Electric Toothbrushes

At Kidz Connextion Dental Care, a lot of our educational efforts are devoted to the importance of twice daily brushing. However, it is undeniable that there are a lot of children who struggle with this. Recently, manufacturers of electric toothbrushes have ramped up their marketing to children, so we thought we’d provide an overview of the pros and cons.

Many of the new electric toothbrushes incorporate smartphone apps. While the ones aimed at adults tend to provide direct feedback on brushing technique, those aimed at children mostly offer encouragement or provide them with a game to play which is designed to ensure that they are brushing for the right length of time. Apps such as those made by Oral B and Kolibree can be adjusted by parents to provide children with rewards.

Electric toothbrushes are expensive and offer very little added benefit to people who brush properly for two full minutes during each session. But in people who for whatever reason don’t learn the right motions or can’t maintain them for a long time, electric toothbrushes bring a marked improvement in oral hygiene. They don’t require the patient to brush for nearly as long as normal toothbrushes do, and are more forgiving of a user with undeveloped or compromised manual dexterity.

Kidz Connextion Dental Care maintains offices around Phoenix. To find out more, visit our website at KidzConnextion.com.

Gum Chewing: Helpful or Harmful?

It’s no secret that kids love to chew gum, which is why our staff at Kidz Connextion, wants you to know it’s the type of gum you chew that makes a difference in whether it’s helpful or harmful to your teeth. The chewing of sugarless gum increases the flow of saliva, which washes away food and other debris, neutralizes acids produced by bacteria in the mouth and provides disease-fighting substances throughout the mouth.

For most people, chewing sugar-free gum (especially gum sweetened with xylitol) can be a good preventive measure in situations when tooth brushing and flossing aren’t practical. It’s important to remember that sugar-free or not, chewing gum should never replace good dental hygiene practices. Next time you and your child are walking through the sweets aisle and he or she is begging for some chewing gum, look for the ADA Seal so you can be sure it’s sugarless. All gums with the ADA Seal are sweetened by non-cavity causing sweeteners such as aspartame, xylitol, sorbitol or mannitol.

If you have questions about 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.

Gum Disease Stages

If you want to keep your child’s teeth healthy for a lifetime, then you need to encourage a proper oral hygiene routine on a daily basis. If you don’t, your child may already be headed down the road toward gum disease. Gum disease is an inflammation of the gums that can progress to affect the bone that surrounds and supports your teeth and there are three stages that you need to be aware of. You should always schedule professional cleanings and oral exams with our staff at Kidz Connextion twice a year to avoid this condition.

• Gingivitis – This is the earliest stage of gum disease, an inflammation of the gums caused by plaque buildup at the gum line. If daily brushing and flossing do not remove the plaque, it produces toxins that can irritate the gum tissue, causing gingivitis. This is when you’ll notice blood in the sink after you complete your brushing routine. However, at this early stage, damage can be reversed, since the bone and connective tissue that hold the teeth in place are not yet affected.


• Periodontitis – This is the second stage of gum disease. By this point, the supporting bone and fibers that hold your teeth in place are irreversibly damaged. Your gums may even begin to form a pocket below the gum line, which traps food and plaque.


• Advanced Periodontitis – This is the final stage of gum disease, and the fibers and bone supporting your teeth are officially destroyed. In this case, your teeth may begin to shift or loosen and your bite may also be affected. If aggressive treatment can’t save them, the teeth will need to be extracted.

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.