How to Make Dental Hygiene for Kids Fun and Enjoyable

At Mint Kids Dentistry by Dr. Soo Jun, we know how important dental hygiene is for kids.

Do you find it hard to encourage your kids to brush his/her teeth before school? Young kids do not understand the importance of dental hygiene or overall dental health. For parents, dental hygiene for kids should not concentrate on the nuts and bolts of dental care. Your child may be too young to understand how plaque forms. Instead, create a fun and enjoyable experience of mouth care in the family.

Buy a special brush and toothpaste

One way to ignite your child’s interest is to buy a colourful, fun toothbrush. Replace an old toothbrush with new, fun brush with colourful, soft bristles or one that is adorned with your child’s favourite cartoon character.

Aside from the toothbrush, you can also buy a special toothpaste to go along with it. Your toddler may not be running to the bathroom to use your hot, minty toothpaste. But he can feel excitement cleaning his teeth using a watermelon or gum-flavored toothpaste packaged in his favourite cartoon character.

Do it together

Another way to make mouth care fun for kids is to do it together. Make your child interested by brushing and flossing together. Kids love to copy what their parents do. Guide your son or daughter with the proper way of brushing, including tongue brushing. After you brush, floss your child’s teeth or help them if they’re old enough to do it by themselves. Make routine brushing exciting and fun by singing a fun song or a rhyme about keeping the teeth clean.

Keep track of time

The American Dental Association recommends brushing for only two minutes, two times a day. To make sure your child brushes only for that time period, use a two-minute sand time. Simply flip it over and start brushing. 

Another way is to use mobile apps like the Disney Magic Timer that is available in App Store for free. This app features 23 characters from Marvel, Star Wars and Disney. By using this app, it will bring more fun to daily brushing routine, encouraging kids to brush longer.

Play a fun video

Look for some fun video on dental hygiene for kids. Videos and stories designed for kids are effective teaching materials for kids on how to take good care of their teeth and of making mouth care something they can relate to.

Create a reward system

Make flossing and brushing more enjoyable by making your own gold star reward system. You and your son or daughter can make a poster and decorate it with toothbrushes, teeth, oral health themes and healthy snacks to represent the days of the month. Then, every time they brush their teeth, give your child a gold star sticker to put on the poster.

Pediatric dental visits

Regular check-up is a very important aspect in keeping good dental hygiene for kids. Visit your child’s pediatric dentist every six months to help maintain your child’s sparkling smile. Make every dentist appointment fun by heading to the park for a picnic after the visit.

Pediatric Dentistry: Is Chewing Gum Good or Bad?

The sweetness and chewy texture of bubble gum can be irresistible for many kids. Aside from the sweet taste, blowing bubble adds to the fun element of it and that is what children love to do! However, parent must be concerned not only to the type of gum their kids chew, but also how often they do it.

Is Chewing Gum Good or Bad?

Bubble gum is usually made from gum base, artificial sweeteners, flavorings, colorings and softeners. It is only meant to be chewed and not swallowed. Gums cannot be digested by our bodies but that does not mean that it will stick to your intestine and block the food you eat and make you sick. Ever heard that story too?

Swallowing bubble gum won’t make you sick. It will just come through your body’s elimination system. But it’s best to spit it out when the flavour has gone or when you are through with it.

But when it comes to your child’s teeth, chewing gum has both positive and negative effects. Sweetened gums, like most bubble-producing products you see in the grocery, can cause dental caries by reacting with the bacteria that produce enamel-eroding acids. Gums sweetened with sugar can cause damage because it can get pressed against your kid’s teeth for long periods of time than candy.

Yet, chewing is good for your teeth. It promotes production of saliva that can help neutralize the acid causing tooth decay, while washing away food particle that got stuck around your gums and teeth. Acid can break down tooth enamel that creates the conditions for decay. Increase in saliva flow bring more phosphate and calcium to help strength your child’s teeth. Clinical studies have revealed that chewing sugarless gum following meals can help prevent tooth decay.

But these benefits cannot outweigh the disadvantages of chewing sugary gums. When they are chewing sugar-filled gums, they’re doing more harm to their teeth than good. If they keep chewing after it has lost its taste, it may be beneficial but it’s unlikely for kids to keep chewing flavorless gum when there’s fresh ones nearby.

Consider Sugar-free Gum

One option is sugar-free gum. Without the sugar, the bacteria in your child’s mouth will not produce enamel-eroding acid and the increase in saliva flow can help prevent cavities. Bad breath and dry mouth are often due to reduced saliva flow. Chewing sugar-free gum can help reduce the symptoms of bad breath and dry mouth.

There will be occasions when your child sneak for sugar-filled gums instead of xylitol gums. When this happens, explain to your child the danger of chewing sweetened gums and offer to exchange them for xylitol-sweetened gum. Another way to reduce the effects of chewing gum is by encouraging them to brush their teeth.

Mint Kids Dentistry’s top priority is bringing children and adolescents on the right path to dental health and proper oral hygiene. Dr. Soo Jun believes that early education will prepare kids to a lifetime of optimal dental health. Hence, she educates the importance of routine dental checkups and proper oral care.

Schedule an appointment as http://www.mintkidsdentistry.com/.

How Can I Help My Child Overcome Fear of the Dentist

For adults, dental visit is a routine part of life, however, for kids, especially those who have never been, visiting a dentist seems scary and frightening. So what can you do as parents to help overcome their fears? Below are some tips that can help how to provide comfort to your child and make the visit a pleasant experience.

Talk to Your Child

It is important to discuss your child’s fear and anxiety not only to help him feel better but to understand the root cause of their fear. Maybe a friend shared a frightening experience or the child may have watched something distressing about dentists on television.

