Some kids don’t have the best time at the dentist. But when anxiety makes it impossible to treat them, you have a big problem on your hands.

If your child cries, clings, or flat-out refuses at the mention of a dental checkup, you’re in good company: research suggests that roughly 3 in 10 young children experience some degree of dental fear.

If your kid is struggling with dental anxiety, this guide is here to help you.

What can you do?

The best way to help a child with dental anxiety is to prepare them early and positively:

• Talk about the visit in simple terms
• Read books or play pretend dentist at home
• Schedule morning appointments
• Let the dental team take the lead in the chair

With patience and the right approach, most children outgrow their fear of the dentist.

The good news is that dental anxiety responds remarkably well to preparation, and most of the work happens before you ever leave the house.

Why are kids scared of the dentist?

As parents, understanding the reason behind this fear makes it easier to address and to be present for our kids. The most common reasons and causes for dental anxiety in children are:

• Fear of the unknown: An unfamiliar place, strange sounds and smells, and a stranger looking into their mouth is a lot for a small child to process.
• Borrowed fear: Kids who overhear adults describe dental visits as painful or scary absorb that script before they’ve formed their own.
• A previous bad experience: A child who has already had a toothache or a difficult procedure may brace for a repeat.
• Separation worries: This happens especially with toddlers, as being asked to sit alone in a big chair can feel like the scariest part of the visit.
• Your own anxiety: Believe it or not, children pick up on a parent’s tension in the waiting room. If you dread the dentist, your child likely knows.

How do I prepare an anxious child for a dental visit?

Preparation at home does more to reduce dental anxiety than anything that happens in the office. Here are nine strategies that work.

1. Keep explanations simple and positive

Say the dentist will “count your teeth and make them sparkly clean.”

Avoid detailed play-by-plays that give imagination room to run.

2. Never use scary words (even to deny them)

Words like hurt, shot, drill, and pain plant ideas that weren’t there.

Also, skip the well-meaning “don’t worry, it won’t hurt”, as kids hear only the last two words.

3. Play pretend dentist

Take turns counting each other’s teeth with a toothbrush and a mirror. Familiar games make the real chair feel like a rerun.

4. Read books and watch shows about the dentist

Many children’s favorites — from Peppa Pig to Daniel Tiger — have dentist episodes and books that normalize the visit. If you feel okay to watch a few episodes together and explain what happens with your kids, this is an excellent resource.

5. Book a morning appointment

Well-rested, fed kids cope better. Avoid squeezing the visit between school and practice, when everyone’s patience is thin.

6. Arrive early, not just on time

Arriving rushed can spike everyone’s stress. A few calm minutes in the waiting room let your child acclimate.

7. Bring a comfort item

A stuffed animal or small toy from home gives your child something familiar to hold onto, literally.

8. Stay calm and let the team lead

Answer your child’s questions honestly but briefly, and let the dental team explain the details. Remember: they do this all day, every day.

9. Celebrate effort, not survival

Afterward, praise the specific brave things your child did (“You opened so wide!”).

Avoid framing rewards as compensation for surviving something awful.

What do pediatric dentists do for anxious kids?

Pediatric dentists train for 2 to 3 extra years beyond dental school, and much of that training is about child psychology and behavior.

In the chair, they use proven comfort techniques:

• Tell-show-do: The dentist explains each step in kid-friendly words, demonstrates it on a finger or a stuffed animal, then does it. Predictability is the antidote to fear, and research consistently ranks tell-show-do among the most effective anxiety-reduction techniques in pediatric dentistry.
• Distraction: Ceiling TVs, music, storytelling, and counting games keep young minds busy while hands work.
• Stop signals: Simple “raise your hand if you need a break” signals return a sense of control to the child.
• Gradual exposure: Short, easy first visits (a ride in the chair, a quick look, a new toothbrush) build trust before any real treatment is needed.
• Comfort aids when needed: For children with severe anxiety or extensive treatment needs, options like nitrous oxide (laughing gas) can help.

