Pediatric Dentistry of Redlands

There is no reason for toddlers to chew gum. While your toddler’s body is growing it is important to provide lots of opportunities for them to eat nutritious foods. Pediatric dentist, Dr. Cameron Fuller suggests, “Fruits, vegetables and healthy snacks are a better alternative to a stick of gum loaded with sugar.” Fruits and vegetables help remove food that may become stuck to the teeth, by creating extra saliva to rinse away food.  Also gum is a choking hazard for young toddlers. Young children who are unable to understand the concept of gum may swallow it, and it can become lodged in their throat depending on the size of the piece. They may not know or understand what purpose gum serves, leading them to repeatedly swallow gum, which can cause stomach issues, gas or jaw problems.  The part of gum that makes it sticky is not digestible. If a child is chewing gum and swallows too much of it, it will remain in the digestive tract and can cause childr...

As parents we are constantly faced with a variety of decisions involving our children. While there are many that we can’t help with, when to floss your child’s teeth is an important topic that pediatric dentist, Dr. Cameron Fuller can give you some information about in order to help you make this decision. “Flossing is as important for kids as it is for adults.   As soon as their teeth begin to erupt, food has the ability to stay on the teeth and between teeth. Usually when kids begin to teethe they get a few teeth in at a time. They are typically all on the bottom or the top at first.   Flossing prevents cavities from developing between the teeth, where a toothbrush can’t reach.” “You’ll want to begin flossing their teeth as soon as there are two teeth together. When they enter the big halls of kindergarten, you’ll want them already flossing on their own. You may need to help them floss between their back teeth, as it can be difficult for the...