Do you have a child who is an avid athlete? Do you spend your weeknights and weekends at practices and games? Whether you’re busy carrying around equipment for multiple sports or just one, you’ll want to make sure they’re protected from possible harm on the court, track, or field. While helmets, shoulder pads, and other similar gear are important, take the time to learn why your child should wear a mouthguard while participating in their favorite sport.

Children can easily get bored with mundane tasks like making the bed, cleaning their room, and brushing their teeth. Oftentimes, parents need to liven up these duties and turn them into exciting games or activities. If you’re not exactly sure how to get a child excited about oral hygiene, here are three tips you can use to make brushing, flossing, and visiting the dentist fun.

You thought the teething days were over. The endless nights of crying while trying to soothe your little one’s discomfort are just far enough in the distance that suddenly, you wonder why it is happening again now that they are a bit older. Two-year molars are the last set of baby teeth your child receives and unfortunately, they can be just as uncomfortable erupting. Hear from a pediatric dentist who can explain what you should do for your little one to manage their pain and when you might consider seeking professional help.

Does your child tend to suck their thumb when feeling scared, bored, or overwhelmed? While this is not an uncommon practice among toddlers, it can become a serious problem if it continues as your child grows. Although it might seem harmless, the reality is that this non-nutritive habit can create significant issues with oral and facial development if allowed to continue. If you want to learn how to stop thumb-sucking habits, here are 3 effective ways that will benefit your child.

Improving your child’s oral hygiene habits early on is highly recommended. Even better is getting them excited about the idea of brushing, flossing, and visiting the dentist’s office. Because so many little ones feel anxious about their upcoming visits, dental toys for kids are a great way to introduce them to the world of dentistry and further explain why there’s nothing to be afraid of when having their teeth checked.

The idea of losing baby teeth can be a bit scary for some children. So much time was spent welcoming these pearly whites that the thought of them falling out can leave a child fearful that it will hurt. A local pediatric dentist is here, however, to calm nerves and offer reassurance to little ones that this phase is normal. Here are four tips you, as the parent, can keep in mind to make saying goodbye to baby teeth exciting and less frightening.

Making sure your children’s oral health is in good shape takes time, money, and effort. Remembering to take them to the dentist’s office for regular checkups and cleanings as well as making sure they practice good oral hygiene at home and wear proper mouth protection while playing sports is a big responsibility for a parent. But what if there were certain foods you could incorporate into their diets that are designed to not only benefit their overall health but also their teeth and gums? A local pediatric dentist is here to share which foods provide the valuable vitamins and nutrients your children need to maintain healthy smiles.

It’s no secret that kids love candy. Whether it is chocolate, sour, or fruity, Halloween tends to be one of the most exciting because of the endless treats filling buckets and bags. As a parent, you naturally want to limit how much they consume in one evening. But it’s not just how much they eat in one sitting that you should be concerned about. Before letting your little one dive in, consider how you can help them avoid cavities after Halloween by reviewing the list of the best and worst candies this year.

When it comes to packing your child’s school lunches, you may be reaching for what you think is healthy. Or you may be hurriedly throwing items into a bag in the hopes that you simply get them to school on time with something (anything) to eat. It’s also possible that your child tends to buy their meals at school. No matter how it happens, the foods your child ingests not only impact their overall health but also their smiles. If you want to minimize the potential for cavities throughout the year, read on to learn which items they should be eating to keep their teeth free of decay.

The start of a new school year is right around the corner. While kids are trying to spend every last minute soaking up what is left of summer, parents are making sure they have everything they need to enter the classroom fully prepared. From backpacks and lunchboxes to new clothes and haircuts, parents may be forgetting one thing that will help to ensure their child’s success – their smile. To help children prevent dental emergencies when starting back to school, here are four tips to keep in mind.