Baby Teeth

How Parents can Help Kids Learn to Brush Their Teeth

February 28th, 2019

Toothbrushing can be tough for young children to pick up, but it’s absolutely vital for developing a healthy smile. Here’s how parents can encourage their children to brush my making toothbrushing fun!  

1 – Brush Together 

One great way to making brushing fun for young brushers is by brushing with them. This helps you get into a fun routine with your child and have a bit more time together, and allows you to give them specific brushing tips, as well as keep an eye on how ling they’re brushing.  

2 – Find Fun Brushing Videos 

For children, it can be tough to brush for two minutes at a time. This is because it’s difficult to keep young children still and focused on brushing their teeth for two minutes. You can help your child have more fun while they brush by letting them brush while watching a tooth brushing video. These educational videos help guide children through brushing their teeth, and each lasts at least two minutes. We suggest finding one that you deem appropriate for your child, and one that they will enjoy watching.  

3 – Try an Electric Toothbrush 

An electric toothbrush is an appealing option for children just beginning to brush, since they require less dexterity and physical motion to operate. Additionally, most electric toothbrushes feature brushing timers ensures that they brush for two minutes at a time. We suggest looking for an electric toothbrush specifically made for children that is easy for them to hold, and has a head that fits in their mouth comfortably.

Care for Teeth the Right Way 

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry advises that everyone brushes their teeth twice per day, for two minutes at a time. The time limit helps ensure that all of the bad bacteria is scrubbed off of teeth, which prevents plaque buildup and cavities. Make sure your child brushes their entire tooth surface, including the backside of teeth – which is often neglected. 

Encourage Your Children to Make Brushing Fun 

Our office specializes in caring for children, and helping them understand the importance of oral health. If you have a reluctant toothbrusher, visit our office. We can show your child how fun toothbrushing can be, and how important it is for a healthy life.

Why Baby Teeth Matter for an Adult Smile

September 13th, 2018

Did you know that baby teeth can affect incoming adult teeth? More than just chewing and smiling, baby teeth can actually impact the health and well being of incoming adult teeth. Here’s why healthy baby teeth matter for an adult smile.  

Healthy Baby Teeth Keep Kids in School

Your child’s oral health is directly related to their academic performance. On average, children miss just over two days of school every year due to oral ailments. Lost school hours are closely linked to poor academic performance, and can cause your child’s grades to suffer. Additionally, tooth decay is painful and distracting, and can cause your child to lose focus in school or even prevent them from participating in the class discussion.  

Luckily, cavities are nearly 100% preventable. You can help your child prevent cavities by getting them into a healthy oral care routine where they brush twice per day for 2 minutes at a time, and floss once per day.  

Untreated Baby Tooth Decay can Get effect Adult Teeth

If tooth decay goes untreated, then it can worsen into a tooth abscess – which is a tooth infection that spreads to the root of the tooth. If a primary tooth, know as a baby tooth, abscesses and becomes infected, then the infection can spread to the incoming adult tooth. This can cause early tooth decay in developing adult teeth, and lead to pain and potential tooth loss. 

Baby Teeth Inform Adult Smile Alignment

Baby teeth are temporary, however, if a baby tooth is knocked out too soon, it can lead to other teeth crowding the vacant spot. This can cause alignment issues when the permanent tooth begins to emerge, and could cause crooked teeth and biting problems. If your child has a misaligned smile, or biting problems, then the issues will need to be corrected with oral appliances later down the road – and that can cost a lot of money. Furthermore, crooked adult teeth (or malocclusion) are more difficult to clean, and more susceptible to retaining food particles that can lead to cavities.  

Schedule a Dental Checkup with us Every Six Months

Dental checkups are important for dentists to prevent cavities and other oral health issues, and also give parents the opportunity to learn more about healthy oral practices that they can use at home. 

When is it Too Soon to Lose a Baby Tooth?

June 14th, 2018

Baby teeth aren’t permanent, but did you know that it’s possible to loose a baby tooth too soon? Here’s everything parents need to know about losing a baby tooth too soon.

It’s Too Soon When… 

If your child loses a tooth before the age of 3, then you need to schedule an appointment with your pediatric dentist. Usually, natural tooth loss begins around age 6, and concludes around age 12.

Risks of Losing Teeth Too Soon 

If a baby tooth is lost too early, it can cause serious crowding problems for the developing adult teeth, as well as negatively impact the jaw’s muscle and bone development. This can lead to necessary orthodontic treatment later in life to correct a bite and alignment issues. 

Common Causes of Tooth Loss 

The most common causes of premature tooth loss are traumatic facial injuries and tooth decay. It’s impossible to prevent accidents from happening, but you can prevent tooth decay by ensuring your child follows a healthy brushing and flossing regiment, and enjoys mouth healthy foods and plenty of water.

When is it OK to Lose Baby Teeth? 

Baby teeth usually begin to fall out around age 6, and the process usually lasts 6 years until ages 11-12. Baby teeth will naturally become looser, and fall out on their own to make room for adult teeth erupting beneath them. Usually, teeth fall out in the order that they first arrived, but that’s not always the case.

Can You Fix a Tooth Lost Too Early? 

Fortunately, there are plenty of options for those that lose teeth too soon! Spacers and space maintainers are placed in the gap of the lost tooth to help prepare for the arrival of the incoming adult tooth. Spacers come in many shapes, sizes and colors, and can make an un-fun situation more enjoyable for your child.

Schedule an Appointment with Our Office 

If you think that your child has lost a tooth too soon, then call our office to schedule an evaluation. We’ll provide your child with the necessary treatment that best prepares their mouth for a healthy, adult smile.  

Do Baby Teeth with Cavities Need to be Treated?

