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!

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.

When Should I Clean My Infants Teeth?

Has your infant’s first tooth erupted from the surface of the gums? Teething is a great time, but also a stressful time as most parent’s are not aware of what they can do to help keep their children’s teeth clean. A soft-bristled toothbrush designed for infant’s teeth is all you need. Gently scrub around the new tooth twice a day to keep plaque at bay!

How Soon Should My Child Visit the Dentist for The First Check-Up?

The best way to prevent dental problems is to visit the dentist early and often! We recommend our patients bring in their infants and toddlers when their first tooth appears or before their first birthday.

Are Baby Teeth That Important?

We have several people ask us this question! Baby teeth are extremely important to your children’s oral health as they assist in chewing, speaking, and provide the path for permanent teeth. If a baby tooth is decayed, it could potentially infect the permanent tooth forming behind it.

My Child Has a Toothache, What Should I Do?

Call South Davis Pediatric Dentistry as soon as possible! Use a cold compress on the face if you notice swelling and provide the correct dosage of acetaminophen for pain.

Does Thumb Sucking Cause Problems?

If your child is a thumbsucker, or a pacifier user, you need to try and break them of this habit when their teeth start to form. General use of a pacifier is not always destructive, but it can become a problem if it goes on for a long period of time. If your child is past the age of two and continues to suck their thumb, bring them into the office for an oral evaluation.

How Can I Prevent Tooth Decay?

One of the worst mistakes parents make is feeding their infant a bottle at bed time and allowing them to sleep with it. Break this habit as milk contains carbohydrates, which increase the tooth decay process. Daily brushing will break up the bacteria in the mouth, greatly reducing the risk of tooth decay and gum disease.

Should I Use Toothpaste?

Another common question we field at South Davis Pediatric Dentistry is helping parents use the right toothpaste. Use a soft toothbrush and water for the first year of your child’s life. Once your child is three, start using toothpaste that contains fluoride.

Do Dental Sealants Work?

Dental sealants help to reduce tooth decay by filling in the crevasses of the chewing surfaces of the teeth. Sealants are beneficial for back molars where children have a difficult time brushing.

For more information about your child’s oral health needs, contact our Bountiful Pediatric dental office today; 801-294-2880 or use the “Schedule your child’s dental appointment today!” form on this page. 🙂

Using the Wrong Toothbrush

Are you using a hard-bristled toothbrush? We always recommend using a soft-bristled toothbrush, unless our doctors advise otherwise. A hard-bristled toothbrush can push the gums up, exposing the tooth below the gum line, causing pain. The hard-bristled toothbrush can also wear away at the enamel of the tooth, causing them to be vulnerable to decay.

Forgetting to Change the Toothbrush

The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends changing your toothbrush every 3-4 months. When you visit our Bountiful dental office, we will gladly provide your child with a new toothbrush at their next cleaning and examination. Old toothbrushes move bacteria around the mouth, which can increase the risk of gum disease.

Improper Technique

Enamel is strong, but it can be weakened when you brush too rigorously. Help your child brush at a 45-degree angle and slowly stroke the toothbrush over the teeth in a circular motion to remove plaque.

Forgetting to Floss

Brushing is one important element of proper oral health care, but flossing is another. Children have tight contacts between teeth, which can increase problems with cavities and gum disease. Use simple flossers if your children have a hard time flossing their teeth daily.

The Wrong Toothpaste

Kids tend to hate the taste of a lot of things! When it comes to toothpaste, the flavor options have becoming diverse and children have several choices. If they hate the taste of mint toothpaste, try using strawberry or bubble gum instead. Finding the right flavor can make a difference in helping your kids brush their teeth. Always select toothpaste that contains fluoride to prevent gum disease and tooth decay.

Storing the Brush Incorrectly

Do you place the wet toothbrush back into a crowded drawer? Prevent bacteria from growing by thoroughly cleaning the toothbrush and then placing them in a cup in an area that is not moist and damp. A medicine cabinet in a cup is the best place to allow the toothbrush to dry out without being susceptible to additional bacteria in the air.

Forgetting to Brush their Tongue

A lot of kids hate brushing their tongue, but this can often be the culprit of bacteria that causes gum disease and tooth decay. Use a tongue scraper to prevent gagging and to thoroughly clean the tongue.

Not Brushing Long Enough

Kids try to rush through the tooth brushing process. While kids need to brush at least twice a day, it is important for them to brush for at least two minutes. Try singing a fun song with your kids while they brush their teeth, or use a kitchen timer to make sure they spend enough time brushing.

