Tag: overlandparkkansas

With the new school year ramping up, you may already find yourself stuck in a rut when it comes to your child’s lunch. Changing things up not only introduces your son or daughter to a wider range of textures and flavors. Packing different options can also provide more essential nutrients for both physical and oral health. Here your dentist in Overland Park  provides some top suggestions for promoting a healthy smile. 

At Smiles Dentistry for Kids, Dr. Matt is committed to your child’s complete wellness. Whether you need more tips for healthy school year routines, or your child requires more advanced dental treatment, we are ready to provide outstanding care for you and your family.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

Celery Sticks and Carrots

Carrots and celery help to clean teeth while you’re eating them! Both help to stimulate the production of saliva, which washes away food and bacteria from the mouth. Plus, carrots contain Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and calcium.

Cheese Sticks

Studies strongly suggest that cheese helps to reduce the risk of tooth decay. This may be because, like celery and carrots, cheese stimulates saliva production. Plus, the casein and whey protein in cheese may help to prevent tooth demineralization. 

Whole Grain Bread and Crackers 

Next time you pull out the stand-by ham and cheese, be sure to make the sandwich on whole grain bread. Of course, whole grains give your child more sustained energy for the school day. But fiber intake is also important for oral health. According to one study published in the Journal of Nutrition, the risk of gum disease is higher for those who consume low amounts of whole grains.

Nuts

We know that peanuts may not be an option for school lunches, due to the risk of allergies. But other types of nuts can be just as beneficial for oral health. Brazil nuts, cashews, and almonds all help to combat oral bacteria. Walnuts also contain tooth-healthy fiber, iron, thiamine, magnesium, and many other nutrients.

Apples

Apples are beneficial for many of the same reasons that carrots and celery help dental health. It’s true that apples contain lots of natural sugars. But whole apples also have a high amount of fiber to increase saliva and reduce bacteria.

Furthermore, unlike other fruits, apples are low in acidity. Highly acidic fruits, like citrus, can have a corrosive effect on tooth enamel. 

Water

Water is one of the most important things you can pack in your child’s lunch – and encourage them to drink all day long! Fruit punches and drinks in pouches are usually high in sugar and low in nutrients. Even 100% fruit juice, while more nutritious, contains high amounts of sugar. If your child drinks juice at lunch, those sugars are just sitting on their teeth for the rest of the school day. 

Instead, water helps to keep his or her mouth clean until they can get home and brush their teeth. Plus, it doesn’t set your student up for a sugar crash in the midafternoon.

Schedule an Appointment with Your Dentist in Overland Park

Learn more about oral health and how you can protect your child’s precious smile. 

Contact Smiles Dentistry for Kids online or call 913-685-9990 to make an appointment.

Losing a tooth can be so exciting! What could be more thrilling than waiting for a little fairy to sneak into your bedroom while you are asleep? Children around the world celebrate this milestone – but the tooth fairy doesn’t visit every country. Instead, a diverse range of traditions exist surrounding the loss of a baby tooth. Here, your children’s dentist in Overland Park, KS, takes a look at some of these fun international rituals. 

If your child has begun losing his or her baby teeth, be sure to check in with Dr. Matt. It is important to verify that the permanent teeth are coming in correctly and that your little one is not at risk for dental decay. At Smiles Dentistry for Kids, we offer complete pediatric dental services for children of ages.

Contact our office today to book an appointment.

The Tooth Fairy

The tooth fairy is a busy lady. In addition to visiting children in the US, she also collects teeth in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Denmark.

And not only does she have to gather all those teeth – she also needs to keep up with economic trends! In a 2018 poll, the average tooth was worth $3.70, up from $1.30 in 1998. 

The Tooth Mouse?

It seems that tiny creatures have a penchant for lost teeth. In Spanish-speaking countries, including Spain, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Argentina, and Chile, a little mouse collects baby teeth. He goes by different names depending on the country, including El Raton de Los Dientes, Raton Perez, and Ratoncito Perez. 

In most of these countries, the tiny rodents sneak under kids’ pillows to gather teeth. But in Argentina, children leave their teeth in a glass of water. Ratoncito Perez drains the glass and leaves money in the bottom. 

