Dentistry for children with special needs

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Starting good oral hygiene at home and seeing a pediatric dentist early are important for ALL children, including those with special healthcare needs. If dental care is started early and consistent then EVERY child can enjoy a healthy smile! Cavities are preventable with effective brushing and flossing, limited snacking, adequate fluoride, sealants, and regular visits to the pediatric dentist.

Here at Smiles for Kids, we see all children with special health care needs, which may include chronic physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional conditions. Some of the more common conditions that require special care in dentistry include Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, epileptic or seizure disorders, vision and hearing impairments, cleft lip/palate and other craniofacial conditions, and learning and developmental disabilities. We have two board-certified pediatric dentists, Dr. Kasia Lindhorst and Dr. Adrien Theriot. Pediatric dentists are the dental professionals of choice for children with special needs. Their education as specialists - two or more years beyond dental school - focuses on care for children including those with special needs.

Why can children with special healthcare needs be more susceptible to dental decay and gum disease even though they may be born with healthy teeth?

  • Some disabilities interfere with the ability of the child to brush and floss on their own.

  • Some children with special needs are on diets detrimental to dental health or may have difficulty clearing food from the mouth.

  • Certain medications can lead to increased risk of dental disease.

  • Sometimes the time, energy and financial resources of the family are devoted to other more pressing health problems.

Dental conditions that parents should watch for: enamel irregularities, gum infections, baby teeth or permanent teeth coming in later than expected, dry mouth, problems with the way teeth fit together like crowded teeth or bite problems, decay, congenitally missing teeth, etc.

What does a dental visit for a child with special healthcare needs look like at Smiles for Kids?

We understand that each child is unique and may need extra care to feel comfortable during dental exams, cleanings or treatment. For example, one child might do great with positive communication, another might benefit from a body blanket to help control involuntary movements, and still another might need mild sedation to feel relaxed during treatment. Our pediatric dentists are well trained with a variety of possible approaches, and you as the parent can help select the approach that is best for the specific health and behavioral needs of your child. Most importantly, don’t delay dental visits because of a fear of how they will do. We are happy to do small and frequent visits to get them accustomed to the smiling faces, rooms, chairs, tools and environment.

Dental home care tips:

  • Brush twice a day. The best times are after breakfast and before bed.

  • Use a toothbrush with soft bristles. Get a new one when the bristles no longer stand straight up, usually every three months.

  • Use a smear or rice-size amount of fluoridated toothpaste for children under 3- years-old. For those 3 to 6 years of age, no more than a pea-size amount of fluoridated toothpaste should be used.

  • If a child cannot tolerate toothpaste, perhaps because of gagging or an inability to spit, parents and caregivers should brush the teeth with a fluoride rinse or fluoridated water. This will still help prevent gum disease and tooth decay.

  • Begin flossing once a day when two teeth are close and touching.

If your child has special healthcare needs or you have questions about your child’s first visit to the pediatric dentist, give us a call at 713-461-1509.

*All information gathered from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry

Halloween Candy Buy Back starts today!

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We are having our Annual Halloween Candy Buy Back program at Smiles for Kids Pediatric Dentistry starting November 1st!

Have your kids bring their leftover Halloween candy to our office and trade it in for $1.00 per pound (up to $5.00). 

The last day to collect candy will be November 11th!

We will donate the candy along with toothbrushes to our troops overseas through Move America Forward!

Did you know...?!

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Tooth decay is the number ONE chronic infectious disease among children in the U.S.?!

Cavities can begin as early as 1 year old!

According to the AAPD, “Children with tooth decay are far more likely to develop immediate and long term oral health issues, including pain, infections, difficulty speaking, problems eating food, tooth discoloration and even tooth loss.”

Here are some helpful tips for parents:

For babies up to 2 years old:

Clean your babies gums with a soft cloth or toothbrush at bath time. Once their teeth come in, you can brush with a toothbrush and a small smear of fluoride toothpaste. If your baby gets a bottle for bed, give nothing BUT WATER, no milk. Bottles that contain sugary liquids like milk or juice can put those teeth under acid attack all night long. Never dip a pacifier in anything sweet. We recommend establishing a dental home by scheduling an appointment with a pediatric dentist (like us!) by their first birthday. This appointment is all about discussing your child’s growth and development, healthy brushing habits, diet recommendations, fluoride exposure, anticipatory guidance and trauma prevention.

For 2-5 years old:

Brush those little teeth twice per day, once in the morning and once at night, with a pea-size amount of fluoride toothpaste. Night time is the most important. See your dentist twice per year (or every 6 months) for a check-up, cleaning and x-rays as deemed necessary by the doctor. These visits may also include discussions about habits such as finger sucking or pacifier use. These habits over time can push the upper teeth forward or cause changes in their bite. Watch for snacking, and try to stay away from ewey, gooey sticky snacks like fruit snacks or goldfish. These types of snacks stick to the grooves and in-between teeth causing cavities. Start flossing your child’s teeth as soon as any tooth teeth start touching, especially the molars in the back. Avoid juices because these can bathe the teeth in sugar. Water is the best drink!

For 6 years old and up:

All of the above plus parents should supervise their children’s’ brushing and flossing until about 7 or 8 years old. Chewing xylitol gum has been shown to stimulate saliva flow which helps to clean the mouth. If your child participates in sports or physical activities, protect your child’s teeth by having them wear a mouth guard. Avoid carbonated beverages, sports drinks, sodas or juices which are very acidic and can erode enamel on their teeth. Talk to your dentist about protecting the grooves of your child’s molars with sealants!

Halloween Candy Buy Back Program

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We are having our Annual Halloween Candy Buy Back program at Smiles for Kids Pediatric Dentistry starting November 1st!

