Hello Everyone, I know that it’s tempting to take out that bag of candy and go nuts, but before you dive mouth first into your candy bag, you should take a minute to sort your candy. Some candy might can trick your teeth rather than treating them. That’s because the bacteria in your mouth might be more excited for certain candy than you are.   So, let’s sort through it: Chocolate: If you are indulging on your candy, you can feel some relief that chocolate is probably the best avenue to take for your teeth. There is a benefit that the candy is soft and doesn’t usually impact your teeth. But, dark chocolate is better than milk chocolate because dark chocolate has less sugar. The sticky candies: Oh, let’s just say—be picky if it’s sticky. Dentally speaking, sticky candies are some of the worse to indulge on Halloween.   I can’t tell you how many times patients have called to schedule an appointment the very next day because their sticky candies pulled out ...

Thumb-sucking & Pacifiers: What to Expect as a Parent Hello Friends, Family, and Patients! With so many of my friends, family, and patients expecting a baby this year, I thought it would be exceptionally helpful to give everyone some advice on thumb-sucking and pacifiers. Before you get the urge to slap me for telling you how to parent you kids, don’t worry, this is not that kind of message. It is just a bit about the facts about both categories. Thumb-sucking is a natural reflex for children. It can provide a sense of security and happiness while our bright little ones explore the world. Typically, as parents we notice that thumb-sucking and pacifier use can help our little ones when our little guys, or girls, fall asleep. The question is, really, how can this affect my child’s teeth in the long-run. Here’s the skinny: After a child’s permanent teeth come in, sucking on those fingers can cause problems with the alignment in their mouth. Teeth can grow in a di...