Small Tooth Talk

How fast is your mile?

2011-08-08T14:26:00.000-07:00

If you needed just one more reason to start an exercise routine here it is....

Researchers at the Cooper Institute in Dallas in conjunction with University of Texas Southwest Medical School found that men and women in their 40's and 50's ability to run a mile in under 8 (for men) or 9 (for women) minutes correlated to a low risk of heart disease in their senior years. Men and women who could not run a mile in under 10 (men )or 12 (women) minutes has a much higher chance of developing heard disease in their senior years.

However, there is nothing special about running. You could also be doing any other cardiovascular work (or better yet, mix it in with some light strength training) like swimming or biking or zumba or whatever the latest craze at the YMCA. Just do it regularly.

Locally, 1st Place Sports or the Florida Striders are great for beginners and experienced runners alike to find groups and fellowship and accountability for your runs. Good Luck!

What is your sentence?

2011-03-05T06:18:00.000-08:00

I am reading a thought provoking book called "Drive" by Daniel Pink which talks about what motivates us. I just came across a section where he references Clare Boothe Luce who was one of the first women to serve in the US Congress. She told then President John F. Kennedy, "A great man is one sentence." For example, Abraham Lincoln was: "He preserved the union and freed the slaves."

Using this as an exercise can be a way to discover or clarify a greater purpose in your life which can be useful for staying motivated and driven. I imagine you could have different sentences for different stages of your life, but at any one stage focus on being great in just one sentence. Something you can be passionate about and strive to achieve. I think I have a sentence for home: "He honored God in his leadership and interactions with his wife and children" and also a sentence for my business: "He created an environment in his dental practice that helped parents succeed in establishing lifelong health for their children." As I grow older and (hopefully) wiser, my sentence may change to involve children's oral health nationally or at a county health level or maybe teaching at a school.

So I challenge all who are reading this on FB or my blog to contemplate your own sentence for your present stage, and add yours below in the comment section. If you are like me, your first few attempts will be very longwinded, but work to get it parsed down to one short, concise sentence. This could be fun. What's your sentence???

A pacifier that won't mess up teeth??!!

2011-03-01T05:57:00.001-08:00

I was looking at the most recent journal to come across my desk when an article on pacifiers and open bites caught my attention. Apparently there is a new pacifier from "Dentistar" that claims to avoid causing open bites. So researchers compared 42 kids with a NUK, 42 kids with a Dentistar, and 36 with no pacifier. The Dentistar significantly reduced the open bite over the NUK at mean age 16 months. So while limited pacifier use is still best, if your child is pacifier addicted, you may want to consider trying out the Dentistar design. Or recommendation, no matter what pacifier you choose, is to keep the pacifier reserved for times when you child is overtired and overstimulated and needs pacifying. It should not be a babysitter or, as our friends across the pond call it, a dummy.

2011-02-18T12:22:00.001-08:00

YEAH! Thanks to all the wonderful volunteers who made this years Give Kids a Smile an amazing success once again. Give Kids a Smile events provide free dental services to low income families who do not qualify for medicaid or have dental insurance. This year we saw 78 patients and provided $41,000 of dental services. We had great kids this year who endured and perservered, many of them getting all their dental needs completed, or the major portion of what they needed. Our goal, as always, was to keep kids out of pain for the coming year, protect their adult teeth, and help them see the value of healthy eating habits and dental care. By any standard, this year was another success.

December food Drive

2010-12-02T07:31:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

We had so much fun with the Thanksgiving Food Drive we decided to do another one.

Please join our staff as we help families in need this holiday season. Here's how you can help. From now until December 14th, we will be collecting canned goods and grocery store gift cards. Our goal is to provide a Christmas meal for 5 families. For every item you donate, your child's name will be entered into a drawing to win gift basket from our office valued at over $100. The more items you bring, the greater the chance you have to win. So clean out your pantry and help someone who is less fortunate receive an early Christmas gift. As always, thank you for your continued support in helping us to reach the community one smile at a time!

Many Blessings to you and your family this Christmas season!

Myers Pediatric Dentistry

Thanksgiving food drive

2010-11-19T09:01:00.001-08:00

I am a little late on notifying our readers about this year's food drive, but there is still time to bring canned food items by the office before Wednesday. Every item of food donated will allow for 1 raffle entry into this years thanksgiving dental basket full of goodies. So swing by the office, say hello, and drop off your food items to help provide food for the local food pantries. Thanks to our great patients these past few weeks, we already have a good start on this year's food drive. We just need your help to finish strong.

Boys and their videos (and ADHD)

2010-11-16T10:14:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while I come across in interesting idea that I feel must be shared with those of you who occasionally check in on my blog. Usually is it tooth related, occasionally medically related, but most always kid related. This one is for the parents wondering about how much their kids should be "plugged in" to games and TV and internet. There is a growing body of research that indicates we should limit the amount of electronic babysitting we do. Especially interesting is what happens to ADHD type behaviors when we unplug kids, engage them in conversations and "force" them into unstructured play. Please enjoy this. It comes from Jeff Myers (no relation) who has a ministry called Passing the Baton about raising up the next generation.

Dr. Gary

Entertainment-Soaked Culture Damages Kids' Brains; Here's the Antidote
Jeff Myers, Ph.D.

Over consumption of media among Christians is an enormous concern. According to a study I conducted in 2003, the average Christian young man is involved in 33.25 hours a week of "screen time" (watching movies, playing video games, surfing the internet). Girls averaged 27 hours a week - the difference being that boys play a lot more video games.
That was seven years ago. Since then, the advent of Wii, smart phones, Blu-ray, and hyper-realistic video games have certainly only made the problem more acute.

While all of these so-called advancements have been coming about, brain scientists have been busy doing some fascinating research of their own - studying the hi-tech culture's effect on the brain. And the conclusions are simply startling.

How the Brain Works
We only have to understand a few basic brain functions to grasp how our entertainment-soaked culture affects the brains of teens. Bear with me for a quick anatomy lesson.

Take a look at this picture of the human brain. The frontal lobe, shaded in purple, is the executive center. This part of the brain lights up when you come up with a plan and execute on it. In the center, in red, is the nucleus accumbens - a collection of neurons that forms the brain's pleasure center. When a person experiences pleasure, this part of the brain displays stimulation.

Here's what to keep in mind: the brain was designed in such a way that work and accomplishment stimulate the executive center of the brain (purple), which in turn stimulates the pleasure center of the brain (red). Work brings satisfaction, and the desire for life satisfaction motivates people to work.

