Fun Alternatives to Playing Smile Sheriff with Your Kids

Are you getting tired of feeling like the bad guy, or the sheriff, in your house, because of how much time and energy you have to expend encouraging your kids to brush their teeth? Many young children complain about having to care for their teeth, but this does not have to be the dynamic in your home. If you want to help ensure your kids’ smiles are getting the care they need, but without having to police their every movie, consider your pediatric dentist’s tips for helping to make smile care more fun for the whole family, including you! (more…)

Are Your Baby’s Teeth Healthy?

Now that your bundle of joy has come home from the hospital, your house is likely a bustle of feedings and diaper changes, and all the adjustments that come with being a parent of a newborn. Over the next few months, your baby will be growing daily and changing faster than you can believe, and one of the changes you will see is your baby’s first few teeth erupting. While it might be tempting to ignore their dental health, knowing those baby teeth will fall out eventually, it is actually incredibly important to care for your child’s baby teeth, and your pediatric dentist can help you understand why. (more…)

Keep Your Family Healthy This Holiday

Will your house soon be home to a host of family members and friends? Or, is your own family set to travel, soon, in order to spend time with loved ones over the busy holiday season? During December, many routines can be shifted out of balance. Sadly, for some families, this includes their dental care. If you want to enter the new year with healthy teeth and gums, though, it is important to care for your smiles throughout the holidays and beyond. Wondering if there are some simple yet important ways to do so? There are. Fortunately, preventive care isn’t complicated or even time consuming. It just requires making some smart choices, both at-home and at the dentist’s office. (more…)

Encourage Good Dental Habits At Home

As a parent, there is a lot you must do to help ensure your kids grow up happy and healthy. Unfortunately, caring for the teeth and gums can sometimes seem at the bottom of that priority list. Over time, lax hygiene and poor dietary choices, plus skipping out on routine preventive dental visits, can lead to a great deal of dental problems. So, make sure you are encouraging good dental habits, at home, by exhibiting great oral care habits, yourself, and by making dental care a family priority! (more…)

Does Your Child Need to Visit the Pediatric Dentist?

As a parent, there is a lot that must be done in order to help protect your kids’ teeth from common issues like cavities, gum disease and other oral health threats. Making sure they brush and floss their teeth regularly can help protect their oral health. Feeding them healthy foods and limiting their sugar can also be helpful. But how often are you taking your kids to see their pediatric dentist? Did you know that children need to visit the dentist just as regularly as adults, in order to help prevent dental problems like cavities and even gum disease? It’s true. So, if your kids have not been to the dentist within the last six months, it is time to schedule their next visit! (more…)

Simple Tips for Healthy Baby Teeth

Do you want to do all you can to help ensure that your children’s teeth remain strong and healthy as they grow? Great parents, of course, care about keeping their kids healthy. Unfortunately, it is sometimes easy to overlook caring for kids’ smiles, particularly since their baby teeth will eventually fall out, anyways. Right? If you have found yourself wondering why baby teeth are so important, or even how to care for them, it can be helpful to understand the function they play, and that they require the same kind of diligent care adult teeth need. That way you can help your kids care for their smiles, now and as they grow. (more…)

Does Your Child Need a Dental Filling?

Has your generally easygoing son or daughter recently become extra fussy around dinnertime? In fact, during any meals does he or she complain, lately, about not enjoying the food, even when the fare is his or her favorite? Complaints related to tooth sensitivity or even discomfort while chewing, are actually common warning signs of dental decay, a condition that affects approximately 30 percent of school-aged children. Fortunately, a pediatric dentist can help your child rebound from dental caries, or cavities as they are more commonly called, so that you and him or her can start enjoying family time, and your meals together, once again. (more…)

What’s The Big Deal About Baby Teeth?

Did you know the technical term for baby teeth is “deciduous teeth?” Whatever you call them, though, do you ever find yourself feeling curious what function these baby teeth really serve? In fact, do you sometimes wonder if caring for baby teeth is actually all that important? Few people understand why baby teeth exist. If they did, they might be more diligent in making sure their children are taking great care of their smiles. That’s because baby teeth are actually an important part of the smile’s development. (more…)

Are Your Kids Really Caring for Their Teeth?

Most parents are familiar with the toothbrush test. For many, it serves as a quick check to make sure that their kids are actually brushing their teeth. Unfortunately, this is not enough to accurately determine whether kids are caring for their teeth properly. It can’t always even determine if kids are brushing their teeth or simply wetting their toothbrushes (as they can be prone to do). If you really want to make sure your kids’ smiles are getting the preventive care they need to stay healthy over time, it is important to combine excellent dental hygiene, at-home, with professional care from a pediatric dentist. (more…)

Are You a Good Dental Role Model?

As a parent, you likely already know that your kids are watching and often emulating all that you do. This can be great, when you are setting a good example, such as eating all your vegetables, or reading a book before bed. It can also be a little frightening, like if a PG13-rated word slips out during traffic or you think you’re sneakily stealing a cookie before dinner. To help make sure you’re setting a good dental health example, it is important to make sure that you follow your own dentist’s advice. (more…)