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Providing the Right Dental Care for your Children

You already know that Alamo Kids Dental recommends you come in for a checkup and cleaning at least every six months, but do you know what your child’s dental needs are? From the time children are babies and growing in their first teeth, their oral health care needs may be different from adults. It’s important to know what they need,
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Oral Health Concerns for Infants

Because babies’ teeth don’t appear until around six to eight months of age, it’s a natural misconception that they don’t need dental care. But the steps you take as the parent of an infant can help your baby maintain good oral health and develop healthy dental habits in the future. It’s easy to take care of a baby’s teeth and
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Having Your Teeth Cleaned Is a Bright Idea!

Having your teeth cleaned is part of most dental checkups. It’s a great feeling to know your teeth look clean and bright, but there’s more to feel great about! Cleanings help your teeth stay healthy. Let’s talk about why a cleaning at our SAN ANTONIO, Texas pediatric dental office is a bright idea. Even when you brush and floss every
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What is a water pick and do I need one?

Water picks, sometimes called “oral irrigators,” make an excellent addition to your regular home care regimen of brushing and flossing. Especially helpful to those who suffer from periodontal disease and those patients of ours undergoing orthodontic treatment with full-bracketed braces, water picks use powerful tiny bursts of water to dislodge food scraps, bacteria, and other debris nestled in the crevices
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Brushing Tips for Kids

You’re all set for your happy morning and nighttime ritual. You’ve provided your son with his favorite action hero toothbrush and your daughter with her favorite flavored toothpaste. You’ve gotten them into the healthy habit of two minutes of brushing twice each day. You’ve introduced them to flossing. You have favorite brushing songs! Stickers! Gold stars! And, best of all,
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Pediatric Dentistry Q&A

Today, the doctor and our team at Alamo Kids Dental thought we would answer some of the most frequent questions about pediatric dentistry and oral health we hear from parents. What constitutes a “healthy, balanced diet” for my child? A healthy, balanced diet contains all the nutrients your child needs to grow, including one serving each of fruits and vegetables,
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Curious About Cavities?

Part of every dental checkup is making sure all of your teeth are strong and healthy. the doctor will have you open wide to look at your teeth, use special little mirrors to get a good look around each tooth, and take X-rays to make sure your teeth are healthy both inside and out. Why does your dentist want to
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Happy Fourth of July!

Happy Independence Day from the doctor and team! The Fourth of July celebrations in America may have changed a lot over the years, but there is no doubt that we Americans love to celebrate the anniversary of our country’s independence! Today we’re devoting the Alamo Kids Dental blog to some fun facts about the Fourth! No matter how your family
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What is hyperdontia?

When a child is born, he or she will have 20 primary teeth and 32 permanent teeth. But sometimes kids are born with additional teeth, and our team at Alamo Kids Dental calls this oral condition “hyperdontia.” Primary teeth are the first set of teeth that erupt in your child’s mouth, typically by the time they are 36 months old,
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What are dental sealants and how do they work?

A dental sealant is a liquid that is applied to the teeth. The sealant hardens and provides a protective coating that is designed to reduce cavities and create a smoother tooth surface. Dental sealants are clear or white; they do not take away from the appearance of teeth. You can think about this treatment as being similar to varnish that
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What’s an intraoral camera?

One of the greatest features our team at Alamo Kids Dental offers is the ability to see first-hand how we can help our patients. While X-rays help us detect any problems in your mouth and give us valuable information on what is bothering you, they often don’t give the doctor a complete view of everything that is going on inside
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Smile! June marks National Smile Month!

Can you believe it’s already June? Today, the doctor and our team at Alamo Kids Dental thought we’d let you know that June is National Smile Month, so it’s a good time to remind all our young patients to practice proper oral hygiene between their visits to our office! Below are a few simple steps your child can take to
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What is a pediatric dentist?

