Dentist Karen Chu| Children's Fun Toothcare Tip For Sweet Holidays

Whether is is Halloween trick or treat bags, Thanksgiving sugary sweet potatoes and pies or Christmas candy... the fall and winter holidays can be hard on little teeth. Excitement and distraction are everywhere and corralling the kids to ADD to their dental hygiene can be a huge challenge.


It's time for crafty parents to pull out all those little things that can help their children's combat sugary tooth decay.

One of the more fun ways to slip in a few 'tooth friendly' good habits is to have your kids take ownership and tell YOU what to do.

Extra brushing and flossing are not the only tools at a parent's disposal this time of year. Healthy eating choices can help balance some of the harmful factors in holiday favorites. Rather than nag your kids to eat more of the yummy types of healthier food, what about letting them educate you about adding them to the holiday?
 

To help you inspire your kids to balance out some of the sugar they will consume this season --  here is a fun kid friendly video that you can share with them.

  .

 

Now you can let them tell you about the benefits of adding some cheese to those sugary holiday meals and snack times!

 
Many cheeses have been shown to help in the fight to prevent tooth decay. Eating thee cheeses can be healthy for teeth in more than one way.

And, eating a cube of cheese can help to harden teeth and discourage the softening which is so important to combat when trying to prevent cavities. It does this by increasing plaque-calcium concentration up to 112%! It provides a coating of calcium on the teeth that helps protect against cavities.

The most important way eating cheese helps with sugary holidays has to do with the reason sugars and acid fruits are so bad for teeth.

When we eat, the pH in our mouth often drops - the mouth becomes more acidic.

Teeth are super sensitive to acid -- and acid is what makes the teeth get soft during that 20 - 30 minutes after eating and before brushing. It appears that eating cheese can help maintain a pH level in the mouth that is safe for teeth. The studies are still going on, but it is looking good for acid neutralizing powers for the cheese.

What has been proven is that eating certain kinds of cheese (including aged Cheddar, Swiss, Blue, Monterrey Jack, Brie, Gouda, and processed American cheese) right after a meal or as a snack helps prevent tooth decay.

And in this tooth decay promoting-sweets focused time of year... that is super important. So, let your kids discover this fun toothcare tip video and give YOU the cheesy news!

Happy Holidays Everybody

 

Phoenix Kids Dentist Dr Karen Chu – Articles To Inform and Support Healthy Smiles

Dr Karen Chu is a Phoenix Kids Dentist with a passion to help parents feel comfortable taking an active and interactive role with their kid’s dentists, dental care and daily dental habits and routines.

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Dentist Karen Chu | Kids Tooth-care Tip - What To Do About Sticky Candy

Kids Tooth-care Tip - What To Do About Sticky Candy

 

What can a parent do about sticky, gooey, candy and sweets?

Even before 'tricking and treating', school and church parties, costumed get-togethers, community fun and other holiday activities will all feature sugary and sticky treats.Caramel apples, taffy and gummy creatures are all stars at this time of year!

It is pretty well known that sticky candy and foods are the worst villains in the story of tooth decay. 

Parents and teachers struggle to balance time and kids dental health.They know that you can't leave the sticky candy stuck on the teeth...letting sticky sugar and acids do their worst to those hardest to reach areas.

BUT, immediate brushing is a risk too.

 Because, for the first 20-30 minutes after eating, tiny tooth enamel is softened by the acids. Brushing too soon can actually damage the teeth. Usually, dentists recommend using a swish - wait (1/2 hour) -brush method to protect kids teeth. But, for the really sticky candy, this compromise does not hold up so well.

Any caramel apple eater knows ... a quick swish with water to get the worst off before brushing won't even touch the really sticky stuff.

And with all the extra social activities of the season, your kids are more likely to be off and running to the next activity before the 20 - 30 minutes pause is done - even if, the rinse HAS dislodged some of the gooey clinging candy.

So, which less than optimum choice do you choose to guard your kids teeth -- Swish/Wait/Brush or Risky Immediate Brush? Maybe, there is a third choice.

There is a trick... to deal with sticky treats a little more effectively.

