This Year, Make a New Year’s Resolution to Smile About!

Let’s face it- when was the last time you managed to keep a New Year’s resolution? We at Morrow, Lai & Edwards Pediatric Dentistry believe the key to sticking to a goal is picking one that is both reasonable and attainable. If you haven’t yet picked a New Year’s resolution, consider setting one that will improve your oral health!

For example, resolve to brush twice and floss once a day. Good oral hygiene only takes a few minutes a day, and can make a big difference in your oral health and overall health too! For more oral health-themed resolutions for you and your family, check out this article.

We would love to see what you come up with, share with us by commenting on this post or on our Facebook page. Whatever your New Year’s Resolution, we wish you the very best for 2011!

Beware of those holiday goodies!

Maintaining a healthy diet over the holiday season can prove a difficult task. After all, who can resist the tasty treats of winter baking? With grandma and everybody else offering you candy, chocolate logs or homemade fudge, you just can’t say “I’ll pass” each time. But trouble lurks: every time you chow down on that chocolate or candy, the bacteria in your mouth have a feast on the sugar—at your expense. The sugar turns into acid, and the acid eats away at the enamel on your teeth. Then, you start getting cavities.

Instead, our friends at the American Dental Association recommend nuts or dried fruit, which are a nice alternative to sugars and have a greater nutritional value—and can satisfy your sweet tooth! Both nuts and fruit are a great source of fiber and act as an appetite suppressant. In addition, nuts are a great source of Vitamin E, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B9, nutrients that contribute to a healthy immune system. Nuts are also a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked with reducing heart disease and lower blood pressure.

If you must indulge in chocolaty goodness this holiday season, remember to brush your teeth after eating sugary treats. As always, please give us a call if you have any questions!

Is your local playground safe?

Although the weather may be colder this time of the year, we know that doesn't always slow kids down from bundling up in their winter gear and playing outdoors. 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.

Our staff at Drs. Morrow, Lai & Edwards 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 (in warm months) 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.

We hope these tips help! Here’s to safe and happy holidays, from our entire team at Drs. Morrow, Lai & Edwards!

Write a review for Drs. Morrow, Lai & Edwards!

Dr. Mark Morrow, Dr. April Lai, and Dr. Kerry Edwards are your Tulsa pediatric dentists, offering sedation dentistry and general dental care for children and adolescents. All of our dentists are specialized in pediatric dentistry and have fun working with kids. Have you had a great experience with our doctors and team at Drs. Morrow, Lai & Edwards?

Please share your story!



Just select the “Review Us on Google Places” button above to write a review on our Google Place Page. We look forward to receiving your feedback!

Thank you,

-Drs. Morrow, Lai & Edwards

How to help your kids defeat their fear of visiting the Dentist

Do your kids become increasingly nervous the closer they get to their next dental appointment? Our team at Morrow, Lai & Edwards Pediatric Dentistry understand that many people feel this way and we would like to provide some tips to help your children feel more comfortable on their next visit.

A few topics to discuss with your child:

Let them know that they are not alone
Talk about a time when you had a fear and how you were able to work through it. This will give your son or daughter something they can relate to and hopefully provide them with the courage and strength needed for their dental visit.

Identify their fears
Sit down with your child and discuss what makes them nervous about the dentist. Take note of what your child shares, and then review the list together and think of some ways your child might be able to overcome them.

Talk with Drs. Morrow, Lai, and Edwards
All of our dentists are specialized in pediatric dentistry. It is our goal to create happy, healthy smiles for children. During your child's next visit, sit down with our pediatric dentists and allow your child to discuss their concerns. Drs. Morrow, Lai and Edwards take these issues very seriously, and by discussing your concerns together we can work towards providing a more comfortable dental experience.

Dr. Morrow, Dr. Lai and Dr. Edwards hope you find these tips useful. Feel free to call our office if you have any questions or concerns.