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5 Benefits of Visiting a Pediatric Dentist

The Difference

Let’s face it – for some in past years visiting the dentist wasn’t the most fairy tale experience.  Put your mind to ease by selecting a multi award winning practice and the most loved pediatric dentist in Southwest Florida, Dr. Tim Verwest, DMD & Associates who are specially trained and board certified for treating pediatric patients.

While general dentists can perform the same work, visiting a pediatric dentist provides a slew of extra benefits:

Office Decor 

We’ve got fun just about everywhere you look! From video games, to community initiatives and educational lobby experiences for children of all ages to enjoy!

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Better Training

Kids aren’t always the most cooperative of patients.  A pediatric dentist has at least two additional years of training beyond dental school solely focused on treating young patients.

In the additional training, the focus is on child psychology, growth/development, and learning all of the tips and tricks of the trade for examining and treating children.

Specialized Treatment

In the circumstance that your child needs more comprehensive dental treatment, pediatric dentists are specially trained to handle special needs and to children with extensive dental treatment needs.

Oral Health Care Education

Since Pediatric Dentistry of Florida’s staff work solely with kids,  we know how to engage in educational learning.  Even more, we have props and teaching tools that are appropriate for all ages. To become part of our dental family, please fill out the form below and we will contact you immediately as possible. Thank you and we look forward to serving you!

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    Nighttime Oral Health Care

    Keeping your mouth clean isn’t just a day job. It’s just as important to practice nighttime oral care as it is to keep your teeth clean during the day. The (somewhat gross) fact is, when you are sleeping, you are not swallowing your saliva. Eight hours of doing this increases the level of bacteria in your mouth, which can lead to bad breath and plaque buildup. Bad oral hygiene can turn into tooth decay or gum disease, so make sure you follow our steps to keeping your mouth clean at night.

    Every night before you go to sleep: brush, floss, and rinse with mouthwash. This is the best routine you can get into to prevent future problems with your mouth. So let’s break it down.

    Brushing

    We recommend that you brush after dinner and before you go to sleep. Doing so will clean your mouth of any plaque buildup and will give bacteria less to feed on. Using an FDA and ADA approved toothpaste with proper brushing techniques will reduce your chances of tooth decay and gum disease.

    The ADA suggests the following brushing technique:

    Brush at at 45-degree angle to your gums.
    Gently brush back and forth on all outer, inner, and chewing surfaces of your teeth.
    Use short strokes as wide as your tooth.
    Turn your toothbrush vertical to clean the inside of your front teeth.
    Brush your tongue to rid of any leftover bacteria and prevent bad breath.

    Flossing

    While skipping the floss at night may feel like a shortcut, you’re not doing yourself a favor. Flossing helps clean your mouth in the spots your toothbrush physically cannot reach. If you don’t remove that plaque, bacteria will feed on it while you are sleeping. Also, plaque buildup can turn into tartar, which can only be removed by a dentist or dental hygienist.

    The ADA suggest the following flossing technique:

    Use an 18-inch piece of floss.
    Wind the floss around the middle fingers of each hand.
    Tightly hold the floss and insert between your teeth using your thumb and forefinger.
    Curve the floss in a C-shape around the side of your tooth.
    Gently run the floss up and down against the side of your tooth.
    Floss in between every tooth in your mouth, and don’t forget about your back teeth.

    Therapeutic Mouthwash

    Therapeutic mouthwashes are different from your generic cosmetic mouthwash and do much more than just freshen your breath. They contain certain ingredients that help fight cavities, strengthen the enamel on your teeth, and prevent gum diseases like gingivitis.

    Tooth-Harming Habits To Ditch

    We can’t stress enough of how important it is to have hardy and strong chompers. There could be some habits you go-about on a daily basis that can harm your teeth more than help them. That being said, we want to bring about some of the most common habits that make your teeth run for the hills!

