You made sure they brushed, flossed and avoided those icky, sticky candies and snacks.

OK, maybe you just did some of these things. Or none of these things. No matter, your kid’s dentist just broke the news that your child has a cavity.
You might be surprised. Your kid might be scared. But don’t worry. This is a pretty common scenario, and we do our best to lay out a plan of action that will put both your minds at easy.
 
1.  What to expect for the appointment.
In general, you’ll find an appointment to address a cavity is a much more positive experience than you might expect. And odds are, both you and your child will leave feeling proud at what they accomplished.  Leading up to the appointment, it is best to tell your child simply that they are getting a tooth fixed, but not to go into more details than necessary. Depending on your child's level of anxiety and amount of dental work that needs to be done, we may recommend using nitrous oxide (also known as laughing gas). This works great to help decrease anxiety in most instances, with the patient remaining awake yet relaxed. It works quickly and leaves the body just as fast.

2. After the tooth is fixed.
Immediately after the appointment, the biggest thing to watch is to make sure your child does not bite or chew on their lip. Their lip will typically feel numb for one to three hours, and it is best to not eat until the numbing has worn off. Also, be sure to keep an eye on your little patient when you are driving home, as this is the most common time they chew their lip. You may or may not be prescribed pain killers, but it won’t hurt to give them Advil or Tylenol either way before the numbing wears off. That way there will be little to no soreness. And once the numbing wears off, they are free to eat and drink normally.

3.  How to help prevent another cavity.
Now that your kid has a filling or two, you want to make sure they don't get any more or get any cavities around these fillings. The best methods of preventive maintenance include brushing, flossing, fluoride, as well as minimizing sugar liquids and sticky foods (juice, soda, sports drinks, sweet tea, gummies, fruit snacks, etc). Regular flossing and brushing will clean the teeth and apply fluoride to them. Note that your kids should be brushing two times per day. At night, make sure that flossing and brushing is the last thing before bed, and that they don't have anything to eat or drink after brushing — not even rinsing the toothpaste foam. Just tell them to spit out whatever is in their mouth and head to bed. A fluoride rinse can help get in between the teeth, too. This allows the fluoride to do its work while you are sleeping.

Lastly, be sure to keep visiting the dentist for your regular check-ups to make sure all of the teeth and fillings are staying happy and healthy. As easy as treating a cavity can be on parents and kids, no one wants to repeat it anytime soon.

We consider ourselves super fortunate to be in the business of helping children smile brighter. But we’re just one of many businesses and organizations working together to make Chesterfield and Midlothian the best possible communities they can be. We love supporting the places that help us be at our best, whether they’re serving a delicious lunch or putting a smile on our own kids’ faces.
 
Now we can’t name every business that we love supporting around town, but we can give a special shout-out to a couple neighbors who regularly make a difference in our lives (and our patients’ lives).
 
The Midlo Meal Plan
Despite our great team chemistry and amazing patients, days can still get long if we don’t recharge for lunch. And similarly, some days call for a celebratory meal afterward. Here are a few of our favorite spots to grab a quick to-go lunch or sit down for some good team bonding:

• Vinny’s Italian Grill
  6737 Lake Harbour Dr.
  While the regional Italian chain has locations all over Virginia and even North Carolina, our eyes are on the location we can see from our office. For our money, you can’t find a better pie — and don’t sleep on our staff’s favorite, the Philly Steak Sub.
  
  
• Glory Days
  6151 Harbourside Centre Loop
  The nostalgic sports bar and restaurant serves up all the games, as well as solid wings, burgers, and a short rib grilled cheese we promise you won’t be bringing home in a leftover box.
  
  
• Raising Cane’s
  6921 Lake Harbour Dr.
  There’s something to say about the simple things in life. Here you know what you’re getting — golden delicious chicken tenders — with the only question being, how many? This new location down the street from the office is ultra-sleek, clean, and always has a long (but fast-moving) line outside the drive thru.

 
Other Favorite Spots:

• Gabe’s
  11003 Hull Street Rd N.
  Sure, Gabe’s has pretty much everything, from shoes to housewares. But they also have scrubs, which is huge for our staff.
  
  
• Children’s Museum of Richmond
  6629 Lake Harbour Dr.
  The Chesterfield CMOR location is a hop, skip, and a jump away from our office — literally. Watch your kiddos harvest produce, work as an auto mechanic, and complete the art project de jour. It’s a great reward after a cavity-free appointment (of course, we provide some pretty sweet rewards for our patients as well.)

 

• Uptown Alley Richmond
  6101 Brad McNeer Pkwy
  Toss a strike, play some arcade games, then grab some grub at this family fun center.
  
  
• Metro Richmond Zoo
  8300 Beaver Bridge Road
  You don’t need to drive all the way up to D.C. to see lions, tigers, and bears. Right down the road in Winterpock, our own backyard zoo boasts more than 2,000 animals, from penguins and zebras to giraffes and orangutans.

