But, most family dentists will tell you to let you children go trick or treating and celebrate this fun-filled day. Aside from reminding kids about how overindulging on candy is harmful to the teeth and body, you can teach them about which types of candies to avoid.

Yes, there are actually candies that rate the worst and best when it comes to dental health.

• The worst may actually surprise you. Lollipops and anything that stays in your mouth for a long time like hard candies are big “no-nos.” The longer sugar sits in your mouth, the worst it will be for teeth.
• Next in line is candy that sticks to your teeth like taffy or gummy candy that have fillings or chewy centers.
• Chocolate is not the best or worst. Better than hard candy but still can cause problems.
• Powder candy is ok. It tends to dissolves quickly and can be poured right onto the tongue versus the teeth.
• Lastly, sugar free gum or candy. Some of this type of candy can actually protect your teeth. (But who gives out this type of stuff on Halloween?)

The rule of thumb basically is that any type of non-sticky candy that clears the mouth quickly is generally OK. It’s not so much the total amount of sugar in the candy that causes tooth decay but the frequency that the sugar is being consumed. The fewer times you snack on any type of candy is better.

Calling or talking with your family dentist will help you get a better understanding about sugary foods and your child’s dental health. Wayzata Dental and SmileSpa can give your child a better idea about the importance of taking care of their teeth. Call us to day to set up an appointment.

Here are some suggestions to motivate children to take care of their pearly whites.

1. Consistent with routines. With our busy lifestyles, it’s hard to stay in a routine. Parents should describe to their child what they expect and keep repeating it consistently. Children like routine. You can make charts and use stickers or whatever it takes for them to stick to the routine. Habit is formed when it is preformed regularly. Be persistent but patient – they are learning.

2. Love and encourage. Set them up for success. When you see them brushing, congratulate them, and tell them how great they are doing taking care of their own teeth. Set short term goals they can reach by making daily, weekly and monthly charts and rewards. Rewards could be something you and your child think of.

3. Be a good example. Children copy each other and adults – yes, you. If don’t brush your teeth, why should they. You are a role model whether you choose to be or not. Start brushing in front of them or do it together!

4. Help young children. If you are brushing the teeth of a very young child, stand behind them. Let them hold the toothbrush and move their hand in the correct circular movement with both of you looking straight ahead into a mirror. You are teaching your child a life skill of taking care of their own body. Young children don’t have the dexterity and need guidance.

5. Older children need evidence. Sometimes, older children just aren’t sure the real reasons they are brushing their teeth. Is it because they are just supposing to? Show them pictures of what decay looks like or get them a book that shows the stages of gum disease. Better yet, have your family doctor explain the reasons behind brushing and back it up with scientific evidence.

There are many other ways to get kids to brush, including different types of toothbrushes. Talk to a family dentist like Dr. Jason McDowell at Wayzata Dental and SmileSpa. The office is equipped to make children’s dental visits a success. Visit our website and make a dental appointment

Afterall, don’t we all notice how wonderful it feels after having our teeth brushed or professionally cleaned? Who hasn’t rubbed their tongue over their smooth, clean teeth?

Here are interesting tidbits about toothbrushes and toothpaste:
• The Chinese invented the first natural bristle brush from bristles from the neck of pigs!
• French dentists were the first Europeans to stress the importance of using toothbrushes in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries.
• United States’ business owners began to mass-produce toothbrushes in the 1880s. Surprising though, most Americans did not brush their teeth until military soldiers brought their habits of toothbrushing back home after World War II.
• Most people thought that tooth loss was a result of aging. Mississippi physician Charles Bass stressed that anyone, even the elderly, could keep their teeth by taking care or brushing them at and above the gumlines. Dr. Bass’ method of oral hygiene was not well received by the dental profession. His technique of brushing with a few changes is still taught by dental schools today.
• Toothpaste was used as long ago as 500 BC in the orient. The modern-day toothpaste wwas developed in the 1800s. Soap and chalk were used in toothpaste.
• In 1873, Colgate produced in large quantities the first toothpaste in a jar.
• It wasn’t until 1892, that toothpaste was manufactured in a collapsible tube.
• Advancements in synthetic detergents after WWII which allowed for the replacement of soap used in toothpaste with agents such as Sodium Lauryl Sulphate and Sodium Ricinoleate. A few years later, fluoride was added to toothpaste.

