Author Archive

When will this tooth fall out?

Kids love to talk about teeth.  Our youngest patients love to talk about how many teeth they have.  And our bigger patients love to talk about how many teeth are falling out.  Kids love a loose tooth.  They love to discuss them.  They love to wiggle them.  They love to talk about which of their friends have one.  And they love to know when their next tooth will fall out because they love to know when the tooth fairy is ...

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The Switch Witch

Halloween is finally behind us and you can once again find parking in downtown Salem.  But now you may be faced with a new problem:  too much candy at home.  Your children may have gone trick-or-treating multiple times and many homes now feature candy stashed in a wide variety of locations.  Many patients this week have been talking about the incredible numbers of goodies they collected and all the creative places they’ve hidden those treats.  As those treats are slowly ...

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Halloween Tips

Halloween is right around the corner.  When all the excitement over costumes, candy and fun dies down, don’t forget that your children’s teeth might need a little extra attention.  After all, you want their teeth to be looking and feeling as good in November as they were in October.

The American Dental Association’s Mouth Healthy website has a great collection of tips for keeping mouths healthy around Halloween and all year long.  Those tips are listed below.  Continue Reading →

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Does my child need braces?

Orthodontics is a specialized form of dentistry that focuses on the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of dental and facial abnormalities.  Orthodontists are able to straighten teeth, correct misaligned jaw structure, and improve the function of your smile.

The goal of orthodontic treatment is a good bite — meaning straight teeth that mesh well with the teeth in the opposite jaw.  A good bite makes it easier for you to bite, chew and speak.  This can enhance your dental health and your ...

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2min2x.org

During the past year, you may have seen ads online, in magazines or on TV promoting the Kids’ Healthy Mouths campaign.  The centerpiece of this campaign is the informational website 2min2x.org which is full of helpful tips for creating and maintaining healthy smiles.  It even includes 2 minute videos for kids to watch while they’re brushing so they’ll know when they’ve brushed long enough.

The Kids’ Healthy Mouths page ...

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A checklist for the new school year

Preparations for the new school year are under way.  The perfect new clothes, school supplies and sports equipment are ready.  Is your child’s mouth ready for another academic year?

The back-to-school checklist for every child should include the following:

  • A regular dental checkup and exam.  Dental problems are difficult to identify, particularly in their early stages.  Major dental problems that appear during the school year often lead to missing valuable school time.
  • Establishment of good oral hygiene routines.  Brush twice daily with a ...
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Back to school checkup

For hundreds of thousands of children across Massachusetts, the end of summer marks the beginning of another school year. This often means a trip to the pediatrician or family doctor for a physical exam. Sadly, however, one part of the body that is still being overlooked is right under our noses—the mouth, which, upon closer examination, reveals that the state of oral health among thousands of Massachusetts children is not making the grade. Dental decay is the single most prevalent ...

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Dog days of summer

As the calendar turns from July to August, summer activities are at their peak.  No matter what type of summer adventure you’re having, be prepared in case of a dental emergency.  Review this short article from the Massachusetts Dental Society that includes important summer safety tips for children’s teeth.

Some highlights:

Thinking about nutrition

The specific nutritional choices you and your children make are crucial. Good nutrition is essential to good health and both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry encourage parents to think of their nutritional decisions as health decisions.

Here are some great resources for information about nutrition for children:

MouthHealthy.org

General information about making smart food choices with a focus on dental health.  This site includes information for all ages, from pregnancy and infancy through the ...

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Share and share alike?

This past spring, the news was filled with reports about a Swedish study promoting the potential health benefits of parents handling pacifiers in a surprising way.  The study found that kids who sucked on pacifiers cleaned by their parents’ spit were less likely to develop allergies than babies whose pacifiers were rinsed in water.  The authors suggested that harmless bacteria transferred via pacifier from a parent’s mouth to their child’s actually stimulated their immune system, helping the child build defenses ...

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