Dental Care

Four things are necessary for cavities to form: 1. a tooth; 2. bacteria; 3. sugars or other carbohydrates; and 4. time. We can share with you how to make teeth strong, keep bacteria from organizing into harmful colonies, develop healthy eating habits, and understand the role that time plays. Remember, dental decay is an infection of the tooth. Visiting us early can help avoid unnecessary cavities and dental treatment.

 

Importance of Primary Teeth (Baby Teeth)

It is very important that primary teeth are kept in place until they are \lost naturally. These teeth serve a number of critical functions. Primary teeth:

• Maintain good nutrition by permitting your child to chew properly.
• Are involved in speech development.

Help the permanent teeth by saving space for them. A healthy smile can help children feel good about the way they look to others.

 

Dental Care for Your Baby

The first visit to the pediatric dentist should be by the first birthday.  Early exam and preventive care is important in protecting your child’s smile.  The most important reason for an early visit is prevention of dental caries such as early childhood caries (EEC).  Early childhood caries can occur in children using a bottle during naps or at night or continuous nursing.

The sooner the child visits the dentist, the better the chance of preventing dental problems.  Your child will also start early on a lifetime of good dental habits.

Teething

During tooth eruption, your child may have sore gums.  This usually occurs between 6 months and 3 years of age.  Many children like a teething ring, cool spoon, or cold wet washcloth.

Prevention of Tooth Decay for your Baby

Your child should be drinking from a cup by his/her first birthday.  Children should not fall asleep with a bottle.  Nightime nursing should be avoided as soon as your child’s first primary (baby) tooth erupts.  Drinking juice from a bottle should be avoided.  Juice, if given, should be given in a cup.

Cleaning your Baby’s Teeth

Your baby’s teeth can be cleaned with an infant toothbrush and water.  Training toothpaste can be used until 2-3 years of age. Fluoridated toothpaste is not advised until your child is able to spit well and does not pose a risk of swallowing the toothpaste.

Q and A

Q. When should my child first see a dentist?
A: "First visit by first birthday" sums it up. Your child should visit a pediatric dentist when the first tooth comes in, usually between six and twelve months of age. Early examination and preventive care will protect your child’s smile now and in the future.
Q. Why so early? What dental problems could a baby have?
A: The most important reason is to begin a thorough prevention program. Dental problems can begin early. A big concern is Early Childhood Caries (also know as baby bottle tooth decay or nursing caries). Your child risks severe decay from using a bottle during naps or at night or when they nurse continuously from the breast.
The earlier the dental visit, the better the chance of preventing dental problems. Children with healthy teeth chew food easily, learn to speak clearly, and smile with confidence. Start your child now on a lifetime of good dental habits.
Q. How can I prevent tooth decay from a bottle or nursing?
A: Encourage your child to drink from a cup as they approach their first birthday. Children should not fall asleep with a bottle. At-will nighttime breast-feeding should be avoided after the first primary (baby) teeth begins to erupt. Drinking juice from a bottle should be avoided. When juice is offered, it should be in a cup.
Q. When should bottle-feeding be stopped?
A: Children should be weaned from the bottle at 12-14 months of age.
Q. Should I worry about thumb and finger sucking?
A: Thumb sucking is perfectly normal for infants; most stop by age 2. If your child does not, discourage it after age 4. Prolonged thumb sucking can create crowded, crooked teeth, or bite problems. Your pediatric dentist will be glad to suggest ways to address a prolonged thumb sucking habit.
Q. When should I start cleaning my baby’s teeth?
A: The sooner the better! Starting at birth, clean your child’s gums with a soft infant toothbrush and water. Remember that most small children do not have the dexterity to brush their teeth effectively. Unless it is advised by your child’s pediatric dentist, do not use fluoridated toothpaste until age 2-3.
Q. Any advice on teething?
A: From six months to age 3, your child may have sore gums when teeth erupt. Many children like a clean teething ring, cool spoon, or cold wet washcloth. Some parents swear by a chilled ring; others simply rub the baby’s gums with a clean finger.

