Come join us at the puyallup Spring Fair April 18-21. Stop by our Booth and show us your SMILE!

Space maintainers help “hold space” for permanent teeth. Your child may need one if he or she loses a baby tooth prematurely, before the permanent tooth is ready to erupt. If a primary tooth is lost too early, adult teeth can erupt into the empty space instead of where they should be. When more adult teeth are ready to come into the mouth, there may not be enough room for them because of the lost space. To prevent this from happening, the dentist may recommend a space maintainer to hold open the space left by the missing tooth.

Parents, as your child’s permanent teeth come in,

talk to your dentist about having dental sealants

applied to protect teeth from tooth decay.

What is a dental sealant?

A dental sealant is a coating applied to the  chewing

surfaces of back teeth. Grooves in these teeth are so narrow

that a   toothbrush cannot fit into the spaces to remove plaque.

Dental sealants prevent dental decay in the grooves.

Why are they important?

Sealants  provide  protection from dental decay or

“cavities” on the chewing surface.

Are they safe?
Sealants are simple, painless, and require no drilling

What else can parents do to prevent cavities?
Encourage your child to brush and floss every day. Take your child

to the dentist for regular check-ups & Advise. Give your child healthy

foods and avoid candy and foods with lots of sugar.

If you give your baby a bottle at bedtime or naps give only water.  “Juice, soda, flavored sugar drinks & milk (even mother’s own breast milk) all have the potential to be converted into acid by bacteria in a baby’s or Toddlers mouth”  Leading to decay or baby bottle rot. Quote by: Therore Croll D.D.S.

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                                                                                                                                                                 Field trip’s,  are perfect for worry free dental appointments.

                                                                                                                                                         If you have a small group that would like to visit us please call us to schedule.

Nothing is as special as your child’s happy, healthy smile. As a parent, you know it’s important to learn how to care for your child’s oral health.

How can I avoid baby bottle cavities?

Once your baby’s teeth begin to appear, you need to take extra care that these new teeth do not develop cavities. Babies can develop teeth cavities through “nursing bottle mouth,” which is caused by extended nursing on milk, formula or juices, especially at bedtime or naptime. You should not use a feeding bottle as a pacifier. If you must give your baby a bottle at bedtime or naptime, make sure it contains plain water. You should not give a baby a pacifier that has been dipped in honey or sugar

Good dental health should begin at birth. after each feeding, gently wipe the baby’s gums with a soft, clean and damp washcloth or gauze pad.

What is a pulpotomy  (Childs Root Canal)

(nerve treatment)?

The pulp of the tooth is the hollow inner core of the tooth. The pulp contains nerves, blood vessels, connective tissue, and reparative cells. The purpose of pulp therapy in pediatric dentistry is to maintain the integrity of the affected tooth, so that your child’s tooth is not lost, until his/her permanent tooth is ready to erupt.

Dental caries (cavities) and traumatic injury are the two main reasons for your child’s tooth to require pulp therapy. Pulp therapy is often referred to as a “nerve treatment,” “baby or children’s root canal,” “pulpotomy.

  pulpotomyis a dental procedure that is performed when the decay in a child’s tooth reaches into the pulp (nerve) tissue. The infected part of the nerve tissue within the crown portion of the tooth is removed to prevent further inflammation and spread of disease (caries). Next, a sedative material is placed within the tooth to prevent bacterial growth and to calm the remaining nerve tissue.

After the pulpotomy is finished, your child’s tooth is restored with a stainless steel crown (SSC) on the back molar teeth to re-establish normal chewing function and to continue to hold the space until the permanent tooth can take its place. On the upper front teeth, either a regular stainless steel crown or a white esthetic stainless steel crown can be placed. This is performed in one visit and causes no more discomfort than placing a routine filling.

Children’s Halloween dream — to get lots of candy — can be their parents’ nightmare. But pediatric dental experts say Halloween can be a time to teach your children good oral health habits for life, without depriving them of Halloween treats (think moderation).Avoid the suckers. The sugar from the suckers remain the longest in the mouth and can increase decay risk.  You should replace toothbrushes every three or four months anyway,

 so make Halloween an occasion for getting your child a new brush.

Love your child’s smile?

Help keep it healthy for life.

When infants are born, almost all of their primary or baby teeth already have formed although they still are hidden in the gums.The short answer is “First visit by first birthday.” That’s the view of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Pediatricians agree. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children who are at risk of early childhood cavities visit a pediatric dentist by age 1