Why Are My Teeth So Sensitive?

Tooth sensitivity is a common complaint that dentists hear from their patients. And it isn’t always due to cavities. Some people really just have more sensitive teeth than the general population, and this causes pain when it comes to eating hot and cold foods, inhaling cool air, or chewing on sweets. It’s an unfortunate circumstance, but it is not impossible to treat.
Some Pocatello dentists at Leavitt Dentistry in South Eastern Idaho have put together these three ways to lessen the sensitivity of your teeth.

Toothpaste for Sensitive Teeth

For people with sensitive teeth, regular toothpaste can be too harsh on their teeth. Toothpaste can contain abrasive ingredients that wear down the enamel of people with sensitive teeth. Some whitening toothpastes have been known to increase tooth sensitivity as well.
Sometimes, simply switching to a sensitive toothpaste, like Sensodyne, can solve your problems with sensitivity. You can pick up sensitive toothpaste over the counter, but if it doesn’t seem to be doing the trick, ask your dentist about getting a prescription written for a better toothpaste for your sensitive teeth.

Sealants and Fluoride

When gums recede and enamel wears down, sometimes sensitive toothpaste is not enough to repair that. Another option you can talk to your dentist about is getting sealants or fluoride for your teeth. These sealants can coat the outer layer of your teeth to prevent things from hurting them. And fluoride helps to strengthen your enamel, which in turn will counteract the problems associated with tooth sensitivity.

Decrease Acid-Containing Foods

Eat foods that don’t cause tooth decay or sensitivity. It’s as simple as not eating things that hurt your teeth. If sugary treats cause you problems anytime you indulge, then try to avoid them. Avoid or limit other acidic foods like soda, sugars, grains, and processed foods. Acidity is a factor that contributes to tooth decay and sensitive teeth.
If you aren’t sure of the cause of your sensitive teeth, it is best to schedule an appointment with your dentist to get to the problem as soon as possible.  

3 Christmas Treats Your Pets Can Enjoy

Holidays are a time for giving and enjoy the company of our close friends and family, and that often involves a lot of edible Christmas goodies. During the holiday season our pets tend to get left out with all of the yummy treats their people are constantly eating. Well, this year they don’t have to be! Some vets in Idaho Falls have put together this awesome list of yummy treats for you to make your pets this Christmas.

1. Homemade Dog Treats

When you make a batch of sugar cookies for your kids to enjoy, whip up a batch of these simple homemade dog treats for your furry children to enjoy! All it takes is some flour, baking soda, sunflower butter (or peanut butter), coconut milk, and molasses.

Find the full recipe at This Mama Cooks.

2. Christmas Tree Cookies

These cookies use essentially the same ingredients as the first treat on this list, but they also include a yummy icing to decorate with. When your dog sees you grab a cookie from the counter, give them one of these so they can enjoy the goodies too!

Find the full recipe at DogVills.

3. Candy Cane Dog Biscuits

The best part about this awesome treat is that they are naturally colored with beet juice! Nothing artificial in these pup treats. The next time you need a candy cane fixing, let your fur baby enjoy these candy canes too. They have just a touch of peppermint so they can experience the minty freshness too!

Find the full recipe at DogVills.

Your pets deserve some yummy treats during the holidays too! And if you are among those that give their pets gifts on Christmas, these are some easy treats you can make with items you likely already have in your cupboard.

Stocking Stuffer Alternatives for Candy

Stockings have been a tradition for centuries, since St. Nicholas would leave treats for children in their socks in Eastern Europe. And now, parents around the world give their children stockings for Christmas every year, filled with treats, generally of the sugary variety. This year, a cosmetic dentistry in Farmington has put together a list of stocking stuffer alternatives that are not candy.

1. Gift Cards
Find a place that your kids like to go, a favorite restaurant, store, or movie theater and purchase gift cards to place in their stockings.

2. Favorite Snacks
Do your children have a favorite non-candy snack? Try granola bars, oranges, crackers, and 100% fruit juice boxes.

3. Stuffed Animals
Get them little stuffed animals. Find their favorite animal or some cute Christmas animals to surprise them with.

4. Legos
Kids love building with Legos. And these fun toys allow them to discover their creativity.

5. Toy Cars
If you have little boys, toy cars are the perfect stocking stuffer. They’ll love opening up new cars to drive around on Christmas morning.

6. Books
Find some fun small books – activity books, books for reading, anything that will fit into the stocking. Books are a great way to promote learning!

7. Stickers
Stickers are so fun for kids. You can even include a mini notebook for them to place the stickers in.

8. Make Up
If you have older girls, make up is a great alternative to candy (and they might like it a lot more too).

9. Jewelry
Jewelry is a great stocking stuffer for girls of all ages.

10. Hats and Mittens
Warm winter accessories are a great stocking stuffer for Christmas time. And they can use them throughout the rest of the winter.

3 Reasons to Schedule a Winter Dentist Appointment

How long has it been since your last dentist appointment? If it has been more than 6 months, it’s probably time to get your next one scheduled if it isn’t already. Winter, especially after the holidays, is a great time to schedule your next dentist appointment.

