parenting

June 21^st is National Selfie Day!

Selfie History

Self-portraits are really nothing new, but the level of importance they have found in our current culture certainly is!  Though the first ‘selfie’ is credited to Robert Cornelius almost two hundred years ago, and Buzz Aldrin took a selfie in space during the Gemini 12 mission in 1966, what we would now consider the ‘selfie’, (and the term itself), wasn’t really introduced until 2002.  The mainstream adoption of smartphones and social media catapulted the selfie into our lexicon, and it was added to the Oxford Dictionary in 2013, becoming the Word of the Year for 2014, the same year we saw the first National Selfie Day!

Selfies and Dental Aesthetics

The rise in the popularity of social media platforms and selfies brought with it an increase in the importance of dental aesthetics.  Our obsession with the perfect “Selfie Smile” may be relatively new, but society’s standards for dental aesthetics have evolved over time.  Orthodontists have been studying cultural perceptions of oral aesthetics for decades, and though there are some notable changes over time, (for example the ideal length of the central incisors (the two front teeth) in comparison to the lateral incisors (between the front and canine teeth), or the ideal width of the smile), the perception that bigger, whiter, brighter smiles are more attractive has been the standard for at least a century, and if our selfie trends are any indication, that won’t likely change any time soon.

The Selfie Smile Makeover

Cosmetic dental procedures have become mainstream in America and across the globe.  According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, common aesthetic procedures range from as simple as teeth whitening and orthodontics to complex surgeries like implants and periodontal plastic surgery.  Advances in dental materials and techniques make obtaining a smile to match your favorite celebrity more possible than ever before, and our constant access to beautiful people’s selfies makes us want this more than ever before, and this is especially true for teens and young adults.

Pediatric Dentistry and Prevention

Here at All Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, we know that in our current social media/selfie culture, a child's or teen's smile can profoundly effect their self esteem and development of their social skills.  We help our young patients build and maintain their beautiful, natural, selfie smiles, to help them avoid the need for invasive corrective procedures later in life.  Learning and using proper brushing and flossing techniques and placing fluoride to strengthen enamel helps to prevent oral health problems.  Maintaining a regular six month dental exam and professional cleaning schedule will catch issues when they first arise, and using the right techniques when there is dental decay, (placing timely and appropriate restorations (fillings) before too much tooth structure is damaged) are important tools that will keep your children’s smiles in selfie-ready shape throughout childhood!

We love a good selfie as much as anyone else, and we LOVE helping our patients feel good about themselves when they put their Selfie Smiles out there for the world to see!

All Smiles Pediatric Dentistry

At All Smiles Pediatric Dentistry we have taken steps to keep your children as safe as possible while in our office. Our initial protocol was set based on the guidance from the CDC, CalOSHA, and local government recommendations.  As guidelines change, so will the practice to ensure you and your child have a safe appointment.

Get to Know Us

At All Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, we incorporate proven techniques to share with you and your child at each dental checkup visit. Dr. Allen Job and his team are committed to providing the latest in oral health care prevention. Check out our monthly blog posts! Our practice is centrally located in San Diego, CA.

Get acquainted with us by watching our practice video and find out what we do.

Scheduling an appointment for your child is easy! Start here to schedule an appointment. All of our forms are online. Fill them out securely from your smartphone or tablet and hit send. On appointment day, your child will be seen at their scheduled time. For example, if you have a 9:00 AM appointment, your child will be seen at 9:00 AM.

Dr. Allen Job, DDS, MS, MPH, MS is a board certified pediatric dentist who practices in San Diego, California, where he specializes in prevention. For more than a decade, served as assistant professor for the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at Loma Linda University School of Dentistry (LLUSD). He is currently an instructor at LLUSD.

[caption id="attachment_217" align="alignleft" width="500"] Baby and mother[/caption]

With the arrival of your adorable baby, there are lots of new tasks that are new for you as a parent. Feeding or nursing time with your baby is important. Here are some recommendations of taking care of their oral health.

1. Use a Washcloth

Yes, using a clean wet washcloth after feeding times will keep your baby's gums healthy. Make this a habit for you to do with your baby.  Doing this will also stimulate your baby's gums, which will help promote good bloodflow. Here's an additional benefit, massaging the gums with a clean wet washcloth may aid when your baby starts teething!

2. Avoid Juices in the Bottle

Juices generally do not provide much nutritional value for your baby.  These drinks are filled with sugar and have empty calories.  Milk and water are good fluids for your baby to consume.  Want more information about diet?  Here are some additional recommendations from the National Maternal & Child Oral Health Resource Center.

3. First Dental Visit by First Birthday

Schedule your baby's first visit by their first birthday.  Why? As your baby's new teeth start coming in, your baby's diet and eating habits will change. Seeing a pediatric dentist by the first birthday will help you get more ways of keeping those teeth cavity free and pain free.

Dr. Allen Job and his team at All Smiles Pediatric Dentistry look forward to meeting you and your baby.

Check out more information, about how to take care of your baby's teeth.

*This blog is part of the Baby Steps Series. Look for future blogs in this series.

Dr. Allen Job, DDS, MS, MPH, MS is a board certified pediatric dentist who practices in San Diego, California, where he specializes in prevention.  He is also an assistant professor at Loma Linda University Department of Pediatric Dentistry.

Children are born with a set of primary teeth – 20 to be exact – that help them learn to chew and speak, and develop enough space in the jaw for the permanent teeth that will appear several years later. Kids are especially susceptible to decay, which can cause pain and tooth loss – a problem that could interfere with oral development. As a parent, it is important that you take proactive steps to keep your child’s teeth as healthy as possible.

Bottles and “Sippie Cups”

One of the biggest culprits of childhood tooth decay is poor diet. This begins as early as a few months old, when children are often allowed to go to bed with bottles and “sippie cups” of milk or juice. The sugars in these beverages – even natural sugars – can steadily decay the teeth.

Dr. Allen Job and our staff suggest serving children milk and juice only at meal times, and limiting juice intake to just a few ounces per day. If your child becomes thirsty between meals or likes to go to bed with a bottle, serve water during these times.

Hygiene

As a parent, you can establish healthy dental habits long before your child’s first tooth erupts. Start by gently wiping your baby’s gums with a clean wash cloth during the first months of life. By age one, graduate to an appropriately sized toothbrush with fluoridated toothpaste, and brush at least twice a day.

Dental Visits

Dental visits should start young and continue on a regular basis throughout your child's life. Dr. Allen Job and our staff recommend parents bring their children to All Smiles Pediatric Dentistry for the first time no later than the child’s first birthday. Initial visits concentrate on parental education, while later visits may include thorough cleanings and fluoride treatments as your child grows.

For more information about keeping your child’s teeth cavity-free, contact our San Diego, CA office to schedule a dental consultation and checkup.

Dr. Allen Job, DDS, MS, MPH, MS is a board certified pediatric dentist who practices in San Diego, California, where he specializes in prevention.  He is also an assistant professor at Loma Linda University Department of Pediatric Dentistry.