Your turn! From Grin Pediatric Dentistry

Week after week, Drs. Patrick Ryan and Courtney Keel and team blog about important topics pertinent to dental care and your well-being, including innovative dental techniques we offer. Today, we thought we’d step back and ask you, our loyal patients and readers: what’s on your mind? What would you like to know about the field of dentistry? What would you like us to focus on our blog in the coming months? Let us know by posting here or on our Facebook fan page!

So… take it away and we’ll try to answer any questions you may have!

-Drs. Patrick Ryan and Courtney Keel

Grin Pediatric Dentistry, helping you stay cool this summer!

There's nothing like a hot summer day! Now that the heat wave is sweeping through Plano, TX, our team at Grin Pediatric Dentistry thought that we would share a few sun safety tips with you, courtesy of KidsHealth. Although vitamin D is essential for absorbing calcium, there can be serious health affects if you aren't prepared for the heat. That's why our doctors here at Grin Pediatric Dentistry want to help keep you informed about sun safety!

Sun Safety 101: What to know about UVA, VVB, and UVC rays

1. UVA rays- These rays make of the majority of sun exposure, and can contribute to skin cancer, skin aging, and wrinkling.

2. UVB rays- Known for causing sunburns, cataracts, and immune system damage, these powerful rays are linked with Melanoma (the most dangerous form of skin cancer).

3. UVC rays- Lucky for you, these rays are shielded by the ozone layer and don't reach earth!

To protect yourself from these harmful rays, try to avoid the sun between 10am to 4pm, when it is the most prominent! If you do choose to spend time in the sun, remember to cover up, apply generous amounts of SPF 15 or higher sunscreen every 2 to 3 hours, stay hydrated, and use protective eye wear! Also, remember to check your child's medications for sun sensitivity.

Have a fun & safe weekend,

- Your friends at Grin Pediatric Dentistry

Baby Week at Grin Pediatric Dentistry

Happy Baby Week! For those of you who weren’t aware, July 12 through the 16 is celebrated across the nation as Baby Week. This week is a time when Discovery Health focuses its attention on informing you- the new or expecting to be moms and dads- on issues and stories that are relevant to babies. Visit the Baby Week website for information, quizzes, videos, and of course, the cutest baby face-off!

Our team here at Grin Pediatric Dentistry knows how important it is for the moms and dads of newborns to know how to correctly stimulate the senses of their infant. This interaction is vital to the physical and psychological growth and development of your baby. That’s why, in celebration of Baby Week, we would like to highlight a few ways that you can help your infant embrace the world around them, courtesy of Discovery Health.

Our office hopes that this information on a newborn’s five senses is helpful! Remember, babies’ teeth begin emerging at eight to ten months. Happy Baby Week!

-Your friends at Grin Pediatric Dentistry

Grin Pediatric Dentistry at the North Texas Kids Expo!

Our office loves getting involved with community events here in Plano, Texas and surrounding areas. This week, we participated in the North Texas Kids Expo along with our friends at Elvebak Orthodontics. The event, which was held at Plano West High School, was a huge success! Children loved the spinning wheel, where everyone was able to take home a prize!

To check out more great pictures from the North Texas Kids Expo and to see our booth at the event, visit our Facebook page! Remember, we always encourage patients to share photos with our office on Facebook! It's always great to stay connected with families and children in between office visits.

Have a great weekend!

-Your friends at Grin Pediatric Dentistry

Is your local playground safe?

Summer is here, and that means your child will be spending lots of time outside. Playgrounds are everywhere from your backyard to the neighborhood park. It's important to know what safety features to look for before your child hangs out at the local park.

Our staff at Grin Pediatric Dentistry found some important safety tips on the American Academy of Pediatrics' website that we'd thought we'd share with you today. They include what to look for on a public playground and tips on ensuring your home swing set is functioning properly.

* Carefully supervise young children using playground equipment. Keep children from shoving, pushing, or fighting.

* The surface under playground equipment should be energy absorbent. Use safety - tested mats or loose fill materials (shredded rubber, sand, wood chips, or bark) maintained to a depth of at least 9 inches.

* Install the protective surface at least 6 feet (more for swings and slides) in all directions from the equipment.

* Swing seats should be made of something soft, not wood or metal.

* Children should not twist swings, swing empty seats, or walk in front of moving swings.

* Put home playground equipment together correctly. It should sit on a level surface and be anchored firmly to the ground.

* Cap all screws and bolts. Check periodically for loose nuts and bolts and broken, rusty, or sharp parts.

* Install playground equipment at least 6 feet from fences or walls.

* Check for hot metal surfaces on equipment such as those on slides, which could cause burns.

* Never attach ropes, jump ropes, clotheslines, or pet leashes to playground equipment because children can strangle on them.

We hope these tips help! Have a happy and safe Fourth of July, from Dr. Ryan, Dr. Keel and our entire team at Grin Pediatric Dentistry of Plano, TX!