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Getting your child excited about visiting the dentist can be tough, and many children feel stressed about visiting for the first time. Here’s how parents can help their children be excited for their first dental visit. 

Show Your Child the Office Online 

Before you take your child into a dentist’s office for the first time, take a few minutes to go through photos of the practice with them. This can help them better understand what to expect, and get them excited about their visit.

Schedule a Stress-Free First Visit 

Kids can be very nervous to visit the doctor or dentist for the first time. Pediatric dentists know this, which is why most offer relaxed “meet and greets” for their first office visit. The first visit gives you a chance to gauge how your child responds to the new surroundings, and gives them a chance to enjoy the office without sitting in the dentist’s chair. 

Bring a Comfort Toy 

Soft, comfortable toys or blankets can work wonders for young children that are anxious about their first visit. If your child has a toy that makes them feel more comfortable, then bring it along on your trip to the pediatric dentist’s office. A small piece of home can help your child feel more comfortable while they are at the dentist’s office. 

Encourage Positive Oral Health Routines at Home 

One of the best ways to quell dental-visit stress is by establishing healthy oral care routines at home before their visit. This will help familiarize your child with brushing their teeth, and get them comfortable with the idea of oral healthcare. 

Use Encouraging Language 

Before visiting the dentist, be sure to ease your child’s stress by reminding them how fun and positive a dental visit is. Tell them about how you enjoy getting your teeth cleaned at the dentist, and how much you appreciate your dentist helping your teeth.

Establish a Dental Home by Their First Birthday 

One of the best ways to eradicate dental-visit anxiety is by finding a dental home for your child before their first birthday. Introducing your child to their dentist early can get them more comfortable with oral health, and gives you an early leg up on helping them grow healthy baby teeth. 

Visit Our Office 

We would love to speak with you about your child and their dental needs. We see children of all ages, so call us and schedule an office tour! We want to make visiting the dentist fun, so stop by and see why pediatric dentistry is the way to go for your children! 

Night guards are fantastic oral appliances that can help protect teeth from the damaging effects of clenching and grinding. But, night guards must be kept clean to operate properly. Here’s everything you need to know to keep your night guard clean and protecting your teeth! 

Rinse First Thing in the Morning 

After you wake up, take your night guard out and rinse it under cool clean water. This helps remove any saliva or plaque that’s accumulated on its surface.

Brush with Your Toothbrush 

After rinsing, gently brush your night guard with your toothbrush. You don’t need to use any toothpaste, just a little bit of cool water on your toothbrush head. Abrasives in toothpaste can damage night guards and cause them to degrade more quickly. 

Air Dry in a Clean Spot 

Always air-dry your night guard in a cool, clean spot before storing it. We suggest using a clean hand towel, or new paper towel and putting it near your sink. Always make sure that your night guard is completely dry before storing it, which usually takes around thirty minutes.

Store in the Right Case  

Always store your night guard in the proper case given to you by your dentist or orthodontist. This helps keep it clean and germ free, which can prevent you from unwittingly ingesting any germs that can make you sick.

Deep Clean the Right Way 

Because they are stored in a tight, dark case, night guards can attract bacterial growth if they’re not maintained properly. You can keep bacteria growth and illness away by performing a regular deep clean on your night guard. 

You can clean your night guard with a denture cleaner, which usually involves placing your night guard in a glass with water a dissolvable tablet. Or, you can pour a cap full of mouthwash into a glass and then dilute it with water. Then, simply soak your night guard for thirty minutes in the solution,  rinse it with clean water and allow it to air dry before storing it. 

Be sure never to leave your night guard soaking for more than an hour because extended time in liquid can damage your night guard, leaving it ineffective.

Does Your Child Grind Their Teeth?

If your child wakes up with a soar jaw, or complains of their molars hurting in the morning, then they may be grinding their teeth as they sleep. Teeth grinding can wear down tooth enamel, and cause your child to lose sleep. A night guard can help combat teeth grinding, and prevent your child from accidentally damaging their smile in their sleep. Visit our office so that we can evaluate the state of your child’s teeth, and offer a solution that works for them.  

Did you know that spots drinks like Gatorade and PowerAde are consumed by 62% of adolescents every day? Sports drinks are widely popular, and used by people of all ages. But, they are terrible for teeth, and can lead to cavities. Here’s why your family should avoid sports drinks for the sake of your teeth.

