In the Know for You to Know

Do you believe in the power of a happy and healthy smile?

What if I told you about the actual impact a smile has on a child’s overall health?

Think about it. You smile at your child and they smile back. You both giggle and feel great. Smiling may be a simple expression, but its benefits go beyond simply making us look happier.

With this in mind, today we’re talking about the benefits of smiling.

Smiling Increases A Child’s Self-Confidence

As children grow they often become self-conscious about their appearance. The internet and especially social media don’t make things easier for them or their parents.

A beautiful smile isn’t only about looks. It’s about feeling good on the inside and out. Their smile plays a major role in how they feel about themselves, and how they present themselves to others.

Children smile about 400 times a day. When a child smiles they naturally feel happier. This in turn helps them face challenges and new situations with a positive spirit.

Smiling Creates Positive Social Experiences

When a child smiles big and often, it demonstrates their confidence. Other children want to be around them. This helps a child to build friendships and lifelong relationships.

A beautiful smile helps children builds strong connections and have positive social experiences with their peers.

Smiling Reduces Anxiety And Stress

Smiling is important for a child’s health. It’s a natural mood booster. Each time they smile, their body releases natural stress releasing compounds, called neuropeptides. These neuropeptides relax their body and lower their heart rate and blood pressure.

Don’t feel like smiling? Even laughing can improve a child’s mood. Plus it’s hard not to smile when you’re laughing.

There’s nothing quite like seeing a child’s smile to make everyone feel better. It really creates a positive atmosphere for the whole family.

The Family That Smiles Together Supports And Encourages Each Other

While a smile can go a long way for a child, there is nothing like a parent’s support and encouragement to help them feel great about themselves. Creating this loving and supportive environment makes everyone feel more secure and accepted.

This is why talking with them about their oral health is so important. Good oral health, a beautiful healthy smile, and good communication go a long way to forming a positive self-image.

Smiling Positively Impacts School Performance

A smile does more than foster self-confidence and social interactions. It can also directly impact a child’s school performance. Children who have healthy smiles are less likely to be absent from school.

Which is why good oral hygiene routines are important for supporting children’s overall well-being and success in school.

Creating Beautiful Smiles By Encouraging Healthy Oral Hygiene Habits

There are some things you can do to help your child develop good oral care habits:

• Brush teeth twice a day, once in the morning and once before bed,
• Use fluoride toothpaste to help strengthen their teeth and prevent cavities,
• Floss each night to remove food particles and plaque between teeth that brushing doesn’t reach,
• Regular dental checkups with your pediatric dentist to keep your child’s teeth healthy,
• Eat a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, limit sugary snacks and drinks which cause tooth decay,
• Lead by example by showing your child the importance of good oral hygiene by practicing these habits yourself. Children watch everything their parents do and are more likely to copy those habits,
• Reward system to motivate children to maintain their oral care routine. Stickers, a small toy, going to the park, extra play time or screen time can be great incentives.

What To Remember

A healthy smile is the first sign of a happy child. While smiling makes you feel happy, it also helps keep you healthy. As the saying goes, “smiling is contagious.” A home filled with smiles becomes a more positive and supportive place.

Remember the power of a smile, it might just be what you need to brighten up your day.

How do you describe a happy child? How many times a day does your child smile? Now, how many times a day do you smile? Same number of smiles in a day or different? 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!

In the Know For You To Know

For the last few years we’ve heard a lot about how the mouth affects the rest of the body. That the bacteria typically in the mouth has been found in other organs of the body and implicated in various diseases.

This does make sense since the mouth is the entrance to the body.

With this in mind, today is a good time to discuss how this mouth-body connection affects children.

What Is The Mouth-Body Connection?

This is the link between oral health as it relates to overall health. It’s the role that the harmful bacteria in our (children’s and yes parent’s too) mouths play in systemic disease.

Is There Science Behind The Mouth-Body Connection?

Everyone’s mouth (including children) has good and bad bacteria. The good bacteria help keep us healthy. With poor oral hygiene the bad bacteria over grow. The imbalance leads to inflammation and infection.

This inflammation and infection don’t stay in the mouth. They affect the rest of the body. With time and age this compounds on itself and affects disease progression.

What Diseases Are Oral Inflammation Linked To?