Ask your dentist what they offer and when they recommend it.

When is dental anxiety a bigger problem?

Most dental fear fades with age and positive visits.

However, you need to talk to your pediatric dentist or pediatrician if your child’s anxiety is severe enough to:

• Prevent care entirely
• Involve panic reactions (vomiting, night terrors before visits)
• Fit a wider pattern of intense fears in other settings

Children with autism or sensory processing differences may also benefit from extra accommodations, and many pediatric offices offer quieter rooms, weighted blankets, or desensitization visits.

You only need to ask.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about dental anxiety in children.

Should I stay with my child during the appointment?

For toddlers and very anxious kids, yes, most pediatric dentists welcome a parent in the room, especially at first. As children grow more confident, stepping back (or out) often helps them build independence.

Follow the dental team’s lead; they’ll suggest what works best for your child’s age and temperament.

What if my child cries or refuses to open their mouth?

Stay calm — pediatric teams see this daily and won’t judge you or your child. Often the dentist will slow down, switch to a game, or simply do less that day. A short, incomplete, positive visit beats a complete, traumatic one, because it keeps the door open for next time.

At what age should I start dental visits to prevent anxiety?

By the first birthday, per the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Children who start visits early treat the dental office as a normal part of life, which is the strongest known protection against the development of dental fear later.

Is it okay to bribe my child to go to the dentist?

Small rewards are fine; big bribes can backfire. A sticker or a trip to the park says “I’m proud of you.” An extravagant payoff says, “this must be really bad.”

Keep rewards low-key and focused on effort rather than on getting through an ordeal.

A calmer visit starts at home

Dental anxiety is common, normal, and very fixable. You, as an adult, might have it without realizing it. However, if you prepare with simple words and playful practice, time the appointment well, keep your own nerves in check, and let the dental team do what they are trained to do, you will likely be successful after a few attempts.

Every calm visit builds on the last.. A child who learns that the dentist is safe will become an adult who never skips a checkup.

Sources:

• NIH: How Can We Reduce Dental Fear in Children? The Importance of the First Dental Visit
• NIH: Impact of tell show do and audio-visual distraction techniques on pediatric dental anxiety: A comparative study

Should I take my kid to the dentist?

Your child should see a dentist by their first birthday, or within six months of their first tooth coming in — whichever happens first.

The first visit is very important, and also short and gentle:

• A quick look at the teeth and gums (sometimes with your toddler on your lap)
• Guidance for you on brushing, diet, and teething
• Little games, hellos, and goodbyes to get familiar with the dentist

Most first visits take 30 to 45 minutes and involve no cleaning, X-rays, or treatment.

So, if you were picturing a squirming toddler in a big reclining chair, you can relax, as that’s not how it should go. This guide will give you more insight into what happens, why the visit matters this early, and how to set your child up for a smooth first experience.

When should my child’s first dental visit be?

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) and the American Dental Association both recommend a first visit by age 1, or within six months of the first tooth erupting — whichever comes first.

That’s earlier than many parents expect, and earlier than many general dentists used to recommend.

There’s a good reason for the early timeline: tooth decay can start as soon as teeth appear, and early visits let the dentist catch small issues, like a feeding habit affecting the teeth, before they become bigger problems.

This first appointment is sometimes called a “well-baby dental visit,” modeled after the well-baby checkups your pediatrician already does.

What actually happens at the first visit?

A first dental visit is brief, low-pressure, and designed around your child’s age and comfort. You can expect it to include:

• A gentle visual exam: The dentist looks at your child’s teeth, gums, jaw, and bite to check that everything is developing on track and to spot early signs of decay.
• A knee-to-knee exam: For babies and toddlers who can’t yet sit in a reclining chair, the dentist and a parent sit knee-to-knee, facing each other, while your child lies back with their head resting in the dentist’s lap. It looks unusual the first time, but it lets the dentist see clearly while your child stays close to you the whole time.
• A cleaning demonstration: The dentist typically demonstrates how to brush your child’s teeth using a soft brush, gauze, or washcloth, and answers your specific technique questions.
• A parent conversation: Expect a relaxed conversation (as relaxed as possible with a toddler) about your family’s dental history, diet, bottle or pacifier habits, fluoride, and teething, along with a chance to ask anything on your mind.
• No treatment (usually): First visits almost never include X-rays, cleanings, or any treatment. The goal is simply to get your child comfortable in the chair and give you a baseline for their oral health.

