National Children’s Dental Health Month
Did you know that February is National Children’s Dental Health Month? And that February 28th is National Tooth Fairy Day? What’s a better combination?!
Your child’s dental health begins very early on. Baby teeth can begin to decay as soon as they appear. Sugar is in almost everything a baby eats and drinks, including breastmilk, formula, and pureed foods. So it’s important to understand the cadence in which they should visit the dentist.
It is recommended that a child have their first dental visit when they get their first teeth typically, at 6 months. But by one-year-old, they should begin visiting the dentist regularly and getting comfortable with the doctor and office. Your child’s first couple of visits will be done as a knee-to-knee exam with the doctor. This allows the doctor to easily check gum and tooth health, cleanliness, and monitor tooth alignment and growth patterns. At this first visit, your dentist and team will also:
-Assess your child’s risk for tooth decay
-Clean their teeth and show you how to properly clean your child’s teeth at home
-Find out whether your child is getting the right amount of fluoride
-Discuss teething, pacifier use, and/or finger/thumb sucking habits
-Discuss treatment if needed and schedule the next check-up
Routine dental visits are only a part of good oral health, home care habits play a big role too! You should brush your child’s teeth until they have the skills to do it the right way on their own. If your child cannot tie their shoes, then they are probably not ready to brush by themselves. Brush your child’s teeth twice a day, every day with a toothpaste containing fluoride. How much toothpaste should your child use? For children 3 and under, use a smear no bigger than a grain-of-rice. For children older than 3, use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.
When they start to want a little more independence, it is OK to let them brush on their own. Follow behind to make sure all their teeth are clean and plaque free. By age 10 or 11, most children can brush their teeth without supervision. If you are not sure your child is ready, talk to your dentist or hygienist.
Each time your child comes for their check-up they will get braver and more comfortable, and before you know it, they will be in the chair getting a prophy polish and floss! The best part? They are building good oral health habits that will last a lifetime…and so will their teeth!
**
️Make sure the tooth fairy is ready to be on the lookout for lost teeth starting around age 5. It’s no fun trying to make excuses for a forgetful tooth fairy in the morning!
️**
2022 Dental Goals
It’s that time of the year when goal setting is prominent and your health takes priority. Now is a great time to set your physical, mental, and emotional health goals including how you plan to keep up with your dental care.
The first step is to get to the dentist for an annual appointment. With X-rays, cleaning, and consultations, we will be able to assess your oral health and let you know if any additional work needs to be done. Been avoiding a dental problem? The longer you wait the worse it will get. We recommend seeing your dentist two times a year!
Dreaming of straighter teeth? This could be the year to invest in clear aligner therapy! Dr. Kennealy and her staff can walk through the benefits of this non-invasive treatment that will bring you a more confident smile.
Maybe implants are what you’ve been looking for. Implants are made of titanium and porcelain and look just like your natural tooth. It is composed of two main parts: one part is the titanium implant body that takes the place of the missing root, and the second part is the tooth-colored crown that is cemented or screwed in on top of the implant. For patients with removable partial dentures, implants can replace missing teeth, so you have an easier to maintain and more natural-looking smile.
Whatever your goals are, make sure your dental health doesn’t fall behind. It’s a component of your overall health that will keep you feeling good and looking healthy.
Teeth Grinding Blog
As we enter the new year, health is one of our top priorities. It’s no secret the past couple of months have produced stress on our minds and bodies. But, have you thought about what it’s done to your oral health?
Grinding and clenching teeth is one of the top reasons I treat patients. These actions can produce headaches, jaw pain, and broken teeth which can be painful, annoying, and inconvenient.
The simple tips below can help reduce teeth grinding and promote good oral and mental health!
Avoid gum chewing, oh and nail biting – These actions can cause your jaw to clench which can cause pain and grinding.
Wear a nightguard – Contact our team to get treated and fitted for a nightguard. This can reduce grinding and help you wake up with less pain so you can focus on your day.
Focus on reducing stress – Thought about adding meditation or regular exercise to your routine? Why not now? Reducing stress can ease grinding and allow your body and mind to relax. Go for a run, drink tea, or call a friend.
