Teeth…those tiny little nerve-filled pieces of calcium phosphate represent so many milestones.  As moms, we are constantly tracking our kids’ teeth – cutting their first tooth (oh, the drooling), cutting their first molars (oh, the up-all-nighters!), losing their first tooth (yay, Tooth Fairy!), asking for their two front teeth for Christmas (so cute!), and so many more!  When you really stop and think about – how many conversations have you had and photos have you taken about your children’s teeth? So many! After all – they are pretty important.

Dr. Boone Allen at Townesquare Dental knows well the importance of caring for our teeth and passing along those good habits to our kids.  Dr. Allen has been helping families keep their teeth healthy for fifteen years. As a parent himself, he knows the worries and struggles that come with teaching kids to care for their teeth.  So, he was a great resource when asking about the things we should be doing to ensure our kids are building good habits.

“Dental care is important – when teeth are cared for kids are happier and feel better.  Good care helps everyone feel comfortable.” – Dr. Boone Allen

Tips and reminders to keep teeth healthy:

• Help your kids brush and floss till age 8.  Kids want their independence and we are happy to give it to them, however, they need our help brushing their teeth a little longer than we may think.  Kids ages five to seven just don’t have the dexterity to really brush all areas of their mouth well. Give them the independence to brush themselves once a day but help them the second time.

• Limit sticky and sugary foods. ‘Sugar will rot your teeth’ – we’ve heard and we’ve said it.  There’s plenty of truth to it though. Juice, fruit snacks, granola bars, and other sticky, sugary food and drinks are difficult to clean off teeth.  Eating these on a daily basis increases the chances of sugar staying of teeth and leading to decay. Cheese and nuts are great choices for snacks as they are more nutritional and easier to clean off of teeth.

• Dental visits are a positive thing. For most kids, the first dental visit should happen between the ages of two and three.  At this age, kids’ feelings about the dentist are moldable. Make visits to the dentist positive.  If we are happy and calm as parents, our kids will see this as a fun visit and not as something to be nervous about.  Try to keep any apprehension to yourself instead of sharing those feelings with kids. Townesquare Dental makes sure that kids are comfortable and give kids reasons to be excited about dental visits. The first visit, also known as “The Happy Visit” is to help show your little one around the office; introducing them to the staff and dentists, sights and sounds, showing them the how the chairs go up and down, some of the instruments that are used like Mr. Slurpey, Mrs. Thirsty and Mr. Whistle, the elephant nose, sunglasses, blankets and TV’s. Comfort items that help keep patients young (and older) happy during their treatment are welcome!

• Fluoride is a good thing to consider.  Our tap water naturally has a good level of fluoride so supplementing isn’t necessary but definitely can’t hurt either. Fluoride remineralizes our teeth to help prevent decay, which helps prevent cavities.  Kids over six years old can use a fluoride rinse, such as ACT, once a day. The fluoride treatment in the dentist’s office is highly effective and adheres to teeth really well.

• Look for discoloration or dental issues. Kids go for dental check-ups every six months to a year, but parents should keep an eye things regularly.  Look for dark staining or changes in tooth color. In young kids, the best place to look is the tongue side of top teeth.  The backside of top teeth is a good indicator of any issues. Also, look for bumps in gums as they could be a sign of something that needs to be checked by a dentist.

Townesquare Dental is a beautiful and welcoming office in Rigby with a staff that understands the unique needs of children and families.  From the large aquarium, friendly staff, and TVs on the ceiling to the doctors taking the time to explain procedures – your entire experience at Townesquare will be positive.  Their commitment to patient understanding goes beyond the office with their fantastic website full of videos and information. They also know that families lead busy lives and work to make appointments convenient. Dr. Allen and Dr. George take pride in providing quality and particular care so that patients are fully taken care of with each treatment. The entire family can receive the care they need at Townesquare, and you can rest assured you are receiving the highest quality of care for those ever-important teeth.

Townesquare Dental

527 Rigby Lake Drive, Suite B, Rigby, ID 83442

208-745-8704