Altogether, a first visit typically runs 30 to 45 minutes, including a few minutes of paperwork if you haven’t completed forms online ahead of time.

What should I bring to the first appointment?

If it’s your first time, it doesn’t hurt to come prepared. You can bring:

• Completed intake forms: If the office offers digital forms in advance, you can fill them out ahead of time, which will save you time and problems with trying to fill them up with your toddler in a waiting room.
• Your child’s health history: If your kid has any medical conditions, medications, allergies, etc.
• A comfort item: Your toddler might benefit from having a familiar, comforting item to ease the transition to a new place.
• Insurance information: Bring your dental insurance card or your Medicaid information if you have coverage. Many plans cover preventive visits for children at no cost.

How can I prepare my toddler for their first visit?

The best preparation happens well before appointment day. A few habits make a real difference:

• Start home cleaning early: Wipe your baby’s gums with a clean, damp washcloth after feedings, even before teeth appear. Once teeth erupt, brush gently twice a day.
• Talk about the visit casually: Read books about visiting the dentist, or watch a children’s show episode about it, so the idea feels familiar rather than new.
• Keep your own tone light: Kids pick up on tone more than words. A relaxed, matter-of-fact attitude from you does more than any pep talk.
• Choose a good time of day: Late morning appointments tend to go better than ones squeezed in around naps or at the end of a long day.

Remember: this is a specialty pediatric dental office designed for this age group. It will likely feature bright colors, small chairs, and dentists trained specifically to treat young children.

Why does the first visit matter so much?

An early first visit does two things a later one can’t: it catches problems while they’re still small and easy to treat, and it shapes how your child feels about the dentist for years to come.

Children who start visits early and have positive experiences are far less likely to develop dental anxiety later, since the office becomes a familiar, ordinary part of life rather than an unknown one.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about the first dental visit.

Is a 1-year-old too young for the dentist?

No, age 1 is exactly when the AAPD recommends starting.

Even a toothless or barely-toothed baby benefits from an exam, since the dentist checks jaw and gum development and can catch feeding-related issues early.

Will my child get X-rays at the first visit?

Usually not. X-rays aren’t standard at a first visit and are typically introduced later, once a child has enough teeth in contact with each other for X-rays to be useful. This will more likely happen around age 5 or 6, or sooner if the dentist suspects a specific problem.

What if my child cries the whole time?

That’s completely normal, especially for very young toddlers, and it won’t derail the visit. Pediatric dental teams are trained to work efficiently and gently, even through tears, and a short, honest first exam still accomplishes its goal.

Do I need a referral to see a pediatric dentist?

No referral is typically required; you can call and schedule directly.

Some pediatricians will recommend a pediatric dentist at a well-child visit, but you’re free to book on your own once your baby is close to their first birthday.

The first dental visit helps your kid with prevention

Your child’s first dental visit is more about building comfort and catching small issues early than it is about getting treatment.

Book it by age 1, keep your own energy relaxed, and expect a short, gentle appointment focused on you as much as your child.

That early, positive start makes all the difference for a future life full of healthy smiles.

Sources:

• AAPD: The Importance of the Age One Dental Visit
• Mouth Healthy: Your Baby’s First Dental Visit

• Pick it up by the crown (not the root)
• Rinse the tooth gently
• Place it back in the socket if possible
• Get to a dentist within 30 minutes

If it’s a baby tooth, never put it back in. For a baby tooth, call your dentist.

For a chipped tooth, save the fragments and book a same-day visit.

