As a parent, it seems like your life is filled with fighting your kids to do something they don’t want to. Take out the trash, do their homework, brush their teeth. It’s a constant struggle, to teach your child to be an independent being who can...
It’s no surprise that certain foods have different effects on your child’s teeth. Some foods, like those that are high in sugar, can cause serious dental problems if proper hygiene isn’t followed. Other foods are necessary for the healthy dental...
It’s normal for your baby to start sucking their thumb when they are young; it’s an important part of them learning how to self soothe. The simple act of thumbsucking as a baby is not something that you as a parent need to worry about. It only becomes...
When it comes to keeping your child healthy and hygienic, it’s easy to feel out of your element. Especially if you’re a new parent. Once you have a few kids, you start to get the hang of things and are able to make decisions based off of your past...
Individuals with diabetes are actually at a higher risk of experiencing gum disease. This is because of poor blood sugar management. Gum disease actually can cause a slight increase in blood sugar levels, which can make diabetes even harder to manage.
Many parents ask us: what’s up with my child grinding her teeth in her sleep? Tooth-grinding can make parents worry, but the problem is more common than most people think.
The holidays are a season filled with joy and love. And sugar. The holidays are generally filled with pies, puddings, and candy. There’s nothing wrong with indulging every once in a while and letting yourself enjoy the holiday season. But with all of...
Cavities are the leading reason for a child missing school throughout the year. This is because cavities can be painful, and your child will also need to miss school in order to get these cavities removed. Luckily, cavities are almost completely...
We’ve all heard that calcium builds strong bones and promotes overall health. You’ve seen enough “got milk?” ads to have that message ingrained into your mind for a lifetime. But a lot of people are generally unaware of why calcium is so important to...
While a healthy and well balanced diet will generally promote strong dental health, some healthy foods are surprisingly damaging to tooth enamel. Here is a look at five child food favorites that could harm your child’s teeth—along with tips on how to...
We all know that sugar contributes to tooth decay. However, there’s more to it than that. Some generally healthy foods can be worse for your teeth than, say, a chocolate bar. Timing comes into play, too. Eating sugar during a meal isn’t as bad for...
Making the transition to solid foods for your baby can be tricky. Babies are typically ready to start making the transition at 4 to 6 months of age, but you should always give your baby the time that he or she needs to start eating soft, solid foods.
If your child plays any sport, be it softball, football, or soccer, you’ve probably spent some time worrying about a broken arm or sprained ankle. But one type of injury that many parents forget to worry about is dental injury.
Young parents typically have many questions surrounding their child’s dental health, such as when they can expect teeth to grow in and how soon they should plan to start caring for teeth. Here is a brief outline of how you can expect your child’s...
Daily flossing is essential for strong dental health, so it’s important to help your children develop the habit of flossing daily when they are very young. There are, however, a few things that you should keep in mind when it comes to flossing and your...
As you probably know, fillings are commonly used to treat cavities—in both children and adults alike. Cavities are especially common in young children. According to the five-year National Health and Nutrition Study, nearly have of children ages 2 to...
Many parents want to know: what should I do about my child’s first dental visit? When should it happen, and how can I prepare for it? The American Dental Association recommends that all children visit a dentist right around their first birthday.
It’s October! And that means that Halloween is just around the corner. The most-dreaded holiday of dentists everywhere can lead to the most-dreaded dental visit of patients everywhere.. unless you encourage your kids to take care with their candy...
Do you suspect that your child might have a cavity? Here is what you should do. First, it’s important to determine whether your child does, in fact, have a cavity. Common signs of a cavity, as outlined in this post include pain while chewing, tooth...
Many people love using mouthwash because of the fresh feeling it can leave in your mouth—and it just so happens to offer quite a few oral health benefits as well. Using mouthwash on a regular basis can help cut down on cavities, flush the mouth of...
When you give your baby a bottle and put her down for a nap, what’s in the bottle? If it’s milk, juice, or formula… we need to have a talk. Baby bottle tooth decay is a severe problem. Most parents don’t think twice about the dangers that a bottle...
It’s well known in the dental industry that sugar is bad news for teeth. Sugar combines with natural bacteria in the mouth to create acids that gradually wear away at tooth enamel, causing tooth decay. Children are often the biggest consumers of sugar,...
Getting your child to brush their teeth can be quite a pain. No matter what we tell them about cavities, they don’t care. Toothbrushing can be uncomfortable and annoying, and if you don’t do it often, painful. It’s no wonder that they dislike it...
Wondering how you can enjoy having whiter teeth without having to resort to using bleaching agents on your teeth? Here are five habits that could help you and your family have naturally white teeth.
Even if you already brush twice daily and floss once a day as well, here are five ways that you can make your oral hygiene routine even stronger. So you’ve got your teeth and gums covered, but what about your tongue? Cleaning the tongue...
In case the phrase “oil pulling” is new to you, here’s a quick low-down: it’s a practice that has its origins 3,000 years ago in Ayurvedic medicine, and it is hailed by many natural lifestyle enthusiasts as a way to naturally overall oral health.
Every professional has a different opinion on mouthwash. Some love it, others discourage its use. There are many rumors and myths flying around about mouthwash, so we’ve decided to put a few of them to rest. Read six mouthwash truths below.
Braces are the bane of every American teenager’s life. While they want the perfect smile, the path to that perfect smile involves painful, obnoxious braces. If your child needs braces, you probably have a lot of questions. Read on for 5 most...
