What helps your child relax at Grin?

Dr. Courtney Keel, Dr. Patrick Ryan and team understand not every child is thrilled to see the dentist. But we strive to create a positive and rewarding dental experience for all of our patients at each visit. We’d like to know: What is it about Grin that makes your child comfortable or puts you at ease? Is it something about our welcoming office environment? Our friendly staff or Dr. Courtney Keel and Dr. Patrick Ryan?

Let us know by posting here, on our Facebook page or by giving us a call!

What should I do during an emergency?

When your child needs urgent dental treatment, Drs. Ryan and Keel and team stand ready to help. Please keep our emergency number available and convenient. Here are some helpful answers to some recent patient questions. Have a great week everyone!

Q: What should I do if my child's baby tooth is knocked out?

A: Contact our office as soon as possible.

Q: What should I do if my child's permanent tooth is knocked out?

A: Find the tooth and rinse it gently in cool water. (Do not scrub it or clean it with soap -- use just water!) If possible, replace the tooth in the socket and hold it there with clean gauze or a wash cloth. If you can't put the tooth back in the socket, place the tooth in a clean container with milk, saliva, or water. Get to our office immediately. (Call the emergency number if it's after hours.) The faster you act, the better your chances of saving the tooth.

Q: What if a tooth is chipped or fractured?

A: Contact Grin immediately. Quick action can save the tooth, prevent infection and reduce the need for extensive dental treatment. Rinse the mouth with water and apply cold compresses to reduce swelling. If you can find the broken tooth fragment, bring it with you when you visit with Drs. Ryan and Keel.

Q: What about a severe blow to the head or jaw fracture?

A: Go immediately to the emergency room of your local hospital. A blow to the head can be life threatening.

Q: What if my child has a toothache?

A: Call us and visit the office promptly. To comfort your child, rinse the mouth with water. Apply a cold compress or ice wrapped in a cloth. Do not put heat or aspirin on the sore area.

Q: Can dental injuries be prevented?

A: Of course! First, reduce oral injury in sports by wearing mouth guards. Second, always use a car seat for young children. Require seat belts for everyone else in the car. Third, child-proof your home to prevent falls, electrical injuries, and choking on small objects. Fourth, protect your child from unnecessary toothaches with regular dental visits to our office.

Cheese and your child’s oral health

Did you know research shows cheese is one of the healthiest snacks for your child's teeth? Not only does cheese provide large amounts of much-needed calcium, cheese also fights cavities. Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Swiss and Mozzarella all do their part to stimulate our salivary glands to clear the mouth of debris ...and protect them from acids that weaken them.

What does that mean? Cheese disrupts the development of cavities, especially when eaten as a snack or at the end of a meal. Calcium and phosphorous found in cheese reduce or prevent decreases in the plaque's pH level and work to re-mineralize the enamel of your child's teeth.

Hope this helps!

Is your child a mouth breather?

Breathing through the mouth instead of the nose may lead to trouble for our youngsters, according to a study published in the January/February 2010 issue of the journal General Dentistry.

Kids who typically breathe through their mouth - most often children who suffer from allergies - experience problems getting enough oxygen into their blood, a condition that affects their weight, size and sleep, which often affects their performance in classroom and daily life.

The author of the study, Dr. Yosh Jefferson, also notes that if left untreated, mouth breathing can cause dental and facial abnormalities. Did you know that mouth breathing is a treatable condition? Doing so, though, requires early diagnosis and treatment. Since Drs. Ryan and Keel see our patients every six months, they may be in a position to identify the symptoms of mouth breathing.

If you suspect your child is a chronic mouth breather, please give our team at Grin a call.

For more on mouth breathing, we encourage you to read the rest of the Dr. Jefferson's article. For more on children's dental health, go to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website.

Happy St. Patrick's Day, from all of us at Grin!

Here at Grin, we strive to create a positive and rewarding dental experience for all of our patients. Dr. Courtney Keel, Dr. Patrick Ryan and our team enjoy providing exceptional pediatric dental care in a fun and friendly environment. This includes hosting Ice Cream Parties, recognizing each month's 100% brusher, and connecting with patients through exciting contests and games. Be sure to visit our Facebook page this week for all of the photos from our most recent Ice Cream Party.

While we're taking a little time to research and decide how to offer patients with the very best dental experience, we thought we'd ask you: How can we go the extra mile to make your child smile? Do you have any fun ideas for future events or contests? What would you like us to share on our social networks? Please send us your thoughts or give us a call!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

-Your friends at Grin

Patient Question: Is tooth decay preventable?

Good question - yes, in fact, tooth decay is totally preventable! Tooth decay, which is caused by sugars left in your mouth, can turn into an acid, which in turn can break down your teeth. Children are at high risk for tooth decay for a simple reason: many children and adolescents tend to be lax in their oral hygiene habits. Proper brushing and flossing routines combined with regular dental visits help keep tooth decay away. A low-sugar diet also helps keep tooth decay at bay.

Your child should visit Grin Pediatric Dentistry every six months (or as recommended) for regular dental cleanings and checkups. Dr. Ryan, Dr. Keel and team recommend fluoride treatments twice a year along with cleanings to keep teeth their strongest. Tooth sealants are also recommended because they "seal" the deep grooves in your child's teeth, preventing decay from forming in these hard-to-reach areas. Sealants last for several years, but will be monitored at your regular checkups.

Lastly, we encourage you to check out this helpful article about kids and tooth decay, courtesy of our friends at KidsHealth.

Let us know if you have any questions - we want to hear from you on Facebook as well!

“My son is turning one – when should bring him in for a visit?”

Great question! The short answer is, "First visit by first birthday."

Dr. Ryan and Dr. Keel know that cavities know no age boundaries, and that is why we recommend a visit to our office at age one. That also happens to be the opinion of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Dental Association agree. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children who are at risk of early childhood cavities visit a pediatric dentist by their first birthday.

Research has shown that cavities are increasing in preschool-aged children, and that more than one in four kids has had at least one cavity by the time they're four years old. In fact, many children get cavities as early as age two.

The appointment also covers topics such as the importance of baby teeth, nutrition, development and overall concerns you may have with your child. We believe that a child's first visit with Dr. Ryan and Dr. Keel should be enjoyable and positive. The more you and your child know about the first visit, the better you will feel. Our staff makes a practice of using pleasant, non-frightening, simple words to describe your child's first dental visit and treatment, and we want you to feel at ease from the moment your family arrives at our convenient Plano, TX office.

Have you scheduled an appointment for your child? We hope to see you soon!