As parents, we are familiar with playground falls, stray elbows at practice, and collisions with the coffee table. Dental injuries are among the most common childhood accidents, and what you do in the first half hour can make all the difference.

In this guide, learn exactly what to do (step by step) before you reach the dental office.

What do I do if my child knocks out a permanent tooth?

Keep calm. A knocked-out (avulsed) permanent tooth is a true dental emergency, but it can often be saved if you move quickly. Follow these steps:

• Pick it up by the crown: Touch only the crown, the white part used for chewing. The root is covered in living cells that must survive for the tooth to reattach.
• Rinse, don’t scrub: If it’s dirty, rinse it briefly with milk or cool water. No scrubbing, no soap, no wrapping it in a tissue — all of these damage the root cells.
• Try to reinsert it: Gently push the tooth back into its socket facing the right way, then have your child bite softly on a clean cloth to hold it in place. This is the single best way to keep the tooth alive.
• If you can’t reinsert it, use milk: Place the tooth in a small cup of cold milk. Milk’s chemistry keeps the root cells alive far longer than water does. Saline or your child’s saliva also work; plain water is a last resort.
• Get to a dentist within 30 minutes: Teeth reimplanted within 30 minutes have the highest survival rate. After an hour, the odds drop sharply. Call ahead so the office is ready for you.

What if my child knocks out a baby tooth?

Never reinsert a knocked-out baby tooth. Pushing a primary tooth back into its socket can damage the permanent tooth developing underneath it — a trade no parent wants to make. Instead, stay calm, control any bleeding with gentle pressure from clean gauze, and call your child’s dentist the same day. The dentist will check that no fragments remain in the gum and, if the tooth was lost too early, may recommend a space maintainer so the surrounding teeth don’t drift into the gap.

What if I’m not sure if it’s a baby tooth or a permanent tooth?

Baby teeth are smaller and whiter, but when in doubt, store the tooth in milk and let the dentist decide.

What should I do if my child chips or breaks a tooth?

It depends on how badly the break it is. If it’s only a chipped tooth, it still needs prompt attention. This is because a small chip can expose the inner layers of the tooth, and bacteria can take advantage of this opportunity.

Here is a checklist on what to do:

• Rinse the mouth: Rinse your kid’s mouth with warm water. This cleans the area.
• Save any fragments: If you can find the broken piece, keep it in milk or water. Dentists can sometimes bond the fragment back on.
• Apply a cold compress externally: Limit the swelling with a cold compress against the cheek or lips if necessary.
• See the dentist promptly: Sometimes you won’t see if there’s a crack or not. It’s better if the dentist can check it on the same or next day to catch if there’s any damage below the surface.

However, if you see that the chip exposes a pink or red spot at the center of the tooth, call the dentist immediately. That’s the nerve, and shouldn’t be exposed.

Dentist or emergency room?

If it is a dental injury, the dentist can do everything that an emergency room can. It’s probably better to see the dentist, unless you have a medical emergency like in some of these situations:

When both apply — say, a knocked-out tooth plus a hard hit to the head — the head injury wins. Go to the ER and bring the tooth in milk.

How can I prevent dental injuries in kids?

You can’t bubble-wrap a child, but you can stack the odds in their favor.

A custom-fitted mouthguard is the single most effective protection for kids who play contact sports — and for enthusiastic bikers, skaters, and trampoline lovers, too. Store-bought ‘boil and bite’ guards help; ones fitted by a dentist protect better and stay in place.

At home, keep walkways clear for new walkers and never use teeth as tools for opening packages.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about dental emergencies in kids.

How long can a knocked-out tooth survive outside the mouth?

The root cells begin dying within minutes in open air. Stored in cold milk, a tooth can remain viable for about an hour, sometimes a little longer. That’s why the goal is always the same: back in the socket or into milk immediately, and to the dentist within 30 minutes.

Can a chipped baby tooth be left untreated?

