Your toddler will only have his or her baby teeth for a few years, but that doesn't mean it's not important to take care of them. The baby teeth need to be healthy in order for your child to eat and speak properly – and once your child's adult teeth start emerging, the baby teeth will help ensure they erupt in the proper place. Follow these tips to protect your little one's teeth from damage and decay. [Read More]

Many children suck their thumbs during certain stages of life, and occasional thumb sucking might not concern the pediatric dentist that you visit. However, some children who adopt this habit can do so to the point of harming their teeth, as the prolonged pressure placed on the upper teeth by the thumb can actually shift the alignment of the teeth. If you're slightly concerned that your child is sucking his or her thumb too much, it's important to discuss the issue at the next checkup or even call the dentist, like Bellasera Family Dentistry, between checkups to talk about strategies you can adopt to curb the habit. [Read More]

Going to the dentist's office can be an adventure for kids when you frame it in a positive way. Offer lots of encouragement and explain the process beforehand. Also, when your child has been a trooper at the dentist's office, you may want to reward their bravery and good behavior with a special treat. Instead of giving them something sweet like lollipops or ice cream that is probably not the best choice for freshly clean teeth, give kids one of these treats instead. [Read More]

It's important to seek treatment for your gum disease while it's still in the early stages. If you don't, infection can spread underneath the gums and cause more serious problems. Once your gum disease is advanced, surgery may be the only option for treating it. Fortunately, laser gum surgery is becoming more common. It is less traumatic and time consuming than traditional gum surgery. Here is some information on how it works. [Read More]