Author: Playtime Dental

Diet and Dental Care

Posted on by Playtime Dental
As adults, we know that what we eat and our overall health is extremely important to our day to day lives. The same goes for children. Daily exercise and a balanced diet are important for kids of all ages. Too often kids are given sugary snacks or drinks as a bribe for them to behave or as an award for doing something good. Although giving kids these types of foods are okay every once in a while, as parents, we should really try to limit these.
An overall poor diet may affect the development of your child’s teeth. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, food does not cause tooth decay, eating does. Eating foods with high sugar content can play a role in tooth decay. It is important to monitor the type of food consumed and as always, make sure your kid brushes his or her teeth at least twice a day to help remove the bacteria that cause decay.   
Here are some simple, helpful diet tips that can help with your kid’s dental health:
  • Ask your pediatric or general dentist to help you assess your child’s diet.
  • A balanced diet is key. Try to only provide sweets or starchy foods for meal times.
  • If your child would like a snack, try to provide something nutritious and low in sugar.
  • Try to keep your pantry and refrigerator full of healthy snacks and foods. Save the “fun foods” for a special occasion.
  • Do not put your child to bed with a bottle full of milk, juice or formula. Once your child’s teeth are clean it’s best to give them water when going to bed.
  • Always try to choose the sugar free option for soda and gum. Eliminating sugar where you can, will help in the long run!

Pacifier or Thumb?

Posted on by Playtime Dental
To continue from last week’s blog post regarding dental care for babies, we felt it is necessary to talk about other baby habits that can affect oral hygiene such as using a pacifier or the baby sucking on their thumb.

According to the American Association of Pediatric Dentistry, here is a list of quick facts regarding pacifier/thumb sucking:

  1. Babies suck on their thumb or pacifier for pleasure, comfort and security. This habit can start before they are even born.
  2. The AAPD recommends pacifiers over thumbs to comfort new babies. The pacifier habit is typically easier to break and could decrease the chance of orthodontic problems.
  3. Thumb or pacifier sucking is normal for infants and children. Usually children will stop on their own, however if the child doesn’t, the habit should be discouraged by the age of 3.
  4. Thumb or pacifier sucking can affect the teeth the same way. After a long period of time, there may be affects with the upper front teeth sticking outward. Other potential effects include problems with jaw alignment, tooth positioning or the bite.



It is very important that you visit a pediatric dentist or a dentist who devotes most of his or her time to children, by the age of one year.  As time goes on, support from your pediatric dentist, as well as family, can help children quit the pacifier or thumb sucking habit!

Dental Care for the Baby

Posted on by Playtime Dental
Here at Playtime Dental we care about your child’s oral health!  We are here to share with the world, how to prevent cavities and keep the mouth healthy!

People wonder, why clean your baby’s mouth when they don’t have any teeth? We want to clean the mouth even without teeth because plaque from food can accumulate and bacteria can still grow and cause problems for the gums!  Also by doing so, this will prevent the bacteria from sticking to your baby’s gums which can help avoid damage to the teeth as they erupt, as well as prevent bad breath.  So it is important to gently wipe your baby’s gums at least twice a day or after each meal.


It is recommended by American Academy of Pediatric Dentists, that a child have his or her first dental visit by the age of 1! Here is an equation to help: 1 + 1 = 0. Let me guess, in thinking back to your elementary math days, you learned that 1 + 1 =2 not zero. However, in this scenario 1 + 1 = 0 because ONE dental visit when there is ONE baby tooth can equal ZERO cavities!


After consulting with your dentist, you can graduate to using a toothbrush once the baby has a tooth or two. The toothbrush needs to have soft bristles and be small enough to fit comfortably in your baby’s mouth.  You can start using a smear of fluoridated toothpaste around age 1. Carefully supervise your children when using toothpaste so they are not swallowing it!

Babies can “catch” cavities from their caregivers. In 71 percent of the cases, the mother is the source. Research indicates that the cavity-causing bacteria known as Streptococcus mutans can be transmitted from mothers to infants even before teeth erupt! The better the mother’s oral health, the less the chance the baby will have problems.

All in all, being a proactive parent will not only benefit your child’s oral hygiene but also help start making a routine dental visit a positive experience for your kiddos! 

Pumpkin Painting Contest

Posted on by Playtime Dental
Hello from Playtime Dental! It is hard to believe that we are about half way into the month of September; however, we are excited because you know what follows September? October and October brings fall goodies and Halloween at Playtime Dental!

We are happy to announce our Pumpkin Painting Contest is set for Saturday, October 12th from 11:00AM to 2:00PM. This family fun event is full of kid activities such as face painting, snacks and of course, pumpkin painting. The judging for the Pumpkin Painting Contest will start at 1:30PM and yes, there will be a prize for the winner!

Go ahead and mark your calendars for this afternoon event and bring in your best painted pumpkin! We look forward to seeing you all there!

Hello! Welcome to Playtime Dental!

Posted on by Playtime Dental
Hello! Welcome to our blog! Here at Playtime Dental we cater to the young and growing! Our kid friendly environment will make each child’s visit fun and entertaining all while providing high quality care. We use many kid relate-able techniques to make his or her visit an educational one such as using our trusty friend Magic Z. Dragon to help demonstrate proper oral hygiene! Magic Z. Dragon helps show kids how to get rid of cavity bugs by tickling teeth with a tooth brush and using silly string (floss) to get rid of those hard to see cavity bugs between the teeth!
We pride ourselves on making each visit as fun and comfortable as possible. Our waiting room is dedicated to the kiddos. We have local art by elementary schools on our walls and toys, games and puzzles to occupy the little ones while waiting. When it is time to examine teeth, we have TV screens for the kids to watch and sunglasses if the examination light is too bright.  Once the appointment is finished, he or she will get to visit the treasure box for a prize!
We encourage you and your family to come on in and visit our office. We are here to provide your kids with the best dental care possible. Give us a call today at (419) 774-PLAY(7529)!