The Effect of an Entertainment-Soaked Culture on Kids

So what does a culture like ours do to the brains of teens?

In his book Boys Adrift Leonard Sax reported on a study of 7 to 14-year-old boys which found that playing video games lights up the pleasure center of the brain while simultaneously shutting off blood flow to the executive center of the brain. In effect, these games offered boys the sense that they had accomplished something without actually having done so.*

Consider the shocking implications. The games children play are designed to bring effortless pleasure (movies and music have the same effect). Over time, this slickly produced entertainment "tricks" the brain into by-passing the executive center, making it more rewarding to pursue entertainment and less rewarding to accomplish anything of value. Academic work plummets. Social relationships suffer. And massive entertainment corporations make out like bandits, reaping billions in profits.

Quite frankly, if you're a parent, teacher, or youth minster, this is horrible news. How could we have allowed the most privileged generation in history - in terms of spendable income, opportunity for education and travel, and access to information - to quietly amuse itself to death?**

The Antidote is Not What You Would Expect

If you're thinking, "Well, the damage is already done," here's some good news.

There is a clear, simple way to rescue teens from the cultural addiction: engage them in conversation in the context of doing real things. Let's look at two aspects of this answer.

1. Do real things. A Christian school headmaster friend of mine was recently approached by several parents whose children had been prescribed medications for ADHD and bi-polar disorder. They trusted their doctors but wondered, "Is there any way we can help our kids without having to turn to these strong medications?" The headmaster wisely proposed the parents give the following plan a try:

Take out TVs, Ipods, video game consoles, and computers from your kids' bedrooms.
Allow no more than 30 minutes of video gaming per week.
Set a bedtime of 9pm on weeknights, 10pm on weekends.
Provide three nutritious meals a day (note that the headmaster had to define "nutritious" for the parents).
Plan for one hour of playing outside every day, and three hours on the weekend days.
Amazingly - after a few months of this regimen - all of the children showed far fewer symptoms and were doing significantly better in school (without medication!). For these kids, there was an undeniable connection between unplugging and thriving.

In a similar vein, many parents are starting to take seriously studies done by Dina Borzekowski, Linda S. Pagani and others that demonstrate a correlation between a child's relatively innocuous television viewing and lower test scores. In fact, public health advocates have caught on and launched a "No Child Left Inside" initiative that appears to be gaining steam.

A quick word of warning: An entertainment-soaked culture affects the brain in similar ways to a chemical addiction. So don't be surprised if heavily plugged-in kids express bitterness, anger, accusation and even paranoia when they get unplugged. Many parents will cave in to the pressure because they can't handle seeing their children be unhappy, even for a short time. A few parents, however, will find wise ways to replace screen time with real things and intentional conversation. In the long run, kids who overcome this withering addiction will be significantly better prepared to live healthy, purposeful lives.

2. Engage them in conversation. Language lights up the brain. And as David Caplan, a neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, points out: in order to trigger the use of language, both motivation (from the executive center) and arousal (from the pleasure center) are required.

Language seems to be a bridge that reconnects the broken-down relationship between the executive and pleasure centers of the brain. Notice that this involves active language use, not just passive language reception. We're talking two-way, engaging, in-person conversations. And that puts the ball squarely in your court to communicate with kids in a way that engages them in communicating with you.

Isn't it interesting that expressing thoughts through language helps remediate the damage done by a culture built on amusement? The ancient Greeks called this kind of linguistic expression "logos." It's the same word used in John 1:1 to describe the ministry of Jesus: "In the beginning was the Word."

Reclaiming the Ancient Art of Life-on-Life Discipleship

Jesus is the model for engaging people in conversation while doing real things. One scholar estimates that Jesus spent 13 months of his three year ministry just walking from place to place. All the while, he engaged others in conversation: Paul Stanley says that Jesus asked 288 questions in the gospels.

"Come, follow me," Jesus said. They did. And along the way he equipped them to change the world, and they did that, too.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*See Leonard Sax, Boys Adrift. New York: Basic Book, 2007,p.91.
**This phrase is drawn from Neil Postman's book, Amusing Ourselves to Death. I strongly recommend that you read it.

Oil-Pulling

2010-08-05T14:33:00.001-07:00

I love learning new things from my patients! Today I learned about oil-pulling! This is a way to supposedly pull toxins out your lymph and body while also disrupting the dental bacteria and plaque leaving your teeth slick and smooth and plaque free. There have been lots of commercial rinses researched and tested that look at using essential oils to help combat plaque, so that idea is not that unusual. But the idea of swishing with sesame or sunflower oil for 20 minutes a few times a day to cure all kinds of ailments seems a bit strange.

The mom that introduced me to this has REALLY REALLY clean teeth (I had to have her get in the chair and look myself). I want to follow up with her in six months and test her bacteria to see if it actually changes the bacteria environment or just keeps them from sticking to the teeth in great numbers (reduces plaque).

As I researched this technique on the internet, there are actaully clinical studies (mostly from India) that show gingivitis significantly improves and overall bacteria load is reduced by oil-pulling.

We are always on the look out for new, innovative, and interesting ways to help patients out. It is even better when they are simple and inexpensive.
So you wont hear about this from your physician or pharmaceutical company, but you may just want to google it and give it a try. Or start at www.oilpulling.org and www.oilpulling.com. I'm going to be recommending it to select patients and get some feedback as well as try it myself (maybe even talk my wife into another one of my experiments!). There is no harm to the technique, and it is all hype and cures no illness, at least it will leave your teeth shiny clean and you body will absorb a lot of good omega 3 and 6 fatty acids (the good, healthy kind).

Give Kids A Smile 2010

2010-02-09T08:10:00.000-08:00

Love One Another
"...Love your Neighbor as you love yourself." Matthew 22:39

Each year, our office takes the time to give back to the community and help others in need. During the month of February, we participate in a campaign called "Give Kids A Smile". We provide free dental services to families who can't afford to bring their children to the dentist. We provide cleanings, extract teeth that are causing pain, protect adult molars with sealants, and fill small cavities for children between the ages of five and thirteen.

This year, the event will be held on Friday, February 19th from 8-3. To help us make this event a success, we are asking that people in the community nominate families who need to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. Nominated families who wish to participate in GKAS can contact me at (904)505-2010 to schedule a financial and dental screening prior to February 15th. We will assess the dental needs of the child and schedule them an appointed time to return on February 19th. The screening process will help to ensure that all children will get the most comprehensive care possible.

Please help us give kids a reason to smile!

