Tongue Scraper

A tongue scraper may sound like a torture device, but it’s actually a very effective oral hygiene tool. To assist with preventing bad breath, a tongue scraper can be used after you finish brushing and flossing and it will take excess bacteria off the tongue and out of the mouth. Tongue scrapers come in a variety of shapes and sizes and our doctor at Kidz Connextion is here to explain how they work.

If you’ve ever stuck your tongue out in a mirror and noticed a white coating on top, this is a combination of plaque, leftover food, and bacteria. To clean your tongue using this tool, place it at the back of the tongue, pulling the scraper forward. You may choose to clean your tongue with a toothbrush, but a tongue scraper is just slightly more effective in removing this layer of biofilm. Investing in a tongue scraper is not necessary, but it can help you reach the next level of clean when it comes to your oral hygiene routine.

If you have questions or concerns regarding 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.

Intraoral Cameras

At Kidz Connextion, we take pride in using the best technology available to our patients.  The intraoral camera is an exciting tool that allows the mouth to be seen from previously impossible angles. This technology has proven very helpful in capturing images needed for procedure approval from insurance companies, but it will also change the typical dental office visit.

The tiny camera’s view is projected onto a monitor, making the same angle of the mouth visible to both doctor and patient at once. These views can help patients who don’t know a premolar from an incisor describe any problem area more accurately.  This can be especially helpful for kids just learning about their teeth and how to care for them.  Providing more details can also help any patient better understand and follow their dentists’ plan of care for their mouth.

If you have questions about the technology we use or services we provide, give us a call at 623-223-1001.  Kidz Connextion Dental Care maintains offices around Phoenix.  To find out more, visit our website at Kidzconnextion.com.

Teeth and Pacifiers

Parents often struggle with weaning their child off a pacifier.  Infants are soothed to a sense of security by pacifiers, and when the time comes it is one of the hardest habits to break.  It can require a great deal of persuasion, but because of the effect they can have on the growth and development of the teeth and mouth children should stop using pacifiers by the age of two.  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.  Narrowing of the roof of the mouth and misalignment of the jaws can also occur.  Using a pacifier too long can also lead to a variety of complications including tilting in of the bottom teeth, and slanting in of the top and front teeth. Until the age of two, any alignment problem with the teeth or developing bone is usually corrected within six months after pacifier use has stopped.  We can help and support parents having any trouble weaning their child off a pacifier before that age.

If you have questions about pacifiers and teeth development, give us a call at 623-223-1001.  Kidz Connextion Dental Care maintains offices around Phoenix.  To find out more, visit our website at Kidzconnextion.com.