       Instead of a Swish - Pause 30 minutes - Brush.

       Right after sticky candy you could try :

 

       

Swish - Floss - Swish-... (and hopefully) Brush in 30 minutes

When it comes to children's teeth, we often forget how much a friend floss can be with sticky edibles and tiny seed foods. It is only a small extra step to add to the kids' usual 'after eating oral hygiene routine'. A step that can give some extra protection when kids enjoy all those gooey treats this time of year.

And, even if the kids slip away before the brush time part of their routine, you have dislodged some of the worst of the sticky sugar from the most vulnerable areas. Leaving less to damage their beautiful smiles.

Happy Fall Celebrating Everyone!

   

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 Phoenix Kids Dentist Dr Karen Chu – Articles To Inform and Support Healthy Smiles

Dr Karen Chu is a Phoenix Kids Dentist with a passion to help parents feel comfortable taking an active and interactive role with their kid’s dentists, dental care and daily dental habits and routines.

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Dentist Dr Karen Chu | 2012 Parent Comments About Karen Chu | Phoenix Children's Dentist

              

 It's that time again. 

The time of year that I share some of the kind remarks you leave with us at the dentist office.

 It really helps to know what we are doing right at your kids dental appointments!

 And your kindness in letting us know is greatly appreciated. 

Children's dentists especially -- rely on the feedback of the parents to refine and improve our treatment of your kids. And telling us where we got it right helps us figure out how to focus our efforts in a direction that works.

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 2012 Parent Comments About Karen Chu | Phoenix Children's Dentist 

Want to know more about Dr Karen Chu - the dentist and office?

If you would like to see some of last year's parents remarks... you can find another video at the url below. You might want to check out some of the other informative videos on that channel while you are there
  
   http://youtu.be/o3kU_IuShMQ 


Once again, THANK YOU - to all you parents who improved our dentist office for your children by letting us know what you and your kids appreciate most. 

     

I look forward to sharing more beautiful kids smiles and even more supportive conversation with you parents this year. 

 
 Phoenix Kids Dentist Dr Karen Chu – Articles To Inform and Support Healthy Smiles

Dr Karen Chu is a Phoenix Kids Dentist with a passion to help parents feel comfortable taking an active and interactive role with their kid’s dentists, dental care and daily dental habits and routines.

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Preparing For Toddler Dentist Visit - Time To Play! | Dentist Karen Chu |Fun Parenting Tip

Dentist Karen Chu Fun Parenting Tip

  

Getting ready for the fall dentist check up with your toddler or pre-school age child? 

  

   Time To Play Dentist!

 

Dentist Karen Chu Fun Parenting Tip - Time To Play Dentist!

One of the more fun ways parents can prepare their toddlers for early dental check ups is to role play the dental visit with them.

  

Kids love playing out life situations. From tea parties to dress up, a toddler (or any young child) loves to role play being and adult and especially to do so with adults.

There are several ways you can structure the game. The best results are most likely to be achieved if you run through all of the possible scenarios below -- since that will give your baby a more well rounded frame of reference. And, as with all children's learning, a vital key is repetition.
 

You can be the dentist while baby is your assistant.

  

 

 Baby's favorite doll or stuffed animal can be the first dental patient.

  

Then you can be the patient while brother or sister (be sure and tell them they have to make it fun or pleasant before starting... you know kids and their often quirky sense of humor!) is the dentist.

  

Siblings can join in the fun

 

Remember to end up with your young child or toddler to taking their a turn as patient at the practice dentist's visit even if they took a turn in the middle rounds of the role plying.

Equipment ideas you can use for play:

Here are some ideas for props you can use in this play time. You can use as few or as many as makes the game fun and easy for you to play 'Dentist Visit' with your child.

Setting the stage

•  Some clear goggles or sunglasses
•  A medical  or painters mask for over the nose and mouth
•  Any smock like top or pajama top in a green or blue that looks similar to medical scrubs (or a medical scrubs top if you have one) for the "dentist". Another alternative for the "dentist" outfit is any white jacket or smock
• A bib or apron to spread over the "patient"
• Disposable gloves (kids always find these fun)
• A reclining chair is great is you have one!