If you are experiencing pain or discomfort, it may be time to consult with your dentist and see if teeth grinding is affecting you. Contact our team to schedule an appointment today.
Dental Appointments During Covid – Why You Shouldn’t Avoid the Dentist
With a vaccine in motion and a mandate on masks, many people are wondering if they can now visit the dentist. The answer: yes.
Why is it important to continue your annual dental visits? For starters, routine cleanings give us the chance to catch any small problems that may escalate if ignored. We also don’t want you to wait until something is wrong to come in such as a broken tooth or filling.
Dentistry has always been at the forefront of infection control because of the nature of our work and the fact that there are many transmissible viruses, common ones like the flu and cold and not so common like Hepatitis and HIV, that we have always had to ensure there was no patient to patient/staff cross-contamination or “exposure.”
So what I’m saying is..we are master cleaners! Each dental op is cleaned after every patient visit with hospital-grade disinfectants (which is nothing new) to ensure the next patient is brought to a surgically clean environment to receive their dental treatment, whether that is a cleaning or something more involved.
Here’s how we’re keeping our patients safe –
- Clean our operatories with hospital grade disinfectant
- Sterilize all instruments after each use in an Autoclave which uses steam heated to 270 degrees F
- Use disposable single use instruments where we cannot sterilize
- Wear PPE-scrub covers, eye protection, masks, and gloves
Here are additional protocols we’ve implemented –
- Streamlined appointments to minimize the number of people in the office to just patients. We are also asking patients to fill out paperwork before their appointment to minimize patients in the waiting room. A call/text service is used when a patient arrives to notify them when we are ready for them.
- Treat the waiting room like an op. We clean all the chairs and surfaces with hospital grade disinfectant once the patient is brought to their treatment room.
- Have patients wash their hands for 20 seconds with soap and water and rinse for 20 seconds with a hydrogen peroxide rinse once they are brought to their room before being seated.
- Upgraded PPE- Double masks (1 KN95 and 1 surgical), face shields, and hair covers are used.
Since 2020, our business has continued to help patients and slowly returned a full schedule. We have worked hard to go above and beyond to ensure safety for our patients and staff. If you need an exam in this new year, contact our team today to schedule your appointment!
Women’s History Month Highlight – Dr. Sarah Kennealy
Q: What inspired you to start your own business?
A: Growth as a practitioner. If you had asked me when I graduated dental school if I was ever going to open my practice I would have answered no! Just starting to practice dentistry in private practice was a big enough challenge at the time. But after practicing dentistry for ten years I felt confident in myself as a practitioner and ready to challenge myself! Plus, being your own boss has its perks.
Q: How do you balance owning a business and everything else?!
A: This is the million dollar question! One that I am still trying to learn the answer to. As a wife and mom of four kids and now a small business owner, there are many days I am just trying to make it through. But I am learning and with each month I am getting better at managing all my to-do’s. I also have an amazing support team both here at the office, and at home, I couldn’t do it without them!
Q: What have you learned from the strong women in your life?
A: That we are driven, tenacious, hard-working goal crushers!
Q: What goals do you have for your business?
A: Well, the first is success! That means many things, like being able to support my family and continued growth for the practice. The second is to become a community “cornerstone”. I would like to support the schools, sports, and local businesses of my community that my family and I will be a part of. I want Belle Haven Family Dentistry to not just be some dental office but THE dental office of the community. That is also one of the reasons I put Family Dentistry in our name. I knew it was going to be a mouth full, but I wanted people to think of us as the practice that can meet all your family’s dental needs for as long as you need them. The kind of place where people look forward to coming to because we are like an extended family.
Q: Who is one influential woman business owner you look up to?
A: This is a hard one because there are so many, I can’t name just one! My fellow 2012 VCU Dental grads, Dr. Lauren Simon who owns Nokesville Family Dentistry, Dr. Laura Garden who owns Roanoke Endodontics, and Dr. Anisha Patel who owns Village Family Dentistry for setting big goals for themselves and being fearless in their pursuit. And reminding me that the “magic happens outside of your comfort zone!”
When Should My Child Go to the Dentist?
Kids equal never-ending to-do lists and milestones. When do they start teething? When can you introduce solid foods? When do they sleep through the night? Something that can slip through the cracks is when do I take my child to the dentist for the first time?
