Pediatric Dentistry of Redlands

Eating healthy can be a hard battle to win in a world where unhealthy food is readily available for your teenager. Now that they are back in school, it may be even more difficult to rein in their unhealthy habits as they pick from the food bar at school. Salads are a great way to keep their bodies and teeth healthy. Here are 5 tips and tricks to get your teenagers to love salads. 1.      Put a variety of vegetables in the salad. A salad with only tomatoes and ice burg lettuce can get old. Mix it up a bit with a variety of vegetables including ones that you know they love. 2.      Put chicken, steak or other favorite meat as a toping. While they are enjoying the flavor of their favorite meet they are getting the benefits of eating healthy. 3.      Mix it up with different spices and salad dressings. Now days you can find a recipe for any type of salad you want to try. Enjoy a spin-off of a reg...

Our teenager’s dental needs are unique because their bodies are changing. But their dental needs are no less important than younger children. While they are fiercely independent and brushing and flossing can seem like another power struggle among many, the dental habits they develop today can impact them for a lifetime. 1.      Brush and floss your own teeth regularly. “The more they see you setting the example, the more they will understand and internalize the importance of it,” says Dr. Fuller. While they may appear to be ignoring you, teens admit one of their role models is their parent. 2.      By a toothbrush and toothpaste they like. We are more likely to complete a task if it is something that we enjoy doing. Dr.Cameron Fuller suggests, “If the toothbrush is babyish or not one that seems appropriate, it may prevent them from enjoying the experience.” 3.      Set a consistent routine. The more routine th...

While they are already impacted by a host of changes as a teenager, their oral health also changes which can cause more problems for them. Bad breath, crooked teeth, missing or cracked teeth are just a few problems they may encounter as they move from tween to teen. Here are three top problems that may impact their smile and solutions to help them through this already difficult time. Crooked or crowding of teeth can happen when all of the permanent teeth have grown in and there is not enough room for them all. Children who have their wisdom teeth may experience even more crowding as they move and shift in the mouth until they can be removed. If your child has crooked or crowding of the teeth, Dr. Cameron Fuller encourages you to make an appointment, in order to determine if further oral health procedures are needed. Halitosis or bad breath can be the result of improper oral care, the food they are consuming, dry mouth or dental decay. Have your child implement a regu...

Your teen’s body is changing and so is their mouth. It is important as they grow older they continue to take care of their body and their smile. As they are growing and their food habits change - brushing, flossing and visiting the dentist is critical to keep their smile healthy.   If they fail to brush and floss during this time, they can end up with decay which can negatively impact their health. Dental care to prevent decay is critical during these years. Here’s why: 1.      Decay causes bad breath             Decay attacks the enamel of their teeth. As decay and bacteria build up it can cause their breath to smell. By age seventeen, 80% of kids have had at least one cavity.    2. Decay may impact social interactions              Decay causes bad breath that can impact your teen socially. Unfortunat...

   1. Make sure the brush is comfortable for their hands and mouth             a. Your teenager’s body is changing at a rapid pace. In order to ensure they are able to keep up with the hygiene demands of being a teenager, it is important to make sure they have a toothbrush that fits in their mouth correctly. You do not want to fight them brushing their teeth everyday, but if the toothbrush is not comfortable to them or is too big or too small it can create a dramatic situation unnecessarily exaggerated by other hormone changes going on with them.      2. Dr. Fuller suggests,"that your teenager see the dentist regularly and more frequently if they are in orthodontic treatment or wear an appliance."             a. Everyone should visit the dentist at least every six months for a cleaning to ensure there are no problems with...