 

Early ChilDhood Caries

As soon as a baby's first teeth appear—usually by age six months or so—the child is susceptible to decay. This condition is often referred to as Baby Bottle Tooth Decay or Early Childhood Caries (cavities).  It is a severe pattern of dental caries in infants and young children that first attacks the upper front teeth.
In some unfortunate cases, infants and toddlers have experienced severe tooth decay that has resulted in dental restorations or extractions. The good news is that decay is preventable.

 

Preventing Tooth Decay

Four things are necessary for cavities to form: 1) a tooth; 2) bacteria; 3) sugars or other carbohydrates; and 4) time. We can share with you how to make teeth strong, keep bacteria from organizing into harmful colonies, develop healthy eating habits, and understand the role that time plays. Remember, dental decay is an infection of the tooth. Visiting us early can help avoid unnecessary cavities and dental treatment.

 

Pediatric Dentistry

We are concerned about your child’s total health care. Good oral health is an important part of total health. Establishing us as your child’s, “Dental Home” provides us the opportunity to implement preventive dental health habits that keep a child free from dental/oral disease. We focus on prevention, early detection and treatment of dental diseases, and keep current on the latest advances in dentistry for children.
Pleasant visits to the dental office promote the establishment of trust and confidence in your child that will last a lifetime. Our goal, along with our staff, is to help all children feel good about visiting the dentist and teach them how to care for their teeth. From our special office designs, to our communication style, our main concern is what is best for your child.

 

Calming the Anxious Child

It is very important to be able to calm an anxious child. The dentist works together with the pediatric dental staff to help the children feel comfortable during treatment.  There are a number of methods used to do this.  In the “Tell-Show-Do” technique, the pediatric dentist explains the procedure to the child.  The patient is then shown the materials and instruments that will be used, which is followed by the actual treatment.  Praise is also commonly used by the dentist when a child does something correctly.

Parents are always given the option to stay in the room during treatment.  Some children prefer it and feel it relaxes them.

Other methods that can be used if these aren’t useful are mild sedation such as nitrous oxide.  For the very young uncooperative child requiring a lot of treatment, general anesthesia may even be necessary.

Q and A

Q: How does a pediatric dentist help with dental anxiety?
A: Pediatric dentists have special training in helping anxious children feel secure during dental treatment. And, pediatric dental offices are designed for children. Staff members choose to work in a pediatric dental practice because they like kids. So, most children are calm, comfortable and confident in a pediatric dental office.

Q: How will a pediatric dentist help my child feel comfortable?
A: Pediatric dentists are trained in many methods to help children feel comfortable with dental treatment. For example, in the "Tell-Show-Do" technique, a pediatric dentist might name a dental instrument, demonstrate the instrument by using it to count your child's fingers, then apply the instrument in treatment.
The modeling technique pairs a timid child in dental treatment with a cooperative child of similar age. Coaching, distraction, and parent participation are other possibilities to give your child confidence in dentistry. But by far the most preferred technique is praise. Every child does something right during a dental visit, and pediatric dentists let children know that.

Q: Should I accompany my child into treatment?
A: Infants and some young children may feel more confident when parents stay close during treatment. With older children, doctor-child communication is often enhanced if parents remain in the reception room.

Q: What if a child misbehaves during treatment?
A: Occasionally a child's behavior during treatment requires assertive management to protect him or her from possible injury. Voice control (speaking calmly but firmly) usually takes care of it. Some children need gentle restraint of the arms or legs as well. Mild sedation, such as nitrous oxide/oxygen or a sedative, may benefit an anxious child. If a child is especially fearful or requires extensive treatment, other sedative techniques or general anesthesia may be recommended.

First Dental Visit

The first dental visit should occur shortly after the first tooth erupts and no later than the child’s first birthday. Beginning tooth and mouth examinations early may lead to detection of early stages of tooth decay that can be easily treated.
At the first visit we will present:

• A program of preventive home care including brushing, flossing, diet and the importance of fluorides.
• A caries risk assessment.
• Information about Early Childhood Caries, which may be due to inappropriate nursing habits or inappropriate use of sippy cups.
• The latest facts about finger, thumb and pacifier habits.
• What you need to know about preventing injuries to the mouth and teeth.
• Information on growth and development.