Our team at Alamo Kids Dental hears this question a lot. According to our friends at the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), pediatric dentistry is “an age-defined specialty that provides both primary and comprehensive preventive and therapeutic oral healthcare for infants and children through adolescence, including those with special healthcare needs.” Pediatric dentists, such as the doctor, are dedicated
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Memorial Day and Getting Ready for Summer

Memorial Day didn’t become an official holiday until 1971, but Americans started gathering annually in the spring to remember those who lost their lives in war during the 1860s, right after the Civil War. Celebrated on the last Monday in May, people still decorate the grave sites of war veterans and hold memorial services, but Memorial Day has also evolved
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Tooth Worms? The History of Cavities and Tooth Fillings

Scientists have discovered tooth decay in specimens that are more than 15,000 years old. The ancients once thought that cavities were caused by something called “tooth worms” … Eew! They didn’t exist, of course, but how else could humans explain the holes that cavities make in teeth? The appearance of cavities on a widespread basis is often traced to the
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Make your child’s next visit to our office great!

If you have been bringing your baby in for regular checkups since that first tooth arrived, you might expect that he or she is already familiar with the doctor and our staff. Often, though, months pass between visits, which is a very long time for a child. How can you make your preschooler’s return visit a happy one? We have
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Summer is Almost Here: Tips for a bright, white smile!

Summer is almost here, which means a season full of vacations, adventures and great memories is just around the corner for our patients at Alamo Kids Dental. Everyone wants a glowing and radiant white smile when the sun comes around and we have a few reminders to keep your pearly whites healthy and beautiful over the summer! Try to stay
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Can baby teeth get cavities?

Our team at Alamo Kids Dental knows that every parent loves to hear his or her child say, “no cavities!” when leaving our office. Let’s talk about why primary (baby) teeth get cavities, what you can do to help prevent them, and what the doctor can do if your child gets a cavity. It’s a team effort! Prevention is Key
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Make Every Day Earth Day

Earth Day began in 1970 as an event to raise awareness of our environment. What began as a single day in April is now recognized around the world to bring attention and education to global environmental issues. Conserving our natural resources, reducing water and air pollution, and developing green technologies are all ways in which we can improve the environment
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Is your child a mouth breather?

Have you ever watched to see if your child is breathing through his or her mouth? Breathing through the mouth instead of the nose may lead to trouble for youngsters. Kids who typically breathe through their mouth—most often children who suffer from allergies—experience problems getting enough oxygen into their blood, a condition that affects their weight, size, sleep, and even
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When to Begin Dental Care for Your Child

Children’s oral health differs from that of adults in a variety of ways. the doctor and our team want you to understand how you can provide the best care for your son or daughter’s teeth. It’s essential to understand what your child will need from you when it comes to his or her oral health in those first few years.
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When do children usually lose their baby teeth?

Many parents have concerns about their children’s teeth not falling out on time. the doctor and our team are here to answer any questions parents may have about when children lose their teeth. Children have 20 primary teeth that come in around age three. By about age six, these teeth will loosen and begin to fall out on their own
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Are thumb sucking and pacifier habits harmful for a child’s teeth?

Depending on how long the thumb sucking or constant pacifier use continues, and how aggressively the child sucks a thumb or the pacifier, it can indeed be an oral health issue. Generally speaking, most children outgrow these behaviors or are able to be weaned off them successfully sometime between ages two and four. When children wean off the behaviors in
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St. Patrick’s Day: Celtic pride, green shamrocks, and lucky charms!

“St. Patrick’s Day is an enchanted time — a day to begin transforming winter’s dreams into summer’s magic.” Adrienne Cook Lucky green shamrocks, leprechauns, and pots of gold – it must be St. Patrick’s Day! If you’re not Irish, how do you go about celebrating St. Patrick’s Day? It’s easy: You just put on one of those tall leprechauns hats,
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March is National Nutrition Month!

While you don’t have to wait to start eating right, March is the month the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics asks everyone to pay special attention to what goes into our bodies. The Academy has designated the month of March for focusing the public’s awareness on what they eat. What Not to Eat The academy points out that the foods
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My child has autism. What should we expect at your office?

At Alamo Kids Dental, we know that as many as one in 88 children today have some form of autism, a complex brain disorder that affects a child’s ability to communicate or form relationships, and makes a child appear distant, aloof, or detached from other people or surroundings. Autism varies widely in symptoms and severity, and some people have coexisting
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Is dairy crucial to my child’s oral health?

