Protect Your Child’s Teeth in Sports

Kids need to put their energy somewhere and they likely do that playing contact sports. Because accidents can happen during any physical activity, the advantage of using a mouth guard during sports is that it can help limit the risk of mouth-related injuries to your lips, tongue, and soft tissues of your mouth. Here at Kidz Connextion, we suggest a custom-fitted mouth guard for the highest level of comfort and protection for your child’s mouth.

Mouth guards are essentially plastic dental appliances that are worn over the teeth. For a custom-fitted mouth guard, our doctor will take an impression of your child’s mouth and send it out to have a custom mouth guard made. The thinness of the custom mouth guard allows for easy breathing and also allows for easy communication (especially important for your star athlete). This will obviously be the most comfortable type to wear and will offer your child with the best protection.

If your child plays sports and you are concerned about his or her dental safety, give us a call to discuss your options. If you have questions about pediatric oral care, please give us a call. To learn more about our pediatric services here at the office visit www.kidzconnextion.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in Phoenix AZ, call 623-223-1001.

How to Get Kids to Brush Their Tongue

It is our goal at Kidz Connextion to provide your child with that winning smile. Teaching kids how to brush and care for their teeth is an important part of overall dental health. While brushing and flossing remove bacteria from teeth and gums, as much as 50% of bacteria live on the surface of our tongue.  When you are teaching your child about what’s involved in good oral care, be sure to remind them that brushing their tongue is just as important as brushing their teeth.

Complete brushing should include brushing all surfaces of the teeth, brushing the tongue and then finishing with flossing. A fun way to teach your child how to brush their tongue is to have them stand in front of the mirror so that he or she can see themselves. Then, ask them to stick out their tongue as far as they can. While their tongue is out for a few seconds, talk about making sure they keep it clean just like they keep their teeth clean. Tell your child that if they don’t clean and brush their tongue when brushing their teeth, they might leave germs behind on their tongue and that this will cause stinky breath.

If you have questions about pediatric oral care, please give us a call. To learn more about our pediatric services here at the office visit www.kidzconnextion.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in Phoenix AZ, call 623-223-1001.

Child’s First Tooth Loss

Losing a baby tooth is the ultimate sign of becoming a big kid. However, having wobbly and painful teeth can be a source of anxiety for children who have not experienced the sensation of a loose tooth before. At Kidz Connextion we want parents to understand why this pain occurs and how you can help your child through it can ensure a positive tooth loss experience.

While losing baby teeth is a normal occurrence for children, it can be accompanied by some degree of pain. As the baby tooth breaks free of its nerve endings, the area can become swollen, red and painful. Although your child may insist that it’s hard to bite or chew with loose or missing teeth, it’s important for him or her to maintain a healthy diet. If your child won’t chew, serve them vegetable soup, pureed fruits, and other healthy soft foods. Other techniques to lessen tooth pain in kids include applying a cold compress to the outside of your child’s mouth to minimize pain and swelling. Then, of course, there is always the tooth fairy. With this method, your child may even start to look forward to losing a tooth.

If you have questions about pediatric oral care, please give us a call. To learn more about our pediatric services here at the office visit www.kidzconnextion.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in Phoenix AZ, call 623-223-1001.

Pediatric Tooth Extraction

A tooth extraction is a dental procedure that involves removing a tooth from the bone socket and is a scary procedure for adults, let alone children. For a child, this procedure can be terrifying since he or she does not know what to expect and will often worry that the procedure will hurt. At Kidz Connextion in Phoenix, AZ, our staff offers a variety of ways to soothe your child’s fear before a tooth extraction.

At Kidz Connextion, one of our doctors will extract your child’s tooth if it has become decayed to the point where a root canal is not an option. A child’s tooth may also be extracted if the tooth is fractured beyond repair, or if the mouth is overcrowded with teeth. If your child is getting braces, the doctor may also decide to extract one or more teeth to make room for shifting teeth. Nitrous Oxide is also available for children who find this procedure frightening; however, they will need a preliminary visit to make sure they are an eligible candidate for nitrous sedation.

