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As a parent, you know how important a happy, relaxed atmosphere is when it comes to making your child feel at home. We would like to make our Simsbury, CT practice your dental home, where you and your family enjoy the best of dental care in a warm and welcoming environment.

What makes a dental home?

• It’s Welcoming

From your child’s first visit, we strive to make you both feel at ease. Our office is designed to be a happy, entertaining, and relaxing place, and our staff is trained in making little ones feel calm and secure. We want to have a lasting relationship, and we want you and your child to feel welcomed back whenever you return.

• It’s Familiar

We recommend visiting our office for the first time by the time of your child’s first tooth or first birthday. Our early visits are designed to make your child familiar with what a dentist does and how a dentist helps keep children healthy. Regular preventative care will keep those little teeth in great shape, and, if your child has a cavity that needs filling or requires any other dental procedure, we will have a history together and a familiar place to experience an unfamiliar treatment.

• It’s Comfortable

We use state-of-the-art dentistry to make sure your child has the best and most comfortable treatment as a patient, and we also consider the psychological aspect of each visit for your particular child. We are experienced in dealing with children who might feel anxious and working with them to overcome their worries. Part of our job is to make each visit a happy one, so your child is always comfortable visiting us.

• It’s Ongoing

We want to establish a relationship that will last through the years. Continuity of care means that we are able to follow your child’s dental development during those active growing years and the transition from primary to permanent teeth. We provide not only dental health education, treatment, and preventive care, but can track any changes or potential problems before they become major issues. In case of a dental emergency, we will be familiar with your child personally, and with a dental history at hand.

Give Dr. Maryam Azadpur a call to talk about your child and how we can make the dental experience a positive one from the very beginning. When it comes to establishing a happy and healthy foundation for your child’s dental history, there’s no place like our dental home!

The best piece of advice from we have heard from our moms was to be true to yourself. When you start changing for other people, you lose who you are and become who they want you to be. Also, make sure your children see you enjoying your own activities, hobbies, and friends. You were a whole person before becoming a mother and they need to see that person still exists!

Mother’s Day has come and gone once again, and we loved celebrating all the wonderful mothers in our life. On Friday and Saturday prior to Mother's Day, we handed out flowers to all our families. The moms loved it and the dads promised to bring them home to their wives and not take all the credit for it!

We have lots of moms here. Jill has 2 very active kids and is always supporting them in their sports, dance, and school activities. Kelly has an adorable toddler who makes us smile every time she comes into the office. Shari has 3 adult children, the youngest of which is graduating college this month. Alison's son Mario is now taller than all of us and Lesa's sons are a huge help to her and their dad. Pat has 2 lovely grown daughters and 3 adorable grandchildren. Dr. Azadpur has 2 adult children as well. Her son's childhood artwork adorns our reception room walls. All our moms are fantastic, whether their children are human or fur babies!

Shari's mother is her hero and inspiration. She has learned so much from her mother, who turned 81 on May 6 and is in better health than all of us! She lives life to the fullest and has taught Shari many lessons in life about what to do and what NOT to do.

One Mother's Day, one of our moms was surprised by breakfast in bed and then dad took the kids out for the day to give her some alone time, which she needed that day! When they came back later that afternoon, they brought flowers for her and they all watched a movie that she got to pick! Sounds like a fantasy!

These women not only gave us life, but they also gave us much of their own lives. They sacrifice so much for their children and set aside their own needs to attend to their kids. They serve as examples and cautionary tales. They give us the tools we need to step out into the world and provide us with a safe space to come home to.

With Summer around the corner, Laser Dentistry is finally here!! Some of our patients have had the pleasure of experiencing Dr. Azadpur's new laser and have reported a pain free and fun experience. One little patient said that it felt like a marshmallow in her mouth, while another one said it felt like ice cream was melting in his mouth. No needles, no numbing, no pain!

Shout out to Lesa, Susan, and Pat, who celebrated their birthdays this month. Also, Cindy, one of our fabulous hygienists has returned to the office after being away for 2 years! We are thrilled to have her back, as are her patients.

So much of parenting is a balancing act. Making sure your child has enough play time and enough nap time. Crafting meals that are both healthy and appealing. Making sure every dental product you use is both effective and safe.

