Tooth Fairy Magic

Colgate.com has some fun ideas of how to celebrate the dental milestones your children and grandchildren experience as they grow. 

Losing a tooth, especially that first tooth, is a big milestone in a child's life, so try commemorating the moment with some crafts for the first lost tooth. Ideas such as a memory page with the theme of the first lost tooth work nicely. If you're not the crafting type, don't worry. A simple idea, such as decorating a photo of your child without his tooth, is easy and fun.

Decorating a photo means your child doesn't have to worry about missing out on the tooth fairy's reward and you get a treasured memento of that first lost tooth. Let your little one enjoy decorating the paper around the photo of his missing tooth. Then, either frame the decorated photo or stick it in your scrapbook.

What You Need to Get Started

• Have your little one give you the biggest, toothy smile possible and snap a picture. Alternatively, get a picture of the tooth in your child's hand or on a small display pillow beside a dime or other small object, for scale.
• Upload the picture to your computer and print it out in the center of a sheet of standard paper.
• Grab some colorful markers, glue and iridescent glitter.
• Write your child's name, age and the date the tooth came out below the picture so everything is ready when you give the craft supplies to your little one.

Decorating the Picture

Get ready to turn your little one's creativity loose.

1. Give your child some ideas of things to write or draw, such as a motivational saying about the lost tooth, pictures of loose teeth, a colorful toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste or anything tooth-related he feels like drawing.
2. Make thin glue swirls all the way around the picture's border and then sprinkle the shimmery glitter in the glue.
3. Allow the glue to dry completely before displaying the keepsake photo.

Call if you have any questions regarding your child's loose teeth.

(541) 451-1440.

Soft Drinks = Disaster

Children are consuming ever-greater amounts of soft drinks that could increase their risk for obesity and dental disease, according to the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The health organizations are recommending that parents urge children to consume nutritious drinks in school and at home.

Children age 6 to 19 consume significantly more ounces of soft drinks each day than milk or juice. Teenage boys and girls are drinking twice as much soft drink as milk and one-third of teenage boys drink at least three cans a day. Consumption of milk, the principle source of calcium in the typical American diet, decreases as soft drinks become a favorite choice for children.

"Sweetened drinks are the primary source of added sugar in the daily diet of children," said Renee Jenkins, M.D., AAP vice president. "Each 12-ounce serving of a carbonated, sweetened soft drink contains the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar. Not only should parents be discouraging their children from drinking soda, but they can set a good example by choosing to drink healthier alternatives themselves."

Dentists have long recognized that good nutrition has a direct link to good oral health, according to Dr. Kimberly Harms, an ADA consumer advisor.

"When teeth come in frequent contact with sweetened soft drinks and other sugar-containing substances, the risk of tooth decay, which is the most common childhood disease, is increased as is the potential for erosion of tooth enamel," Dr. Harms explains. "Kids and teens are more susceptible to decay from soft drinks because their tooth enamel is not fully developed."

School vending machines and some vendor contractual arrangements influence youth consumption patterns and increase soft drink access, say the ADA and AAP. The organizations oppose such arrangements that target children and promote over consumption of soft drinks.

Pediatricians and dentists recommend children choose beverages that hydrate and contribute to good nutrition, such as fruit juice with no sweeteners, low-fat and non-fat white or flavored milk, vegetable juice and water.

In promoting good health, parents are also encouraged to make dental exams a regular part of the back-to-school routine, including completion of all health examinations and necessary immunizations in time for the new school year.

Please contact the ADA if you have questions about this article.

© 2016 American Dental Association. All rights reserved. Reproduction or republication is strictly prohibited without the prior written permission from the American Dental Association.
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The Snack Attack!

Do you fall victim to the snack attack? Is all snacking unhealthy?

Colgate.com shares some great information about the dangers and benefits that can come from proper snacking choices. With summer in full swing, the more you operate offensively, and carefully plan the snacks available to your family throughout the day, the better off everyone will be with their overall health.

Snacking and tooth decay
If fluoride is our greatest protection against decay, then frequent snacking can be our teeth's biggest enemy. Every day, you and your family face snacking challenges. Here's what you need to know:

It's how often you snack that matters
The truth is that what your family eats isn't as important as when and how often they snack! It all has to do with the "plaque reaction," and this is how it works:

The plaque reaction
Everyone has plaque bacteria in their mouths. But when these plaque bacteria meet up with the sugars and starches that are found in snacks such as cookies, candies, dried fruits, soft drinks or even pretzels or potato chips, the plaque reacts to create acid, and a "plaque attack" occurs.

The fact is most snacks that you eat contain either sugars or starches that give plaque this opportunity to make acid. And each "plaque attack" can last for up to 20 minutes after you have finished your snack. During this period, the plaque acid is attacking tooth enamel, making it weak. That's when cavities can start!

Fighting back against plaque
The good news is, you can take a stand against plaque! By brushing twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste and by reducing the number of times you snack each day, you and your family can help prevent tooth decay.

When it comes to snacking, it's best to choose something nutritious and to snack in moderation. It's also better to eat the whole snack at one time! Here's why: eating five pieces of a snack at one time exposes your teeth to possible tooth decay — for approximately 20 minutes. Nibbling on those same five pieces at five different times exposes your teeth to possible tooth decay for approximately 100 minutes. What a difference!

You need to watch baby's sweets, too! Infants are just as susceptible to decay as older children and adults. In fact, Early Childhood Cavities can be a very serious condition. See The Preventing Early Childhood Cavities section below for more information.

Source: http://www.colgate.com/en/us/oc/oral-health/basics/brushing-and-flossing/article/family-guide-to-oral-health

Summer is Here!

Summer is just around the corner! That means no early alarm clocks, packing lunches and a little more free time in the daily schedule.

However, it can also mean falling behind on important habits, such as staying up on your oral health care for you and your family members. 

Colgate.com offers the following suggestion to keep your oral health care at the top of your priority list:

Keep Up That Oral Hygiene

Brushing twice a day and flossing daily is as important in the summer as it is in any other season. But with vacations, camp and lots of days spent at the pool, don't be surprised if you frequently need to remind your kids to brush and floss.

Now is a great time to buy new toothbrushes to replace the old, worn out or "germy" ones. In fact, you should stock up on extra brushes, as well as travel-sized toothpaste and floss for those summer trips and days out. Tossing a few Colgate® Wisp® brushes into your hand bag is a convenient way to always be hygienically prepared. These disposable products are perfect for staying clean anywhere at any time.

Call to schedule an appointment for your semi-annual cleaning today!

541-451-1440