Glen Ellyn Pediatric Dentistry Blog

One of the greatest responsibilities you have to your children as their parent or guardian is to teach them consistent habits to maintain their health as they grow, and their grin is no exception. For example, you probably already know that brushing and flossing their teeth twice daily is an effective way to prevent common problems like cavities, gum disease, and injuries.

However, if your little one is diagnosed with ASD (Autism spectrum disorder), you might struggle to get them to clean their teeth consistently. About 1 in 54 children is diagnosed with this condition which presents with communication challenges, sensory processing differences, or behavioral characteristics that make it difficult to maintain a routine. Continue reading to learn 3 helpful hints that might encourage your child to keep their smile happy and healthy!

It’s nice to have dental insurance for your child. That said, maybe reading through the details of their plan has you feeling like you’re playing a game of chess where your hard-earned dollars are the pieces! Never fear, your pediatric dental team will be willing to help you understand your child’s insurance benefits. In the meantime, read through this guide so you’ll have a winning strategy for the year.

When it comes to parenting, it seems like there’s never a point when you’ll stop learning; after all, the more you know about your child, the easier it is to ensure they’re happy and healthy. However, you might feel pretty lost concerning their dental health – their smile is much different than yours! Continue reading to learn some of the key facts about children’s dental health so that you can ensure your child’s smile looks and feels its best as they continue to grow.

Getting tongue-tied is pretty innocuous and even a little funny if you or your child are trying to say a tongue-twister. But an actual tongue or lip-tie is anything but fun. They can cause all sorts of issues for children, and if your little one is showing any of the following 5 signs, then it might be time to talk to their pediatric dentist about a frenectomy.

They may be small, but even kids can have big fears. Whether it’s monsters under the bed, apprehension about swimming, or anxiety about visiting the dentist, when your child is afraid, it can make even the most routine activities a challenge. Naturally, as a parent you want to ease their mind and bring them comfort. If they’re afraid of the dark, you can provide them with a nightlight. If they’re afraid of the water, they can wear a floatation device. But what happens when they need a dental exam? You can’t just let them skip their semi-annual checkup. Avoiding the dentist can worsen any existing dental problems, meaning by the time they do agree to a checkup, they may require more intervention than they would have if they’d gone sooner. This can in turn give them even more anxiety.

Thankfully, however, there is a solution. It’s called sedation dentistry, and it’s a safe and effective way to help ease some of your child’s dental anxiety so they feel relaxed enough to attend their dental appointment. Here’s how it works.

What is Sedation Dentistry?

Sedation dentistry is when your child’s dentist administers a sedative prior to their exam or procedure to lessen their anxiety. There are several types of sedation available, depending on how severe their symptoms are.

Here in America, we’re used to the tooth fairy wearing a little pink dress and fluttering into a child’s room to retrieve their lost tooth from beneath their pillow and leave a small gift as a reward. However, other cultures across the world have their own ways of celebrating this important and healthy part of growing up. Here’s some of the folklore surrounding the loss of baby teeth and how other cultures commemorate this passage into a new stage in life.

If you’re the parent or guardian of an infant or toddler, there’s a good chance your sleep schedule gets frequently interrupted. Babies and small children are notorious for waking up at all hours of the night for different reasons. You can often calm them with a bottle of milk or juice in bed to help them settle down so you can get some rest. However, doing so regularly could result in a condition known as baby bottle tooth decay.

If you’re not familiar with this issue, keep reading to learn more about it and how to prevent potential problems!

If you’re the parent or guardian of a child who’s about 6 years old, it probably won’t be long until you start noticing their baby teeth growing loose. This is typically when adult teeth start to grow in to replace them. Many kids get frustrated by their wiggling teeth because can hinder their ability to eat or speak. Others simply lose patience and grow annoyed waiting for their little pearly white to pop out. While well-wishers may have plenty of ideas, you don’t want them to do anything risky that would require a visit to their pediatric dentist.

If you’re hoping to help ease your child through this process, keep reading to learn 3 tips you can try to remove their wobbly tooth!

If you’re a parent, you probably have no trouble taking your child to the dentist when they have a toothache or if they happen to chip a tooth. While a dentist’s help is always welcome when your child’s oral health is in jeopardy, this isn’t the only time you should see them.

Arguably the most important appointments your child will have with their dentist are preventive, consisting of regular checkups and cleanings. This is because detecting oral health problems early is critical to keeping them manageable. Here’s why that is.

As kids grow into teenagers, they become more independent and confident in making their own choices. However, some decisions, like choosing a dentist, are still important for parents to make. While many teens might prefer an adult dentist, there are several reasons why they should stick with a pediatric one. Keep reading to discover three reasons why your teenager should continue seeing a pediatric dentist.