Breathing, sleep disturbance, and ADHD

2009-12-13T06:49:00.001-08:00

Wow, I've spent another weekend inside a hotel at a study club filled with brilliant people. I leave more convinced than ever that I can help many children with ADHD and ADD just by getting them to breathe better. When the airway is insufficient due to insufficient jaw growth or enlarged adenoids tonsils, the posterior pharynx collapses down during sleep just like a sleep apnea patient. During the day, the mouth breathing and shallow overbreathing robs the body of the ability to efficiently transfer oxygen from blood to tissue..things like brain tissue. We blogged earlier about how breathing correctly can also reduce asthma and allergy symptoms. It really all comes down to breathing training. So look for coming programs at our office to help straighten your child's teeth while also improving their overall health and performance in school. Imagine a life without ADHD medication or labels placed on your child. Imagine a child that is able to focus their thoughts and energies. Now I realize that there are many different reasons for ADHD and ADD diagnosis, but what if many of those brain imbalances are due to a lack of oxygen thats allows focus and proper function? It all starts with breathing, so someone needs to develop a good system to evaluate and improve breathing for children. It might as well be me.

IV sedation versus oral sedation

2009-12-02T14:44:00.000-08:00

Intravenous Sedation (IV) sedation in a dental office has an anesthesiologist come in and put an IV into the blood stream for sedating a young child so the dentistry can be accomplished. It is very effective and has the advantage of wearing off quickly once the IV is out and the child is taken to a much deeper state of unconsciousness safely. It is also a lot more costly as you are paying for 2 doctors in the room.

Oral sedation does not put the child in such a deep state of sedation, so the extra doctor to administer and monitor the drugs is unnecessary. It effectively sedates the uncooperative child, allowing work to be accomplished without undue stress or negative memories. Since the drug is not delivered directly into the blood stream, it takes longer to wear off completely, leaving a sometimes irritable, slightly off balance child the rest of the afternoon, but it can save as much as 2000 dollars over IV sedation, accomplishing the same objectives.

Many pediatric dentists these days only offer IV sedation, which in these economic times can put a difficult burden on families. This is one of the reasons we choose to offer oral sedation as an alternative to IV sedation.

The following is what one parent who was quoted for IV sedation at a different office had to say about her experience:

"My son had his first experience with cavities, and needed to have multiple teeth filled. Dr. Gary and his staff presented us with two options for anesthesia, and we are thankful we went with the oral sedation instead of I.V. sedation, as this was not the most economical option for us, but the entire process was painless, which as parents, was our main concern. Thank you for providing options for parents, and for cultivating a peaceful, kid-friendly environment where my children can learn how to keep their teeth and mouth healthy. You all are a blessing."
-Susan J.

The ABC's of breathing is the start to good health

2009-11-13T08:44:00.000-08:00

I am amazed at the number of asthma patients I see in my practice these days. If they are not on asthma medicine, they seem to be on ADHD medicine, and often on both. If you are like me, especially if you have an asthmatic or ADHD child, you have to be frustrated with our medical system whose solution is simply more drugs.

I want to propose a new idea that may not help everyone with asthma or ADHD, but what if it was the solution or part of the solution to 10% of the cases? 20%? 50%? From the individual and family in that 10 percent this would be life changing. And from a society-wide standpoint, especially in the middle of this health care discussion, it could lower the cost of health care in ways we may not even realize.

What if we made breathing training our first line of training, and those it didn't help could then be placed onto medication. Just this one simple step could save billions (or conversely, cost drug companies billions in sales). I don't think this is a conspiracy or anything...it is more a bureaucracy and momentum thing. So let's think about doing something for ourselves by learning to breathe correctly and then go see the doctor if there is still a problem. If you or your child is already under the care of a doctor, pay close attention, becuase as you teach your child to properly breathe, your medications may need to be adjusted down or eliminated all together. DO I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION YET?

I want to hear from you. Post on FB, or in the comment section of this blog. I'll put more of my thoughts and solutions out there after I hear from you all in cyberspace.

Give Thanks and Give Back!

2009-11-12T18:59:00.000-08:00

Our Pediatric Dental office will be holding a thanksgiving food drive and needs your help to make it a success!

For every can donated, you will be able to enter your name (or your child's name) to win a gift basket valued at over $150. (including a bleaching kit and power toothbrush). You get an entry for each can you bring, so the more cans you bring the greater the chance you have to win. Clear out that pantry, we even want your canned YAMS, and swing by 3200 Old Jennings Road by the Clay Utility Authority to have a chance at super white teeth while giving others a chance for a great thanksgiving!

New twist on cavities

2009-09-11T11:53:00.000-07:00

Wow.

I sort of forgot about this blogging thing, so it has been a while...hopefully the archives are good enough to keep the new folks entertained and educated.

One of the neatest things I've been working on lately (besides raising my new 6 month old daughter!), is the continued quest to learn more about how oral bacteria work to establish themselves in the mouth. We were all taught in dental school that certain bacteria are the problem and if you get too many of them and feed them too often you will have cavities. And once you get them, you really can't get rid of them. So I was looking for ways to tackle this certain bacteria. Sometimes it worked, other times, not as well. Turns out that more recent information has the cavity problem rooted in an unruly ecosystem.

A good analogy is one of a classroom. It is not the child in the classroom causing the upset(although some are more likely than others to cause mischief), but rather, it is the environment in which the class is run. If there is no teacher, or a weak teacher, it gets out of hand quickly. So even if you get rid of all the bacteria that have been thought to cause the problems, but the system is still unruly, the "good" bacteria turn bad and can still cause cavities! It turns out the key to behaving bacteria in the mouth is the Oral pH. If you push the ecosystem with a high pH solution frequently enough, you get control and help you teeth get back in balance. If you cycle it often enough with acid drinks (yes, even diet soda) or sugar that lets the existing bacteria continue to make the acid environment they love, you stay out of balance (and keep getting cavities over and over). Unfortunately, most all the drinks we love, and most of the oral dental rinses have a low pH.

Armed with this new knowledge, we can help you avoid getting the unruly bacteria from the start with our infant dental consult by age 1, and then keep order in the "classroom" by helping the mouth keep a balanced pH environment. Pretty cool (but you still have to do your homework of eating right and brushing and flossing...only you will be like one of the smart kids where it is easier to bring home A's).

Give Kids a Smile 2009

2009-02-06T14:23:00.000-08:00

WOW!

