In the Know For You To Know

Say Cheese! Smile Big! It’s school picture time!

Your child has grown a lot over the summer, and so has their teeth. Now they’re back in school and picture day is coming.

This is a big event. Choosing the right outfit. Hair has to be just so. Practicing their smile. Whether it’s gap toothed grins or braces covered smiles now is the time to prepare your child’s smile to be camera ready.

How do you do this? Here’s what I want you to know.

A Child’s Smile Worries Are A Real Concern

Confidence starts with being heard.

Has your child mentioned a chipped tooth? Or, have you noticed they’re hiding their teeth, not smiling, avoiding pictures, or asking questions like, “Why are my teeth different?”

Smile concerns don’t need to be dismissed or dramatized. Most of the time, children just want to feel okay about something that’s bothering them.

What Are A Child’s Smile Concerns?

In today’s world phones are everywhere. Taking photos and selfies are an everyday event. But what happens when a child isn’t happy with their smile looking back at them?

Teeth change as children grow and so does the appearance of their teeth. No smile is perfect (sorry Hollywood). A lot of children are especially sensitive to dental imperfections.

Some common tooth worries children experience are:

• Chipped or uneven front teeth can happen from a fall, during play or a sports injury;
• Gaps or uneven teeth which can be a natural part of normal growth patterns, genetics, or a pacifier or a thumb sucking habit;
• Tooth staining can happen when eating certain foods or can arise from some medications;
• A discolored or gray tooth can be due to a bump, fall, or issues with early tooth development.

Parent’s Guide To Keeping Teeth Healthy

Your 1st step is to start with a consistent daily routine for toothbrushing and flossing.

A Daily Routine To Help Promote Child Healthy Teeth

• Set time each morning and night for teeth cleaning and try to make it fun,
• Listen to your child’s favorite music or sing songs as your toothbrushing timer,
• Add a fun brushing dance to your routine,
• Play a 2 minute funny video on your smartphone to pass the time,
• Add a fun toothbrushing app like The Tooth Savers Brushing Game and save the fairytale kingdom with their toothbrush, or The Disney Magic Timer by Oral-B and transform toothbrushing into an adventure.

5 Easy Toothbrushing Steps

1. Angle the toothbrush 45 degrees towards the gums of their upper and lower teeth,
2. Brush the inside and outside of your child’s teeth and move the toothbrush gently back and forth across their teeth,
3. Brush back and forth along their tooth’s chewing surface,
4. Hold the toothbrush in a vertical position and using the tip of the toothbrush clean behind their upper and lower front teeth,
5. Brush their tongue gently.

Do We Have To Floss?

The short answer is Yes.

The reason? Flossing is how you remove food particles and plaque from between your child’s teeth that brushing misses. Including flossing in your routine ensures you can keep your child’s teeth looking great; and goes a long way towards fresher breath.

What Is Cosmetic Dentistry For Children?

Child appropriate, minimally invasive treatments are a contemporary way of addressing cosmetic needs without affecting natural development. Cosmetic dental care is based on what your child truly needs, not what looks “perfect” or what someone else thinks should be done.

4 Most Common Cosmetic Techniques For Children

• Minor reshaping or smoothing – When a tooth has a rough edge or an uneven contour your pediatric dentist can perform a minor re-contouring, or smoothing to create a more uniform, balanced and even appearance. Best of all, no numbing is needed.
• Tooth colored bonding – Is a great non invasive way to repair chips, cracks, or minor tooth imperfections. Your pediatric dentist applies a composite resin that matches the natural color of the tooth, which is then sculpted, shaped and hardened. Most of the time these visits are short, comfortable and no numbing is involved.
• Whitening – Some teens will start to notice yellow or uneven tooth color. Pediatric dentists only suggest teeth whitening treatment when it’s safe and age appropriate. They only apply teeth whitening solutions which are gentle, professionally monitored, and use a specific teeth whitening system made for developing enamel. There are certain particular instances when a pediatric dentist can offer gentle, monitored whitening options for a specific case, such as deeply ingrained staining or discoloration. No adult strength products are used.
• Resin Infiltration – White spots caused by early enamel changes or braces can make children feel awkward about their teeth. Since these teeth are cavity free, pediatric dentists can use a no “drill” method called resin infiltration that helps blend the enamel color without needing to remove any tooth structure.

Your child’s confident smile is important for picture day and everyday. Let them smile their best smile!

Has school picture day arrived? Are you ready? What are your biggest challenges? What are your best tips for preparing your child’s smile? Tell Us, We’d really like to know! Send us an email at kidstoothhotline@proton.me Like Us on Facebook

More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!