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Since our first visit to the dentist, whether that be forty years ago or six months ago, we’ve been taught that brushing our teeth & flossing daily is absolutely crucial in certifying our oral health. However, the secret to healthy teeth goes beyond basic hygiene! The food we intake has a massive impact on our teeth — for better or for worse. With the holidays quickly approaching and sugary sweets awaiting us, we’ve outlined some of the best and worst foods for your teeth!

The Good

Apples, Celery, & Carrots

You know what they say, an apple a day keeps the doctor dentist away! Apples, celery, and carrots are wonderful for your teeth — they’re full of fiber and are great at scrubbing away plaque build-up on the surface of our teeth. Additionally, the fiber and water found in these foods help to balance the mouth’s sugars.

Eggs

Eggs are packed full of calcium, protein, phosphorous, and vitamin D — all minerals that are essential for oral health. High amounts of protein found in eggs can help protect your teeth from cavity-causing acids!

Cheese, Milk, Yogurt — Delicious Dairy!

Dairy products are a favorite among many people, and the good news is that dairy products often provide essential nutrients that your teeth and bones need to thrive! Dairy products are strong sources of calcium, phosphorous, casein, and vitamin D. These type of minerals neutralize acids produced by bacteria!

Leafy Vegetables

While often not a favorite among kids (or hey, even adults), leafy vegetables like broccoli, kale, and spinach are teeth-friendly foods that are full of folic acids and plenty of vitamins — all of which support healthy teeth and gums.

The Bad

Simply put, sugar isn’t the greatest for your teeth. Why is that? On a very basic level, microorganisms naturally found in your mouth convert sugars into acid — acid in turn causes tooth decay by wearing away at the enamel found on the surface of your teeth! While it’s completely unnecessary and impractical for most individuals to cut out sugar from their diet, there are some obvious culprits that when eaten in excess, can greatly affect your wonderful smile!

Sugary Drinks

Regular soda, coffee with added sugars, sweetened waters, sports drinks, the list goes on. Drinks full of sugar are a tooth’s worst nightmare! Instead, opt for sugar-free drinks or water to quench your thirst.

Candy

Just like sugary drinks, candy is an obvious offender. When consumed in excess, the sugar in candy can cause cavities and other dental hygiene issues! The chewiness of candy can also prove to be an issue, as portions of candy may get stuck in the crevices of the mouth, leading to bacteria build-up.

Chips, Bread, & Pasta — The Starches

Chips, bread, & pasta are often cornerstones in the diets of Americans! Unfortunately for us, these foods are chock-full of starches. Starches can be broken down into sugars in the mouth, which can lead to cavity formation and other dental hygiene issues.

The Bottom Line

This list of foods isn’t meant to keep you or your child away from ever eating anything sugary or tasty again! More than anything, this list serves as a reminder that excess of these foods can cause issues in the future. We believe that it’s important that you are aware of how food can affect your oral health. By limiting the ‘bad’ and focusing on the ‘good’, we can help ensure that you and your child maintain your healthy smiles!


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Encouraging your child(ren) to brush their teeth twice a day and floss are all important steps to ensure your child’s smile stays healthy, happy, & cavity-free! Yet, there’s a single ingredient found in our water and our toothpaste that naturally acts as “nature’s cavity fighter.” You likely have heard of something called “fluoride” before, but may not be aware about its importance!

What is fluoride?

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that appears in most bodies of water, rocks, plants, and even some foods. We’ve come to discover that fluoride is a proven way to prevent tooth decay, so the mineral is often added to community water sources and dental products, like the toothpaste in your cabinet!

Why is fluoride important?

When we eat or drink, the bacteria in our mouths feed on sugar/starches and ultimately release acids that break down food. The problem is, these acids can also erode the enamel that protects our teeth. When enamel breaks down, that’s when tooth decay, cavities, and other oral hygiene issues can occur.

Is fluoride safe for children?

It sure is! Fluoride is safe for children in the correct dose. However, too much fluoride in early childhood can lead to fluorosis, which may result in white spots or pitting of the enamel. If you’re ever concerned about your child getting too much fluoride, please talk with a pediatric dentist at Eversmiles! We’re more than happy to help you determine the correct amount of fluoride to keep your child’s smile healthy!

Where can I find more information about fluoride?

Please view the following sources if you’re interested in learning more about fluoride:


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June is finally here, summer is right around the corner and the 1st of the month officially kicks off Oral Health Month!

The kids might be out of school for the next few months, but continuously teaching skills about healthy oral hygiene practices can and should occur year-round — especially when sharing these practices with young kids who absorb information at a heightened level!

