Holiday gift ideas that make your dentist happy :)

December 16th, 2023

Need help with last minute holiday shopping? Here are a few of Dr. Norman and Dr. Cat's favorites! :)

1) Children's toothbrushes - You can make brushing fun by having your child choose a toothbrush with their favorite character! Our Drs. daughter LOVES Bluey, so what better toothbrush to choose? Make sure that toothbrushes are age appropriate with soft or extrasoft bristles and don't forget fluoridated or hydroxyapatite toothpaste!

2) Electric toothbrushes - For those children old enough for electric toothbrushes, having your child pick their favorite character or color brush will make brushing so much more exciting! You can also get a brush that is associated with a phone app or timer to make sure your child brushes for the full 2 minutes (always make sure brushing is supervised in younger children!) 

3) Biodegradable and plastic-free floss picks - We find that floss picks make flossing super easy for parents and kids! We favor environmentally friendly floss options!

4) For our youngest children - our favorite "brush" is the banana! It works as a great teether, it can help sooth gums, and is safe for infants to hold on their own (the protective handles prevent children from pushing the whole brush in their mouth). This is a great introduction to brushing even before teeth come in the mouth!

5) And of course - we can't forget our favorite toy options! For children who are nervous of going to the dentist, these dentist playsets help familiarize children with the dental setting, making going to the dentist a less scary place!

We hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!

*Disclaimer: We do not endorse, sponsor, or have any financial obligation to any of the products shown in this post.

What are Ghost Teeth?

October 11th, 2022

Regional odontodysplasia: A classical case report Malhotra R, Singla S,  Shashikiran N D, Verma A - SRM J Res Dent Sci

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!

How can I make brushing fun?

April 19th, 2021

We all know the golden rule for brushing - brush two times a day, two minutes each time. But how can we make brushing fun for kids? We get this question a lot from parents since it is so hard to get their kids motivated to brush. There are many ways to get your kids brushing, but here are a few of our favorites!

  1. Brushing Tunes! - Have your child choose their favorite song and have them brush for the full amount of time that the song plays for. Because we want your child to brush for at least 2 minutes, make sure the song lasts for that amount of time!
  2. Brushing Sticker Chart - Create a calendar where you reward your child with a sticker for every morning and every night that they brush their teeth. At the end of the month, if they were able to get a full chart of stickers, you can reward them with a prize of your choice!
  3. Brushing Together - Some children, especially the younger ones, love watching and copying what their parents do. If you brush together, it becomes a family activity that they'll get used to doing.

The biggest thing about brushing habits is creating a routine. Our favorite routine is brush, book, bed - the three B's! Brush your teeth, settle down with a bedtime story/book, and then get tucked into bed.

We hope these tips help you and your family - let us know what works for you! And please share with us any other great ideas your family has to make brushing fun!

When can my child brush on their own?

August 25th, 2020

Did you know that it is recommended for parents to help their children brush their teeth until their child is at least 7-8 years old? You may say "Wow! We still need to help them even when they are that old?" The key thing here isn't only the age, but how well is your child brushing their teeth? Every child is different. We have seen 5 year old children who are perfect brushers, and we have seen some 10 year old children who still need that extra help. What matters the most is what to look for as you're helping your child brush in order to help guide them towards better brushing on their own.

Here are our tips to help you brush with your child:

  • Each tooth has 3 "sides" that need to be brushed: the cheek side, the tongue side, and the biting surface. For the front teeth, you would brush the lips side, the tongue side, and the biting surface.
  • Look at the area where the gums touch the tooth, are there a lot of white/yellow food particles stuck there? This is what we call plaque! It is important to help your child brush these areas to prevent cavities.
  • The areas where plaque likes to stick the most are the cheek sides of the upper teeth and the tongue sides of the lower teeth. With the cheeks and tongue squishing against those sides of the teeth, it's hard for your child to brush there, so spend extra time checking these spots!
  • Divide the mouth into 4 different sections - upper right, upper left, lower left, lower right. Spend 30 seconds brushing each section, which will equal a total of 2 minutes of brushing!
  • Don't forget to brush the tongue! If the tongue remains white and coated over time, this can be a cause of stinky breath!
  • Over time, as you work with your child to brush their teeth, they will know what to look for when they are brushing. They can brush on their own first, then you as the parent can check their brushing and help remind them of any places they have missed. Then before you know it, they'll be able to brush super well on their own!
  • As a rule of thumb, children are usually able to brush their teeth on their own once they know how to tie their own shoelaces. This demonstrates that they have enough hand motor skills in order to brush their teeth effectively!

We hope these tips help you and your child become a better brushing team together!

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