If you are searching for a pediatric dentist, look no further and give us a call. To learn more about our pediatric services here at the office visit www.kidzconnextion.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in Phoenix AZ, call 623-223-1001.

Avoid Cavities

At Kidz Connextion we want your child to have the healthiest mouth achievably possible. This includes avoiding cavities at all cost. When he or she eats foods or drinks containing sugars; the bacteria in the plaque produce acids that attack tooth enamel. The stickiness of the plaque keeps these acids in contact with your teeth and over time the enamel can break down, causing cavities to form.

Tooth decay – also called cavities or dental caries – can happen to anyone but are a particularly common problem for children and young adults. Left untreated, dental cavities can become infected and eventually, tooth decay can eventually result in tooth loss. The best way to prevent dental problems associated with tooth decay is to practice good oral hygiene. Be sure to always brush and floss your teeth regularly and visit our doctors at Kidz Connextion twice a year for a dental cleaning and checkup.

If you suspect your child may be cavity prone, please give us a call to discuss treatment options. To learn more about our pediatric services here at the office visit www.kidzconnextion.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in Phoenix AZ, call 623-223-1001.

How Do Pacifiers Affect Baby Teeth?

It’s one of the hardest habits to break and can require a great deal of persuasion – parents often struggle with weaning their child off a pacifier. Yes, pacifiers provide a sense of security and a method of self-relaxation for infants, but the downside of pacifiers is the effect they can have on the growth and development of the teeth and mouth. At Kidz Connextion, we always welcome new patients, especially those who have yet to wean off of the pacifier.

Prolonged pacifier use can cause changes in the shape of the roof of the mouth, prevent proper growth of the mouth and create problems with tooth alignment. Long-term pacifier use can lead to a variety of complications including tilting in of the bottom teeth and slanting in of the top and front teeth. Narrowing of the roof of the mouth and misalignment of the jaws can also occur. The Academy of General Dentistry recommends that children stop using pacifiers by the age of two. Up until that age, any alignment problem with the teeth or developing bone is usually corrected within six months after pacifier use has stopped.

If you have questions about pacifiers and teeth development, give us a call. To learn more about our pediatric services here at the office visit www.kidzconnextion.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in Phoenix AZ, call 623-223-1001.

Baby Tooth Care Tips

Baby teeth may be small, but they act as important placeholders for permanent teeth to come. To help prevent the buildup of plaque bacteria that can lead to decay, our doctors at Kidz Connextion recommend regularly cleaning your newborn’s gums with a damp washcloth following feedings. It’s important to start cleaning your child’s teeth before they come in to jumpstart a healthy smile.

Wipe the gums off after each feeding with a warm, wet washcloth or a dampened piece of gauze wrapped around your finger. In addition, take measures to prevent baby bottle tooth decay, a disease that causes severe, swift decay of baby teeth. To help prevent it, do not put your baby to bed with a bottle of formula or a sugary drink, such as juice. The possibility of tooth decay is directly related to the number of times that sugar comes in contact with the teeth. Your child’s baby teeth act as placeholders for adult teeth. Without a healthy set of baby teeth, your child risks having trouble chewing and speaking clearly as they get older.

If you have questions about your child’s oral care, please give us a call. To learn more about our pediatric services here at the office visit www.kidzconnextion.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in Phoenix AZ, call 623-223-1001.

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Parents may not realize, but giving an infant a sugary drink at nap or nighttime is harmful because, during sleep, the flow of saliva decreases, allowing the sugary liquids to linger on the child’s teeth for an extended period of time. This can lead to baby bottle tooth decay and our staff at Kidz Connextion would like you to know the dangers of this condition. Baby bottle tooth decay is caused by the frequent and long-term exposure of a child’s teeth to liquids containing sugars. This is why it’s important to clean your infant’s gums with a warm washcloth after each feeding.

Baby teeth are placeholders for permanent teeth, so it is important to keep their gums healthy from birth. If teeth are infected or lost too early due to baby bottle tooth decay, your child may develop poor eating habits, speech problems, crooked teeth, and perhaps damaged adult teeth. It is important to not only begin brushing your child’s teeth (without toothpaste) when his or her first tooth comes in, you should also schedule regular dental visits by your child’s first birthday.

