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3 Tips for Healthy Summer Smiles

Summertime!

While the mid-south heat is unbearable at times, it doesn’t squelch the fun families can have while spending time together during these long sunny days. The current pandemic that we are in attempts to put a halt on many activities and travel plans, but we encourage you to be creative and make memories in the little everyday activities of life. Summer play dates, vacations, and even the pandemic can throw off your usual dental routine.

One of PDGO's Pedodontists, Dr. Nathaniel Denson shares three ways to keep your child’s smile healthy and cavity-free during the summer.

KEEP A HEALTHY ROUTINE
Summertime is one of the most exciting times as a child. Kids are out of school, the weather is nice, and you are constantly on the move. Whether it’s riding a bike, going swimming, or just running through a sprinkler, everyone has their favorite summer activity. One activity that often gets neglected during the excitement of summer is oral hygiene. It’s easy for kids to forget to brush their teeth when they are out of their normal routine. As hard as it can be to slow them down sometimes, make sure your children are still taking the time to brush their teeth twice a day during the summer. And don’t forget to floss at night too!

SAY NO (SOMETIMES) TO UNHEALTHY SUGARY DRINKS AND SNACKS
Let’s be honest, kids will be kids. And they should be. Kids love sugary drinks and snacks (who can blame them??). There is nothing wrong with the occasional sugary drink or snack. The goal here should be moderation. Milk at meal time and water with healthy snacks should be the norm for kids. However, there is nothing wrong with the occasional treat. Everyone needs a sweet dessert or snack every now and then. Another tip is to avoid grazing throughout the day on the sugary drinks and treats. Try to eat or drink the sweet stuff in one sitting. The constant introduction of small amounts of sugar to teeth throughout the day can be tough on your child’s smile.

MAKE YOUR BACK-TO-SCHOOL DENTAL HEALTH VISIT EARLY
Last but not least, be sure to schedule your child's back-to-school dental health visit early. If your child is due for a preventative check-up, try not to wait until the last minute to see the dentist. Hopefully, everything will look healthy, and your child won’t have cavities. However, if they happen to need further treatment, it is nice to have the opportunity to return to complete treatment before school starts!

We can’t wait to see you in one of our offices very soon! Pediatric Dental Group & Orthodontics is following all the CDC’s guidelines to make sure you and your child are safe when visiting our offices. Click the link below to make your appointment.

Hope you are having a great summer break!

Two Minutes Twice a Day

Need help getting your child to brush for 2 minutes? We have some tips to help you!

At PDGO, we want to provide parents with resources to encourage children to have fun while taking care of their teeth. There are some great apps to help bring excitement and fun to your child while they spend two minutes brushing their teeth. Here are a few:

 

 

Disney Magic Timer App by Oral-B

Disney Magic Timer by Oral B features 23 Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars characters. This app will encourage your kids to brush longer by keeping them entertained with their favorite characters.

 

 

Brush DJ

Brush DJ is a toothbrush timer app that plays two minutes of music from your device to encourage brushing for two minutes. You can let it pick random songs from your device, or pick your child’s favorite song. 

 

 

Brush Up

Brush Up is a toothbrush training game. This app puts your child’s face in the mirror on the screen and lets them see themselves brushing just like Bud to get all the gunk off their teeth. 

 

 

Toothsavers Brushing Game

Toothsavers is part of the Kids' Healthy Mouths campaign to help parents reduce the risk of oral disease for their children by encouraging their kids to brush two times a day for two minutes.This game lets children move along the path in a quest to reach the next level and save the teeth.

 

These apps are all available on iOS and Android devices. Download a couple of these, or even all of them! Find out which ones appeal to your kids and switch it up from time to time. Next time you're at PDGO, let us know which one is your favorite!

Happy Brushing!

Help Your Child Create Good Dental Habits

Start Early.
It is important to begin brushing your baby’s first teeth as soon as they come in. The AAPD recommends brushing that first tooth with a tiny smear of fluoridated toothpaste so that the fluoride is being taken up in those teeth that are just erupting. “Move to a pea-size [of toothpaste] when they are toddlers.” By developing good oral hygiene at an early age, you are setting them up for success!

Lead By Example.
Show them the importance of taking care of their teeth by taking care of yours: brushing, flossing, and having regular visits to the dentist for cleaning. They will see what you do as important and will be encouraged to follow suit.

Make Brushing Fun and Easy.
Think of a favorite song to add to the brushing routine - one that is two minutes long would be great! This could be a fun song that they look forward to hearing you sing every night while getting ready for bed. Also, make it easy by adding a step stool to the bathroom so they can reach the sink better. Make sure to keep toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss within easy reach.

