We are so excited to announce our newest Employee of the Month! Our team voted for….
She is our general manager and does just about everything for our entire team!
We are so lucky to have at Heights Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics!
Make sure to get your summer dental appointments scheduled while the kids are out of school!
Call Heights Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics at 713-861-4000 to schedule your appointment!
Did you know that children’s dental health really depends LESS on what they eat, but MORE on how often they are eating it!? FACT: About 90 percent of all foods contain sugars or starches that enable bacteria in dental plaque to produce acids. This acid attack can lead to loss of tooth mineral and to cavities. It is actually WORSE to slowly sip on a sugary drink throughout the day, than it is to drink it all at once. Such long-lasting “snacks” create an acid attack on teeth for the entire time they are in the mouth.
Build healthy habits from the beginning: If children have poor diets, their teeth may not develop properly. Children need protein, vitamins and minerals, especially calcium and phosphorous, to build strong teeth and resist tooth decay and gum disease.
Carbonated beverages: Acids present in these drinks can cause EROSION (yes, that’s bad) of enamel, just like the sugars present in sweetened drinks or juices.
Cooked starches (or fermentable carbohydrates) like breads, crackers, pasta, pretzels, potato chips and even dried fruit can lead to cavities just like sugars can BECAUSE they take longer to clear the mouth than sugars. “Does that mean my favorite goldfish snacks?” Yep! They are very sticky on the teeth!
Candies! Duh, you know we had to say that one. But that’s not a snack. Save that for a special treat or special time like a birthday party.
Choose nutritious snacks that are good for dental health and overall good nutrition. Some healthy snacks are cheese, fresh fruit, vegetables, yogurt, peanut butter and chocolate milk. Limit the number of snack times throughout the day to no more than 3.
CHEESE as the cavity fighter! Certain cheeses have been shown to have characteristics that disrupt the development of cavities and stimulate the flow of saliva, clearing the mouth of food debris and acting as a buffer to neutralize the acids that attack teeth. The calcium and phosphorous found in cheese also reduce or prevent decreases in pH levels of saliva and promote remineralization of tooth enamel.
If your child chews gum, select products that are sugar-free. Recent evidence suggests the use of xylitol chewing gum can decrease a child’s caries rate.
All information provided by FAST FACTS from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (2014)
You can download it for free: https://www.thedentistdad.com/snackguide/
Count how many jelly beans are in the jar and submit your best guess!
Whoever guesses the closest to the right amount will win a special prize!!
We are so excited to announce our newest Employee of the Month! Our team voted for….
Thank you for all your hard work day in and day out for both our pedo and ortho teams!
We are so lucky to have at Heights Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics!
Come out and enjoy good food, drinks, games, music, balloon artists, face painting, and a bunch of family fun with us as we THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER GREAT YEAR!
Thursday, March 30th at the Heights Fire Station from 4-7pm
Children often have a hard time cooperating for dental treatment especially if it is new for them. If you think about it, it is a lot to ask of a little one! This is one reason why parents prefer to bring their tots to pediatric dentists instead of general dentists.
One of our tools in our behavior management toolbox that pediatric dentists can use to help children during treatment is a safe, colorless gas called Nitrous Oxide (N2O). It helps to relieve dental anxiety and discomfort for a child during dental treatment. It works simply by breathing it in through the nose by means of a little rubber nasal hood or what we might call “an astronaut mask”. The child will then feel more relaxed. The effect is mild, though, so it is best for patients with little anxiety and for those who will undergo simple dental procedures. Nitrous oxide does not bind blood and wears off rapidly as soon as it turned off so the patient can resume their daily routine like going back to school or participating in activities.
Sometimes children may need a little more help than just nitrous, so we have other deeper sedation options. Visit our clinical updates tab to learn more about those methods! After a thorough examination, the dentist will be able to let you know if nitrous is a good option for your child. Parents are a crucial part in determining their child’s ability to withstand dental treatment and should engage in active discussion with the dentist to determine the right choice. Child’s age, level of anxiety, health history, and amount of dental treatment should all be discussed and considered before scheduling the treatment appointment.