If you have questions about your child’s dental health, please give us a call. To learn more about our pediatric services here at the office visit www.kidzconnextion.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in Phoenix AZ, call 623-223-1001.

Are You Brushing Correctly?

 

If you’ve ever licked your tongue and felt a fuzzy buildup, that buildup is called plaque and it can be very dangerous if not removed promptly. Plaque can lead to periodontal disease and eventually tooth decay if a proper oral hygiene routine is not practiced on a daily basis.  Our staff at Kidz Connextion can’t stand behind you while you brush your teeth, but we can encourage you to brush at least twice a day for two minutes. He can also provide you with these brushing tips, to make sure that you are doing the job correctly. 

• Place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against the gums.

• Move the brush back and forth gently in short (tooth-wide) strokes. 

• Brush the outer tooth surfaces, the inner tooth surfaces, and the chewing surfaces of the teeth.

• Use the tip of the brush to clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth, using a gentle up-and-down stroke.

• Brush your tongue to remove bacteria 

If you have questions regarding your oral hygiene routine, please give us a call. To learn more about our pediatric services here at the office visit www.kidzconnextion.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in Phoenix AZ, call 623-223-1001.

If you’ve ever licked your tongue and felt a fuzzy buildup, that buildup is called plaque and it can be very dangerous if not removed promptly. Plaque can lead to periodontal disease and eventually tooth decay if a proper oral hygiene routine is not practiced on a daily basis.  Our staff at Kidz Connextion can’t stand behind you while you brush your teeth, but we can encourage you to brush at least twice a day for two minutes. He can also provide you with these brushing tips, to make sure that you are doing the job correctly.

• Place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against the gums.


• Move the brush back and forth gently in short (tooth-wide) strokes.


• Brush the outer tooth surfaces, the inner tooth surfaces, and the chewing surfaces of the teeth.


• Use the tip of the brush to clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth, using a gentle up-and-down stroke.


• Brush your tongue to remove bacteria

If you have questions regarding your oral hygiene routine, please give us a call. To learn more about our pediatric services here at the office visit www.kidzconnextion.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in Phoenix AZ, call 623-223-1001.

 

The Proper Flossing Technique

Flossing is an essential part of taking care of your teeth and gums. In fact, it helps to remove plaque from the areas between your teeth where your toothbrush can’t reach. This is important because plaque that is not removed by brushing and flossing can eventually harden into tartar which only our hygienists at Kidz Connextion will be able to remove. Therefore, the next time you floss you should utilize these tips.

• Starting with about 18 inches of floss, wind most of the floss around each middle finger, leaving an inch or two of floss to work with.


• Holding the floss tightly between your thumbs and index fingers, slide it gently up-and-down between your teeth.


• Gently curve the floss around the base of each tooth, making sure you go beneath the gum line.


• Use clean sections of floss as you move from tooth to tooth.

If you have questions about maintaining your oral health regimen, please give us a call. To learn more about our pediatric services here at the office visit www.kidzconnextion.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in Phoenix AZ, call 623-223-1001.

Tooth Colored Fillings

To treat a cavity, our dentists at Kidz Connextion will remove the decayed portion of the tooth and then “fill” the area on the tooth where the decayed material was removed. Fillings are also used to repair cracked or broken teeth that have been worn down from misuse (tooth grinding). Here at the office. we utilize white fillings, also known as tooth colored fillings because they exude the most natural looking appearance.

Composite resins (tooth colored fillings) provide solid durability and resistance to fracture in small to mid-size fillings that need to survive the moderate pressure from the constant pressure of chewing. Composite fillings require the tooth to be kept clean and dry while the cavity is being filled, which is why they may take longer to apply than any other type of filling. Although no filling lasts forever, tooth colored fillings have been known to last for over 10 years. It is a safe, affordable and attractive solution for many dental drawbacks.

If you have questions regarding fillings, please give us a call. To learn more about our pediatric services here at the office visit www.kidzconnextion.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in Phoenix AZ, call 623-223-1001.