We just finished up our 2009 GKAS. We were able to help 96 children and did over 36,000 dollars worth of dentistry. The patients and parents this year were such troopers and very gracious. My WONDERFUL staff is to be commended for all the hard work before the event, during the event, and cleaning up afterwards. We should all sleep well tonight. AND they all were donating their time. A very special thanks to the adult dentists who came out to help...they are all wonderful people and clinicians so if you need a good dentist, you can't go wrong with any of these.....Dr. Greg Archambo, Dr. Ted Heusner, Dr. Jennifer Ortega, and Dr. Robert Rosenblum. We had so many hygienists come and volunteer from other clinics, I was amazed. Thank you those who responded to my mass emails for help when I saw how many patients we would have this year. Thanks to TV 4 for coming to give us a boost...we received over 300 calls because of their broadcast and were able to fill up 3 other Give Kids a Smile events around Jacksonville with our overflow patients. That is such a big deal as I know many dentists who have given up doing GKAS events for lack of patient turn out. All and all, it the best event yet. Now I'm gonna go home and watch a movie or sleep or something! :)

Dr. Gary

Join our facebook group!

2009-01-16T08:29:00.000-08:00

Greetings,

We decided to make a facebook group "I love Myers Pediatric Dentistry". If you like our office, our website, or this blog and have a facebook account, please search us out and join our group. You can click this link

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=45563162335&ref=nf

Let's see where this goes. Of course the object, as always, is to have people learn how to keep their kids teeth healthy and cavity free.

Avoid the SHOT ("yes we can")

2009-01-05T17:34:00.000-08:00

How many of you cringe and may stop reading just because of the picture to the right? Please don't. There is VERY COOL information to follow!

My favorite dental movie of all time is Little Shop of Horrors. Bill Murray plays the sicko dental patient who loves getting treatment. But outside of Hollywood, who likes getting a shot? I remember getting my first (and only I'm proud to say) filling at age 15. I was so nervous and my heart was racing, but it was my dad giving the shot so I had to behave! Much later my heart still raced as we practiced on each other in dental school.

Today, we use gentle preparation methods such as air abrasion, micro preps, and early detection with lasers to avoid having to give shots when doing fillings. We also stress infant exams, remineralization of teeth, bacteria control, and diet and hygiene coaching to avoid cavities in the first place (which is the BEST way to avoid shots). And now I have the coolest way yet to avoid the shot. But sorry parents, this one is ONLY FOR KIDS.

Low level lasers, or cold lasers, are the latest thing in sports medicine and physical therapy. A cold laser is low power laser energy that penetrates into tissues, but does not cut or emit heat, and they seem to stimilate healing in soft tissue. Apparently some bored, or creative, therapist decided to try it out on some teeth. It disrupts the nerve signal to the brain and basic fillings can be done without pain and without shots.....but only in baby teeth. I have been using this technology in my practice since September and have been totally AMAZED at how well it works. Parents love it. I love it. My staff loves it. My wife loves it (helps her headaches), my friend loves it (helped his thrown out back), my wife's friend loves it (helped her ankle sprain)...you get the picture.

Imagine it. No scary shot. No numb feeling. No children biting lips and cheeks as the numbness wears off. Revolutionary. So if your fear of needles has kept you from bringing your child to the dentist, wait no longer as our laser doesn't work for root canals.

And for you, mom or dad, there is always nitrous and valium :)

We need your help!

2009-01-05T16:47:00.000-08:00

Give Kids a Smile: Friday, February 6. Can you think of a family in need?

Every year we do a free service day for needy children (age 2-13) in February, which is dental health month. Last year we were able to do $26,000 worth of free dentistry! Believe it or not, the hardest challenge each year is to find patients. This year, we are going to rely on you, our patients and blog readers to help us out.

We are asking that you think of a family you may know as a neighbor, family member or in your church who has no insurance, struggling financially, and is in need of dental care or has never even been to a dentist. You can go to our website "contact us" page and send us a note nominating that family for care. We will contact them, make sure they qualify under the department of health guidelines, and get them the care they need.

Think of me as the Ty Pennington of Pediatric Dentistry!

We don't want anyone to fall through the cracks, and we understand this is a tough time to have cavities. As always, we want to help others AVOID any (or any more) cavities. So even if you don't know any families to nominate, please share our website and information with someone you know. We certainly appreciate the opportunity to serve you throughout the year, and you mak it possible to set aside a day to Give Kids a Smile.

Low Sugar Juice

2009-01-05T16:27:00.001-08:00

All the juice companies are coming out with their own version of low sugar juice alternatives. Curious about these products, I went and read the labels. It looks to me like they just added more water. Less sugar for your child, more profit for them (water is cheap). Parents used to make low sugar juice at home all the time. Now, through the wonders of marketing, you get to pay a premium for it.

So please don't be fooled. However you get it, "low sugar" juice still has enough punch (pardon the pun) to cause cavities if consumed regularly (and slowly) between meals on a daily basis. We see it all the time.

While I'm thinking of juice, an article just came out today on the CBS news website indicating that many doctors are now saying Juice is as bad as soda from a calorie, obesity, and cavity standpoint. While I like their thinking, on a scale of "Good to Bad" I put soda as "VERY BAD" while juice is simply "BAD" for teeth.

Here's the link. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/02/11/health/main673229.shtml

Keep Everyone Smiling Through Halloween

2008-10-17T10:53:00.000-07:00

It may not be your worst nightmare, but Halloween can present many parenting problems in addition to the usual fun and thrills and chills of a haunted house. As your child’s dentist, I hope to provide some guidance on how to navigate through this sticky season.

In my family growing up, if mom took me trick or treating, I came home with very little loot, but if dad took us we had to have the radio flyer to haul it all home! So here you are after the night of trick or treating in the neighborhood that had the reputation for handing out the really good candy. Your children each have at least 20 lbs of candy…what do you do?

Scenario #1: Don’t let them get too much at once, so they can only eat 10 pieces a day and the candy stash lasts well past Christmas.
Scenario #2: They have access to their stash at will and the hoarders make it last through Christmas and the “spenders” have it gone before the week is up.
Scenario #3: Make them eat all of it that very night in hopes they get such a belly ache they never want candy again.
Scenario #4: Throughout the week, you successfully sneak candy out of their stash, and then either eat it yourself or throw it away.

Surprisingly, the best dental scenario is #3, but most physicians and parents won’t recommend this tactic.

What can I recommend? At least 10 days prior to Halloween, come by our office and buy some cavity-fighting herbal lollipops to control the cavity-causing bacteria while they have higher than normal sugar consumption in the month after Halloween. This becomes very important if your child is prone to getting cavities.

What else can you do? How teeth survive Halloween actually depends as much on your child’s risk for cavities as how they eat their candy. Not surprisingly, the basic principles we recommend every other day of the year also apply following Halloween. However, if your child is high risk for cavities, you have to follow these principles more exactly or your child is more likely to experience problems.

