November 1st is National Brush Day!

Did you know, November 1st is National Brush Day? This national initiative is aimed to help parents and caregivers understand the importance of children’s oral health and promote good tooth-brushing habits. 

Tooth decay is the most common childhood disease in the U.S., yet parents often rank dental health as a low priority compared to other issues in their children’s lives. Here’s how you can help show your support for this national initiative:

Brush your teeth. This is one of the most important steps for your child’s dental care routine. For a healthy smile, the ADA recommends:

• Brushing your teeth 2min2x - 2 minutes each time, twice a day
• Use a soft-bristled brush. Size and shape should fit your child’s mouth so they can reach all areas easily.
• Replace your toothbrush every three or four months to prevent bacteria build up.

For proper brushing and flossing techniques, click here»

Start a routine - and stick to it! Don’t let your child skip brushing even after a long day or when your normal schedule is off. Help make brushing and flossing second nature to your child and reinforce brushing 2min2x a day!

Reward good brushing behavior. Stickers? Toy cars? Create a reward chart and provide your child with something that will help motivate them to keep up with their dental routine. Something as simple as a high-five can make them happy knowing they did the right thing.

Have four minutes of fun! Whether you are two years old or 20 - your dental routine can feel like a bore. Make up stories to inspire your child to want to brush their teeth! Crank up some music and create a dance party! There are also videos on 2min2x.org to help make sure your kids are brushing for the right amount of time each day. Check some out below!

 

You can take part in the National Brush Day campaign on social media by using the hashtag #NatlBrushDay when sharing selfies on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Have fun celebrating!

If you have any questions about how to improve your child's oral health please give our offices a call. We specialize in caring for children’s teeth in a comfortable and caring environment. Visit our website to schedule an appointment.

Candy Alternatives for Kids with Braces

T-minus 2 days until Halloween! And what better time than now to remind our orthodontic patients which candies they should steer clear of. 

While candy in moderation won’t do too much damage, children with braces should always do their best to avoid hard, sticky sweets. So in honor of National Orthodontic Health Month, keep the below in mind:

Candies To Stay Away From
Broken bracket? Bent wires? Candy is the biggest culprit! Stay clear of an orthodontic emergency on Halloween by avoiding these sweets:

• Gummies
• Taffy
• Sugary bubblegum
• Hard candies
• Candied/Caramel apples

Alternative Halloween Snacks

Boonanas and Pumpkintines: Transform everyday fruits into spooky treats for your little ones. Make a ghost out of a banana by cutting it in half and adding chocolate chips for the eyes and mouth. Peel a clementine and use celery or cucumber pieces for the pumpkin stem!

Spiders on a log: Add a creepy crawly twist to a classic treat. Fill celery sticks with peanut butter and decorate with plastic spiders. Just make sure your kids remove the spiders before digging in!

Black apples: Instead of candied and caramel apples, cut some thin apple slices and allow your kids to dip in a creamy chocolate sauce for a sweet treat!

Jack o’ Lantern hummus plate: First you were carving pumpkins and now you’re making one! Grab red pepper hummus (for the orange color) and black beans to create the pumpkins face. Add whole wheat crackers and let your children dip and enjoy!

From all of us at Adelberg Montalvan - we hope your family has a fun and safe Halloween! And remember, there’s only a few days left to receive a complimentary consultation with our of our orthodontists in honor of National Orthodontic Health Month: Dr. Jenny is in our Nesconset location (631) 360-7337 and Dr. Jon in our Massapequa location (516) 798-1111!

Halloween Spirit Week!

Because who only wants to celebrate ONE day of Halloween? This year we’re introducing Spirit Week leading up to our favorite spooky holiday. Now instead of just a few patients getting to dress up in their costumes - we’ve made it so patients all week long have the same opportunity.

The schedule will be as follows:

Monday - Dress in your Hawaiian best! Think floral printed shirts, hula skirts, beach hats, leis, and other beach accessories. Don’t have any? Check out what cheap options Party City has to offer. 

Tuesday - Wear your most Patriotic attire! Gather up all the red, white, and blue, clothing in your household to complete this look. Or pay tribute to some of the great people in America’s history!

Wednesday - Wear your favorite team’s jersey! Show your pride for your favorite sport, athlete, or team!

Thursday - Pajama Day! Pajamas don’t have to just be for bedtime. 

Friday & Saturday - Wear your favorite Halloween costume! From witches to super heroes, we can’t wait to see what everyone will dress up as this year.

If you’re looking for inspiration - check out our Halloween Pinterest board! And remember, we’re once again doing our candy “buyback” program - donate candy and be entered in our raffle to win a gift card! Contact our offices for more information.

At Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dental our purpose is to provide exceptional mental and dental care that can impact your child’s life forever. Our practice has been providing excellent pediatric dentistry to children of Long Island for nearly 20 years! To learn more about us, please visit us on the web, connect with us on social media, and explore our blog!

How to Avoid a Candy Overload This Halloween

Trick-or-Treat! It’s almost that time - that time when your home overflows with all kinds of sticky, chewy candies. Sound’s like a dental nightmare, no?

But Halloween doesn’t have to be coated in sugar! Here are a few tips on how to avoid a kid candy coma:

Treat Your Kids in Moderation

Agree ahead of time of how much your kids are allowed to have and during what times. When they are done trick-or-treating, allow them to pick out a few pieces for the night. Put the rest of the candy out of sight (out of mind!). Set up a “treat time” and reward your kids when the time is right.

