Healthy Tips for Staying at Home – Keeping your Mouth Healthy!

 

AS WE HUNKER DOWN AT HOME TO DO OUR PART IN STOPPING COVID-19, WE STILL NEED TO BE PROACTIVE ABOUT OUR HEALTH. OUR TEETH WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP PLAQUE AND BEING HOME ALL DAY RAISES SPECIAL DENTAL CONCERNS, ESPECIALLY FOR KIDS.

BRUSH YOUR TEETH AT LEAST 2 TIMES PER DAY, IF NOT MORE!

THESE DAYS AT HOME ARE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO REINFORCE GREAT DENTAL HYGIENE! IF YOUR CHILD HAS A HISTORY OF CAVITIES OR GUM DISEASE OR IS CURRENTLY IN BRACES, TRY TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL BRUSHING TO YOUR DAILY ROUTINE. INCORPORATE AN EXTRA BRUSHING AFTER LUNCH–IT’S SOMETHING THAT THE WHOLE FAMILY CAN DO TOGETHER AND EVERY MEMBER OF THE FAMILY WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS HEALTHY HABIT!
MANY KIDS (AND PARENTS) ADMIT TO ONLY BRUSHING ONCE A DAY AT HOME AND ONLY AT NIGHT BECAUSE MORNINGS CAN BE HECTIC. NOW THAT WE ARE NO LONGER RUSHING OUT THE DOOR TO GET TO SCHOOL ON TIME, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EXTRA TIME AND REMIND YOUR KIDS TO BRUSH THEIR TEETH EVERY MORNING. I LIKE TO BRUSH BEFORE I EAT BREAKFAST–THIS WAY IF I GET DISTRACTED OR END UP TAKING MY DOG OUT FOR HIS MORNING WALK RIGHT AFTER I FINISH EATING, I KNOW MY TEETH ARE CLEAN AND READY FOR THE DAY.
AND DON’T FORGET—BRUSH FOR AT LEAST 2 MINUTES EACH TIME YOU BRUSH!

NEED AN AT HOME ACTIVITY FOR YOUR KIDS? TEACH THEM TO TIE SHOELACES!

CHILDREN DON’T HAVE THE DEXTERITY TO BRUSH THEIR OWN TEETH UNTIL THEY CAN TIE SHOELACES. ONCE YOUR CHILD HAS MASTERED TYING SHOELACES, YOU CAN START TO WORK ON BRUSHING TEETH INDEPENDENTLY. TEACH YOUR CHILD TO TIE LACES AND THEN CHECK OUR PEDIATRIC DENTIST’S INSTAGRAM PAGE @DR.BABY.TEETH STORY HIGHLIGHTS ON “BRUSHING” TO GET SOME TIPS ON BRUSHING INDEPENDENTLY!

MIND YOUR SNACKS!

MOST PEOPLE THINK THE TYPE OF SNACK IS WHAT MATTERS MOST TO A DENTIST, BUT WHAT MATTERS JUST AS MUCH IS THE FREQUENCY OF SNACKS. SNACKING ALL DAY LONG MEANS YOUR MOUTH IS EXPOSED TO SUGARS AT HIGHER INTERVALS, AND THAT CAN UP YOUR RISK OF CAVITIES. EACH TIME YOUR MOUTH IS EXPOSED TO SUGAR THE PH OF YOUR MOUTH CHANGES, AND THIS ALLOWS FOR THE CAVITY-CAUSING BACTERIA TO GET TO WORK. TRY TO AVOID GRAZING AND STICK TO SCHEDULED SNACK TIMES.

CHOOSE SNACKS THAT ARE BETTER FOR YOUR TEETH – FOR EXAMPLE, YOGURT AND CHEESE HAVE A HIGHER PH AND HELP BALANCE THE ORAL ENVIRONMENT TO PREVENT THOSE CAVITY-CAUSING BACTERIA FROM COMING OUT. THINK ABOUT YOUR FOOD COMBINATIONS TOO–IF YOU PUT CHEESE ON TOP OF CRACKERS, THE CHEESE CAN HELP REMOVE THE CRACKER-LEFTOVERS FROM THE DEEP GROOVES IN YOUR TEETH.

AVOID STICKY SNACKS—OBVIOUSLY THIS REFERS TO GUMMIES AND OTHER CANDY, BUT THINGS THAT YOU MAY NOT THINK ARE “STICKY” INCLUDE CHEEZE-ITS, PRETZELS, AND CRACKERS. CHECK YOUR CHILD’S TEETH AFTER THEY’RE DONE EATING THESE SNACKS AND YOU’LL BE SURPRISED HOW MUCH IS LEFTOVER ON THEIR TEETH – USUALLY IN THE DEEP GROOVES OF THE BACK MOLARS AND ON THE BITING SURFACE.OPT FOR FRESH FRUIT OVER FRUIT-FLAVORED GUMMIES AND JUICE. WHILE GUMMIES AND JUICE HAVE EXTRA ADDED SUGAR, FRESH FRUIT HAS NONE OF THAT, PLUS THE BENEFIT OF FIBER– IMPORTANT FOR KEEPING YOUR CHILD’S GUT HEALTHY AT HOME.

IF YOU ARE IN PAIN OR HAVE A QUESTION, DON’T BE AFRAID TO REACH

OUT!

MANY DOCTORS HAVE INCORPORATED TELE-DENTISTRY INTO THEIR PRACTICES AND WANT TO BE AVAILABLE TO YOU IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS! DON’T FORGET THAT ROUTINE CARE IS IMPORTANT. ALSO, WE WANT TO KEEP OUR HOSPITALS FREE FROM EMERGENCIES THAT CAN BE HANDLED IN THE DENTAL OFFICE, AND OUR OFFICE, LIKE MANY OTHERS, ARE OPEN FOR EMERGENCIES. PLEASE REACH OUT TO US OR YOUR DENTIST IF YOU NEED ANYTHING.

 – YOUR PARK SMILES NYC FAMILY!

 

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