Thursday, August 25, 2011

Dental fun facts, from Grin Pediatric Dentistry



Everyone loves fun facts and dental tips. Fun, fun, fun! Drs. Patrick Ryan and Courtney Keel and our team at Grin Pediatric Dentistry came across these dental fun facts recently and thought you might enjoy!

• The second most common disease in the United States is cavities. The first is the common cold.
• There are almost 9,000 accidental pockings and piercings with toothpicks per year.
• X-rays may be an effective tool in preventing strokes.
• A child will have 20 baby teeth by the time he or she is 2 years old. Through childhood, kids gradually lose baby teeth and grow 32 permanent teeth, including wisdom teeth.
• According to consumer reports, dentists are among the 5 most trusted professionals in the United States.
• Approximately $2 billion a year is spent on dental products like toothpastes, mouthwashes and dental floss.
• The average American spends about 38 days brushing teeth over his or her lifetime.
• Kids in North America spend half a billion dollars per year on chewing gum.
• Approximately 94 percent of Americans say they brush nightly while only 81 percent say they brush first thing in the morning.
• Grand Rapids, MI was the first American city to fluoridate its water.
• Earliest record of a toothbrush was found in Chinese literature about 1600 AD
• The natural bristles of early toothbrushes were taken from the necks and shoulders of swine, especially pigs living in colder climates like Siberia and China.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

How to ease dental fears in children, from Grin Pediatric Dentistry

Drs. Patrick Ryan and Courtney Keel know that many children have fear when it comes to visiting the dentist. Our team at Grin Pediatric Dentistry found a great article on how to help kids overcome fears of the dentist, courtesy of our friends at WebMD.

Making your child feel comfortable when they visit Drs. Ryan and Keel is a huge reason to take your child to a pediatric dentist instead of a regular dentist. Grin Pediatric Dentistry excels at making children feel comfortable visiting the dentist. In fact, most of our patients look forward to their next visit!

Has your child visited us in the last six months? If not, it’s time to schedule an appointment!

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Vending machine tips, from Grin Pediatric Dentistry

Vending machines are a quick way to satisfy hunger. You put in $1.50 and you get back a candy bar, bag of chips or even a soda…but that’s not all! Drs. Patrick Ryan and Courtney Keel want to remind you that vending machines not only dispense sweet treats and caffeine bursts, but they also dispense cavities!

Every time you chow down on that chocolate bar the bacteria in your mouth have a party feasting on the sugar. The sugar quickly turns into acid; that’s right, ACID!!! The acid sits on your teeth and eats away at the tooth’s natural enamel (the stuff that protects your tooth from decay). When this enamel is eaten away by the acid on your tooth, you get a cavity! Brushing your teeth after eating a sugary treat can help prevent cavities; but before you indulge, remind yourself: “can’t brush? Hold the sugar!”

When choosing a snack, consider these nutritional options that will not only satisfy your hunger and that “sweet tooth,” but won’t cause acid build up resulting in cavities:

• Fresh Fruits (berries, oranges, melon, pears, etc)
• Raw Vegetables (broccoli, celery, carrots, etc)
• Bread
• Pretzels (low salt)
• Milk (low or non-fat)
• Cheese (low or non-fat)
• Nuts and seeds (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc)
• Sliced meat

If you would like more advice about how you can prevent cavities, give Grin Pediatric Dentistry a call or ask us during your next appointment.

Friday, August 5, 2011

How to ease dental fears in children

Drs. Patrick Ryan and Courtney Keel know that many children have fear when it comes to visiting the dentist. Our team at Grin Pediatric Dentistry found a great article on how to help kids overcome fears of the dentist, courtesy of our friends at WebMD.

Making your child feel comfortable when they visit Drs. Ryan and Keel is a huge reason to take your child to a pediatric dentist instead of a regular dentist. Grin Pediatric Dentistry excels at making children feel comfortable visiting the dentist. In fact, most of our patients look forward to their next visit!

Has your child visited us in the last six months? If not, it’s time to schedule an appointment!