Forgetting to Rinse

A smart way to remove plaque is to rinse after brushing. Use small cups in the bathroom for your kids to use so they can thoroughly rinse their mouth and remove any excess food particles.

Brushing Too Soon After Eating

To prevent extra bacteria in the mouth overnight, make sure your kids brush their teeth closer to bedtime and not too soon after dinner or breakfast. Wait at least 20 minutes after eating before brushing to allow the saliva to wash away extra food in the mouth.

If you’d like help teaching your child proper brushing and oral hygiene habits, stop by our office and we’d be more than happy to help show them the best way to brush!

Say Goodbye to Late-Night Snacking

Set a rule that children are not allowed to have a snack after a certain hour before bedtime. Snacking when they are in bed leaves sugar and carbohydrates inside their mouths, which can increase the risk of gum disease and tooth decay. For hungry children, have a final snack an hour or more before bedtime to avoid the midnight wake-up from a child wanting a snack.

No More Bedtime Bottles

It’s easy to look for ways to make the bedtime routine easier. Some parents can find themselves giving a baby a bottle at bedtime to help them go to sleep. The problem with bedtime bottles is the damage sugar and carbohydrates can cause when they stick to the teeth and gums. These sugars and carbohydrates can increase your child’s risk of gum disease and tooth decay. Baby bottle tooth decay is a disheartening thing to see for parents, as it can lead to years of extensive dental treatments to limit the amount of decay that continues to occur into adulthood.

Flossing is Essential

A number of parents focus solely on brushing and they forget about flossing. It is important to set up flossing routines at a young age. Taking un-waxed floss and gently inserting it between the teeth will remove any food particles left behind, and any bacteria that can infect the gums and cause additional tooth decay.

Brushing Time

It is vital for your child to brush their teeth for the right amount of time. Children love to rush through this process and oftentimes leave behind bacteria that causes plaque. A great way to help kids get into the routine of brushing for 2 minutes is by playing their favorite song, or using a timer. If they are capable of brushing for the recommended amount of time, they will drastically reduce their risk of serious oral health problems.

If you want some extra fun and creative ideas for helping your child have fun while brushing, check out our blog post called “5 Easy Ways to Make Brushing Fun!”

The Right Method

Kids have small hands, small mouths, and small teeth! It’s not easy for them to get to the back teeth and clean properly between the deep fissures. The best thing parents can do for their kids is help them learn how to brush the right way. Consider using a battery-powered toothbrush for your kids. The circular vibrating motion in these toothbrushes, helps to break up bacteria in the mouth, and properly cleans within the deep fissures.

To help your child develop great brushing habits, we created a guide to teach you about the 10 Common Mistakes Children Make While Brushing their Teeth. Check it out!

Brushing Time at Breakfast

While we want to emphasize the importance of nightly brushing, there is another time of day to brush as well, breakfast! Make the same routine into habits with your kids by brushing before or after breakfast. Keeping fluoride on their teeth throughout the day will strengthen the enamel and help to reduce the risk of gum disease.

Parents are the best teachers! We are here to help you teach your kids how to correctly brush and floss to maintain healthier teeth and gums. Contact our Pediatric Dental Office in Bountiful to schedule an appointment for your child’s next cleaning and examination to help keep those pesky cavities away! 801.294.8880

See you soon!

Some people like homemade toothpaste because they feel it cleans better. Other people think differently because the homemade toothpaste doesn’t strengthen the enamel, which can cause future dental problems. There is a lot of media misinformation about fluoride, which causes confusion for everyone!

At South Davis Pediatric Dentistry, we are here to maximize your efforts to increase your child’s oral health. Let’s set the record straight and provide you with the information you need to make the best decision for your child’s oral health.

Why You Need Fluoride

Fluoride helps strengthen the enamel of the teeth and reverses cavities in their early stages. Fluoride helps to remove plaque and reverse the early stages of tooth decay.

What is inside Fluoride Toothpaste?

When you purchase toothpaste at the store, always check for the ADA symbol. This symbol ensures that the toothpaste contains fluoride and that it has passed a number of requirements issued by the ADA.

Below, we have listed some of the ingredients found within ADA-approved toothpaste. This is why there is really no substitute for fluoride toothpaste:

• Mild abrasives – these abrasives include phosphate salts, silicates, calcium carbonate and other ingredients that help scrub the surface of the teeth.
• Fluoride – this popular ingredient is used to reverse gum disease and tooth decay.
• Humectants – glycerol, glycol and sorbitol are used to prevent water loss in toothpaste.

