2014 Elf on the Shelf Photo Contest Details

Show us your Family's Elf on the Shelf! 

Email us a picture of your elf caught in their most mischievous act!  Winning entry gets a Kindle Fire HD6.  Voting begins Dec 20th.  Contest ends on Dec 31st.

Facebook in no way endorses or promotes this contest. It is solely promoted by KiDDS Dental.

The Rules:


KiDDS Dental's Elf on a Shelf photo contest begins Dec 20, 2014 and ends Dec 31, 2014.  By submitting a photo, each entrant agrees to the rules and states that they are 18 years or older.

Who may enter: Adults 18 years or older are eligible to submit a photo.  KiDDS Dental will determine the eligibility of each photo submitted at its sole discretion.

What to enter: A picture of an Elf on a Shelf shot by the entrant.  If a child is in the picture, only a parent or guardian of the child may submit the picture. 
Photos that violate or infringe upon another person's rights, including to but not limited to copyright, are not eligible.
By entering the contest, entrants grant KiDDS Dental license to display, distribute, reproduce photographs.

How to enter: Photo must be emailed to elf@growupsmiling.com to be considered. All entries will be included in a Facebook album on the KiDDS Dental Facebook page starting December 20, 2014. Voting will take place in that album only.

Entry Deadline:  Photos must be emailed by Dec 27th at midnight.

Judging:  Winner will be chosen by a popular vote.  Each "like" constitutes one vote. Voting begins on Dec 20, 2014 and closes on Dec 31, 2014 at midnight.  Winner will be notified on or before Jan 8, 2015.

Prize:  The entrant with the most votes wins a Kindle Fire HD6.  Winner must be available to pick up prize at KiDDS Dental by Jan 24 or prize will be forfeit.
Winners must sign a media release and will be responsible for paying any taxes they may owe on a prize.

5 Tips to Banish Your Child's Bad Breath

Bad breath, also known as halitosis, might seem like a benign irritant, but it can actually be a sign of something much more severe. In most cases, halitosis is simply a result of poor oral hygiene. If you want to describe it as vividly as possible for purposes of motivating your children to take better care of their mouths, say that bad breath comes from all the decomposing food left in their mouth that they didn’t brush and floss away, as well as the bacteria that came into their mouths to eat all that food debris. In addition to being a good motivator, that explanation has the advantage of being true—in most cases.

Here are some oral care tips that will help to reduce the risk of halitosis:

• Schedule brushing time after meals.
• Brush the tongue with a soft-bristled brush.
• Drink more water.
• Suck on sugar-free candies.
• End each meal with a crunchy fruit such as an apple to help expel bad food particles and freshen the breath.

If your child improves his or her oral hygiene and the bad breath persists, there’s a very real chance that the bad breath is a leading indicator of something far more serious. In some cases, depending on the smell of the child’s breath, he or she may benefit from seeing a doctor. If your child’s breath smells fruity, it’s a possible sign of diabetes or a number of critical conditions that might require urgent care.

While in most cases better dental hygiene is enough to fight halitosis, Dr. Jared can help determine if the cause is something more serious. As with any issue related to oral care, make sure to raise the issue of halitosis with us during your next visit to KiDDS Dental.

Congratulations to Kaiden!

He's the latest KiDDS No Cavity Club winner!

Kaiden chose a Toys R Us gift card as his prize for winning our drawing.
He was also treated to a photo shoot with Tanya at Tanya Design + Photo. 

Are your kids cavity free?
Call us at 509-891-7070 to schedule an appointment with our staff of caring professionals to find out!

Congratulations to Peter!

He's the latest KiDDS No Cavity Club winner!  

Peter chose a $25 gift card to Toys R Us as his prize for winning our drawing.

He was also treated to a photo shoot with Tanya at Tanya Design + Photo.

Are your kids cavity free?  Call us at 509-891-7070 to schedule an appointment with our staff of caring professionals to find out!

2014 Giving Tree Photo Contest Rules

The Rules:

Facebook in no way endorses or promotes this contest. It is solely promoted by KiDDS Dental.

KiDDS Dental's "Giving Tree" photo contest begins December 1, 2014 and ends December 18th, 2014.  By submitting a photo, each entrant agrees to the rules and states that they are 18 years or older.

Who may enter: A member of the staff for invited organizations may enter on behalf of their organization.  KiDDS Dental will determine the eligibility of each photo submitted at its sole discretion.