What Happens During a Dental Cleaning?

No matter how much you diligently brush or floss your child’s teeth at home, harmful bacteria grow in the mouth that can only be removed by a dental professional. These bacteria can cause gum disease and significantly affect your overall health. Here at Kidz Connextion, our dentists will use professional tools to remove plaque, tartar and bacteria build-up that you are unable to efficiently remove yourself.

According to the Academy of General Dentistry, it is recommended that a dentist or hygienist perform a dental cleaning every six months. The professional dental cleaning reinforces the home-care oral health regimen of brushing and flossing and gives the dentist an opportunity to locate areas in the mouth that may need special attention. During a teeth cleaning, our dentists will thoroughly clean the area above and below the gum line with scaling tools to rid them of plaque and tartar. Once the surfaces are smooth, polishing is done using a slow speed handpiece with a soft rubber cup that spins on the end. Last but not least, the dentist flosses every crevice between your teeth. He or she may apply fluoride if needed, to protect against tooth decay.

If your child is due for a dental cleaning, don’t wait any longer and give us a call. To learn more about our pediatric services here at the office visit www.kidzconnextion.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in Phoenix AZ, call 623-223-1001.

Teaching Children about Oral Hygiene

Kidz Connextion provides a variety of pediatric services and we encourage parents to teach their children proper oral care at a young age. Teaching your child proper oral care at a young age is an investment in his or her health that will pay lifelong benefits. Helping your child to understand the importance of oral hygiene can make them realize why their dental care is so important and allows them to take an active role in caring for their teeth.

First, you can start by setting an example; taking good care of your own teeth sends a message that oral health is something to be valued. You can even use fun activities to make brushing, flossing and visiting the dentist appealing. Brushing time is better when it feels like playtime. One of the easiest activities to do with your child involves construction paper. Using yellow construction paper cut out several large tooth shapes. Show the shapes to your child and talk about how teeth can become yellow if they do not brush them. In order to prevent dental problems, your child should see a pediatric dentist when the first tooth appears or no later than his or her first birthday.

If you have questions about pediatric dental care, please give us a call. To learn more about our pediatric services here at the office visit www.kidzconnextion.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in Phoenix AZ, call 602-276-4004.

Dental Sealant Details

Nearly half of all children and adolescents in the United States have had cavities in their permanent teeth. To prevent these from forming, our staff at Kidz Connextion offer dental sealants to eligible candidates. Dental sealants are thin plastic coatings that are applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth to prevent decay. Most tooth decay in children and teenagers occurs on the chewing surfaces where pits and groves tend to trap food and bacteria. Sealants fill in these pits and grooves so that bacteria cannot multiply and cause decay.

Sealants are easy for your dentist to apply. The sealant is painted onto the tooth enamel, where it bonds directly to the tooth and hardens. This plastic resin bonds into the depressions and grooves (pits and fissures) of the chewing surfaces of back teeth. The sealant acts as a barrier, protecting enamel from plaques and acids. As long as the sealant remains intact, the tooth surface will be protected from decay.

If you think your child may benefit from dental sealants, please give us a call. To learn more about our pediatric services here at the office visit www.kidzconnextion.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in Phoenix AZ, call 602-956-1111.

Your Child’s First Dental Visit

If you are a new parent, you may find yourself asking, “When should my child first see a dentist?” The answer is that a child should have their first dental visit by their first birthday. The first dental visit is usually short and involves very little treatment. It is our goal here at Kidz Connextion to make your child’s first dental visit as smooth and comfortable as possible.

The purpose of the child’s first dental visit is to learn about your child’s oral health and how to best care for your child’s unique needs before any problems occur. Many dental problems can be prevented or more easily treated in the early stages. At the visit, you should expect one of our dentists or hygienists to review your child’s history, respond to your questions and concerns and talk with you about your child’s overall oral health, including development, teething, and oral habits such as sucking.

If your child has yet to have their first dental appointment don’t wait any longer and give us a call! To learn more about our pediatric services here at the office visit www.kidzconnextion.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in Phoenix AZ, call 623-223-1001.