Principle #1: Time your sugar with meals when the body’s defenses are best able to keep your mouth in balance.
Principle #2: Don’t spread your sugars out over long periods of time. Consume them as rapidly as possible so your body can get back to fixing the damage.
Priciple #3: Eat your sugars in a form that doesn’t stay in the mouth as long. For example, gummy sugars are worse than chalky candy. Sugar bubble gum is particularly bad if you chew it for a long period.
Principle #4: Clean your teeth BEFORE you eat your sugar. This will remove the plaque that holds the sugar and a large number of bacteria that converts the sugar to the acid that breaks down the teeth.

We hope these guidelines help your family fight cavities throughout the whole year!

Keisha’s Corner: Sports Drinks

2008-10-15T15:04:00.000-07:00

This is the time of year many teenagers and youth in the practice tell me about their sports practices and games. In turn, I also have more kids acknowledge they are drinking sports drinks on a regular basis.

While sports drinks can be especially beneficial for replacing electrolytes in children intensely exercising for longer than 60 minutes, adopting particular sports drink habits can sometimes threaten the health of their mouth. Sports drinks are extremely acidic (optimal pH for cavity bugs) and have large amounts of carbohydrates (food for cavity bugs).

Taking the sports drink “off the field” is the most alarming trend to guard against. Once kids and parents get acquainted with the taste of sports drinks, they often start consuming them even when they are not exercising. The sports drinks end up in the fridge where they are consumed on demand and throughout the day.

Like all other sugary drinks, controlling frequency and timing is essential.

Here are some additional practices recommended by the Chicago Dental Society to help protect your child’s teeth from decay:

Use sports drinks in moderation. Water is the best drink for light workouts when less body fluids are lost

Dilute sports drinks with water

If possible, use a straw to reduce contact between the drink and teeth. Do not hold the drink in your mouth or swish it around.

Do not brush your teeth immediately after consuming a sports drink. The acid in sports drinks makes teeth softer and brushing can cause protective enamel to be lost.

Please keep in mind the 20 ounces of sports drink in your child’s bottle probably contains more electrolytes than he or she will need. Water should still be your child’s primary source of hydration. Most importantly, keep the sports drink reserved for the time your child truly needs the energy and mineral replacement: during intense athletic activity on the field and not for hydration around the house.

I have the privilege of discussing soccer games and football practice with your child twice a year. You are there every kick and tackle along the way. I hope you feel better equipped to coach your child for good oral health during the fall sports season! Go team!

TV Channel 4 Spot: Dr. Gary Likes These Lollipops

2008-10-15T14:51:00.000-07:00

Did you see us? Myers Pediatric Dentistry made the news! We were interviewed by Jacksonville’s Channel 4 news on Wednesday, September 26 regarding our use of Dr. John’s Herbal Lollipop. The spot aired on their Friday morning show.

Although they edited my explanation of how the lollipops work to about a five second sound bite, it was very encouraging to hear our message of prevention get out to the Jacksonville community.

For those of you who did not see the news clip, there is a new sugar-free lollipop on the dental market that can suppress the bacteria that causes cavities for up to 3 months. The active ingredient is an herbal extract of licorice.

I first heard about this product two years ago when it was still in development by researchers at UCLA. About 4 months ago, Dr. John’s Herbal Lollipops made their market debut with some national news coverage. Channel 4 picked up a press release about how they’re being integrated into Head Start programs on a national level, so we called and asked if they wanted to talk to an office using it locally.

In our office, Dr. John’s lollipop is another way to control the bacteria in the mouth that cause cavities. It is not a magic bullet that will allow bad habits to persist, but it can reduce or eliminate cavities when used along with good hygiene and diet. Of course, we still love and recommend Xylitol gum as a way to create healthy bacteria in the mouth and suppress the destructive bacteria for a longer timeframe.

If you or your child has struggled with cavities, please let us know when you visit so we can develop an individualized strategy to get you back in balance and avoid future cavities. You never know – this dentist may hand you a lollipop!

Announcement: Now Accepting Moms and Dads

2008-10-15T14:34:00.000-07:00

Parents have asked us for years if we would treat them as well as their kids, so we are happy to announce we can now say “YES” to these requests!

Two weeks ago we rolled out our hygiene program for parents. It has been getting rave reviews thanks to the dedication and time our hygienist Keisha has put into developing the program.

As a pediatric specialist, I had resisted the idea of “seeing adults” for years, because I didn’t want to take away from our primary focus: your children. However, at a recent dental conference I had a revelation that seeing moms and dads will actually enhance our mission: a practice full of cavity free kids. I can remain focused on your child’s health, and you benefit as well. Here is how:

The whole family hears about our progressive cavity prevention methods and receives our individualized coaching. If the parents are on board and participating in habit changes, the kids will be more likely to follow their example. I can think of numerous times where we could not get the soda or candy out of the house because one parent was not equally motivated to make the needed changes.
The added convenience of scheduling the whole family in the same place at the same time.
Better bacteria control. We can better work to control the bacteria of every individual in the family, so it is not passing from parent to child or from child to child. Once the bacteria established are the healthy strains, it is easier to keep the body in balance and avoid cavities.
The compassion and understanding that is so important when working with children is also appreciated by adults. You will just have to excuse us if we still use kid friendly terms like Mr. Thirsty and Squirt Gun!
Our dedication to the latest therapies and research will now apply to adult care and your periodontal health. Overall health is increasingly being linked to periodontal health (i.e. healthy gums and teeth). Full term pregnancies, lower blood pressure, increased heart health, and better controlled diabetes are just some of the benefits being linked to a healthy mouth.
Our office’s dedication to communication, coaching, education, and individualization will now be accessible to you.

We hope you are excited and will take advantage of this expansion of our mission. Now we not only want to keep the children in our practice cavity-free but their parents as well.

When to Start Flossing

2008-05-14T19:11:00.001-07:00

Did you know that most 4 year olds need their teeth flossed? Many parents simply do not think of flossing their young child’s teeth until it is too late. Don’t let this be you!

As soon as your child's teeth "touch," it is time to floss. Most children's front teeth have space between them, but the back teeth rarely have this space. They "touch." My son Graham (who is only 21 months) needs his incisors (the front ones) flossed because they are tight and touch each other.

Flossing is especially important if your child gets any kind of sugar in between meals such as fruit juice, gummy vitamins, or snacks such as fruit roll ups or Scooby snacks.

