Not only did we want to give him a warm welcome, but we’d also like to introduce him to the patients and families of our Redwood and South Davis pediatric dentist offices. Keep reading to learn more about our newest kids’ dentist to partner with our team.

Background on Dr. McDonald

Effort. Teamwork. Family. Dr. McDonald highly regards these three principles, and he looks forward to working with kids and families at our office to demonstrate his commitment. Kids love to call him Dr. McDonald. If you would like to learn more about Dr. McDonald, you can read his full bio here. Or, get to know him better by reading his answers from our Q&A session.

Q. When did you become interested in dentistry and why?

A. “My dad is a dentist, so it’s always been part of my life and an area I was familiar with. However, I did not see myself becoming a dentist as a young kid. In fact, when I first started college, I was still undecided on the route I wanted to go. After I took a very challenging Anatomy course, I realized I wanted to help people and work with the human body. So I was debating between medical and dental, but based on my goals in life, dentistry was the choice that won out. I decided to go into pediatric dentistry because I love the family aspect of the practice. Other fields, such as oral surgery, are one-and-done sessions. With pediatric dentistry, I can build long-term relationships with my patients, their parents, and even siblings. It’s also rewarding to see a family where one child has a great experience and then serves as a role model for their sibling(s).”

Q. As a father of three and a man who comes from a huge family with more than 30 nieces and nephews, you definitely spend a lot of time with children. How does this experience help you with pediatric dental patients?

A. “I talk to kids. All-day. Every day. I play with them. Hang out with them. Teach them. Chastise them, when needed. Being around kids is just so natural to me, I don’t have to try too hard or be fake with my patients. It just flows. I am blessed with the gift of being able to work with them and communicate with them well because it’s been my day-to-day routine for many years to be in the company of children.”

Q. What do kids fear more about the dentist, and how do you help ease their worries?

A. “The number one fear is the unknown. There are a lot of different smells, sights, and sounds in the office, and they relate shots and needles to vaccines and pain. I combat that and resolve their concerns by being upfront and communicating really well with them. I let them know there will not be any surprises. I show them the material, let them get comfortable with it. Through teaching and making it fun, their anxiety is lessened, and they usually enjoy the experience.”

Q. Do you have experience with special needs children, including autism and/or other disorders?

A. “I have several family members that have special needs. I have also been a youth group leader at my church for more than six years, which has given me a lot of experience with kids with a variety of special needs. Also, during my two-year residency work in pediatric dentistry, I was at a highly specialized clinic in San Diego where I worked with all types of special needs kids on a daily basis. It was common to work with four or more kids daily with special needs, including those with very rare diagnoses.”

Q. You speak Spanish, which is a great asset for the local community. How did you learn, and where have you practiced Spanish?

A. “I studied Spanish throughout high school and my college years. I also went on a two-year church mission in Chile after my freshman year of college. I wanted to improve my dental vocabulary during dental school, and since we didn’t have a class, I started one so I could teach others and learn it better myself. Then, during my residency in San Diego, I was able to perfect my dental spanish as about a third of all our patients spoke Spanish, and for most of them, that was their only language.”

Q. What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

A. “I love turning kids around from hating dentists to liking dentists. There was one little boy in particular in San Diego that came into his first appointment in tears due to previous negative dental experiences. He was convinced he did not like the dentist, but after his first appointment he left saying that I am the best dentist he ever had! Winning over the parents is also key to helping the child relax. I love when the family is astonished at how well their child did, and they insist on bringing their other children to me as well. This is especially rewarding when the parent had a negative experience in the past.”

Q. What’s the best advice you give kids about maintaining optimal oral hygiene?

A. “Everybody knows that you need to brush your teeth. However, a lot of people do not realize that you wouldn’t really need to brush so often if you eat the right things. I emphasize diet and food choices. Eat your three meals per day, pick one snack in between, and be done. Whatever you do, do not snack all day.”

Q. What’s the best advice you give parents about their children’s dental health?

A. “Many kids establish their thoughts and feelings about the dentist based on their parents’ opinion. I advise parents to keep talking about dentists positively and give us a fighting chance. If they have had any negative experiences or horror stories, they should not tell their kids about it so that we can start out with a clean slate and fresh mindset.”

The post Dr. McDonald: A Family Man Who Loves Working With Kids appeared first on Utah Pediatric Dentists.

1. Instead of buying bottled water, buy a refillable bottle, and fill it from the tap.

In most (not all) households that have running water, that water has been fluoridated. Fluoride is a major player in the mouth’s daily defense against bacteria and plaque. Drinking fluoride water and giving your teeth that fluoride rinses several times a day in between meals and snacks, is important. The fluoridation of community water is likely a benefit in your home that you’ve never considered. However, it’s considered one of the ten biggest public health achievements for the entire 20th century, take advantage of it!

2. Incorporate more crunchy fruits and veggies into your meal and snack routines.

The downside to a lot of the delicious foods that we eat is that they lodge in between our teeth and in the crevices of our molars. When those food leftovers side on the gum line and around our teeth they often have time to do their dirty work on our teeth before the next time we brush. Crunchy fruits such as apples, pears, carrots, and celery. In addition to doing a little scrubbing while we crunch these fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins.