A periodontist in Burke has put together a few reasons why you should schedule a winter dentist appointment.

Not as Busy

People aren’t typically in a rush to leave their homes in the middle of winter. Many service-oriented offices, like your dentist, are generally less busy in the winter months, so a winter dentist appointment is perfect for less waiting time and smaller crowds. For a parent with small children, this is the ideal time to get your family dentist trips out of the way.

Flu Season

Flu season can take a toll on your dental health. When consuming cough syrup and throat drops, we are usually focused on trying to feel better, not on the high amount of sugar these flu remedies carry. It is a good idea to get into the dentist for a cleaning during this time to remove any tartar buildup that might have occurred during your last cold session.

Fight Seasonal Depression

Winter is known to be depressing and tends to bring many of us down. Doing something proactive for your health is a great way to counteract the winter blues. Get your dentist appointment out of the way and you’ll feel good about the state of your oral health, and you won’t have to stress about whether or not you should get into the dentists. It’s a win-win!

After the holidays is a great time to schedule your next dental visit, however, if you are experiencing any consistent tooth pain, bleeding, or other abnormal symptoms in your mouth, make a dentist appointment as soon as possible to get a diagnosis and begin treatment.

10 DIY Projects to Keep Your Kids Happy Indoors

As the weather starts cooling down this fall, and soon turning into winter, your kids will be spending less time outside. And that means more time inside! But, before you run away at that thought, take a deep breath, and check out some of these awesome indoor DIY projects. These are sure to keep your kids occupied and happy. And they can even help assemble some of the simpler projects.

1. Kiddie Pool Lounge

This project was originally intended as an outdoor lounge, but it’s so simple and cute that it’s perfect for indoors too. Whether you’re having a family movie night or the kids are just watching TV (or reading!) this kiddie pool lounge will make the perfect spot to sprawl out of a couple kiddos. All you need is an inflatable kiddie pool, pillows, and blankets. On their days off from school, the kids could even have little picnic lunches in their new pool lounge. How fun would that be!

2. Reading Nook

Get your children excited about reading with this adorable little reading bench. It’s perfect for the corner of their bedroom or playroom. All you need is a wood pallet or two, a foam pad, and some pillows. You can add built-in shelves or a fabric pocket for their books too.

3. PVC Grocery Store

What child doesn’t love to pretend they’re a grown-up? Build this PVC grocery store for hours of independent playtime. Your kids and their friends can trade off being the cashier and customer, and then they can take their groceries “home” and cook some delicious pretend meals. This is the perfect addition to your little one’s playroom.

Find the full tutorial at So You Think You’re Crafty.

4. Kitchen Table Tent

Create a playhouse right in your dining room that your kids will love. This cute tent is made from a tablecloth or sheet and simply placed right over the top of your kitchen table. It’s easy to set up and take down anytime your kids want to play (or anytime you need a break from their playing – just put this up).

Find the full tutorial at Little Family Adventure.

5. Life-Size Lincoln Logs

Who loved playing with Lincoln logs when they were little? Well, this awesome project is life-size Lincoln logs, so your children can build their own playhouse. All you need is some pool noodles and to cut them so they can easily fit together when your child starts building away.

6. PVC Ball Pit

Do your kids beg you to go to fast food restaurants just so they can play in the ball pits? Create your own with this tutorial from The Northwest Mama. It’s more sanitary, and you don’t have to go anywhere. This is a great project for keeping little ones occupied while you cook dinner, or if you just need a break.

7. Felt Garden Box

While the gardening season has ended for most of us, it doesn’t have to for your kids. You can make this cute little felt garden box and let your child continue to plant and harvest fruits, veggies, and flowers all year long.

Find the full tutorial at A Beautiful Mess.

8. Laundry Basket Skee Ball

Have you ever taken your child to the arcade? Now you won’t have to with this living room safe skee ball. All you need is a couple laundry baskets, plastic balls, and a cardboard box. Let your children play and see who can get the most points with different ranking baskets.

Find the full tutorial at Frugal Fun For Boys And Girls.

9. Tire Reading Nook

Because reading is so important for young minds and because this is too cute not to share, take a look at this reading nook made from tires. Create cushioning in the hole of the tire, pile with brightly colored pillows and let the reading begin!

Find the full tutorial at Grillo Designs.

10. Craft Desk

Are your kids crafty? Create this craft desk with a repurposed crib, art supplies, and a chalkboard. Let your kids spend their free time exploring their creativity with various arts and crafts projects at their new art table.

Find the full tutorial at A Little Learning For Two.

7 Pumpkin Recipes That Your Kids Can Enjoy With You

Fall is upon us, and you know what that means…pumpkin everything! From pumpkin spice lattes to pumpkin cheesecake, for some reason, the entire world is obsessed. And to indulge that obsession, our friends at Lolo’s Little Darlin’s Daycare, a Rexburg preschool, have put together a list of fun pumpkin recipes you and your kids can enjoy.   

1. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

What child doesn’t love cookies? And what parent for that matter? Take this spin on a classic and enjoy some of these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for an after school snack.

