Our Blog

We have all, at some point, encountered someone who spoke a little too closely and left you with a lingering scent of the bad taste in their mouth.

Bad breath is a common problem for over 80 million people for any number of reasons, whether it is from what they ate for lunch or an actual medical condition. It is an unpleasant and potentially embarrassing experience for anyone.

But what about your children?

What Are the Causes?

Poor dental hygiene is the leading cause of bad breath.

It most commonly occurs when food particles left in the mouth begin to rot and collect bacteria. Plaque, which is that sticky, transparent film that builds up on your teeth from irregular brushing habits, is also a great hiding place for bacteria.

Any of these items can lead to a foul odor in your child’s mouth.

Bad breath can also be the byproduct of a medical condition.

Chronic halitosis (or bad breath) can occur in diabetics whose blood sugar goes uncontrolled. Kidney, liver and sinus problems have also been known to be the culprits.

Sinus infections that create a postnasal drip are the leading cause of halitosis in children. Runny noses are the ideal breeding ground for bacteria, and any residual rundown can end up clinging to back of the tongue.

Saliva is your natural first line of defense in combatting bad breath. Saliva works to wash away food particles and odor-causing bacteria. Children with dry mouth, or who are dehydrated, are also more likely to experience bad breath.

Keeping your child hydrated is an easy way of combatting that, as well as promoting tooth health, as dehydration can also lead to tooth decay.

What Are the Solutions?

As you might suspect, having a good brushing routine is the best way to combat bad breath.

Have your child brush and floss at least twice a day, remembering to also brush his or her tongue, cheeks, and the roof of their mouth.  This will help remove any bacteria or food that might be hiding around their pearly whites.

It is also important to keep up with your child’s regular dental visits to ensure he or she hasn’t developed plaque build-up or cavities.

If your child is experiencing chronic bad breath, be sure to tell your child’s doctor on your next dental visit. They will be able to help you identify the problem and let you know the best method of action to keep your child’s breath as sweet as their smile!

Sometimes little ones, and even no-so-little ones, flat out refuse to brush their teeth on their own or allow a parent to do it for them.

Unfortunately, tooth brushing is a nonnegotiable task for healthy children. And twice daily meltdowns over the subject aren’t fun for anyone, so we did a little research.

We found 6 funky toothbrushes to get kids excited about brushing!

GUM® Star Wars Light Saber Toothbrush

This product is perfect for the mini Jedi in your life! The brush is in the shape of a light saber and comes in three unique designs: Anakin Skywalker (blue stem), Darth Vader (red stem) and Yoda (green stem). The light saber flashes for 1 minute at a time to encourage kids to brush for longer.

You Get:

12 toothbrushes per bag

$29.29 per bag ($2.44 per toothbrush)

Batteries are included

GUM® Crayola Timer Light Toothbrush

Similar to the Star Wars Light Saber Toothbrush, the Crayola Timer Light Toothbrush is the perfect choice for any child. Who doesn’t love to color? The brush’s LED lights flash for 1 minute at a time to encourage longer brushing. Additionally, the brushes come with countertop suction cup holders that will keep their bristles cleaner. Four colors are included: Green, blue, yellow and red.

You Get:

12 toothbrushes per bag

$27.79 per bag ($2.32 per toothbrush)

Infant Finger Toothbrush

Designed for adults to gently clean their infant’s gums, this latex-free product is fascinating. Simply slip this thimble-esque finger topper on and remove plaque from your child’s gums and/or erupting baby teeth. While your child may not be excited about brushing just yet, it’s important to form a mouth-cleaning routine as early as possible.

You Get:

12 toothbrushes per pack

$11.99 per pack ($1.00 per toothbrush)

6 pink and 6 blue toothbrushes per pack

RinserBrush

It’s a toothbrush and a water fountain all in one! Eliminate paper cups and wasted water, and quit putting your head in the sink by investing in one of these! Kids will love the fountain aspect, and you’ll love the reduced counter clutter! Also, the bristle section is replaceable, so you won’t have to throw out the entire brush every three months!

You Get:

1 toothbrush and 1 replacement head

$8.99 per order

ARM & HAMMER TOOTH TUNES

Pick your child’s brush based on their music taste! Then, songs will play for 2 minutes directly into their head while they brush (assuming they’re using the correct method)! Electric toothbrushes can get kids excited about brushing on their own, and when you combine one such brush with One Direction or Kidz Bop, then your child is bound to love it!

Upon reading reviews for this product, several buyers complained that there’s no way to replace its battery and that the battery lifespan was short. While this certainly sounds like a great product, you may want to further research it before purchasing.

