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Hello, November! At Kanawha City Pediatric Dentistry we are excited to welcome the start of the holiday season. With each passing year, we enjoy the changing of the seasons more and more. With all the ups and downs of this year, we are certainly thankful for a beautiful blue sky and sunshine-- we have had an abundance of those days this fall!

This Thanksgiving, Dr.Skaff’s menu will remain the same, but his family unit will be much smaller due to the ongoing Coronavirus. Traditionally, Dr. Skaff has hosted his extended family for a Thanksgiving feast. The gathered guests were so large in number it required additional tables be set, which at one time numbered 40 people! Dr. Skaff will definitely miss seeing everyone at his home this year but thankfully staying connected has never been easier with frequent texting, calling, and sending FB posts to loved ones to stay in touch. For those who won’t be in person at Dr. Skaff’s house, they will have a Zoom gathering on Thanksgiving Day. When it’s not the holidays Dr. Skaff tries to have a Zoom get together or a Netflix watch party with his extended family.

This year might look a little different from previous years, but thankfully the traditional thanksgiving menu will not change. There’s nothing like a delicious turkey that has been brined and roasted in a bag, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, hashwee (a traditional rice dressing), candied sweet potatoes, cornbread stuffing, homemade cranberry sauce, green beans, rolls, and brussel sprouts. So much yumminess! For dessert, there will be both pumpkin and pecan pie. To keep it interesting, Dr. Skaff and his family like to try a different twist on classic recipes each year.

Thanksgiving is not only a time to express love and gratitude to your family but also to give back to your community and express gratitude in all areas of your life. Each November, Dr. Skaff and his family keep a gratitude journal and update it daily with something they are grateful for. Also, they make donations to local and national charities, such as Manna Meal, The Salvation Army, Union Mission, and others.
Dr. Skaff and his team are all so grateful that the dental practice has continued to flourish amid this ongoing pandemic. Thank you to all our awesome patients for cooperating with the new office health and safety guidelines. We couldn’t do it without each and every one of you! Also, with the addition of Dr. Mindy, we have had so many opportunities to see new patients and welcome them into our dental family.

We hope everyone has a safe and joyful Thanksgiving holiday this month. See you in our office again soon!

Fluoride is a mineral that plays an essential role in oral health. In fact, the significant reduction in American tooth decay in recent decades can be attributed to a greater availability of fluoride in public water supplies, toothpaste, and other resources. When it comes in contact with the teeth, fluoride helps protect the enamel from acid and plaque bacteria. In some cases, it can even reverse tooth decay in its earliest stages.

Despite the benefits of fluoride, tooth decay is still common, especially among teenagers. The Centers for Disease Control reports that cavities can be found in more than half of young teens and two-thirds of older teens over age 16. Many of those teens are deficient in fluoride, either due to a lack of public water fluoridation or the use of bottled water. So how can parents ensure their teens are getting the fluoride they need to facilitate strong, healthy teeth?

Monitor Fluoride Exposure

Drs. Don and Mindy and our team at Kanawha City Pediatric Dentistry recommend you start by measuring your teen’s fluoride exposure. Make sure you purchase fluoridated toothpaste for your household, and find out if your tap water is fluoridated. If your teen primarily consumes bottled water, examine the bottle to determine whether fluoride has been added. The majority of bottled waters are not supplemented with fluoride, but those that are will be clearly labeled.

Fluoride Supplementation

Drs. Don and Mindy may recommend topical fluoride treatments at routine dental exams. These treatments are painless for your teen and may help establish stronger enamel that is more resistant to plaque and tooth decay. If you have a public water supply that is non-fluoridated, we may recommend fluoride supplementation between visits. These can be administered as drops, tablets, or vitamins.

Keep in mind that fluoride is most important for children and teens under the age of 16. Be proactive about your teen’s oral health by speaking with us about your family’s fluoride needs at your next dental visit.

For more information about fluoride, or to schedule an appointment with Drs. Don and Mindy, please give us a call at our convenient Charleston office!

When your child loses a tooth for the first time, you both have a lot to look forward to. Sharing in the “I’m a big kid!” excitement. Tales of the Tooth Fairy or other traditions to mark the occasion. Seeing the start of a beautiful grown-up smile.