3. Routine dental visits

Even if you and your kids don’t have any symptoms of tooth problems, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have regularly occurring visits. An important part of dental care is prevention. Make sure your kids are scheduled for their yearly checkups and cleanings. Check with your insurance provider, some insurances are acknowledging the benefit of cleanings every six months.

4. Quit smoking/chewing tobacco.

This one doesn’t need a long-drawn-out explanation. Bottom line, smoking and chewing tobacco are bad for your teeth and bad for your overall oral health. Now’s a great time to work on quitting if you do either of these in order to set a better example for your kids to follow.

5. Quit or limit alcoholic beverages.

Regardless of your personal beliefs, alcohol is generally bad for your oral health. Alcohol can cause dry mouth which reduces your body’s natural defenses (saliva) against sugar, acid, and bacteria in the mouth. Many alcoholic beverages can stain your teeth, while the acidic content in many of them eat away at your tooth’s enamel. As a parent, your actions and feelings towards alcohol will influence those of your children, especially teenagers.

6. Cut back on the soda.

We know that sometimes you just really want something to drink other than water, but the truth is soda/pop is really harmful for your teeth. It’s very acidic and for every sip of soda you take, you’ve started a 20-minute-long acid attack on your teeth. So if you’re going to drink it, drink it quickly instead of dragging it out, and brush or at least rinse your mouth out with water when you’re done.

7. Use mouthwash.

Add the use of a therapeutic mouthwash to your morning or nightly routine. Proper mouthwashes can kill bacteria, fight plaque, and help prevent gingivitis. Recommended only for children over the age of 6 who aren’t at risk of swallowing the mouthwash.

8. Brush twice daily for two minutes.

Yes, this one made the list. Can’t have a list without this one. We always remind you!

9. Floss at least once a day.

Even our best brushers will admit to skipping flossing, or not doing it at all. Correct that misstep this year! Flossing is important and will grab food debris that will surprise you.

10. Chew sugar-free gum.

If you or your kids are in the habit of chewing gum, take a close look at the gum you buy. Is it sugar-free? Does it have the ADA seal?

11. Use a mouthguard when participating in sports.

Most people are familiar with football players using mouth guards for their sport, but you should really consider a mouth guard for your kids for other sports as well. Sports accidents can cause painful dental injuries. For more information about mouthguards, read our in-depth post, “Why Your Kids Should Use a Mouth Guard”.

12. Brush up on your brushing skills.

Take a moment to examine the way you and your kids brush your teeth. The technique is important; here’s a quick video put together by the ADA:

13. Let your kids pick out their own toothbrush.

Get your kids invested in brushing their teeth. Taking some ownership can help with that. Let them pick out their own toothbrush.

14. Brush with fluoride toothpaste.

Check your toothpaste and be sure it has fluoride. Look for the ADA seal too.

15. Replace your toothbrushes every three to four months.

Yes, your toothbrush needs to be replaced about 4 times a year. When the bristles wear out they can cause damage to your gums. Additionally, over time your toothbrush begins to collect bacteria.

16. Switch to whole wheat.

White flour products such as pastas, crackers, and breads turn into a lot of sugar for your teeth, and worse they can really stick in the crevices. See about transitioning to whole wheat products.

17. Bring nuts into your meal stable.

Peanuts, almonds, and cashews have the benefit of providing your body with protein, and minerals including calcium and phosphorous. Those minerals are important for your dental health because they are the minerals that are commonly eaten away from our tooth’s enamel by the sugars and acids that we consume and they need replenishing.

18. Set a schedule for eating and avoid grazing.

Do you know what we mean when we say grazing? Grazing is that slow snacking that all of us have done before where you just eat a little bit, and then a few minutes later, a little bit more, and so on. It might not sound so bad, but the truth is, it’s incredibly harmful to your teeth. When you graze, your teeth are under near-constant assault by the sugars, and acids introduced to the mouth with your food. Your tongue instinctively tugs and pulls at your teeth to try and clean out lodged foods, and your saliva is a professional defensive linebacker working hard for your teeth. Stop putting them under non-stop assault, and commit your family and yourself to set times for eating.

19. Don’t let your baby/toddler go to sleep with a bottle.

Even if your baby hasn’t gotten their first tooth, don’t start the habit of them going to sleep with a bottle. The milk or juice in a bottle can sit in their mouths and foster bacteria and tooth decay while they sleep.

20. Rinse your mouth with water after snacking or drinking.

After you and your kids snack or drink anything that isn’t water, make a conscious effort to follow it up with drinking water. Water will help to rinse the sugars and bacteria.

21. Get your kids floss picks

If flossing is difficult for your kids, don’t give up on the idea of flossing, instead, look to floss picks. Floss picks are individual flossers that can fit in tight spaces but may be easier to maneuver than regular floss. The ADA has given its seal to the DenTek Kids Fun Flosser Floss Picks.