Just like these three essential ingredients, there are many others within fluoride toothpaste that help oral health. For example, there are ingredients designed to give toothpaste flavor, and other ingredients that enhance the bubbling action when you scrub.

That ADA seal on the toothpaste bottle doesn’t only ensure good ingredients. It tells you that you can be confident that the product is safe for your child to use. The ADA ensures that good procedure is followed. If it’s not prepared and packaged safely, the toothpaste will not be distributed.

Are Homemade Toothpastes Effective?

From coconut oil to baking soda, we have seen a lot of people creating homemade toothpastes because they want an all-natural toothpaste for their child’s mouth. Some people prefer to make their own toothpaste because they do not like the ingredients in traditional toothpaste.

There are some small benefits to using homemade remedies. For example, using toothpaste with coconut oil can help control the amount of bacteria in the mouth that leads to plaque and gum disease. Some people use trace mineral drops within their homemade toothpastes that help heal sores and provide essential nutrients the body needs. The problem, however, is that these drops rarely get through the foods your child eats and drinks.

Baking soda is another common ingredient used to neutralize the acid in the mouth. Baking soda has a strong alkalinity source, which is beneficial to reduce this issue. However, using straight baking soda on the teeth does have its drawbacks because it is very abrasive on the enamel of the teeth.

Making Your Decision

What you as a parent need to know is that there is not enough evidence in professional studies to show homemade toothpaste is better than fluoride toothpaste. While it is compelling to consider coconut oil because it does have a number of health benefits, it fails to protect the enamel in the same way that fluoride does. Be sure to consider all of these options when you are deciding how to meet the needs of your child.

The best way to enhance your child’s smile, reverse gum disease, and prevent cavities is to always to help them properly brush and floss daily. That is your job as a parent, and our job is to help you know the best ways you can take care of your child. You can call our dental office today to book your cleaning and examination at (801) 294-8880.

We are here to help you make sure your child has the healthy teeth and mouth they deserve, so stop by and see us at the South Davis Pediatric Dentistry today. Schedule an appointment through our website and get your child’s oral health in tip-top shape.

Here at South Davis Pediatric Dentistry, we want you to know what to do to help protect your child’s enamel if frequent vomiting is a problem.

What is Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome?

In case you aren’t familiar with the term, Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome is classified as episodes of severe vomiting that take place without apparent cause. This condition can include episodes that last hours or days. Episodes can alternate between periods of time that are symptom-free.

Vomiting episodes are typically similar to one another, meaning they will start at the same time each day and will last as long as they do on other days. Sometimes, the episodes can include migraines, causing a child to stay in bed for several days.

Frequent Vomiting Means Oral Health Problems

When a child suffers from Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome, here’s what can happen:

• Enamel strips away from the teeth
• Salivary glands swell, causing mouth tissue to become dry, sore, and red
• Chronic sore throats and even hemorrhages under the skin of the palate develop
• Teeth become stained, which often requires years of dental treatment to reverse

How These Problems Affect Your Child

When enamel erodes, children experience increased sensitivity to hot and cold foods and liquids. This brings discomfort that can last into adulthood.

Severe erosion can lead to changes in your child’s bite. The back teeth can be reduced in size and can even fall out if they experience too much erosion.

What You Should Do

If your child suffers from Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome, there are a few steps you can take to help protect their oral health.

Practice rinsing your child’s mouth with a mixture of water and baking soda. This will reduce the amount of bacteria and will protect enamel and gums.

After a vomiting episode, never brush your child’s teeth. Vomiting brings up stomach acid that weakens the enamel of the teeth, so brushing soon after can cause further erosion. The best thing you can do is wait an hour or longer before brushing your child’s teeth. When you brush, use fluoride toothpaste.

Get the Help Your Child Needs—Today!

Start keeping a record of how often your child is vomiting. If you notice anything unusual, call your pediatrician right away. If your child has a chronic condition, proper medical treatment will be necessary.

One especially important medical treatment for kids with CVS is oral health treatment. Here at South Davis Pediatric Dentistry, we share your same concern to help your child have a healthy mouth. Come in and visit us today! If your child is suffering from CVS, we can provide fluoride treatments to help strengthen enamel. Depending on how severe the condition is, we may even prescribe daily fluoride treatments.

Our dental office is here to help when major setbacks to your child’s oral health occur. Don’t hesitate to call today at (801) 294-8880 to schedule an appointment for your child. You can also stop in by scheduling an appointment to ensure your child’s oral health is the best it can be.