Word of Mouth

Spring 2016

As Spring approaches we hope all of our patients, parents and friends have stayed warm and healthy this Winter! We would like to remind our families that if anyone is considering Spring Break for scheduling appointments, our schedule is filling up quickly, so give us a call!

National Children's Dental Health Month

February was National Children's Dental Health Month. Each year the CDG Team goes to daycare facilities, early learning centers and schools to give our presentation of the importance of having good daily oral hygiene.

This year, the team has made presentations at over 30 locations with more than 2000 children attending in total! There was such a high demand that we had to schedule many into March. This is our favorite time of year, it is such a joy to teach the children. We are enjoying every minute of it!

Dental Forms

All children starting kindergarten, second and sixth grade are required under Illinois School Code to have dental exams. Generally, the schools will hand out the forms during registration, however, if you have not been given a form yet, our office has the forms on file and we can complete them during your child's next dental visit.

Feel free to contact our office if you have any questions or need any further information regarding dental forms for schools.

Surviving Your Child's First Cavity

For some parents bringing your child to the dentist twice a year can feel a bit like "rolling the dice". Maybe you were very diligent about brushing and flossing with your child for a month or so after the last visit, and then you fell off the wagon. As a parent, this can be quite stressful. The last words you want to hear from your child's dentist are "We found a cavity".

When this happens, the first instinct for a parent to feel is guilt. Your mind may start to wonder what you could have done differently to prevent this from happening. The best advice we can give you at this point is to take a deep breath and relax. Of course there are ways to help prevent cavities, but sometimes even with proper brushing, flossing and fluoride rinses at home, children can still get cavities. Cavities can not only be caused by lack of daily hygiene, but also by diet, the shape of the teeth and the general chemistry and bacteria in each individual's mouth. Some of these are things that are out of our control. That

is why we stress having a daily routine of the things we can control, like brushing two times a day, flossing and using a fluoride rinse.

It is very important when you receive news that your child has cavities to stay calm, confident and positive. The last thing you want to do is use the experience in terms of pain or punishment. For example, saying to your child, "You don't brush your teeth and now you need to get a filling at the dentist". Parents also shouldn't over-provide information. Informing your child with too many details of the appointment can cause your child to be anxious. The words shot, pain or drilling aren't comforting to anyone and should not be used to describe the appointment. Instead, provide your child with very basic information, like "The dentist is going to clean the sugar bugs out of your teeth".

When it comes time for the appointment, we encourage the parent to be calm so that the child stays calm as well. Sometimes we also encourage the parent to stay in the waiting room and let the child be independent for the appointment, which in turn encourages bravery in the child.

After the appointment, some children are really irritated by that "numb" feeling. The best thing to do is to reassure them that the feeling will come back soon, and make sure they don't hurt themselves by biting, scratching or sucking on their lip, cheek or tongue while they are still numb.

Here at Children's Dentistry Group, we want all of your child's experiences to be positive ones, and will go the extra mile to make every patient comfortable.

Frequently Asked Questions

At our office, our parents are always asking questions to ensure they are getting the best for their children. This makes us very happy and we are more than happy to answer any questions that come our way. The most frequent ones we've been getting lately are about gummy vitamins and stainless steel crowns. Here is some information on the following:

Gummy Vitamins

Many parents have asked us about gummy vitamins. We know that many children are more willing to take their daily vitamins in gummy form, and it is a necessary part of their growth and development. Unfortunately, the sticky sugar coatings of these vitamins adhere to the teeth, similar to candies and sweets. Use these vitamins with caution with your children and be sure that they brush and floss after consuming them. There are some gummy vitamins on the market that are sugar free, but be sure to consult your Pharmacist or Pediatrician for alternative options.

Stainless Steel Crowns

If your child has a primary (baby) molar with severe decay, malformation or extensive wear the stainless steel crown may be the recommended restoration. Due to the lack of healthy tooth structure other filling materials may not be strong enough to restore the tooth. Many parents have inquired about alternatives to the stainless steel crown, but several types of tooth colored resins have been tried, but are not successful. Tooth colored resins are very unpredictable when it comes to long term clinical success. Also, because of heavy chewing forces in the for the back primary (baby) teeth, the stainless steel is far more durable and provides safe, resilient and long lasting results.

A Note From the Business Office

Our front desk is more than happy to help with any questions over the phone and in office and will direct you appropriately. For your child's welfare and in compliance with accepted standards of care, we need a record of their most recent health and/or medication changes as well as updated contact information. That's why when we see you for your six month cleaning appointment, we have the parent fill out a Health History Update sheet. This sheet tells us who the child is, any questions or concerns the patient or parent may have, any health changes or developments and any changes in insurance information. This information helps us deliver the highest quality care to your child. Thank you for your cooperation.

Thank You

We would like to give a big thank you to our families in the practice for referring their families and friends to us. We appreciate the trust and confidence you have in us!

Dr. Paul Herer, Dr. Melissa Patenio, Dr. Sarah Mahmoud and the entire CDG team.

Children's Dentistry Group, LLC | 847-726-0300 info@childrensdentistrygroup.com | http://www.childrensdentistrygroup.com
195 South Rand Road
Suite 110
Lake Zurich, IL 60047