Dental Hygiene – LA Kids Dental

Why you should take your child to a pediatric or kids' dentist?

It is extremely important to take your child to a dentist who is experienced caring only for kids. That is if you want the most pleasant experience for your child.

Pediatric dentists or kids dentists know how to work with your child best. The dentist and staff is specifically trained to treat kids. It takes extreme patience to work with children, so it is imperative that the dental staff have this quality. All the equipment, supplies, decor, and design of the office is tailored towards treating children.

Dentists who care for kids understand child psychology and know how to interact with your child.

Kids teeth are very different from adult. The shape and anatomy are unlike adult teeth. The dental procedures are also very different from adult dental procedures.

It is very important to take your child to someone who only sees children. After all, would you want your heart surgery to be performed by a plastic surgeon or a cardiologist who knows the ins and out of the heart?

Dr Haig Mastikian is a kids dentist, or dentista para ninos, who has a tremedous amount of experience working only with kids. Dr Haig has found his passion to be caring for children and nothing else. Dr Haig does not work on adults. He and his staff are specifically experienced to care for children because that is all they do day in and day out.

Dr Haig cares for children in the neighborhoods of North Hollywood, Van Nuys, Panorama City, Pacoima, Sun Valley, Sylmar, Burbank, Glendale, Studio City, Valley Glen, Arleta, and Los Angeles.

Please visit our main page to book an appointment with Dr Haig today.

Why it's so important to floss when becoming a teenager!!?

You may be wondering why becoming a teenager is so important when it comes to flossing; It is one of the most important times in your life when maintaining good oral hygiene matters. Dr. Haig's many encounters at LA Kids Dental in North Hollywood, CA with patients of this age group have solidified his understanding of why it is so important to floss at this age. This is the age that sets the tone for how long these adult teeth will last.

As soon as a person reaches ages 12-13, the permanent adult teeth are on their way in. Unlike the baby teeth, these adult teeth need to last an entire lifetime. This is why it is so important to start flossing properly at this age. Flossing will prevent cavities from forming between the adult teeth, thus reducing the likelihood of needing fillings which could have been prevented.

Most of the cavities that form usually initiate at this age and progress into becoming a big headache in the future. This is the age when dentists play a huge role in educating their patient's on the importance of flossing. The dentist must clearly demonstrate to their teen patients' the potential consequences of neglecting oral hygiene.

When cavities form between the teeth due to inadequate flossing, the negative effects are compounded because the adjacent teeth also start to form cavities. These cavities usually form in pairs and before you know it, the entire mouth is plagued with cavities. As soon as that first cavity is formed, the tooth is assumed to be on the spiral of death, where subsequent treatments only lead to a more compromised tooth.

Nothing is stronger than your natural teeth. No filling, root canal treatment, or implant will be as effective and efficient as your natural healthy, cavity-free teeth. That's why at LA Kids Dental in North Hollywood, we stress the importance of flossing to prevent issues early on.

I would also like to add that the cavities that form as a result of not flossing require much more aggressive removal of healthy tooth structure by the dentist in order to reach and remove the cavity. These types of cavities can really compromise the tooth's integrity for future years to come.

This is why it is extremely important that you as a teenager take action, pick up the floss and start flossing! Especially if you want to hold on to your teeth. May the floss be with you!

Please take a moment to watch this YouTube video on the proper way to floss your teeth: https://youtu.be/aTWyx0iI01o

Dr Haig's DIY Xylitol Toothpaste for kids

Are you having trouble brushing your child's teeth? Maybe he or she is not being very cooperative. Here is a trick I have discovered with my own kids and it has worked wonders. The great thing is that it can be used with kids of all ages without the worry of swallowing toxic or unknown ingredients.

Step 1: Wet toothbrush with tap water

Step 2: Sprinkle a pinch of course grain xylitol crystals on top of toothbrush bristles. Make sure to cover all sides of the toothbrush with crystals.

Step 3: Start brushing your child's teeth. Start with the upper left, front, then upper right teeth. The move to the Lower left, front, and lower right teeth. Do not forget to brush ALL surfaces including the outside, top, and inside surfaces of the teeth.

The abrasive nature of the xylitol crystals will scrub away most plaque.

Please supervise children to ensure they are covering all surfaces. For the younger kids, give them the opportunity to brush for a few minutes, and then take over to brush their teeth in a systematic way in order to cover all surfaces adequately.

Xylitol can be purchased on Amazon or Whole Foods supermarket. Most major brands of xylitol have course crystals which is perfect for this purpose. Also, be aware that xylitol is a sugar alcohol that can act as an osmotic laxative if consumed in large amounts. The quantity used in this tutorial is very minimal should not be much of a concern. Also, keep away from dogs and pets.

xylitol kids dentist in North Hills California

What is xylitol?

Dr. Haig Mastikian is the president of LA Kids Dental located in North Hollywood, CA in the heart of Los Angeles. He has a strong background in chemistry where he received a degree from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). He is blessed with a beautiful, intelligent wife and two young kids. He is so grateful for having the opportunity to spend time with his family and for serving the children of the communities of Burbank, North Hollywood, Van Nuys, Toluca Lake, and Studio City.

Below is the brand and type of xylitol I use for my own children. Quality and consistency is excellent. This 5 lb bag will last you for many years and can be used as a sugar substitute for coffee, tea, baking, etc... Please let me know if you have any questions: XyloSweet

Xylitol potentially interferes with bacterial adhesion to mucosal surfaces*. This disrupts the formation of harmful bacterial biofilms and allows for the maintenance of healthy bacterial flora.

Xylitol can also be used in nasal sprays to combat chronic congestion and to moisturize and wash away pollutants.

*S. pneumo, H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis have a reduced ability to adhere to nasal epithelial cells. Tero Kontiokari Univ. Oulu, Finland (J. of Anti. Chemo, '98 #41)

Disclaimer:

Please consult with your child's dentist on the best way to maintain his or her oral hygiene. This is only one technique and it has worked wonders for my children and patients. Please also be advised this toothpaste recipe does not contain fluoride aside from that naturally found in tap water. It is recommended that children's teeth be exposed to fluoride in order to strengthen and protect enamel. However, please keep in mind that swallowing fluoride-containing toothpaste should be avoided, especially during the early stages of life when children do not yet know how to spit properly.

Dr. Haig Mastikian, DMD

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If you have any questions, please leave comments below or reach out to Dr Haig at info@lakidsdentalgroup.com. Thank you.

Dentist recommends Candy!!! #xylitol #candy, #dentist, #kidsdentist, #lakidsdental

kids dentist in North Hollywood California

Did you know candy can actually be good for you and your child's teeth! But there's a catch! Not all candy is created equal. You must consume candy with xylitol and not real sugar. Xylitol is a modified sugar that isn't processed like regular sugar. It is assumed that the bacteria in your mouth can not feed on it to produce acids that lead to cavities like regular sugar. Instead, these bacteria try to feed on xylitol but they can't. It has a protective effect in preventing future cavities by starving the bacteria from real sugars. Health food stores like Whole Foods and Amazon sell xylitol. So where can you find the good xylitol candy? Try Amazon. Also, check out my blog on using xylitol to brush your child's teeth. Dr Haig Mastikian from LA Kids Dental highly recommends using xylitol to promote health oral hygiene. Dr Haig is a kids dentist who cares for patients in the city of North Hollywood, Van Nuys, Panorama City, Burbank, and Glendale.

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