I know what you may be thinking… “It is hard enough to brush my wild man or princess each night, and now you want me to floss? I won’t have any fingers left after that exercise!"

Relax. We have a good solution that makes flossing easy and maybe even fun.

First, go to the drug store and look for floss helpers. Stay away from the ones marketed for kids (like the animal flossers and such). They have an awkward angle for back teeth and the floss is never very tight, which is important. Reach makes a very good flosser with prestrung inserts.

Then lay you child on a bed with their head hanging off or let them lay on your lap on the couch where there is good light. You will find this makes getting to those back teeth much easier and saves your fingers from being chew toys.

We are always happy to help coach you on proper technique, so if you are having trouble, stop in for a flossing demonstration or technique help.

Board Certified Pediatric Dentist

2008-05-09T14:56:00.000-07:00

It seems like some time ago that I took the actual test, but I finally got the results of my board exam back. I passed!

"What does this mean?" you ask. It is basically a “feather in my cap” as my college cross country coach would often say (he was always speaking in clichés).

It means I climbed the mountain because it was there. It means I am a glutton for punishment. It means I love pediatric dentistry so much I am willing to study over 200 scientific articles and then take a test on my ability to recall their publication date, authors, and content just to qualify. Then I studied hard (again), went before peer examiners, and took a two hour oral exam to demonstrate my mastery of pediatric dental concepts.

It means I am proud to be one of the the members of my profession crazy enough to subject himself to such a thing and pass.

EMG Muscle Awareness Training

2008-05-09T14:25:00.000-07:00

We finally did it. Now we have a way to measure muscle activity and visually show children what a correct swallow and tongue position should be.

For young children with improper muscle function, we anticipate this new training program will greatly reduce time in braces, sometimes avoiding significant orthodontic needs altogether! It will also make retaining the corrections we achieve with braces more likely and much easier. So what is this new technology?

Electromyography Muscle Awareness Training. Think of it as physical therapy for the mouth. Surface leads measure muscle impulses allowing us to devise a workout for your mouth muscles and retrain the muscles using biofeedback. Every new ortho patient will be screened, so we can assess if your child will benefit from this program.

You see, muscles and muscle patterns are often the root cause of crooked teeth. They exert forces on the teeth and if those forces are not taken into consideration, they will make the braces take longer. Eventually these forces may even cause a smile to relapse to some degree of crookedness if retainers are not worn for life…and who wants to deal with that! If we can correct dysfunctional muscle activity when children are young, then a child may not need braces at all, or at least a much simpler (and shorter) case.

So the question now becomes this: "Do you want to go somewhere that will just straighten your child's teeth, or do you want to address the root cause of why they aren’t straight in the first place?"

Jenna is Back!

2008-05-09T14:19:00.000-07:00

We are also excited to welcome back Jenna H. Jenna worked with us back in 2006 as an intern, and we liked her so much we kept her on until she returned to hygiene school. Now that she is done with FCCJ's dental hygiene program and has passed her national boards (way to go!), she will be working two days a week while she plans her upcoming wedding in September. Feel free to tell her all your fun wedding stories while she tends to your child.

Our Newest Team Member: Stacey J.

2008-05-09T14:05:00.000-07:00

We are excited to welcome the newest member to our team: Stacey J. She has extensive experience both in pediatric and orthodontic offices, and she came through our door at the perfect time, an answer to our prayer. She has almost seamlessly stepped into the void left by Elaina, and we are thankful to the Navy for moving her from San Diego to Jacksonville.

Stacey has two children of her own and can be seen out on the town looking for good Italian food with her family. So far nothing in Jacksonville touches what they enjoyed while on their military tour in Italy.

Please give her a big welcome when you see her and make her feel at home down here in the South.

Seeking Exceptional Dental Assistant

2008-03-01T08:54:00.000-08:00

It is always fun (and fulfilling) when an employee is with you a long time and you get to watch them grow in both their personal life and what they are able to bring to the office environment and patients.

To see them really embrace the mission and vision of the practice, the heart and soul of the practice and the reason we get up each day and do what we do. To see them learn new tasks and face new responsibilities and challenges. It is also tough to say goodbye when they move away.

Such is the case with Elaina who has been our main operative and sedation assistant for these last five years. Her house finally sold; I've written her letter of recommendation. So she's packing the van and moving to Indiana. And so here we are looking for another dental assistant to calm a fearful child or reassure an anxious parent.

It is our mission to go above and beyond what is considered normal for a dental office. In the level of communication with the parent, in the accommodations we make for the parent or child, in the new techniques we employ for keeping a child from suffering from dental decay. To do this on a day-to-day basis requires exceptional staff. They have must have more than just the basic skills to do their job. They must be able to communicate with children and adults. They must be able to show compassion. They must be teachers. They must be comforters. They must work together with a higher purpose.

Currently we are seeking applications from dental assistants with at least two years experience for an operative assistant position. Our office performs oral sedations for children who are overly anxious or pre-cooperative so the necessary dental procedures can be performed without unnecessary stress on the patient or the staff. Exceptional assisting skills are required, as well as the ability to work quickly and efficiently. A comfort level with young children and the ability to tolerate and have compassion for difficult or anxious children is essential. An understanding of basic sedation protocols and BLS can be acquired through training if needed. Successful candidates will have a stable work history.

Please visit our web site to learn more about our practice purpose and beliefs.

Our Core Values:
We will provide great value in our services.
We will strive to go the extra mile for our patients.
We will never take advantage of another's situation.
We desire to treat others with care and compassion.
We cherish the relationships we build with our patients and each other.
We work hard!

If you are interested in applying for the operative dental assisting position, please e-mail drgary at tooth2tooth dot com or fax your resume to 505 dash 2011. Please also include a cover letter stating why you are a good fit for the position and include three references. Only applicants submitting all three items (resume, cover letter, and references) will be considered.

Give Kids a Smile...a day of free dentistry

2008-03-01T06:22:00.000-08:00

Wow, I can't believe it has been so long since I've blogged. February is now over, and the highlight of the month was our Give Kids a Smile (GKAS) event that took place last Friday, February 22.

It took me a whole week to recover and get around to writing about it. GKAS is a national program aimed at helping serve children who might not otherwise have access to dental care as well as bringing publicity to the problem of access to dental care in lower socioeconomic populations.

It was our fourth time organizing a GKAS program, and I am always amazed at how hard it is to find patients and have them show up for the free care. Last year we had to cancel the event for lack of patients. The few we had signed up, we worked into our normal schedule the remainder of the month.

