Water Only in Sippy Cups

Raising healthy kids these days is difficult, especially in a day and age when soft drinks, fast food, and fatty foods are the most common fare.  A few different ways exist to help get your kids off to a great start in both oral and overall health. One way is to put only water in sippy cups instead of juice. Switching to water in sippy cups with meals is the best way to ensure that baby teeth are healthy.

Though sippy cups are often filled with juice and sugary drinks, water is a great choice. Not only is water a better source of constant hydration, but it also protects the teeth from being continually coated in sugar and acid found in fruit juices. Fruit juice is high in natural sugar, which is just as hard on teeth as the refined sugars we use in baking.  Most children prefer sugary drinks due to the yummy flavors.  But when given nothing but water, it is far more likely that they will develop a taste for water and possibly a taste for healthier choices. Some parents claim that their children will not drink water. However, children are incredibly adaptive and when given water instead of sugary drinks, they will often choose what is easiest. Children are very versatile and will often drink whatever a parent gives them.  You may have a bit of fighting at first if your children are used to sugary drinks in their sippy cups.

Although switching their drinks to water is a great way to prevent cavities in baby teeth and adult teeth that are forming, dentist visits are still necessary for children. When it comes to the dental health of children, general dentist visits may be helpful but it is always better to go to a kids' dentist. Visiting a kids’ dentist has a few different benefits. The first is that they know how to work with children. Dealing with children is different than dealing with adults. An experienced kids’ dentist will be practiced in a kid-friendly approach. The second is that little mouths and baby teeth require slightly different care than adult teeth. A kids’ dentist, like a pediatrician, is accustomed to these differences.

Yearly cleanings and checkups can help prevent any damage that may occur from improper care. Making sure that baby teeth are brushed, kept clean, and maintained is the best way to insure that the health of the growing adult teeth is as good as possible. In order for adult teeth to remain healthy as they grow, it is important that baby teeth are cared for properly. Switching children to water instead of juice or sugary drinks can help maintain the health of baby teeth to ensure that adult teeth get a healthy start.

Kids Dental Health: Vending Machines in Schools

Obesity, bad eating habits, and unhealthy food choices do not necessarily originate at home. Parents are not always the ones influencing their children's unhealthy dietary intake. It could be, perhaps, the vending machines at school. Children are tempted by the items they see inside the vending machines in their schools. The result of unhealthy or sugary snacks can impact kids’ dental health as well as their overall well-being.

It is hard for them to resist so many unhealthy snacks when they are exposed to them every single day. Children with a few dollars in their pockets are tempted with chocolate candy bars, greasy potato chips, and acid filled sodas. These foods fall in the category of non-nutritious snacks, because they offer little or no nutritional value.

Schools can influence their students’ diets if they consider putting healthier food choices in their vending machines. Apples, oranges, milk, juices, and even multi-grain fruit bars are better food choices. Foods such as these aid children and their parents in more than one way.

The Vending Machine and Its Impact on Children

Vending machines containing junk foods actually influence children to eat unhealthily. When children are hungry and want a quick snack, they have to settle for what they can get. The choices they have to choose from are the ones that the vending machines provide. Schools can control what goes into the vending machines, but only if they choose to do so.

Bad eating habits lead children to the kids’ dentist or to a general dentist office. Acidic drinks and sugary snacks destroy the tooth’s enamel and often lead to cavities and tooth decay. Parents spend hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on dental care to restore their children’s teeth.

How Can Parents Help if Schools Will Not?

The voices of dissatisfied parents speak louder than vending machines. Parents can demand that their children’s school remove the vending machines or, at least, replace the foods inside with healthier foods. Parents can also forbid their children not to buy certain snacks from the vending machines. However, parents can also pack their children’s lunch, making sure to include nutritious snacks that will support overall health.

Oral Health Checklist for Teens

As your child ages, especially during his or her teenage years, it will be your job to hand over the responsibility of taking care of your child's teeth. This means it will be your child who has to make sure his or her teeth are brushed after every meal. Although there is quite a bit involved in properly taking care of one's mouth, your teenager should not feel overwhelmed with dental hygiene. To make sure your child is doing all that he or she can, make sure you hang up an oral health checklist in your child's bathroom as well as regularly visiting a kids' dentist. The checklist should outline the following tips and it should be written as if it is talking directly to your teen.