What to enter: A picture of the provided tree that is decorated.  In the description of the picture, please include the name of the participating office and the name of the eligible charity.
Photos that violate or infringe upon another person's rights, including to but not limited to copyright, are not eligible.
By entering the contest, entrants grant KiDDS Dental license to display, distribute, reproduce photographs.

Entry Deadline:  Photos must be entered by the December 18th, 2014.

Judging:  Voting begins on December 1st, 2014 and closes on December 18th, 2014.  Charities will be notified of their prizes by January 8th.

Prize:  The chosen charity for each picture will be given $1 per vote, up to $250 per picture/charity. Additional prizes may be distributed to the office submitting the picture of the tree with the most votes.

"Like" our Giving Trees to earn dollars for charities by clicking here.

7th Annual Great Candy Buy Back

The planning for our 7th Annual Great Candy Buy Back underwritten by Banner Bank is well underway.  As a reminder, here are the details:

Monday, Nov 3rd

4pm - 8pm

Children will get a dollar for each pound of candy they bring in.  
We'll also be handing out goody bags with fun stuff!

Parents will be able to enter to win prizes.

Candy will be shipped to troops overseas through Operation Gratitude

Dr. Jared got a question via e-mail once about our buy back that he'd like us to share with everyone:

I have a really good question. Why do you want the troops overseas to eat the candy the kids get at Halloween? Adults get cavities too and are prone to obesity and hyperactivity if they eat too much candy. This doesn't make any sense to me.

Here is our response:

You do, indeed, ask a very good question.  I want to reassure you that we do care about the oral health of not only the children in our area, but the adults who are courageously serving the US in hostile countries. 

We have chosen Operation Gratitude as the organization that we go through to recognize our appreciation for our country's soldiers. The care packages that Operation Gratitude assembles fit into a 12" x 12" x 5" box. This box could probably hold 3-5 lbs of candy.  The packages, however, are not made entirely of candy.  The care packages include other things such as DVDs, stuffed animals, stacks of greeting cards, socks, scarves, CDs, and more.  I would estimate that none of the packages contain more than 2 lbs of candy.  Some of the kids that bring in candy bring in less than 2 lbs.  Most, however, bring in plenty more.  In most cases, we're distributing the candy from one child to multiple service members. 

Although there is no way to track what the one service member does with the one package they receive, I am told that the items in these care packages are often shared with the other members of their team.  There are also reports of troops using the candy to befriend the children in the areas in which they serve, making their territory just a bit less hostile.  So, of the up to 2 lbs of candy that is delivered to one member of the military, it is likely that it is not all eaten by that one individual.  

Another way that we mitigate the effects of the candy on the recipient is by sending toothbrushes and toothpaste to Operation Gratitude.  In the last few years, we've shipped almost 300 toothbrushes and tubes of  toothpaste to be included in the holiday care packages.

The price of the candy and shipping charges are well worth it to us.  Check out these videos that show how amazing this cause is:

http://youtu.be/zOnwb1w8QEk

http://youtu.be/ZUGemsZUpBo

In conclusion,  Dr. Evans believes that candy should be enjoyed by children who have trick-or-treated to earn it, but it is not healthy for anybody to enjoy it in excess.  His suggestion:  Eat a little, save a little to enjoy for the few days following Halloween and then get rid of the rest before having candy daily becomes a habit that is hard to change.  Why not turn that excess candy into a good deed for another?  We're happy to buy that candy from children to give it to others who will be uplifted by the gesture and who should enjoy it, as well. 

If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us again!

What do you think?  Should we reconsider our efforts to buy back candy and send to troops?  Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Getting Your Child to Floss Every Day

Flossing removes plaque between the teeth where a toothbrush can’t reach and should begin when any two teeth touch. Flossing is just as important as brushing, but it is often more difficult, less comfortable to teach. Fortunately, there are a few fun and effective ways to help get your children flossing every day.