This year we made a strong effort to really shake the bushes and get the word out and find patients. We sent staff to screen in neighboring counties, we contacted private social agencies as well as schools and the health department. And we prescreened patients in our office so that we could spend more time providing care on the day of our event. It worked so well, we had to call in reinforcements two weeks prior, and again one week before the event.

A great thanks to Dr. Greg Archambault and Dr. Robert Rosenblum (two local General Dentists) for agreeing to come to our office and help us provide dentistry for some of the teenagers that showed up. We also pulled Dr. Bill Nipper, a local endodontist, to do a few root canals before the event for one special teenager so she would be ready to get her smile back on our GKAS event. She had previous root canals done on her front teeth which were half broken and failing, and she was building up her front teeth with over the counter denture relining material to try and keep some sort of a functional smile.

And there is no way we could have been successful without our great staff (Nesia, Keisha, Farah, Cindy, Linda, Katie, Trish, Sharon, Andi, and Elaina) who volunteered to work and some extras we pulled from around the community (Thank you so much Shelly, Debbie, Cherie, and Audrey).

This was by far the biggest event of this kind we have ever had. The final numbers showed we saw 57 patients on Friday the 22nd, and we screened an additional 15 that for some reason did not show up. The value of dental services that we provided on the 22nd of Feb was $26,262 !!!

That is an amazing amount of dentistry in such a short time. But more amazing were some of the children who came through and were so brave, so mature, and so sweet.

I am proud that we were able to organize the event to provide more than screenings. Often times, children will be screened on free days, but then there is nowhere to go to take care of the problems that are found (again, the access to care problem).

We found ways to get children out of pain, keep children out of pain, improve their function, improve their appearance, and coach them on ways to improve their oral health and avoid future cavities. All in all, it was a very good day. And most all the volunteers went home and took a two hour nap!!!!

Bedtime Routine Troubles?

2008-02-07T22:42:00.000-08:00

While we may not like to watch Barney, who isn't thankful for the "clean-up song?" The same musical motivation that miraculously makes your child pick up a messy room can help with brushing at bedtime. We picked two of the best for you!

Brushing

(to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star")

Here's my toothpaste
Here's my brush
I won't hurry, I won't rush.
Working hard to keep teeth clean
Front and back and in between
When I brush for quite a while
I will have a happy smile.

The Toothbrush Song

(to the tune of "Row,Row, Row Your Boat")

Brush, brush, brush your teeth
Brush them everyday.
We put toothpaste on our brush
To help stop tooth decay.

Floss, floss, floss your teeth.
Floss them every day!
Using the string to clean between
Keeps the plaque away!

Clean, clean, clean your teeth.
Clean them every day!
Your teeth will sparkle for years to come
In the most beautiful way!

Brush, brush, brush your teeth.
Brush them every day!
Happy, healthy teeth you'll have
If it's done this way.

Appointment Reminder Improvements

2008-02-07T19:42:00.000-08:00

Greetings once again. We have arrived...after much searching and gnashing of teeth (so to speak). We can finally confirm appointments and communicate with our patients via email and text messaging. Every teenager in America can do it, and now we can too. And it all happened so quickly once I found the right person. Thanks Allen from Lighthouse PLZ!

Allen has a very neat story, and you can read all about it on his company's web site. While you are there you can get a preview of our new recall campaign by checking out some of our samples.

Let's face it, life today moves at the speed of a computer binary codex and it's hard to keep track of it all. So our goal is to help you along a little. With the help of this computer-generated program, we can rely on e-mails, texts, and/or post cards to confirm an appointment or alert you it's time to schedule.

We can send you an email to remind you to write down the appointment you made while at our office but didn't have your calender in front of you. We can e-mail you several weeks before your appointment, so you can reschedule if a conflict has arisen. And we can e-mail you a few days out, so you can put some dental floss on your finger, so you won't forget. You'll also get an e-mail the morning of your appointment. And if we don't hear from you, we can text you (or your teenager) one hour before the appointment. And for your birthday.....well, we won't spoil the surprise.

Now all we need is your e-mail. Click here to contact us. Or call us up. Or if you forget do those things (remember how busy your life is and your child is being a little too quiet as you read this blog), when you get the postcard reminding you about your appointment, it will also remind you to give us your e-mail address. AIN'T TECHNOLOGY GREAT!

Going Chartless in 2008!

2008-02-04T10:18:00.000-08:00

Wow! Where did January go? I haven't even become accustomed to writing 2008 in the date field, and we're already a month in!

The big new change at Myers Pediatric Dentistry is that we are now operating with a computer system that allows us to be chartless. We can chart, record information, treatment plan, and photograph all from the computer now. We keep pressing forward for better ways to track information, add efficiency, and add value to our services and this is just the latest development.

In the short run, however, it does just the opposite. We are troubleshooting so many minor issues and developing new systems built around the power of the computer system. I am so not the IT whiz, and I know we are in trouble when I am handling all the glitches and network problems throughout the day. We are still in the process of sorting out the glitches, but we are very lucky to have such understanding, excited patients and parents as well as a very flexible and tolerant staff.

So if you are reading this and you are a patient, have one of us show off our new technology next time you are in for a visit. And if you are reading this and you are not yet a patient, I can't wait to show you how cool our new programs work together to make sure you get in and out on time and how we take care to prepare you and your child for a lifetime of cavity free living and easy dental visits. :)

When to bring the baby?

2008-01-01T11:10:00.000-08:00

Dr. Gary contributed this article to the 2nd edition of the Oakleaf Village Journal:

“When should I bring my child to the dentist?”

This is one of the most common questions a new mother will have once her baby starts teething. And the answers she receives will depend on whom she asks. Pediatricians often say 3-5 years of age, as do many general dentists. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and most pediatric dental specialists will recommend a child be seen before the 1st birthday. Grandpa, who has had dentures for 30 years will say “I didn’t go to the dentist until I was 12, and I turned out just fine. They are just baby teeth, they’ll fall out. Did I mention I walked 6 miles to school?” So what is best? Who to believe? Probably not Grandpa on this one.

I would like to make a case for the infant exam, as I firmly believe it gives parents the tools they need to keep their child in excellent dental health. But all infant dental exams are not created equal. Read on and learn what to ask for with an infant exam.

Ask the office what age they like to first see children. While this may seem intuitive, many offices will perform an infant exam if you ask for it but still prefer to see older children. You really want an office that is passionate about seeing infants.

Ask how long the exam will take. Let’s face it, there are only between 2 to 8 teeth in a one-year-old. It can’t take all that long if all they are going to do is look at the teeth. The value and focus of an infant exam is more about the parents and less about the child. It should be at least 15 minutes of actual communication as there are a lot of topics that should be covered.

