The last two months of the year have arrived, and we all know they tend to be the busiest ones of all. With the holidays just around the corner and calendars quickly filling up, it’s a good idea to set some time aside now to visit our Spring Branch general dentist and use your dental care benefits before they expire. Most dental insurance plans have benefits that expire on December 31 and do not roll over into the next year. So now is the best time to take advantage of any benefits your PPO insurance plan offers by scheduling an appointment with our Spring Branch pediatric dentist today. Keep reading to see some of the ways these benefits can be applied.

Preventative Care with our Spring Branch Pediatric Dentist

There’s no shortage of sugary treats this time of year, and the Halloween candy haul is one of the most damaging of all! Our Houston pediatric dentist encourages you to book an appointment for everyone in your family this time of year to make sure your teeth and gums are healthy. Sugary treats and sticky candy can cause cavities and damage the tooth’s structure, leading to more serious problems if left untreated. Since many PPO insurance plans cover preventative visits to our Spring Branch pediatric dentist, this is a good time to book you and your child’s dental cleaning and possibly squeeze in any required treatments before the year ends. 

Book Treatments with Our Spring Branch Pediatric Dentist Soon

If you’ve already put money toward your dental insurance deductible this calendar year, schedule needed treatments like cavity fillings, dental crowns, and root canals as soon as possible in order to make the most of your plan’s benefits. Most PPO insurance plans cover a good portion of your treatment once your deductible has been met, which could save you hundreds of dollars on needed dental procedures with our Spring Branch general dentist if performed before your plan rolls over on January 1st.  We offer the very best dental experience and will take excellent care of you and your family.

FSA Account Benefits May Expire, Too

A Flexible Savings Account, or FSA, is a plan most often offered through your employer that allows you to deposit pre-tax dollars into an account that can be used on certain medical expenses, like visits to our Houston dentist. If you have an FSA, be aware that many of these plans also expire at the start of the new year. Since FSA accounts are funded entirely with your hard-earned dollars, you could be throwing your own money away if you don’t use it before the end of the year.

Our Spring Branch Dentist Is Bringing Smiles to Texas

If your dental insurance benefits expire at the end of the year, consider ways to maximize your PPO insurance plan’s remaining benefits with a visit to our Spring Branch pediatric dentist. Whether you need a dental cleaning or more advanced procedures like cavity fillings, dental crowns, or root canals, we’re here for you and your entire family. Call us to schedule your appointment as soon as possible, since spots are filling up quickly! We want your smile to shine bright this holiday season. 

Good oral health is a big part of your child’s wellness. When a kid has cavities, they experience severe pain and discomfort. Not to mention, they are prone to infections that affect the rest of their body. Make sure your child is happy and healthy by protecting them from tooth caries. You can do this daily in your own home when you practice excellent oral hygiene. Make sure to regularly visit a Houston general dentist. When parents team up with a professional dental team, another child is kept safe from cavities.

What Are the Signs of Cavities?

A cavity is the result of bacteria building up on a kid’s teeth. The food and drinks we consume, together with mouth acid and saliva, are a recipe for cavities. A dental cavity eats away at a tooth’s enamel. This could lead to serious health problems that need to be treated by a Houston general dentist or a physician. Watch out for signs of cavities in your child. They start to appear as white spots on the surface of the teeth. Gradually, they turn a brownish color. If they go untreated, they become black spots and create holes in the tooth. 

Stress the Importance of Brushing Your Teeth

Even babies need to get their gums cleaned. The milk they consume has sugar. Clean your baby’s gums with a damp cloth, even if they don’t have teeth yet. As soon as the first tooth arrives, brush their teeth with an infant toothbrush. By the time they turn 3 years old, they should know how to brush their own teeth and spit. Their toothpaste should only be pea-sized. Supervise children below 8 years old to make sure they don’t swallow the toothpaste. As soon as your kid has two teeth beside each other, teach them how to floss.

Feed Them a Well-Balanced Diet

Sugary treats, like candy, ice cream, cake, and soda, increase the likelihood of developing cavities. Even if your child doesn’t have a sweet tooth, they could still get cavities. Starch in bread, pasta, and potatoes can still cause plaque. Make sure they eat a well-balanced diet high in fiber. Studies show that fibrous food and vegetables help keep the gums healthy. Don’t forget to give your kid vegetables daily. If you do give them sweet treats, ask them to brush straight after.

