While most people have been encouraged to brush and floss their teeth regularly, it’s a tough habit to establish, especially later in life. That’s why dentists are so keen on helping children start healthy habits early on, so they’re less likely to deal with serious dental problems years down the line because of poor oral health habits. If you’re a parent of a young child, how can you help establish a friendship between kids and their oral health
Start Early
The first key is starting the habit as early as possible, even before they have teeth.
By wiping their gums with a clean, soft cloth or very soft toothbrush, you can help your infant get used to the idea and sensation of oral cleanliness being a regular part of their day. As they get a little older and begin teething, this ritual can be soothing and enjoyable too.
Don’t Assume They’re Doing It Right
While a child of 3 or 4 may be able to move a toothbrush around their mouth and work up a lather, they probably still need some help adequately brushing every tooth.
This isn’t just a matter of being easily distracted or not fully appreciating the importance of doing a thorough job. Instead, they likely don’t yet have the motor skills and coordination necessary to do a really good job brushing everywhere. In this case, assisting children until they’re more in control goes a long way.
Set Goals
Since you want brushing and flossing to be a lifelong habit for your children, it’s important to give them a reason to care about it before they’re old enough to truly appreciate oral health.
Many parents have found that sticker charts work especially well:
Create a simple grid that covers a week and tape it to the bathroom mirror. (There are plenty of free printable charts available online, or you can draw your own.)
Let your child pick out stickers they like and hang them up next to the chart.
Decide on a simple, (non-sugary) privilege or treat your child will earn if they do a good job filling in the sticker chart each time they brush and floss properly.
Be sure to check with your child’s dentist, as they may have similar ideas and materials right there in their office to share with you.
Make it Fun
Along the same lines as the sticker chart suggested above, anything you can do to make maintaining good oral health less tedious and more fun, the better the chance you’re going to teach your kids to love brushing and flossing in the long run.
There are plenty of novelty toothbrushes, floss holders, flavored toothpastes, and other accessory options you can experiment with to make the whole experience more engaging and enjoyable. Sometimes, all it takes to get a young child interested in brushing and flossing regularly is for them to see you doing it and enjoying it. In fact, if you make a habit of participating with them every day, they might look forward to this special time you have together.
It’s Never Too Late
Although it’s certainly preferable for excellent oral health habits to start when a child is young, it’s never too late to establish good patterns.
If your child is already in school and still doesn’t like to brush and floss, there’s not a moment to lose. You may need to be especially creative to find ways to incentivize their participation, but it can be done.
For advice on your kids and their oral health, ask your local Tooth Corner or check back later, we might have another blog in store for you!
As parents, you know that when your child comes home from school, they often run straight for the pantry! We understand that kids can be a bit hungry after a long day at school and we want to help you provide you with smile-friendly snacks that won’t only fill their bellies, but will benefit their teeth as well!
Try These Smile-Friendly Snacks!
Consuming a lot of starchy and sugary treats in the afternoon can do a number on a child’s teeth—not to mention ruin their appetite for dinner! Sticky, sugary snacks can adhere to your child’s teeth for long periods of time, potentially causing harmful cavities. In order to avoid snack-induced cavities and other oral health concerns, try these ideas instead:
Leafy Greens and Fresh Veggies
Dark, leafy greens like kale, spinach, and collard greens have calcium, vitamin A, vitamin B2, and magnesium–all essential for healthy teeth and gums. Veggies like broccoli and celery are great as well! In addition to being rich in vitamins, broccoli has been shown to create an acid-resistant “shield” for your teeth. As for celery, because of its fibrous material, it massages gums, cleans teeth, and encourages saliva production, making it a natural tooth scrubber!
If your kids like a little crunch in their snack, you could even try making homemade veggie chips! You can use anything from kale and spinach to sweet potatoes and carrots. Simply mix your veggies with enough olive oil to coat them, add any spices you’d like (garlic or pepper is always good), and bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes, flip your veggies, and then bake until crispy!
Cheese, Milk, and Yogurt
Dairy is the go-to dental snack for a reason! Few other foods give such a great boost of calcium. Cheese and yogurt even help cut acidity, helping protect your child’s teeth from erosion caused by acidic fruit juices. If your child doesn’t just want plain yogurt, fruit and yogurt parfaits are a great option to add some flavor and healthy vitamins to their snack.
Fruit High in Vitamin C
A lack of vitamin C can break down the collagen network in our gums, making them tender and more susceptible to bacteria and gum disease. Citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit and kiwi are great sources of Vitamin C. To make their citrus snack fun, you can make fun kabobs with some citrus, berries, and some of their favourite cheeses.
If you’d like some healthy and creative school lunch ideas, check out these tips from Martha Stewart!
Do You Have Anything To Add?
