Operation Gratitude at Pearland Pediatric Dentistry

This Halloween, Dr. Pamela Clark, Chompy and our entire team invite you to celebrate the season by earning a little cash and supporting our troops.

Through November 18, trade in your trick or treat candy at our Pearland location and earn a buck per pound. All donated candy will be sent to our troops overseas courtesy of the Silverlake UPS. If you'd like to write a letter to our military men and women overseas, we'll make sure to include it in our shipment.

Have a fantastic Halloween and we'll look forward to seeing you soon!

What's so bad about nail biting?

We’ve all heard that biting your nails is an awful habit, but you many wonder- really- what’s so bad about it? Recently, our team at Pearland Pediatric Dentistry found an interesting article that discusses how biting your nails affect your teeth and oral health.

Nail biting, also known as Onychophagia, is a common habit among various age groups, including primarily children, teens and young adults. Nail biting is generally triggered by stress and most often decreases with age. That being said, nail biting is unsanitary, unattractive, as well as unhealthy for your teeth!

Here’s why:

• It’s unsanitary. Your nails are dirty, almost twice as dirty as your fingers! Hence, biting your nails is just asking for germs and bacteria.
• No good things come to your teeth. Nail biting causes your teeth to constantly be chewing, which is not good for them. This excessive motion wears your teeth down faster than a non-nail biter’s and puts a large amount of stress on your front teeth- contributing to teeth misalignment.
• Braces don’t love it either. Braces already put pressure on teeth, nail biting ads unnecessary pressure, further stressing your teeth and weakening their roots.
• It can be costly. Nail biting can result in up to $4,000 in additional dental bills over one lifetime, according to the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). Yikes!

What can you do about it?

Now that you know how harmful nail biting can be, it’s time to take action to break your nail biting habit. Try to be conscious of your fingernails and to keep them looking good- this will help you resist the temptation. Ask Dr. Clark or visit the article for tips on how to break a nail biting habit.

Good luck!

Your friends at Pearland Pediatric Dentistry

Five great snacks for kids

At Pearland Pediatric Dentistry, we know getting kids and teens to eat healthy isn’t always an easy task, especially when they’re busy with school and other school- and social-related activities. At the school cafeteria, it's just too easy for kids to nosh on french fries, chicken nuggets and other fried foods and unhealthy snacks, so Drs. Pamela Clark and Suha Reddy and our team thought we’d pass along five delicious and nutritious snacks we know your child will love.

1. Cheese – Cheese is one of the healthiest snacks for your child's teeth. In addition to providing large amounts of much-needed calcium, cheese also does its part to fight cavities. Cheese stimulates the body's salivary glands to clear the mouth of debris and protect them from acids that weaken them, according to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. This means cheese disrupts the development of cavities, especially when eaten as a snack or at the end of a meal. Calcium and phosphorous found in cheese reduce or prevent decreases in the plaque's ph level and work to re-mineralize the enamel of your child's teeth.

2. Blueberries These tiny nutritional powerhouses are loaded with Vitamin C, as well as folic acid, minerals, fiber and disease-fighting phytochemicals, which have shown to help prevent cancer and diabetes. Kids love them sprinkled with a bit of sugar, topped with whipped cream, added to muffins and pancakes.

3. Whole wheat bread or cereal With bread, kids get their iron, vitamins, magnesium, and zinc. With vitamins, calcium, and fiber, a bowl of enriched whole grain cereal with milk—and even fruit—is a power-packed snack or healthy start to the day.

4. Almonds They’re rich in disease-fighting phytochemicals and Vitamin E, and also have good amounts of fiber, iron, and calcium. Let your kids eat them raw. (Note: Whole nuts are a choking hazard for children under 3 years old.)

5. Yogurt Eating dairy is not just healthy for building strong bones, but is essential for maintaining a strong, healthy mouth. Low-fat yogurt is an excellent source of calcium, especially when whipped up in a parfait with berries and granola. Homemade fruity yogurt pop sure beats sugary store-bought frozen treats!

We encourage you to check out the other 15 healthy snacks your child can enjoy at any time of the day! For more information about which foods are best for keeping your teeth healthy, please post your question here on our blog, give us a call or ask us on Facebook!

Help Pearland Pediatric Dentistry & Chompy Design This Year's Holiday Card!

Tis the season for our Annual Holiday Card Contest! Pearland Pediatric Dentistry and Chompy need your help designing this year's holiday card. Please give us a call if you have any questions about this year's contest. We can't wait to see what you come up with!

Year-end insurance reminder from Pearland Pediatric Dentistry

We hope you’re having a great week! Dr. Pamela Clark and our entire team at Pearland Pediatric Dentistry would like to give those patients with flex spend, health savings, or insurance benefits a friendly end of the year reminder that it's about that time to schedule your child's dental visits so you can optimize your benefits!

Now is the time to reserve you appointment with us. Space is limited and we get VERY busy around the holidays, so don’t wait to give us a call at 713.436.4080! Have a wonderful week!

- From Dr. Clark & the entire team at Pearland Pediatric Dentistry

Continuing education at Pearland Pediatric Dentistry

At Pearland Pediatric Dentistry, we know continuing education is vital for any dentist who wants to keep up with the latest and most effective dental procedures. That's why, as a dental team, we all take continuing education classes over the year. We believe that you never stop learning and there is always more to learn, especially with new technology and research. We attend dental continuing education classes at the Greater Houston Dental Society meeting, the Texas Dental Association meeting and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry meeting.

So be sure to ask Dr. Clark and our team what we learned during your child's next visit!

Who’s afraid of the dentist? From Dr. Clark

Does the sound of a drill make your child flinch or cringe? Does he or she worry about their twice-yearly dental checkup? Trust Dr. Pamela Clark and our team at Pearland Pediatric Dentistry when we say they’re not alone! In fact, the Journal of the American Dental Association has estimated that 30 to 40 million people have a fear of visiting the dentist.

To eliminate some of that fear, we’ve put together six steps to help your child overcome their dental anxiety before visiting our office.

1. What is your child most afraid of? Is it the sound of the drill? Does he or she have needle phobia? Have they been traumatized by previous dental visits? Have them write down their fears, one by one.

2. Don’t wait. The more frequently your child visits our office, the less work needs to be done at any one visit. Simply having their teeth cleaned professionally by Drs. Clark & Reddy twice a year prevents many, if not most, problems.

3. Bring a distraction to your child’s appointment. Bringing along an iPod is a great idea. Just plug in those earphones, have them close their eyes, and get lost in the music. Listening to music can also be a pain killer.

4. Remind your child to relax. Inhaling slowly, and counting to five can definitely help. Have them hold their breath for 10 seconds, then exhale slowly to the count of eight. Repeat. It’s easier if they’re not totally focused on the work going on inside their mouth.

5. Ask. Before any procedure, ask Drs. Clark & Reddy or one of our assistants why we’re using the tools we’re using. Ask us what we’re doing, what the tool is used for, and how it will benefit your child during their visit. Also, please ask about anti-anxiety medications that we may prescribe to help your child relax during your appointment.

6. We are here to help you. Remember, we are health care professionals who want to improve your child’s oral health, and will never judge your child or the state of your child’s mouth. Drs. Clark & Reddy will do all we can to ensure a trauma-free and pain-free experience!

We hope this helps! For more on dental anxieties, ask us during your next visit to our office! Or, ask us on Facebook!