Ask about cost. The infant exam is a value at the cost of a basic exam. This will generally be under 100 dollars. If it is more, ask what is being done. Dental X-rays and cleanings are rarely necessary for an infant. Depending on the eruption pattern of the teeth and the risk for future decay, a fluoride varnish application may be performed.

Ask what will happen during the exam, and what topics will be covered. The primary focus of an infant exam is not to examine the infant. It is coaching mom and dad how to care for the infant. Some topics to look for include helpful ideas for teething; important diet patterns to establish like not going to bed with a bottle of juice or milk; how to properly use a sippy cup and when to transition to a regular cup; infant brushing tips and hints; how to breastfeed without putting the teeth at risk; when and how to use fluoride; and most importantly, how to prevent the bacterial infection that causes cavities in the first place.

Ask what will happen if the child has a dental emergency after hours. One of the most important things an infant exam will give you is peace of mind to know that if your baby should fall into that coffee table while learning to walk, you have someone to call right away for help. You won’t waste time thumbing through the phone book (or village journal) to find a dentist who will see your child. And you won’t waste time and money at the ER for a dental problem the ER is not equipped to solve.

As you hopefully see, the infant dental exam is a valuable tool for creating healthy and beautiful smiles. Parents are given the information they need to care for their child before trouble starts. Did you know the #1 predictor of future cavities is how early and how many baby teeth had cavities? So it makes sense to get the right information early and not wait for a problem to see the dentist. Good luck, and start that search today!

Staff Christmas Party

2007-12-15T20:16:00.002-08:00

We host a Christmas party for the staff every year. This year we had it at our house and everyone was able to come celebrate the end of another year with fondue. We thought it would be fun for you to see us dressed up and out of our uniforms. Merry Christmas!

The Dentist's Kid on Halloween

2007-11-01T20:37:00.000-07:00

Daddy, I need braces...

Open House Photo Journal

2007-09-23T18:33:00.000-07:00

Grand Opening Celebration
September 22, 2007

Thank you to everyone who attended our Open House & Family Fun Day. We believe over 500 people came to check out our new building and meet the staff! It may have been a hot day, but were just thrilled it didn't rain. If you weren't able to come, check out the fun below.

Logan was so excited when the crew started the set-up. The three bounce houses alone were more more than this three year-old could handle!

The kids had a blast dunking the doctor. Dr. Gary only suffered minor bruises from the tank - his sense of humor remained in tact.

Clay County's Stephanie Renee performed for some of her youngest fans. We booked Stephanie for this event before we'd even broken ground at our new location!

Keisha and Andi made dental DNA identification kits for parents. Hopefully no one will ever need these, but they are helpful in case of an emergency.

Natatcha Jones of Black Dog Designs came out and painted faces. Natatcha is the talented artist who painted the mural behind our kid's play boat.

Our PS3 game stations attracted lots of kids. Our office is designed for this space to be a magnet area. Waiting siblings (and moms and dads for that matter) are never bored!

Meredith from the Clay County Sheriff's Office takes a break after conducting over 40 car seat safety checks in two hours! Thanks Meredith (and your fellow officers) for your hard work in the heat!

This little guy decided to come inside for a break and found a nice comfy chair where he could watch a movie!

The doctors, staff, and helpers all paused for a photo at the end of a long fun-filled four hours.

Teething Terrors or Gingivostomatitis?

2007-08-24T12:08:00.000-07:00

This is a posting by Julie, Dr. Gary's wife, telling her experience caring for children with these nasty mouth sores!

Gary has often told me research shows teething doesn’t cause fevers. He says these fevers in infants and toddlers are most often caused by viruses. Still, most of my friends believe teething and fevers go hand-in-hand, and there are days I wonder if there isn't some shred of truth to the old wives' tale as well... So when our 12 month old Graham developed a fever when we were on our way to a dental study club meeting in Sarasota, I quickly wrote it off as teething. I checked his mouth and didn’t see anything to cause alarm - but I didn’t see any erupting teeth either.

For three days Graham ran a fever with no other symptoms. However, when we returned home from our weekend trip, his gums flared up with blisters. I then had the unfortunate responsibility of contacting the mom of the family we stayed with in Sarasota and informing her of my son’s diagnosis: gingivostomatitis. Sadly, I learned her six month old had come down with a fever too.

Gingivostomatits is highly contagious. That’s why so many infants and toddlers get the virus. There is almost no way to avoid it. So it was a little surprising when my 3-year old Logan ran a fever. We were sure he would have been exposed by now. We were wrong.

What was this virus and why hadn’t I heard more about it? I had only learned of gingivostomatitis the month previous when a friend had called us at home concerned about blisters in her toddler’s mouth. Gary made a house-call visit and told her to prepare for a long 1-2 weeks. She was able to give her child some relief by applying Canker-Rid, a honey bee byproduct remedy available online, to the sores.

I found plenty of information online on gingivostomatitis. Our experience has been almost textbook so far.

My oldest child Logan has developed much more severe symptoms than his brother, including fever, vomiting, inflamed gums, and a swollen tongue. It has been a miserable experience for him and our family. He has literally lived on yogurt, ice cream, and Juice Plus shakes for the past few days. Gary prescribed a “miracle mouthwash” that coats and numbs his tongue and mouth hoping it will provide Logan (and Mommy) some relief and enable him to eat some solid food. I have posted a picture of his swollen gums and fuzzy tongue stained brown by all the chocolate ice cream and dried blood. We’ve been hesitant to brush very aggressively due to the pain he’s been enduring, so he looks like he has a mouthful of decay.

Graham has developed Herpetic Whitlow, blistering on his finger from where the virus spread to a torn cuticle. He had sucked on his fingers to provide comfort from the pain and transmitted the virus to his finger. The vesicles in his mouth were only present for a few days, but I know the virus is still oozing out of his finger.

I am posting our story so other parents can learn about this virus before they experience it. Plus, it may be encouraging to know the doctor’s family endures many of the same oral issues your family does. Gary had seen this before in patient’s mouths, but I doubt he had experienced it quite like what we are experiencing now with our own children. I hope you are one of the fortunate moms who thinks their child is teething and notices only a mild fever. Right now I wish it were only teething...

Key Words

2007-01-01T23:36:00.000-08:00

Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Palatka, Florida, Argyle, Oakleaf, Fleming Island, Dentist, Dental, Dentistry, Pediatric Dentist, Kids Dentist, Children's Dentist, Dr. Gary Myers, Dr. Donnie Myers, Orthodontics, Braces.