While Dr. Maryam Azadpur and our team can’t recommend the perfect bedtime story, or tell you why your child just won’t go for that delicious steamed broccoli, we are more than happy to discuss the very best ways to promote healthy, strong teeth. Should fluoride toothpaste be part of your child’s dental routine? For many good reasons, the answer is yes.

Why Fluoride is Important

Our enamel is the strongest substance in our bodies, with the highest concentration of minerals, but it is not indestructible. The bacteria that live in our mouths create acids which attack our enamel. Weakened enamel leads to cavities. Fluoride is a mineral that makes the enamel surface more resistant to these acids, and can actually help our enamel repair itself in a process called “remineralization.” Fluoride helps prevent cavities and makes teeth stronger, and those are benefits that will last your child a lifetime.

Can There Be Too Much of a Good Thing?

Fluorosis is a condition that can sometimes develop when a child has been exposed to too much fluoride while the adult teeth are developing below the gum line. (Around the age of eight, children’s teeth have finished forming and are not at risk.) Fluorosis is not a disease, and doesn’t harm teeth, but can lead to faint streaks in the enamel. While this streaking is usually white and subtle, it can sometimes be darker and more noticeable. Teeth discolored by fluorosis can be treated cosmetically, but prevention is always the best option.

Finding the Perfect Balance

Talk to us about using fluoride toothpaste when your baby’s first teeth start arriving. If a very young child is at risk for tooth decay, we might recommend early use of fluoride toothpaste. And for these small children, younger than the age of three, a small smear of paste (about the size of a grain of rice) is sufficient if needed. Swallowing fluoride products increases the risk of fluorosis, so make sure to use a very small amount of paste.

Because young children can’t understand the concept of rinsing and spitting, you always want to make sure the amount of toothpaste you use is age-appropriate even as they get older.  From ages three to six, a pea-sized dab of toothpaste is enough. Children should not use fluoride rinses or supplements unless recommended, and should be monitored to make sure they spit out fluoride toothpaste or rinses after brushing.

Most drinking water already has natural levels of fluoride, which normally aren’t a problem. If you are concerned about high fluoride levels in your local water, talk to us. If your water has higher levels of fluoride than normal, you can minimize consumption when your baby is young by breastfeeding, using non-fluoridated water for mixing with formula powder or concentrate, or buying prepared formula. If your child is a toddler, don’t add fluoride rinses or supplements unless they are recommended by a dental or medical professional.

Talk to us during your visit to our Simsbury, CT office about protecting your child’s teeth. We are happy to help you find just the right amount of fluoride to keep young smiles stronger and more resistant to tooth decay. Healthy teeth in a beautiful smile—that’s a perfect balance!

The merry month of May also happens to be National Fitness and Sports Month, so take advantage of the warmer days to get outside and exercise! Bringing a friend, family member, or coworker with you when you go for a brisk walk during a lunch break can provide an opportunity to socialize as well as health benefits. If you need a little more motivation, here are some good reasons to stay active and fit.

Exercise provides:

• Improved stamina and energy as well as toned muscles and bone strength and density
• Improved circulation and breathing for a healthier heart and lungs
• Reduced risk for Type 2 diabetes and certain forms of cancer
• For older adults, regular exercise may help improve balance and reduce the risk of falls as well as improved cognitive abilities

Children and Teens

Children and teenagers spend long hours at their desks in school, on the computer, watching television, and involved in other sedentary activities that result in obesity and poor health later in life. Getting them engaged in school or community sports teams can help them form good life-long exercise habits. One important note: If they are participating in contact sports, Dr. Maryam Azadpur and our team at Simsbury Pediatric & Adolescent Dentistry recommend your kids wear an approved mouthguard to protect those valuable teeth from injury! Ask us for a proper fitting of your safety appliance during your next visit!

A gym membership is nice but not necessary to stay fit; try these easy ways to work some exercise into your daily routine.

At Home

• Take a friend along for company on a walk through your neighborhood.
• Pursue gardening or other yard work, including mowing or raking.
• Take your kids on a bike ride or have them push a baby stroller around the block.

Couch potatoes take note: simply moving from the sofa to the floor for some sit-ups, leg-lifts, or push-ups while you’re watching television can help you get in better shape in no time.

At Work

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Take exercise breaks for walks around the building or parking lot.
• Walk or ride a bike to work.

So what are you waiting for? Get moving!

For more information on exercise techniques, or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Maryam Azadpur, please give us a call at our convenient Simsbury, CT office!