KiDDS Dental 2017 Elf on the Shelf Photo contest!

KiDDS Dental's 2017 Elf on the Shelf Photo Contest

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

The Rules: 

KiDDS Dental's Elf on the Shelf photo contest begins Dec 26, 2017 and ends Jan 2, 2018.  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 the 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 26, 2017. Voting will take place in that album only. 

Judging:  Winner will be chosen by a popular vote.  Each "like" constitutes one vote. Voting begins on Dec 26, 2017 and closes on Jan 2, 2018 at 5:00 PM .  Winner will be notified on or before Jan 6, 2018.

Prize:  The entrant with the most votes wins a KiDDS Dental branded Kindle Fire.  Winner must be available to pick up prize at KiDDS Dental by 4 PM on Jan 18, 2018 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.

Don’t Delay on a Dental Abscess

Don’t Delay on a Dental Abscess

Any time your child suffers from more than momentary or very mild tooth pain, you should strongly consider seeing Dr. Jared right away. That suggestion becomes a hard-and-fast rule in the case of a potential dental or periodontal abscess, which will likely cause your child significant pain and may be visible as a pus-filled “pimple” on the gum.

An abscess is caused by a bacterial infection that, if left untreated, can affect more than just the tooth and/or gum. The infection can reach the bone or even organs such as the heart. That’s one reason it’s imperative to treat it right away.

An abscess may be caused by

• decay (a cavity) that quickly progresses before it can be treated, affecting the nerve and root of the tooth
• an injury (a break or crack) to the tooth that causes the nerve to die; the resultant space becomes a place for bacteria to congregate
• trapped food between teeth and gum, another reason flossing and brushing is so important; popcorn hulls, in particular, can be a culprit, because they can “grasp” a well-concealed tooth surface, impervious to usual food-removal techniques
• foreign objects, such as slivers of bitten-off fingernails, becoming lodged between the teeth or in the gums and causing irritation through which bacteria can enter

Because an abscess can form quickly—within a day or two of initial infection—prompt treatment can get rid of it quickly. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication can diminish the abscess pain at home, but it does not address the infection. Proper treatment is usually accomplished, in part, with antibiotics, but often, we must physically address the infection by draining the pus. In some cases, a root canal to remove a tooth’s dead nerve or an extraction is necessary.

Whether you are certain that your child has an abscess or you just suspect he or she might, this is not a wait-and-see situation. Make an emergency appointment with us to be sure your child is treated properly and as quickly as possible.

Give us a call at (509)-891-7070 to schedule today!

Does Your Child Have “Dentist Visit Anxiety”?

Does Your Child Have “Dentist Visit Anxiety”?

When it is time to visit the dentist, many children are fearful and anxious. Some of these fears are derived from previous experiences, such as having received a shot or having had a tooth drilled or extracted. Others are often based on anxieties about the unknown and what might happen. Even when previous visits haven’t resulted in discomfort, many children find the sounds and sights, such as loud drills and suction machines, sharp metal tools and bright lights, scary.

As a parent watching your child struggle with these worries, you may feel helpless, but you can take several steps to encourage your child to feel more comfortable about the checkup. Here are a few things you can do to help your child cope:

• Try not to take your child with you to your own dental visits. You could wind up transferring your own fears—even subconscious ones—to your child.

• Discuss the visit and your child’s fears before coming to our office. But don’t give your child too many details or make any promises about what will or will not happen.

• Do not talk about shots, drills, extractions or other potentially frightening aspects of dental care.

• Practice what you preach: Go to the dentist regularly, without talking about fears or worries or demonstrating anxiety.

• Understand that fear is not an uncommon emotion in children. Many children may feel separation anxiety, and fear of the unknown is especially common.

• Emphasize the role of going to the dentist in keeping teeth healthy and smiles bright.

• Do not cave in and cancel or postpone appointments; your child should understand that going to the dentist is a necessity, not a choice.

Let Dr. Jared and his clinical team know about your child’s worries. As a pediatric dental practice, we are trained in treating scared children. We know how to help worried children calm down once they sit in our chair. And that can help your child feel more in control.

Give us a call at (509)-891-7070 to schedule today!

Great Candy Buy Back 2017 Top Ten

The Top Ten Reasons to join us on
November 1st between 4 and 8 PM . . .

10. $1 per pound for children's leftover Halloween candy 

Event underwritten by Banner Bank. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Candy must be factory wrapped. No pixy stix, please. 

9. Opportunities to win tickets to our upcoming movie event
You could be one of the first in Spokane to see "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" with the KiDDS Dental Team!

8. Dr. Scott Ralph's team in SUPER SECRET costumes

7. The KiDDS Dental team in SUPER SECRET costumes

6. Telling soldiers "Thank You!" with a handmade card

5. Fire Fly toothbrushes
They are like light-sabers for your mouth.

4. Goody bags
Participants will receive coupons and promotional products from participating and local businesses.

Follow us on Facebook for specific details about the fun stuff we'll have in the goody bags.

3. Photo booth 

This year we'll have a self-serve photo booth with props to entertain the kids and commemorate the event.