Raton Perez is so popular that there is even a museum dedicated to him in Madrid.

Tossing Those Teeth Around

In many Asian and Middle Eastern countries, children throw their bottom teeth up onto the roof. Lost top teeth get tossed on the floor or under the bed. The hope is that the new incoming teeth will grow towards the old baby teeth.

Some countries are very particular about the way in which teeth are thrown. Children in Indonesia toss their teeth over their shoulders. They’d better have good aim! Tradition states that if they throw straight, the new tooth will come in correctly. But if their aim is off, the new tooth will be crooked.  

In other countries, as children toss their teeth onto the roof, they ask a particular animal to bring them a new one. For instance, children in Sri Lanka hope a squirrel will help them out. In India and Korea, they ask a bird for a new tooth. And in Botswana, they wish upon the moon!

Other Fun Traditions

While certain rituals are widespread, other countries have tooth-related traditions all their own. In Pakistan, children toss their teeth in the river. In Kyrgyzstan, they stuff the teeth in bread to be eaten by a mouse. And in Turkey, they bury teeth in a place that represents a parent’s hopes for the child’s future.

Contact Your Children’s Dentist in Overland Park

We know that your hopes for your child include a lifelong healthy smile. Make sure your little one receives outstanding dental care from a young age!

Contact Dr. Matt and his team online or call us at (913) 685-9990.

Has your little one played outside today? Whether you have a little miss (or mister) sunshine, you might be surprised that catching a few extra rays of sunshine can improve your child’s health. Spending a little time with Mother Nature comes with many benefits, including access to much-needed vitamin D. Continue reading to learn how the “sunshine vitamin” benefits your child’s teeth and gums.

What exactly is vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. Something that makes this vitamin unique is that it’s a nutrient that your body can naturally make when the skin is exposed to sunlight, or it can be obtained via consumption.

What role does vitamin D play in bodily functions?

Vitamin D receptors are sprinkled throughout the body. This suggests that vitamin D has a more significant role in overall health than we know. Some stand-out highlights of vitamin D are that it:

• Aids calcium absorption, which is an essential component for strengthening teeth and bones
• Supports muscle movement
• Aids the immune system

How does vitamin D support dental health?

Although you might not need another excuse to go outside today, it’s pretty amazing that the human body turns sunlight into a vitamin that is crucial for tooth, gum, and bone growth and development. Vitamin D deficiency is linked to these two prevalent yet serious chronic oral health issues:

• Cavities: Tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease. As previously mentioned, vitamin D is essential for strengthening teeth. So, if your child’s vitamin D levels are unregulated, this can cause their teeth to become more susceptible to tooth decay and dental fractures. In a recent study, researchers concluded that vitamin D levels are significantly associated with the occurrence of tooth decay.
• Gum Disease: Low vitamin D levels are linked to an increased risk of gum disease.

What are some sources of vitamin D?

If your child’s pediatrician diagnoses your little one with a vitamin D deficiency, here are three ways that your child can obtain more vitamin D:

1. Spend an adequate time outside: The amount of sunshine each person needs varies and largely depends on the time of day and year, your child’s skin tone, and how much skin is exposed. Also, it’s vital to be mindful that sunscreen can protect your child’s skin from harmful rays that burn and potentially cause skin cancer, but it does prohibit vitamin D production.

2. Consume a diet high in vitamin D: Many dairy products and cereals are fortified with vitamin D. But some natural sources of vitamin D include fatty fish (like salmon) and fish oil.

3. Supplement vitamin D: If your child is still vitamin D deficient (even with time outside and a diet high in vitamin D), we encourage you to ask your child’s pediatrician about a sufficient dosage for vitamin D supplements.

Here’s Another Way to Improve Your Child’s Dental Health

Between sunlight, vitamin-D-rich food, and supplements, your child should be able to obtain the vitamin D that they need for a strong and healthy smile. Aside from consuming enough vitamin D, another way to take of your child’s dental health is to schedule consistent children’s dentistry appointments.

Are you searching for a kids dentist in Overland Park, KS? If so, Dr. Matt and his team are ready to serve your family. Call (913) 685-9990 or message us online for more information.