Tag: Kids Tooth Care

Yesterday was Halloween, Do You know what Today is?

Nice Clean Teeth
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In the Know for You to Know

Yes today is the day after Halloween, and today is also a special day. Try to guess —

Think you know? You’re getting there. YES, today is NATIONAL BRUSH DAY

Happy National Brush Day

Every year we celebrate National Brush Day on November 1st. To make up for those extra sweet indulgences from yesterday we celebrate today so we can get back into our healthy routine including brushing our teeth.

2 Minutes 2 X’s A Day

How do we celebrate?

On this day it’s being especially mindful of how important brushing your family’s teeth for 2 minutes 2x’s a day is for everyone. Brushing is fun when you do it together and watch videos to make sure you get into all the nooks and crannies. Check out www.2min2x.org for fun brushing.

What equipment do I need?

So it’s game on. The 3 pieces of equipment you need are a soft tooth brush (age appropriate size), a “dab will do ya” size of toothpaste (fluoride preferred), and a flosser.

What comes next?

Remember to floss first. I know everyone says to brush and floss. Flossing first allows you to take out the yucky stuff that gets caught in between their teeth (there’s always stuff) and then you brush all that away at once.

If you floss second, you’ll have to brush again to take the in between teeth icky stuff away.

When do we do this?

Brushing for 2 minutes in the morning after breakfast and for 2 minutes before bed (and after flossing) is a great way to healthy teeth and gums.

Your child eats breakfast at school? Bring their tooth brush and tooth paste with you in a plastic bag and ask the Cafeteria Monitor which bathroom you can use to brush their teeth.

Your child doesn’t like to eat breakfast? We all know that although this is not a good idea there are some children who just can’t eat in the morning, BUT they still need to brush their teeth before going to school.

How often do we do this?

7 days a week/365 days a year. Yes even on school days, holidays, vacations and weekends.

When should we start?

If you haven’t already, today is a great day to start. So this way, National Brush Day will always be your anniversary for good oral health!

HAPPY NATIONAL BRUSH DAY from US to YOU!

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

Halloween Tips for Healthy Teeth

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In the Know for You to Know

Halloween will soon be here

What costume will you wear?

Will it be trick or will it be treat?

If you choose treats, what will they bee?

and what will you do to keep your teeth healthy?

If it’s sticky, it gets stucky and that’s so yucky!

Stay away from gooey fruities, caramels, and other chewy candy.

Drink water to help wash away the sticky chewies.

Water is really good for you and your teeth. Have you ever seen a vampire with a cavity?

Brush your teeth in the morning and at night, and remember to floss before you brush.

It takes 2 minutes of brushing to clean away all the candy that’s on your teeth and flossing to remove what’s gotten in between your teeth.

Smooth chocolate is the best. It sliddddes off your teeth.

Choose 5 pieces of candy, eat them all at the same time and you’re done.

No hiding those other candies for snacking later.

Follow these tips and your teeth will be Spooktacularrr!

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

7 of our Favorite Books to read before your Pediatric Dentist appointment

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In the Know for You to Know

Our favorite books to read before your visit. By the way, parents and children LOVE them too!

Baby teeth are important and so are dental check-ups. These pearly whites help your child chew their food, speak, grow, and eventually guide their adult teeth into their correct positions.

20 Baby Teeth guiding all those Adult Teeth into position they must be super important

Keeping baby teeth healthy helps you keep your child healthy not just now but also for when they are the adults. Starting early, or as early as possible is the key to starting on this path.

So snuggle up, choose a good book (or two or three) and start on your dental journey.

The Tooth Book by Dr. Seuss A hilarious book about all things teeth.

The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist by Jan and Stan Berenstain Mama, Papa, Brother and Sister set out for their trip to the Dentist and learn about all the ways a Dentist helps keep teeth healthy.

Curious George Visits the Dentist by H.A. Rey Read about how George’s first visit to the Dentist is fun and a learning experience all in one.

Dentist Trip (Peppa Pig) by Scholastic George is going to the Dentist for his very first visit and Peppa is coming along to show him how much fun this will be.

Off We Go to the Dentist by Avril Webster Great book for helping children adjust to new experiences and potential sensory issues (bright lights, sounds, textures). Gently introduces what to expect at your visit for toddlers, children with special health care needs, and children for whom English is their second language.

Dora Goes to the Dentist by Randy Roper Dora describes her trip to the Dentist and involves the reader by asking you to look for things and do certain things (like opening your mouth wide). Just the right amount of detail.

Sesame Street Ready, Set, Brush! A pop-up book Elmo, Zoe, and their friends show how much fun dental visits and taking care of your teeth at home can be.