We hope some of the tips on this list can be easy for you to incorporate into your dental hygiene routines in your home. Some may take trial and error while others may take a little longer to turn into habits, but we know you can do it. When was the last time your kids had a dental checkup? Give us a call today at 801-948-8880 and we’ll find an appointment time that works for you at whichever of our four locations is nearest you.

The post 21 Pediatric Dental Tips for 2021: Help Your Kids With Good Oral Habits appeared first on Utah Pediatric Dentists.

What is Cosmetic Dentistry?

The words “cosmetic dentistry” sound like a serious undertaking, and in some cases that is the truth. However, the term cosmetic dentistry really applies to any dental work invasive or non-invasive that serves the purpose of enhancing or improving the appearance of your toothy smile.

Odds are good that at some point you’ve had some cosmetic dentistry performed and just didn’t realize it could be classified as such.

Is Cosmetic Dentistry Appropriate for Children?

This question requires a more nuanced answer than the previous one. Some methods of cosmetic dentistry can be appropriate for children, in certain circumstances. Let’s explore that a little more.

6 Types of Cosmetic Dental Treatments Available for Kids

1. Composite/resin fillings are a common cosmetic dental procedure for kids. They serve the important and necessary purpose of repairing a tooth that has a cavity or tooth decay, but the cosmetic part comes into play when we use our composite resin to do the job instead of the formerly more traditional amalgam. When amalgam is used, there is a visible metallic look to the tooth. Our composite resin fillings are a blend of silica and plastics which are almost clear of any color, allowing them to be tinted to match the color of the repaired tooth.

2. Porcelain crowns are the cosmetic alternative to stainless steel crowns and can be appropriate for kids. A crown is used when the tooth in question is badly damaged or decayed to the point that a filling is not sufficient. The crown is created in a lab and then when ready, placed over the tooth covering it entirely. We often recommend porcelain crowns for teeth that are readily visible, hence the cosmetic aspect. If the tooth in question that requires a crown is a baby tooth and not a permanent one, then we discuss with parents and the child factors to take into consideration, including cost and time frame for when the baby tooth can be expected to fall out.

3. Direct bonding is a cosmetic dentistry procedure that is minimally invasive and serves a purely cosmetic purpose. Discoloration, stains, chips, or gaps can be covered by using a composite resin (much like what is used for fillings). This type of cosmetic procedure may be appropriate for adolescents with permanent teeth.

4. Teeth whitening is another purely cosmetic procedure. Teenagers are as prone to be concerned with the state of their smile as an adult. Perhaps even more so because the adolescent time of life is so fraught with big body changes and confusing social dynamics. While adults often experience discoloration on their teeth due to aging, the discoloration present in the smiles of teenagers is typically a result of the assault of acids and sugars from popular and often over-consumed beverages such as sodas, juices, and energy drinks.

5. Dental flipper is a cosmetic option utilized when trauma has caused the loss of a tooth. Think of it as a partial denture, or a retainer that has a prosthetic tooth/teeth attached to it. It serves the cosmetic purpose of maintaining the appearance of a tooth and a full smile. A dental flipper is only recommended for kids when the missing tooth is a permanent one. To be clear, once a permanent tooth is lost a person can consider dental implants. However, dental implants are not recommended for anyone under the age of 18 and are an invasive dental procedure. The dental flipper is an appropriate alternative for teens in this situation.

6. No-prep veneers are also sometimes referred to as minimal prep veneers and, as the name implies, are much less invasive than their porcelain veneer counterparts. Porcelain veneers are not recommended for teens because while they likely have all their permanent teeth in, their teeth certainly haven’t finished developing. Porcelain veneers often involve grinding on the tooth’s enamel to ensure adhesion. During a permanent tooth’s development, the nerve of the tooth’s pulp is closer to the surface because the dentin layer isn’t fully formed which places it at a higher risk of nerve damage. No-prep veneers will cover the front of the tooth only and require no anesthesia for the process.

Cosmetic Dentistry Doesn’t Discount Good Dental Hygiene

The truth of the matter is that while cosmetic dentistry can give your kid a perfect white smile, only good dental hygiene can keep it that way. The costs associated with the aforementioned cosmetic dentistry options available to teens and kids may very well be prohibitive. The best thing you and your kids can do so that they have that healthy shining smile is to brush and floss twice a day, for two minutes.

If your child has had crowns or fillings it definitely means that your child has already had some experience with tooth decay which isn’t great but isn’t abnormal either. That provides you with an opportunity to connect that your family needs to focus on dental hygiene routines, and perhaps examine the consumption of snacks and beverages.

The other procedures that are purely cosmetic need to be treated with caution. It can be easy to believe that because the stains on the teeth can be covered or whitened that less diligence in dental care is required. Don’t start down that slippery slope!

If you believe that your child may need/want some cosmetic dentistry, then give us a call to come in for a checkup. You can share your concerns and interests and we can review options and factors to take into consideration. Each child’s smile is unique, as is each situation.

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