5 Tips To Help Your Kids Maintain Healthy Teeth This Fall

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Kids eat a lot of sugar. Sometimes, it’s hard to help them maintain healthy teeth and gums. Working in partnership with your child’s dentist in Cleveland Heights, OH, there are many things you can do to make their teeth healthier. In this article, we’ll discuss five things you can do to improve your child’s oral health.

1. Keep Up With Toothbrushing

Life gets busy when kids go back to school. At night, kids have activities and homework. In the morning, it’s a struggle just to get them out the door! In all the chaos, it’s easy for your child to forget to brush their teeth. Help them out by reminding them when it’s time to brush their teeth.

2. Teach Your Child Toothbrushing Best Practices

Kids have a hard time brushing their teeth when they’re young. Many kids struggle to reach the teeth in the back of their mouth. It’s also common for kids to lose patience with brushing and to end the activity early. Show your child how to brush their teeth properly.

  1. Demonstrate proper toothbrushing technique, then monitor your child doing the same thing.
  2. Get your child a timer to help them brush their teeth for 2 minutes.
  3. Ask the dentist to show your child how to brush their teeth properly.

3. Bring Your Child to Their Regular Dental Appointment

Your child should see the dentist for checkups in Cleveland Heights, OH on a regular basis. If it’s been more than 6 months since your child saw the dentist for a cleaning and exam, contact the dentist to make an appointment.

4. Pack Sugarless Snacks

Keep sugarless snacks on hand to pack in your child’s school lunches. Nuts, cheese and crackers, and boiled eggs are great snacks.

5. Watch for Signs of a Dental Problem

Watch your child for signs of a dental problem. Notice when they have bad breath or when they rub their cheek indicating a toothache. Get your child help from the dentist at Easton Dental as soon as you’ve noticed a problem. Taking quick action can preserve your child’s dental health and avoid a more serious issue.

3 Qualities to Look For In A Toothbrush

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Your home tooth cleaning regimen can really impact your oral health. The kind of toothbrush you use to keep your teeth clean makes a difference. Knowing what qualities to look for in a toothbrush is important, especially if you have difficulty maintaining healthy teeth and gums.

Switching toothbrushes can make a big difference, and may even mean the difference between good oral and poor oral health. Your dentist in Cleveland Heights, OH, can help. At Easton Dental, we can help you pick the right toothbrush for your needs and budget.

1. Ergonomic Qualities

A good toothbrush should be easy to grip and should be angled in the middle, so it can easily reach into the back of your mouth. Many toothbrush brands will make their toothbrushes with a bumpy rubbery grip that’s easy to hang on to. If the toothbrush you’re considering is either straight or lacks an easy-to-grip handle, consider a different toothbrush instead.

2. Proper Head Size

You’d think a big toothbrush head would be good for reaching more teeth. This isn’t quite the case. Big toothbrush heads can be so large that they don’t easily reach the teeth in the back of the mouth. Look for a toothbrush with a medium to small toothbrush head.

3. Soft Bristles

Hard bristles on a toothbrush can be hard on your tooth enamel and gums. In fact, over time, hard bristles can wear down your tooth enamel and cause gum recession. Soft bristles are enough to remove plaque and tartar from your gums. Look for toothbrushes that say soft bristle on the packaging.

Electric Brushes Vs. Manual Brushes

Electric toothbrushes have been shown to do a better job cleaning teeth and gums than manual toothbrushes. Electric toothbrushes are usually designed to run for only two minutes at a time, which is the length of time you’re supposed to spend brushing your teeth. In addition, electric toothbrushes often come with an app that can help you improve your tooth-brushing habits.

Do you need a recommendation for a type of toothbrush? Call Easton Dental to schedule your next dental cleaning in Cleveland Heights, OH.

I Think I Might Have a Cavity – How Can I Tell?

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If you have a cavity, it’s important to see a dentist in Cleveland Heights, OH, as soon as possible. Cavities can cause a variety of problems, and if they’re not treated by a dentist, they can get worse. The longer you wait to see a dentist, the more likely it is that your cavity will have spread to the delicate pulp inside the tooth, leading to a tooth infection.

If this happens, you may need a root canal procedure. This can all be avoided by seeing a dentist, but first, you need to recognize the signs that you’re having a problem. Here’s what to know about cavities and their symptoms.

What is a cavity?

A cavity is a tiny hole in your tooth enamel. Cavities are caused by a combination of poor dental hygiene habits, poor oral health, and consumption of sugary foods and drinks.

You may be at higher risk of a cavity if you snack frequently, have diabetes, suffer from dry mouth, or have recently undergone chemotherapy. Genetics can also play a role in your risk for cavities. If you’re at high risk for cavities, talk to your dentist about what you can do to avoid cavities.

What are the symptoms of a cavity?

If you have a cavity, you may experience very little discomfort. It’s important to pay attention to the little signs that could be an indication that there’s a problem. Watch for:

  • Pain in your tooth, intermittently or when you’re drinking or eating
  • Sudden sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures
  • Bad breath (especially bad breath that continues even after you’ve brushed your teeth)
  • A visible hole in your tooth

What should you do if you think you might have a cavity?

If you think you might have a cavity, seeing the dentist for an examination is important. If you do have a cavity, you’ll need a filling to stop the spread of tooth decay. When you get a filling, your dentist will clean out the hole in your tooth and then fill it with a composite or silver amalgam filling.

For a tooth filling in Cleveland Heights, OH, call your dentist at Easton Dental. We can help!