Charlotte kids dentist

Charlotte Kids’ Dentist Uses Fluoride to Prevent Cavities

October 28th, 2016

Fluoride is good. But like everything else, too much of a good thing is bad. This naturally occurring mineral can help strengthen and protect your children’s teeth. Too much fluoride, however, can cause defects in tooth enamel and in high doses it can even be toxic. Charlotte kids’ dentist Dr. Mujica and her team make good use of fluoride in the office to help ensure your child’s dental health. Read on to learn more about fluoride and its proper use at home and at the dentist.

Where Does Fluoride Come From?

Fluoride is found naturally in water and many of the foods we eat, including fruits and vegetables, meat, grains, eggs and milk. Fluoride is one of the minerals—along with calcium and phosphate—that help to remineralize tooth enamel. Acids produced by the bacteria in plaque attack enamel every day, causing demineralization. Minerals are redeposited from the foods and water we consume. Tooth decay happens when demineralization exceeds remineralization.

How Does Fluoride Help Prevent Cavities?

Fluoride makes your children’s teeth more resistant to the acids that attack each and every day. And with remineralization, it’s possible to even reverse early decay. In children that are younger than six years old, fluoride is actually incorporated in the development of their permanent teeth. For this reason, it is especially important for children between the ages of six months and 16 years to be exposed to safe and effective levels of fluoride.

Fluoride Treatments in the Office

At All Kids Pediatric Dentistry, we apply fluoride treatments to your children’s teeth. Whether applied as foam, gel or varnish, these all have a much higher level of fluoride than you’ll find in toothpaste or any food or water. Left on the teeth for just a few minutes, the effects can last for years. In addition, if your child is particularly susceptible to tooth decay, Dr. Mujica may prescribe a fluoride supplement, which is available in liquid or tablet form.

Fluoride Use at Home

Once children are old enough to spit—somewhere between the ages of two and three years old—you can begin using a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste when you brush their teeth. Ingesting too much fluoride can lead to fluorosis, which can appear as white specks on teeth or even brown discoloration. For safety sake, therefore, be sure to:

  • Keep all fluoride products out of reach of young children
  • Avoid flavored toothpastes that are more like to be swallowed

Call the Charlotte Kids’ Dentist Today

For more information about the benefits of fluoride, contact All Kids Dentistry in Charlotte.

Charlotte Pediatric Dentist Wants to See Your Kids

August 28th, 2016

Hopefully, you have a family dentist that you see regularly for dental checkups. You should also have a Charlotte pediatric dentist to care for the littlest smiles in your house. As a pediatric dentist, Dr. Mujica completed four years of schooling at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine as well as the Pediatric Dental Residency program at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry. She received a Certificate of Residency in Pediatric Dentistry along with a Master of Science degree in Dentistry, and is now a member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the North Carolina Academy of Pediatric Dentists.

Why Choose a Pediatric Dentist?

The difference between a general dentist and a pediatric dentist is usually noticeable the moment you walk in the door. Our office is filled with décor and amenities that are intended to make children feel welcome and relaxed. But of course the advantages go much further than just what meets the eye. Dr. Mujica and her team of dental hygienists and dental assistants have received special training to treat child of all ages appropriately. Whether your child is barely walking or is almost ready to borrow the car keys, he or she will feel completely comfortable with our care. Even children who are anxious or fearful of seeing the dentist are put at ease. And if you child has significant dental concerns, then Dr. Mujica’s additional training in pediatric dentistry is especially important.

Charlotte Pediatric Dentistry and the Special Needs Child

In addition to her education and training in pediatric dentistry, Charlotte dentist Dr. Mujica has the heart for treating children with special needs. All of the protocols that apply to typically developing children also apply to special needs children. We can create a treatment plan that includes consideration of issues with strength, mobility, motor coordination and cognition. And with the approval of your child’s primary care physician, we can use one of three kinds of sedation dentistry—nitrous oxide, conscious oral sedation and IV sedation—to help allay a child’s fears.

Educating You and Your Child

Dr. Mujica and her team genuinely love spending time with you and your child. We also value the opportunity this gives us to help you take better care of your children’s teeth and to instruct kids on how best to brush and floss. We know that if good oral health care habits start at a young age then they are more likely to stick for long into the future.

Call Our Office Today

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Charlotte pediatric dentist Dr. Mujica, contact All Kids Pediatric Dentistry today.