Do you have any healthy snack recipes of your own? We’d love to hear them! Feel free to comment below and share this with your friends and family! Maybe they’ll have snack recipes of their own!
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
Dental implants can help fix any missing, broken or loose teeth. They can turn our damaged smiles, into a beautiful ones! But did you know there are 3 types of implants? You do now! Read below and find out what implant you might need!
What are Dental Implants?
First, lets start with a brief introduction into what exactly dental implants are, case you’ve never had one. They are metal posts or frames that are surgically positioned into the jawbone beneath your gums. Once in place, they allow your dentist to mount replacement teeth onto them. They are a safe and proven effective replacement for the tooth root – the very foundation of a natural tooth.
Types of Implants
Now that you know what a dental implant is, find out the 3 types and what they mean for your teeth and overall health.
Endosteal Implants: In this type, the tooth roots are replaced by screws, cylinders, or blades that are usually made of titanium or ceramic material. The implant is surgically drilled into the jawbone that helps to hold the artificial teeth in place. Thus, these implants lie completely inside the jawbone, well below the gums. However, artificial teeth are not directly connected to endosteal implants. So, once the dental implant is inserted into the jawbone, a post is connected to the implant. The artificial tooth is then securely placed over the post
Transosteal Implants: These implants that can be fitted only to the lower jawbone are generally not recommended as the surgical procedure is complicated and extensive. The procedure involves attaching a metal plate at the bottom of the jawbone, with screws running through the jawbone, and the posts embedded within the gum tissue. An incision is made below the chin to fix the plate with screws and posts on top, to attach the artificial teeth. However, these implants are not available at a pocket-friendly price as they have to be customised according to the width and height of the jawbone. This will ensure that the implant fits correctly on the individual.
Subperiosteal Implants: a metal framework is firmly secured on the jawbone, but the framework lies below the gum line. Metal posts are again necessary, and appear to be projecting outwards above the gum line through the metal frame. The procedure is time-consuming, has minimal success rate, and can result in post-surgical scars.
Dental implants also come in different sizes and heights, including standard and narrow. Call Dr. Hassan El-Awour’s Dental Office to book an appointment to help you determine what option is right for you, which depend on the tooth or teeth that need to be replaced.
Going to the dentist is something a lot of people try to avoid as much as possible. Nevertheless, it’s important for you to understand why it’s something you need to look forward to. There are many benefits and advantages to visiting the dentist, and you need to embrace these. Here are some reasons why your dentist should be your best friend.
Oral hygiene is important
There are a lot of things that matter these days when it comes to health and well-being. Oral hygiene is one of the most important. You need to have healthy teeth as you go through life, and the only way to properly ensure this, is to make sure you start going to your dentist on a regular basis.
Saves you from serious work in the long run
One of the biggest benefits of going to see your dentist regularly is that it saves you stress and money. By going often, you’re able to catch any problems early, which will help ensure your teeth stay healthy . Problems with teeth can quickly lead to more severe problems. This often takes a lot of time and money to correct, and this is something most people would want to avoid. So, make sure you visit your dentist on a regular basis; it will be worth it in the long run.
Helps improve your appearance
Appearance plays such a prominent role in your life that it’s important to work on looking good as much as you can, and your teeth play an enormous part in the way you look. When you have bad teeth, it’s often very noticeable, and it’s the same with healthy teeth. Your dentist will be able to work on your teeth, and give you tips and helpful suggestions. You can get them cleaned, polished and whitened, and this will make them look a lot brighter than they did. There’s even the option of veneers to make them look even better!. Your dentist can be monumental in helping improve your appearance and make you look and feel more confident.
Avoid fillings & dentures
As we get older, we might get to the point where we need to get fillings and dentures. This is never a pleasant experience but is often necessary. You can avoid this for a long time by ensuring you partake in bi-annual visits, helping your teeth and gums stay strong. Avoiding dentures and fillings will save you money, as well as saving you the stress and trauma of having intensive work done.
A lot of people have an irrational fear of visiting the dentist. But, you need to understand how important it is to visit your dentist in the long-run. In fact, your dentist should become your new best friend. Hopefully this article gave you a better insight on how beneficial a dentist can be; and helped calm any fear you may have of them. If you have any stories or tips on how regular visits benefit you, leave a comment below!
We’ve all heard our dentists tell us to “brush twice a day and floss regularly.” But is that all you need to do to build strong teeth and gums? Not exactly. The following are many do’s and don’ts of brushing your teeth to ensure they stay at their healthiest, strongest and brightest.
Tooth Brushing Dos:
Brush with fluoride toothpastes and gels. Fluoride is a naturally occurring element that helps prevent and even reverse early stages of tooth decay.
