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Long days in the sun’s rays offer you lots of choices for outdoor activities. Beach time? Parks? Baseball, biking, board sports? No matter what plans you have for these sunny days in Frisco, we have some tips to keep your smile beaming.

Use Sunscreen

Sunscreen is good for all ages and shades of skin, and it’s also designed to protect your smile. Lip tissue is thin and delicate, and can easily be damaged by the sun’s ultraviolet rays. UV rays are known to cause skin cancer and premature aging. 

If your regular sunscreen isn’t designed for lips, there are many protective lip balms made especially for kids.

• Make sure you get enough protection. Your lip balm should have an SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of 30 or higher.
• Reapply at least every two hours, and sooner if your lips get wet or if you’re eating or drinking.

Protect Your Smile with a Mouthguard

Mouthguards help protect your teeth from damage caused by impact, whether from hard surfaces or hard elbows! Any time there’s a chance of a fall or a collision, a mouthguard is a good idea. Use your guard for:

• Biking, in-line skating, skateboarding, or any activity where an unexpected fall is possible 
• Contact or low-contact sports like baseball, basketball, and soccer, where bodies collide with equipment or other bodies

If you play organized sports, you might already have a mouthguard. If not, talk to Dr. Goodall about over-the-counter guards or mouthguards which your dentist can make especially for you. And if you wear braces, no need to stay indoors! There are mouthguards designed to protect your teeth, cheeks, lips, and braces. Ask the team at More Than Smiles for ideas.

Hydrate

On hot days, our brains help us keep cool. How? By sending our bodies the signal to start sweating! Some heat is transferred from our bodies to evaporate perspiration, which helps cool the skin. But that cooling perspiration comes at a cost—the water we lose through sweat can make us dehydrated. 

Our bodies need water, especially when it’s scorching outside. Drinking water throughout the day is healthier than drinking lots of water at one time, and your doctor can let you know the right amount of water for your body, since we’re not all built the same. A bottle of water doesn’t contain artificial ingredients, caffeine, or sugars, so it’s a great, healthy outdoor companion. 

More? Water is also great for your smile!

• Water washes food particles and bacteria away from teeth and gums for fresher breath and a healthier mouth.
• Most communities add fluoride to their water, and fluoride strengthens tooth enamel to help you fight cavities. If your local water supply isn’t fluoridated, your dentist can tell your family about other treatments which can provide fluoride’s cavity protection.

It’s easy to get distracted with summer activities and vacations—after all, they’re designed to be distracting! But don’t let your well-deserved fun in the sun distract you from your scheduled dental appointments. Regular dental exams catch small problems before they become larger ones, and cleanings make sure your smile is bright all summer long.

Summer can be a time to relax and recharge. While you’re enjoying those extra hours of sun, take care of your oral health for a beaming smile which will look great on you any time of year!

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 their performance in the classroom and daily life.

Mouth breathing as a child can also lead to sleep apnea, behavior and learning problems, delayed speech, dental and facial abnormalities, and even breathing problems as your child grows. There are a multitude of reasons for an individual to mouth breathe, such as enlarged tonsils, adenoids, and deviated nasal septum, but the cause is usually allergies.

As bad as the condition sounds, we want you to know mouth breathing is a treatable condition. Doing so, though, requires early diagnosis and treatment. Since our team at More Than Smiles sees our patients every six months, we may be in a position to identify the symptoms of mouth breathing.

If you suspect your child is a chronic mouth breather, please give us a call at our convenient Frisco office to schedule an appointment with Dr. Goodall.

Perhaps you’ve heard your friends talking about dental sealants, and how well they prevent cavities. And as soon as your child’s permanent molars come in, you absolutely plan to make an appointment at our Frisco office for this treatment. But should you also be concerned with your child’s baby teeth? Could they benefit from sealants too?

Even though those beautiful baby teeth are going to be replaced with permanent teeth, they should still be protected. Primary teeth help with speech development, enable your child to develop proper chewing and eating habits, and serve as place holders so that permanent teeth can erupt in the correct place. That’s why you’ve been so careful to help your child brush and floss twice daily, and make regular visits to our office for exams and cleanings.

But some teeth are just harder to keep clean with regular brushing than others. Primary molars, just like permanent ones, have depressions and grooves on the chewing surfaces. These grooves collect bacteria and food particles that are hard for bristles to reach, providing a perfect opportunity for cavities to develop in those little molars.

Cavities are not the only problem which can affect primary teeth. Because baby teeth have thinner layers of protective enamel, a cavity can actually reach the pulp (the center of the tooth) more quickly, leading to pain and potential infection.

While baby teeth can be treated, with fillings, restorations, and even stainless steel crowns, preventing tooth decay is always our first, best choice. And dental sealants are recommended by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Dental Association as one of the most effective ways to prevent cavities in both baby teeth and adult teeth.

Dental sealants are safe and effective.  Sealants are thin coatings (usually a plastic resin or other dental material) that cover a molar’s grooves and depressions, making it impossible for bacteria and food particles to collect there. Applying them is a simple, pain-free process.

Each tooth will be examined first. If we find any signs of decay starting, we will gently treat that area before applying the sealant. After the tooth is cleaned and dried, an etching solution will be brushed on to the surface area being sealed. This etching roughens the surface so that the sealant will hold to the tooth more effectively. A thin coat of the sealant is then painted on and hardened under a curing light.

That’s all there is to it! Sealants typically last from three to five years, and some last even longer. Keep up your regular careful brushing and flossing, and we will monitor the condition of the sealants at each exam.

Talk to Dr. Goodall about dental sealants. We’ll let you know if your child can benefit from the procedure even before those baby teeth give way to permanent ones. It’s never too early to prevent tooth decay!

With children undergoing developmental dental changes and engaging in rough-and-tumble activities, dental emergencies can sometimes arise. If your child knocks out a tooth or experiences any type of oral discomfort, call More Than Smiles right away so we can provide you with a quick assessment and pain-free treatment.

Before an emergency occurs, it’s a good idea 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

Typically occurring in babies that are between four months and two and a half years old, teething may cause excessive drooling, tender gums, and some irritability. Giving your baby a cold teething ring or gently rubbing her gums with wet gauze or your finger may also make her feel better.

Loose Baby Tooth

It is normal for a child’s first set of teeth to become loose and fall out. On the other hand, if your child’s baby tooth is knocked loose, schedule an appointment with our office so we can assess whether any damage has been done.

Issues with Permanent Teeth

Sometimes a child’s permanent teeth will grow in before the baby teeth have fallen out. Even if this condition isn’t causing any discomfort, you should schedule an appointment with our office so we can determine whether your child’s permanent teeth are growing in correctly.

Bleeding Gums

Bleeding gums can result from a number of factors, including periodontal disease, rough brushing, or an injury to the gum tissue. If your child’s gums are bleeding heavily, call our office right away so we can address the situation. If you have time before your appointment, wash your child’s mouth with salted water and gently put pressure on the affected area.

Regardless of the type of dental issue your child has, you can always consult Dr. Goodall for further guidance. We make sure our emergency services are available 24 hours a day and seven days a week, so you have ready access to convenient and professional dental care that will have your child feeling better in no time.