Kids!

I get a lot of questions about kids and when to bring them in etc. I made this for a school I spoke to once. Here it is:

When should I first bring my kid to the dentist?

According to American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the official guidelines are to first bring your child in at 6 months and no later than 1 year old. Realistically however, the typical age where we can actually clean your child’s teeth and apply cavity-fighting fluoride is around 2 years old. Certainly if you would like us to see your child earlier and provide you with oral healthcare tips, we can do that also!

Our goal at Circle C Dental is to provide your kids with a fun and enjoyable experience. I, like many of you, had unpleasant experiences with the dentist as a kid. At our office, we have video games in the waiting room, TVs above our treatment chairs, toys and prizes and even nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to make your child’s visit as relaxing and enjoyable as possible.

How often should I bring my child in?

We recommend visits at every 6 months. Not only do we clean and polish the teeth, we also apply fluoride topically to physically strengthen teeth and prevent cavities. More importantly, the teeth are evaluated every time to make sure we catch any dental issues as early as possible.

What should I do if my kid knocks a tooth out?

Your first instinct may be to stick the tooth back in. DON’T! Give us a call at (512-301-2483) ASAP and we will figure out what is best. Especially important with baby teeth is to NOT stick them back in. If you do so, you risk injury to the permanent tooth growing below the visible gum-line.

How long should my child brush his/her teeth?

Kids – like adults – should brush their teeth for 2 minutes. Every kid that comes to our office will get a timer telling them exactly how long to brush. Until about age 8, you should consider doing a “check-up” brush to make sure that they are brushing correctly.

Teeth Whitening (Bleaching)!

Teeth whitening / bleaching is one of the EASIEST and most cost-effective ways to get your smile looking great. People often ask me about whitening and the various forms of whitening. Let's break it down:

1. Over the counter stuff like Crest Whitestrips etc. Yes they work, but rather slowly and ineffectively. The strips are often messy and don't stay in place. The bleach concentration is also lower (because by the nature of being OTC) and as such, it takes longer to bleach (usually at least 3-4 weeks). So the bottom line is that they do work, but the price you pay is a much longer time of wearing them.

2. Custom bleaching trays. Custom bleaching trays are the next option. This involves taking impressions on you and having custom bleaching trays made. The bleach supplied is also a higher concentration. Custom bleach trays offer 3 main advantages: much better fit (and so much better compliance on your end in regards to wearing them), higher bleach concentrations because it comes prescribed from a dentist's office and closer adaptation of the bleaching material to your teeth and as such more effective bleaching.

3. In-Office whitening. This will give you the quickest results. Typically we can give you 2 week's worth of results in about 2 hours. We place very strong bleach on your teeth with a barrier around your gums to protect them. You sit back, turn the lights down and watch TV for about 2 hours while we put fresh new bleach on your teeth every 15 minutes or so. If you are impatient to get whiter teeth, this is definitely the way to go. If I needed my teeth bleached today, this is the route I would take; I just don't want to wear a bleach tray and want immediate gratification.

BTW, option #3 (In-Office) is typically a ~ $550 procedure, but we are having our Spring Special (until March 19th) for only $350. Get your teeth looking ready for Spring Break! For more info, call us at 512-301-2483.