2. Support the troops!All candy will be shipped to members of the armed services stationed overseas through Operation Gratitude.

1. No more cavity-causing, hyperactivity-inducing candy in the house!

KiDDS Dental takes you to the movies . . .

KiDDS Dental Introduces
Star Wars: The Last Jedi

December 14, 2017
Regal Cinemas

Spokane Valley Mall

To qualify for tickets you may:

• Share with us your children's Halloween costumes! Email your picture to Halloween@GrowUpSmiling.com by November 2nd at noon. We'll be posting the picture to our Facebook page. The picture with the most votes earns two tickets to the movie.
• Guess how much weight we'll bring in at our 10th Annual Great Candy Buy Back. Click here to be taken directly to the post where you can leave your guess!
• Bring us a hand-written letter of appreciation for our troops by November 6th at noon. We will mail the letters to Operation Gratitude, where they will be placed in holiday care packages for troops and first responders. Write as many heartfelt letters as you want (no photo copies). Each hand-written letter will earn you one entry for the drawing.
• Bring your children to our 10th Annual Great Candy Buy Back underwritten by Banner Bank where you can enter to win tickets.
• All non-winning entries for all contests will be included in our last chance drawings. Enter as many contests as you can! We have over 100 tickets to give away.
• Follow the directions on contest posts on the KiDDS Dental Facebook page between now and the night of the movie.

Winners will be notified by phone, e-mail or FB messenger on or before December 4th. Tickets will be available to pick up on December 7th between 9 am and 4 pm and December 11th and December 12th between 8 am and 5 pm. Tickets not picked up by 5 pm on Tuesday, December 12th will be considered forfeited by the winner and distributed to others.

Does Parents’ Stress Lead to Child’s Cavities?

Does Parents’ Stress Lead to Child’s Cavities?

Stress—the kind that weighs heavily upon adults’ minds, no matter what its cause—is clearly not a good thing in any context. It may be a negative factor in their children’s dental health. Scientists have tried to study the nature of the relationship between parental stress and caries (dental cavities) in their children.

One factor is financial. Parents or guardians who are barely getting by are much more likely to experience stress. Usually, such parents are also pressed for time, perhaps by working more than one job or having an extra-long commute because of slow public transportation. Less time can mean less opportunity for taking children to the dentist. And less money can mean that parents, despite possible good intentions, may feel they can’t afford dental care, especially routine visits. Although low-cost options, such as dental school clinics, may well be available, researching those possibilities takes time, which, again, overly stressed parents are less likely to have.

A generational link may also exist. Parents who are stressed may themselves come from families where dental checkups were not a top priority, and so it becomes less of a priority for their children, too. Fewer checkups and fewer reminders about the importance of daily dental health routines can mean more cavities. More cavities, and more fillings, can exacerbate fear of future dental visits.

Sometimes, the cycle begins even before a child is born. Mothers who experience poor dental health while they are pregnant may give birth to children who are more likely to have caries. The prevalence, and subsequent transfer, of the cavity-causing bacteria in the mother may be at the root of that problem.

So, while ascertaining the exact nature of cause-and-effect when it comes to parental stress and children’ cavities might be significant, one practical take-away message is clear: Parents should be aware of their own stress levels and make every effort to keep their offspring stress-free. It will make life calmer while keeping your child’s teeth and gums healthier.

Click here to schedule an appointment with Dr. Jared. Or give us a call at (509)-891-7070.

Does My Child Need a Tooth Pulled?

Does My Child Need a Tooth Pulled?

Dental extraction is one of the most feared reasons to visit a dentist’s office. To many parents, extraction represents a worst-case scenario. Many causes of tooth extraction are preventable, although others are not. While unfortunate, it’s important to remember that, when your child’s dentist pulls a tooth, it is to benefit the overall dental health of your child.

The preventable causes of tooth extraction are related to general safety and good oral care. Sports accidents are one of the leading causes of broken and dislodged teeth. If your child is engaged in sports, particularly contact sports, it is important that he or she wears a mouthguard. Another leading cause of tooth extraction is severe decay. The best way to prevent this outcome is to make sure that your child regularly brushes, flosses and visits Dr. Jared.

However, some reasons for tooth extraction are not preventable. Sometimes, if a child’s baby teeth don’t fall out at the proper time, they can prevent adult teeth from coming in correctly. That may require removing the baby tooth. If your child needs braces, it is occasionally necessary to remove a tooth to ensure that the rest of the teeth align properly. A large number of children and adults will need to have impacted wisdom teeth removed. Finally, certain prescription drugs or medical procedures can result in changes to your child’s gums or teeth. If a child is undergoing radiation therapy, irradiated teeth may need to be removed.

Fortunately, children can be much more resilient than their parents, and losing a tooth is usually less painful and less uncomfortable for them. If your child has been especially good, you might want to consider inviting the tooth fairy over for a visit. It will certainly help blunt the sting of losing a tooth.

Call us to schedule an appointment today! (509)-891-7070. We'd love to meet you and your family.