Children's Dental Health

February is National Children's Dental Health Month. While this month is coming to a close, children are always welcome in our office! We enjoy providing a comfortable, caring environment for both children and adults so the whole family can receive their dental care together. This provides a comfortable atmosphere for your child and makes it convenient for you! Your child can become a member of our No Cavity Club, and always gets a balloon and a toy from our toy tower after their checkup.

We even have accommodations for your children when you are at the dentist - no need to find a babysitter when you come in for your appointment! We are pleased to offer free onsite babysitting in our Smile Zone. Just let us know when making your appointment that you would like to sign up your child.

Here are some fun educational ideas you might enjoy with your child at home, including online games, a toothbrush chart, and two minute videos - perfectly timed to watch while brushing teeth. Here's wishing you and your children a lifetime of beautiful smiles!

Mouthguards

Seahawks green and blue have been surfacing all over our office this football season! Before game days we've been wearing our Seahawks gear. Kate, Raychel, and Kim are posing in front of an amazing work of art created by one of our patients.

During games we've noticed a flash of bright green from an unusual place on the field...the mouth! That's right, some of those Seahawks have been sporting bright green mouthguards.

Imagine what it would be like if you suddenly lost one or two of your front teeth. Smiling, talking, eating—everything would suddenly be affected. When it comes to protecting your mouth, a mouthguard is an essential piece of athletic gear that should be part of your standard equipment from an early age. In fact, studies show that athletes are 60 times more likely to suffer harm to the teeth if they’re not wearing a mouthguard.

Mouthguards, also called mouth protectors, help cushion a blow to the face, minimizing the risk of broken teeth and injuries to your lips, tongue, face or jaw. They typically cover the upper teeth and are a great way to protect the soft tissues of your tongue, lips and cheek lining.

There are three types of mouthguards: 

• Custom-fitted. These are made by your dentist for you personally. They are more expensive than the other versions, but because they are customized, they usually offer the best comfort and protection.If you'd like to sport your school colors or favorite team colors, our office can customize your mouthguard in a variety of colors!  If you prefer a more discrete mouthguard, you can see in this video how small and almost unnoticeable custom mouthguards can be.
• Stock. These are inexpensive and come pre-formed, ready to wear. Unfortunately, they often don’t fit very well. They can be bulky and can make breathing and talking difficult.
• Boil and bite. These mouth protectors can be bought at many sporting goods stores and drugstores and may offer a better fit than stock mouth protectors. They are first softened in water (boiled), then inserted and allowed to adapt to the shape of your mouth. These are bigger and more bulky than custom mouthguards, and often come in many different color assortments.

The best mouthguard is one that has been custom made for your mouth by your dentist. However, if you can’t afford a custom-fitted mouthguard, you should still wear a stock mouthguard or a boil-and-bite mouthguard. If you wear braces or another fixed dental appliance on your lower jaw, your dentist may suggest a mouth protector for these teeth as well.

This information was adapted from the American Dental Association's mouthhealthy.org. For more information on mouthguards, including tips on taking care of them, visit their website.

How to Save Your Tooth

image source

The weather here in Lakewood this past week has definitely brought us into fall! While the weather won't typically knock out your teeth, do you know what to do if you fall and knock out a tooth? Knowing what to do if your tooth falls out in an emergency can make the difference between saving and losing your tooth!

For a knocked-out permanent or adult tooth, keep it moist at all times.  If you can, try placing the tooth back in the socket without touching the root. If that's not possible, place it in between your cheek and gums, in milk, or use a tooth preservation product that has the ADA Seal of Acceptance.  Then, get to your dentist's office right away.

For your convenience, all of our dentists are available after hours during an emergency. This helps ensure that you will receive excellent care from your dentist any time an emergency strikes!

Info from mouthhealthy.org

Dental Rewards Program

Ever wish you could be a kid again? If you've ever seen the rewards we give to kids in our no cavity club and wished you could get a gift card too, I have good news! You can earn a $25 gift card to your favorite restaurant, Nordstroms, Home Depot and many more of your favorite places.

All you have to do is refer a friend or family member who doesn't live with you. When they come in for their appointment, just have them put your name down as the person who referred them and you'll get a $25 gift card!

Tacoma Rainiers Game

We'd like to extend a big thank you to the doctors at Dental Health Associates who treated our staff and their families to a Tacoma Rainiers game last weekend!

As much as we all enjoy the team that plays at Cheney Stadium...

the team here at Dental Health Associates is the best! 

No Cavity Club

Picture Source

Did you know Dental Health Associates rewards children for not having cavities? After their appointment, ALL kids get a balloon and a token to choose something out of the toy tower. Those who don't have any cavities get their picture taken and put on our wall of fame as part of the No Cavity Club. Every other month we draw a name from the No Cavity Club and the winner gets a $25 gift card to Toys R Us!

Here are some tips for staying cavity free:

• Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste
• Floss daily
• Eat nutritious meals and limit your sugar intake
• Check with your dentist about using fluoride supplements to strengthen your teeth
• Visit your dentist twice a year for cleaning

Happy cavity fighting!

Tips to avoid cavities from mouthhealthy.org

The Smile Zone

 

We realize that while coming to the dentist is important, it's not always easy to get here. At our office you no longer need to worry about finding childcare! We are excited to provide on-site childcare for our patients free of charge during office visits.

Children at The Smile Zone experience our under the sea themed room provided with toys, crafts, and movies. Staffed by an experienced childcare provider and monitored via sophisticated camera systems, you can be sure your children will be well cared for during your visits. Visit our website or give us a call at 253-582-5050 to schedule your appointment, and let us know you would like your children to experience a fun adventure at The Smile Zone!