The bacteria and inflammation are linked to:

• Heart Disease by damaging blood vessels
• Diabetes Complications by making sugar control (and insulin) less effective which weakens the immune system
• Lung Infections by oral bacteria being inspired into the lungs
• Pregnancy Complications, Giving birth to pre-term, low birth weight and failure to thrive babies
• Brain Health by causing inflammation which is a major factor in neurodegenerative disease

It’s About More Than Teeth And Gums

Oral health affects children’s lives in ways that extend beyond cavities.

It’s important to look at:

• Sleep quality which can be affected by oral health and breathing patterns
• Speech development which can be influenced by oral health, dental and bone structures
• Self-confidence, social development and learning which are all affected by oral health, dental appearance and comfort
• Proper nutrition which depends on good oral health and healthy teeth for chewing and enjoying their food

Regular dental check-ups can sometimes reveal signs of health issues before they appear elsewhere in the body. This allows for prompt referrals to your pediatrician and other appropriate healthcare providers when necessary.

How Does Oral Health Affect The Immune System?

Inflammation and infection in the mouth are the same as it is in the rest of the body. The immune system goes into overdrive to fight it.

With chronic inflammation the immune system is always on high alert. and this leads to immune fatigue.

In other words, poor oral health puts stress on the immune system making children (and parents) susceptible to colds, viruses, and long term health issues.

How To Build Life Long Health Habits

As a parent knowing about and understanding the mouth-body connection allows you develop comprehensive health habits for your child and support them as they grow:

• Regular and routine dental check-ups are part of overall healthcare
• Good oral health habits and routines establish long term self-care patterns
• Making good food choices by being aware of how nutrition affects both oral and general health

These unified approaches to health can benefit your child as they grow and into adulthood.

What To Remember

Your child’s mouth isn’t just about teeth. The mouth is a window into the rest of their body, and oral health issues can influence and be influenced by your child’s general health.

Is your child a mouth breather? Are they a good sleeper, do they snore or do they wake up at during the night? Has your child missed school because of tooth or mouth pain? What is your family’s brushing habits? 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!

In the Know for You to Know

Do you think children are too young to have cavities (aka tooth decay)?

Most parents say that their children are too young for cavities. Unfortunately this isn’t the case.

What do the numbers say? According to the CDC (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) 46% of children age 2-19 years old have at least 1 decayed tooth. The numbers are equally high according to the National Institute of Dental and Cranio-facial Research.

Tooth decay is a significant dental problem affecting children. It’s often called the most common chronic disease of childhood.

How many children do you know who have asthma? How many children do you know who have cavities?

With this in mind, now is a great time for us to discuss tooth decay in children.

What Is Tooth Decay?

Tooth decay is the breakdown of tooth enamel. Enamel is a tooth’s hard outer protective layer. Damaged enamel can lead to cavities.

What Causes Tooth Decay In Children?

When food, beverages, bacteria and saliva all mix in the mouth they create a sticky substance called plaque. It’s plaque that sticks to the teeth.

This plaque coats all parts of the teeth. When left on the teeth plaque will eat away at the tooth’s enamel, dissolving it and causing cavities.

Beverages like juice, soda and sports drinks are especially harmful since they bring out the acidic (bad) bacteria.

When children eat, snack and drink their sugary drinks throughout the whole day, the plaque builds up. Combine this with poor dental hygiene and you have a recipe for cavities.

Main Causes Of Tooth Decay In Children

Some of the main causes are:

• Milk or juice in the bottle at bedtime or sleeping with the bottle
• Cookies
• Candies
• Raisins, any Dried Fruit
• White Bread
• Cereal
• Cake
• Chocolate Milk, any Flavored Milk
• Sweet Specialty Coffees
• Fruit Juice, even 100% Juice
• Soda

Why Are Children At Risk For Tooth Decay?

Everyone, even children have good and bad bacteria in their mouth. Some have more good bacteria, and some have more bad bacteria.

The proportions of these bacteria are totally individual and can vary even within a family.

When foods containing sugars and starches are left on the teeth the bacteria that normally live in the mouth change these foods by making acids. Over time, the acids made by the bacteria eat away at the tooth enamel, causing cavities.

There are some things that may raise your child’s risk for developing tooth decay:

• High levels of the bad bacteria
• A diet high in sugars and starches
• Drinking water that has low or no fluoride
• Poor oral hygiene, rushed or missed tooth brushing routines
• Decrease in saliva

What Are The Signs Of Tooth Decay?

Some early signs of tooth decay for you to be on the look out for:

• White spots that weren’t there before. These spots mean that the enamel is starting to break down
• Tooth sensitivity to sweets as well as hot or cold beverages
• Light brown or dark brown color on the tooth
• Pain in the area around the tooth

What To Remember

Tooth decay in children starts quietly and slowly. It’s the perfect storm of everyday habits. Decay begins with the gradual chalky erosion of tooth enamel until one day a full fledged cavity appears.