At Belle Haven Family Dentistry, we recommend children start coming in when they get their first teeth. At that time, we do a knee-to-knee exam and brush with a small toothbrush.
By age three, we try to get them in the chair to conduct a prophy polish and floss. The best part? They like learning new skills and feel accomplished. We’ll even send them home with a toothbrush.
We will not take X-rays until we need them. We want you to know dental X-rays are very safe. They now use nomad radiation which is less than the amount of radiation of keeping your iPhone in your pocket all day. Reminder – keep your iPhone out of your pocket!
What about toothpaste? What is safe? The AAPD (American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry) recommends that all kids use fluoride toothpaste but just a smear. Once they can spit (around age three) they can use a pea-size amount to brush. The amount progresses as they get older.
The long-term effects of not taking your young child to the dentist can be detrimental to their overall health. At Belle Haven Family Dentistry, we will keep your kids feeling comfortable and confident as they start their dental journey. Contact our team today with questions and to book your child’s first appointment!
Mouthguards – What You Need to Know Before Sports Seasons Begin
Sports season is among us and there’s no better time to understand the benefits and importance of wearing a mouthguard. Let’s start with the obvious – wearing a mouthguard can significantly decrease your risk of mouth and jaw injuries in both contact and non-contact sports. Protecting your teeth, mouth, and jaw is critical to overall health. Not to mention, if you’ve invested in your teeth and mouth previously, there’s no reason to risk it. Being proactive about this can prevent money out the door in the long run.
If you have braces or semi-permeant dental work, you should invest in a secure and comfortable mouthguard. It will add an extra layer of protection for your teeth, mouth, and jaw.
If your kids are the ones playing sports, it’s important to explain the benefits of wearing mouth protection. At Belle Haven Family Dentistry, we can make you or your child a custom mouthguard and walk you through the seamless process. Our goal is to keep you out of the dental office – unless it’s for an annual visit :).
Book your apportionment today before school and sports take over the fall months. We look forward to seeing you soon!
National Children’s Dental Health Month
Did you know that February is National Children’s Dental Health Month? And that February 28th is National Tooth Fairy Day? What’s a better combination?!
Your child’s dental health begins very early on. Baby teeth can begin to decay as soon as they appear. Sugar is in almost everything a baby eats and drinks, including breastmilk, formula, and pureed foods. So it’s important to understand the cadence in which they should visit the dentist.
It is recommended that a child have their first dental visit when they get their first teeth typically, at 6 months. But by one-year-old, they should begin visiting the dentist regularly and getting comfortable with the doctor and office. Your child’s first couple of visits will be done as a knee-to-knee exam with the doctor. This allows the doctor to easily check gum and tooth health, cleanliness, and monitor tooth alignment and growth patterns. At this first visit, your dentist and team will also:
-Assess your child’s risk for tooth decay
-Clean their teeth and show you how to properly clean your child’s teeth at home
-Find out whether your child is getting the right amount of fluoride
-Discuss teething, pacifier use, and/or finger/thumb sucking habits
-Discuss treatment if needed and schedule the next check-up
Routine dental visits are only a part of good oral health, home care habits play a big role too! You should brush your child’s teeth until they have the skills to do it the right way on their own. If your child cannot tie their shoes, then they are probably not ready to brush by themselves. Brush your child’s teeth twice a day, every day with a toothpaste containing fluoride. How much toothpaste should your child use? For children 3 and under, use a smear no bigger than a grain-of-rice. For children older than 3, use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.
When they start to want a little more independence, it is OK to let them brush on their own. Follow behind to make sure all their teeth are clean and plaque free. By age 10 or 11, most children can brush their teeth without supervision. If you are not sure your child is ready, talk to your dentist or hygienist.
Each time your child comes for their check-up they will get braver and more comfortable, and before you know it, they will be in the chair getting a prophy polish and floss! The best part? They are building good oral health habits that will last a lifetime…and so will their teeth!
**
️Make sure the tooth fairy is ready to be on the lookout for lost teeth starting around age 5. It’s no fun trying to make excuses for a forgetful tooth fairy in the morning!
️**