You Get:

1 toothbrush

$10.07

Batteries are included

Philips Sonicare HX6311

The Sonicare for Kids electric toothbrush is a top-rated option, according to internet reviews. The toothbrush chimes musically at 30-second intervals to let kids know when to brush another quadrant of their mouths. The high-tech product is also designed to connect to your smart devices and play animations to entertain your child during their 2-minute brush time via a free, interactive app.

You Get:

1 rechargeable toothbrush

$39.95

Batteries are included

We hope that one of these products will make your life a little easier and that your child learns to love keeping his or her mouth healthy!

Being a parent oftentimes means that you give up having fun, adult plans of your own in order to go to kid-centric events. But what if there were activities in your area that both you and your child would enjoy?

There are! With you in mind, we’ve rounded up 5 events happening in and around St. Louis that parents will want to take their kids to.

Winter Movie Night: Minions

When: 6 p.m. on January 13

Where: Ballpark Village in St. Louis (an indoor event)

Price: Free

OK, OK, so this one is technically categorized as a kids’ event. But honestly, who doesn’t like minions?

Ballpark Village is in the middle of its family-friendly movie night series and offers an entirely free experience. At 5 p.m., attendees can participate in movie-related activities. Free bags of popcorn are also provided in exchange for filled out data cards.

Loop Ice Carnival 2016

When: January 15-16

Where: January 15 – Moonrise Hotel; January 16 – The Delmar Loop Neighborhood in St. Louis

Price: Free (Saturday activities)

From 7-11 p.m. on January 15, the Snow Ball takes place at the Moonrise Hotel. The iciest-dressed couple will be named Ice King and Queen. Ice carving demos, stilt walkers, fire performers and more will be in attendance the next day. Note that the majority of Saturday’s activities are held outdoors, so dress warmly!

Arctic Cat Nitro Arenacross Tour

When: February 5-6

Where: Family Arena in St. Charles

Price: See ticket info here

The tour is the largest indoor motocross tour in the U.S. and is packed with action and adrenaline! Flips, jumps, lasers and lights and a country music artist performance are all part of the experience. A child gets free admission with one paid upper-level, general admission adult ticket on Friday night.

L’École Culinaire Kids Cooking Class

When: February 6

Where: L’École Culinaire – St. Louis Campus

Price: $50

The cooking school offers monthly classes for children (prices vary by month, too). The February class is “Chocolate Basics” – just in time for your child to help you make some sweet treats for Valentine’s Day! But after eating the sweets, remember to drink some water!

Ice Skating in Creve Coeur

When: Public Sessions every day

Where: Creve Coeur Ice Arena in Dielmann Recreation Complex

Price: $3 for residents, $5 for nonresidents (Skate rental is $2 for everyone)

The Ice Arena is open year-round and is a fun, winter activity for all ages. In addition to Public Sessions, multiple classes are offered for kids and adults alike.

We hope that your entire family enjoys these activities and this winter season!

One sip of coffee fresh from the pot or a taste of soup straight from the slow cooker can burn your mouth instantly. And unfortunately, kids aren’t known for taking dainty bites or sips.

If your child gets their hands on a hot food or beverage and indulges immediately, they could be hurt.

Luckily, most of these injuries aren’t serious. But, for a child who hasn’t experienced a minor burned mouth before or doesn’t understand what’s going on, it can feel very serious.

Prevent a more serious burn and additional discomfort for your child by acting quickly. Follow these 6 steps to sooth your child’s burned tongue or mouth!

The most common burn injury in kids that are 6 months to years old is a scald from hot foods or drinks. Since it’s such a regular incident, there are plenty of home remedies and treatments available to sooth your child’s burned tongue or mouth.

See our recommended steps below.

1. First, get the hot food or liquid out of their mouth and wiped off their face immediately to prevent serious injuries.

2. Give your child something cold to suck on to alleviate the pain, like ice or a Popsicle.

3. Evaluate the severity of the burn and determine if your child needs medical attention. If medical treatment is required, take them to the emergency room as quickly as possible. If not, continue with these steps.

4. Have him or her drink something that will coat their mouth and grant another layer of relief, like milk.

5. Clearly explain to them what happened, why it happened and how they can prevent it from happening in the future.

6. Finally, let the healing happen. Over the counter anti-inflammatory medication and pain relievers can be given to them with discretion.

Then, monitor your child’s food and drink intake for a week or so after the burn occurs. Steer them away from hard, crunchy food or hot foods and drinks, as they can irritate or scrape the already sensitive skin and cause more pain.

If a mouth burn happens before one of your child’s biannual checkups, inform their dentist. The dentist can then take special care around that area of your child’s mouth.