Synergy Dental’s Tips of the Day
Daily tidbits to help you along the path to oral health and overall wellness.
December 13, 2010: Canker Sores. Are you prone to canker sores? If so, consider a toothpaste without the foaming agent sodium laurel sulfate (SLS), which research has shown can contribute to canker sores. We recommend Dental Herb Company’s Herbal Tooth and Gums Paste – it’s the ONLY toothpaste Dr. Ulm and his family use. Available only at select dental providers – call us at 801-701-2211 for details or visit the Dental Herb Co.’s webpage at http://www.dentalherbcompany.com.
December 6, 2010: Insurance Reminder. Our December schedule is filling up in a hurry! If you have remaining benefits you’d like to take advantage of, call today to schedule an appointment. 801-701-2211
December 1, 2010: Making your child’s appointment a pleasant one. When bringing your child to a dental appointment, avoid using words like “hurt”, “shot”, “pain”, etc. If your child needs reassurance, focus on positive aspects of their visit – shiny clean teeth, balloons, coloring, prizes! Our philosophy is that dentistry shouldn’t hurt, period. Our team is very experienced in working with kids and have lots of tricks up their sleeves to make things go smoothly. When injections are necessary, Dr. Ulm is almost magical in his ability to give them without children even knowing they’ve had one. It’s not uncommon for well-meaning parents to say things like, “Don’t worry, it won’t hurt!” which actually make their child more anxious and can plant ideas about pain and discomfort that might not have even been the root of their concern until mentioned. Dr. Ulm and Jessica will walk your child through each step of their visit and keep them as informed as they need to be about what’s going on without offering so much information that they become concerned or anxious. You can help make your child’s visit a great experience by keeping things positive and upbeat prior to their appointment and during their visit, and leaving the details to us.
November 29, 2010: Insurance Benefits. Take advantage of your remaining insurance benefits before they roll over at the end of the year! If your plan allows for two checkups per year and you’ve only had one, give us a call at 801-701-2211 and use the benefits you’re paying for. If you’ve already met your deductible for the year and still have work to be done, do it now and avoid having to pay your deductible again. If your needed treatment is in excess of your yearly maximum benefit, we’ll work with you to maximize your benefit for 2010 and help you make a plan for 2011.
November 22, 2010: Infant teeth care. As soon as teeth erupt, they need to be brushed. Be sure to brush baby’s teeth yourself at least once per day, using either a soft-bristled toothbrush or a damp rag, with the nighttime brushing being the most important. Plaque allowed to remain on the teeth throughout the night can lead to severe decay in a surprisingly short amount of time. Now is the time to build good habits!
Helpful hints to encourage cooperation in small children:
- If baby is old enough to sit up by him or herself unassisted, give him or her a small soft-bristled toothbrush to chew on as soon as the first two teeth appear.
- Make brushing an important part of your bedtime routine, and do your best to prevent the “just for tonight” pitfalls.
- Sing a song while brushing! Modify the words to a tune your child already knows, or make up an entirely new one!
- Try a reward system, giving your child “points”, stickers, etc. each time they brush.
- Never put your child to bed with a bottle of formula, milk, or juice.
- Bring your child in for their first dental checkup by age three.
November 19, 2010: Soda. It’s not only the sugar, but the acid in soda that is detrimental to your teeth. For this reason, diet sodas aren’t entirely risk-free. If you must drink soda, avoid sipping on it throughout the day. This continually bathes your teeth in sugar and acid and gives bacteria more than enough opportunity to become established. Be sure to drink plenty of water in between sodas, and ideally, drink it only with meals and brush afterward.
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