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.

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.