More than anything, leading by example is the first step in showcasing best practices for oral hygiene. Healthy habits like brushing, cleaning between your teeth, cleaning your tongue, and seeing your dentist can all greatly affect your overall oral health and can make a big difference in the health of your entire family.

A Mini History Lesson

While oral hygiene practices have improved astronomically over the course of human history, there were practices set in place thousands of years ago in the hopes of maintaining oral health. While different in design, toothbrushes were conceptualized all the way back in 3500 BC by the Babylonians and Egyptians who used split twigs to clean their teeth. The “split twigs” eventually transformed into “chewing sticks” by the Chinese in 1600 BC and eventually transitioned into the modern-day equivalent of the toothbrush by 1780 AD.

The Ancient Greeks even used pumice, talc, alabaster, and iron rust as toothpaste. Clearly, not nearly as minty-fresh as today’s popular toothpaste choices, but again, oral health has been explored for thousands of years.

With the advancement of technology, dental hygienists, nurses, and doctors have all been able to grasp a much stronger idea of how oral health practices affect our teeth and have conducted extensive research into developing practices to best maintain our smiles over the course of our lives.


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Every year on March 20, World Oral Health Day is globally celebrated! This special holiday is meant to empower individuals with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to ensure positive oral health outlooks.

While March 20 may seem like a seemingly innocent date, there is purpose behind the specific date selected:

  • Typically, children possess a total of twenty (20) baby teeth.
  • Typically, adults possess a grand total of 32 teeth (if you had any wisdom teeth removed, this number will range from 28-31) and hopefully, zero (0) cavities.
  • Numerically, these numbers can be translated to 3/20, which gives us the date of March 20.

Each year, there is a different theme that surrounds World Oral Health Day, ultimately selected by the FDI World Dental Federation. This year, World Oral Health Day hopes to inspire change by focusing on the importance of oral health for your overall happiness and well-being because good oral health has a positive impact on your general health and quality of life.

This, ultimately, is something worth taking action for. The theme sends out a simple but powerful message: Be Proud Of Your Mouth. In other words, value and take care of it!

Take a look at the official World Oral Health Day video! If you’re interested in learning more, please also check out their website.


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Each year throughout National Children’s Dental Health Month in February, the American Dental Association promotes a different campaign targeting a new dental health goal. This year’s theme is “Sealants Make Sense.”

National Children’s Dental Health Month brings together dental health professionals, caregivers, parents, and teachers to give children the best start on oral health. From brushing and flossing to healthy snacks and routine dental visits, the month also includes Give Kids A Smile Day on February 6th.

Tips for Brushing
  • Don’t skip – Making it a habit requires sticking to the schedule. Even when there is a special occasion or if our child is tired, we need to reinforce the importance of brushing.
  • Make it fun – Songs that last 2 minutes will help. Reading to your child while they brush may help, too. Even a puppet brushing his teeth can be motivating.
  • Learn by example – Children emulate their parents. Brush with your children and they will want to be just like you.
  • Trial and error – Try different kinds of toothpaste until you find the one junior likes.  Try using the smallest amount he will allow and working your way up to the recommended amount. Even a tiny amount is better than no toothpaste.
  • Don’t give up – The pain of cavities and lifelong dental issues is more costly and damaging than dealing with these few moments of nagging battles twice a day.

Article originally published to National Day Calendar.


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Make your child’s first (or tenth) visit to the pediatric dentist a good one with this helpful checklist!

It’s the New Year — a time when many parents and caregivers focus on healthy habits and routines for themselves and their families. Because baby teeth are the blueprint for permanent teeth, caring for them is important. While tooth decay can impact children’s ability to eat and sleep, it can also impact a child’s ability to learn at school and speak clearly. Remember to schedule a visit with Eversmiles Pediatric Dentistry to ensure healthy little teeth and keep this checklist handy for an enjoyable visit and as a refresher for future check-ups.

  • Schedule your first pediatric dental visit to establish a “home base,” for your child’s dental needs by your child’s first birthday. Remember, it’s never too late! If your child has already visited Eversmiles, consider scheduling a visit after the first of the year to kick 2022 off with clean teeth!
  • Answer all your child’s questions positively and be careful about using scary words. Check-ups and 90 percent of first visits do not have anything to do with “hurt,” so don’t even say the word!
  • Read your child a story about a character who had a good dental visit. Try asking your pediatric dentist for suggested reading.
  • Give your child some control over the dental visit. Such choices as “Will you hold your bear or should I?” or “Which color toothbrush do you like?” will make the visit more enjoyable.
  • Give center stage to the pediatric dentist and allow them to do most of the talking to build a better relationship with your child. Remember, you will be able to discuss with the pediatric dentist after the examination.

