Pediatric dentistry of naples

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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    Procrastinating a Dental Visit?

    Whether being busy, or having anxiety about going to the dentist, procrastinating a visit can have serious consequences.

    When we see a patient due to pain or sensitivity, often this pain and the treatment they consequently have to receive could have been prevented. In some cases, the issued could have been avoided by maintaining proper oral hygiene and dental checkups every six months.

    Checkups allow dentist to help you prevent issues or catch issues early. Early detection, before symptoms of pain appear, is often extremely important and can dramatically reduce the amount of treatment needed.

    There is a higher chance of cavities forming, gum disease, or a number of other oral issues in the duration of a dental absence. This can lead to tons of dreadful side effects, including root damage, severe tooth aches, and even tooth loss.

    If your little one hasn’t been to the dentist in over six months, they’re due for a visit! We recommend you schedule an appointment as soon as possible and continue to schedule regular visits every six months. In addition, if you experience any discomfort or pain, do not delay seeing a dentist. Making time for a visit will provide healthy and pain-free smiles to last a lifetime!

    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!

    Dental Health Tips During Cold And Flu Season

    It’s that time of year again.. people are coughing and sneezing and germs can be anywhere at any place. Not many people enjoy getting the flu, so it is best to be on your toes with your dental care! You must always make sure you are first taking care of yourself in order to stay healthy and flu-free this season. So have no fear about the cold and flu season being here; we have a few tips to help you get through the next few months happy and healthy (hopefully with a smile, too!).

    Keep up with good oral hygiene practices

    We all know you don’t want to be bothered when you’re sick and all you want to do is rest, but maintaining daily brushing and flossing habits can go a long way. You also must not share your toothbrush along with not necessarily replacing your toothbrush after you recover, but only after the 3-4 month mark of usage when the bristles begin to separate from each other.

    Choose cough drops carefully

    These guys are good for dry or sore throats, but they also contain sugar. It is best to purchase sugar-free cough drops to avoid any cavity-causing bacteria that can sit in your mouth and eventually make its way onto your precious pearly whites, which can cause buildup over time.

    Hydrate yourself

    Drinking lots of fluids can give you huge benefits; such as preventing your mouth from getting dry which can lead to cavities in the end. It is important to keep in mind that liquids containing large amounts of sugar can cause cavities due to the bacteria that causes cavities feeding off of the sugar. With that being said, water would be the best option when choosing something to guzzle down.

    Resist brushing too early

    If you feel the need to vomit, resist brushing for at least 30 minutes prior. Since your teeth are coated in stomach acid, brushing can just make things worse by distributing the acid all over your teeth. An alternative would be to swish and spit a mixture of water and one tablespoon of baking soda in order to wash away any stomach acid that can cause harm to your teeth.

    Whitening Toothpaste: Why It May Not Be Effective

    Let’s face it, we all want the whitest teeth possible. But have you been trying the hardest to get those desired results that aren’t apparent yet? We have a few reasons as to why your teeth may be going from dazzling to dull white using whitening toothpastes.

    First, it is important to note that whitening toothpastes can’t change the actual color of your teeth. They also don’t contain peroxide which is a key ingredient for teeth-whitening. Most ingredients included in whitening toothpastes only remove surface stains, which means that it can’t lighten a stain that is deeper than surface level.

    Second, the overuse of whitening toothpaste can wear down tooth enamel, which, in turn, can cause a yellowish shade on your teeth. Although it takes about two to six weeks to see results when used twice a day, it is well worth the wait instead of using the toothpaste more than you should just to have your teeth become less white than they should be.

    So although whitening toothpaste may deliver some results overtime, it may not thoroughly do the job as much as teeth whitening treatments provided by your dentist.

     

     

    Which Toothbrush is Right For You?

    Choosing the right toothbrush can be crucial for enhancing a happy, healthy set of chompers. We have a few ideas to keep in mind when shopping around for a new toothbrush:

    Bristles

    Ever debate on whether soft or medium bristles are better for you? We have the answer to choosing the right type for you. First, soft bristles promote a gentle cleaning to your teeth. If you have gingivitis or sensitive teeth, this can be the right choice for you. If you want more of a firm and deeper cleaning , medium bristles could do the trick- but beware! Heavy-handed brushing with medium bristles can provide harsh contact to your gums, which, in turn, can increase teeth sensitivity.

    Toothbrush head size

    It is always beneficial to take the size of the toothbrush head into consideration for optimal comfort when brushing. You want something that can easily fit into the mouth and brush one to two teeth at a time.

    Handle

    For maximum comfort when brushing, you want something that fits in the hand nicely to be able to maneuver the brush into as many nooks and crannies as you can to brush away the bacteria and germs.

    Electric toothbrushes

    As far as powered toothbrushes that do some of the work for you, make sure the desired characteristics above add up to the toothbrush you love cleaning with for optimal ease when staying germ-free.

    Happy brushing!

    Bad Breath, Be Gone!

    So how do you keep good smelling breath to stick around longer? We have a few tips to keep you and your mouth smelling fresh throughout the day.

    • Chow down on some veggies! These guys will balance out the bad-breath-causing acid in your body.
    • Consuming hard texture foods like apples and celery are beneficial for rubbing away any bacteria or residue left on your teeth.
    • Stay hydrated! Drink 48 oz – or about 6 cups – of water a day to keep bacteria under control by lubricating your mouth without any acidic chemicals involved.
    • Like we went over in previous posts, brush, floss, and clean your tongue as well as rinse with alcohol-free mouthwash. Chewing sugarless gum also helps!
    • Tea anyone? Having a cup of tea can wash away smelly germs while preventing any bad-breath-bacteria from forming
    • Having some yogurt keeps your mouth smelling nice and sweet from its probiotics

    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.