Choose a toothbrush that is appropriately sized and use a soft-bristled brush. Bristles that are too hard can injure your gums and cause recession.
Brush for 2 minutes covering all sections of the mouth (upper, lower, inside, outside or behind). A motorized (electric or battery-operated) toothbrush with a timer can be a great choice; as most people don’t realize 30 seconds per mouth section is a long time. Don’t forget to use short, gentle strokes that cover one or two teeth at a time.
Brush shortly after you’ve consumed anything particularly sweet or chewy, in addition to the normal two times a day (morning and bedtime). If it’s not convenient to brush, rinse with mouthwash or water to wash away food particles, sugar residue and to help dilute acids produced by decay-forming bacteria.
Replace your toothbrush every 3 months or whenever the bristles start showing signs of excessive wear. Also replace after any illness (cold, flu, etc.). Germs can live on the bristles so if you continue to use the same toothbrush, it could lead to reinfection.
Brush your tongue once a day with a toothbrush or tongue scraper. Sulphur-emitting bacteria can reside on the tongue surface and are largely responsible for bad breath. One or two swipes from back to front will suffice to reduce the bacterial count in your mouth and help control halitosis.
Keep toothbrush heads dry after use.
Tooth Brushing Don’ts:
Don’t ever share toothbrushes with anyone, even your family members. Germs and gum disease can be transferred via moist brushes.
Don’t brush your teeth within 30 minutes of consuming acidic (citrus fruit) foods or beverages (juices, sports drinks, soft drinks). The acids soften the tooth structure and make them more susceptible to abrasion through brushing.
Don’t use a hard-bristled brush or excessive force. You are cleaning your teeth and gums, not the grout between your bathroom tiles! Be gentle.
Don’t allow children 2 years old and under to ingest toothpaste. Children should always brush teeth under the supervision of an adult. Tip: Children need assistance with oral hygiene until they possess the dexterity to tie their own shoelaces.
Don’t forget to rinse! Rinsing collects and discards all of the bacteria you just brushed from your teeth and gums and prevents it from re-depositing on the tooth surface.
The Most Important Don’t: Don’t forget to schedule regular checkups with your dentist (Like us) every 6 months. Bi-annual professional cleanings and exams are the easiest way to avoid painful and costly dental problems in the future.
Share this with your friends and family and let us know if you have any other tips to keeping your teeth healthy!
IS YOUR SMILE AS WHITE as it used to be? Even good oral hygiene won’t prevent tooth discoloration forever. While daily brushing and flossing help keep your teeth clean and healthy, it’s normal to feel like your smile is lacking some sparkle as you get older. If you’re looking to bring that sparkle back, cosmetic tooth whitening may be the answer!
Teeth Change Color Over Time
Here are some reasons our teeth may be a bit more discolored than we’d like:
Food and Drink: Coffee, tea, red wine, and cola are all drinks with strong color pigments that easily attach to enamel, the outer part of the tooth.
Age: Over time, tooth enamel gets thinner, allowing the more yellow dentin to show through.
Tobacco Use: The tar in tobacco is naturally dark, and nicotine, when mixed with oxygen in the air, turns into a yellow surface-staining substance.
Tooth Whitening Is A Simple Process
Teeth Whitening agents use hydrogen peroxide in one form or another to brighten your smile. Hydrogen peroxide acts as a strong bleaching agent that breaks up deep stains into smaller pieces, making the color less concentrated and your teeth brighter. It’s that simple!
In-office bleaching is done at the dentist’s office and is a fast, effective way to whiten your teeth. You can usually get your whitening done in one to three visits, depending on the method used and the severity of tooth discoloration.
When you come in to get your teeth whitened, a substance is applied to cover and protect your gums. The whitening gel is then applied directly to the tooth surface. This gel is then activated, usually by a laser light, enhancing the action of the whitening agent. These professional tools produce the fastest tooth-whitening results.
At-home bleaching is another option! Many use at-home whitening kits to supplement their in-office whitening treatments. Ask us about our at-home whitening kits after your in-office whitening procedure to keep your newly white smile sparkling!
Over-the-counter whitening kits are also widely available for home use. These provide trays to hold whitening gel or whitening strips that stick to your teeth. Over-the-counter products contain a weaker whitening agent than the products you can get from your dentist and as a result, require a longer treatment period. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions when using at-home products and always follow package directions.
Whitening toothpaste is another simple option for those who want a whiter smile! Whitening toothpastes contain abrasives that remove stains on the enamel, helping your teeth stay clean and bright.
Put The Shine Back In Your Smile!
Whitening procedures are a fast and simple way to boost your confidence and brighten your smile. And getting that white, sparkly smile you’ve always wanted has never been easier. Give us a call or stop by. We’d love to discuss what whitening options would be best for you and your teeth!
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