• Do it for them: This is especially important for younger children. According to the American Dental Association, you should first help them learn how to floss by doing it for them. Take an 18-inch string of floss, wrap it tightly around one finger on each hand and leave about an inch or two of spare floss pulled taut. Now gently slide it between your child’s teeth and move it toward the gum line. Gently slide it back and forth against the edges of the teeth. At first, children often don’t like the sensation of flossing, but they need to learn to accept it. Odds are, you will be gentler than they will.
• Give them a floss holder: While they’re a touch more expensive than continuous-thread floss, floss holders are much easier to use—and children are less likely to unspool an entire floss holder for fun.
• Floss with them: Children learn by imitation. They need to floss every day— and so do you. When you floss with your children, not only do you help them pick up a good habit but you reinforce your own.
• Use a progress chart: Children like to feel a sense of growth and reward. One way to reward them for flossing is to put a weekly flossing and brushing chart on the bathroom wall. When they floss a predetermined appropriate number of times, give them a small reward.
• Use music: Children (and adults) enjoy doing things to a beat. Find a piece of music they enjoy and make it their “flossing song.” Teach them to floss to the beat, and turn off the music when they finish. (Just make sure the beat is not too fast.) This can help turn flossing from a chore into a fun way to develop a healthy habit.

At your next visit to KiDDS Dental, be sure to mention how much better your child has gotten at flossing. A little praise from the tooth expert can go a long way.

Enter the KiDDS Summertime Picture Contest!

Three ways to win . . .

1. Color our color page and bring to our office.
2. Draw your own summer picture and bring to our office.
3. Post a picture of you having summertime fun on our Facebook page.

We'll draw one lucky winner for a $25 gift card on August 31st.

 Remember . . . we're still running our "Where Did you Brush your Teeth This Summer?" Photo Contest on Facebook, too!  Click here to enter to win a Triple Play Fun Pack for your family!

All About Sealants

Brush On Long-lasting Cavity Protection

Among the items in the Dr. Evan’s toolkit for which we’re the most grateful is a cavity-prevention technique called “sealing.” It is one of the simplest and most effective ways to help keep tooth decay from ever forming—making life easier on child, parent and dentist alike.

Here’s how it works: The sealant is actually a safe liquid form of plastic that can be brushed onto the tooth surface. The chewing surfaces of back teeth need sealants most, because they have the deepest crevices in which food and cavity-causing bacteria can accumulate and may be untouched even by conscientious toothbrushing.

The sealant—which quickly hardens after application—acts as a colorless physical barrier so that food and bacteria cannot take up residence in the nooks and crannies in the first place. That is why it’s important for us to apply sealant to the chewing surface of each back tooth as soon as it erupts in your child’s mouth—and that can include primary as well as the later-emerging adult teeth.

One application of sealant can last for up to a decade. But sealants need to be checked during your child’s dental checkups to ascertain whether additional sealing material is needed and to apply it if appropriate.

The only downside to applying dental sealant is that it can give children—and their caregivers—a false sense of security. Sealants are very helpful deterrents against cavity formation in the crevices of back teeth, but they don’t protect all tooth surfaces. The best cavity protection for the smooth surfaces of all teeth is exposure to fluoride, via fluoride toothpaste, fluoridated water and, sometimes, a fluoride-containing mouth rinse.

So, even with sealants in place, your child needs to follow the rules of good dental hygiene just as strictly as before:

• Brush twice a day. For children over 2 years of age, use a pea-sized bit of fluoride toothpaste on the brush, and clean each tooth thoroughly.
• Floss once a day. Have your child use whatever type of floss is most comfortable for him or her to manipulate.

Try to have your child avoid the stickiest of candies, as well as chips, pretzels and cookies, which form residues that are among the toughest to brush away. But if your child eats them, have him or her brush as soon as possible after consumption.

If you have more questions about sealants, or cavity prevention in general, please talk to us at your child’s next visit or call KiDDS Dental at 509-891-7070. We can give you the most up-to-date information.

Get the Vitamin D Needed for Healthy Teeth

Despite the increased intake of food, today’s children still lack many vitamins and minerals necessary for healthy growth. The reason is simple: Children love snacks, and many of the snack foods they eat today are devoid of meaningful nutrition, packed instead with sugar and sugar substitutes, fats, additives and other nutrient-poor substances.

Vitamin deficiency can have a significant effect on a child’s overall health, including playing a major role in the development of strong, healthy teeth. One nutrient that’s critical for strong teeth—vitamin D—is also frequently lacking in children’s diets. In fact, according to a recent study published in the journal Pediatrics, vitamin D deficiency is startlingly common among children of all weight classes, with one in five “healthy weight” children deficient in this critical nutrient. The risk of deficiency increases as children become heavier. According to the study, 29% of children considered overweight and 34% of obese children do not get enough vitamin D.