So, next time you brush your teeth, think about how you are continuing this ancient habit. Visit your family dentist and take care of your teeth by brushing and flossing regularly. Our dental office offers a comfortable and fun environment for our patients . . . just like these trivia questions!

Children would unanimously say YES if they were invited to a friend’s house where they could play all these things. But this doesn’t describe a birthday party or a game room. How about your family’s dentist office? A good dentist will strive to make their office kid-friendly helping to ease the stress level for your child and you.

Nobody wants to see a parent pulling a screaming child through its doors to get a cleaning. All kids love having fun, and making the dentist office a place to look forward to (as much as possible) is something that will help everyone involved.

Wayzata Dental & Smile Spa prides itself on making sure your little ones are comfortable and look forward to the next visit. Our family-friendly office is equipped with all the latest gadgets plus movies. But “toys” at the office aren’t the only things that can alleviate anxiety.

Here are tips to help your child look forward dental visits:

• Brush teeth together and use a timer or sing songs. Use a mirror to help your child see how he or she is brushing. Make a game – pretending his teeth are cars and the toothbrush is a brush….
• Read books about dental care. There are many that show why dental care and visiting the dentist is important.
• Remind the child about the fun things to expect at the dentist office. Especially if they have toys like an Xbox.
• Assure your child that cleanings and check-ups are an important part of maintaining a healthy life.
• Need more ideas? The American Dental Association has a special section on their website full of games that is strictly for kids. Check it out!

Wayzata Dental & Smile Spa is conveniently located if you are in the Shorewood, Tonka Bay, Excelsior or Lake Minnetonka area. If you have questions or concerns about your child, contact Dr. McDowell and the office at 952-473-4900 or use our Request an Appointment link.

Getting your child to go to the dentist can literally be like pulling teeth. But it doesn’t have to be. Finding a dental office, like Wayzata Dental, that knows the needs of younger patients can help your visits become an event that your child may actually look forward to.

Dental floss should be seen as a scrubbing brush. While it may look rather smooth, dental floss is designed to give your teeth a good work over. But that is only if you use the right techniques.

Getting the most of dental floss:

To gain the most benefit, dental floss should be placed between each tooth. The action should be a sawing action, however, you do need to apply pressure. Think of the action as being a hard scrub, or a hard polish of the tooth’s surface. If you don’t apply any pressure, then your are not ‘cleaning’ the tooth. After all, if you were cleaning a car that had caked-on mud, you wouldn’t just run a cloth lightly over the surface. If you did, the mud would remain. The same can be said for your teeth.

You must keep the pressure up while scrubbing the sides of your teeth. The second area that many people miss is the tooth’s surface just below the gum line. Most people pull up (or down) on the floss to clean the gum. Floss is used to remove plaque, and that is found on the tooth, especially just on and below the gum line. To clean this, you do need to press down on the gum, but the action is still hard up against the tooth’s surface.

Finally, remember to do every surface of the tooth, not just the small part between the teeth. This means scrubbing the back and the front of the teeth. This will ensure that you get rid of as much dental plaque as possible. This is as much a vital part of your dental preventative maintenance program as regular brushing – but only if you get it right.

You can think of your gums as being the support bed for your teeth. As your teeth grow and erupt, they anchor themselves to your jawbones. In fact, your jawbones have small sockets that provide that firm anchor. Your gums then hold your teeth straight and locked into place. If you have poor overall dental health, then your gums will become weaker and your teeth will lose their support.

It then becomes a circular problem. Loose teeth will allow more bacteria and food particles into your gum line. This creates deeper problems with your gums, and your teeth become looser. You can see how each problem exacerbates the previous problem – and so it goes in circles until your teeth start to fall out.

To prevent gum disease, you need a good dental hygiene program. This involves cleaning your teeth properly at least twice a day. Don’t just brush your teeth – be sure to brush right up past the gum line. The first area that tartar collects is that area where your teeth meet the gums. If you look very closely in a mirror, you can often see the tartar building up.

