What parents do with their children’s baby teeth varies from family to family. Some save them, some throw them away, some make a craft project or a keepsake from them. Recent research is even exploring the possibility of having parents store their children’s baby teeth to preserve mesenchymal stem cell content in the event the… (Read More)
Continue Reading »What is Xylitol? Xylitol is a naturally-occurring substance found in the birch tree and in many fruits and vegetables. Its chemical structure resembles a cross between sugar and alcohol—but it is neither. Xylitol is used as an FDA-approved artificial sweetener that can also assist in the prevention of tooth decay, so Coastal Cosmetic Family Dentistry… (Read More)
Continue Reading »Orthodontics Aren’t Just Kid Stuff The use of orthodontic appliances to improve smiles isn’t just for kids and teens anymore. According to the Academy of General Dentistry, about one million Americans and Canadians over the age of 18 wear braces or aligners, and the use of adult orthodontics rose 24 percent between 1989 and 2008. … (Read More)
Continue Reading »If you had to undergo orthodontic treatment as a child or teen, hearing it recommended for your little one might make you wince—we understand! However, we’d like to assure you that just like general dentistry and treatments today, orthodontic care has improved in hopscotch-style leaps and bounds! Thanks to advances in technology and early intervention,… (Read More)
Continue Reading »Being the parent of a little one (or a couple or a few) means making a lot of decisions each day—what to dress them in, what to feed them, what books to read, toys to purchase, schools in your district. There are also a lot of questions you’ll ask, such as: “How do I care… (Read More)
Continue Reading »Six Month Smiles® is a short-term orthodontic treatment that adds some updated twists to traditional braces—with average treatment times of only six months! No one loves the way metal wires and brackets look, and for teens and adults who are concerned about the appearance of their smile during orthodontic treatment, the clear brackets and tooth-colored… (Read More)
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There are so many things to be concerned about when you find out you’re expecting. Eating right, taking enough vitamins, getting enough rest, telling your husband there is absolutely no way you are naming your firstborn son Bud Light… but what about your teeth? There’s an old saying—“you lose a tooth for every baby”—but those… (Read More)
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These days, people of all ages receive orthodontic treatment, but many of us still associate braces with the awkward and angsty pre-teen and teen years. While some kids are excited about braces because they know some “cool” teenagers who have them, others may worry about how braces might look or feel. Mom and Dad are… (Read More)
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Tooth decay in infants and very young children is often called baby bottle tooth decay. This happens when liquids with natural or artificial sugars remain in an infant’s mouth for extended periods of time. Bacteria in the baby’s mouth thrive on these sugars, using them to produce acids that attack the teeth and gums. Today,… (Read More)
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Thumb sucking is normal behavior for babies and young children. But just how normal? More than 75% of little ones suck their thumbs, fingers, hands, pacifiers, or other items such as the corner of a blanket during these early years. Most kids stop this behavior on their own between the ages of three and six…. (Read More)
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