When talking about his fear, set a time when it is quiet and you are not distracted so you can concentrate. Let your child know that you recognize his fear and understand it. Share that you have also experienced such fear in that situation too. In this way, you are able to build trust with your child and so he will open up to you. Having a clear understanding of the issue, you’ll be able to deal with the underlying issues.

Talk to the Pediatric Dentist

It will be better if you talk about your child’s fear to his pediatric dentist before the appointment. Most dentists are able to cater to nervous patients by giving some toys or giving extra time beforehand to chat with your little one. Sometimes, it only takes a little preparation to make your child’s visit to the dentist more enjoyable.

Involve Other Family Members

The presence of a sibling or a parent can help comfort your child. As such, it’s better to schedule a dental appointment together with your child to show him that he is not alone. Kids usually like to imitate their older siblings and like to do things with them so allowing your child to watch his sister or brother on the dentist’s chair can provide him the confidence boost that he needs. So when it is his turn to sit in the chair, his sibling can cheer him up.

Be a Role Model

There are many ways to be a good role model for your child. One, you can take your child with you when you go for routine cleaning. Allow him to watch the entire process and explain to your child about the work of a dentist. Show to him that you are relaxed by smiling while you are getting examined. Show to your child that a trip to the dentist is painless. Another way to be a good role model is to practice proper oral hygiene and let your little one see you brushing and flossing every day while helping him engage in his own habits by cleaning his teeth daily.

Your child may not be comfortable to visit his dentist at first, but hopefully with these suggestion, you can ease his anxiety.

Mint Kids Dentistry’s top priority is bringing children and adolescents on the right path to dental health and proper oral hygiene. Dr. Soo Jun believes that early education will prepare kids to a lifetime of optimal dental health. Hence, she educates the importance of routine dental checkups and proper oral care.

Schedule an appointment as http://www.mintkidsdentistry.com/.

What Are the Things I Should Learn About Early Childhood Caries?

Kids who are frequently eating sugary food and beverages such as fruit juice, softdrinks and milk for extended periods of time run the risk of suffering from Early Childhood Caries (ECC). This is an infectious disease that can start even as early as the teeth begin to surface (around 6 months), usually progresses quickly, causing discomfort to the child.

The American Dental Association defines as the ‘presence of one or more decayed (non-cavitated or cavitated lesions), missing (due to caries) or filled tooth surfaces in any primary tooth in a preschool-age child between birth and 71 months of age.'

There are many factors by caries develop but this condition is primarily initiated by bacteria, mainly Streptococcus mutans. When food enters the mouth, the bacteria break down the carbohydrates and it produces acids which causes mineral loss from the teeth.

ECC calls for extensive dental repair, often under general anesthesia for children aged 22 months. If left untreated, it can further destroy the child’s teeth and can have a lasting effect on the child’s general health.

The effect of ECC is more infection and pain; it can affect communication and speech, dietary nutrition and eating, learning, sleeping, playing and the overall quality of life, even reaching adulthood. Many children suffering from ECC require expensive, restorative treatment.

How to Prevent Children from Getting Early Childhood Caries

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) suggests the following steps for parent to prevent ECC.

For infants:

1. Visit a pediatric dentist before the child’s first birthday.
2. Clean infant’s gums using a clean, wet gauze pad or a soft cloth after feeding.
3. Starting brushing infant’s teeth as soon the first tooth emerges two times a day using a fluoridated toothpaste and soft brittle toothbrush that is fitted to his/her age. Parents must only use a ‘smear’ of toothpaste when brushing the teeth of a child less than 2 years.
4. Do not breast feed for extended periods.
5. Infant must not be put to sleep with a bottle of fruit juice, sugar water or milk.
6. If the child falls asleep, the teeth should be cleaned before putting him/her on bed.

For Toddlers and Young Children:

1. Encourage your child to drink using a cup even after the first birthday. You may use a training cup (sippy cup) however, it should only be used as a transitional tool to help kids adjust from drinking a bottle to a cup.
2. When using sippy cups, only put water – except during mealtime. Filling the training cup with sugary beverage and letting a child drink from it throughout the day will encourage growth of cavity-causing bacteria.
3. Parents must use a ‘pea-size’ amount of toothpaste and assist their child in toothbrushing.
4. Supervise child while brushing and teach him/her how to spit out the toothpaste.
5. Guide your child in developing healthy eating habits early and offer sensible nutritious snacks.

Mint Kids Dentistry’s top priority is bringing children and adolescents on the right path to dental health and proper oral hygiene. Dr. Soo Jun believes that early education will prepare kids to a lifetime of optimal dental health. Hence, she educates the importance of routine dental checkups and proper oral care.

Schedule an appointment as http://www.mintkidsdentistry.com/.

How to Brush My Child’s Teeth?

While they do eventually fall out, it is still very important to take good care of your child’s milk teeth. Milk teeth helps them chew and bite food, and speak clearly. Underneath their teeth, roots of adult teeth are growing in place.

According to research, children who develop dental cavities in their milk teeth are more susceptible to develop cavities as an adult, so don’t take pediatric dental check-ups for granted. Even though they are still young, their teeth are still prone to the same damage and conditions that permanent teeth face. If he/she is at high risk for tooth cavities or decay, it is time to reduce consumption of starchy and sugary snacks and beverages.

Tips on How to Brush Your Child’s Teeth

Teaching your child on how to properly brush their teeth can instill a lasting habit that will promote a healthy mouth. Read below on how to get started with this routine.