Props for the action

• A flash light or pen light to look in mouth
• A large plastic turkey baster is great for the "dental tools". It has a blunt tip that allows lightly touching each tooth but is too big and bulky to be a choking hazard. In addition, it can emulate the suction tool -- so it gives two tools for role play in one!
• A toothbrush to demonstrate how to brush (and as stand in for tooth cleaning)
• A paper cup to pretend to spit into
• A mirror to show the patient their smile at the end

Another other item people sometimes use:

A toy or real stethoscope (although it is not really dental, kids associate them with all things medical so it can add an additional flair if you like)
  

I would love to hear from you about some of the "props" YOU come up with for your toddlers pretend play time dental visit games!

  

   

Phoenix Kids Dentist Dr Karen Chu – Articles To Inform and Support Healthy Smiles

Dr Karen Chu is a Phoenix Kids Dentist with a passion to help parents feel comfortable taking an active and interactive role with their kid’s dentists, dental care and daily dental habits and routines.

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Karen Chu Teen Bite - Tobacco Stains = Kiss UN-Cool

One of the cigarette companies last youth based campaigns was based around a Joe Cool type Camel.

So when I ran across some camel pictures recently and saw the stained teeth it made an instant connection in my mind to teeth and tobacco -- especially smokeless tobacco. And, led to the idea for this Karen Chu Teen Bite.
 

Here is a fun Teen Bite -- a fun infographic to either give information or reminders to teens about oral hygiene and teeth related topics -- parents can use as ammunition to help steer their kids away from tobacco.

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words...

And, appealing to one of the teen world prime motivations -- appeal to the opposite gender -- can be more effective than all reasoned and logical arguments.

Enjoy!

Phoenix Kids Dentist Dr Karen Chu – Articles To Inform and Support Healthy Smiles

Dr Karen Chu is a Phoenix Kids Dentist with a passion to help parents feel comfortable taking an active and interactive role with their kid’s dentists, dental care and daily dental habits and routines.

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Check Out New ADA Clean And Friendly Website | Dr Karen Chu DMD Recommendation

The ADA has a new clean and friendly website. It is called Mouth Healthy and is bright, easy to move around on and to use. You can find it at http://www.mouthhealthy.org/ . We love the clean lines and navigation choices. We think everyone will find the site easy to read, use and find useful information quickly.

We especially liked the page tab topics for preteens and teens.

The page this tab opens up to is short and focused on the points of view important to kids of these age groups (preteen and teen).

There is a slide show that is bright and catches attention to actually get your teen to look at the page.The slides focus on the concerns that your preteen/teen actually has -- like bad breath. Whoever wrote the captions obviously does talk to real teens.

 

Sticking to a short and sweet format in keeping with 'web surfing' and 'uninterested' age group's attention spans, the links readers can follow up for more info lead to equally focused pages. These pages are also clear, focused on summarizing key points and often start with a video for the video minded generation.

 It's a good spot to point your teen toward when you want some quick back-up on the all important topics of:

• Teen hygiene and habits

• Wearing a mouth guard during sports

• Smoking 

• and of course... the teen fad  of Piercing.

Why don't you all take a quick look and see for yourselves. How much more family friendly do you find this website is than the usual medical information sites?

Thumbs up to the ADA for  putting in place this clean and friendly website resource for the public.

We look forward to see how it develops as a real family resource over the next year or two as it adds more topics that help adults, kids and teens.
  

Phoenix Kids Dentist Dr Karen Chu – Articles To Inform and Support Healthy Smiles

Dr Karen Chu is a Phoenix Kids Dentist with a passion to help parents feel comfortable taking an active and interactive role with their kid’s dentists, dental care and daily dental habits and routines.

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Getting To Know Karen Chu Phoenix Kids Dentist | The Early Years

Getting To Know Karen Chu Phoenix Kids Dentist

The Early Years - Sandcastles and Dreams of Beautiful Smiles

Some children dream of living in a castle as a Prince or Princess, some want to be firemen or tv stars when they grow up. I was just Karen Chu back then...the dentist Dr Karen Chu was just a glimmer of a far off dream. But even then I knew that smiles were something magical and special. As far back as I can remember I wanted to help people.And, I wanted to help them smile.