    1. Ice chewers- beware!: Although ice is frozen water and contains no sugar, it can potentially crack your teeth over time due to the pressure from biting down on the hard surfaces of the ice.
    2. Teeth grinding: Grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw frequently can cause your teeth to wear down. If you happen to have this problem, a mouth guard can help prevent anymore friction from occurring.
    3. The sugary stuff: Common tasty pleasures that are full of sugar such as cough drops and soda can cause cavities or tooth decay from sugar building up over time that can make its way to some of your bacteria-free teeth.
    4. Coffee lovers: Lets face it, some of us need that caffeine kick in the morning to get through the day. But since our helper of the day contains acidic properties that can stain teeth, it is best to have this guy in moderation or look up whitening options to combat any yellow shades that may come about onto your precious pearly whites.
    5. Snacking: The more you snack, the less saliva you produce which can cause more food to be stuck on your teeth for the day. If you decide to snack, snack healthy and try avoiding any foods that are sugary or starchy.

     

    If you happen to currently have any of these habits- don’t stress. Its not mandatory to eliminate all of these forever. However, it is crucial to provide the best care for your teeth that you possibly can. By gradually getting rid of any of these habits, you can be on your way to a set of teeth to die for!

    Here’s The Scoop On The Tooth Fairy

    One of the most exciting things about losing baby teeth is placing each tooth under a pillow before going to bed for the tooth fairy to collect in exchange for a token of her appreciation to find when you wake up. Our classic American Fairy was introduced all the way back in 1927 from a book called “The Tooth Fairy” by Esther Watkins Arnold.

    What did everyone do before the tooth fairy?

    During the times of witches and dark magics, it was a common practice to burn baby teeth as they fell out. This was to protect the child from being exposed to any dark magic or “bad luck”.

    “A token of her appreciation”

    Almost a century later, the Tooth Fairy is still paying a visit to the youngins and replacing their lost teeth with money. Commonly, the amount of money is based upon the size of the tooth. The larger the tooth, the larger the reward. But what started out as a small silver token in the tale has evolved into children earning cash!

    When would these rewards come to an end?

    This all depends on age and, most importantly, when all your permanent teeth have grown in. It is most common to stop seeing visits from the tooth fairy when all baby teeth are gone. I mean, after all, she is there to collect them, isn’t she?

    Dr. Verwest recognized in “America’s Best Dentist” 2018

    The National Consumer Advisory Board has named Pediatric Dentistry of Florida, Dr. Tim M. Verwest, DMD one of America’s Best Dentist for 2018. This prestigious honor places Dr. Verwest among America’s most respected professionals. Selections are done based on a proprietary assessment of a dentists experience, training, continuing education, and commitment to excellence to ensure the most impartial unbiased review of all applicants.

    Dr. Verwest is a board certified diplomat of the National Board of Pediatric Dentistry with professional interests in the areas of pediatric pharmacology, biomaterials, and pediatric anesthesia.  He believes in lifelong learning and continues his education by taking courses in pediatric sedation, pediatric oncology, sealants, prosthetics, pediatric cosmetic dentistry, pediatric materials, childhood growth and development, and more.

    Pediatric Dentistry of Florida, Dr. Tim Verwest, DMD, continues to provide pediatric dental care to children for over 26 years. Areas of service include comprehensive dental exams, cleanings, composite fillings, dental hygiene education, extractions, fluoride treatments, sealants, sedation dentistry, space maintainers, x-rays and tooth nerve treatment. For more information, visit www.DrVerwest.com or (239) 482-2722.

    The National Consumer Advisory Board is a private research organization dedicated to providing consumers information about the finest professionals across the nation. They accept no fees, sponsorships donations or advertising to be selected as one of “America’s Best Dentists”.

    Dr. Tim Verwest, DMD collects 930 lbs. of food for Harry Chapin Food Bank

    Pediatric Dentistry of Ft. Myers, Dr. Tim Verwest, DMD collected 930 lbs. of can-food donations during their “Touch-a-Truck’ event. All food collected will benefit the Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida.

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    Dr. Verwest Presents – Touch-a-Truck Fort Myers 2018


    Pediatric Dentistry of Florida, Dr. Tim Verwest, DMD & associates is hosting the second annual family-friendly ‘Touch-a-Truck’ Fort Myers on Saturday, April 21, from 11 am to 2 pm.