Most Sports Drinks Have too Much Sugar 

Unfortunately, sports drinks can contain more sugar than leading cola beverages. All of that sugar does considerable damage to tooth enamel and provides bad oral bacteria with the fuel it needs to create cavities. Some of the leading sports drinks can contain up to 21 grams of sugar per 20 Oz bottle – which is just over half of the amount sugar that your body needs on a daily basis, according to the American Heart Association. 

Acid Hurts Tooth Enamel

Most sports drinks contain a surprising amount of citric acid for added flavor, but extra acid on teeth can erode tooth enamel in a process called demineralization. Tooth enamel is literally the hardest substance in the human body, but it’s no match for a steady stream of acid.

Sports Drinks can be Counter-Productive

A large bottle (20 – 32 Oz.) of the leading sports drink can have more sodium than a bag of potato chips. The sodium actually plays a hydration trick on your body, and makes you want to drink more water – thereby quenching your thirst and hydrating your body. 

Water is the Best Hydration Option 

Water helps strengthen and clean teeth. With every sip, water cleans teeth by ridding them of any leftover foods or acids. It also washes away bacteria and sugars that can eventually lead to cavities. Water has zero calories, and helps restore the mouth’s pH balance to fight unhealthy levels of acid. Water also hydrates the body as it sweats. 

Visit Our Office 

If your child is participating in an intense activity with constant movement and an elevated heart rate, a small serving of sports drinks may be okay on occasion, but water is always the better choice. If you have more questions on sports drinks versus water, please contact our office and we will be glad to discuses this with you.

A mouth-healthy diet can be a great tool for improving your oral health. But, altering your diet can take a lot of time and research. So, we’ve decided to help by outlining the perfect day of mouth-healthy food.

Breakfast: Apple Slices, Mixed Nuts, and Milk 

Breakfast is the perfect time to begin a mouth-healthy day of nutrition! This mixture contains a high amount of fiber, which naturally cleans teeth. Both the nuts and milk contain calcium and vitamin D, which promotes healthy teeth and helps teeth and bones absorb calcium. Milk also contains a protein called casein, which strengthens tooth enamel and helps fend off cavities. This light, refreshing breakfast is easy to eat at home, or can be easily eaten on the go.

Lunch: Garden Salad with Cucumber, Bell Pepper and Chickpeas 

A garden fresh salad is a fun meal that you can eat at home, or pack for your children to enjoy at school. We suggest making it with a base of fresh spring mix lettuce, fresh-diced bell pepper, thin sliced cucumber, rinsed chickpeas, feta cheese, and your favorite vinaigrette salad dressing. 

The chickpeas are high in protein, and the cucumbers are high in vitamins B and C, which fight gum inflammation and help repair gums. All of the vegetables are high in fiber, which helps naturally scrubs teeth free of food debris. The feta cheese adds a nice bit of calcium and casein to the dish, and provides a creamy flavor.

Dinner: Baked Salmon with Glazed Carrots and Roasted Brussels Sprouts

For dinner, we have a trio of mouth-healthy items that are sure to please the entire family. This meal contains a nice balance of healthy fats, fiber, and vitamins.

The salmon contains high amounts of vitamin D, which signals your body to absorb calcium into the bloodstream. Carrots are full of fiber and vitamins B and A, which helps promote healthy salivary flow. Saliva naturally cleans teeth by washing away harmful acids that can erode enamel. The brussels sprouts provide more fiber to the meal, and contain a lot of potassium, which improves bone and teeth density.

Bonus! Mouth-Healthy Snacks!

Snacking is inevitable, and there are plenty of mouth-healthy options that are easy to eat. Cheese is a great option that is high in calcium, which promotes strong teeth and bones, and casein, which strengthens tooth enamel. Mixed nuts, baby carrots, celery and kiwi are also fantastic mouth-healthy snacks that are delicious, and easy to eat on the go.

Oral Health Includes a Healthy Diet 

Brushing, flossing, and visiting us, your pediatric dentist, are all great ways to keep teeth healthy – but a healthy diet is also a fantastic way to get healthier teeth. If you’re concerned about how your child’s diet may be affecting their teeth, then visit our office. We’ll give you mouth-healthy dietary tips that you can use at home to help your children earn a healthy, bright smile.