Dental Tips for Growing Smiles

Brushing looks a little different as your child grows. The goal is always two minutes, twice a day.

• 0–3 years: A parent brushes for the child. Start as soon as the first tooth appears, using a soft infant brush.
• 3–6 years: Let your child try, then you "finish the job." Kids don't have the coordination to brush well on their own yet.
• 6+ years: Your child can brush independently, but keep an eye on the back teeth and check in now and then.

Brush the tongue too, and replace the toothbrush every 3 months or after any illness.

• Under 3 years: a smear the size of a grain of rice.
• 3–6 years: a pea-sized amount.

Teach your child to spit, not rinse, after brushing so a little fluoride stays on the teeth. Supervise so they don't swallow toothpaste.

Start flossing as soon as two teeth touch — often around ages 2–3. Flossing reaches the spots a brush can't and prevents cavities between teeth.

Kid-friendly floss picks make it much easier for small hands and for parents helping out.

Nighttime brushing matters most — saliva drops during sleep, so leftover food and sugar do more damage.

After brushing, only water until morning. Never send a child to bed with a bottle or sippy cup of milk, formula, or juice, which pools around the teeth all night.

Sealants are a thin protective coating painted onto the grooves of the back teeth, where most childhood cavities begin. The grooves are too deep for a brush to fully clean, so the sealant shields them.

The process is quick, painless, and no numbing is needed. One application can protect a tooth for years.

It's not just how much sugar, but how often. Constant sipping and grazing keeps teeth under acid attack all day.

• Offer water between meals instead of juice or sports drinks.
• Keep sweets and sticky snacks to mealtimes, not all-day snacking.
• Watch "hidden sugars" in gummy vitamins, fruit snacks, and flavored milk.

Regular checkups let us catch small problems while they're still easy (and inexpensive) to treat, apply fluoride, and keep your child comfortable with the dentist.

Routine visits also build trust, so future care feels familiar instead of scary.

If your child plays contact or fast-moving sports, a mouthguard protects teeth, lips, and jaw from injury. Even for baby teeth, a knocked-out or broken tooth can affect the adult teeth underneath.

Ask us about a custom-fit guard — it stays in place and is far more comfortable than a boil-and-bite version.

Teething usually starts around 6 months. Sore gums, drooling, and fussiness are normal.

• Gently rub the gums with a clean finger or a cool, damp cloth.
• Offer a chilled (not frozen) teething ring.
• Avoid teething tablets and amber necklaces, which aren't safe.

A fever or diarrhea is not caused by teething — call your pediatrician if those appear.

Sucking is normal and soothing for babies. Most children stop on their own between ages 2 and 4.

If the habit continues past age 4, or the permanent teeth start coming in, it can affect how the teeth and jaw develop. We're glad to help with gentle strategies to ease the transition.

Plan the first visit by your child's first birthday, or when the first tooth appears. Early visits keep teeth healthy and help your child feel at home with us.

The appointment is short and friendly: a warm welcome, a gentle look at the teeth and gums, and time to answer your questions. Lots of explaining and high-fives along the way.

This is a true emergency — act within 30–60 minutes.

• Pick the tooth up by the crown (top), never the root.
• If dirty, rinse gently with milk or water — do not scrub.
• If you can, place it back in the socket and have your child bite on gauze.
• If not, keep it in a cup of milk (or your child's saliva) — never water.
• Call us immediately and head in.

Baby teeth should NOT be put back in — doing so can harm the adult tooth forming underneath. Still call us.

• Rinse the mouth with warm water.
• Use a cold compress on the cheek to reduce swelling.
• Save any tooth fragments in milk if you can find them.

Call us to be seen — even a small chip should be checked so it doesn't worsen.

• Rinse with warm salt water and gently floss to remove any trapped food.
• Use children's pain reliever as directed for their age and weight.
• Never place aspirin directly on the gum.

Facial swelling, fever, or pain that won't ease can signal an infection — call us the same day.

Clean the area gently and apply a cold compress to control swelling. Light pressure with clean gauze helps stop bleeding.

If bleeding is heavy or doesn't stop after 10–15 minutes, go to the nearest emergency room.

Call the office for knocked-out or broken teeth, toothaches, swelling, and lost fillings.

Go to the ER for a possible broken jaw, uncontrolled bleeding, or trauma with a head injury or loss of consciousness.