National Children’s Dental Health Month starts in February! How is your child’s dental care routine? 

Your child is growing constantly. It can be difficult making sure your child is on the right, healthy path. One of the most important things you can keep in mind when it comes to your child’s health is their teeth. 

From their first baby tooth to the day their last adult moller comes in, it is vital to their mouth health that we keep them clean. Promoting good eating habits, avoiding sugar and cleaning their teeth daily is paramount to making sure their mouth and teeth are healthy. There are some helpful and easy tips you and your child can follow to make their teeth shine:

• Brushing your teeth twice daily
• Eat a healthy and balanced diet 
• Avoid too much sugar
• Teach your child to spit their toothpaste out when done
• Use toothpaste with fluoride
• Drink plenty of water
• Floss regularly 
• Check in with your dental care provider at least once a year

Kids Health has a great piece on the details of child teeth health here. We here at Dr. Drew and Crew encourage you and your family to practice proper dental health. Call us with questions and set up an appointment today.

We are social creatures, and being confident with ourselves helps us socialize. Confidence is a collection of everything that makes you. It’s a combination of your outward appearance and your inward mindset. One thing we have all encountered, either from some person or ourselves, is bad breath. And that’s one thing that can kill confidence in any social situation.

Bad breath happens to the best of us, and can be attributed to many different factors:

• Food
• Poor Dental Hygiene
• Tobacco products
• Health Conditions

These are just a few reasons – the Mayo Clinic has an article detailing more causes of bad breath.

This can cause anxiety in the most confident of people. It’s hard to tell on your own if you have bad breath. Let’s come up with a plan to combat bad breath!

1. Floss and brush your teeth twice a day. Good oral hygiene is the first line of defense.
2. Rinse with an antibacterial mouthwash, such as Listerine.
3. Drink plenty of water.
4. Encourage good bacteria in the gut with yogurt or pro-biotics.
5. Keep your regular cleanings with your dentist and hygienist. There may be decay or gum disease that is fighting against you.

For a more complete list, check out our previous blog:  Steps to Fresh Breath.

We’re here to help you toward a healthy and pleasant smile!

 

Halloween is synonymous with candy! Kids dress up as anything they want and we reward them with sweets. Go figure. Some worry about the antics that are played on the 31st, but they should be concerned more about the treats than the tricks.

National Brush Day is November 1st, a reminder to keep up your oral health. It follows Halloween because of the literal metric tons of candy consumed the days and weeks following the holiday. What better time to be reminded!

Yes, candy is amazing. Here’s a secret that allows you to keep eating candy for years to come: Common sense oral health! The problem isn’t necessarily candy or sugar, but how the bacteria in your mouth breaks down those sugars. Harmful bacteria feed on the sugar and create acids that eat away the teeth, first destroying the outer enamel layer of your tooth. Using the acids, the bacteria burrow deeper into your tooth causing pain and possible tooth loss.

No one wants to cut sugar out of their diet, so here are some preventative recommendations:

• Eat less sugar, desserts with meals are better than continual snacking.
• Consume a healthy diet of fibrous fruits and veggies.
• Drink plenty of water (water with fluoride is recommended).
• Brush and floss your teeth daily.

Halloween only happens once a year. But oral health is a year-round practice. Enjoy your treats in moderation and be mindful of your teeth.

Autumn!  Leaves are changing.  But that doesn’t mean your teeth have to change with the season.  How are trees and teeth similar?  They both look beautiful when they are healthy, and they both stay healthy by having a strong foundation.  In this case, just like the soil around a tree, your gums are the foundation!

Keeping your gums healthy leads to beautiful, strong teeth.  Gum disease can be prevented by just following a few simple methods.  Regular dental check-ups, brushing, flossing, avoid tobacco.  Talk to us in the office for specifics regarding your gums.

Providing your gums with clean water, healthy and nutritious food, and proper dental cleanliness will help not only your oral health but your wallet for when you go to the dentist!  Celebrate Gum Care Month with us and create a strong foundation with your gums.

Childhood is beautiful. Full of wonder, excitement, and new experiences. The mysteries of the world to discover. And what is more mysterious to a child than the Tooth Fairy?

August 22nd is National Tooth Fairy Day, a kick-off to the start of the school year. The magic behind children’s teeth has been a part of legend as early as the 1200’s in Norse and Northern European traditions. The Tooth Fairy tradition is traced to 1908 in the Chicago Daily Tribune. The newspaper told children to place their baby teeth underneath their pillow, and – Presto, Chango! – overnight the Tooth Fairy came bearing gifts.

Children are in a constant state of development. I encourage you, whether you buy into the Tooth Fairy or not, to engage with your child in the wonder of growth and change in each and every loose baby tooth.