Want to give your kids the best start possible for a lifetime of good dental health? The most important thing you can do is train them in effective brushing and flossing. It’s more than having a nice smile and fresh breath: these hygiene tasks remove the daily buildup of bacterial plaque, the primary cause for […]
The month of February gets its name from the ancient spring cleansing ritual called “Februa.” So perhaps it’s appropriate that February is now celebrated as National Children’s Dental Health Month. Having a healthy mouth starts with good oral hygiene—a practice that’s important for everyone, but especially for kids, because the healthy habits they develop in […]
Halloween means loads of fun for kids everywhere: a chance to put on fanciful costumes and have some safe, spooky enjoyment. But the reward for all that trick-or-treating — bags full of sugary candy — can create monstrous problems for young smiles, in the form of tooth decay. Short of taking all those treats away, […]
One of the biggest concerns we hear from parents is about their child’s thumb sucking habit. Our advice: if they’re under age 4, there’s no need for concern — yet. If they’re older, though, you should be concerned about the possible effect on their bite. Thumb sucking is a universal habit among infants and toddlers […]
You can’t go wrong with an early start caring for your child’s teeth and gums. In fact, dental care should begin in earnest when their first tooth appears. You should begin by gently cleaning your infant’s gums and new teeth after each feeding with a clean, water-soaked washcloth or gauze pad. Once they start eating […]
There’s something universal about thumb sucking: nearly all babies do it, and nearly all parents worry about it. While most such worries are unfounded, you should be concerned if your child sucks their thumb past age of 4 — late thumb sucking could skew bite development. Young children suck their thumb because of the way […]
Thumb or finger sucking is a normal activity for babies and young children — they begin the habit while still in the womb and may continue it well into the toddler stage. Problems with tooth development and alignment could arise, however, if the habit persists for too long. It’s a good idea, then, to monitor […]
Did you know that the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that all children have their first dental visit by the age of one? You might be surprised by this recommendation, since most children do not have many teeth at this age. However, it is important to start your child early on the path of […]
February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, an annual observance during which dental and medical professionals, educators, and parents focus efforts to improve the oral health of all children. Tooth decay in children is a fast-growing problem in the United States posing serious health risks. It is the most chronic disease affecting American children. A […]
The Tooth Fairy has been easing the process of losing baby teeth for hundreds of years — at least 500 years according to one authority on the subject. Her name is Brady Reiter, and while she looks only age 11 in earth years, she is actually a 500-year-old Tooth Fairy; at least she plays one […]