Upcycle Candy

Just because your children shouldn’t eat all of the candy doesn’t mean you can’t use all of the candy! Put some of the candy aside for holiday projects like gingerbread houses or valentines day cards! You can even use it as an advent calendar - countdown the 25 days ‘til Christmas with a piece of candy a day.

Donate Candy

Avoid a temper tantrum from taking your children’s candy away and let them donate it instead! Find a local organization that allows candy buyback’s in your area - like us here at Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dental - in turn, they collect the candy and send it off to be distributed to troops overseas.

Choose Alternate Treats

Candy isn’t the only thing that makes children happy. Switch out some of their candy for prizes - stickers, school supplies, or small creative toys will do! You’ll be surprised at how much your child will enjoy receiving a surprise that isn’t a sticky, tasty treat.

Enjoy your Halloween - treats and all! But remember, brush for two minutes after indulging in any sticky or sugary sweets! If you have any questions about how to improve your child’s oral health, give us a call! We specialize in caring for children’s teeth in a comfortable and caring environment. Visit our website to learn more.

Family Friendly Events This Weekend (October 15th & 16th)

 

From spook walks of all frights to an obstacle course for all-ages and all-abilities, here’s our picks for family fun events to check out this weekend!

Kids “Not So Scary” Days - Bayville Adventure Park
All Weekend | Price: $22.75 Scream Park Only, $31.75 Scream Park + Adventure Park, $39.50 2 Day Ticket for Scream Park + Adventure Park
Bring the little ones to Bayville Adventure Park for a less scary version of their nighttime haunted house. No live actors, less scary effects, plus many other Halloween themed events and attractions like a Spooky Tree Top Adventure, Tombstone Treasure Hunt, Pumpkin Patch, Halloween Story Telling and more!

Spooky Fest - Tanglewood Preserve, Rockville Centre
Saturday October 15th | Price: $10 for non-spooky attractions, $15 for all attractions (scary and non-scary)
This Saturday night, and another 6 nights this month, sixteen acres of the Tanglewood Preserve are transformed into a family friendly Halloween event. There’s a Not-So-Spooky Walk, a ‘Very Scary’ Spooky Walk, plus kids arts and crafts, zombie maze, mystic den, and some merry monsters! 
 
HappyFest - Long Island Sports Park, Calverton
Saturday October 15th | Price: $29, Children 3 and younger are Free
Take part in the first ever all-ages, all-abilities, accessible obstacle course and family fun festival! HappyFest is designed so that every member of the family can complete a 1 mile+ obstacle course, regardless of disabilities (or not). 
 
Village Day Fall Festival - The Great Lawn, Sands Point Preserve
Sunday October 16th | Price: $10 per car for members, $20 per car non-members
Enjoy a day on The Great Lawn overlooking the Long Island Sound with hayrides, a petting zoo, pony rides, pumpkin painting, and a Green Grocer market featuring award-winning artisanal cheese and fresh produce. 

If you have any questions about how to improve your child's oral health please give our offices a call. We specialize in caring for children’s teeth in a comfortable and caring environment. Call (516) 798-1111 or visit our website to schedule an appointment.

Dental Themed Jack-O-Lanterns for Halloween

 

Now that you’ve picked your pumpkins at one of these Long Island farms, it’s time to start carving! Instead of your typical Jack-O-Lantern, why not try something a bit more challenging - like one of these dental themed designs:

Pumpkin with Braces: Here’s a great tutorial that requires some basic tools, a wire hanger, angle irons, screws, and a pumpkin. Tip: we’ve also seen this completed with soda can tabs instead of the angle irons!

Glow in the Dark Pumpkin Teeth: Purchase a set of Glow-in-the-Dark Buck Teeth to give your pumpkin the perfect toothy grin.

False Teeth Pumpkin: Take a mini pumpkin, carve out a mouth, and set its ‘dentures’ in a glass of water! For the dentures, purchase plastic vampire teeth from your local party store.


Tooth Fairy Pumpkin: Instead of carving, play dress up! Break open the costume trunk to find all the necessary pieces. Add a bag of coins and some toothy accessories to complete the look!


For even more dental themed pumpkin ideas, visit our HALLOWEEN board on Pinterest! Be sure to share your photos of your creations with us on Facebook!

At Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dental our purpose is to provide exceptional mental and dental care that can impact your child’s life forever. Our practice has been providing excellent pediatric dentistry to children of Long Island for nearly 20 years! To learn more about us, please visit us on the web, connect with us on social media, and explore our blog!

Vote for AMPD - Best Pediatric Dental Practice on LI!

 

Another year another Bethpage Best of Long Island Competition! We’re proud to announce that Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dental and Orthodontics has been nominated for Best Pediatric Dental Practice on Long Island! 

Voting is open now through December 15th so please cast your vote for us to help us secure the 1st place title! Voters are allowed to vote once per day for each category and once the voting period is up, the results will be tallied and the winner will be announced.
 
To cast your vote, please head to Best of LI’s website here, then click on the Health and Wellness Section, and scroll to the Pediatric Dental Practice Category. Then be sure to click VOTE next to Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dental - Multiple Locations.
 
We’re so fortunate to have such wonderful friends, family, and patients and recognize this opportunity would not be possible without your continued support. Thank you for nominating us, and thank you for voting!
 
At Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dental our purpose is to provide exceptional mental and dental care that can impact your child’s life forever. Our practice has been providing excellent pediatric dentistry to children of Long Island for nearly 20 years! To learn more about us, please visit us on the web, connect with us on social media, and explore our blog. We have three convenient locations in Nesconset, Massapequa Park and West Islip.