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Healthy Tips To Care For Your Baby's Teeth And Oral Health
By GLAD Family Dentistry
Healthy Tips To Care For Your Baby's Teeth And Oral Health
It is very important to care for your baby's teeth and oral health from birth. Their teeth are the placeholders for their permanent teeth to come in later on, and they also help your baby to speak and eat.
To help prevent or reduce tooth decay, it is essential to begin practicing healthy habits at an early stage. From birth to age six months of age, wrap a damp washcloth around your finger and gently massage the gum tissues. This will help create healthy gums and teeth as they begin to appear. Always remember to never put your baby to bed with a bottle of milk or juice, as this could lead to decay of their teeth.
Your baby will most likely get his/her first tooth between the ages of six to eight months. It is essential to care for his/her teeth immediately, and practicing healthy habits can help prevent tooth decay or poor oral hygiene. Remember to continue to clean your infant's gums with a damp cloth after a feeding.
After the first tooth has arrived, begin to use a child's soft toothbrush and softly massage their teeth and gums. Most dentist recommend scheduling your child's first dental appointment before his/her first birthday or within six months after their first tooth appears.
Remember, begin a pattern of preventative care for your baby's teeth, rather than restorative care later on. :)
Halloween is the holiday that most kids look forward to! Therefore, we wanted to give you some tips on how to enjoy the holiday and, at the same time, stay healthy and take good care of your teeth. 1. Remember to be safe , Bring a flashlight with you to avoid falls and accidents, stay attempt of your surroundings and vehicles, do not run with a lollipop or hard candy in your mouth, and remember to wash your hands thoroughly as soon as you get home. 2. Give out healthier treats. Avoid giving trick-or-treaters candies that are sour (high in acidity, which erodes tooth enamel), sticky or chewy (leaves sugars directly on the teeth for prolonged periods) or hard (choking hazard for young kids and can cause tooth damage). There are many options for healthy snacks including things like cereal bars, pretzels or granola bars. Even a plain chocolate bar is a better option than sour, sticky or hard candies 3. Perform the “safety check.” Take a look when your child returns from trick-or-treating to ensure there are no dangerous items in their collection. Include your child in this process to explain the decisions you make and allow them to learn good habits. 4. Sort it out. Encourage your child to eat the healthier treats and avoid hard, sour or chewy candies like jawbreakers or caramels. These candies have high acidity and/or stick to the teeth longer, which can cause more damage. 5. Limit availability. Candy should be enjoyed, but moderation is important. Have your child choose 15 or so of their favorites and remove the rest. 6. Donate or store away extra candy. Consider donating candy or keep it stored away. 7. Brush-up after consuming. Set a specific time of the day for candy consumption and then have your child follow-up by brushing his or her teeth. This is much healthier than allowing your child’s teeth to be continuously exposed to sugary or acidic treats throughout the day. Although Halloween is a great opportunity to start employing these practices, don’t stop there! Continue to follow these recommendations throughout the year so your children can develop good dental hygiene habits while still enjoying their treats in moderation.
What is one of the first things people notice about you? Well, your smile of course! Your teeth and smile are very important for many reasons, and when you feel good about your smile, it shows. A beautiful, radiant smile gives you the confidence you deserve! Here at GLAD, our highly skilled dental professionals use the ZOOM Teeth Whitening system to deliver maximum results, clinically proven to whiten teeth up to eight shades in only 45 minutes. Having your teeth whitened with our ZOOM system, you will have dramatic results that you will love in just one office visit. The results of your whitening will last about a year, depending on your genetics and habits. Smoking and eating or drinking staining foods or beverages can limit your results, but you can easily keep your smile shining between treatments with the take home whitening kits. Philips ZOOM whitening is the #1 most patient requested professional whitening brand out there! To schedule your appointment today to get the beautiful smile you deserve, call our office at 978-443-4545. You'll be GLAD you did! :)
Who doesn't love quick and easy snacks that are nutritious and delicious for summertime?! Often times, parents wonder what kinds of healthy snacks to pack for their children that they will actually eat and enjoy. Here at GLAD, we let parents know that a nutritious diet is essential for overall healthy oral hygiene. There are many options for quick and simple healthy summertime recipes that are full of nutritional ingredients that will keep children fueled for all of their summertime activities, camps, and play dates! Some of our favorite snacks are: 1.) Bagel Gone Bananas 2.) Tortilla Pizzas 3.) Little Dippers 4.) Fruit Pie 5.) Cucumber Boats Recipes: 1.) Bagel Gone Bananas: 2 tablespoons natural nut butter (almond or peanut), 1 teaspoon of honey, 1 small banana , 1 whole wheat bagel. Directions: Split and toast your bagel. Spread the nut butter onto the toasted bagel. Next, slice your banana into small pieces and place them on top of the nut butter on the bagel. Drizzle a tiny bit of honey and enjoy! 2.) Tortilla Pizzas: Small corn tortillas, salsa, shredded cheddar cheese, low fat sour cream Directions: Spread the corn tortillas on a baking sheet, sprinkle the shredded cheese onto the tortillas and bake for a few minutes (or until cheese is melted). Take out of the oven and add salsa and sour cream on the side to dip! 3.) Little Dippers: Apples, toothpicks, peanut butter, almonds Directions: Cut apples into wedges. Next, stick a toothpick into eat apple wedge. Put a few scoops of peanut butter into a small dish, and crushed almonds onto a small plate. Dip the apple wedges into the peanut butter and then into the almonds! 4.) Fruit Pie: Watermelon, kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, shredded coconut. Directions: Slice watermelons into small triangles. Slice up each fruit and add to the top of the sliced watermelon. This will look like a pizza and the kids will love it! (And it is very healthy!) 5.) Cucumber Boats: Cucumbers, yogurt, sugar, salt, cumin Directions: Slice cucumbers in half. Scoop out a small hole in the middle. Add a dab of yogurt. Mix a pinch of sugar, salt, and cumin into the yogurt to make it spiced! Delicious! These are just a few of our healthy and simple snacks for summer that both you and your children will enjoy! For more healthy recipes, visit our Pinterest Site at www.pinterest.com/gladdental. Also, ALWAYS remember to DRINK WATER!!! :)