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

Top 6 Tips to know about Your Pediatric Dentist for Your Family

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In the Know for You to Know

Tip 5 How do Pediatric Dentist’s feel about Parents in the treatment room?

WE LOVE PARENTS!

We want you to feel totally comfortable whether you want to be in or out of the room. A little in, a little out, one foot in, one foot out, listening behind the wall, sitting on the chair. The choice is yours. Why? You know your child best

The Choice is Yours

Want to stay in the room? Here’s some tips:

Knowing you are there will automatically allow your child to feel comfortable. Standing slightly out of site and not letting facial expressions (above the mask) be seen decreases the possibility that a worried look will upset your child. Even the youngest children are very attuned to their parent’s facial cues.

Be a silent observer. This allows your Pediatric Dentist to build rapport and provide positive coaching for your child.

If your child needs reassurance you can sit on the chair and hold their hand or have your toddler sit on your lap.

If you decide not to come in your Pediatric Dentist will talk with you afterwards. It’s always our goal to keep you informed about your child’s oral health and development. Plus we want to tell you what an awesome helper they are!

Tip 6 Do Pediatric Dentists have recommendations about what to say about an upcoming appointment?

Yes we do because this is so helpful for setting the tone for your child’s visit.

It’s always best to keep it light and positive.

You may want to start talking about your upcoming appointment the day before or a few days before your visit. You may want to start your own tradition with a personal tooth brushing song, or read books and watch movies. Maybe you’ll start family brushing time to show your Pediatric Dentist what a great job you do.

FYI – stay tuned for my upcoming post on Top Books to read with your Child before visiting your Pediatric Dentist.

You and your Pediatric Dentist are on the same team and together will establish positive expectations and experiences for your child.

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

Back To School Is Here – Are Your Child’s Teeth School Ready?

Brushing Our Teeth While Mom Watches Us
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In the Know for You to Know

A new school schedule, a new sports schedule, a new tooth schedule

What’s your new routine?

Re-energizing good oral health habits is easy when you add 2 Minutes 2X’s a day to your back to school routine. Brushing 2 Minutes 2X’s a day and flossing with Mommy or Daddy to watch, help, and set an example is always more fun. For more tips look at my post on Your nightly bedtime brushing routine.

Want your child to have the best and brightest smile

Mirror Mirror on the Wall Looking in the mirror to make sure you floss and brush away all the food and sugar that sticks to their teeth and tongue is a great way to reinforce healthy habits at home. With so many new brushing apps to choose from your 2 Minutes 2X’s a day routine can be a breeze. Checkout 2min2x.org for some helpful apps and videos.

With Sugar Less is More

With so many goodies at school keep an eye on snacking and drink choices, with sugar less is more. When preparing snacks and lunch to take to school from home it’s important to make food fun while encouraging your child to eat their vegetables, fruit, grains and protein. Remember to pack those water bottles. Water has Zero calories and Zero sugar. If your child must have juice pack one juice box every other day as a treat and encourage them to drink this only with their lunch. This way you can increase the days they drink water and decrease the days they drink juice so they don’t miss the juice. Same for any sugar sweetened beverages, fruit snacks and raisins, start them out as a treat and then quickly decrease how often they are in their snacks and lunches over the next two weeks. If your child is going to purchase school lunches or has access to vending machines at school talk with them about how to make healthy food choices.

Serious About Smiles

Is it time for a new tooth brush? The American Dental Association recommends your child’s tooth brush be changed every three months (and yours also). With routine brushing the bristles wear out so it is best to keep those pearly white teeth sparkling with a new brush. Your Pediatric Dentist will most likely include in a new brush in your take home goodie bag. For the times in between check-ups, remember a soft brush is best for your 2 Minutes 2X’s a day brushing routine.

This school year may mean a new fluoride prescription or change in your child’s fluoride dose. This is important to discuss at your child’s back to school check-up.

Back to school also means Dental Notes for your School Nurse. Remember, healthy teeth means fewer visits to the Nurse and less calls to you.

Play sports?

Protect their smile when participating in sports and physical activities. It’s important to talk about which type of mouth guard is best suited for your child’s sport.

FYI – stay tuned for my upcoming post on Sports and Mouth Injury Prevention.

Just like this school year may be a little different for your child and you, their back to school dental appointment will also have some changes. Read my post on Taking your child to their Pediatric Dentist in the World of COVID – It’s as Important as Ever, and see what your child’s dentist is doing to keep your family safe.

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

Happy Milk Chocolate Day

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In the Know for You to Know

Chocolate is all about enjoyment and making you feel happy.