 

 

Diet and snacking

A healthy diet is not only important for your child’s development, but also for your child’s teeth.  A balanced diet includes the following food groups daily:

Fruits and vegetables

Breads and cereals

Milk and dairy products 

Meat, fish and eggs

Always make sure your child has a balanced diet.  Check how often sugar or starch is eaten.  Examples of foods with starch are breads, crackers, pasta, pretzels and potato chips.

Foods with sugar are not only found in candy.  Many foods contain one or more types of sugar, which can all promote dental decay.  Fruits, a few vegetables, and most milk products have at least one type of sugar.   

Sugar can also be found in processed foods such as peanut butter, ketchup and even salad dressings.

When eating foods that contain sugars, they have to selected wisely.  A food with sugar or starch is better to eat with a meal instead of a snack.  Also, sticky foods should be avoided due to the inability to wash them away by saliva or water. 

Q and A

Q: What is a healthy diet for my child?
A: A healthy diet is a balanced diet that naturally supplies all the nutrients your child needs to grow. And what's a balanced diet? One that includes the following major food groups every day: Fruits and Vegetables; Breads and Cereals; Milk and Dairy Products; Meat, Fish and Eggs.

Q: How does my child's diet affect her dental health?
A: She must have a balanced diet for her teeth to develop properly. She also needs a balanced diet for healthy gum tissue around the teeth. Equally important, a diet high in certain kinds of carbohydrates, such as sugar and starches, may place your child at extra risk of tooth decay.

Q: How do I make my child's diet safe for his teeth?
A: First, be sure he has a balanced diet. Then, check how frequently he eats foods with sugar or starch in them. Foods with starch include breads, crackers, pasta and such snacks as pretzels and potato chips. When checking for sugar, look beyond the sugar bowl and candy dish. A variety of foods contain one or more types of sugar, and all types of sugars can promote dental decay. Fruits, a few vegetables and most milk products have at least one type of sugar.
Sugar can be found in many processed foods, even some that do not taste sweet. For example, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich not only has sugar in the jelly, but may have sugar added to the peanut butter. Sugar is also added to such condiments as catsup and salad dressings.

Q: Should my child give up all foods with sugar or starch?
A: Certainly not! Many provide nutrients your child needs. You simply need to select and serve them wisely. A food with sugar or starch is safer for teeth if it's eaten with a meal, not as a snack. Sticky foods, such as dried fruit or toffee, are not easily washed away from the teeth by saliva, water or milk. So, they have more cavity-causing potential than foods more rapidly cleared from the teeth. Talk to your pediatric dentist about selecting and serving foods that protect your child's dental health.

Q: Does a balanced diet assure that my child is getting enough fluoride?
A: No. A balanced diet does not guarantee the proper amount of fluoride for the development and maintenance of your child's teeth. If you do not live in a fluoridated community or have an ideal amount of naturally occurring fluoride in your well water, your child needs a fluoride supplement during the years of tooth development. Your pediatric dentist can help assess how much supplemental fluoride your child needs, based upon the amount of fluoride in your drinking water and your child's age and weight.

Q: My youngest isn't on solid foods yet. Do you have suggestions for her?
A: Don't nurse your daughter to sleep or put her to bed with a bottle of milk, formula, juice, or sweetened liquid. While she sleeps, any unswallowed liquid in the mouth supports bacteria that produce acids and attack the teeth. Protect your child from severe tooth decay by putting her to bed with nothing more than a pacifier or bottle of water.

Q: Any final advice?

1. A: Yes. Here are tips for your child's diet and dental health.
2. Ask your pediatric dentist to help you assess your child's diet.
3. Shop smart! Do not routinely stock your pantry with sugary or starchy snacks. Buy "fun foods" just
   for special times.
4. Limit the number of snack times; choose nutritious snacks.
5. Provide a balanced diet, and save foods with sugar or starch for mealtimes.
6. Don't put your young child to bed with a bottle of milk, formula, or juice.
7. If your child chews gum or sips soda, choose those without sugar.