Blog posts of '2019' 'July'

Whether your client is a first time parent or well-seasoned, they often have lots of questions and concerns about what they need to do to get their children off to a good start with dental care. You are their best source for information and support for their young child’s dental care. Some questions they might have to promote good oral health and preventing tooth decay for their little ones are; when should they start cleaning? Do they wait until the first tooth comes in or should they start with just brushing their baby’s gums?

Pre-Teething

Proper cleaning is necessary, and should begin even before their baby has any teeth. They should wipe the gums off after each feeding with a warm, wet washcloth or a dampened piece of gauze wrapped around their finger. They can also buy infant finger brushes which are thimble-like, soft rubbery devices that fit over their index finger, to use for rubbing off excess food.

Teething

Once teeth begin coming in, parents should start taking care of them right away. Unfortunately, many parents think baby teeth aren't important because they're eventually replaced by permanent ones. However, these first teeth preserve the spacing for the permanent ones and help their baby chew and talk. If they're not cared for properly, they can decay, leading to gingivitis, which can affect the spacing of their permanent teeth.

How to Brush Baby’s Teeth

Parents can brush their baby’s teeth after each meal or at a minimum, twice a day. Parents should use an infant finger brush or an infant toothbrush moistened with tap water and no more than a pea-sized amount of children’s toothpaste. Gently brush all sides (front, back and sides) of their baby’s teeth and lightly massage their gums. Follow with some water to help rinse away any leftover residue from the toothpaste. Until the child reaches an age of 2-3 (when they can be taught to spit after brushing) they will likely swallow the toothpaste, but the small amount being used won’t do any harm to them.

Tips for a Baby that Hates Tooth Brushing

Some babies won’t like tooth brushing time at all, which can make it difficult for them and the parents trying to do the brushing. If you have a patient with this particular issue here are some tips you can give them that might help ease some of the tension during tooth brush time.

• Easy Does It: Remind them that their baby’s gums are very sensitive, even before they begin teething, so have them start with a soft wash cloth to help get their baby used to brushing process.
• Sing a Song: Sometimes a little distraction is all they need! Have them sing their baby’s favorite song or make a special, goofy song they sing just for tooth brushing time. This will not only help distract their baby, but also make the time more fun.
• Demostrate: Make tooth brushing about family time. Mom and/or Dad can brush their teeth first, while baby watches, then they can move on to their baby’s teeth. Seeing mom and dad do it first can help take away some of the consternation.
• Let them Play: Let them play with the toothbrush or finger brush (under adult supervision) before hand to let them get used to it. And there is a good chance that while they are playing with the baby toothbrush, it will end up in their mouth.

We have lots of cool stuff to give to your young patients and their parents to help make brushing time and their trips to the dentist a lot less stressful. Contact us today to learn more about improving dental health for the whole family!

Dental care items given to patients to take home after the patient visit promote good hygiene. Many of these items are available with imprinting such as toothbrushes, floss and the supply bag they take them home in.  With imprinted products that receive daily use, you’ll be reminding clients of your name regularly. Increase your practice’s exposure with items like personalized toothbrushes and supply bags, while also providing people with a product that they’ll actually use. So, how can personalized toothbrushes, supply bags or other items help grow your practice?

Better than Business Cards

The days of business cards are not quite gone, but the main issue we have these days is that there are simply too many business cards. Where do you keep the business cards you are handed? In your wallet or in a pile on your desk? When was the last time you looked through them? Been a while hasn’t it? That’s why promotional items like custom toothbrushes or supply bags are the PERFECT replacement. By putting your practice’s name and logo on them (and even contact information), you are reaching out to current and potential future clients in a new and unique way, instead of just stuffing yet another business card in their wallet or purse. Some reusable supply bags even have a business card pocket that can be used for appointment reminder cards or information on referral bonuses.

Create Better Exposure and Recognition

When you pass out gifts that are going to be used, it allows your practice to really stick with people. You can also donate them to schools and events to be used in gift bags or simply as giveaways. Now you are reaching a lot of people you never could have going through traditional marketing channels. With a small investment, you will be able to hand out items to potential customers that have the potential to bring you continuous new clients for a lifetime. Even if they don't reach out right away, they will see the item you gave them and in time it could lead to inquiries which could lead to new patients, which is ultimately the goal.

Personalized Products from Quantum Labs

Maintaining your current patients and expanding your clientele is crucial to running a successful dental practice. One way of doing so is to give your patients high-quality gifts so they leave your office with a great last impression. We understand that while everyone values quality, not everyone has thousands of dollars to spend each year on giveaway products. Therefore, we introduced our own line of personalized or "Practice Building" products: high-quality toothbrushes, floss, goodie bags and even lip balm at a fraction of the price you would pay for the major brands. So, instead of an ordinary business card, give a gift of personalized toothbrushes or lip balm that customers will use and think of your practice.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more, please contact us by phone at 1-800-328-8213 or online.

It’s essential to wear the right sized protective equipment in any medical setting. Exam gloves are worn daily by most medical professionals such as doctors, dental assistants and care staff and it is important they fit properly. Hand protection is essential when dealing with bodily fluids or potentially harmful diseases during patient exams and procedures. Due to this, it’s important for medical professionals to know the right size exam gloves to use for their work. First, they must decide which type of exam glove to use. This can include latex gloves, nitrile gloves, neoprene gloves, vinyl gloves or any other type of disposable glove. Once the type of exam glove is determined, proper sizing is the next crucial step.

Finding a comfortable fitting glove is essential. A tight-fitting glove can negatively affect fine motor skills, irritate the skin, and lead to hand fatigue. Contrarily, a glove that fits too loosely can cause a person to execute movements awkwardly. This could potentially lead to exposure to blood-borne pathogens or hazardous chemicals.

Finding the Right Fit 

Exam gloves are manufactured to specific ASTM glove standards. When determining the proper size glove, there are 4 key areas to consider: glove length, glove width, finger length and width, and material.

Glove Length: Measured from the tip of the middle finger to the cuff.

Glove Width: Measured around the knuckles of your dominant hand, above the V in your thumb. Essentially, the widest part of your hand. This is an important measurement, since you don’t want gloves that are too tight.

Finger Length and Width: This can be tricky because it is one of the few things that can vary between product lines.

Material: This can be the real wild card when trying to find a proper fitting exam glove. The thickness and stretchability of the material being used could cause a change in an entire size up or down.

Here is a diagram and size chart on how to measure to get the right fit for exam gloves.

Left & Right Hand Fitted vs. Ambidextrous

Hand-specific gloves with contoured fingers and a natural thumb position are most commonly found in surgical glove lines. Since they are designed for each hand, they usually offer the best and most comfortable fit, but can be more expensive than an examination glove. Many medical professionals have just accepted the extra cost as a tradeoff for the comfort and less hand fatigue that they’ve experienced with ambidextrous exam gloves. However, some of the newer, thinner nitrile material will warm from body temperature when donned and contour to each hand. This helps give the medical community a little more choice in the type of glove they wear.

If you want to learn more about proper glove sizing or simply which type of glove is best for your application, please contact us today.