toothbrush

As an adult, you've been brushing your teeth for years, so you probably think you know all about toothbrushes. The truth is, you probably do! Your child, however, may not know the best way to take care of theirs. Make sure to go over these simple rules on how to take care of a toothbrush.

Never share your toothbrush.  It may be obvious to you, but your child should know you don't ever share toothbrushes, not even with a sibling.  Doing so can lead to shared diseases and other illnesses.

Rinse your toothbrush after every use.  In order for your toothbrush bristles to maintain their effectiveness, make sure your child rinses them every time after they brush their teeth.

Let your toothbrush air dry.  If you leave a toothbrush in a closed container, bacteria and mildew can grow on it.  Instead, let it air dry in a cup or another clean place.

Replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months.  Toothbrushes aren't meant to last forever.  Bent and broken bristles can make it less effective at brushing your teeth.  Let your child pick out a new one every 3-4 months.

As your child's pediatric dentist in Tucson, we want to keep your child's smile healthy.  If you have any questions for our office, feel free to call us at (520) 544-8522.

About Northwest Children's Pediatric Dentists

Dr. Norman Bunch and Dr. Jennifer Marshall are doctor spouses who have been working as kids dentists in Tucson for years.  They have deep ties to Tucson, as well as the surrounding Oro Valley, Marana, Oracle, and other areas. Northwest Children's Dentistry provides top-notch care for toddlers, children, teens, and special needs children. If you’re looking for a general dentist for kids in Tucson, contact us today at (520) 544-8522.

Parents ask us many questions about dental care and decay prevention.  The best thing your child can do is brush regularly, twice a day for two minutes each.  When your child is a young, that often means with a smaller toothbrush.

When can your child use an adult toothbrush?  Generally, their mouths are big enough around 9 or 10 years of age.  The brush should fit comfortably in their mouths and should be able to reach their back teeth without gagging.  The same general rule of brushing teeth twice a day for two minutes each still applies.

As your child's pediatric dentist in Tucson, we want to take care of all your children's dental needs.  If you have any questions, feel free to call us at (520) 544-8522.

About Northwest Children's Pediatric Dentists

Dr. Norman Bunch and Dr. Jennifer Marshall are doctor spouses who have been working as kids dentists in Tucson for years.  They have deep ties to Tucson, as well as the surrounding Oro Valley, Marana, Oracle, and other areas. Northwest Children's Dentistry provides top-notch care for toddlers, children, teens, and special needs children. If you’re looking for a general dentist for kids in Tucson, contact us today at (520) 544-8522.

It's that time of year again: time to be thankful for friends, family, and health.  We like to do our small part by giving you some tips on how to best take care of your children's teeth.  Here are some tips you can use to keep cavities and other tooth-related ailments at bay:

Enjoy holiday treats in moderation.  Everyone enjoys a bit of extra egg nog, pumpkin pie, and other holiday goodies, but try to limit yourself where you can.  If your kids enjoyed an excess amount, try to give them an extra brush to keep their teeth clean.

Keep up with your dental routine while traveling.  It's easy to forget to the kids' toothbrush at home, but this is the time of year when you need it most.  Make sure you keep up brushing at least twice a day and flossing once a day.

Don't make all the holiday-fun food related.  We certainly enjoy more treats during this time of year, but also emphasize non-food traditions in your household.  Go caroling, watch a favorite holiday show, or give a little back to your community as part of your special time together as a family.

Incorporate tooth brushing with your Elf on the Shelf.  If your family enjoys the Elf on the Shelf, you can always incorporate a little mischief with the toothbrush.  Perhaps have that sneaky elf replace your kids' toothpaste with a different kind one morning.

As your child's  pediatric dentist in Tucson, we want to help keep your kids' teeth healthy.  If you have any questions, feel free to call us at (520) 544-8522.

About Northwest Children's Pediatric Dentists

Dr. Norman Bunch and Dr. Jennifer Marshall are a husband and wife team providing general dentistry for kids in Tucson, Oro Valley, Marana, Oracle, and surrounding areas. Northwest Children's Dentistry provides top-notch care for toddlers, children, teens, and special needs children as your local Tucson dentist. If you’re looking for a kids dentist in Tucson, contact us today!

Let's face it: even though we know brushing teeth is important, it can be difficult to get an unwilling kid to brush their teeth twice a day.

Here are some tips to motivate your little one to pick up their toothbrush:

Sing a brushing song.  For really little kids, singing a song about brushing your teeth can get them interested.  You can make one up every night or use the same one.

Make a toothbrush chart.  Create a chart with spaces so that each time your kid brushes their teeth without being asked, they get a sticker.  When they fill up the chart, give them a modest reward, like letting them pick what's for dinner the following night.

Get a fun toothbrush.  Toothbrushes with favorite characters or with bright colors can make it easier for a kid to brush their teeth.

Make sure they like the taste of the toothpaste.  Kids have different tastes, so you may want to try a few different flavors of toothpaste to find one they enjoy.  Like look for the approval rating by the American Dental Association before you buy.

As your child's  pediatric dentist in Tucson, we can help you draft a plan to get your child to brush twice a day.  If you have any questions, feel free to call us at (520) 544-8522.

About Northwest Children's Pediatric Dentists

Dr. Norman Bunch and Dr. Jennifer Marshall are a husband and wife team providing general dentistry for kids in Tucson, Oro Valley, Marana, Oracle, and surrounding areas. Northwest Children's Dentistry provides top-notch care for toddlers, children, teens, and special needs children as your local Tucson dentist. If you’re looking for a kids dentist in Tucson, contact us today!