Have your kids bring their leftover Halloween candy to our office and trade it in for $1.00 per pound (up to $5.00). 

The last day to collect candy will be November 11th!

We will donate the candy along with toothbrushes to our troops overseas through Move America Forward!

Thank you for a great Patient Appreciation Party!

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We had an awesome time this year at our Patient Appreciation Party! We already can’t wait until next year! Watch the slideshow to see all of the cool activities and games we had before watching the movie Sing2!

THANK YOU to these awesome companies for coming out and partying with us:

Idea Lab Kids - @idealabkids.springbranch

Our patients had so much fun decorating their jellyfish to take home! Check them out for some fun in education with everything from science, engineering, coding, culinary arts, robotics, arts and more!

iKidsInc - @ikidsinc

The kids had so much fun painting with you. If you're ever looking for an after school program, iKids partners with schools, parents, and other organizations to provide safe after school care while having fun too!

School of Rock Memorial - @schoolofrockmemorial

All of our patients loved the guitars and were excited to play with them! Check them out for music lessons as young as 4 years old to adults!!

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

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Baby bottle tooth decay is caused by frequent and long-term exposure of a child’s teeth to liquids containing sugars such as juice or milk. The sugary liquid pools around the infant’s teeth and gums all night, feeding bacteria that turns into plaque and acid causing tooth decay. 

What does baby bottle decay look like?

  • In the first stage, you can see a chalky white color along the gumline of the teeth. At this stage, it may be reversible with good oral hygiene and use of fluoride toothpaste.

  • The next stage is the “damaged” or cavity stage. Those spots will turn a yellowish brown and breakdown of the tooth occurs. At this stage, teeth may be sensitive to cold.

  • As the cavity gets worse it may spread to the nerve and cause pain or infection. Teeth that are weakened by cavities can fracture easily with minor trauma.

We recommend to always brush your baby’s teeth before bed after dinner or milk. If your baby is given a bottle when going to sleep, avoid juice or milk. Water is recommended.

If you have any questions about baby bottle tooth decay or how to take care of your little one’s smile, give us a call at Smiles for Kids! We recommend their first dentist check-up by their first birthday!

Back to School Lunch Ideas!

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We know that school has just started and that means early mornings, getting all the kids out of the house with clothes and shoes one, teeth brushed, homework packed, matching shoes, and on time before that bell deems them tardy. We know that dinner time is crazy trying to come up with healthy foods for our kids somehow squeezed in-between tutors, music lessons, homework time, and sports. And we also know that after our precious babies are finally in bed, parents still have laundry, dishes, and those LUNCHES to pack! Oh how easy it is to reach for prepackaged foods full of sugar and completely lacking in nutrition! Marketing companies make it so easy to pick those up from eye level grocery store shelves… So here we, your Heights Pedo/Ortho team, are ready to rescue you by giving you some quick tips on making it easier on yourselves.

Let us start with discussing lunch boxes as those can really make a difference in packing lunches for our kids. Our favorites are ones that have compartments that make is easy to pack just the right amount and just the right variety.

Lunch needs to be healthy, easy to make, and nutritious. Here are our suggestions:

  1. The biggest compartment needs to be filled with the main meal. Sandwich with peanut butter, ham and cheese, or anything else your kids love is a good choice. Try to pick non-white bread to make it a bit more healthy. You can also pack a salad, pasta, meatballs, chicken, etc into that larger compartment. Simple wraps made with tortillas are also great ideas kids love. You can make enough pasta to last the whole week. You can make few sandwiches at a time and store in your fridge. The main meal should be an easy pick and pack on daily basis instead of making something new every day.

  2. One of the smaller compartments can fit fruit and/or veggies. For fruit we suggest anything that can easily be sliced at the beginning of the week or fits into the box without cutting up. Apples, oranges, berries, grapes, or kiwis are all great and can be cut up on Sunday night and distributed daily. Best veggies are the ones that your kids will eat. We find that kids like carrots, celery, broccoli, peas in a pod, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers. Have them all ready for easy “throw in” at the beginning of the week.

  3. Second smaller compartment can be used for a healthy carb such as pretzels, healthier version of chips or crackers. Kids like crunchy snacks in addition to their main meal and fruit and veggies.

  4. Granola or nut mixes are also great to fill in one of the lunch box spots. If you choose to pack granola bars, read labels as they are often filled with empty calories and sugar. However, there are many great alternatives on the market now, so do your research before and buy in bulk.

  5. Last but not least…. TREAT! The smallest compartment should be the one filled with a treat. Try to stay away from anything that is sticky, gooey or filled with chemicals. But a piece of chocolate, small cookie, chocolate or yogurt dipped pretzels, never hurt anyone and your kids will look forward to those little treats!

  6. SNACKS-these might not fit in a lunch box, but your kids will appreciate something to snack on throughout the day. There are plenty of healthy and non-sugar filled yogurts, apple sauces, puddings, fresh fruit such as apples and bananas, and other packaged foods that can be added to the packet of the lunch box case that will make your kids happy.

  7. DRINKS-we have only one word… WATER. A carton of milk at lunch time is perfectly healthy, but otherwise they need nothing but water to drink throughout the day. And lots of it! Encourage them to make sure that they stay hydrated. Flavored waters without sugar or sodium can be a once a day treat as well.

We sure do hope that this helps guide your on your daily lunch box quest! Remember, the less cutting, slicing, and spreading you can do daily, the less you will despise lunch making hour! And if we have to summarize it in one sentence here it is:

STAY AWAY FROM LIQUID SUGARS, GOOEY, CHEWY, STICKY SNACKS, AND MAKE YOUR KIDS’ LUNCH BOXES AS COLORFUL AS YOU CAN.