No — every chip deserves an exam. Even if it looks minor, a chip can hide a deeper crack or expose the tooth to infection, and sharp edges can cut your child’s tongue or cheek.

Most small chips are smoothed or bonded in a single quick visit.

Will a knocked-out permanent tooth reattach on its own?

If reinserted quickly, the tooth’s root can reattach to the socket over several weeks — but it needs a dentist to splint and monitor it. A reimplanted tooth often needs follow-up care later, but it can last for many years.

What if I can’t find the tooth?

Still see the dentist right away. The tooth may have been pushed up into the gum rather than knocked out, or it could have been swallowed or inhaled. An X-ray will show where it went and whether any fragments remain.

Keep calm and save your kids’ smile

Dental accidents can look dramatic: the mouth bleeds a lot. However, most injured teeth can be treated successfully when parents act quickly and calmly.

Remember the essentials:

• Crown, not root
• Milk, not water
• Dentist within 30 minutes
• Never reinsert a baby tooth

Save your dentist’s emergency number in your phone today, before you need it.

Sources:

• American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
• ADA MouthHealthy: Dental Emergencies
• International Association of Dental Traumatology: Guidelines for the Management of Traumatic Dental Injuries: General Introduction

THANK YOU!!

All of us at South Davis Pediatric Dentistry have had the opportunity to be a part of the amazing communities in Davis County for 5 YEARS now and cannot believe how quickly it has gone.

When Dr. Jason had the opportunity to extend his practice from Salt Lake County to Davis County, he knew he could not pass it up. He had been practicing for the previous 18 years in the Taylorsville area and had always wondered if a location closer to home would be in his future. Building the location had its challenges and (of course) its unexpected extensions, but we ended up with a BEAUTIFUL, state of the art, award winning office.
It’s easy to say the wait was worth it!

Dr. Jason and his wife put their heart and soul into designing and creating an office that was warm, fun and inviting for our patients and their families. From our three story tree house, a (how many) gallon fish tank, and TV’s above every dental chair loaded with all the kids’ favorite movies, this is definitely not your average dentist office! Looking back after these first 5 years, we are all SO grateful that Dr. Jason took that opportunity to build his practice in Davis County.

We have also had the most amazing doctors and staff join the team over the years here in Davis County. We have strived, since the day we opened our doors, to always put our patients first! With that as our goal, the doctors and staff have been meticulously hand picked. Our doctors have ALL completed specialist training and additional education to specifically treat infants, children and adolescents.

Our staff is always happy, helpful and ready to give the best experience possible while visiting the dentist! We are grateful to be able to say that at South Davis Pediatric Dentisty, we are more than just employees, we are your friends!

In the past five years we have been able to accomplish so much! From holiday donation drives, yearly parade routes in North Salt Lake, Stansbury Park, West Stansbury Park, Centerville, Farmington, Layton, Kaysville, and our personal favorite, the annual patient appreciation back to school carnival right here at our office.

We have truly enjoyed serving our community and being able to give back in some fun and exciting ways! It is definitely one of our highlights in what we do and are always thinking of new ways to give back to our patients in the future.

As with anything we do in the community, we always look forward to and enjoy the time spent getting to know all those around us! It is so fun to get to know our patients on a more personal level. Thank you for taking the time to chat with us and learn our names! So many of us mention the times that we run into our patients outside of the office. Whether it’s at the store, in a gym, or our own children’s school functions/ sporting events, we love being recognized and greeted as your friend!

If we could sum up how we feel about the last 5 years at South Davis Pediatric Dentisry in one word, that word would be GRATEFUL!!

We are so grateful to have been able to meet, treat, and become friends with all of our amazing patients and their families!

We are so grateful to be able to live and work in such a community where we all feel the authentic and genuine love towards those we are able to serve on a daily basis.

Thank you, Davis County, for your continued support, we can’t tell you how much YOU mean to us!

How did the Tooth Fairy hype begin?