This post is brought to you by My Children’s Teeth.


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The following are a view tips that help highlight some important information regarding frequently asked questions from parents.

Flossing helps teeth and gums

By age 2, daily flossing is preferred. It removes food and plaque from between the teeth. Plaque is the sticky yellow substance that forms on teeth after eating things like bread, raisins, cookies and cake and drinking milk or soda. Bacteria grows on the plaque and forms an acid that leads to tooth decay. It can get past the gums, damage the bone and destroy the root.

To floss your child’s teeth, wrap the floss around your fingers and glide it between the teeth in a C-shaped motion. Be gentle! Forcing the floss between teeth can make the gums bleed, which can scare children into thinking that flossing hurts (it shouldn’t). To prevent bacteria from spreading in the mouth, use a new section of floss each time you move between two teeth.

Teeth grinding

Teeth grinding (or “bruxism”) may sound scary coming from young mouths, but it usually isn’t harmful. Grinding is common in children under age 7 and typically stops when their six-year permanent molars come through.

Pain from an earache or teething, an abnormal bite (the top and bottom teeth don’t meet) or a change in routine – such as a new sibling or school – can cause children to grind their teeth while sleeping. Middle- and high-school-age students may suffer stress-related grinding when they’re facing a major test.

In some cases, a child is angry or unable to verbally express frustration about something. Children who are hyperactive or have certain medical conditions, such as cerebral palsy, may also grind.

Tell us about any grinding or jaw clenching that you or family members have noticed. (People often don’t know that they’re doing this.) Also mention if your child complains of a sore jaw or face in the morning or pain when chewing.

Most children outgrow bruxism, but until they do, parental observation and dental visits are needed to keep the situation in check.

Thumb sucking

Most children outgrow thumb sucking by age 5. If it continues when permanent teeth start coming in, dental or speech problems may occur. Children can develop teeth that stick out or don’t close properly or a lisp. Older children often get teased for thumb sucking, which makes them secretive and ashamed. Stress, anxiety or other emotional issues should be addressed first. Ask your pediatric dentist for advice. Breaking this habit requires patience, love and encouragement from parents and caregivers.

Wiggly teeth

To pull or not to pull loose baby teeth? That’s a question all parents and caregivers face.

Baby teeth should be left alone to fall out naturally. If these teeth are bothersome, encouraging children to do the pulling themselves would be the first option, as they can better control how much discomfort they can tolerate.

Eating apples is an easy and stress-free tool to help the wiggly tooth fall. There are some circumstances when consulting with your pediatric dentist is recommended: If the child is experiencing considerable pain or has special care needs (to avoid risk of aspiration) or has permanent teeth coming out in an undesirable position.

Healthy snacks

If the whole family enjoys healthy snacks, children will want them, too. A healthy snack is low in sugar and high in nutrients – just what young teeth and mouths need. Keep low-fat string cheese and yogurt, milk and cut fruit and veggies on hand. Let children choose healthy options at the store and mix-and-match them with hummus, low-fat dips or whole-grain crackers. Limit the number of snack times and save “fun foods” for special occasions.

Article originally posted to The Center for Pediatric Dentistry.



Losing your first tooth can be an overwhelming, exciting experience for both parent and child!

Please check out this informational video made by a collection of Minnesota dentists that talks about losing your first tooth and the great importance of taking care of your baby teeth and adult teeth, too!

Check out this video made by Minnesota dentists that talks about losing your first tooth and the importance of taking care of your baby teeth and your adult teeth, too! View below:

Losing Your First Tooth!


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If you think you’re busy, try being a kid. In addition to school, activities and family time, they’re learning how to take care of themselves and others in new ways every single day.

One of those necessary life skills every child needs to learn is brushing his or her teeth. Helping your child get in the habit of brushing twice a day for two minutes is no small feat, but a little creativity can go a long way when it comes to his or her long-term dental health.

Need to brush up on the basics of cleaning your child’s teeth? Here’s how:

Have 4 Minutes of Fun

Don’t just set a timer and supervise – make brushing twice a day for two minutes an event! Crank up your child’s favorite song and have a two-minute dance party. Videos or brushing apps may also make that time fly by. (Younger brushers might like these.) Try reading a 2-minute story using all your best voices. Whatever you do, get creative and switch things up so brushing time is always a good time.

Start a Routine and Stick to It

You may be tempted to let your child skip brushing after a long day or during times when your normal schedule is off (like vacation), but keep at it. The more second nature brushing becomes the easier it will be to make sure your child is brushing twice a day for two minutes.

