At The Dental Anesthesia Center, we know the challenges that come with maintaining your child’s oral health during the busy fall season.
Fall is a season of crisp air, cozy sweaters, and plenty of treats! As the leaves change, it’s also a great time to focus on your child’s oral health. Between Halloween candy and seasonal snacks, it’s easy for sugary temptations to take a toll on their teeth. But don’t worry—with a few proactive steps, you can keep your child’s smile healthy this Fall.
Dr. Behl!
I cannot recommend Dr. Maris Behl enough. If you have dental anxiety, she is truly the kind of dentist you hope to find. If teeth could be wrapped in pillows and protected by flying unicorns, Dr. Behl would somehow make it happen.
I have significant anxiety around dental procedures and have needed deeper sedation for dental work in the past. From the beginning, Dr. Behl took the time to listen to my concerns and made me feel genuinely heard rather than dismissed or rushed. She created such a sense of trust and safety that I was eventually able to have my dental work done with only nitrous instead of full sedation, which is something I honestly didn’t think I would be comfortable doing.
During my crown placement, she explained what she was doing throughout the procedure, which made an enormous difference in keeping me calm. She also took the time to address a filling that had been bothering me for what felt like forever — and she actually fixed the problem.
What stands out most about Dr. Behl is how safe I feel in her care. She is compassionate, patient, communicative, and incredibly attentive to how her patients are feeling. For someone with dental anxiety, that combination is invaluable.
Finding a dentist I trust this much has completely changed my experience with dental care. I am incredibly grateful to Dr. Behl and would recommend her without hesitation, especially to anyone who has dental anxiety or has struggled to feel comfortable receiving dental treatment.
Dr Thoms and his team are phenomenal. No question, the absolute best possible option for my child when he needed work done while sleeping (age based). While this option is not inexpensive, this set up of have anesthesiology in-house allowed us to get his mouth healthy when a traditional pediatric dentist could/would not. I am a parent that asks a lot of questions on behalf of my toddler’s care and at no point did I feel judged for this, nor was I rushed during my evaluation process during the consultation. Although the procedure is not one I would like to repeat for my child, my husband and I were both so pleased with how well Dr. Thoms communicated and how he clearly cared for our son’s wellbeing (both physical and emotional during a less than comfortable visit). Cannot recommend the back of house team more highly.
My one detraction is the FOH staff (not everyone) were not nearly as pleasant. I would like to communicate that while their day-to-day is very routine for them, being in that office as a parent is very scary for some people in their office and a little bit of kindness goes along way. I do recall, having a very pleasant conversation with Rebecca, but otherwise everyone else was on the apathetic side, in my personal opinion. That said you’ll notice that I still am leaving a five star review because the dental staff really just knocked out of the park, but as a parent I want to encourage you to look past any rudeness you may experience over email or on the phone because Dr. Thom’s is really that excellent.
Response from the owner:Thank you for taking the time to share such thoughtful feedback. We’re grateful to hear that our team provided compassionate, attentive care and took the time to answer your questions throughout the process. We also appreciate your comments regarding your experience with our front office team and will certainly share your feedback. Your kind words mean so much to us!
Very nice very convenient for me great people working
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words! We’re so glad you had a positive experience with our team. We truly appreciate your 5-star review!
The staff is always compassionate and explain all the steps of the procedure. This office has been a God send for me because otherwise I would have let my teeth fall into further disrepair. I highly recommend this office!!!!!
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words and recommendation! We’re so glad our team could help make your experience feel comfortable and supportive. We truly appreciate your 5-star review!
Searching for a new dental clinic is challenging for someone who has
dental anxiety, fear, and traumatic experiences in a dental chair. The staff and doctors at the Dental Anesthesia Center were immediately very welcoming. Dr. Thoms put together a very detailed plan to repair and replace the previous work that I had in the past that was now causing problems. Putting my faith in him was the best thing that I could have done for my situation. I am more than completely satisfied with all of the extensive dental work that I’ve had with Dr.Thoms. I had my fourth sleep dentistry experience yesterday and I’m very happy with my results. I highly recommend this practice and truly want to give them more than five stars! Thank you for giving me back my health and confidence.
I adding to this post because of my visit today with the best dental hygienist Delaina and my exam with Dr. Biehl. I have truly never been to such a caring and supportive dental group. Everyone is always conscientious of my needs and knows that I have issues with anxiety. I am always calm when I am sitting in the chair because of their kindness. I am so pleased with the Dental anesthesia center. There needs to be more than five stars. Thank you, everyone.
Response from the owner:We know it isn’t always easy to find a dental office where you feel at ease, so your words mean the world to us. We’re so glad you feel comfortable with our team and truly appreciate your trust and recommendation!
Solidify Routines
Often, when schedules change, so do routines. With Fall arriving, your children are probably back to school. This radical lifestyle shift can lead to failing oral care if you’re not careful. To avoid this trap, make sure your children are carrying out their regular dental routine every morning and night. If they do not, try doing it with them to make it a fun, communal event. Doing so will make your children much more enthusiastic about their oral health.
Handle Halloween
When Fall comes, so does Halloween. While this might be your children’s favorite time of year, it can quickly become a nightmare for their teeth. All of that candy can damage their oral health and quickly lead to cavities. Still, you should not feel obligated to cancel Halloween altogether. Instead, handle it smartly and moderately. One way to do so is by limiting candy consumption per day and not being afraid to throw it out after some time passes.
Pack Lunches
Over the summer, you can control almost every meal your children have. Once the school year comes around, they often have much more freedom to eat unhealthy food that damages their teeth. You can lessen this risk by packing your children’s lunches most days. Doing so will give them healthy, teeth-friendly options rather than the problematic food they might find at school.
Football Season
If you’re a football fan, you may host or attend small viewing parties on Sunday. While these events are fun, they also usually feature poor dietary options. Between soda, chips, and other snacks, navigating these events seems like a minefield for your children. Just as with Halloween, you don’t have to ban them from consuming any foods and drinks they love. Instead, be aware of the risks associated with some snacks and limit their consumption.
Sugary Drinks
An unfortunate truth about sending your child to school is that they often have access to vending machines. Considering how many adults have trouble staying away from soda, you can imagine that children find it even harder. Additionally, many kids start their favorite sport in the Fall. At practices and games, there may be pressure to consume sports drinks. If you can, try to curb this behavior by educating your children about the dangers of sugar.
While Fall has many positive aspects, it can be problematic for your children’s oral health. That being said, with common sense rules and habits, you should get them through the season without any issues. Of course, if some oral health issue arises, you can always call our St. Louis pediatric dentists to schedule an appointment.
