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All Posts Tagged: dentistry for kids

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Keep Your Family Happy and Healthy this Summer

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Summertime is finally here! For many families that means school is out and kids are home on summer break.  While most parents prepare for summer activities with sunscreen, bug spray, and first aid kits, it’s important to consider your child’s dental health as well.  Below are some tips for keeping your kids’ smiles healthy this summer.

Keep up Good Oral Hygiene Amidst Schedule Changes 

With schedules changing from school days to time at the beach, pool, summer camp, and vacation, it can be easy to fall out of our usual dental care routines.  Encourage your children to keep up their healthy habits despite the shift in schedules.  It’s ok if that’s at 7:00 am before swim practice or at 9:30 pm after enjoying s’mores as long as they are brushing twice and flossing at least once per day!

You can also put our office goodie bags to good use by pulling together the travel size dental essentials (toothpaste, floss, toothbrush, mouthwash) and creating a portable travel bag for your children that can easily be transferred from their swim bag to overnight bag as needed.

On a long road trip without a brushing opportunity on the horizon?  Be sure to drink water instead of sugary drinks and sodas and try to rinse after eating to help remove any starches or acids from your teeth.

The Beginning of Summer is the Best Time to Schedule Your Child’s Check-up

According to a 2015 survey conducted by Delta Dental on U.S. students, more than 30 percent of parents said their children between the ages of 6 and 12 had to miss school due to an oral health problem.   Make life easier and schedule dental check-ups during summer vacation when you don’t have to coordinate with their academic calendar.

Many parents wait until August to schedule their children’s check-ups before the start of the school year, the beginning of the summer is actually the best time to get your kids scheduled.  By having Dr. McCauley clear your children of any issues before the start of summer, you can relax knowing you won’t have any dental surprises during a weekend camping trip or while you’re out of town.   If there are any issues to address, it’s easier to take care of them during the summer instead of when you’re getting organized for a new school year.

Prevent Dental Emergencies

We know summer means more time outside playing basketball, baseball, swimming, biking, and enjoying other outdoor sports.  While all these activities are part of the fun of summer, they can unfortunately result in a dental injury. Here’s some tips to prevent some common accidents.

According to the Academy of General Dentistry, many summer oral injuries are the result of a pool accident.  Your kids may roll their eyes at the pool rules of “no running on the deck” or “no excessive horseplay” but slippery decks and hard ledges present two opportunities to chip or knock a tooth loose.  Remind your children why the rules are in place and encourage them to play and swim safely.

Feel like you’ve spend your summer at the pool?  Don’t be surprised if you notice discoloration on your children’s teeth. Swimmers who spend more than six hours a week in chemically treated water may be at risk for developing stains on their teeth.  Pool water contains chemicals that give the water a higher pH than saliva.  As a result, salivary proteins break down quickly and form organic deposits on teeth. These hard, brown deposits, known as “swimmers’ calculus,” appear most frequently on the front teeth.  Parents should be aware but not alarmed; swimmers’ calculus can normally be removed by a professional dental cleaning.

Know how to React When Accidents Happen

Despite our best efforts, accidents happen!  It’s important to know what to do in case of a dental emergency to minimize your child’s pain, chance of infection, and increase their chances of a quick recovery.  If your child chips or loses a tooth, first clean the area with warm water and apply an ice pack to reduce the swelling.  Apply gauze to stop any bleeding, clean the tooth of any debris, check the orientation of the tooth, and try to replace a lost permanent tooth back in the mouth.  If that’s not an option, use saltwater or milk to keep it moist for the ride to the dentist.  It’s important to get to the dentist’s office as quickly as you can so they can assess the tooth and take immediate action.

I also recommends a dental emergency kit to take with you on your summer adventures.  It can be as simple as a bag that includes gauze, a small container with a lid, ibuprofen, and our office contact information (425) 354-3138 or [email protected]. Enjoy your summer and comment below to let us know about your summer travels!

Dr. Amanda McCauley, DDS

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Back to School! Here Are 5 Tips To Help Your Child Like The Dentist

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Here are some great tips to help your child like the dentist!

New backpacks, books, and teachers. As children begin another year at school, it is important to make sure they are healthy and strong so that they can excel academically. While they require doctor’s check ups as they grow or perhaps the yearly sports physical, make sure that trip to the dentist is not overlooked! Dental exams are crucial every six months, especially since adult teeth are erupting from elementary school through high school. Protecting teeth properly in the first few years will lead to a full set of chompers your whole life.

Some children may love the dentist, but not mine! I’ve found that the majority of children develop a fear of the dentist if mommy or daddy also has dental anxiety. Even if you are apprehensive about your own dental appointment, make sure not to cancel last minute or postpone having work done. Children can smell our fear! If you are not a fearful parent, their fear may result from the big chair that leans back, the noise of the spinning toothbrush, or opening wide enough to have someone look at their teeth. Whatever the cause, hopefully these 5 tips can help you turn your children’s frowns upside down when they have their next dental appointment!

  1. 6-Month Cleanings. Prevention is the first step toward combating dental anxiety in children, and frequent dental check-ups are the first step in prevention. At six month cleaning appointments, we can catch cavities when they are small, protect teeth with sealants before cavities form, and help teach you where your child needs more help brushing his/her teeth. If a cavity is found when it is small, it can be repaired in a shorter amount of time and with less anesthesia required. No long procedures. No pain. No Fear!
  2. Oral Hygiene. At-home care is step two of prevention, but it is equally as important as frequent dental check ups when it comes to reducing dental anxiety in children! When they are wee, help them to brush their teeth twice a day for two minutes at a time. When they are old enough to brush on their own, some electric toothbrushes even have songs that play for the advised two-minute length while they brush! A child with great oral hygiene will have shorter dental appointments, making it more enjoyable. blog2
  3. Diet. You guessed it! Step three of prevention cannot be overlooked. You’ve hear the sugar saga before – an unlimited supply of sugar will lead to more cavities. Bacteria love sugar and carbohydrates. You already knew that! If your child IS occasionally enjoying a treat, make sure he/she brushes soon after. Also, keep juice out of the sippy cups as much as possible. Teeth cannot stay strong if they are bathed in sugar all day. Water in sippy cups is your friend! High water content fruits and veggies like apples and carrots also help to naturally cleanse teeth.
  4. Practice When They’re Young. Sometimes the big chair that leans back, the noise of the spinning toothbrush, or opening wide enough to have someone look at your teeth can all be very overwhelming. If you have young children, have them lay down on the couch with their head in your lap. Practice brushing their teeth and having them open wide like and alligator! Count their teeth out loud touching each one with the toothbrush. If they know what to expect, they’ll act like a pro in the dental chair!
  5. Be an Example. At our family dental practice, we can schedule your child at the same time, before, or after you! If your children are anxious, it can help to have them watch you have your teeth cleaned and checked before it’s their turn, so they feel better about their experience. If you are brave and strong, they can be too!blog4

No Bribes Necessary. You shouldn’t have to bribe your child with a post-cleaning ice cream trip to be brave at the dentist. If you’re doing as much as you can at home to prevent decay and they know what to expect, it should be a fun outing with some cool gadgets, a few teeth tickles, an awesome ride in the big chair, a dental joke or two, a goodie bag, a trip to the toy chest, and maybe even their favorite show on the big screen TV! Remember that your child should see a family dentist or pediatric dentist when the first tooth appears or no later than his/her first birthday!

Dr. Amanda McCauley, DDS

[email protected]

To help your child like the dentist a little bit more today, call (425) 354-3138 or fill out an appointment request on mccauleydentistry.com

 

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18323 98th Ave NE #2, Bothell, WA