Here’s what you can do to make sure your child is getting the vitamins and minerals they need for healthy teeth:

•  Make sure your child eats plenty of healthy foods, such as dairy products (some studies have shown cheese is especially good for teeth), lean proteins, leafy vegetables, fresh fruits and whole grains. 
• Get a double-dose of nutrients by including foods that provide both vitamin D and calcium, such as fortified low-fat dairy products, fortified soy and rice beverages, and canned sardines or salmon. 
• Sunlight is important for the production and absorption of vitamin D, so make sure your child gets moderate exposure to sunshine on a regular basis. 
• Avoid fast food and sugary snacks filled with empty calories. 
• Avoid high consumption of carbonated beverages, including soda, that can actually remove vitamins and minerals from your child’s bones and other tissues.
  

One more important caveat: If your child is a vegetarian or has specific health issues, such as diabetes or digestive problems, he or she may need additional nutritional supplements to stay healthy. But instead of trying to decide on your own which supplements your child needs, ask your child’s pediatrician and us for guidance. Together, we can help you select the best supplements to ensure that your child receives all the vitamins and minerals he or she needs to stay healthy.

Dealing with Shark Teeth

Sharks, unlike most other animals, grow their teeth in rows, one behind the other. The rear teeth slowly push forward until they replace the front teeth. Most people know about that only as a fun science fact. Unfortunately, for some children it is an uncomfortable reality.

When most children begin growing their adult teeth, the roots of their baby teeth dissolve, and the new tooth pushes the loose tooth out of their mouths. Sometimes, however, the adult tooth begins to force its way through the gums before the baby tooth comes out. In this case, the adult tooth ends up behind the baby tooth, leaving one tooth in front of the other, like a shark.

Much of the time, this occurrence is harmless. Eventually, the baby tooth comes out before the adult tooth is completely in place. When the new tooth finishes growing, it moves into its final home in line with the other adult teeth. If the baby tooth doesn’t come out on its own, we may have to extract it.

In rare instances, the “shark” tooth grows in between two other adult teeth. In that case, we will have to shave the sides of the two adjacent adult teeth through a procedure called “disking.” Once that’s accomplished, we will move the permanent tooth into place, using orthodontic braces to properly align the teeth.

If you are at all concerned about the growth pattern of your child’s teeth, let us know. If we find that there is no problem, then no harm has been done. But if it turns out there is a more serious issue, it is better to catch it early. We will take dental x-rays to see if there’s any real danger or if the teeth should just be allowed to grow.

Shark teeth do not pose an emergency, but they can lead to problems down the line if not taken seriously. If you notice permanent teeth erupting behind baby teeth, call KiDDS Dental in Liberty Lake at 509-891-7070 to make an appointment so we can assess the situation and take any necessary steps.

Is your child's diet "Teeth-Safe"?

A Diet that Is “Teeth-Safe”

Getting children to eat a healthy, balanced diet can be a challenge. Beyond preventing childhood obesity lies another reason that parents need to pay attention to their families’ eating habits: dental health. Everything your children eat affects their teeth as well as their overall health. Even some healthy foods can be detrimental to their mouths if eaten too frequently or without brushing immediately afterwards.

Timing Is Everything

The longer sticky, carbohydrate-rich foods hang around in the mouth, the more hospitable the mouth becomes to the plaque that can lead to tooth decay. Oatmeal, whole grain cereals and dried fruit are all great choices, but they tend to stick to the teeth. Instead of cutting them out of your children’s diet, have your children brush their teeth right after eating starchy foods. As for sweets, offer them as desserts after a meal rather than on their own; there’s more saliva production happening at mealtime, which can help wash away the sugars and residue. Avoid frequent snacking: The longer your children go between eating, the more time their mouths will have to produce bacteria-fighting saliva.

The Worst Foods for Your Children’s Teeth

Obviously, sugary and sticky foods are the worst offenders—lollipops, sugary gum, candy and dried fruit. But also be aware of highly acidic drinks that can eat away at tooth enamel, such as citrus juices and sodas. Pickles and honey may also lead to decay.

The Best Foods for Your Children’s Teeth

Cheese and apples are a mouth’s best friend—and a great snack option for children. Cheese offers a dose of tooth-strengthening calcium and encourages saliva production to wash away lingering food particles. A crisp apple or carrot is nature’s toothbrush, naturally scrubbing away plaque.

Your best bet for oral health, however, is a balanced diet, including lots of antioxidant-filled fruits and veggies. Not only will this enhance your children’s overall health but it will benefit your children’s mouths by protecting gums from cell damage and infection.

Photo credit: <a href='http://www.123rf.com/profile_sbworld8'>sbworld8 / 123RF Stock Photo</a>