by Erin Kirwan, Savvy Media PR for Schatz Orthodontics

One of my family’s favorite Christmas traditions over the years has become the opening of our stockings. Proof : When our twin sons were thirteen one of the boys told us he preferred stocking gifts over the presents under the tree! And, at around the same time (teens and all) the boys were either in braces or about to be out of them. So that Christmas, nothing made more sense than to surprise the kids with a stocking stuffer sure-to-be-approved (and appreciated) by their orthodontist and dentist! Much to my surprise I found that there were many unique and fun small gift options for kids, teens, and even adults that encourage good oral health!

In our home, we all participate in stuffing one another’s stockings. Santa sometimes throws in a few extra things for good measure. But mom, dad, siblings, and even grandparents contribute to one-another’s stockings filling them with small, usually-inexpensive gifts. We reserve our stocking gift exchange for later in the morning, after the kids have opened gifts from Santa and we’ve enjoyed our traditional Christmas-morning Sausage and Egg Casserole. Coffees and hot cocoas still in hand, we take down each of our stockings and gather around the tree. One by one, we go around the room taking turns to open a single stocking gift. And here’s an important part of the exchange. We wrap our stocking gifts! This gives the holiday photographer in the group an opportunity for great candid shots. I mean, nothing says Christmas morning like a child reaching into his or her stocking. More importantly, taking turns to unwrap our stocking gifts fosters anticipation and excitement. Yes, opening stocking gifts in our family is more about the experience than the actual present itself.

• It is an event.
• A moment.

But that’s not to say the gifts aren’t important. They are. Over the years, our stocking stuffers have been fun, meaningful, comical, and, purposeful.

Take underwear and socks, for example. Packing the kids’ stockings with these delicates has become a tradition in itself in our home. Not to mention it fills all the nooks, crannies, and toes of the stockings!

Along the lines of underwear-makes-a-great-stocking-stuffer-tradition, we also like to fill stockings with other more practical gifts. At least one such gift almost always involves self care.

It should come as no surprise that teenagers, especially like to look and feel good. And perhaps nothing says I practice self-care better than tooth-brushing, flossing, and other mouth-healthy habits.

To help my fellow stocking stuffer’s out, I decided to ask Dr. Eric Schatz, of Schatz Orthodontics, what he recommends or has even gifted himself. As a dad of five, you can bet the Schatz kids have received a toothbrush or two in their stockings over the years.

So here are Dr. Schatz’s 2019 Top Choices for Stocking Stuffers that inspire good oral health and promise to make you smile:

• ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSH CHARGING CASE It’s no secret that Dr. Schatz is a fan of the Sonicare Electric Toothbrush and several other mechanical toothbrushes. Many of Sonicare’s popular brushes now have a charging travel case!

• GLASS/STAINLESS STEEL STRAWS Not only do glass or stainless steel straws help to protect our earth from plastic pollution, they can help protect teeth too! Simply Straws come in bright fun colors and sizes! Fun fact: Its founder was a Dental Hygienist of 31 years!
• SUGER-FREE GUM is a classic stocking stuffer!
• SMART TOOTHBRUSH APP! Having trouble brushing for as long as you should? Missing those molars? There’s an app for that! Oral B and Disney both recently launched oral care apps! There are mixed reviews on the user-experience associated with some of the apps but we still think it’s a cool idea!
• INVISALIGN Can you imagine the sheer surprise of opening a Christmas stocking to find a homemade gift card that reads: Mom (or Dad) deserves a healthy smile too! Enjoy Invisalign! Today, Orthodontic treatment with the clear aligners is trending among teens, young adults, and adults, and, for good reason. Dr. Schatz is seeing outstanding results with Invisalign among his patients. While there are many choices today surrounding clear aligners, Dr. Schatz likes to remind his patients that seeing an Orthodontist in connection with any Orthodontic treatment is key to the treatment’s success.

Other unique and mouth-healthy gifts might include a water flosser, toothbrush sanitizer, flavored floss, a teeth brushing timer, books about braces, and a gift card for teeth-whitening (perfect for the post-braces patient).

And while it’s fun to write or talk about finding the perfect present or most unique stocking stuffer, what is perhaps most important during this upcoming holiday is to come to realize that the most beautiful gifts are those that don’t come boxed or can’t be wrapped.

• Peace.
• Joy.
• Family.
• Friends.
• And health.

From all of us at Schatz Orthodontics, may these most wonderful gifts of all be yours.