That was considered a little strange back then. Dental techniques were not nearly as advanced as today. I am thrilled that now we are seeing more and more technology and research eliminating the need for pain or trauma in maintaining beautiful and healthy teeth. (The only thing better than my being able to make my life's work providing beautiful smiles -- would be something that guarantees great smiles without the need for any care).

But, even then I saw the difference that feeling free to smile made for my family and friends. I recognized it as a treasure-- AND a key that could unlock doors for some.... or shut out all kind of good things and opportunities for the others. Those kids who were too embarrassed by their teeth to open their mouths seemed to lose on almost every great part of childhood.

So my sandcastles were dentists offices that became palaces of smiles. And today. I practice my dream in real dentist offices here in Phoenix.

What were your childhood dreams? How do they connect in some small way to what you do now as adults?

 

Phoenix Kids Dentist Dr Karen Chu – Articles To Inform and Support Healthy Smiles

Dr Karen Chu is a Phoenix Kids Dentist with a passion to help parents feel comfortable taking an active and interactive role with their kid’s dentists, dental care and daily dental habits and routines.

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Have A Happy And Safe Independence Day

Happy 4th of July!

  

Yesterday, Today and Some Tips - to keep outside celebrating safe for the kids....

'After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the wording of the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4. A day earlier,John Adams had written to his wife Abigail:

The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.

Adams's prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress. ' From Wikipedia

Today, families frequently celebrate Independence Day by hosting or attending a picnic or barbecue making the celebration of our country also a celebration of our family, church and/or community. 

It is a day to feel FREE and to share that feeling with others. Here in Phoenix, the 4th is also a time of high temperatures, making water a must have part of any outdoors celebration! 

Some Safety Points To Keep In Mind In the Phoenix Heat This Independence Day

•  As the kids run around and play waiting for the barbeque to be ready, make sure they stop for a quick drink of water. Smaller amounts frequently will keep their bodies more evenly hydrated and their tummies happier than gulping down a huge amount after getting over heated and dehydrated.

• If the day is going to be outside more than inside, keep an eye out for how much heavy eats they eat while still in the heat. Making sure they have some lighter fruit and water filled veggies before the burgers will help their bodies strike a balance between food, exertion and heat.

• If the party is by the pool, make sure that the kids take a shower or bath in fresh water once they get back inside. Chlorine and sun heated skin can be irritating.

  

Finally, when they heat fades and the sparklers come out.... remind the kids to hold them far away from their bodies...especially their mouths!

Have the happiest and safest of Independence Days!

Phoenix Kids Dentist Dr Karen Chu – Articles To Inform and Support Healthy Smiles

Dr Karen Chu is a Phoenix Kids Dentist with a passion to help parents feel comfortable taking an active and interactive role with their kid’s dentists, dental care and daily dental habits and routines.

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The Importance Of Father (And Grandfather) Involvement With Kids

Happy Dad's Day! The latest research continues to show just HOW IMPORTANT  you Fathers (or Grandfathers) are to the health and happiness of your kids. 

 The Importance Of Father (And Grandfather) Involvement With Kids

According to information offered by The US Department of Health And Human Resources Administration For Children And families  website:

• Fathers have a powerful and positive impact upon the development and health of children.
• There is a measurable connection between fathers and child outcomes, including cognitive ability, educational achievement, psychological well-being, and social behavior.
• Even from birth, children who have an involved father are more likely to be emotionally secure, be confident to explore their surroundings, and, as they grow older, have better social connections with peers. These children also are less likely to get in trouble at home, school, or in the neighborhood.
• A number of studies suggest that fathers who are involved, nurturing, and playful with their infants have children with higher IQs, as well as better linguistic and cognitive capacities.
• Toddlers with involved fathers go on to start school with higher levels of academic readiness. They are more patient and can handle the stresses and frustrations associated with schooling more readily than children with less involved fathers
• One study of school-aged children found that children with good relationships with their fathers were less likely to experience depression, to exhibit disruptive behavior, or to lie and were more likely to exhibit pro-social behavior.