Pick the right toothbrush

Take your child on a toothbrush shopping. Be sure to get a soft-bristled tooth. Kid’s toothbrush often come in different character themes and color – allow children to pick their toothbrush. There are also rotating, battery-operated toothbrush, which may come in handy for feisty toddlers.

Set the stage

It is advised to brush your teeth twice a day. Timing is also another crucial factor. When getting started, choose a time when your little one welcomes the idea of brushing like after breakfast and before bedtime. Of course, before naptime is a must, however, do not wait until he is tired or sleepy. Develop a ritual, like letting him/her go to the bathroom and turn the faucet. In this way, your child looks forward to the tooth brushing process and you are likely to be dealing with a cooperative toddler.

Start brushing

Prepare the toothbrush with toothpaste only a pea-sized amount. Next, determine his/her most comfortable position. You can use a step stool or a stand or your child can sit on your lap.

Begin by brushing the inside of the teeth first. Focus on brushing the gum line by moving the brush at a 45 degree angle. Move the toothbrush back and forth. Do the same on the outside of the teeth. Aim the gum line and do the same routine again.

Don’t forget to brush the top portion too. If your child gets cranky, take breaks but don’t forget to rinse their teeth and tell them not to swallow the toothpaste. Lastly, teach them how to properly rinse and spit using proper technique.

Make the experience fun

Turn toothbrushing into a game or sing a song to go along with it. This will help your child practice brushing and get the hang of it. You can also look for videos of their favourite cartoon character brushing teeth. In this way, you can make the experience fun and memorable, helping your toddler to enjoy tooth brushing and taking care of their dental health.

Mint Kids Dentistry’s top priority is bringing children and adolescents on the right path to dental health and proper oral hygiene. Dr. Soo Jun believes that early education will prepare kids to a lifetime of optimal dental health. Hence, she educates the importance of routine dental checkups and proper oral care.

Schedule an appointment as http://www.mintkidsdentistry.com/.

What are the Do’s and Don’ts When Using a Pacifier?

Sucking is a normal part of babies’ development. It is a natural reflex that they develop even before they are born. In fact, sucking provides them the comfort even after a child stops drinking milk from breast or bottle. Many children find pleasure by sucking their fingers or pacifier. On one hand, parent wonder if this habit can lead to problems on their child’s mouth or teeth.

Are Pacifiers Bad for Your Child’s Dental Health?

During a child’s first years, your child’s sucking habits probably won’t harm his/her mouth. However, frequent and long-term sucking can lead to problems, especially true if it continues after the milk teeth begins to fall out.

Some of the problems include:

• Top front teeth slanting out
• Bottom front teeth tilting in
• Misalignment of upper and lower jaws
• Roof of the mouth may become narrow side to side

Do’s and Don’ts of Using Pacifier

Below are some tips on how to use pacifier (1).

• Do purchase products that are made in one piece. It should not be composed of parts that may break off and might be swallowed.
• Do not try to calm a crying baby by dipping the pacifier in sugar water or any sweets. This will only increase the risk of developing tooth decay.
• Do not tie a pacifier on a necklace or string around the neck of your child. He could accidentally be strangled.
• Do encourage older children to give up using pacifier.
• Don’t use pacifier when the infant is falling asleep. He might be too dependent on the pacifier and may not learn how to sleep on their own.
• Do choose a pacifier with ventilation holes as it allow air passage. This feature is important in cases where the pacifier accidentally becomes lodged in your baby’s throat.
• Do replace pacifier every two to three months even if you cannot see any wear and tear.
• Don’t use pacifier when nipple changes color or become cracked, sticky or torn
• Do clean the pacifier before putting it in your child’s mouth. It can transmit germs that may risk your child of illness or cavities.

Thumb and pacifier sucking habits can become a problem if they continue for a very long period of time. Most kids discontinue use on their own, but if they continue past the age of three, your pediatric dentist may recommend a mouth appliance.

Also, your children should learn to do proper brushing and flossing of their teeth. In addition, it is important to visit a children’s dentist to have their teeth and gums checked.  Dental check-up every six month is advised to prevent carries and other dental problems.

Mint Kids Dentistry’s top priority is bringing children and adolescents on the right path to dental health and proper oral hygiene. Dr. Soo Jun believes that early education will prepare kids to a lifetime of optimal dental health. Hence, she educates the importance of routine dental checkups and proper oral care.

Schedule an appointment as http://www.mintkidsdentistry.com/.

How Can You Protect Your Child from Sports-Related Dental Injury?

Is your child into sports? If so, then you probably have to buy a mouth guard. Certain sports require every player to wear a mouthguard to protect from dental injury. However, not all mouth guards are the same. For a typical parent, it may be difficult which one suits best for your child.

Why Bother Getting One?

             Protect your child's smile

When you think about sports injury, what comes into your mind? You’ll likely think of things like bruises, scrapes, cuts, sprains, muscle cramps and even broken bones. Yet, you might have overlooked the chance of getting in the mouth, jaw or teeth.

Truth is, dental emergencies can be life-threatening. Most schools require using mouthguard as a protection during contact sports such as ice hockey and football. They are not require for non-contact sports like basketball or baseball even though there is still the risk for a dental injury.

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), sports accidents accounts for about 10% to 39% of all dental injuries in kids. The most susceptible to oral injury are children between the age of 7 and 11.

Mouthguards can help protect the teeth by acting as a cushion against impacts to the face. Mouthguards reduce the risk of injuries to the jaw, teeth and soft tissues of the mouth. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends the use of items that can help prevent injuries to the mouth and face such as helmets, mouthguards and faceguards. It also encourages providing education on mouthguards and facial injury risks.