    Touch-a-Truck is a hands-on experience where children will be able to learn about their favorite trucks and vehicles, plus interact with those who drive them.

    (Click above to share touch-a-truck on  Facebook)

    Featured vehicles will include emergency service, law enforcement, military, public service, and commercial businesses.

    Other activities include trackless train rides, pony rides, and face painting,  photo booth, costume character meet & greet, and food trucks. Please bring can food donations benefiting the Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida for entry.

    There will be a special ‘horn-free’ hour from 11 am to 12 pm for children with special needs and sensitive ears. Touch-a-Truck is free to the general public and is located at Pediatric Dentistry of Florida, 8016 Summerlin Lakes Dr, Fort Myers, FL 33907.

     

    Dr. Verwest receives 2017 Spectrum Award

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    The City Beat News (CBN) awarded Pediatric Dentistry of Ft. Myers, Dr. Tim M. Verwest, DMD the 2017 Spectrum Award of Excellence in Customer Satisfaction. This is the second consecutive year Dr. Verwest has received the Spectrum Award honor. The Spectrum Award was established to spotlight companies providing exceptional service and experiences to their customers. Research is done annually and is independent and unbiased. Spectrum Award winners are rated using exclusive research and proprietary algorithms.

    CBN draws upon many information sources and weighs and distills them into a single score for the year to identify top companies across the country. Only those businesses earning CBN’s highest ratings are honored with the City Beat News Spectrum Award for Excellence in Customer Service.

    Pediatric Dentistry of Ft Myers, Dr. Tim Verwest, DMD, continues to provide pediatric dental care to children for the last 26 years. Areas of service include comprehensive dental exams, cleanings, composite fillings, dental hygiene education, extractions, fluoride treatments, sealants, sedation dentistry, space maintainers, x-rays and tooth nerve treatment. For more information, visit www.DrVerwest.com or (239) 482-2722.

    Pediatric Dentistry of Ft. Myers sponsors Future of Art

    The Future of Art – Alliance for the Arts

    Pediatric Dentistry of Ft. Myers, Dr. Tim Verwest, DMD will be the exhibit sponsor for the 25th annual Alliance for the Arts Future of Art. Various works of art created by elementary and middle school students across Lee County will be on display from April 4 to April 29 with an opening reception on Tuesday, April 4 from 5-7PM. Work created by high school students will then be exhibited with a second opening reception on Thursday, April 20 from 5-7PM

    “The talented kids of the community are all on display, it’s a great exhibit for those of all ages,” said Dr. Verwest.

    This is the 25th year the Alliance has partnered with the Lee Arts Educators Association (LAEA) to provide students with an opportunity to display their artwork in a formal exhibit. This annual show features more than forty schools and hundreds of pieces of art in a wide variety of mediums.  Judges will select winners in several categories and award a Best in Show.

    Pediatric Dentistry of Ft Myers, Dr. Tim Verwest, DMD, continues to provide pediatric dental care to children for over 26 years. Areas of service include comprehensive dental exams, cleanings, composite fillings, dental hygiene education, extractions, fluoride treatments, sealants, sedation dentistry, space maintainers, x-rays and tooth nerve treatment. For more information, visit www.DrVerwest.com or (239) 482-2722.

    Pediatric Dentistry of Ft. Myers named ‘most loved ‘dentist 2017

    HulaFrog awarded Pediatric Dentistry of Ft. Myers, Dr. Tim Verwest, DMD & Associates the most loved pediatric dentist award for 2017. The most loved business winners are voted on and selected by parents in the local community.

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    Pediatric Dentistry of Ft Myers, Dr. Tim Verwest, DMD, continues to provide pediatric dental care to children for the last 26 years. Areas of service include comprehensive dental exams, cleanings, composite fillings, dental hygiene education, extractions, fluoride treatments, sealants, sedation dentistry, space maintainers, x-rays and tooth nerve treatment. For more information, visit www.DrVerwest.com or (239) 482-2722.