The winter is also known as Cold and Flu season for a reason. The average adult will get 2-4 colds per year, while the average child will get 6-8, most of these occurring during the winter.
Buying a tube of toothpaste can seem overwhelming. The toothpaste aisle easily has a hundred different options. There’s tartar control, whitening, mint flavored, bubble gum toothpaste, natural toothpaste, fluoride toothpaste, and more! Did you...
We have all heard the problems that come from not brushing enough, but have you heard about the problems that can be caused from brushing too much? While it is important to brush your teeth, it is more important to do it correctly. Brushing too hard...
While chewing gum can seem like a wonderful alternative to sugary snacks for your kids, it may have worse side effects than you might think. Think about the following things before you slide the next piece of gum to your...
Children tend to favor juice drinks and soda for quenching their thirst, but the truth is that these drinks should really be enjoyed on rare occasion if they are going to have strong dental health. Which drinks, then, can you give your child without...
Do you know the major tooth milestones that your child will experience? Read on for a quick guide. Teeth begin developing even before your baby is born. They develop tooth buds, or the foundation for baby teeth...
There are many ways to make tooth brushing more fun for your kids, and using a cell phone app is one of them. Below are a few apps that you can use with your kids to make brushing more enjoyable.
Thumb-sucking is a common behavior found in humans, chimpanzees, and other primates. Between 60-80% of children suck their thumb during infancy, helping babies feel secure in the new world around them.
Emergency preparedness has spiked in the last couple of years, whether you are preparing for natural disasters or a zombie apocalypse. It seems everyone has a “bug-out-bag” or 72 hour kit, but there is one category that most of these...
Toothbrushes are such an integral part of our lifestyles that it probably isn’t surprising to hear that the history of the toothbrush dates as far back as 3500 BC. The earliest toothbrushes were chew sticks fashioned by the Babylonians and the...
You might have developed a regular habit of brushing your teeth morning and night, but chances are there is something you can do to improve your oral hygiene. Here are some of the most common oral hygiene mistakes that people make, so you can up your...
Oral health is more than having clean and healthy teeth; it’s about the health of your entire mouth. This means that promoting strong oral health involves not only keeping your teeth clean but also caring for your gums and—what is often left...
Cavities are holes in the teeth caused by tooth decay. Tooth decay occurs when cavity-causing bacteria in the mouth turns the simple sugars that you consume into harmful acids, which work to break down tooth enamel. If the tooth decay progresses...
Sometime during your child’s adolescence, you may very well find your pedodontist recommending that your child visit an orthodontist for a consultation regarding orthodontic work. Orthodontic work is an investment that will leave your child with...
Have you gotten your children to brush their teeth regularly but are still worried about the health of their gums? Here are some tips to making gum care a part of their dental routine as well.
The summer months in particular wreak havoc on children’s dental health because of the increases in outdoor activity and sugary food consumption that are so often seen during the summer. This means that you need to pay particularly close attention...
A dental sealant is a thin plastic coating that is applied to the back teeth to seal off the pits and fissures and to help prevent food from settling into the teeth. This type of sealant can last up to 10 years before needing to be reapplied and can...
Nurturing strong habits of dental hygiene with your children can be difficult—especially when it comes to brushing teeth for the recommended amount of time. Many adults even neglect the two-minute rule when it comes to their twice-daily teeth brushings.
Orthodontic work can be a tremendous expense for your child’s teeth, yet the cosmetic and dental health benefits that orthodontic work offer can also be tremendous. While much of how your child’s teeth grow in is dependent on genetics and other...
The younger your child is when you first take him or her to the dentist, the better—not only for getting early preventative dental care for your child but also for helping your child get used to visiting the dentist on a regular basis.
Pediatric dentists specialize in dental care for children ranging from infants to teenagers. But why take your child to a pediatric dentist instead of to the dentist that you’re currently going to? Here are just a few reasons why it might be a good...
With the frequency of school events, birthday parties, and holidays, it can be difficult to prevent your kids from enjoying candy—no matter how strong your willpower against it may be. While we, of course, recommend limiting your child’s intake of candy...
Let’s face it—getting children excited about dental hygiene is incredibly difficult. But have you considered what might just be the perfect solution to the daily battle that it is getting your children to brush their teeth?
Kids are always getting into some kind of trouble, and if that trouble has something to do with the state of their teeth, you’ll want to be prepared. Some emergencies you can handle yourself, but for others, you’ll most likely need a dentist. Seven of...
Some people are lucky enough to have family dental insurance included in their job’s benefits. Others may not, and that’s when it’s time to decide if it’s worth it to get dental insurance. Though it would be foolish for you to go without medical...
There’s nothing like your child climbing on your lap and breathing a very smelly “I love you, Mommy,” into your face. Bad breath is a common problem in kids, simply because it doesn’t have the same unpleasant social implications as it does for adults.
It’s important to screen the foods your children eat, but perhaps even more important is watching what liquids they drink. Drinks often seem harmless, since it doesn’t seem likely that such a thin substance could have so many calories and sugar.
Going to the dentist can be a total nightmare if you have kids. They might kick and scream and cry during the whole experience. If you have this problem with your kids, you should look into a good pediatric dentist.
Though most holiday treats aren’t exactly good for kids’ teeth, some are much better than others. You don’t want to deprive your child of all the delicious snacks, but you can be a little more choosy about which ones they eat. Here are a few holiday...