Mouthguards must be used by everyone while playing a sport, not only for contact sports. Moreover, they have to be worn even during practices.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Mouthguard

These tips will help you get the most from using a mouthguard:

1. Make sure you remove any removable dental appliances such as retainers.
2. If your child is wearing braces or has a protruding jaw, clef palate or receding chin, it is best to wear a custom-fitted mouthguard.
3. Don’t chew, bite or cut pieces off when using a mouthguard.
4. Always wear mouthguard during games and practice sessions.
5. Don’t forget to have regular dental checkups with your pediatric dentist. Each time you visit, bring your mouthguard with you.

When choosing a mouthguard, make sure that it is tear-resistant and resilient. It should also be comfortable and must fit properly. Aside from being easy to clean, the right mouthguard should not restrict breathing and speech.

Your children’s dentist can create a custom-made mouthguard for your child that is durable, comfortable and provides superior protection from dental injury. Since treating sports-related dental injuries can be a costly situation, having a custom-made mouthguard can be a worthwhile investment.

Mint Kids Dentistry’s top priority is bringing children and adolescents on the right path to dental health and proper oral hygiene. Dr. Soo Jun believes that early education will prepare kids to a lifetime of optimal dental health. Hence, she educates the importance of routine dental checkups and proper oral care.

Schedule an appointment at http://www.mintkidsdentistry.com/ .

Why Do Kids Need to Go to a Pediatric Dentist and to Visit Regularly?

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, tooth decay is one of the most common chronic childhood conditions in the US. If left untreated, tooth decay can be a painful and uncomfortable experience for children and it can lead to infection, creating problems with learning, speaking and most especially, eating.

• Nearly 1 out of 4 children between 5 and 11 years have at least one decayed tooth left untreated.
• Thirteen percent of adolescents between 12 and 19 years have at least one decayed tooth left untreated.

Importance of Early Childhood Dental Visits

The earlier children started going to a pediatric dentist, the healthier their teeth and mouth will be throughout their lives. Doing early dental visits help prevent tooth decay and cavities – conditions that can lead to pain, loss of appetite and other medical issues. Children with healthy teeth learn to speak clearly, chew their food thoroughly and smile with confidence!

The American Academy of Pediatric recommended that every child must visit a dentist at the age of 1. This visit also teaches caregivers and parents how to take good care of the child’s teeth and help keep them cavity-free.

For instance, pediatric dentists often see numerous children with tooth decay due to falling asleep with a bottle of juice or milk. Your pediatric dentist can teach the parent or caregiver why it causes cavities, why is it important to introduce drinking from a cup once they approach their first birthday and the proper way of brushing young teeth.

Your dentist can also explain why you need to stop on-demand bedtime feeding once your child’s first tooth emerges.

Another reason why early childhood dental visit is important is that your pediatric dentist can provide treatment procedure that can help prevent decay and cavities. Your children’s dentist may apply dental sealants to the chewing surfaces of the molars to prevent tooth decay. Studies show that sealants can reduce decay of permanent molars by about 81%. Flouride varnish is also another preventive dental treatment that is painted on the teeth to prevent decay.

What Parents Should Do

It is important to bring your child to his/her dentist by age 1 for checkup, as advised by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Consult your paediatrician or pediatric dentist about applying fluoride varnish as soon as first tooth appears as well as dental sealants.

If you are living in a community that has water not fluoridated, consult your dentist if your child needs fluoride supplements in the form of tablets, drops or lozenges.

Why is Fluoride Important for Your Kid’s Dental Health?

What is Fluoride?

Fluoride is the ionic form of the element fluorine, a naturally-occurring substance. When combined with other elements like sodium, fluoride ions form a compound called sodium fluoride, which is the active ingredient in many toothpaste.

Fluoride works in many ways to prevent tooth cavities and decay. For children, it is important for tooth development because fluoride combines into the crystals forming the enamel, which is the hard outer layer of the teeth. Development of the enamel happens in children up to the age of 8, when the teeth is growing under the gums. Fluoride in the enamel makes the teeth resistant to demineralization.

How Does Fluoride Protect Your Child’s Dental Health?

Fluoride has many caries-protective actions. When applied topically, it has been found that low levels of fluoride in saliva and plaque prevent demineralization of tooth enamel and boost enamel by replacing nutrients. Fluoride also prevents development of dental cavities by inhibiting the activity of cariogenic bacteria – the specific bacteria that causes caries.

Certain types of bacteria in our oral cavity break down the carbs we eat and along the process, they produce acid which causes lowering of pH in the mouth. When this happens, the enamels begins to break down and release minerals such as phosphate, calcium and fluoride (this is called demineralization).

If there is sufficient fluoride available on the teeth’s surface, it will alleviate the process before tooth decay occurs. In fact, it can remineralize tiny areas affected by decay. Such cycles of remineralisation and demineralization continue all throughout the life of a healthy tooth.

Aside from tooth remineralisation and remodelling, fluoride also protects the teeth with its direct antibacterial effect. When fluoride ions enters the bacterial cells, they inhibit the enzyme responsible for the production of acid.

On the other hand, high levels of fluoride, particularly those applied as varnishes or topical gels, provide a temporary covering of calcium fluoride-like element on the surface of the enamel.

Fluoride that is swallowed, such in the case of dietary supplements and fluoridated water, may provide benefits on erupted teeth. Fluoride supplementation is effective in lowering prevalence of caries and must be considered for kids who are at high risk of dental caries because of drinking fluoride-deficient water.

 How Much Fluoride Do Kids Need?

The amount of fluoride will be based on the child’s age. Sufficient levels of ingested fluoride are usually obtained through dietary sources, particularly if the child is living in a place with fluoridated water. However, children below the age of 2 must not receive any form of topical fluoride as they have the tendency to swallow them.