 .

On this Fathers Day, as you look at the crayon cards, receive the half burned toast, get the strangest gifts and have that rare phone call from sons and daughters now starting their adult lives -- Remember:

 You are doing one of THE MOST IMPORTANT JOBS in the world!

Your love and involvement, the shared fun smiles and hugs, the times you talked when too tired to think -- all created and are creating a better future for us all.

Enjoy your day with its guaranteed smiles!

Phoenix Kids Dentist Dr Karen Chu – Articles To Inform and Support Healthy Smiles

 

Dr Karen Chu is a Phoenix Kids Dentist with a passion to help parents feel comfortable taking an active and interactive role with their kid’s dentists, dental care and daily dental habits and routines.

  Don’t forget to share these with another parent!

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New Resource from The ADA To Help Dentists Help Parents

New ADA Resource Means Less Confusion For Our Patients And Parents Dental Education

Education and information is so important for our patients (and their parents). And, we as busy professionals ourselves,  understand our patient's and parents time dilemmas on following up on dental education.

When it comes to following up the "links" to the further information on their kids dental health, often making dinner, supervising homework and just having some quality time will often win the time race.

The ADA just announced the launch of a resource that could help concerned dentists, help our patients and parents  -- in a more targeted way. They will be able to get all the expertise of the ADA on 1 stop -- our own webpages preferably -- where we can combine those ADA resources with the information and help we prepare for our people's specific needs.

Now we will not be limited to materials we post to serve our patients based on our community and environment factors. Parents will have a 1 stop shop -- their info AND national info by the ADA.

The best of both worlds for our patients and parents is the best results for our practices!

Here is a link to the ADA announcement:

http://www.ada.org/news/7147.aspx

Have a great smiling summer.

Phoenix Kids Dentist Dr Karen Chu – Articles To Inform and Support Healthy Smiles

 

Dr Karen Chu is a Phoenix Kids Dentist with a passion to help parents feel comfortable taking an active and interactive role with their kid’s dentists, dental care and daily dental habits and routines.

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Dentist Karen Chu | Yummy Calcium For Your Kids Healthy Bones And Teeth

 

Great teeth start with great nutrition.

 

And, we all know how important Calcium is for growing bones and teeth.   

What is less known is that many really great sources of calcium are both non-dairy AND can make our kids meals more flavorful and yummy. 

  

  

 Yummy and Teeth Friendly Calcium Rich Meal Additions

From Salads to deserts-- nuts and seeds add a special touch to the tastiness of every dish. The fun part for teeth is that some are also VERY rich in calcium.

   

#1 Source of rich calcium per serving size is Sesame Seeds

 

Sesame seeds provide the HIGHEST LEVEL of calcium when they are roasted or dried -- 989mg of calcium in a  100g serving, or 277mg to an ounce, which is 88mg per tablespoon.

 Sesame Butter (Tahini) provides about half the amount of calcium with 426mg of calcium to the 100g serving, 119mg in an ounce, and 64mg per tbs. It tends NOT to be a kid favorite due to a slightly bitter aftertaste.

Another Great Seed Source  for Calcium is Flax Seeds

 

One of the easiest to use and “hide” (if necessary) are Flax seeds. When ground they can go into any meatloaf or meatball as a filler, stand alone as hot cereal or add some nutty flavor to shakes. Any baked good can be enhanced and they can even add some crunch to salad.

 

Flax seeds provide 255mg in a 100g serving, 428mg to the cup, and 26mg per tablespoon.

*NOTE!! Refined flax seed oil does NOT provide calcium. You have to go for the seed itself for all that calcium goodness.

Sometimes You Feel Like A Nut – Use these Nuts To Help Your Teeth

  

 Almonds

Almonds are a great source of calcium whether dry roasted or made into butter. Almonds will provide 266mg of calcium in a 100g serving, 367mg to a cup, and 74mg per ounce (approx 22 Almonds).