The most effective way to deal with tartar is by brushing. You should also visit your dentist every six months to have your teeth professionally cleaned. The gum line is one area a dentist will concentrate on to ensure it is free from any tartar. Look after your gums and your gums will help you to look after your teeth. Prevention of gum disease is always better than the restoration of missing teeth.

• Start brushing from an early age. That means mom and dad need to teach and encourage their children to brush twice a day from the time they get their first teeth.
• Start visiting a dentist on a regular basis – again from an early age. Children should be regularly visiting a dentist from the age of three. Every six months is ideal and that should continue for the rest of their lives.
• Brush twice a day for at least three minutes.
• Floss at least once a day, more often if you eat fibrous foods that may get caught between the teeth.
• Drink plenty of water rinsing your mouth as you drink.
• Get to know your teeth. Become familiar with your teeth and examine them on a regular basis. You will soon pick up any problems that your dentist can deal with. Early detection of problems leads to an easy repair.
• Watch your diet, and avoid products with a lot of sugar. Avoid softdrinks and fruit juices – the whole fruit is better for you. If you do enjoy these drinks, then drink them in moderation and use a straw.

These are basic tips, but most people need a constant reminder to follow them. Like everything to do with your health, prevention is always better than any cure.

There is one person who can take responsibility for your dental hygiene – that’s you! If you don’t brush at least twice a day, if you want to eat and drink all the junk sugary foods you can lay your hands, then don’t be surprised when you get a toothache or two. Dentists these days can work miracles – or seeming miracles – but it can come at a cost, and it’s not just in dollar terms either.

Yet taking responsibility for your own dental hygiene is not that difficult. A daily regime of brushing after breakfast and before retiring at night is a good start. Add to that careful management of what goes into your mouth and you’re half way there. You don’t have to deprive yourself either; you can drink a soft drink, just use a straw and rinse your mouth with plain water after you have finished – the term I use is “careful management,” not “total abstinence” (although that is the ultimate).

Rinsing regularly, flossing regularly, and visiting your dentist on a regular basis all go together to complete your dental hygiene management. You may get the odd problem, even with that regime in place, but those problems are generally much smaller and easier for your dentist to rectify. For you, the cost in terms of pain, lost teeth, and dollars is much smaller as well. So tell me, who’s responsible for your dental hygiene?

• For children – consider quality novelty toothbrushes as presents
• Forget the sweets in stockings, go for items that last longer
• When drinking soda or fruit juice, buy novelty straws for yourself and the kids
• Drink plenty of water and, while you’re at it, give your mouth a good rinse each time – make it a habit
• Put fruit on the table rather than sweets or sweet biscuits
• Get into the habit of taking a floss packet with you
• Carry ‘pickets’ around with you – these are mini toothbrushes cum floss sticks
• Brush before going to bed and when you get up each day
• Enjoy the festive season

That last can still be done, even while ensuring you maintain a good dental health routine. If you get into the habit of doing certain things now, such as rinsing your mouth regularly, carrying and using floss during the day, and using straws when drinking any sugary drinks, come the festive period, your habit will help to maintain those teeth.

It’s a great time of year for friends and family. Don’t let it be the start of tooth decay when a few simple steps each day can help prevent it. Not only that, you can still have loads of fun while showing everyone your brilliant smile.

The Right Way of Brushing

You should hold the brush at a 45 degrees angle from your teeth surface. You need to brush the front teeth with upward and downward motions. You should apply short strokes to brush your teeth. At one time, brush only one tooth; keep the stroke aligned to one tooth at a time. You must brush both sides of your front and side teeth. The molars, or the last teeth in the two sides on both the upper and lower teeth sets, have three exposed sides. Brush the front, back, and top of the molars.

It is important you be gentle when brushing; do not be too harsh on the teeth. Brush along the gum line gently to prevent any plaque formation.

You need to floss places like the gaps between your teeth that the toothbrush cannot reach.

More Tips on Brushing

Here are a few more guidelines on brushing:

• Use a soft-bristled toothbrush that has a small head.

• Change your toothbrush every three months, even if it does not appear tattered. If it looks worn out earlier, change it immediately.
• Brush for at least two minutes every time.

Hope this post helped you understand brushing better. Keep watching this space for more tips on improving your dental health.

Happy smiling!