Healthy eating, combined with regular physical activity, plays a vital role in your child’s health and well-being. Dairy foods are naturally nutritious, packed with ten essential nutrients that help your child feel good for life. But did you know that dairy is also great for your child’s dental health? Our team at Alamo Kids Dental will tell you that, in
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Valentine’s Day History

Valentine’s Day is best known as a celebration of love in all its forms. Pink hearts, red roses, and cute greeting cards adorn every surface you see. What many people don’t realize is that the modern Valentine’s Day celebration arose from a religious holiday. St. Valentine’s Day was originally celebrated as a religious feast day in honor of early Christian
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The Importance of Oral Health Care for your Child

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, so it’s a great time for our team at Alamo Kids Dental to talk about the importance of getting proper oral health care for your children. Oral health has been closely tied to the overall health of our entire body, so making sure that our children have the best oral health care can
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How Our Office Makes Your Child’s Visit Anxiety-Free

The doctor and our team at Alamo Kids Dental specialize in pediatric dentistry, and we understand that children can be frightened of things they do not understand. This anxiety is often heightened by an unpleasant dental experience or stories they hear from classmates. We have many methods at our SAN ANTONIO, Texas office to make your child’s dental visit pleasant
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Dental X-rays: The Inside Story

Pediatric dentists strive to make your children’s visits welcoming and worry-free, and, we want the same for you! Ask us about any questions you might have. We are happy to explain procedures, equipment, and sedation options so you know just how safe and comfortable your child’s experience can be. And if X-rays are a concern, we can put your mind
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Five Nutrition Tips for Healthy Kids’ Smiles

If your child could have it his way, chances are he would eat Lucky Charms for breakfast, a peanut butter and fluff sandwich for lunch, and chicken fingers slathered in ketchup for dinner. Kids will be kids, and maintaining a healthy diet is often the farthest thing from their minds. Do you remember the old saying “an apple a day
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Shark Teeth

It seems like sharks are everywhere these days—on land, sea, and air(waves). A halftime show meme gone viral. A week of summer TV devoted to our favorite apex predators. And who doesn’t have “Baby Shark” playing in their heads all day once they’ve heard it? But are we jumping the shark to discuss this topic in a dental blog? Not
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How can parents help prevent tooth decay?

Children are born with a set of primary teeth – 20 to be exact – that help them learn to chew and speak, and develop enough space in the jaw for the permanent teeth that will appear several years later. Kids are especially susceptible to decay, which can cause pain and tooth loss – a problem that could interfere with
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New Year’s Eve

Watching the clock tick down the final seconds until midnight, many of us- Alamo Kids Dental included- feel nostalgic about the passing year and hopeful about the new one to come. New Year’s Eve is one of the most widely celebrated holidays in the world, with over-the-top celebrations taking place in dozens of countries. The Gregorian calendar, which is widely
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Creating a Dental Home

As a parent, you know how important a happy, relaxed atmosphere is when it comes to making your child feel at home. We would like to make our SAN ANTONIO, Texas practice your dental home, where you and your family enjoy the best of dental care in a warm and welcoming environment. What makes a dental home? From your child’s
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Keeping Your Teeth Strong and Healthy

What is the strongest part of our bodies? Do you think it might be our bones, which help us move and protect our brains, hearts and other organs? Or could it be those tough fingernails and toenails that guard our fingertips and toes? Nope! You might be surprised to learn that the hardest thing in our bodies is the enamel
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Make Brushing Fun!

It’s gratifying to know your child has good oral hygiene, especially starting from an early age. We know it can be difficult to get your son or daughter to brush those tiny teeth, let alone brush them well enough, every day. the doctor and our team are here to give you some tips on how to help your youngster learn
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Gum Disease in Children

When it comes to gum disease and your child, it’s a good news/bad news situation. The very good news is that children rarely suffer from advanced gum disease, or periodontitis. The not-so-good news? Early gum disease, called gingivitis, is unfortunately an all-too-common childhood problem. Childhood gingivitis has the same causes and symptoms as the adult version. Healthy gums are firm
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Thanksgiving in North America

Thanksgiving marks the start to the holidays; a season filled with feasting, indulging, and spending time with family and friends are always special. Thanksgiving is a holiday meant for giving thanks, and while this may seem like such a natural celebration, the United States is only one of a handful of countries to officially celebrate with a holiday. Unlike many
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How to Make Brushing Fun

Let’s call it the cranky phase. Let’s call it the “Mom, I don’t want to” stage. When kids are little, getting them to brush can be a challenge. They bite the toothbrush and eat the toothpaste. They make faces in the bathroom mirror, brush for two seconds, and run away. When it’s time to brush, some kids even resort to
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Your Child’s First Toothbrush