But before that baby tooth wiggles all the way out of your child’s mouth, let’s talk about how to handle a loose baby tooth.

• Be mindful of your children’s feelings. Reassure them that this is a normal part of growing up. If they are anxious about losing a tooth, there are children’s books which can help ease their fears in a soothing and entertaining way.
• Crunchy and healthy foods like carrot sticks and apple slices can help the tooth fall out naturally—and nutritiously!
• Encourage careful wiggling. No need for children to yank or pull—time, and a child’s own gentle wiggling with tongue or clean hands, should do the trick. If wiggling the tooth is painful, it might not be ready to come out just yet.
• If a tooth absolutely is ready, but just won’t come out, you can help your child without resorting to a string and a doorknob. Give our Charleston office a call for some suggestions for helping that baby tooth on its way to the Tooth Fairy in a timely—and gentle—fashion.

And if a tooth is clearly loose before its time? Should you encourage its exit?

Probably not. Baby teeth are temporary, but they’re important for your child’s development. They help with speech production, eating and chewing, and serve as placeholders so that permanent teeth can erupt in the right spot at the right time.

There are some situations when a loose baby tooth means a visit to the dentist is in order:

• Baby teeth usually fall out over a period of years, generally from ages 6 through 12. Since children’s teeth tend to fall out in the same order they arrived, if a molar is loose before the front teeth start to wiggle, give your dentist a call.
• If your child suffers a fall, or a sports injury, or any kind of accident that leaves a tooth or teeth loose, call your doctor or dentist right away to make sure there are no serious injuries or chance for infection.
• Any time you feel a tooth is loose that shouldn’t be, make an appointment with your child’s dentist.

Finally, we’ve been talking about loose baby teeth, but loose permanent teeth are another matter entirely.

If you child has a loose permanent tooth due to an injury, or a bad bite, or night-time bruxism (tooth-grinding), or for any other reason, it’s important to call for an appointment immediately. Drs. Don and Mindy will be able to pinpoint the cause of the problem and can offer some solutions. In the meantime,

• Make sure your child eats soft foods, and tries to eat on the opposite side of the loose tooth.
• Keep the area clean with gentle rinsing instead of brushing and flossing.
• Tell your child not to wiggle it! If the bone or ligaments holding the tooth in place have been damaged, playing with the tooth can make it looser.

A loose baby tooth is a step in your child’s journey to a beautiful, healthy adult smile. Reassure, encourage, and help your child through this rite of passage—and don’t hesitate to call on Drs. Don and Mindy for advice!

Happy October from Kanawha City Pediatric! Even though the office is under health and safety procedures due to COVID-19 we are still looking forward to decorating our office and letting the Halloween spirit shine! We even plan on dressing up for Halloween. Here’s a photo of Dr. Skaff and the team last year dressed as Willy Wonka and his cOompa Loompas...What do you think we will come up with this year? Share your guesses with us in the comment section below.

Since Halloween will look slightly different this year Dr. Skaff and his family plan on staying in, lighting up their jack-o-lanterns, and getting cozy by the firepit. One of his family’s treasured Halloween decorations is a hanging ghost that howls when you clap your hands. His family has had it for over 30 years! The howl stopped working last year, but it still has the place of Halloween honor in his house! When it comes to Halloween-themed movies Dr. Skaff and his family stick to classics like Hocus Pocus and The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Looking for healthy Halloween treat alternatives for your little ones? Try turning a stick of grapes into "eyeballs on a stick" and clementines with a stalk of celery in the center make adorable pumpkins. You could also slice up an apple and drizzle a small amount of caramel for a sweet snack. Look at Pinterest for more cute ideas!

In other office news, we want to wish a happy three year work anniversary to Crystal! We love having you as part of our work family. Kanawha City Pediatric continues to keep the dental office very safe and clean during the COVID pandemic. Our team continues to wear extra protective gear and our patients are great helpers with pre-screening and temperature checks. Thank you everyone for helping this “New Normal” go smoothly. We appreciate each and everyone of you.

At home during the “New Normal” Dr. Skaff and his family have made a lot more meals at home. This has given Dr. Skaff the opportunity to experiment with new vegetables and healthier ingredients in his recipes. A recent favorite meal that came out from these experiments is a fennel salad that is delicious!

We hope everyone is having a wonderful start to October. We hope to see you in the office soon!