Where does she come from? According to an article by Salon Magazine’s Michael Hingston, the tooth fairy is only 88 years old. But every culture has a tradition going back thousands of years built around the loss of children’s teeth. Middle Eastern cultures offer their teeth to the sun by throwing their teeth up in the air, while some Asian cultures believe that by throwing their lower teeth on the roof and their upper teeth on the floor (or under) they can ensure healthy tooth growth.

In many European cultures, teeth are offered to a mouse or rat so that children’s adult teeth will grow to become as strong as the teeth of a rodent. In Spain and other Spanish speaking countries they call the mouse Ratóncito Pérez who exchanges the tooth for a gift. The list goes on and on.

In the US, we started the tooth fairy tradition in 1927 by mixing the figure of the mouse that exchanges the tooth for a gift with the much more pleasing form of the good natured fairy from European stories. And instead of leaving gifts, we leave money.

Tips for Making the Tooth Fairy More Fun

Just having your children put their teeth under the pillow every time they lose their tooth can get repetitive and boring. Help make their transition into a “big kid” extra special. Here are some ways you can help your child feel more engaged and keep the magic alive with these great, yet inexpensive tooth fairy ideas.

Proof of Purchase

Certificates of good healthy teeth can help your child keep their teeth clean enough for the tooth fairy. These certificates can include the child’s name, date of tooth loss, method of tooth loss, and how much the child received in return for the tooth. Receipts are also a cute keepsake for the tooth. You can make these from scratch from Pinterest templates or print them out. My favorite printable Tooth Fairy receipt is from Oh My Gluestick because it includes a checkbox for quality of tooth. Both the certificates and receipts can be a great addition to your child’s scrapbook.

Caught in the Act

Icaughtthetoothfairy.com is a fun service that provides photographic “evidence” of the tooth fairy. Just upload a picture of your sleeping child to the site and they’ll put an image of the tooth fairy caught in the act of taking the tooth. Leave it by your kid’s bed or give it to them at breakfast. They’ll be so excited to show off their amazing photo with the tooth fairy and make their friends jealous.

Tooth Box or Pillow or Jar

If your child is a light sleeper, having them put their tooth under the pillow may be a bad idea. Instead, make a special box out of cardboard or wood and have your kid decorate it however they want. This lets your child feel even more involved in the tooth fairy tradition. Matchboxes are the perfect size for a tooth box plus they’re pretty inexpensive. Customized pillows and jars will also do the trick.

Letters

Have your child write letters to the tooth fairy like they would Santa Claus. Creating a personal relationship with the tooth fairy will make sure your child looks forward to losing their teeth. You can use this opportunity to teach them a lesson about good brushing habits. Miniature letters from the tooth fairy encourages good dental health or keeping their room clean.

Letters from the tooth fairy can also positively reinforce your child’s behavior by praising their good dental habits. Tell your children that the tooth fairy pays more for healthy teeth. For a fun easy kit, visit www.officeofthetoothfairy.com for “The Official Tooth Fairy Kit” which includes a certificate with the official tooth fairy seal as well as a reusable cloth bag to store the certificate and teeth in.

Count the teeth

A tooth punch card is a great way to keep track of how many teeth your child has lost. A punch card can also keep costs down. Twenty teeth can get rack up a hefty sum so employ the punch card method that restaurants use. Every tooth lost gets a quarter and once the child has lost five or ten teeth they get a whole dollar or five or however much you want to give them.

A chart of the teeth can also help keeps track of the teeth your child loses. Labeling the teeth will help your children understand what each tooth is called. This way they can learn about the way teeth are placed in their mouth and why it’s so important to brush all the way in the back.

Fairy dust

Fairy dust can be a fun way to bring the magic alive. Pinterest has some great ways to make fairy dust. My favorite is a recipe for edible fairy dust that uses sugar, food coloring and your oven. Make use of the homemade fairy dust and bring the tooth fairy alive by making little footprints on the windowsill with Barbie shoes. You can also use glitter hair spray found at Walmart, party store, or Halloween store. Spray the glitter on the dollar bill and coins to make it look touched by a fairy.

