Her main focus is prevention, early detection and education of dental diseases and keeps current on the latest advances in dentistry for children. Prevention and early visits to the dentist can help young patients have pleasant visits to the dental office and establish trust and confidence in your child that can last a lifetime. With this in mind, we understand kids are kids and sometimes have anxiety with medical offices. The staff at Pediatric Dental Care strives to make every visit fun, helping children feel good about visiting the dentist and teach them proper oral hygiene techniques. From our child-friendly office with bright colors to our communication style, our main concern is what is best for your child!
Preventing Tooth Decay
Dr. Karr follows the American Academy of Pediatric Guidelines for brushing and flossing. This includes brushing 2-3 times a day and flossing every night. In addition, if a patient is six years or older and can properly spit, she recommends nightly fluoride rinses for at least a minute. Other recommendations Dr. Karr and her staff will go over are good food choices and snacking habits. These include fruits, vegetables, cheese, nuts and whole grains. Avoiding frequent snacking, especially those that include pretzels, crackers, chips, fruit snacks, or cookies to name a few, can also prevent tooth decay. Last, when your child's permanent molars are fully erupted and healthy, Dr. Karr can discuss options for "dental sealants" over the grooves that make the tooth surface like an "ice skating rink" helping food debris and plaque from getting embedded in hard to clean areas. See the tooth diagram in our FAQ section to see the eruption patterns.
Aren't baby teeth going to fall out anyway?
Dr. Karr hears this question on a regular basis and there are several responses to this. Yes, but they fall out over a period of years, and we need to keep them healthy and in place until they fall out naturally. (See the tooth diagram in our FAQ section.) Primary teeth or baby teeth serve many functions including mastication of food for nutrition, speech development, and space maintenance. Primary teeth save space for the permanent adult teeth to follow, and a healthy smile can help children feel good about the way they look to others. Studies show that children with good oral health have increased school performance, better relationships, and more success later in life.
Healthy Choices for Healthy Smiles
Everyone knows sugar tastes great, but it can do a number on our teeth, especially young teeth. There are several healthy alternatives to sugary snacks and beverages. Consider giving your kids milk or water instead of sodas and juice boxes. Avoiding sticky foods and sugary gum is the name of the game in preventing cavities. Fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, cheese, boiled eggs and popcorn can offer significant health benefits for children's growing bodies (and their teeth) over gummy snacks, candy bars, and hard candies. Follow your pediatrician's recommendations before you begin to introduce new food groups.
NO, NO's! special treats, not regular snacks
- Cake
- Apple Juice
- Canned Fruit
- Candy
- White Grape Juice
- Figs
- Fruit Snacks
- Cookies
- Chocolate Drinks
- Dry Cereal
- Donuts
- Cocoa
- Frozen Fruit
- Graham Crackers
- Hi-C, Capri Sun
- Jam/Jelly
- Gum
- Ice Cream
- Kool-Aid
- Molasses
- Marshmallows
- Jell-O
- Milk Shakes
- Pancakes
- Peanut Butter
- Pie
- Ovaltine
- Raisins
- Pudding
- Sherberte
- Soda Pop
- Syrup
- Waffles
- Sugar
- Sweetened Juices
- Applesauce
- Gatorade/Powerade