Between the ages of 2 and 6, children must use toothpaste that contains children’s strength amount of fluoride. Brushing must also be supervised by the parents to make sure they will only use a pea-size amount and then spit it out when finished.

Brushing twice a day is important. It will not only get rid of dental plaque, it will also make sure that the teeth are protected to fluoride. Topical fluoride sources such as gels, rinses and varnishes but be sure to consult your pediatric dentist first to know if these are suitable for your child.

Why Parents Should Understand Preventive Dental Care to Their Kids

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For children, dental health is as important as general health. As parents, understanding that your kid’s teeth, even their baby teeth, require utmost care is the first crucial step. Parents should know what dental care is proper and timely to make sure their children maintain a healthy mouth.

 

What is Preventative Dentistry?

Preventative dentistry refers to the process of maintaining oral health in order to prevent disease. For kids, this includes:

• A healthy, balanced diet

• Brushing and flossing

• Routine visit to a dentist for children

• Oral health education

• Flouride dental visits

• Protection against dental injuries

• Checking risk for developing cavities

• Managing oral habits

• Guiding an erupting teeth

A pediatric dentist can provide these measures, in addition to routine dental check-up that require parental assistance.

In a report published by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the incidence of dental caries has been lowering in the US, primarily because of better prevention, patient attitude towards tooth preservation and improvements in dental treatment technique.

The Role of Parents in Preventive Dentistry

We know that oral health can influence overall health. Oral problems can affect a child’s speaking, eating and other daily activities. Children suffering from tooth pain may not be able to concentrate on their studies. Moreover, a healthy smile looks more attractive, and it can positively affect a child’s confidence level. And the most important – preventive dentistry results in less expensive and less extensive dental care.

As parents, you must strive to be the best role model for your kids. You need to reinforce proper oral hygiene habits such as flossing and brushing at home. But the most important influence would coming from you seeing your own good habits. Demonstrate how vital your kid’s teeth are to their health and lead by example.

How to Prevent Childhood Cavities

The American Dental Association defines early childhood caries as the presence of one of more missing, filled or decayed tooth surface in a baby or primary tooth. Dental caries is an infection disease that should be controlled through prevention.

Your child’s first visit to a pediatric dental office must take place within six months after the first tooth appears. The baby’s mouth will be assessed for any abnormalities or decay. In addition, you will get instruction on how to maintain proper dental hygiene to prevent further oral bacteria in the oral cavity.

You will also learn how to ‘brush’ your baby’s teeth, either by using a specialized brush intended for infants or by wiping them with a cloth. Parents will also learn to limit intake of milk, juice and other fermentable carbohydrates as sugar liquids are often the cause of tooth cavities among children.

Visiting a pediatric dentist Bellevue will involve a thorough cleaning and examination, review proper nutrition, fluoride treatments, fissure sealants on molars and make recommendation on the use of mouth guards to protect your child’s teeth when playing sports. Visit your pediatric dentist today to ensure your child gets the best outcome in terms of dental health.

Baby Pacifiers: Pros And Cons

Baby Pacifiers: Pros And Cons

Should parents let their infant use a pacifier? According to the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), there are benefits as well as a downside to baby pacifiers.

On the positive side, pacifiers provide a source of comfort to infants. Pacifiers can also assist in reducing the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, according to the AGD. Because babies with pacifiers sleep less deeply than those who sleep without pacifiers, they can be aroused from a deep sleep that could result in the stopping of breathing.

The downside of pacifiers is the effect they can have on the growth and development of the teeth and mouth. Prolonged pacifier use can cause changes in the shape of the roof of the mouth, prevent proper growth of the mouth and create problems with tooth alignment. Parents who give their baby a pacifier should consider these points:

Restrict pacifier use to when the infant needs to fall asleep.
Look for a pacifier with ventilation holes in the shield, as they permit air passage. This is important if the pacifier accidentally becomes lodged in the child’s throat.
Always clean the pacifier before giving it to a child.

Breaking the pacifier habit

The AGD recommends that children stop using pacifiers by age two. (Up until that age, any alignment problem with the teeth or the developing bone is usually corrected within six months after pacifier use is stopped.)

Breaking the habit is not always easy. Here are a few suggestions for helping a child wean from the pacifier:

• Dip the pacifier in white vinegar.
• Pierce the top of the pacifier or cut it shorter to reduce sucking satisfaction.
• Leave it behind on a trip.
• Always throw away a used pacifier; it is not sanitary for another child to use or to save.

Why Your Child Should Visit a Sedation Dentistry Office

If your child is nervous about visiting the dentist, a sedation dentistry office may help ease worries. Some children are naturally anxious while others have had prior bad experiences at the dentist that cause them to avoid going. Some children are not nervous about dental appointments but have attention disorders or restlessness that can be helped by sedation methods. If your child cannot remain still, has dental phobia, needs oral surgery, or has not visited the dentist lately, you should consider visiting our sedation dentistry office for the smoothest appointment and comfortable visits in the future.

What is anesthesia?

Anesthesia is used in almost every single dentist office. At most offices, it is just administered locally to reduce discomfort during a procedure or treatment. Local anesthesia dulls discomfort in a small area during dental work, like a single tooth and the surrounding tissues. Local anesthesia is not used to cause sedation and can be used with our sedation practices at our sedation dentistry office.

General anesthesia is different from local anesthesia. It is used for surgeries and invasive procedures that require the complete stillness of the patient. General anesthesia is also used for the safety of the patient and can be used in children when needed. It alleviates any chance of discomfort and allows a dentist or doctor to maneuver around the surgical site without any complications or movements.