·         Skip the chips and chocolate and eat an apple. Eating unhealthy foods is not only bad for your teeth, but it can be detrimental to your overall health.  Childhood obesity and diabetes are becoming more prevalent, so make sure you're making healthy food choices.

·         Please buckle up in the car. Not only will wearing a seat belt help protect your mouth, it can also save your life if you're in an accident.

·         Brush and floss after every meal.  Also consider chewing sugarless gum after each meal; this will help make your breath fresh, and it also helps to prevent tooth decay.  Did you know Xylitol, a sugar alcohol used in sugarless gum, actually kills the bacteria that cause decay! 

·         Do you have a game tonight? If so, make sure you pack your mouth guard, and more importantly, make sure you wear it during your game. You don't want your permanent teeth getting knocked out do you? Wearing a mouth guard is one of the best things you can do to protect your teeth while playing sports.

·         Forget about getting your tongue pierced. You might think it looks cool, but as you age, you may come to realize it was just a phase you were going through.   Oral piercings can damage the teeth.  To have the best dental hygiene possible, you should skip over the oral piercings.

National Facial Protection Month

National Facial Protection Month is coming close to an end. With the weather becoming warmer and the days lasting longer, your kiddos will be out and about playing and enjoying the outdoors.

Here at Playtime Dental, we want to make sure you are taking the extra steps needed to help protect your kids’ mouths and face. Although you can’t avoid accidents, you are able to do your best to make sure your child’s teeth and face are protected if an accident happens.

From organized sports to a pick-up game of kickball, here are some tips from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry to help protect your young ones pearly whites and face.

Wear a mouth guard when playing contact sports: Wearing a mouth guard can protect your teeth from accidental injuries to the face. Being proactive and having your child wear a mouth guard will be far less expensive than a possible tooth replacement.

Wear a helmet: Anytime your child is riding a bike, playing football, baseball and so on, wearing a helmet will not only protect your kids’ teeth but their skull as well.

Wear protective eyewear: Wearing protective eye gear can help avoid any injuries to your kids’ eyes.

Make protective gear mandatory for all sports: For organized sports, it is important to enforce facial protection. By doing so, severe facial injuries can be avoided.

For more questions, contact your child’s dentist or visit www.mychildrensteeth.org for more information.

Tips for Dental Emergency Prevention

When it comes to taking care of your mouth, of course you know that brushing and flossing on a daily basis are two of the smartest things you can do. But what about dental emergencies? How are you supposed to go about preventing them? More importantly, how can you prevent dental emergencies from happening to your kids? Fortunately, there are many tips you can follow.

Tip #1: Visit a kids' dentist.

The first and most important tip to follow is visiting a kids' dentist on a regular basis. When you visit our office, you can rest assured that we will be able to both identify and properly treat any problems in your kids' mouths.

Tip #2: Wear a mouth guard.

If your kids play sports, they need to wear mouth guards during their sporting events. Not only will a mouth guard help protect the teeth in your children's mouths, but it will also help protect the bone that holds the teeth.

Tip #3: Deal with emergencies.

You can't always avoid dental emergencies. If your child gets one of his or her permanent teeth knocked out, it's important to keep the tooth moist. You can do this by placing the tooth in a glass of milk. However, if a tooth is knocked out, the best liquid to place a tooth in is Hank’s Balanced Salt Solution and the worst liquid is water. Reimplanting the tooth in to the socket as soon as possible is the best thing to do.  The most important thing to do, however, is to visit our office immediately.

Tip #4: Child-proof your home.

There are many steps you can take to child-proof your home. From putting up pieces of furniture that have sharp corners and edges, to making sure your child doesn't bite down on hard objects, child-proofing the home will go a long way in preventing dental emergencies.

Tip #5: Always make your child sit in a car seat.