If you have questions about nitrous oxide for your child, let us know! We are always happy to discuss with you and give more information!
This month, we have not one but TWO employees of the month!! They were so outstanding, the votes were tied!
Thank you for all your hard work day in and day out! We are so lucky to have you both!
Help us give a huge congratulations to the Newest Employee of the Month: our fabulous hygienist, Karlie!
She works hard and is a great team member! Our patients and families love her!
February is National Children’s Dental Health Month! This year’s theme is Brush, Floss, Smile!!
Tooth decay is the most common childhood disease.
3 out of 5 children are affected by tooth decay.
It is 5 times more common than asthma.
51 million school hours are missed due to oral disease.
It is recommended to see the pediatric dentist by your child’s first birthday!
Brush your child’s teeth twice a day for 2 minutes. Then floss to clean in between the teeth. Parents should help with brushing until they can clearly write their own name.
Fluoride helps to make enamel stronger and protects teeth against cavities by fighting acid & erosion.
Avoid sticky snacks like gummies and crackers because those will linger on the teeth longer. Instead, try yogurt, cheese, fruits and veggies!
Water is the best drink for your teeth AND your body!
To learn more about Children’s Dental Health Month, and to download some fun activity sheets and coloring pages, visit: ADA.org!
Come out and enjoy good food, drinks, games, music, balloon artists, face painting, and a bunch of family fun with us as we
We love our patients, family, friends, referring partners and the Heights!
Thursday, March 30th at the Heights Fire Station from 4-7pm
Children can develop a dental infection for numerous reasons: 1) due to a large cavity that progressed to the nerve of the tooth, 2) prior treatment on the tooth, 3) abnormal pathology or abnormal development of a tooth, 4) previous trauma or injury to the tooth, or 5) grinding or biting into something that breaks the tooth.
If a dental infection is left untreated it can cause pain, fever, difficulty eating or drinking, facial swelling (or cellulitis), severe blood illness (or septicemia), airway compromise, or a life-threatening infection.
It’s important to contact your dentist immediately if you see anything abnormal in your child’s mouth or if your child is experiencing pain or sensitivity of their teeth.
What does an infection look like? A dental infection can start out looking like a small bubble (or “pimple”) near a tooth. Over time or even quickly, it can can worsen to look like a large swelling inside the mouth or swelling of one side of their face if it spreads far enough.
How can we treat it? Depending on the cause or tooth (primary or permanent), we can treat a dental infection with 1) pulp therapy, 2) extraction of the tooth, and/or 3) antibiotics. Pulp therapy is where we clean out the infected nerve tissue inside of the tooth, place some medicine to protect the tooth and then cover it with a crown. If we have to extract a tooth before its normal time to fall out, we may place a space maintainer to hold the adjacent teeth in place until its time for the new permanent tooth to come in. Antibiotics are usually given to take care of any swelling and then followed by one of the previous treatments.
Steps of pulp therapy: 1) clean infected nerve tissue of tooth, 2) place medicine inSIDE, THEN 3) place full coverage crown
Extraction of a tooth
ORAL antibiotics
If the infection is severe enough to be causing high fever, facial swelling, etc. then referral to the hospital for IV antibiotics may be necessary, so we want to catch and treat it before it gets to that point!
If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s teeth, please contact Dr. Lindhorst or Dr. Theriot at 713-861-4000.
We’re starting 2023 with a bang!
Thank you for all your hard work day in and day out! We are so lucky to have you!
from the entire team at Heights Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics!!
From the entire team at Heights Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics,
Congratulations to our quarterly birthday party winner!!
Enter your name in our birthday party box at the front desk for YOUR chance to win a birthday party sponsored by HPDO!
Help us give a huge congratulations to our newest team member and hygienist, Karlie! She was voted Employee of the Month by the rest of the team for all her hard work, determination, and adapting to our office so quickly! Our patients and families love her!
Have you entered our winter contest yet?! Our team has decorated 4 awesome doors at the office. Stop by and choose your favorite! Whichever door has the most votes, we will then draw one lucky winner from that bowl of votes!
The contest ends Thursday, Dec 22nd!