Do you think that baby teeth can get cavities that matter? Are you worried about your child getting cavities? 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!

In the Know for You to Know

Have you ever had a cavity? Even a small one?

Growing up it seemed that at every dental check-up I had another cavity. My parents didn’t know why. Doesn’t everyone have cavities?

During dental school the whole issue around cavities became clear. Then when I became a pediatric dentist it became crystal clear. There wasn’t only one thing that caused cavities. It’s a cycle. A never ending daily cycle.

I want to share with you how you can help protect your child’s teeth.

Protecting Your Child’s Teeth From Cavities

1. Baby teeth are important for 4 BIG reasons. They help your child learn where to put their tongue and cheeks so they can speak clearly, allow them to chew their food well, help in the growth of their jaws, and guide their adult teeth into position.
2. Children can get cavities from their bottle or from nursing. Yes, even if they don’t have teeth yet. Don’t put your child to bed with a bottle or nurse them while they are sleeping. The liquid in the bottle or breast milk causes cavities because it stays on their gums and teeth. This allows the sugar in the milk, juice, breast milk to eat away at their teeth. So it’s important to wipe their gums and teeth with a damp wash cloth after each feeding and before nap and bed time.
3. As soon as your child’s first tooth peaks through their gums it’s time to do 2 things. Make their first dental appointment. Start brushing with a (dry) rice grain size amount of fluoridated toothpaste twice a day.
4. For your pre-K child (over 3 years old) brush twice a day with a pea size amount of fluoride toothpaste. When 2 teeth are touching, it’s time to start flossing.
5. Sealants are effective in preventing cavities. Dental sealants are a protective coating over the deep crevices of back teeth (aka molars) so food, sweets, beverages and plaque don’t get caught in the grooves.

What To Remember

Don’t leave your child’s oral health up to genetics or luck. It’s not luck that contributes to good teeth. It’s about planning, consistency and adapting as your child grows.

With everything you have to do, it may be tempting to skip a day. Turns out diligence is the key.

What are your tips for keeping teeth cavity free? Do you have a routine that works for your family? 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!

In the Know for You to Know

Choosing a pediatric dentist for your child is a significant decision. A visit to the pediatric dentist needs be a positive experience for your child. So it’s important to find a dental practice where you and your child feel comfortable.

As a mom, I want my child to have pleasant and positive experiences at their dental appointments. Their visits should also be adapted to their age, as they grow and take on a more active role in their dental care.

Whether it’s playing games in the arcade off the waiting room, telling their dentist about the new pair of sneakers they just got, or letting their hygienist know the plans for the park after their visit; you know these things only happen when your child is happy and excited. They’re happy and excited when they know they are going to a friendly, comfortable, and fun place.

But this doesn’t happen at just any dental office. It happens at the right pediatric dental office.

Pediatric Dentist’s Approach To Dental Care

A pediatric dentist’s approach is to provide a calm and welcoming atmosphere.

Our goals are to provide you and your child with exceptional dental care. To help your child develop positive attitudes toward dentistry. As well as to educate and teach them the skills needed to care for healthy teeth and a healthy smile for their whole life.

Characteristics To Consider In A Potential Pediatric Dentist

• An attentive pediatric dentist encourages your child to ask questions.
• They go at your child’s pace to allow them to feel comfortable.
• A thoughtful pediatric dentist can make your child laugh, smile and enjoy themselves.
• They engage your child in their own dental care.
• They and their office are trained in accommodating children with special needs as well as having designed their office to be accessible.
• An engaged pediatric dentist is eager to chat with you and values your questions and input as a parent.
• Their whole office is passionate and excited to work with children.
• Their office design makes your child feel welcome.
• Their education continues. They receive extensive education and training on how to best serve your child and their dental needs.
• Your child is eager to see them again and looks forward to their next appointment.

As a mom and a pediatric dentist, I can tell you it’s about 3 things ~

1. Specialized care,
2. Compassionate approach,
3. Child focused.

Have you found a pediatric dentist you and your child adore? Have you found the pediatric dental office you can see your child growing up going to? What was the spark that led you to this office? If you’re looking for your pediatric dentist, which 3 characteristics are most important for you? Do you have any suggestions about what’s important to you in choosing your child’s pediatric dentist? 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!