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In the spirit of Halloween, we wanted to tell you all about something called "Ghost Teeth"! Ghost teeth, or otherwise known as Regional Odontodysplasia, is a tooth condition where the teeth do not develop fully, so the teeth develop a "ghost-like" appearance when seen with x-rays.

• Regional
  It affects one or several adjacent teeth.
• Odonto
  This means the condition relates to your teeth.
• Dysplasia
  Dysplasia refers to the presence of abnormal cells in organs or tissues in your body.

It is called "regional" because it only happens in a certain area of the mouth, usually kept to one side of the mouth. The reason why this condition occurs remains unclear. When this condition occurs, your child's dentist will work closely with you to come up with the best plan to take care of your child's teeth! But most important of all is to keep good oral hygiene no matter what!

We know it sound a little crazy, but we find patients with extra teeth more commonly than you think! If your child has an extra tooth, it's not completely out of the norm! Extra teeth can be found in the front or the back. Most of the time, these teeth do not cause any issues, but there's a few things we get concerned with:

• It can block adult teeth from coming in to the mouth - it blocks the normal pathway of the tooth erupting
• The extra tooth can grow in the opposite direction so will not come out into the mouth on its own

The best way to prevent issues is to have regular check ups with your child's dentist. Pediatric dentists are well trained in detecting these extra teeth and determine if and when any treatment may be needed to prevent problems in the future! Don't forget that your child's dentist is always here for you!

Now that school has started, many parents may wonder what type of snacks they should pack for their child that are still healthy for their teeth. We're here to help!

Here are some guidelines to help choose the best types of snacks for your child:

1. Foods with crunchy textures: foods such as celery or carrots help to give your child's teeth an extra brush. These foods don't stick to your child's teeth! Avoid foods like chips or cookies (even though they are also crunchy) since after your child chews these foods, they become sticky and stick to teeth!
2. Foods rich in calcium: foods such as cheese sticks, yogurt, and milk are rich in calcium, which helps build strong teeth!
3. Low sugary foods: it's better to give fresh fruits as a sweet treat so that your child doesn't get extra sugar in their diet. This reduces their chance of getting cavities!

Regardless of what your child eats, don't forget to have them brush two times a day for at least two minutes each time. Remember that the magic number is 2!

We hear these words from parents so commonly! Whether your child has had a previous traumatic dental experience, or your child has special health care needs, we understand that visiting the dentist may not be easy! This is where our office is here to help!

We believe in desensitization visits - this is where your child comes to visit the dental office multiple times where we gradually expose them to the dental setting. The more times your child is exposed to something, they become familiar with it, and will end up feeling more comfortable! For example, the more times they are able to get into the dental chair, the more times they are used to us brushing their teeth, the less scary each thing becomes!

We are also here for the little wins and want to take things step by step with your child. We want to take away any pressure of having to complete a "full dental visit." If all your child was able to do at the visit was sit in the dental chair, that is a win for us! Then the next time your child comes, we may be able to use a mirror to count their teeth or may even be able to brush their teeth! We do everything based on your child's comfort level!

At East Valley Children's Dentistry, we offer complimentary office tours for our new patients. This allows your family to get to know us and to become familiar with our environment before your dental visit with us! We also have a photobook that walks through the steps of a dental visit to help prepare your child before their visit. Please don't hesitate to contact our office with any questions you may have, we are here for you!