can) - or any type of mild salsa (if salsa is chunky, puree it first)
• 2 T olive oil
• 2  to 3 cups fresh spinach (3/4 bag of baby leaves) or other leafy green of your choice
• 1 can refried beans, pinto beans, or black beans (optional)
• 1 large bag of shredded Mexican-style cheese blend, or equal parts of shredded sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese.
• Ground Coriander, Ground Cumin, Oregano, or Mexican Seasoning (optional)
• Salt (to taste)
•  1 very large frying pan
• 1 deep casserole dish (round shape if possible)
• Cooking spray
• Sour cream and guacamole on the side

Note: This recipe is purposely mild. If you desire, you can add some chili powder, Chipolte sauce, or medium Enchilada sauce to make it hotter. (Oral surgery patients should probably stick to mild food).

1. Chop the onion and garlic very finely in the food processor. Brown in olive oil, then set aside.

2. Chop the spinach leaves very finely in the food processor. Set aside.

3. If using beans, puree them very finely  in the food processor and set aside.

4. Brown the meat and drain off the fat.

5.  In the frying pan, mix the browned meat, onion/garlic mixture, and finely chopped spinach (or other leafy green). Add the beans (if using). Add half of the Enchilada sauce (about 15 ounces). Add the Coriander and Cumin, Salt, or any other Mexican spices you might want to use (such as Mexican Oregano). Cook over moderate heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Carefully pour the hot meat/spinach mixture into a blender or food processor. Chop it into a fairly fine puree.

7. Spray cooking spray onto the bottom and sides of the casserole dish. Wet one corn tortilla with water (or dip it in Enchilada sauce). Place it at the bottom of the dish. (If it doesn't fit, tear the tortilla in half and overlap it a little bit). Layer in about 3/4 cup of the meat/veggie/bean mixture. Top with a generous portion of shredded cheese.

8. Repeat the layers until you are almost to the top of the casserole dish: wet corn tortilla, meat mixture, cheese.

9. Pour some extra Enchilada sauce on the top layer and sprinkle a generous portion of shredded cheese.

10. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. Serve with sour cream and guacamole.



Low Fat Super Soft Fish Rolls with Tons of Veggies

• 1 lb very thin white fish fillets
• 1 large onion
• 2  or 3 cloves of garlic
• 4 to 6 stalks of celery
• 1 large yellow or green pepper
• 1 bag of shredded carrots
• 2 heads Baby Bok Choy or other cabbage
• 2 T Olive Oil
• Herb blend: 1T each: Basil, Oregano, Marjoram; 2 tsp Garlic Powder, 1/2 tsp Salt, White Pepper, and (optional) 1 to 2 T Penzey's "Sunny Paris" seasoning. If you don't have "Sunny Paris," then add some dried shallots if possible.
• 2 or 3 Bay Leaves (optional)
• 2 Cups Bread Crumbs
• 1 large rectangular glass or ceramic baking dish
• Cooking spray 
• 1 large frying pan

1. Chop the onion, garlic, celery, pepper, and cabbage into chunky pieces. Then put them into a food processor and chop them very finely. Add the shredded carrots and process until everything is chopped super fine.

2. Heat olive oil in frying pan. Add vegetable mixture and Bay Leaves and cook over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Mix the bread crumbs with the herbs.

4.  Spray the baking dish with cooking spray. Spread all but 1 cup of the vegetable mixture into the  baking dish, making an even layer.

5. Press a fish fillet into the breadcrumb/herb mixture (coating the fish with bread crumbs on both sides). Place about a tablespoon of the reserved cooked veggie puree onto the filet, then roll it up. Place the fish roll on top of the veggie mixture in the baking dish. Repeat with all of the fish filets.

6. Sprinkle any of the remaining breadcrumb/herb mixture over the fish rolls.

7. Cover the baking dish with foil. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

8. Serve with mashed potatoes, soft pasta with butter and cheese, or soft risotto rice.

Gluten Sensitivity Causes Frequent Canker Sores

Do you get frequent canker sores in your mouth? Have you tried changing your mouthwash and toothpaste, or taking vitamins and minerals to no avail? Well, don't give up! It turns out that frequent canker sores may be a sign of gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity.

Even if you don't get the classic digestive symptoms of Celiac Disease, and you don't think that you have a gluten problem, gluten can affect your body in many ways that you may be unaware of. It can cause skin rashes, depression, foggy-head thinking, lethargy, canker sores, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and of course the classic digestive problems which are often misdiagnosed as IBS.

If you suspect that gluten may be causing your mouth sores, the simplest thing to do is stop eating gluten for 2 to 3 weeks and see if things get better. And remember, gluten is not just wheat. Gluten includes all wheat products, barley, rye, malt, and other grains. Gluten can be hidden in sauces and marinades. Soy sauce contains wheat (but Tamari is gluten-free). Beer also contains gluten.  For the complete lowdown on gluten, visit sites like Celiac.com. When you stop eating gluten to test your sensitivity, you must stop eating it completely (no cheating), or the test will not give you a valid result.


If you suspect that you may have Celiac Disease, you doctor can order a blood test. However, the blood test is not always accurate. If you have low levels of serum IGA in your blood, the Celiac test will not return accurate results (nor will any IGA-based blood test). Some doctors may want to do a biopsy of your colon or intestines -- but that is not always accurate, either. In that case, a website called EnteroLab.com allows you to do a genetic test (collected via cheek swab), which will tell you whether you have the genetic markers for gluten sensitivity or Celiac Disease.


In recent years, the medical community has begun to realize that gluten causes more problems for people than anyone had previously suspected. Fortunately, there are more readily available gluten-free packaged foods than ever before. If your regular supermarket doesn't carry a good selection, go to your local health food store, or health-oriented supermarket such as Whole Foods. Trader Joe's carries a number of gluten-free selections, and even offers a list of their gluten-free products.

Site Re-Design is Finished!

We are happy to announce that our new website re-design is finished! If you haven't been over to DentaKit.com in a while, take a look! The products are easier to search and find. Each product page has more information than ever in tabs beneath the photo -- everything from usage instructions to ingredients. We've included more product photos and the ability to zoom in more conveniently on the products. In the months to come, we hope to tweak these improvements even more.

Our website now also includes social sharing with Facebook, Twitter, and many other social websites. You can "like" products or easily send product recommendations to your Facebook friends.

We hope that these improvements and enhancements will make your shopping experience with us easier and more pleasant.