First word, first step, first haircut, first… toothbrush? While it may not be considered a typical milestone, choosing the right first toothbrush is an important first step in your child’s future dental health. The time to start brushing is when your baby’s first tooth appears. Until then, you have probably been using a clean, moist washcloth or gauze to carefully
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Pediatric Dental Emergency Know-How

Parents are usually expert at taking care of their children’s injuries. You know how to disinfect a cut, soothe a bump on the head, and apply a bandage faster than you can blink. But what happens if your child suffers a dental injury? Teeth can get broken, knocked out, or displaced from a forceful impact, and parents ought to know
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Halloween: Candy, costumes, and more!

All Hallows’ Eve, more commonly known as Halloween, is a yearly event celebrated on October 31, and one that is anticipated by the young and young at heart all over the world. Some scholars claim that Halloween originated from Celtic festivals that honored the dead or that celebrated the harvest, while others doubt that there’s any connection at all to
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Amalgam Fillings vs. White Fillings

Many varieties of fillings are available at our SAN ANTONIO, Texas office. Most people are familiar with traditional amalgam fillings: those big silver spots on top of teeth. Made from a mixture of silver, tin, zinc, copper, and mercury, amalgam fillings have been used to fill cavities for more than 100 years. They offer several advantages, including: Although dental amalgam
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My son is turning one. When should I bring him in for a visit?

The doctor and our team know that cavities know no age boundaries, and that is why we recommend a visit to our SAN ANTONIO, Texas office by a child’s first birthday. That also happens to be the opinion of our friends at the American Academy of Pediatrics, as well as the American Dental Association. Research has shown that more than
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Year-End Insurance Reminder

The doctor, as well as our team at Alamo Kids Dental, would like to give those patients with flex spend, health savings, or insurance benefits a friendly end of the year reminder that it’s high time to schedule your dental visits so you optimize your benefit. Now is the time to reserve your appointment with us. Space is limited and
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Do I lose my wisdom if I lose my wisdom teeth?

The third molars have long been known as your “wisdom teeth,” because they are the last teeth to erupt from the gums – usually sometime during the late teens to early twenties. This is a time in life that many consider an “age of wisdom”; hence the term, “wisdom teeth.” Extracting the third molars does not have any effect on
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How do I handle my child’s dental emergency?

Kids are active, and with lots of activity comes the potential for mishaps. Before an emergency occurs, you’d be smart to stay informed about the problems your child may encounter. Here are a few things you should keep in mind about teething pain, loose baby teeth, and other common dental issues. Teething Pain Discomfort while teething is common for babies
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The Best Snacks for a Healthy Smile

One of the most frequent questions that the doctor and our team hear is about what kinds of snacks are best for a child’s dental health. Sugary snacks are inevitable sometimes, but it’s vital for you as a parent to monitor how frequently your child is eating the kinds of snacks that may give him or her a cavity or
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Keep Those Teeth Shipshape, Matey!

September 19th is just around the corner, and you know what that means—Aye, matey, it’s “Talk Like a Pirate Day”! Why do we have a “Talk Like a Pirate Day” and not a “Take Care of Your Teeth Like a Pirate Day”? You don’t need a treasure map to find the answers! The toothbrush as we know it, with easy to
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Happy Labor Day!

Labor Day is upon us, and that means the non-official end to summer. Before the kids head back to school and temperatures start to cool down, this is your last chance to barbeque in the beautiful SAN ANTONIO, Texas community, head to the lake, and wear your favorite pair of white pants. About Labor Day Each year, Labor Day is
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Should Children Use Whitening Products?

As adults, we often wish our teeth could be as white as they were when we were small children. Baby teeth have thinner and whiter enamel than adult teeth, and those brilliant smiles are a result! But occasionally, you may be surprised to discover some staining or discoloration on those lovely first teeth. You might be tempted to apply a
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Benefits Of A Pediatric Dentist

Beginning good dental hygiene habits at an early age is crucial to your child’s oral health throughout their life. However, many parents may not be fully aware of what their child’s dental hygiene routine should consist of. Your dentist can help you and your child understand the best practices for a daily and long-term dental hygiene routine. Find out more
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