What is sedation?

Sedation, more accurately called conscious sedation in this situation, is used when a child cannot relax and feels anxious or when a longer appointment time is necessary. For longer treatments, it allows children to be comfortable and sit still for an extended period. Conscious sedation provides a “sleepy” and euphoric feeling that helps patients completely relax while also being able to respond to directions from a dentist. Conscious sedation is commonly used when more than one filling is needed, a child needs a tooth extraction, or a child has special needs.

How is sedation achieved?

Our sedation dentistry offers a few different types of sedation. One of the most utilized options is the inhalation of “laughing gas” or nitrous oxide. Nitrous oxide and oxygen are mixed together and administered through a small mask that is placed over your child’s nose. It is safe and does not produce worrisome side effects. It creates a relaxed and content effect.

We also offer conscious sedation through means of oral medication in the form of syrup or pill. These are normally taken 30 minutes to an hour prior to the appointment so that children arrive feeling de-stressed.

In severe anxiety cases, we offer other sedation options that produce more relaxed or sleepy effects. These are normally administered through IV (intravenously). When a child needs an invasive procedure or oral surgery like a root canal, we will provide general anesthesia that puts them into a deep sleep.

If you are looking for ways to take your child to the dentist due to the need for a root canal or an everyday appointment but your child is experiencing stress or anxiety, you should visit a sedation dentistry office for the best outcome.

How My Kid’s Dentist and Pediatric Dentistry Fight Infections

When you say that you are visiting "my kids dentist," you do so with a sense of trust that this pediatric dentistry professional will take great care of your children. We have worked hard to earn the title of “my kid’s dentist,” and to keep your trust. Part of this for pediatric dentistry is being able to treat a child quickly and efficiently when they are in a situation that is causing them pain or discomfort. Over the years, we have developed an ideology of holistic dental medicine, which focuses on many different treatment options, making sure we find the one that will work the most effectively and sometimes, the most quickly to help your child. Dental discomfort can be excruciating even for adults, so the last thing we want is for it to stick around for any length of time, causing your child distress. Perhaps the greatest tool we have in our belt to fight discomfort, often caused by infections, are antibiotics. Antibiotics were discovered in 1928 with the discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming. They have completely changed the way we consider infections and how we fight them. Considering that most any infection that would affect your child in the realm of dentistry is likely to be caused by bacteria, antibiotics are a critical part of our treatment regime.

There are a couple of things to remember about antibiotics, however. First, they are not a cure-all, which is what many people tend to treat them as. We can certainly appreciate how a parent could see these medications as a wonder drug. A child with a severe infection will be in pain, and antibiotics will work to permanently relieve this pain. The child may have some swelling at the site of the infection, which will also be tender to the touch. Antibiotics can, and will, reduce this swelling. Finally, a child may even have a fever that antibiotics can take away. Essentially, the antibiotics prescribed by "my kids dentist" are effective in controlling all aspects of the infection, because that is what they are designed to do.

On the other hand, you must trust the person you call "my kids dentist" to provide your child with a complete range of options that include, but are not exclusive to, antibiotics. Pediatric dentistry knows that there is an inherent risk of overusing antibiotics, because it has already happened in numerous places. The result of over-prescribing antibiotics has been the rise in cases where the organisms are resistant to the antibiotics and more severe measures have had to be taken. We do not want this. As the person trusted to be "my kid’s dentist" and a pediatric dentistry professional, our goal is to use the medication in a sparing, but highly targeted manner. This means that when we prescribe a dose of antibiotics, it will be limited, but highly effective, so balance can be restored and your child’s body can use its own antibodies to remove and kill any traces of the infection.

We Are the Best Pediatric Dentist for Sedation Dentistry

As the best pediatric dentist around, we offer sedation dentistry to keep your children comfortable during dental procedures.  In our office, we only treat children and we are passionate about their oral health and building a foundation for them to maintain it for a lifetime.  We understand the vital role we play in their future.  If their dental experiences are positive now, they will be more likely to continue visiting the dentist as they grow.  If they are negative, stressful, or even painful, they may begin to develop a fear of visiting the dentist and dental anxiety that will be stressful and unproductive as they become adults.  Our job is, therefore, very important as we set the tone for their future oral health.  With that in mind, we use sedation to ensure that they are as comfortable as possible.

The important role of a positive attitude.

We are the best pediatric dentist for a reason – we pay attention to our young patients.  While we are experts in dental care, we have also learned a lot from our patients.  They have demonstrated time and time again how important a positive attitude can be.  We have learned that when our young patients are relaxed and positive, they are less likely to experience any pain or discomfort where children that are scared, anxious or in a bad mood, tend to feel every little thing – even if it should not hurt.  This is why we work to keep the atmosphere in our office light and positive and encourage parents to participate in helping us to get kids excited about oral health.  When they walk in, happy to be here they are far less likely to need any type of sedation.

The role of sedation dentistry.

There are times where sedation is necessary.  If a child is having cavities treated or a root canal, restoration, etc. the procedure may be longer than normal and more uncomfortable.  Sedation dentistry is ideal in this situation because it allows a child to relax and stay relaxed, even if they are here for a couple of hours.  We can even use it to gently put them to sleep so that the time goes by faster and they do not feel anything.  This goes a long way in ensuring that they continue to have positive feelings about dental care.  Sedation options range from a mild pill or laughing gas that simply helps them feel calm, to sedation that makes them fall asleep and stay that way throughout the procedure.  We offer several solutions in between so that your child can remain comfortable and so that we never over-medicate.

The importance of partnering with parents.

