In addition to brushing and flossing twice a day, you can also take extra steps in protecting your kids’ teeth. The permanent molar teeth are most susceptible to cavities for two reasons. First, their chewing surface has more pits and fissures which can make it more difficult for toothbrush bristles to clean. Second, the majority of chewing is done with your molars, increasing the chances of food and bacteria getting stuck and causing decay. To protect your children’s molars, Big Blue Pediatric Dentistry can apply sealant when they come in; usually around 6 years old and 12 years old.   S ..read more

Let’s Talk Hydration With Dr. Aimee Snell of Big Blue Pediatric Dental in Carson City, NV We know that staying hydrated is an important part of day to day health, but it can also have a big impact on your kids’ oral health. The amount of water your children are drinking can sometimes be difficult to determine; especially if they’re at school all day, or if they’re not old enough to communicate their thirst. In today’s post we’ll talk about why water is important for oral health, how to try and keep track of the amount of water your kids are drinking, and ways to encourage more water consumptio ..read more

Let’s Talk Teeth Brushing Tips With Dr. Aimee Snell of Big Blue Pediatric Dentistry in Carson City, NV February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, and we’re excited to kick things off with some tips on brushing teeth. We made a Love Your Teeth coloring sheet, that you can download and print (link to coloring page) for your kiddos as we go over one way you can love your teeth each week in February. Creating good dental habits for your children should start as soon as they wake up. After breakfast, you should brush your teeth with your kiddos. When children learning good habits, modelin ..read more

Let's Talk Toothpaste // Big Blue Pediatric Dentistry Fun fact; people have been using material to clean their teeth since 500 B.C.. It started with crushed burnt hooves and egg shells. Thankfully, things have improved since then and we now have a wide assortment of toothpastes to choose from. Ingredients in ‘natural’ and ‘conventional’ toothpastes are very similar. The choice comes down to your kids taste preference, and your preference with how they’re flavored and dyed. For this post we did a super scientific Big Blue Pediatric Dentistry experiment (just kidding, we just went to the Target ..read more

Did you know that more than 40% of children will have a cavity by the time they start kindergarten? There are 3 major risk factors for cavities, Diet, Hygiene and Family History. Fortunately, you can mostly control most of the risks your child faces when it comes to forming cavities.  Watch this fun and informative TedEx lesson on how cavities form. "So how do I keep MY child from getting cavities?"  I am so glad you asked! The most obvious way to help is making sure your kids are brushing twice and flossing once a day. If they haven't hit first grade yet, YOU should be brushing and ..read more

Tips for making tooth brushing more fun! Are you tired of hearing your kids complain about the daily chore of brushing and flossing? Is it like wrestling an alligator to get a tooth brush in your toddlers mouth? You are not alone! This is a common occurrence in households every morning and night. Here are some tips to make brushing and flossing an easier routine, and not like pulling teeth (terrible pun intended). These are ideas used by our families and some I even use in my own household.   No excuses, make brushing a routine We have all been there. It's bed time and you have been figh ..read more

If you are a product of the 80's like me, you will probably remember taking Flintstones vitamins. Those delicious "vitamin candies" that our mom's actually encouraged us to take? Now if you peruse the vitamin aisle you are inundated with children's (and even adult's) Gummy Vitamins.  A recent article by Sally Kuzemchak, MS, RD in Parents Magazine discusses the disadvantages of children's multivitamins in gummy form.  From the perspective of a busy mom of toddlers, the idea of providing essential vitamins as a fun, yummy treat sounds like a win/win. From the perspective of a dentist ..read more

A liquid that can heal a cavity? You're joking, right? Nope, it's not a joke! Sometimes, advancing medical and dental procedures take a step back in time. That is the case with a relativity new procedure to the United States, Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF). Although SDF has been used successfully in countries like Japan for more than 80 years, it was recently approved by the FDA and available to US practitioners since April of 2015. What is SDF you ask? Allow me to explain.... SDF is a clear liquid approved by the FDA that is composed of 24-27% silver, 8.5-10.5% ammonia, 5-6% fluoride, and wat ..read more