The tooth fairy can be a great tool to teach your children the importance of good dental hygiene. Plus activities including the tooth fairy make for great meaningful family time fun. Talk about two birds with one stone!

Sugar erodes teeth

Every mother knows that sugar = cavities. So naturally fruit juices, which are high in sugar, cause cavities. Especially since most fruit juices have a ton of added sugar, it isn’t as good for your teeth as you might think. Avoid giving fruit juices to your children at night and right before bed. Sleeping decreases saliva production, which leaves your teeth defenseless.

The acids wear away enamel

Fruit juices like lemonades, apple juices and orange juices are very high in acidic content that wears on our teeth. The acid reacts with the bacteria already in the mouth and the sugar from the juices to cause lesions or soft spots in the tooth’s protective enamel. Research has found that each time our child takes a sip of juice; an acid attack begins on their teeth for up to 20 minutes. And each sip that they take can reinforce that 20 minute attack all over again.

Tips to prevent tooth erosion

If your child likes having a juice box with their lunch or a glass of apple juice at dinner, here are some tips to reduce tooth decay.

Drink all of the Juice at one time

Make sure your children drink their juice quickly and all at once. The frequency of contact with the juice is what really matters. If your kid drinks juice all day, his teeth are in constant contact with the tooth harming sugars and acids. The best time to drink juice is with a meal since the sugars and acids present in our meals are already attacking the teeth. This way it limits the amount of time your child’s teeth are in contact with high acid and high sugar content.

Use a straw

Using a straw decreases a drink’s contact to your child’s teeth. By limiting the amount that touches your child’s teeth, we don’t immerse teeth in liquid and lower the chances of the acidic coating and destroying your teeth.

Substitute acidic beverages with water

Water is great for teeth and the best hydrator. If your child absolutely must have juice, you may want to consider watering it down so it isn’t quite as damaging to teeth as concentrated juice (plus it makes the juice last longer).

Don’t brush your teeth without rinsing

Juices, especially acidic juices like apple juice, cause the enamel on the teeth to wear out. But brushing them right after you bathe your teeth in acid can do more harm than just drinking the juice. The bristles of the toothbrush may damage and brush away the protective enamel and leave your child’s teeth exposed. Instead, rinse your mouth with water right after to wash away the residue of the juice or chew sugar-free gum preferably sweetened with Xylitol.

Switch to whole fruit juice

Fruit juice has many beneficial qualities for our children’s bodies. But store bought fruit juices like Minute Maid and Tropicana has a lot of additives. Limiting teeth exposure by switching to whole fruit and drinking more water can help make sure your children’s teeth stay strong and healthy.

We are passionate about helping your child to have great oral health at South Davis Pediatric Dentistry. If you have any specific questions about which beverage options are healthiest for your child’s teeth, feel free to send us a message or give us a call!

Radiation

Radiation is a pretty scary word. But radiation isn’t always something to fear. The basic definition of radiation is any source of energy that travels in the form of a particle or a wave. For example, the light coming from your lightbulb as well as the signal being emitted from your cell phone are considered radiation. While there are definitely some types of radiation that are more harmful than others, many types of radiation occur all around us and are not considered dangerous.

When X-ray imaging was first introduced to the medical field, it was more dangerous due to amount of time required for an image to be captured. This meant that a patient received more exposure to the X-rays. However, today’s dental X-ray technology has been improved so drastically compared to the early days of X-ray use that both the duration and amount of radiation exposure are significantly lower.

So can a dental X-ray cause cancer?

Frequent and unnecessary dental x-rays can increase the chances of getting cancer in much the same way that going out in the sun without skin protection can cause skin cancer. As long as they are not having X-rays performed more often than needed, your child’s health should not be negatively impacted by X-rays.
How much radiation is in a dental X-ray?