Visit a Houston General Dentist

Together with proper hygiene at home, you must also take your child to regular visits with a Houston family dentist. Smile 4 Texas provides the very best dental experience for the whole family. Our goal is to bring smiles to Texas. We achieve this through our range of services, from dental filling application to routine cleaning. Our commitment to honesty, compassion, and trust sets us apart from other clinics. We want to make sure that you maintain pristine oral health. Schedule a visit with our Houston general dentist today! Dental insurance is accepted.

If you’ve recently been experiencing some sensitivity, discomfort, or pain with a tooth, then you may be one of many people living with the early symptoms of a dental cavity. These cavities are not necessarily brought on by poor dental hygiene. Even people with excellent oral health habits can develop cavities. Leaving a dental cavity untreated can lead to the loss of the affected tooth, on top of a lot of pain and plenty of negative health effects in the future. Fortunately, this is a condition with a straightforward treatment and solution: a visit to your Houston general dentist for examination, cleaning, and if necessary, a dental filling. It’s a small price to pay to keep a beautiful and healthy smile.

How Dental Fillings Work

Dental fillings enable you to continue using your original teeth and avoid having extensive dental surgery. They are made up of a strong substance consisting of either silver, porcelain, or, most commonly, composite resin, which is then used to physically fill in the gaps caused by cavities. Cavities occur when a tooth has had too much plaque built up over time, has been chipped and not been properly covered, or has an area that cannot be easily reached and cared for by the patient. 

Signs You Need a Dental Filling From a Houston General Dentist

Tooth decay and dental cavities leave plenty of signs and symptoms that can be identified as they progress. It’s important to know these signs so that you can visit your Houston family dentist as soon as you recognize them.

Tooth Sensitivity

Do you find your tooth is suddenly sensitive to hot or cold food and beverages?

Discoloration or Dark Spots

Has one or more of your teeth developed changes in color or texture?

Sharp or Throbbing Tooth Pain

Do you experience momentary or prolonged pain during or after eating?

Physical Tooth Damage

If any of your teeth are visibly cracked, chipped, or broken, you need to see a Houston general dentist at once.

Let Our Houston General Dentist Give You a Winning Smile

At Smile 4 Texas, your oral health is our top priority. If you believe you have a cavity that needs a dental filling, schedule an appointment with our Houston family dentist as soon as possible. The longer it’s left untreated, the more likely you are to face invasive procedures that can easily be avoided. We love making your entire family smile, so come see us soon!

Oral health is something that parents should emphasize while their children are still young. Prioritizing it early in life can lead to fewer dental problems in the years to come. So at what age should you bring your child to see a Spring Branch pediatric dentist for the first time? Read on to find out when and why it is so essential that your child see a Houston pediatric dentist at that stage in their life.

When Should a Child First Visit Spring Branch Pediatric Dentist?

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, a child should be taken to their first visit to a Houston pediatric dentist at no later than 12 months or 1 year old. Beyond having your child’s first dental exam, a big part of why it should be done at such an early age is to teach your child to become comfortable in the dentist’s office. Early familiarization with your Spring Branch pediatric dentist will teach your child to not fear visits to the dentist, which in turn should lead to them being more willing to make appointments when they become older. Such habits will mean dental problems are detected earlier and treatment is made easier and potentially less expensive. However, your child’s first visit to the dentist is also a major milestone for you.

What Can Parents Learn From Their Spring Branch Pediatric Dentist?

Just as the first visit to the Houston pediatric dentist can be educational to your child, you will also be doing a lot of learning during that appointment. As part of our dedication to providing the best possible dental care to your family, our team at Smile 4 Texas will teach you how to manage your child’s dental health. Topics that this can cover will include but are not limited to the following:

• Teething
• Pacifier habits
• Thumb and finger-sucking habits
• Mouth cleaning
• Nutritional advice and infant feeding practices
• Baby bottle tooth decay

Beyond this, we can also talk to you about when to schedule future visits to monitor and maintain your child’s dental health.

Let Our Spring Branch Pediatric Dentist Lay The Foundation for Your Child’s Dental Health

At Smile 4 Texas, your family’s oral health is our top priority. We strive to provide your family with the very best dental experience possible and make sure that all our patients have healthy and beautiful smiles. As soon as you feel that your child is ready, schedule an appointment with our Spring Branch pediatric dentist!