Pediatric Dental Hygiene Tips

Here are some of the tips that I remember from Dr. Hishaw, the pediatric dentist who spoke to our group on 10/26/09.

1. Try to get your child(ren) off the bottle by 12 months and onto a sippy cup. A sippy cup with a soft silicone cap is okay.
2. Try to get your child(ren) out of the habit of taking a bottle/sippy cup to bed, unless it’s water.
3. Limit juice to 4-5 oz a day and give them during meal times, not as a snack. Straws are also good because the juice will bypass the teeth.
4. Swab your child’s mouths after each bottle or breastfeeding session with a cloth or spiffy dental wipe (I have samples for those who didn’t get one)
5. Take your child to the dentist by 12 months of age.
6. A dentist can help detect other problems that a child my have. Some medical conditions manifest themselves in the mouth.
7. When brushing the teeth, make sure to get the tongue and roof of the mouth as well. You want to reduce the amount of bacteria in the mouth. The more you can reduce the bacteria in the mouth when your child is young the less likely they will have large bacteria counts when they are adults.
8. Saliva is good for the mouth. It reduces the ph levels. So if your child is a mouth breather rather than a nose breather, it may be an indication that they could have more teeth issues and you should be extra vigilant with oral hygiene.
9. If your child doesn’t have large gaps between their teeth, especially between the molars, then you definitely need to be flossing. There are “fun flossers” you can buy at Walmart or Target which you can use.
10. If your child doesn’t have large gaps between their teeth, then it’s probably a good indication that they will need braces when they are older.
11. Tucson water is not fluoridated so you should discuss with your child’s dentist whether or not you need to supplement with fluoride tablets, or nursery water.
12. Around age 2.5 you can start to introduce fluoride toothpaste. But just put a little smear on the toothbrush, not a pea sized amount.
13. Change toothbrushes 4 times a year. If you see any kind of fraying then change it out because it can damage the gums.
14. Gummy vitamins are not good for the teeth. Consider changing to a different type that dissolves in the mouth (like Flintstones). And, it stands to reason that other sticky foods are not good either, like all gummy candy, dried fruit, etc.
15. Dr. Hishaw just opened a new office in Rita Ranch. This office will take a larger number of dental plans than her practice near the church. I was so impressed by her and her presentation that I’m going to make the hour drive to send Jordan there twice a year.

Safety Tips

We had a very informative Q&A with 4 of Tucson’s finest firefighters. Here are some of the safety tips that I remember. I will post them on the blog too. For those who remember more, please add that information on the blog too (and correct any mistakes I may have).
1. If you have a 2 story home and are trapped upstairs, close the door to the room you occupy and put a towel or blanket under the door crack (so that smoke can’t come in) and open the room windows. Wait for fire fighters and let the 911 dispatcher know that you are still in the house and what room you are in.
2. Also, if you have a 2 story home, it’s a good idea to invest in a roll ladder. I browsed online because I’m going to buy one for my house and found a site that sells them for not too much. Here’s the website: http://www.firstalertstore.com/store/catalog.asp?item=1215 It’s on sale for $33.99. I don’t know if that’s a good price, but I was thinking it would be at least $100 so I’m excited about that price.
3. The safest way to sleep is with the door closed.
4. If you see someone drowning call 911 first before attempting to rescue the person. Do not attempt rescue if you cannot swim, unless the person is in shallow water and you know you can stand up.
5. Scorpion and black widow stings/bites are not deadly like people are led to believe. They will hurt, but will not kill you. This is for the average person. Only people who specifically have an allergic reaction to these stings/bites should worry.
Call animal control regarding unwanted, large animals. The fire department deals with snakes only,
6. Rattlesnake bites are really bad… call 911 and get the person to the hospital as soon as possible. Same with brown recluse spider bites.
7. Change the batteries on your smoke alarms once a year.
8. Shake up your fire extinguishers once a month to keep the powder from clumping and it should last as long as you keep doing that.
9. Have an escape plan for your family, including a meeting place so that you will know if everyone is safely out of the house.

Recipes

Hi Everyone,

Let's post recipes here... like the s'mores cupcake recipe that Tricia MUST share with the rest of us. : )

Anne

Park playgroups

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to see how many moms will be able to make Wednesday playgroups? Would a different day be better? Would a different park be better?

Anne : )

Money Saving Ideas

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to include the website given at our first meeting so that people have an opportunity to save some money. : ) I haven't previewed the website yet, but I hope to very soon.

www.pinchingyourpennies.com

Enjoy! And please post comments with more money saving ideas!!

NWBC Mom's Group

Hi Everyone,

I hope this works!