Brazil Nuts

BIG BIG BIG nuts and slightly woody tasting these selenium and calcium rich nuts can add personality when chopped and added to any salad, desert or ground and added to meats or cereal as filler. Two ounces of Brazil nuts (12 nuts) have 90 mg.

Yummy and Teeth Friendly Calcium Rich Spices

  

The top two calcium rich spices are great thrown into soups and punching up meat flavors!

Dried savory  -  2132mg of calcium in a 100g serving or 85mg per tablespoon

Celery seed  - 124mg of calcium per tablespoon

Remember the song “parsley sage rosemary and thyme…”? This classic flavor profile also gives a boost to the calcium content of any meal. 

Sage - 21mg of calcium per tablespoon

Rosemary (dried) - 38mg per tbsp

Thyme (dried)- 57mg per tbsp

NOT  just for pickles, dill gives a great little zing to salad and sauces. Give it a try!

Dill (dried)- 53mg per tbsp

Fruit It Up For Yummy and Teeth Friendly Calcium 

  

 

Papaya

Papaya tastes best served very ripe and  one medium papaya has 73 mg of calcium.

Oranges

Always a favorite for Vitamin C and yumminess, one medium orange has 52 mg calcium.

Bananas  

One medium banana has just 6 mg of calcium. BUT, bananas  pack a double punch in the calcium boosting power. They are one of the “kid favorite” foods naturally high in inulin  --  a carbohydrate that can be only partially digested. A 2001 pilot study at the Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine found that inulin helped growing kids absorb more calcium and build more bone.

* NOTE Speaking of inulin Eating more asparagus, onions and garlic can also help provide inulin to boost your kids calcium absorption.   Researchers believe that eating foods rich in inulin -- such as onions, artichokes, bananas, wheat, rye, barley and chicory -- could help boost calcium absorption.

With kids fun and yummy ALWAYS work best. As parents we have to pick our fights. Luckily teeth and bone supporting nutrition does not have to be one of those. By automatically adding in a good variety of these calcium boosters to your daily meals-- you won’t have to work out the math on ‘minimum daily requirements’. Have fun playing and blending in these yummy calcium options to your family meals. 

And Keep Smiling!

Phoenix Kids Dentist Dr Karen Chu – Articles To Inform and Support Healthy Smiles

 

Dr Karen Chu is a Phoenix Kids Dentist with a passion to help parents feel comfortable taking an active and interactive role with their kid’s dentists, dental care and daily dental habits and routines.

  Don’t forget to share these with another parent!

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Happy Mothers Day To All You Moms

To All You Moms -- Happy Mothers Day

A day when endearingly gapped smiles and sticky fingers bring  some treasure to celebrate YOU being their mommy. 

A day when spouses (present or not) remember that you gave them someone precious to love.

 A day when teens and tweens remember that they love you -- just as you are.

 A day when the world, honors you for the gift you gave it -- the future.

Enjoy your day with its guaranteed smiles!

Phoenix Kids Dentist Dr Karen Chu – Articles To Inform and Support Healthy Smiles

 

Dr Karen Chu is a Phoenix Kids Dentist with a passion to help parents feel comfortable taking an active and interactive role with their kid’s dentists, dental care and daily dental habits and routines.

  Don’t forget to share these with another parent!
  

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Kids Can Eat Their Candy And Keep A Healthy Smile Too

Parents everywhere love the fun of Easter and spring holidays. The activities with their kids -- dying eggs, church or community Easter Egg hunts and picnics, the Easter dress or bonnet shopping are all light and joyful. 

The only cloud on the horizon is knowing that a huge 'sugar fest' is coming up to attack their kids teeth.

The good news is that making sure that your kids sealant appointments are close to a candy holiday is NOT the only way to keep their smiles safe. There are some more home based solutions you can try to reduce sugar damage on tiny teeth. The day is for smiling, and with a little care... there is no reason why your kids can't eat their candy and have a healthy smile, too!

To support you in making holiday smiles healthy smiles, here is a video with a few tips to make the day be sweet and easy

5 Tips For Healthier Kids Teeth On Candy Days

Keep Smiling!