2. Mini Pumpkin Pies

These mini pumpkin pies pops will satisfy your pumpkin pie craving and give your kids a fun treat. And you don’t have to feel bad when you eat the whole pie!

3. Pumpkin Pie French Toast

Your kids will love waking up on a Saturday to the smell of pumpkin pie french toast. This breakfast is one that the whole family will enjoy and beg for throughout the rest of the year. And the best part is, you can freeze the leftovers for easy breakfasts before work or school.

4. Pumpkin Popsicles

These dairy-free treats are sure to please all, especially the ice cream lovers in the family. All it takes is some banana, pumpkin, and honey, and you have yourself a delicious pumpkin treat.

5. Pumpkin Cheerios Marshmallow Treats

If you and your kids like Rice Crispy treats, these are sure to please. See if you can find a box of Pumpkin Spice Cheerios this fall season and whip up a batch of these marshmallow treats for your family.

6. Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Looking for a healthy pumpkin treat to enjoy? Try this pumpkin pie smoothie. Dress it up with fun straws and fancy glasses (or plastic for the kiddos).

7. Pumpkin Hot Chocolate

Who doesn’t need a mug of cocoa every morning as the weather gets cooler? Or take this yummy pumpkin hot chocolate and sit around the fire with your family or curl up and watch your favorite holiday movie.

7 Family Friendly Fall Activities

What do you do when it’s not quite pumpkin carving season, but you don’t want to be stuck trying to entertain the kids at home all weekend?

With school starting and the weather cooling down, you’ll want some fun fall activities that you can do with your family. Take a look at some of these fun ideas that children of all ages, and even the parents, can enjoy.

1. Corn Mazes

Some corn mazes start as early as the beginning of September. Find a maze near you and take the whole family. Split up into teams to play hide and seek, or have a competition to see who can make it out of the maze the quickest.

2. Go Apple Picking

Fall is the season for apples! Take your family to a nearby orchard and pick apples to make pies, applesauce, apple juice, or just to eat.

3. Go on a Hike

Take your family hiking. With different apps like TrailLink, you can find fun hikes close to you for varying difficulty levels, from beginners to expert. Get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and enjoy what nature has to offer.

4. Fall Crafts

Feeling crafty? Make some fun fall crafts with your kids, like a pinecone bird feeder or a scarecrow to decorate your front porch with.

5. Baking

Teach your kids how to bake some yummy fall treats. Make an apple or pumpkin pie, pumpkin cranberry bread, chocolate chip pumpkin cookies, leaf-shaped sugar cookies. The possibilities are endless.

6. Make Costumes

Get a head start on your Halloween costumes. They are so much more fun when you’ve made your own. Have your kids brainstorm ideas for what they want to be (2-3 ideas in case they can’t find what they’re looking for) and then take them kids shopping to look for different pieces to build their costumes. Or just make costumes for fun to play in!

7. Build a Fire

Go out to the country, or your own backyard if you have the space, and have a bonfire with your family. Roast hot dogs and marshmallows and just enjoy each other’s company.

Just because it’s not a holiday season yet and summer will be over doesn’t mean you can’t have fun!

Quick and Inexpensive Tips for Beautifying Your Yard

The front yard is usually the first thing a person sees when visiting your home. It is the only thing that passersby see. So why not make it a beautiful sight for them, and you every time you walk outside. You don’t have to be retired and spending every waking hour with your lawn and garden to make it a sight worth beholding.

Try some of these quick and inexpensive tips from a business for lawn maintenance in Idaho Falls to beautify your yard on your own.

Plants

Add flowers, bushes, trees, and shrubbery to your yard. Add color and variety to your yard with the use of different plants. You can even choose plants that self-seed and come back annually, creating less work for yourself next year.

Mulch

Use mulch in your flower garden. Not only does it keep the weeds at bay, but it helps provide nutrition to your flowers, resulting in more vibrant colors.

Create Edges

Break up your yard with edges. Use bricks or rocks to outline your lawn or flower gardens. Create new spaces in your yard with the use of edges.

Create a Path

Is there a lot of foot traffic that goes through your yard? Use stones, gravel, dirt, or other materials to create a path that welcomes that traffic. Line it with plants or rocks for added decoration.

Add Décor

Add décor for focal points in your yard. Use an antique looking bird bath, a cute wooden bench, large rocks, a fire pit, or anything that you like that can add a little character, or even functionality if you have people over often.

Organization

Does your hose just trail along the side of the house? Do you have garden tools strewn about like they’re nobody’s business? Try adding some organization with a hose box, a small shed, or this DIY Pallet Garden Tool Organizer.

Use Pots

Put bushes and flowers in pots to add some depth and variety.

Seating

Take the time to enjoy your beautiful yard with some cute chairs or that bench mentioned earlier. Again, if you have people over often and want to enjoy the outdoors, add seating that compliments your yard.

Brighten it up

Brighten up shady spots in your yard with some light-colored ground plants.

Don’t wait to have the yard that you want. You can get started on all of these tips today.