Reward Good Brushing Behavior

What motivates your child? If its stickers, make a reward chart and let him add one every time he brushes. If he’s a reader, let him pick out the bedtime story. Maybe it’s as simple as asking to see that healthy smile, saying “I’m so proud of you” and following up with a huge high five.

Characters Count

Who is the character your child can’t get enough of? Many children’s shows and books, including Sesame Street, have stories about brushing. Watch and read them together, so when it’s time to brush you can use that character as a good example.

Make Up a Story

Haven’t found a story or character to inspire your child? Make up your own. Your child just might be the only superhero who can brush away the bad guys that cause cavities.

Go Shopping

Let your child pick out his own toothbrush and toothpaste. (We recommend ones with the ADA Seal of Acceptance.) Choosing a character toothbrush might make brushing more fun, and fluoride toothpastes come in a variety of flavors and colors.

Make Brushing a Family Affair

Your children learn from you, so set a good example. The family that brushes together has even more reason to smile.

Original Article by Mouth Healthy.


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The toddling years: a thrilling time for the child and the parent, although in vastly different ways. For toddlers, it’s all about exploration; learning to crawl and walk and being on the move as much as possible. For parents, though, it’s often a fine line between celebrating their child’s accomplishments one minute, and fretting over their safety the next.

As children begin to walk, they become more susceptible to accidents. It’s all part of the process of growing up, of course, but falling or bumping into hard objects can damage their new little teeth. If left untreated, dental injuries that result from these “misadventures” can lead to infection – in both the mouth and other places like the ears, sinuses and brain – loss of teeth and, ultimately, costly dental restorative treatment. That’s why it’s so important to have a plan in place and a Dental Home – or home base – established for your child’s dental needs. Plus, children who have already visited Eversmiles will perceive the dental office as a friendly place, and they might be calmer and less afraid in the event of a dental emergency.

What is a dental emergency – and what should you do?

A dental emergency can be any traumatic injury to the mouth that results in significant bleeding. The first thing we tell parents is that in the event of any dental issue, emergency or not, they can always call us. If there is bleeding, significant pain, swelling or fever – or simply doubt about whether or not their child needs immediate treatment – just pick up the phone.

In today’s smartphone-enabled world, we’ll often ask parents to take a picture of the injury and text it to us. That way, we can determine the extent of the damage and answer any questions they might have prior to their visit.

Common dental injuries

We’ve seen all kinds of dental injuries – but most involve a child chipping his or her teeth or entirely knocking out a tooth. In these situations, there are different protocols to follow depending on whether or not the affected tooth is a baby tooth or a permanent tooth.

For an injury that has resulted in a chipped front tooth – baby or permanent – rinse the child’s mouth with water if there is bleeding and apply a cold compress to the lip to minimize bleeding and reduce swelling. Save any tooth fragments you’re able to find and bring them with you to the pediatric dentist. If the chipped tooth was a permanent front tooth, the broken fragment (which should be kept in water) might be bonded in place for the most ideal cosmetic repair. If the tooth fragment can’t be found, there are many other cosmetic bonding options.

If toddlers displace, or knock out, one or more of their baby four front teeth, the dentist may be able to reposition those teeth to minimize the chances of premature tooth loss. Displaced teeth will need to be monitored periodically for signs of infection that might affect the developing permanent teeth.

In the case of a knocked out permanent tooth, the best alternative is to replant the tooth immediately back into the socket – the less time the tooth is out of place, the better. Hold the tooth by the crown (the white part) and, if it is dirty, wash it briefly in cold water (close the drain in the sink!). Then, put the tooth into the socket and have your child hold it in place by biting on a piece of gauze. If you’re unable to replant the tooth, store it in cold milk on the way to the pediatric dentist. This will help give the tooth the best opportunity for reattachment.

If your child experiences any kind of dental emergency, remain as calm as possible to lessen his or her anxiety. Children take their emotional cues from the adults around them – so a calm demeanor is always helpful. The primary concern in these cases is to control the bleeding, which can be done with clean, wet gauze or a washcloth.

Act fast – and remember, your pediatric dentist is a phone call away!

Dental emergencies can be scary, but acting quickly can potentially save a tooth, prevent infection and reduce the need for extensive dental treatment down the road – so never hesitate to call Eversmiles if you don’t know what to do. Remember: a child with a healthy mouth will have an easier time eating, speaking, sleeping, playing, going to school, paying attention in class and all the other things that make growing up such a wonderful time.

Article originally posted by MouthMonsters.


Eversmiles Pediatric Dentistry

Our mission is to give your child happy, healthy smiles that last a lifetime. We work in partnership with our patients, their families and the health care community to provide the best treatment, while creating positive dental experiences that will set the stage for long-term oral health.

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