Pediatric Dentistry of Redlands

Has your teenager come home recently smelling like a new odor that is not appropriate for their age? Have you shown them pictures of oral cancer and discussed with them the cost of cigarettes? It can be difficult as a parent to watch your teenager make unhealthy decisions that will impact their life forever. However, with these few ideas you may be able to help support them to make better decisions. The CDC reports “Thirty-two hundred people under the age of eighteen smoke their first cigarette every day,” (CDC.gov)   Dr. Fuller of Pediatric Dentistry of Redlands believes that the best role models are parents. If you smoke, your teen is watching. Find out more about programs to help you quit from your general dentist.   Further research suggests you should begin to talk to your kids about the impact of smoking when they are young. Start the dialog when they are five or six and continue talking to them about the consequences all through High School. W...

We come home from a long day at work and go through the motions of getting the kids to bed. We run the rat race of parenthood only briefly stopping for special memories every once in awhile. However in all of the day to day activities, it is important to stop and focus on the oral health habits you are teaching your children. Afterall, they watch what you do. If you go to bed without brushing your teeth, they’ll notice. However, if you implement a shared expectation that both of you will brush at the same time, for the same length of time, children will rise to the occasion. Dr. Fuller suggests, “Make it fun while brushing your teeth in order to increase their motivation to complete the task. Play their favorite song, read a story or put on a puppet show.” If you find that you are nagging them to complete the simple tasks of taking care of their teeth, especially after a long day, try changing the strategy. For example, if they brush their teeth without asking, read ...

           The holiday season is almost upon us, and while it is easy to make one more batch of cookies or one more pie this season we challenge you to incorporate fresh fruit into your holiday platters instead.   The increase in the sugar craze not only increases the risk of diabetes and obesity in your children, but it also increases their risk of decay. Dr. Fuller suggests, “More decay means more cavities, which can lead to increase in dental visits, pain and missed school.”               Instead of cupcakes, cut up some strawberries, melons and add some blueberries. They are easy to grab and enjoy without the calories.   “Or dress up some celery with your favorite raisons during this holiday season,” says pediatric dentist Dr. Fuller. While your children will burn more calories eating it, it also has a high concentration of water that increases saliva productio...

The holiday season is coming up and the store shelves are stocked with eggnog and holiday cookies. Are you concerned about your children’s habits? This holiday season try scaling back on the sugar treats and incorporate some healthy holiday alternatives. While eating during the holidays is a tradition you may also want to think about adding some physical activity to your list of family traditions.             “For example: a family holiday scavenger hunt around the neighborhood, a friendly football game or a potato sack team race can make this holiday season an unforgettable one,” says Dr. Cameron Fuller . “Or take a walk around the block with your dogs and children. No matter what activity you chose incorporating just thirty minutes of activity this holiday season with a few healthy options could reduce your weight gain while teaching your children healthy holiday habits.”     ...

 Bottle rot can impact your child’s baby teeth and have critical long-term effects on their adult teeth as well. When putting your child down for a nap,” Dr. Cameron Fuller suggests, “never putting them down with a bottle.” The milk they drink sits on their teeth and stays. The longer milk is on the teeth the better chance is has of producing bacteria that turn into acid, which then attacks the enamel of your son’s or daughter’s sensitive baby teeth.   Also, saliva amount decreases when your child is sleeping and therefore, there is a decrease in the amount of liquid that can help rinse the milk off their teeth.   Never dip the tip of the bottle in sugar or syrup. While, this may seem like a great idea if your baby is fussy and refusing a bottle, it actually increases the amount of bacteria producing acid.   Dr. Fuller of Pediatric Dentistry of Redlands and Associates recommends that parents not fill the bottle with sugary drinks or juice.   W...

“Bottle rot or baby bottle tooth decay is caused when milk sits on your baby’s teeth for an extensive amount of time,” says pediatric dentist, Dr. Cameron Fuller. Milk and other sweet liquids have sugar in them.   The sugar turns to bacteria, which then convert to acid, and the acid attacks the enamel. Although, your child’s teeth may be below the gum line, they can still be impacted by early habits     Bottle tooth decay occurs more often on the top front teeth, however decay can impact any teeth if not taken care of or if good bottle habits are not developed from an early age. If your child has decay from bottle rot it is important to take care of the problem right away, as leaving the decay in their mouth can impact them in multiple ways including creating pain, a decrease in overall health and it could even result in tooth extractions. While baby teeth may not seem important, if your child does not have a healthy mouth it can cause problems for...

As your baby grows and matures you may not think of teeth brushing as a natural process that has specific milestones, however there are.   You will want to brush your baby’s gums with a small washcloth until their first tooth erupts.   At that point it is time to find an appropriate sized and shaped brush to use. It is not necessary to use toothpaste, and in fact you should not use paste until they are at an age where they are able to spit.   Once your child has the ability to spit toothpaste out, find a brand and flavor that works for you and your child. Using a small amount of toothpaste is best – think pearl sized. You do not want too much on the toothbrush or their teeth as it will make it more difficult for them to get all of it out of their mouth and they run the risk of swallowing more of it. It is not good for your child to ingest fluoride, but flouride in your child’s toothpast can help strengthen your child’s teeth by helping t...

  When you stand in the aisle at the grocery store, you are bombarded with multiple toothbrush choices. There are ones that sing, and some that rotate. Others may vibrate and still others may seem boring – those in one color and with soft bristles. Toothbrush choices to some extent are a personal preference. You don’t want it to be too big or too small. Dr. Fuller recommends, "making sure the handle fits well in their hand and that the head of the toothbrush can go comfortably in their mouth,".   The bristles should be soft. Hard or stiff bristles can damage the gums and teeth if too much pressure is applied.   The age of your child makes a difference on the appropriate type of toothbrush you should purchase. Children under the age of twelve can have a difficult time with dexterity and reaching all of the surface locations of their teeth. An automatic toothbrush does make getting to all the surfaces easier. Depending on the size of the automa...