Location Address

We have found that many patients are experiencing issues finding our office using Apple Maps. Please refer to Google Maps.

Follow the smell of crabs and tacos to 1205B Baltimore Pike, Bel Air, Maryland, 21014! 

Inclement Weather

In case of an unforeseen weather event, we encourage you to communicate your intentions and/or availability.  We understand that road conditions vary greatly by location, and advance notice of your cancelation may mean we can get someone else in, treated, and safely back home before local conditions deteriorate.

If our office decides to close for the day, that decision will be made at 6:00 a.m..  Once that decision is made, we will reach out to our scheduled patients by text message.  If you would prefer a different method, please feel free to leave that information on our voicemail at 410-877-3000.

For your convenience, any weather related schedule changes will be posted on our facebook page as soon as those decisions are made.

Use it or lose it!

As the end of the year is quickly approaching, we want to remind you to utilize any unused insurance benefits before they expire. Many of you also participate in Flexible Spending Accounts or Health Savings Plans with your employer. In most cases, any benefits left in these accounts do not roll over each calendar year.

Your health is important to us and we want to make sure you get the care you deserve. If you or a family member needs an appointment or has any questions, please call us today so we may discuss your needs. We look forward to seeing you at your next visit!

With best wishes for continued good health,
Dr. Danielle Zhu

Concerned about out of pocket expenses? We accept the CareCredit credit cards, mobile wallets, and most social mobile payment platforms.

Now Open

Our patients have been so gracious and encouraging through this process. We are so thankful to be rounding out our first week here at 1205B Baltimore Pike.

We Have Been Keeping a Secret 🤫

We are excited to announce that within a few short days, Your Smile Bel Air Family Dentistry will move to a brand new location, just around the corner in the Bell Gate Shopping Center*.  At 1205B Baltimore Pike, you and your family can continue to count on the same personal experience and exceptional care that we have always provided.

Our new office at 1205B Baltimore Pike will be conveniently and safely accessible from Baltimore Pike (also known as Bel Air Road) and Old Joppa Road. Your Smile Bel Air Family Dentistry will share the building with Mucho Gusto and is adjacent to Conrad’s Crabs.
This new space in the Bell Gate Shopping Center was truly built from the ground up, with each element thoughtfully and intentionally designed for the safety and wellness of our staff and patients like you.

Starting this new chapter during a global health crisis has provided us the opportunity to create a space that far exceeds the CDC standards for disease prevention. Although most of our upgrades will be fresh and shimmering, some notable additions may not be so obvious. Below, we have highlighted just a few of them.

Upgrade Highlights
• UV Light HVAC Filtration System
• Designated Handicap Parking with Ground Floor Access
• Seamless Hospital Grade Flooring
• Reusable Water Bottle Filling Station
• Scheduled Supplemental Floor Maintenance
• Onsite HOCl Disinfectant Generator
• Closed Circuit Security Monitoring
• (2) Portable HEPA Air Purifiers with Real-time Air Quality Sensors
• Overall Building Design to Reduce Surface Contact.
• Secret Window to Access Free Tacos (Pending Approval)

We will open our doors on August 29th exclusively at 1205B Baltimore Pike. Our long-time mascot, Mr. Bear, will be on vacation for the next two weeks as we complete this transition, but the rest of our staff will have daily access to our phones and emails to help you with any questions or concerns. Thank you for your continued support. Without you, we could not have made this possible.

Kindly,
Danielle D. Zhu, D.D.S., P.A.

*As a result of ongoing development in the Bell Gate Shopping Center, you may find address inconsistencies between the surrounding businesses. (Interchangeable use of the street names Bel Air Road or Baltimore Pike, and omitted suite identifiers.)

Oral Health vs. Covid-19

Bacteria= Bad
Infection= Worse
Covid-19 + Infection= Deadly

The American Dental Association has linked the progression and severity of Covid-19 to oral health. Turns out, there is – in fact, they found that 20 percent of those who contracted COVID developed severe symptoms due to a high “bacterial load.”

In other words, those who suffer from gingivitis or periodontitis have higher rates of infection causing bacteria in their mouth, which enters their body in a myriad of ways. The first, is through the blood via the vessels in the gums and teeth. The second is via respiratory, by breathing in this bacteria.

As a result, those who may have contracted COVID or are suffering from minor symptoms, develop post-viral bacterial complications, such as pneumonia, sepsis, or respiratory distress syndrome. When this happens, the body’s immune system is weakened, resulting in much more severe symptoms than would have otherwise occurred.

Read this story and more on our Facebook page.

Let’s Take Prevention to the Next Level

You Don’t Need to Pass a Football Like Patrick Mahomes to Remove a Loose Baby Tooth

By Christopher Larsen, DMD & Jennifer Worner, DMD

Kids get pretty inventive pulling a loose primary (baby) tooth. After all, there’s a profit motive involved (aka the Tooth Fairy). But a young Kansas City Chiefs fan may have topped his peers with his method, revealed in a recent Twitter video that went viral.

Inspired by all-star KC quarterback Patrick Mahomes (and sporting his #15 jersey), 7-year-old Jensen Palmer tied his loose tooth to a football with a line of string. Then, announcing “This is how an MVP gets their tooth out,” the next-gen QB sent the ball flying, with the tooth tailing close behind.

It appears young Palmer was no worse for wear with his tooth removal technique. But if you’re thinking there might be a less risky, and less dramatic, way to remove a loose tooth, you’re right. The first thing you should know, though: Primary teeth come out when they’re good and ready, and that’s important. Primary teeth play an important role in a child’s current dental and speech function and future dental development. For the latter, they serve as placeholders for permanent teeth developing within the gums. If one is lost prematurely, the corresponding permanent tooth might erupt out of position and cause bite problems.

In normal development, though, a primary tooth coming out coincides closely with the linked permanent tooth coming in. When it’s time, the primary tooth lets you know by becoming quite loose in the socket.

If you think one of your children’s primary teeth is ready, clean your hands first with soap and water. Then using a clean tissue, you should be able to easily wiggle the tooth with little tension. Grasp the tooth with the tissue and give it a little horizontal twist to pop it out. If that doesn’t work, wait a day or two before trying again. If it does come out, be sure you have some clean gauze handy in case of bleeding from the empty socket.

Normally, nature takes its course from this point. But be on the lookout for abnormal signs like fragments of the tooth left behind in the socket (not to be mistaken for the top of the permanent tooth coming in). You should also look for redness, swelling, or complaints of pain the following day—signs of possible infection. If you see anything like this, make a prompt appointment so we can take a look. Losing a primary tooth is a signpost pointing the way from childhood to adulthood (not to mention a windfall for kids under their pillows). You can help make it a smooth transition—no forward pass required.

If you would like more information about caring for primary teeth, please contact us or schedule a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Importance of Baby Teeth” and “Losing a Baby Tooth.”

Working Weekends

Additional Appointments Added

To help accommodate patients affected by Covid-19, we have added several additional appointments to our schedule for October.