Pediatric Dentistry of Redlands

 Do you know which foods are considered high fiber foods that enhance the health of your child’s teeth?                                              Apples Raspberries  Pears Legumes Berries Green peas Almonds Grains Brown rice Mango   “You don’t have to disguise that bland bran muffin at breakfast to get your daughter to eat high fiber foods,” says Dr. Cameron Fuller. “There are plenty of other choices that are healthy choices your kids will love.”

Fiber is a plant substance that our bodies are not able to absorb. It can be considered bulk and it is critical to the systems of the body.   There are two types of fiber one is soluble and one is insoluble. The soluble fiber comes from some fruits and vegetables. When fiber is in the body enzymes mix with the water in your child’s body and creates a gel. This gel then begins to control your son’s blood sugar. You might have thought fiber is only good for one thing. However, fiber is actually critical for the healthy development of teeth as well as the body. Worried you have to feed your son a bran muffin to get the right amount of fiber? Don’t fret says Dr. Fuller, “there are lot’s of fruits and vegetables that have fiber in them as well as grains. When fiber is ingested it will allow your child to feel full longer, but these types of foods tend to also be lower in sugar. Fiber according to the, American dental association helps, “to balance the sugars in th...

Here are some team favorites Fruit Pizza: 1 Pie crust pkg.  (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened ¼ cup  natural sugar ½ tsp.  vanilla 4 cups  assorted fresh fruit (kiwi and strawberry slices, red and black raspberries, drained canned mandarin oranges) ¼ cup apricot preserves, pressed through sieve to remove lumps 1Tbsp.  water In order to make it HEAT oven to 375°F. LINE 12-inch pizza pan with foil; spray with cooking spray. Arrange cookie dough slices in single layer in prepared pan; press together to completely cover bottom of pan. Bake 14 min.; cool completely. INVERT onto plate; carefully remove foil. Turn crust over; place on plate. BEAT cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with mixer until blended; spread onto crust. Top with fruit. MIX preserves and water; brush onto fruit. Refrigerate 2 hours. Whip up a quick fruit smoothie and cool off this summer: Ingredients: 1-1/2 cups dark sweet frozen cherries (pitted,...

Did you know this could be contributing to cavities? As parents we all want what is best for our children. However, food with a higher concentration of sugar binds to teeth and attacks the enamel.   Weakened enamel leads to pain and cavities. Once sugar binds to the enamel on teeth, bacteria now has what it needs to turn into acid. The acid attacks the surfaces of the teeth and causes tooth decay.   Consider sending strawberries or melon bites for a healthy alternative desert. They taste great, overall are healthy and provide less opportunity for decreased tooth strength. Genetic make-up not only affects how tall your daughter is, and what color hair your son has, but it also plays a part in their teeth. "Some individuals are more susceptible to bacteria in their mouth," according to Dr. Cameron Fuller at Pediatric Dentistry of Redlands and associates , which creates a higher level of tooth decay while others seem to be able to better fight this off and...

"Fruits and vegetables are not only important for your child’s overall health," Dr. Cameron Fuller at Redlands Pediatric Dental says, “it is critical for healthy teeth.” Carbohydrates, starches and processed sugars stick to the enamel on your child’s teeth increasing their risk of tooth decay. Fruits and vegetables are better for their teeth because they tend to have a higher concentration of water with a lower amount of sugar. Dr. Fuller highly recommends cucumbers and melons because they contain even more water than other fruits. While your packing your child’s lunch for the day it is recommended to attempt to stay away from thicker fruits and vegetables such as bananas. Not only are they higher in sugar they tend to stick to the teeth. The longer a substance is stuck to the teeth the more it becomes a hot bed for bacteria, which can lead to tooth decay. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends packing a slice of cheese as a healthy ...

Your child's dental visit is a great place to continue to form healthy habits.   However, your dentist can’t protect your child’s teeth all by themselves. In order to have a healthy mouth it requires work at home, and brushing and flossing your son/daughter’s teeth twice a day is a great place to start.   There are some other important factors to healthy teeth besides just brushing and flossing. Did you know: Foods high in carbohydrates cause an increase in tooth decay? Carbohydrates, sugar and foods high in starch actually sit on your child’s teeth longer. These foods not only stick to their teeth, but they decrease the amount of saliva production in the mouth. “The more saliva the more food is naturally removed from the enamel on the teeth,” says, Dr. Cameron Fuller. Dental visits are critical to overall mouth health and they keep your child’s smile shining bright. Dr. Fuller, a pediatric dentist in Redlands, California, recommends you do no...

Today’s technology for frenum surgery offers some different solutions.   For more information on what a maxillary frenum is, refer to Tuesday’s blog post. Midwives dating all the way back to 1697 used to have a very sharp nail or pair of scissors that would cut the frenum after a baby was born. “Today’s technology is more advanced,” says Dr. Cameron Fuller.   After a baby is born it may be recommend that the tissue be snipped to help with challenges relating to the frenum and nursing. This can be still done with a specialized pair of scissors, but more likely will be done with a laser. Using a laser means less pain and a much shorter recovery time for your infant. If the child is older, a local anesthetic may be used. “The earlier the treatment can be diagnosed and treated the better,” recommends Dr. Fuller. “Leaving it can mean speech delays that could potentially lead to low self-esteem in school-age children.   If your child has this co...

  The frenulum is a piece of skin that may restrict the movement of the tongue.   When this occurs it is referred to as being tongue-tied.   This means the “frenula,” strong cords that is attached at the back of the tongue, are too tight. This excess skin can also be attached in the front of the mouth between teeth.   This condition can create trouble for babies to feed. As children get older some possible consequences are speech delays along with low self-esteem for your child. According to Dr. Cameron Fuller, D.D.S., M.S., “Sometimes the skin will thin and disappear on it’s own. However, other times it is necessary to seek further medical attention in order to cut the skin so it is no longer attached.” If you reach your tongue up between your teeth and your upper lip you can feel this very strong piece of skin that has such an important purpose. The frenula helps, to create ...