As the best pediatric dentist, we aim to provide your child with the best possible dental care.  However, we also understand that a partnership must exist between parents and us as a provider.  We will make recommendations related to sedation dentistry, but it is ultimately up to you to decide what is best for your child.

Visit Our Kid Dentist Office and Learn How to Keep Their Teeth Healthy

As a pediatric dentist, the largest single challenge that we face does not come in the form of rare disease or children’s special developmental needs. The largest problem that most kid dentists face is the idea, which too many parents have, that children do not need to visit the dentist on a regular basis. The same parents that are often incredibly diligent about visiting the doctor, getting shots, and going in for regular checkups tend to forget that much of your health begins in the mouth. In a recent study, children of or under the age of one were studied; the study found that parents had taken their children to the pediatrician, at least once, in 89% of the children studied. When you look at oral health, only 1.5% of these kids had been in to a kid dentist. This is an alarming statistic as there are a growing number of cases of children with childhood decay, also known as pediatric dental disease. We have found that in children between the ages of two and five, decay can be found at a rate of 25%. When you increase the age of the children to between twelve and fifteen, the percentage of cases jumps to 50%. Half the children in middle school suffer from pediatric dental disease: something that is completely preventable with the right kind of care and allowing us to see your children’s teeth at a young age.

For a kid’s dentist, we are able to build on the work we start early to ensure that they have fewer problems as they age. Effort towards holistic preventative care allows your child to come in for a quick 15 minute checkup and cleaning rather than have discomfort and emergency dental treatment. On the whole, we have found, and studies confirm, that parents who chose to spend the money on preventative care tend to spend less in emergency care later on. The ratio of savings is quite significant: parents who spent $1 on preventative care later save up to $50 in emergency costs later in the child’s life. In addition to the monetary savings, we found that each year, school children in the United States miss 2.26 million days of school because they are in the dentist chair for an emergency or restorative procedure. This is a situation that can be completely avoided by following simple rules like the 2-2-2 rule and bringing your child in as soon as they turn one or as soon as they get their first tooth.

The 2-2-2 rule is simple, and should be followed by parents and children alike. You need to brush your teeth at least two times per day, for a minimum of two minutes each time you brush, and you should visit your dentist at least 2 times per year for cleaning and maintenance. We also recommend that your child eat a healthy diet that includes lean protein, green leafy vegetables, dairy products, and nuts.  This will help to strengthen their teeth.  Also, your child should drink plenty of water to keep their teeth clean and healthy.

Call Us if You Need an Emergency Dentist

As an emergency dentist we understand that it is impossible to control when you will have a dental emergency.  Even those who are fastidious about oral health can still end up in a car wreck, hurt while playing sports, slip and fall down, etc., all of which can lead to a damaged tooth and dental emergency.  In fact, according to the National Fall Safety Institute slip and falls account for 9 million trips to the emergency room every year.  With that in mind, you truly never know when you may need emergency dentist care.  Fortunately, we are here when you do.  Regardless of how you hurt yourself or how damaged your teeth are, give us a call.  If we do not answer, we will get back to you right away so that you can receive the dental care that you need.

Solutions Offered by an Emergency Dentist

As an emergency dentist, we offer extended hours that are far beyond what you can find with a traditional dentist.  Many local dentists restrict their hours of operation to Monday through Thursday from 9 am to 5 pm.  While this works for many people, it can make it difficult for those with busy work schedules or a dental emergency to get the care that they need.  As a result, many people seek dental care from the emergency room of a local hospital.  This is unwise because general physicians are not trained in how to diagnose or treat dental problems.  They can triage the problem and provide medication, but that’s it.  This leads to repeat visits because the health issue is never actually addressed.  When you visit our dental office, your experience will be entirely different.  Even though we are available 24 hours a day, we still provide the same comprehensive dental care that you can receive during normal business hours.  This means that we can examine your teeth, take x-rays, diagnose the problem and provide you with immediate care.  If you have damaged your tooth, we may restore it with a bonding procedure, dental veneers, or dental crowns.  If you have lost a tooth, we can try to save it or provide you with a denture, dental bridge, or dental implant as a replacement solution.  Finally, if your tooth is infected, we can typically save it by performing a root canal.

When you visit our dental office, you can be confident knowing that you will receive the highest quality of dental care from a team of experts.  We are equipped to handle whatever your dental needs may be.

Tips for Staying Healthy

If you want to decrease the chance that you will ever need an emergency dentist, it is important to take care of your teeth and gums. While you cannot prevent most accidents, if you play sports you can decrease your risk for getting injured.  We recommend that you wear a mouthguard while playing or practicing sports so that your teeth will not be damaged if hit.  Simultaneously, if you receive ongoing dental care, the chance of you developing a sudden toothache will also be reduced.

Kids Dental Care Starts Early

We provide  Pediatric Dental Care and recommend that you bring your children in early and often.  Many parents call us asking when they should start to brush their kids teeth, when they should come to the dentist, if they need fluoride, etc.  We welcome these questions because it shows a focus on oral health care, something that all parents should do.  Each patient is unique and their needs can be as well.  For this reason, you should bring your child in for an examination so that we can work together to create a long-term treatment plan.  In the meantime, however, here are some basic guidelines for your kids dental care.

Start brushing their gums and teeth now.

When your baby is born, you can start to clean their gums at least once per day.  Use a room-temperature wash rag that is clean.  Gently wipe the milk and sugar off of their gums.  As they get older and begin to get teeth, this will actually feel good to them.  It will also create a routine that will make it easier to transition to brushing teeth once they have them.  As soon as your child does have teeth, they need to be brushed twice per day, just like yours.

Bring them in for kids dental care at one year.

