What should you do in an emergency?

When your child needs urgent dental treatment, our team at Morrow Lai and Edwards Pediatric Dentistry stand ready to help. Please keep the emergency number available and convenient.

Q: What should I do if my child's baby tooth is knocked out?

A: Contact us as soon as possible at (918) 742-9810.

Q: What should I do if my child's permanent tooth is knocked out?

A: Find the tooth and rinse it gently in cool water. (Do not scrub it or clean it with soap -- use just water!) If possible, replace the tooth in the socket and hold it there with clean gauze or a wash cloth. If you can't put the tooth back in the socket, place the tooth in a clean container with milk, saliva, or water. Get to our office immediately. (Call the emergency number if it's after hours.) The faster you act, the better your chances of saving the tooth.

Q: What if a tooth is chipped or fractured?

A: Contact us dentist immediately. Quick action can save the tooth, prevent infection and reduce the need for extensive dental treatment. Rinse the mouth with water and apply cold compresses to reduce swelling. If you can find the broken tooth fragment, bring it with you to the dentist.

Q: What about a severe blow to the head or jaw fracture?

A: Go immediately to the emergency room of your local hospital. A blow to the head can be life threatening.

Q: What if my child has a toothache?

A: Call your pediatric dentist and visit the office promptly. To comfort your child, rinse the mouth with water. Apply a cold compress or ice wrapped in a cloth. Do not put heat or aspirin on the sore area.

Q: Can dental injuries be prevented?

A: Absolutely! First, reduce oral injury in sports by wearing mouth guards. Second, always use a car seat for young children. Require seat belts for everyone else in the car. Third, child-proof your home to prevent falls, electrical injuries, and choking on small objects. Fourth, protect your child from unnecessary toothaches with regular visits to Morrow Lai and Edwards Pediatric Dentistry.

We hope you have a great Memorial Day weekend! Make it memorable!!

What puts your child at ease in our office?

At Morrow Lai and Edwards DDS, we're well-aware that not every child is always thrilled to visit the pediatric dentist. But at our office, we strive to bring you and your child the best and most comforting dental experience at each of your visits.

Today, we’d like to know: What is it about Morrow Lai and Edwards Pediatric Dentistry that makes you comfortable or puts you at ease? Is it something about our pleasant office environment? Our friendly professional staff? Perhaps it's something about Drs. Lai, Edwards or Morrow?

Let us know by posting here or on our Facebook page! Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

Ask Drs. Morrow, Lai and Edwards: When is thumb-sucking a cause for worry?

Lots of parents have asked Drs. Edwards, Lai and Morrow about whether it’s healthy for children to suck thumbs (or, less frequently, fingers). If you’ve got a thumb-sucker in the house, you are not alone. Research tells us that between 75-to-95- percent of infants suck their thumbs.

Is this anything you should worry about? In most cases, no. Sucking is a natural reflex for an infant, and can provide security and contentment as well as relaxation for your little one. It’s a habit that most children grow out of between the ages of two and four.

However, if your child keeps sucking after he or she has gotten their permanent teeth, it’s time to take a closer look. If your child sucks his thumb aggressively, putting pressure on the inside of his mouth or his teeth, it can cause problems with tooth alignment and proper mouth growth. If you’re worried, please give us a call and our team at Morrow Lai and Edwards Pediatric Dentistry will help assess the situation, and provide tips for how to help your child break the habit.

Have a great weekend!

Playground safety tips, from Drs. Lai, Edwards and Morrow

Spring is here, and summer is fast approaching, and for our team at Morrow Lai and Edwards Pediatric Dentistry, that means only one thing: it's time to remind parents about playground safety.

Your kids will be spending lots of time outside, and we feel it's important for parents to know what safety features to look for before your child hangs out at the local park.

The American Academy of Pediatrics' website has some important safety tips that we'd thought we'd share with you today. When taking your children out to the parks, make sure you:

* 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.

* 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 six feet from fences or walls.

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

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

Give us a call if you have any questions about these tips. Here's to a happy and safe spring and summer, from our entire team at Morrow Lai and Edwards Pediatric Dentistry!

You, your child and cavities, from Morrow Lai and Edwards Pediatric Dentistry

Our team at Morrow Lai and Edwards Pediatric Dentistry recently read an interesting article pertaining to cavities and how bacteria spreads, and thought we'd share the news with you, our valued patients (and parents).

According to the MSNBC article, Streptococcus mutans, or MS, is a bacterium that can pass from person to person through the transfer of saliva, and is the main culprit of parent-to-child cavity transmissions. Bacteria has been known to spread through blowing on babies' foods, sharing household utensils and even kissing your little one. In fact, a 2008 pediatric dentistry study showed “strong evidence demonstrated that mothers are a primary source of MS colonization of their children; a few investigations showed other potential sources … notably fathers.”

Our staff also knows tooth decay is caused by a combination of factors, including the transfer of infectious saliva, oral hygiene, genetics and feeding practices, such as letting your baby constantly suck on sippy cups full of juice or milk or other sugar-laden liquids.

Lastly, Drs. Morrow, Lai and Edwards would like for you to read the rest of the article we provided and learn about the transmission of bacteria and how it might impact your child. If you have any questions about bacteria or your treatment at Morrow Lai and Edwards Pediatric Dentistry, please feel free to give us a call at (918) 742-9810.

Drs. Lai, Morrow and Edwards discuss kids and cavities

Recently, our staff read an interesting article about cavities in USAToday. In the article, the president of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry said that one-third of children in the U.S. have cavities—that's right, multiple—by age three to five. That's why—under a new Massachusetts law—kids in day care there are now required to brush their teeth or have them brushed by a staffer. The article also points out that cavities are much more prevalent among young children today than they were a decade ago.

Cavities, Drs. Lai, Morrow and Edwards will tell you, can lead to severe tooth pain, eating problems, tooth loss and bad smiles, and that's why the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry says it's vital for children to visit a dentist by their first birthday. Has your child visited Morrow, Lai & Edwards Pediatric Dentistry yet? If your little one is one nearing his or her first birthday, it's time to schedule an appointment with Drs. Lai, Morrow or Edwards.

Happy Monday!

Easing your child's fear of dentists, from Morrow, Lai & Edwards Pediatric Dentistry

Drs. Lai, Edwards and Morrow know that many children have fear when it comes to visiting the dentist. Our team at Morrow, Lai and Edwards Pediatric Dentistry found a great article on how to help kids overcome fears of the dentist, courtesy of our friends at WebMD.

Making your child feel comfortable when they visit Drs. Lai, Edwards and Morrow is a big reason to take your child to a pediatric dentist instead of a regular dentist.

Our staff at Morrow, Lai and Edwards Pediatric Dentistry excels at making children feel comfortable visiting the dentist. In fact, most of our patients look forward to their next visit! Has your child visited our office in the last six months? If not, it’s time to schedule an appointment!