Tuesday, June 30, 2020

What Does Fluoride Do?


Fluoride is commonly used in dental care products and also added to public water supplies. Learn more about what fluoride does to improve your oral health.

Saturday, June 27, 2020

How to Ease Your Child’s Fear of the Dentist


It can be hard to get children to cooperate. Often, “Eat your vegetables, Timmy” is followed by a “No!” and stalks of broccoli flying past your head.

The same can be true of visiting the dentist, especially if your child experiences anxiety in the dental office. But good oral habits begin at young age. So, it’s important to get your kids comfortable with their dental provider and regular checkups and cleanings – especially in the COVID era.

Now that dental offices are reopening, it’s a good time to learn a few tips and tricks you can use to help ease your child’s fear.

KISS: Keep It Simple, Silly

Be as honest and open as possible with your child before their appointment, but for the technical stuff it’s better to let the dentist do the explaining.

Dental professionals are trained to describe procedures in simple, non-threatening ways and are e equipped to answer your child’s questions. And if your child does start to get nervous, they’ll know the best ways to tackle fear in the moment.

In fact, there’s a whole slew of dentists who cater exclusively to children and specialize in getting kids acquainted and comfortable with regular dental visits!

Give Them a Heads Up

Children thrive on predictability – from daily schedules to bed times, they like to know what to expect and when.

So, make sure to tell your child in advance that they have a dental appointment. It gives them time to mentally prepare by expressing their fears and asking questions. And gives you ample time to help them through their dental anxiety.

Bribery is a No-Go

When it comes to getting Timmy to eat his broccoli, the promise of ice cream or cookies might do the trick. But when it comes to preparing your child for their dental visit, experts say it’s best to avoid the sugary treats all together.

Dentists emphasize clean, healthy teeth by avoiding sweets that can cause cavities, so offering a lollipop if they behave sends the wrong message. If you promise your little one candy to keep them from crying or fussing, they’ll wonder what there is to fuss or cry about in the first place. And this can generate more fear leading up to the visit.

Some dentists do give out small treats -- like stickers or toys – as a reward for good behavior. It’s best to keep these incentives as reinforcement for good behavior. It leaves your child with a positive impression about the entire visit.

Talk to Them About Good Oral Hygiene

Just like regular checkups at a doctor’s office, cleanings and routine dental visits are key to maintaining good overall health.

Start by telling your child that the dentist helps keep teeth healthy so that he or she may eat well and grow big and strong. As they get older, explain that taking care of your oral health means a bright and beautiful smile for years to come. If you need some help with this, check out our Tooth Fairy Experience. There’s lots of resources that help make oral health fun for youngsters.

Start ‘Em Young

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, children should have their first dental visit no later than his/her first birthday.

Why? Well not only does this get them accustomed to visiting the dentist on a regular basis, but it provides them with what experts call a “dental home.”

This “dental home” will be where you child becomes accustomed to getting all of their needs – from periodic preventative visits to emergencies – taken care of. The more familiar they are with the dentist and the dentist’s office, the less likely they are to experience dental anxiety.

Article Source: https://www.deltadentalwa.com/blog/entry/2020/05/How-to-Ease-Your-Childs-Fear-of-the-Dentist

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

What Too Much Flavored Water Does To Your Teeth


If you're a fan of drinking flavored water, you might want to make sure you're drinking it in moderation. It's a common notion that flavored water is healthy, but due to acids in the drink, you could be damaging your tooth enamel beyond repair.

Sunday, June 21, 2020

10 Things You Didn't Know About Teeth


Here are 10 interesting facts about teeth, human and otherwise.

Other than when it’s time to brush or fix them, you may not think much about teeth. Well, they’re actually pretty fascinating.

Thursday, June 18, 2020

Health Hack: Improving Oral Health


In this week's 'Health Hack' Jane Monzures is bringing you some great tips to help you improve the health of your mouth!

Monday, June 15, 2020

Throwback Toothday: End Your Day on a High Note


Taking care to brush your teeth and clean between them at the end of the day sets your smile up for a brighter tomorrow! Join us as we celebrate 160 years of driving dentistry forward by taking a trip through the ADA’s video archive.

Friday, June 12, 2020

Crest Pro Health Commercial: The Burbling Bouncing Baby


Parenting takes skill. 👶 Better oral care takes Crest. 😁 The number one toothpaste brand in America.

Tuesday, June 9, 2020

Common Myths and Facts About Your Tastebuds


Join Colgate to dispel common myths about your taste buds and get the facts! Do you know how many taste buds you really have? Do we really have only 5 tastes? What are they? The tongue map was created over 100 years ago, but people still believe that only certain parts of the tongue can detect taste. Is this true? Get all the details on bitter, sour, salty, sweet and savory (umami), here.

Saturday, June 6, 2020

Congratulations to the Class of 2020!


Boys & Girls Clubs do whatever it takes to build great futures for America’s youth and graduation is an important milestone on that journey. Although graduation looks a lot different this year, it’s not cancelled. Not for the 3.7 million graduating seniors nationwide or for our thousands of graduating Club members. Here’s to the class of 2020!

Wednesday, June 3, 2020

Why Do I Need to Floss?


Dr. Ward demonstrates the importance of flossing. Remember, if you're not flossing, you're only cleaning two-thirds of your teeth.