Until your child reaches the proper height and weight recommendations, you should always make him or her sit in a car seat while traveling. Not only will this help prevent dental emergencies, but it can also save your child's life in the event of an accident.

Tip #6: Keep a close eye on your children.

One of the most common times that your child is likely to endure a dental emergency is when learning to walk. No matter the age of your child, though, make sure you keep a close eye on him or her at all times.

Educate Yourself during Oral Cancer Awareness Month

April is oral cancer, head and neck cancer awareness month, recognizing the danger of oral cancer and instilling the importance of regular dental visits and proper dental hygiene. Oral cancer affects millions of Americans, and they often don’t realize they have it until they visit the dentist. If you are not visiting your general dentist regularly, you could miss the chance at early diagnosis and treatment, which can damage your long-term health. Taking your child to a kid friendly dentist regularly is a great idea and his or her dentist should screen for oral cancer at recall appointments. This awareness month is provided in part by the Oral Cancer Foundation, which offers various sources and educational materials to teach children and adults the importance of maintaining proper dental health.

The Dangers of Oral Cancer

Oral cancer, which affects the mouth and throat, kills approximately one person for every hour of every day a year. Once diagnosed, about 50 percent of the patients live five years, and that is with early diagnosis. Even those who do survive may struggle with facial abnormalities and long-term problems involving eating and speaking. The best course of action for oral cancer is early diagnosis and treatment, thus improving your chances of surviving the cancer.

Symptoms of Oral Cancer

Another danger of oral cancer is the lack of signs and symptoms during the early stages. While a general dentist can see these early signs, you likely will not notice them until the cancer gets to a more advanced stage. Symptoms of oral cancer include:

·         White or red patches and spots in the mouth

·         Sores that bleed easily and don’t heal

·         Unexplained swelling of the jaw

·         A chronic sore throat

·         A change in the voice

·         Lumps, bumps or rough spots on the gums, lips, or anywhere inside the mouth

·         Ear pain

·         Dramatic weight loss

These symptoms may come one at a time, or they may seemingly develop and become aggressive all at once.

How to Prevent Oral Cancer

The best way to prevent oral/head and neck cancer is by taking good care of your teeth and mouth. To prevent oral/head and neck cancer, reduce sugar and alcohol intake, don’t smoke cigarettes or chew tobacco products, and limit your exposure to the sun’s harsh UV rays. Proper dental hygiene, including brushing and flossing daily, is incredibly important not just for general dental health but to prevent oral cancer as well. Finally, see your dentist regularly, at least every six months, for a checkup and cleaning.

Mouth Protectors in Sports

Most parents would love their children to grow up as athletes. As they begin to engage in sports, the topic of safety will begin to come up. This is common in all kinds of sports including football, soccer, hockey, skiing, and any sport where the player may come in contact with another person or piece of equipment. All these sports involve some level of physical activity that can expose the child to a risk of getting injured.

Dental Safety in Sports

While most players understand the importance of safety in sports, they tend to overlook the importance of a mouth protector. During games, there is probably a high risk that the player may fall, hit his or her head, or have mouth or head contact with other children or with the sports equipment. This fact makes the mouth protector a very essential piece of sports gear that is recommended by all dentists.

Importance of a Mouth Protector

The right mouth protector will go a long way in protecting not only the teeth, but also cheeks, the jaw, tongue, lips, and even reduce the intensity of neck and head injuries. Research has proven that wearing a mouth protector greatly minimizes the possibility of getting dental and/or oral injuries.  This has always been among the most important items recommended by dentists to parents who have children involved in sports. With mouth protectors you have a number of options to pick from nowadays and you can easily find one that is right for your kid. They are available in most sporting goods stores or you can make an order online, but make sure it is recommended by your kids’ dentist.

The most important thing is getting one that is comfortable to wear and it fits according to their mouth structure. You can always consult a reputable dentist who caters to the young and growing to find out which is the best for your kid or if they can make a customized one specifically for your child. It is a fantastic idea to teach your kid how to keep safe during sports.  Make them protect their pearly whites with a mouth protector so that smile stays looking nice!