The average American receives a dose of 3 millisieverts (mSv) of radiation from natural sources (sunlight and elements in soils) each year according to the Department of Health and Human Services. A routine dental radiograph only emits around 0.04-0.15 mSv. This means that your child would have to receive between 20-75 dental X-rays a year to be exposed to the same amount of radiation they will be exposed to by nature.

With that said, children are more radiosensitive than adults (radiation has stronger effects on their developing bodies) so it is important that their dentist has been specifically trained to perform X-rays on children.

The Benefits of dental X-rays

When you are preparing your child’s next dental visit, remember that x-rays make it possible to see cavities, growths and damage to their jaw or teeth that would be otherwise impossible to see. Knowing about any problems early on will allow us to treat them before they become dangerous (and much more expensive to fix).

If you have any other questions about X-rays, please feel free to give us a call at (801) 294-8880, message us on Facebook or send us a message using our contact page. We are looking forward to seeing you and your child in our office for their next checkup!

To Chew

There are many reasons chewing gum can be good for your child. It’s a tasty low calorie snack that lasts a long time. But besides that, there are a few other cool things that make chewing gum a healthy choice for your child!

Chewing increases production of saliva

The physical act of chewing increases the flow of saliva which helps wash food particles and neutralizes the harmful acids that cause tooth decay. An increase in saliva flow also helps move calcium and phosphate to your teeth, which strengthens them. Just make sure to choose a sugar free gum to help fight tooth decay. Chewing gum right after eating is a great habit to have to help clean your teeth and get rid of remaining food. Plus, it can be a fun alternative to sugary, high calorie treats.

Chewing gum regularly can strengthen the jaw

A few years ago my jaw was so weak that it hurt to eat hard foods. It got so bad that even chewing cooked carrots was beginning to make my jaw sore. My dentist told me to try chewing some gum to help strengthen my jaw and my biting strength. It worked wonders!

Gum contains helpful Ingredients

Gum containing ingredients like Xylitol, a natural sugar substitute, helps reduce cavities and plaque. Xylitol is sweet and tastes really similar to sugar so children can still get that sugary sweet taste when they chew. Sugar free gum isn’t just for adults anymore. Instead of having the regular mint flavors, most gum brands have yummy flavors like Trident Layers’ Grape Lemonade and Wrigley’s Extra Sweet Watermelon.
Calcium Lactate is another ingredient in chewing gum that can help your kiddo’s teeth get stronger. Calcium Lactate helps remineralize teeth’s enamel surfaces faster and makes teeth stronger so they last longer.

Not to Chew

Despite all these great reasons for chewing gum, there are some downsides to this tasty treat.

Sugary gum causes cavities

It’s pretty common knowledge that eating lots of sugary treats can cause cavities. Most big bubble producing varieties of gum are sweetened with sugar. Even with thorough brushing, the sugar from these sugary gums does significant damage since they are pressed tightly to teeth for long periods of time. The sugar reacts to the bacteria found in dental plaque and produces acids that erode tooth enamel. Sugary gum is no longer as big of an issue due to the discovery of artificial sweeteners but there are a few brands that still use sugar to sweeten gum.

Over-chewing can trigger Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD)

Even though chewing can improve jaw strength, it can go too far. Chewing more than a couple pieces a day can trigger symptoms of TMJ. These symptoms can include jaw pain that is associated to the chewing muscles and the joints that connect the lower jaw to the skull. If your child’s jaw makes popping noises or they feel any discomfort when their mouth opens, have them stop chewing gum.

Gum Poses a potential choking hazard

Young children don’t understand how to chew gum without swallowing yet and it’s up to us to show them how to responsibly chew gum. Since every child’s development is different, there is no age recommendation for safe chewing. So if you have any questions about whether it is a good idea for your child to chew gum, get in touch with one of our dentists at South Davis Pediatric Dentistry.

Whether you choose to let your child chew gum, make sure that gum chewing does not take the place of other healthy habits such as brushing twice a day and flossing! A good dental routine is the best way to prevent tooth decay and cavities while keeping your smile brighter than ever.