Dr. Kelly and Hilgers Pediatric Dentistry, wishing you a safe, relaxing and memorable Memorial Day weekend!

The unofficial kickoff to summer—Memorial Day weekend—is a day away. It's a time for Americans to remember and honor all those who have died fighting for our country.

For many folks (and our patients) in Goodyear, Avondale and surrounding communities, getting out of town for three days after being cooped up in the classroom or office is sweet, sweet relief.

What about you?

Whether you're headed to a barbecue, a family camping trip, hitting Arizona's open roads or hanging out in your backyard this weekend, we want to know all about it!

How is Dr. Kelly Hilgers doing? Let us know!

At Hilgers Pediatric Dentistry, we do everything we can to make your child’s experience fun and fearless. Dr. Kelly Hilgers is a board certified specialist in children’s dentistry. She is an expert at the unique dental needs of infants and children and loves to give her patients a friendly and comfortable experience.

In addition to making your child’s experience fun, we offer the most advanced technology available in a state-of-the-art environment. Whether you and your child have visited Dr. Kelly for a week, months or even years, we'd love to hear your feedback about how our office is faring! There are lots of ways you can share your thoughts about our practice with the rest of the world, but we encourage you to head to our Google Local page and write a review there. Or, if you wish, you may review us on Yelp.

After all, reviews help Drs. Hilgers and Mathieu create more beautiful smiles for folks in Goodyear, Avondale and surrounding communities.

You may write a review here.

Thank you and enjoy your week! We look forward to reading your reviews!

Talkin' baby teeth with Hilgers Pediatric Dentistry

One question Dr. Kelly and our staff at Hilgers Pediatric Dentistry hear all the time is “When should I start brushing my baby’s teeth?”

You should begin regular cleanings even before your baby has teeth. After each breast feeding (or bottle-feeding) use a clean, damp washcloth to gently rub your baby’s gum tissue. You may wrap the material around one finger to make it easier to remove any food bits from your baby’s mouth.

When your baby’s first tooth comes in, switch to a baby toothbrush. Look for special baby toothbrushes in your drugstore: they have just a few bristles and are very soft. There are even brushes shaped like finger puppets that fit over the tip of your pointer finger! All you need at this point is water (no toothpaste yet).

After a few more teeth appear, you may start using toothpaste, but you only need a tiny bit, and make sure it doesn’t contain fluoride for the first three years. From the beginning, have your little one practice spitting the toothpaste out after brushing. That way, he or she will already have the good habit of spitting when you switch to fluoride toothpaste, which should never be swallowed.

If you have any questions about caring for your baby’s teeth, please contact Hilgers Pediatric Dentistry.

Dr. Kelly wants to know: Is your playground safe?

Spring is here, and summer is on its way, and that means your kids will be spending lots of time outside. Playgrounds are everywhere from your backyard to the neighborhood park. It's important to know what safety features to look for before your child hangs out at the local park.

At Hilgers Pediatric Dentistry, we found some important safety tips on the American Academy of Pediatrics' website that we'd thought we'd share with you today. They include what to look for on a public playground and tips on ensuring your home swing set is functioning properly.

* Carefully supervise young children using playground equipment. Keep children from shoving, pushing, or fighting.

* The surface under playground equipment should be energy absorbent. Use safety - tested mats or loose fill materials (shredded rubber, sand, wood chips, or bark) maintained to a depth of at least 9 inches.

* Install the protective surface at least 6 feet (more for swings and slides) in all directions from the equipment.

* Swing seats should be made of something soft, not wood or metal.

* Children should not twist swings, swing empty seats, or walk in front of moving swings.

* Put home playground equipment together correctly. It should sit on a level surface and be anchored firmly to the ground.

* Cap all screws and bolts. Check periodically for loose nuts and bolts and broken, rusty, or sharp parts.

* Install playground equipment at least 6 feet from fences or walls.

* Check for hot metal surfaces on equipment such as those on slides, which could cause burns.

* Never attach ropes, jump ropes, clotheslines, or pet leashes to playground equipment because children can strangle on them.

Here's to a happy and safe spring and summer, from Dr. Kelly Hilgers and our entire team at Hilgers Pediatric Dentistry!

Is your child a mouth breather?

Breathing through the mouth instead of the nose may lead to trouble for our youngsters, according to a study published in the January/February 2010 issue of the journal General Dentistry.

Kids who typically breathe through their mouth - most often children who suffer from allergies - experience problems getting enough oxygen into their blood, a condition that affects their weight, size and sleep, which often affects their performance in classroom and daily life.

The author of the study, Dr. Yosh Jefferson, also notes that if left untreated, mouth breathing can cause dental and facial abnormalities. Did you know that mouth breathing is a treatable condition? Doing so, though, requires early diagnosis and treatment. Since Drs. Kelly and Mathieu see their patients every six months, they may be in a position to identify the symptoms of mouth breathing.

If you suspect your child is a chronic mouth breather, please give our team at Hilgers Pediatric Dentistry a call at (623) 536–0079.

For more on mouth breathing, we encourage you to read the rest of the Dr. Jefferson's article. For more on children's dental health, go to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website.

Ask Dr. Kelly: Which toothbrush and toothpaste should my child use?

Here at Hilgers Pediatric Dentistry, our team will tell you that brushing your teeth is one of the easiest methods of cavity prevention. But the question remains: which type of toothbrush should your child use? When choosing a toothbrush, look for round-ended (polished) bristles that clean while being gentle on the gums. Choose one that is specifically designed for children's smaller mouths and hands. Also, look for large handles that can help children control the toothbrush. Lastly, throw out a toothbrush after three months or sooner if the bristles are fraying or frayed - frayed bristles have the ability to harm your gums, and are not as effective in cleaning teeth.

As far as which toothpaste is best? It doesn't matter as long as it has fluoride in it. However, for small children who tend to swallow toothpaste, avoid using fluoridated toothpaste. Make sure to touch each tooth and every side of that tooth. Also, you do need to gently brush on your gums.

To learn more about choosing the right toothbrush and toothpaste for your child, we encourage you to read this helpful article from Parenthood.com. Or, you may give us a call and we'll try to answer any question you may have about keeping your child's mouth as healthy as possible!

Have a terrific weekend!!

Dr. Kelly Hilgers, helping you save face this spring

April, also known as National Facial Protection Month, is upon us, and for Dr. Kelly and our team at Hilgers Pediatric Dentistry, that only means one thing: it’s once again time to remind our dear patients to protect their faces and pearly whites.

According to the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation, children, high-school athletes and adults will have more than 5,000,000 teeth knocked out in sporting events this year. To our staff, that's simply unacceptable. By simply wearing a properly fitted mouth guard or other form of protection, kids can greatly reduce your chances of traumatic facial injuries.

Here are a few ways to ensure your child's mouth safety this spring:

1. Make sure your child wears a mouth guard for contact sports such as baseball, softball, soccer and lacrosse.
2. Remind him or her to wear a helmet
3. ...and protective eyewear
4. Wearing a face shield to avoid scratched or bruised skin will help
5. Make sure your child is alert, even as a spectator

We hope these tips are helpful are helpful. Dr. Kelly will tell you protective gear is vital for anyone engaging in tooth or mouth-threatening activities. If you have any further questions about any of these tips, please contact Hilgers Pediatric Dentistry. Stay safe and have fun!