Pediatric Dentist

Woah is there a lot to learn when it comes to parenting. Until recently, I've been really stumped about what to do with our son's teeth. I thought we had the whole fluoride thing figured out, but I've since come up with some additional teeth maintenance questions after noticing some film on my son's two top front teeth. I tried asking for advice through our pediatrician but wasn't finding the answers I was looking for, so I decided to seek out a pediatric dentist and am so glad I did!

There are just some things that make me never want to leave Logan, and finding a good doc is one of them. Is it just me, or are good dr.'s hard to come by? Well, I must share how wonderful I think Dr. Gerhring and his staff is. They were all very personable and fantastic with our son. I also loved how willing they were to go over ALL of my questions (I especially liked the part when his assistant complimented me on having so many good questions!). Here's what we learned in our visit...

• Baby teeth don't fall out until around age 10, so it's VERY IMPORTANT to start dentist visits with your child sometime between the age of 1-2. Baby teeth also help children speak clearly and chew right. If a child gets cavities on their baby teeth, the chances that they get cavities on their permanent teeth are much greater.

• Kids do not have the dexterity to brush on their own until around the age of 6. Parents should therefore do it for them (even the ones WAY in the back) until then. Suggestions they gave were to wrap your child in a towel and/or have them lay down facing you on your lap. You should brush their teeth and floss (they have little kid flossers now available at any grocery store) 2x/ day.

• There is a difference between KID toothpaste and TODDLER toothpaste. Toddler toothpaste does not contain fluoride which is important because you don't want your child to swallow more the recommended amount per day. Toddler toothpaste should be used until your child can successfully spit out the remains after you brush.

• I lg. kid straw cup of Nursery Water brand bottled water with fluoride (0.7 ppm) per day is a great way (and just as good as the prescribed supplement) for your child to get the recommend dosage of fluoride if not already added to your local water supply. Click here for more details.

• Do not give your child any drink other than water after you brush their teeth as this can cause tooth decay overnight since most kids sleep with their mouth open.

• Schedule essential cleaning visits every 6 mon. Taking your child to see their dentist on a routine basis promotes a positive and healthy dental experience that will carry on throughout their life.

Prior to our visit we didn't know how important it was for young children to see dentist, and therefore didn't elect dental insurance coverage for our son this year. Once open enrollment happens again, we'll be sure to add him on. Thankfully, I spotted a FREE cleaning appt. for all new patients under age 2 for Dr. Gehring here in Logan (located in the Clock Tower Plaza 1451 N. 200 E. Ste. 250) and got our $70 visit for free! 


For those of you who are interested, I found the coupon in a monthly Hometown Values magazine. If you're unaware of Hometown Values, it's a free magazine that comes out every month filled with local happenings and coupons. Since a lot of the advertisers only use the magazine to publish their coupons, you'll need to call:1-800-504-0250. I just got the April edition today and noticed the same coupon that I used for Dr. Gehring, has been republished with a new exp. date of 4/30/11. The only way to get this coupon (trust me, I tried searching for you!) is to email the above address specifically requesting an April edition to be sent to you.