Typically, we recommend that our young patients visit us for a dental exam and teeth cleaning as early as one year of age.  By this time, they have enough teeth to examine and we can tell if the rest are likely to grow in like they should.  On the first appointment, we may only examine them but as they get older, we will fully clean their teeth as well. By the time they are a toddler, they should be ready for a full teeth cleaning.

Why we want to start dental care early.

As a provider of kids dental care, we recommend that you bring your children to our office as soon as one year and continue to bring them in every six months for the rest of their life.  This may sound like a lot of dental appointments, but this is the best way to ensure that they can keep healthy teeth for a lifetime.  We need to start early because cavities can form at any age and it is our job to ensure that their teeth remain decay and infection free so that they can use them in comfort.

During appointments for preventative care, we will examine their teeth and clean them. If we notice that your child has deep ridges on the chewing surfaces of their teeth, we may recommend applying dental sealants.  This is a plastic-like material that is brushed onto the teeth so that nothing can become trapped there.  By keeping food particles and plaque from becoming stuck here, we can decrease the risk of your child developing cavities.  We may also recommend that they get a fluoride treatment since that also reduces cavities by 30 percent.  Our goal is to keep your child in excellent health so we will make age-appropriate recommendations as time goes on.

Visit a Just for Kids Dentist for Fun Dental Appointments

As a just for kids dentist, we can make sure that your child enjoys their dental appointments.  This may sound like a foreign concept, but it is possible!  Children can look forward to and become excited about getting their teeth cleaned and staying in excellent oral health.  It does not happen automatically, though.  It takes effort and a trip to a dentist that enjoys working with children.

Why a trip to our just for kids dentist office can be a fun experience…

We smile a lot.  It may sound cheesy, but we are happy to work here and love our young patients!  Our team is happy, we smile a lot and that makes our patients happy to be here too.  Since we enjoy our work it is easy to get kids excited about coming to the dentist and having their teeth cleaned or cavities filled.  We make it an adventure.
Our office is full of toys.  We have toys for kids of all ages.  There is something here for toddlers and for teens.  Regardless of what your child enjoys, they are bound to be comfortable in our dental office.
Kids can be loud.  As a just for kids dentist, we know that asking young patients to sit still and quiet in the waiting room is akin to asking them to go in “time out”.  Since we want them to be comfortable and happy here, that is the last thing that we want to do – make them feel punished.  When you visit our dental office, feel free to let your kids speak like normal and be themselves.
Our exam rooms are relaxing.  Our kid-friendly dentist office decor does not stop at the door.  We have examination rooms that have been designed to be kid-friendly, warm and happy. 
We will make them laugh.  Our staff can start telling jokes, teasing patients, etc., in order to get them to relax and just have fun.  We keep it light because that does not impact our ability to help teeth but it does make us more personable and our patients more comfortable.
As a parent, we know that you will appreciate the experience your children have at our dental office because it will make your life much easier.  Instead of needing to beg and bribe your children to receive dental care, they will want to come and look forward to having their teeth cleaned.  We will show them how to brush and floss here and encourage them to keep it up at home.  When our patients enjoy their office visits, they are more likely to take our advice and that too can make your home life easier.  Our goal is to partner with you as the parent to help your child to stay in as good of health as possible.  We know that it takes a team approach and we are excited to join with you in this goal.

Call today to schedule an appointment with our just for kids dentist office.  We are confident that you will be happy you did and so will they!

Kids Dental Care for the Common Toothache

We provide kids dental care for children who are struggling with oral health issues or are in need of preventative care. As a local dentist, we recommend that you have your child’s teeth cleaned at least twice per year, so we can remove plaque from on and in between their teeth, give them a fluoride treatment, and reduce their risk of getting cavities overall. This will help prevent them from developing a toothache in the future. Still, it can happen, and when it does, it is important for parents to know how to treat it.

First, consider what causes a toothache. We have found that it can be caused by food stuck in between teeth, dental trauma, an accident, or decay. With that in mind, here are a few steps you can take if your child complains of a toothache.

• Examine their mouth.  Start by having them rinse their mouth with water to remove any loose food particles that could be leftover from their recent snack. Next, grab a flashlight and peer inside their mouth. This should not substitute a professional examination, but it can give you an idea of any obvious problems. For example, if their mouth is bleeding and you see an abrasion or an obviously chipped tooth, it can help you to know what steps to take next. If you see any other obvious signs of damage, give us a call right away. If you see a small cut or abrasion, have them rinse with salt water and give them soft, non-acidic foods to eat for a couple of days.
• Brush and floss. In the case that something is stuck in between your child’s teeth, brush and floss them to remove it. This will often eliminate the cause of their discomfort. While providing kids’ dental care, we will often remove something that was stuck, but neither the child nor parents could remove it. This can happen from time to time and is a quick fix in our dental office.
• Schedule an appointment. If there are no obvious signs of damage, your child could have a small cavity that needs to be treated. In this case, we will remove the decayed portion of the tooth and place a filling to restore the tooth structure. We will do this after numbing the area, so your child will not feel any discomfort other than light pressure. Our fillings are tooth-colored and will blend in with their surrounding teeth so no one will be able to tell they had a cavity when they smile.
• Restore the tooth. If your child has a toothache due to a small crack or chip, we can restore the tooth. As a provider of kids dental care, we have several ways of doing so. If the damage is small, we typically recommend a dental bonding procedure, because this is a non-invasive and fast way to restore a tooth. In this procedure, we apply a tooth-colored material, shape it in place and use a special dental light to harden it for a same-day restoration.

Regardless of why your child has a toothache, we can help. To learn more or to schedule an appointment for kids dental care, give our office a call.