We've all had that moment when we look at our old toothbrush and realize it's time to get a new one.  But if you ask different people, you may get different opinions about when it's the right time to replace your toothbrush.

The American Dental Assocation recommends that you change your toothbrush every 3 to 4 months, or sooner if the bristles become frayed.  This rule is the same for parents and children.  In order to protect your toothbrush, they also recommend:

• Not to share toothbrushes to minimize passing on illness to others.
• Rinsing a toothbrush after each use to keep it clean.
• Not covering a toothbrush to discourage microorganisms growing in a moist environment.

As your pediatric dentist in Tucson, we want to help you manage all your children's dental needs.  If you have any questions about your child's dental health, feel free to call us at (520) 544-8522.

About Northwest Children's Pediatric Dentists

Dr. Norman Bunch and Dr. Jennifer Marshall are a husband and wife team providing general dentistry for kids in Tucson, Oro Valley, Marana, Oracle, and surrounding areas. Northwest Children's Dentistry provides top-notch care for toddlers, children, teens, and special needs children as your local Tucson dentist. If you’re looking for a kids dentist in Tucson, contact us today!

With the holidays fast approaching, kids and adults will be tempted with many sugary treats. Here is a tip from your pediatric dentist to help reduce the sugar exposure to your children’s teeth:

Try to minimizing snacking on sugar treats. Constant or frequent snacking doesn’t give your mouth a chance to naturally rinse the sugar (and acid byproducts from bacteria) off the teeth.

So eat that candy bar or finish that piece of cake, but then put the treats away for another day.  And don't forget to go brush your teeth!

As your pediatric dentist in Tucson, we care about your children's dental health.  Give us a call if you have questions about your children's eating habits.

About Northwest Children's Pediatric Dentists

Dr. Norman Bunch and Dr. Jennifer Marshall are a husband and wife team providing general dentistry for kids in Tucson, Oro Valley, Marana, Oracle, and surrounding areas. Northwest Children's Dentistry provides top-notch care for toddlers, children, teens, and special needs children as your local Tucson dentist. If you’re looking for a kids dentist in Tucson, contact us today!

Here at Northwest Children's Dentistry, your local Tucson pediatric dentist, we get a lot of questions about preventative dental health care.  We love these kinds of questions.  We strongly believe that having good oral health habits will lead to better dental health for your child.

One question we frequently receive: When should children brush their own teeth?   Our answer:  you should continue to assist your child with toothbrushing until they can write cursive.  This usually happens when your child is around 8 years old.  Children do not have a fully developed range of dexterity until that age, so they often will miss areas when brushing, which in turn can cause cavities and other dental problems.

This does not mean you should not encourage your child to try brushing on their own.  Instead, you can have your child brush solo first, then do a follow-up brushing immediately after to clean hard-to-reach spots.  This will keep your child's teeth clean while simultaneously training them to one day take over brushing for themselves.

As your pediatric dentist in Tucson, we care about your children's dental health.  Give us a call if you have questions about your children's toothbrushing habits.

About Northwest Children's Pediatric Dentists

Dr. Norman Bunch and Dr. Jennifer Marshall are a husband and wife team providing general dentistry for kids in Tucson, Oro Valley, Marana, Oracle, and surrounding areas. Northwest Children's Dentistry provides top-notch care for toddlers, children, teens, and special needs children as your local Tucson dentist. If you’re looking for a kids dentist in Tucson, contact us today!

This September, our staff had the honor of giving a presentation to the kids of Estes Elementary School.  We talked not only about the importance of daily brushing, but why eating healthy foods is important.  The kids came up with some great questions, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, all while promoting better oral hygiene.

Here at Northwest Children's Dentistry, we believe in the power of dental education.  That's why we offer 30-minute presentations to pre-school age children up to the 6th grade.  Our presentations focus on good oral hygiene techniques and eating healthy foods.  We tailor visits to each age group so children get the most out of the experience.

If your school, daycare, or other organization wants us to give a presentation, please call us at (520) 544-8522 to schedule a visit.   As your pediatric dentist in Tucson, we care about the oral health of your kids!

About Northwest Children's Pediatric Dentists

Dr. Norman Bunch and Dr. Jennifer Marshall are a husband and wife team providing general dentistry for kids in Tucson, Oro Valley, Marana, Oracle, and surrounding areas. Northwest Children's Dentistry provides top-notch care for toddlers, children, teens, and special needs children as your local Tucson dentist. If you’re looking for a kids dentist in Tucson, contact us today!

With so many choices in toothbrushes, it can be overwhelming to decide which one is best for your growing child. So what is really best for the dental health of your child? The good news is that we suggest only a couple of criteria when choosing a toothbrush:

1. Choose a toothbrush which is size appropriate. Most companies offer a variety of sizes to choose from.
2.  Toothbrushes with soft bristles are preferable.

And as your pediatric dentist in Tucson recommends, don't forget to brush your child's teeth at least two times per day!

About Northwest Children's Pediatric Dentists

Dr. Norman Bunch and Dr. Jennifer Marshall are a husband and wife team providing general dentistry for kids in Tucson, Oro Valley, Marana, Oracle, and surrounding areas. Northwest Children's Dentistry provides top-notch care for toddlers, children, teens, and special needs children as your local Tucson dentist. If you’re looking for a kids dentist in Tucson, contact us today!