December 28th, 2017

Everyone has primary (baby) teeth, and most people (around 60%) experience some level of tooth decay that affects baby teeth. But, baby teeth are temporary, and not as important as adult teeth, right? Wrong. Primary teeth don’t last forever, but they are not expendable and untreated cavities can cause serious immediate harm, and negatively affect how a young mouth develops. 

YES - Cavities in Baby Teeth Must be Treated 

Tooth decay is 5 times more common than asthma, 4 times more common than childhood obesity and 20 times more common than childhood diabetes. Tooth decay is an acid attack on tooth enamel that can lead to cavities – which are essentially holes in teeth. Cavities on baby teeth are treated with fillings, which help prevent the cavity from worsening or spreading.

When tooth decay is not treated by dental professionals, or with proper oral care, teeth can become riddled with cavities. Children with cavities affecting their primary teeth face many risks that affect their overall development.

Teeth Damaged by Cavities can:

- Impact children’s nutrition, and impede them from eating healthy food. 
- Cause overbites, and bite alignment problems that require oral appliance to fix.
- Hinder adult teeth from growing in straight and healthy.
- Impede proper speech, and negatively affect self-esteem.
- Cause severe tooth pain, that worsens without treatment.
- Lead to infections that affect nearby teeth, and cause more cavities.  

Baby teeth may be temporary, but their impermanence does not mean that they are not important. Children with cavities on their primary teeth face oral health challenges now, and in the future they mature into adults.

Symptoms of Baby Teetth with Cavities

It’s pretty easy to spot the symptoms of tooth decay and cavities, but only a dental professional can accurately diagnose and treat cavities in baby teeth. If your child exhibits any of the following, then schedule a visit with our office as soon as possible so we can treat the root of their oral health issues.  

 Common symptoms of cavities in baby teeth: 

- Pain in the tooth when chewing, or brushing. 
- Pain below the gum line that is localized around on tooth or area.  
- Increased sensitivity to temperature extremes, like hot or cold beverages. 
- Visible holes, discolorations, or dark spots on teeth. 
- Persistent bad breath that is not alleviated by consistent brushing or mouthwash.

How to Prevent Tooth Decay and Cavities

Cavities are the most prevalent childhood disease in the United States, but it’s also the most preventable. You can empower your child to prevent cavities and tooth decay by helping them get into a proper oral health routine, which means brushing twice per day for two minutes at a time, and flossing once per day. You can take easy dietary measures to prevent cavities, too. Try removing sugary beverages from their diet, and substitute them for water, which is one of the most powerful tools in the fight against cavities.

Does Your Child Have a Cavity or Tooth Decay? 

Visit our office if your child experiences persistent tooth pain, or pain in their gums. They may have severe tooth decay or cavities that need to be treated It’s impossible to diagnose a cavity by yourself, and only trained dental professionals can accurately diagnose and treat cavities. We treat children of all ages, and help families get their oral health on track by giving them the tools and knowledge needed to keep a healthy smile that lasts a lifetime.  

Caring for Baby Teeth Matters – Here’s How to Care for Them

October 6th, 2017

“Baby teeth are temporary, so why are they so important?” Sometimes, baby teeth are overlooked in how vital they are to a smile that lasts a lifetime. But, make no mistake: baby teeth are incredibly important to your child’s smile development, and overall health.  

Baby Teeth Help Smile Alignment

Baby teeth are temporary, however, if a baby tooth is knocked out too soon, it can lead to other teeth crowding the vacant spot. This can cause alignment issues when the permanent tooth begins to emerge, and could cause crooked teeth and biting problems. If your child has a misaligned smile, or biting problems, then the issues will need to be corrected with oral appliances later down the road – and that can cost a lot of money.  

While caring for baby teeth won’t prevent the future need of an oral appliance, it certainly helps lower the likelihood that your child will need one as they get older.  

Avoiding Cavities Helps Kids Stay in School

On average, oral health ailments cause children to miss just over two days of school every year. According to one study, more than 51 million school hours in the United States are lost each year due to dental disease. Lost school hours are closely linked to poor academic performance, and can cause your child’s grades to suffer. This means that your child’s oral health is directly related to their academic performance. 

Additionally, tooth decay is painful and distracting, and can cause your child to lose focus in school or even prevent them from participating in the class discussion. 

Cavities Can Leave Children more Prone to Infection

Cavities and infected teeth are riddled with unhealthy bacteria. If left untreated, a tooth infection can cause a deeper infection in the pulp tissue. This may result in a hospital trip or medical emergency, according to the AAPD. Additionally, severe cavities and tooth decay are major causes of tooth loss, which makes the body much more prone to infection. 

By preventing cavities in baby teeth, you can help your child avoid more serious complications later on. 

How to Care for Baby Teeth

Avoiding cavities begins with proper, routine oral care. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry advises that everyone brushes their teeth twice per day, for two minutes each session. By brushing for the proper amount of time, your child can clean all of the bad bacteria off their teeth, and help prevent cavities. Be sure that they brush the entire surface of their teeth - including the backside, which is often neglected. 

Use Fluoridated Toothpaste

Toothpaste with fluoride strengthens enamel through a process called remineralization – which can help prevent cavities. When choosing fluoridated toothpaste, make sure that it has the ADA seal of approval to ensure that it has been rigorously tested and approved. 

Visit our Dental Practice

Tooth decay is the most widespread diseases among children today – and it’s almost entirely preventable. Tooth decay (cavities) is 5 times more common than asthma, 4 times more common than childhood obesity and 20 times more common childhood diabetes. 

Schedule an appointment with our office if your child is experiencing tooth pain or sensitivity, as these symptoms may indicate that they have a cavity that needs to be fixed by a pediatric dentist. We will provide a treatment plan that works for your child’s needs, and sets them up to achieve a healthy smile that can last a lifetime.