Which is your chocolate choice for your child?

Do you LOVE the gooey, sticky and chewy sweets? OR Do you LOVE the melty richness and luxurious feel of smooth chocolate?

Did you know that smooth chocolate is a better choice for your teeth than sticky treats?

Stickier treats get stuck in between your child’s teeth and in the deeper groovier chewing surfaces of their teeth. So they stick around longer and cause cavities. While it’s best to avoid them all together to prevent cavities, if your child occasionally indulges, remember to Brush, Brush, Brush and Floss, Floss, Floss those stickies away as quickly as possible.

Which ever they love, keep this in mind the next time you choose your child’s sweet delight, chewy, sticky, gooey take a long time to eat and sticks to their teeth and causes cavities while smooth melty chocolate slides off teeth quicker and is less likely to cause cavities.

Cavities or No Cavities that is the Question

Photo by Igor Ovsyannykov on Pexels.com

So which will you choose?   Can you guess the Pediatric Dentist’s choice?  

Send me an email on my Contact page and let me know your choices.

Enjoy and don’t forget to brush and floss!

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

Top Summer Questions for Healthy Teeth

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In the Know for You to Know

4 Top Questions

Summer is here and it’s time for lazy days and fun foods. Fun also means a balanced diet and keeping up with good habits, so those eagerly awaited goodies taste extra special.

Daddy and daughter eating ice cream and laughing on a beautiful summer day

How do I keep a routine for my children?

Put together a traveling dental kit.  This way if schedule changes disrupt your good habits you can start up where you left off.  Remember, during your travels that bottles and sippy cups are good for comforting your child, however falling asleep with one in their mouth increases cavity risk.

How do I keep my child’s diet healthy for their teeth?

Special foods are fun when eaten along with a healthy and balanced diet of fresh fruit, veggies, whole grains, water, and plain milk.

What about sticky gooey treats?

Gooey, sticky and chewy are fun to eat, not so much to remove from teeth.  When you indulge choose treats that are super smooth and slide off the teeth like smooth velvety dark chocolate.

What’s the most important thing for me to do? 

Establish consistent daily routines that can be done in a fun way. Do something fun while brushing to keep your child’s attention long enough for you to brush all their teeth. Brush and floss together and have a brush-a-thon to your child’s favorite tunes. Use a sticker chart and remember to be on the look out for their fun flavor toothpaste or a toothbrush with their favorite character.

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

Taking your child to their Pediatric Dentist in the World of COVID-It’s as Important as Ever

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In the Know for You to Know

As a Pediatric Dentist I’m here to help you with your child’s health and want you to know that safety is always our top priority.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic obviously you are looking at their well-being differently, you have new expectations, and have questions when resuming their dental visits. While many things have changed, what has remained the same is our commitment to your family’s health and safety.

health and safety always come first

Infection control – we’ve got this. We are the experts.

What’s the difference between pre-COVID and now you’re asking? Now our infection control processes are amped up.

Infection control guidelines are established by the American Dental Association (ADA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). We follow the regulations of these agencies so we are up-to-date on any new rulings and guidance that may be issued.

You will see changes when it is time for your child’s next visit. These changes are made to help protect everyone.

we are infection control experts

What You Can Expect

  • Creating positive experiences has always been and still is as important as ever.
  • Your Pediatric Dentist’s office will communicate with you beforehand to ask some screening questions. You’ll be asked those same questions again when you are in the office. 
  • You may be asked to stay in your car and either text or call the office number upon your arrival before entering the office. 
  • You will notice the extra personal protective equipment (PPE) being worn,  plexiglas at the reception desk and new products and equipment in the office.
  • The office will have hand sanitizer that they will ask you to use when you enter the office. You will also find some in the reception area and other places around the office for you to use as needed.
  • The office is still magical, just a little different. The waiting room will no longer offer magazines, children’s toys and games since these items are difficult to clean and disinfect.
  • Appointments will be scheduled to allow for social distancing between patients. That might mean that you’re offered fewer options for scheduling your appointment.
  • Your Doctor is allowing greater time between patients to reduce waiting times for you, as well as to allow for enhanced sterilizing and disinfecting procedures.
  • Most important, be sure to tell your child that even though the office, your pediatric dentist and the staff look a bit different, we are still the same people as before.

Pediatric Dentists appreciate and understand you have concerns about resuming health care. If you have any questions at all about your child’s appointment needs, please call or e-mail them to discuss your concerns. 

communication, trust, positive experiences

As Pediatric Dentists we value your trust and loyalty and look forward to welcoming you and your child back.

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