 
This isn’t an exhaustive list; we have plenty of other favorite local spots to eat, shop, and be merry (just ask us!). Of course, we hope that Commonwealth Pediatric Dentistry makes your list of favorite places in Chesterfield and Midlothian, too.

Tooth decay (“Tooth D.K.”). Gingivitis (“Ginger Bite-Us”). And tartar (“Tarter Terrible”).
 
These “Mouth Monsters” are no fun at any age, even if we give them funny names. And children, in particular, are particular vulnerable to this trio of maladies without the right dental hygiene habits in place.
 
But there’s some good news. Cavities can take months, even years to develop, according to our friends at the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. And if you catch one of these nasties early on, there’s evidence that you can reverse damage done to your kiddos’ teeth and gums.
 
The AAPD goes one step further, offering actionable tips for children broken down by age group:

• 6 Months to Age 2

If your baby is given a bottle when going to sleep, use only water bottles containing any sugary liquids or carbohydrates — such as milk, formula or fruit juice — put teeth under attack from bacterial acid all night long.

• Ages 2 to 5

Remember to brush your child's teeth at least TWICE A DAY, once in the morning and once at night. The most important time to brush your child's teeth is RIGHT BEFORE BEDTIME.

• School-Age Children

When teeth are touching, it is time to BEGIN FLOSSING. Ask the pediatric dentist for tips on flossing your child's teeth. Make sure there are no leftovers in between your teeth!


Print out the poster and hang it in your room — right above the toothbrushes (and keep one in the snack drawer, too.)

There are so many holidays and specials months these days, that it’s hard to keep track of them all. Or know which truly matter.
​
One of those that rises to the top of the list each year for me is National Children's Dental Health Month (NCDHM), which is put together by the American Dental Association. As a pediatric dentist for 15-plus years, it’s probably easy to understand why this month is so important to me.
 
But why should it be important to you?
 
It’s important because it’s a reminder. It’s a reminder for parents whose kids have yet to see a dentist for the first time — but are ready for that initial appointment. It’s a reminder that you should be asking questions — such as, “When should my child lose their first tooth?” — and we’ll have the answer. And it’s a reminder that dental emergencies can happen at any time, including when your kiddo bites down on their first Skittle of the Halloween season — and cracks their tooth.
 
I’ve always seen my role as more than someone who merely checks up on your children’s teeth. I see myself as someone who helps set lifelong healthy habits around oral hygiene. To make this happen, my staff and I aren’t just looking and working on your children’s teeth — we’re talking to you and them in a comfortable setting where appointments are never rushed. That exchange is where the treatment and real magic happen. It’s exactly why we’re trusted by parents — and loved by kids. And it’s also why I’ve elected to keep Commonwealth Pediatric Dentistry a small, friendly practice where you know the staff and they know you.
 
In that way, National Children's Dental Health Month is reminder of why I love what I do: meeting new people, seeing families grow up in my practice, and helping the community one bright smile at a time.

Over the next several months and beyond, I’m going to be using this blog and Facebook more to shine a light on my great staff and offer educational tips for pediatric dental care. If you like what you see, and are interested in your children being seen here at Commonwealth Pediatric Dentistry, we welcome your visit. Please reach out today!

For most families, we get in the rhythm of seeing the dentist right around every six months.

This is the same for our kids, as long as we help them avoid cavities and other situations that might require extra treatment.

That said, occasionally we’ll notice something new with our children’s dental hygiene — signs that may prompt mild concern or worse. In this case, we recommend giving us a call sooner than later just to make sure it’s nothing too serious.

Here are a few such signs to keep an eye on — all which are treatable conditions:
 

• Puffy, Bleeding Gums
  Possible Cause: Gingivitis, which is a gum disease that causes inflamed gums. It can be remedied with better dental hygiene, including the use of an antiseptic mouthwash.
  

 

• Unexplained tooth or gum-related pain
  Possible Cause: The root cause of a toothache or painful gums can be a number of things, from gum disease to tooth decay (including a cavity). In some cases, a tooth may have suffered a crack or even have become infected, producing an abscess.
  
  
• Whitish spots
  Possible Cause: Seeing the appearance of white-colored spots can be a sign of poor oral hygiene, or even the mark of a new cavity beginning.

 
As medical professionals, the last thing we want you to do is stay up late reading the Internet to try and diagnose your child’s oral hygiene issue. That said, we do want to provide some examples of what to look for when determining if you need to call us up to schedule an appointment.
 
The best news of all is that these conditions are almost always preventable through healthy dental hygiene habits — and sometimes that’s the remedy, too.

This feels good to say: we are back. Commonwealth Pediatric Dentistry is once again open to serve your family, whether your children are current patients or prospective new patients.

Things may look a little different around our practice as we take our cues from the CDC, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and other organizations providing guidance for treatment during COVID-19. This includes seeing me and the staff wearing additional PPE and practicing social distancing in the offices. These enhanced procedures are all being conducted to ensure the safety and well-being of patients, their families, and our staff. If you have any questions about these safeguards, feel free to contact us.
 