Phoenix Kids Dentist Dr Karen Chu – Articles To Inform and Support Healthy Smiles

 

Dr Karen Chu is a Phoenix Kids Dentist with a passion to help parents feel comfortable taking an active and interactive role with their kid’s dentists, dental care and daily dental habits and routines.

  Don’t forget to share these with another parent!

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Signpost Smiles? | Dentist Dr Karen Chu

Our kids smiles are more than just the movement of lips and teeth. More often than we realize they are a parent's best friend. Secret signs of intent -- the smile of a child can telegraph things to come or inform of actions past.

Stop. Take a moment. Call up in your minds eye -- all the different flavors of smiles of your kids -- and what they have meant to you.

Signpost Smiles

All parents wish at some point for telepathy (or eyes in the backs of our heads) when trying to figure out what is going on with our kids.

 Children are the best at using a smile as the signpost for what is going on inside their minds and hearts. A mischievous smile puts us on notice that something minor but possibly disturbing is coming! A broad grin lets us know all is well in their world. A 'grimace' is one of the best indicators of gas pains in a baby.

We learn all the shades of our kids smiles and soon learn when to relax and when to be alert. And the absence is our "heads up" that something is wrong or lacking.

Can you write out all the different smiles your child has and what they mean?

 If you try you will be shocked at how many shades and signs you absorbed automatically to deal with them!

Keep Smiling!

Phoenix Kids Dentist Dr Karen Chu – Articles To Inform and Support Healthy Smiles

 

Dr Karen Chu is a Phoenix Kids Dentist with a passion to help parents feel comfortable taking an active and interactive role with their kid’s dentists, dental care and daily dental habits and routines.

  Don’t forget to share these with another parent!
   

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Dentist Dr Karen Chu On – Kids Dental Emergencies | Shattered Tooth

 One moment everything is normal and the very next, you hear a hair-raising cry from the direction of the garden where your child is playing with a few friends. You rush out to check what happened and find your kid screaming in pain – a blow to the mouth appears to have loosened or broken a tooth!

When older kids and teenagers participate in sports activities, the rough and tumble of the game may lead to permanent teeth becoming loosened or knocked out and/or injuries to the jaw. Handling these situations in the right way can be critical in deciding if damage to the teeth can be reversed.

 Most of us know by now to find an intact tooth and bring it with us to the dentist. But what do we do in the case of a shattered tooth? 

Phoenix kids dentist Dr Chu has an article on her website about What you can do as an immediate response to childhood and teen dental emergencies. Here is an excerpt about dealing with your child's shattered tooth.

Childhood Dental Emergency 2 – A Shattered Tooth

'If your kid’s tooth has shattered into pieces, locate the fragments and take them to the dentist at once. If you are quick enough, the dentist may be able to salvage the tooth by re-bonding the fragments using dental glue.'

It seems simple doesn't it? 

But how many of us would have thought to do so in the heat of an emergency -- with all its confusion pain and trauma?

 

 It is important for parents to read up on what to do in advance of an emergency. Being prepared is one of the best things any parent can do for their children AND their own peace of mind.

If you would like to read the rest of this article you can locate the full article at http://dentistrybydrkarenchu.com/articles/what-to-do-about-childhood-and-teen-dental-emergencies/

Keep Smiling!

Phoenix Kids Dentist Dr Karen Chu – Articles To Inform and Support Healthy Smiles

 

Dr Karen Chu is a Phoenix Kids Dentist with a passion to help parents feel comfortable taking an active and interactive role with their kid’s dentists, dental care and daily dental habits and routines.

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When Is It Time To Check My Kids' Teeth For Braces?

When is it time to check my kids' teeth for braces? 

When Should I worry about my child's bite?

Will you do the check for braces on my child?

Children's dentists hear this question almost everyday from concerned parents. It is important to check at the right ages with an orthodontist, even if your kids don't show any obvious signs of a problem with their teeth. Here is a cute video about the question of when it is time to check your children for braces,

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Your kids' dentist can check your children's teeth and suggest a good orthodontist to visit when the time is right. Braces may or may not be needed, but the peace of mind from knowing your child's teeth are forming correctly is priceless.

Dr Karen Chu DMD

 

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