Take them to see their Pediatric Dentist regularly.
It is important for children to go to the dentist every six months beginning at age one. When established early, this routine will become normal. This is a habit that will naturally remain important as they grow.
By bringing your child to Pediatric Dental Group & Orthodontics, our doctors and staff can help make sure they have a positive and fun visit! Our desire is that they will look forward with excitement on future dental visits and truly enjoy being a part of our practice! It is our goal to help them feel comfortable and to remove any anxieties they may have. We are here to partner with you to help your child want to develop these healthy habits.

Do These Braces Make Me Look Fat?

Here is a true story written by PDGO’s Deb Shultz.

Our 17-year old granddaughter is needing braces. The drama level skyrocketed. Fighting back tears she announced, “braces will make me look fat!”

Did we just hear right?

Teenagers’ worlds are very small. They usually consist of school, church, and a few friends. So, I can see where getting braces can be a major ordeal. Braces can be scary, but any unknown usually is.

Crooked teeth, having an over-bite, and even braces can affect the way some people interact with others, sometimes making a person insecure or self-conscious. Knowledge is power, and so explaining the process can help dispel many fears.

At the consult visit, we let the PDGO staff know of her fears, and they were great about explaining the tools and steps that would be taken to give her a great smile.

“What about pain?” We were told that there may be some discomfort or tenderness after an adjustment, and that it can be relieved with an over the counter medicine like Tylenol or Ibuprofen.

“Will I have to wear these forever?” No. PDGO explained that you won’t get straight teeth overnight – it is a gradual process. No need to fear! Time flies, and in a relatively short period of time you will have a beautiful smile for life! You will also be a member of a pretty good club; Prince Harry and Prince William, Emma Watson, Oprah, Tom Cruise, and Katy Perry have all worn braces. Most likely a good percentage of your middle or high school peers wear braces, too. You are definitely not alone!

Braces have come a long way from the old “metal-mouth” days. PDGO offers different options to make you feel more comfortable about your smile. With Invisalign, it is hard to even tell you are wearing braces at all. If you opt for traditional braces, you can choose all sorts of colored bands. You can change them out to match your mood, school colors, or holiday. It is a great way to express your personality!

PDGO does a great job of taking your child’s fears – even silly ones like “braces will make me look fat!” – and helping them to understand the reality that living with braces for a short time is really not so scary after all. In the end, my granddaughter ended up having a great experience and NO, they did not make her look fat!

BABY TEETH DO MATTER!

“Baby teeth do not matter; they will fall out any way.” As a dental hygienist, I often here this statement.
This is a common misconception among many parents.

Fortunately, there are many preventative factors to help you take care of their baby teeth.

First, only allow your children to have sugary snacks and juices in moderation. Our doctors usually suggest that your child should only drink water outside of mealtime, and they should not go to bed with juices or milk. Second, help your child brush and floss at night before bedtime. Night-time is the most important time of the day for adequate brushing and flossing with a parent. Not only does it help teach them good habits, but when your child is asleep, they do not produce as much saliva, which makes them more susceptible to decay. Third, switch their gummy vitamins to chewable vitamins. Gummy vitamins contain a high amount of sugar, and they are also more difficult to remove from between the teeth. Chewable vitamins are easier on their teeth and should be given before they brush and floss. Lastly, make sure your child is seen for their routine dental visits. The American Dental Association recommends that a child should have their first dental appointment within six months of their first tooth eruption or no later than twelve months of age. There are many benefits to taking your child to the dentist at such a young age. It will help build trust by familiarizing them to the office and their staff members, teach them the importance of oral home care, and create healthy habits that they will remember for the rest of their lives.

In some cases, it might seem true. For example, there are times when some dentists would not recommend doing dental treatment on a baby tooth that is close to coming out. However, that is not the case most of the time. Baby teeth can become problematic and are detrimental in holding space for the permanent teeth. Therefore, decay should not be left untreated for two major reasons. First, untreated decay could lead to an abscess or infection, which could cause even more serious health issues. Second, small amounts of decay could progress to severe decay, which could only be treated by extraction of the tooth. That would mean that the baby tooth is no longer able to maintain the correct amount of space for the permanent tooth. On average, a child does not lose their last baby tooth until age twelve. Therefore, it is important that parents are aware of the common mishaps that cause such decay. This may catch some parents by surprise, but working in a pediatric dental office, I can testify that the main cavity causing culprits are fruit juices, fruit snacks, and gummy vitamins. Most parents do not realize that there is a high sugar content in these common snack items.

Baby teeth do matter and although there are many factors that can contribute to decay, there are many factors to consider in preventing decay. Pediatric Dental Group and Orthodontics is committed to helping parents learn about these important factors. By growing up as a patient at PDGO, they inspired and helped me determine my career path. Now, I have the privilege to work there as a dental hygienist and stand by their strong core values. I have a passion for teaching parents and their children proper dental care. My hope is that PDGO will make an impact on you and your child’s life, as they have in my own.