If you had booked an appointment while we were closed, we will be reaching back out to you to reschedule shortly. If you are a new patient looking for treatment, feel free to give us a call at your convenience at 804-729-0792 for our Midlothian / Chesterfield location and 434-808-1657 for our Farmville location.
 
We’re excited to see all our returning patients and their families — and to meet our new patients.

When your children are around 6 years old, and then again around 12, you’ll probably hear your pediatric dentist bring up dental sealants.
 
The idea behind them is simple: we apply a thin, protective layer to their teeth to keep out bits of food and germs. Ultimately, this is a proactive measure to prevent cavities.
 
These sealants — known as pit-and-fissures sealants — are more than mere suggestions; they’re recommended by the American Dental Academy (ADA) and American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) for safeguarding and stopping in-progress cavities in primary and permanent molars. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), sealants can protect against 80% of cavities for two years, continuing to protect against 50% of cavities for up to an additional four years.
 
Sealants are available in a number of materials, including resin-based sealants and glass ionomer sealants, but neither the ADA nor AAPD express a preference for one specific type.
 
So, if your pediatric dentist brings up the idea of your kids getting sealants, know that the research has been done and the evidence has been found. For more than five decades, sealants have been an effective tool for addressing cavities. And that holds true today.
 
I hope this answers any questions you have about dental sealants. If you’re interested in learning more or scheduling an appointment, please contact my office today.
--Dr. Drew Zima

By Mike W. (patient father & guest writer)
My 5-year-old daughter and 8-yr-old son are by all accounts great kids — but sometimes misfortune makes me look like a less-than-great dad.
 
For starters, my daughter once broke her leg at one of those indoor trampoline parks. That’s supposed to be the joke we all make before going — “don’t break your leg” — yet, it actually happened to her.
 
And just this past Halloween, my son one-upped her, biting into a fun-size pack of Skittles and cracking a tooth in the back part of his upper jaw. Dad of the year, right?
 
These are the incidents that instantly send us into “dad mode” or “mom mode.” We try and stay calm as to not worry our kids, but we approach the situation assuming the worst. I wondered aloud, what do I do? Where do I go? After all, it was a Saturday night.
 
Instead, as my son held a washcloth to the fresh gap in his teeth, I sent a text to Dr. Zima on a whim. Here’s what happened after my text...
 
My text: “My son bit down on a piece of candy. He split a tooth, bled a little. How big a deal is this? (And sorry to text you on a weekend at night, feel free to get back to me Monday.”
 
[A few minutes later…]
 
Dr. Zima’s text: “Most likely it was a loose tooth and there was so little left that it broke. Feel free to snap a picture and text it to me.”
 
[I didn’t send a pic immediately, and Dr. Zima followed up.”
 
Dr. Zima’s text: “When you get a chance, send me over a picture of Nolan’s tooth. I want to make sure it’s not something I need to see him for.”
 
[I took and sent a few pics over…]
 
Dr. Zima’s text: “It looks like it’s his primary first molar about to come in. It is such a thin shell that it just broke when he bit down on something. Have him keep wiggling whatever is left of the tooth so it will come out sooner than later. He will probably be a little tender with eating until it comes out. You can always dabble little Orajel there before he eats if it’s causing issues.”

At first, I was just happy Nolan seemed like he’d be A-OK. But then it hit me: this type of patient care is such a rarity these days. It’s the reason I take my kids to see Dr. Zima and it’s the reason I encourage my friends to bring their children as well. He truly cares.
 
On behalf of my entire family, thank you, Dr. Zima! Now it’s time to toss out that leftover Halloween candy…

Sometimes it’s a small victory just to get your kids to bed at night. We get it.

Maybe they’re sleeping in their Halloween costume (again). Maybe they didn’t brush their teeth. But that can wait until tomorrow, right?

​Establishing a regular dental hygiene routine isn’t just important for your children’s oral health today, but it also builds lifelong healthy habits. Sure, we’re all going to miss or forget sometimes, but we owe it to our kids to try our best.

Here are some of the tips I typically share with parents about helping their kids establish a regular rhythm of proper dental hygiene:
​

• Brush twice a day. Once after breakfast and once before bed. It’s important not to eat or drink anything after the night-time brushing to allow the fluoride to set on the teeth while sleeping.
• Brush for two minutes. It may sound like a long time, but it’s important. Here is a trick: brush your teeth alongside your kids so you’re in this all together. (Plus, you’ll probably find you’re brushing longer and more regularly, too.)
• Choose a soft brush and don’t brush too hard. As for the toothpaste, ask the pediatric dentist if your child should be using one with fluoride. It can fluctuate depending on your child.
  
  

It’s tough in the beginning. But know that the more you get your children to keep their healthy brushing routine, the easier it will become. And if you’re at your wit’s end, try this: go to the drugstore and let your kid pick out their favorite character toothbrush, whether it’s a Ninja Turtle or a Minnie Mouse. Now that’s something they can look forward to.