Maintaining good oral health requires one to select a dentist who can perfectly deal with their particular needs. Some dentists specialize in a certain field of dentistry. A pediatric dentist or a dentist who works with children, examines babies and kids until they start to become young adults. It is very important to take your children to a kids’ dentist as baby teeth start to erupt through the gums. The first tooth usually erupts at about 6 months old.
During their visit, the kid’s dentist will inspect each tooth carefully and a hygienist will perform a thorough cleaning. Your child will be treated with a topical fluoride, checked for cavities, and probably get x-rays of the teeth. If the kid’s dentist detects any problems, he or she will take care of it early enough instead of letting it develop into something serious down the road. Most of the time, serious conditions start as small problems that could have been prevented if they were noticed early enough.
If your child does not see a pediatric or kids’ dentist regularly, long-term problems could occur. Cavities are common issues that can be caught with a routine check. If they are not addressed, they could sooner or later cause the whole tooth to decay, which not only causes pain and possibly infection, but also increases the likelihood of losing the entire tooth. Gingivitis and periodontitis can also generally be caught early with routine checkups.
In addition, many children need adequate fluoride in the diet or home care routine, which is essential for preventing cavities. This is done by using a fluoride rinse, drinking water that contains fluoride, or taking a daily supplement as well as brushing with a pea-sized quantity of fluoridated toothpaste. The kid’s dentist will be able to identify whether your child is not getting sufficient fluoride and can recommend supplements that will help to prevent cavities.
It is very important to note that baby teeth help guide the placement of the permanent teeth. A missing or a decayed baby tooth can result in misaligned or crooked permanent teeth, which can lead to various problems, such as difficulty in chewing, premature tooth loss and the inability to maintain good dental hygiene. For more severe scenarios, it can also interfere with TMJ or the temporomandibular joint, a joint that connects the skull to the lower jaw, which leads to much discomfort when an adult. Visiting a kid’s dentist early enough will certainly help to ensure simple issues don’t develop into something very severe.
Category: good dental habits
Starch, Sugar and Their Effect on Kid’s Teeth
Tooth decay is the primary cause of tooth loss, and one of the most significant culprits in tooth decay is what we eat. If a child’s diet consists of too many starchy and sugary foods, it can cause cavities. Now that school is in session, it is sometimes easy to fill kids’ diets with starchy and sugary foods. However, it is important to closely monitor snacking and to provide children with a well-balanced diet.
The Link between Diet and Tooth Decay
One of the best ways to help your child be cavity-free is by providing a healthy diet. Cavities are caused by bacteria that live in the mouth. The bacteria feed off of the starches and sugars, which produces an acid that sits on the teeth and dissolves the enamel (demineralizes) and starts the cavity process.
The Effects of Sugar
Sugar is one of the largest contributors to tooth decay. While in school, children are unable to brush their teeth immediately after eating sugary items, so the sugar is allowed to sit on the teeth for a longer period of time. Sticky sugars that are often included in school lunches and/or snacks will significantly increase the risk of cavities.
Starch and Tooth Decay
Starch is a type of carbohydrate that is typically found in foods such as bread, potatoes and rice. The leading culprits for starch in a child’s diet are foods such as pancakes and certain breakfast cereals. When these types of starchy foods are combined with sugars, such as syrup, it significantly increases the risk of tooth decay.
Eating a Balanced Diet
It is important to begin teaching children about healthy eating choices and good dental care, which includes visiting a kids’ dentist, even before they begin their first year of school. Children do not have to give up all of their favorite foods that contain sugar or starch, but they do need to choose them wisely and it is best to brush after consumption. A balanced diet includes milk and dairy products, meat, fish, eggs, whole-grain breads, and fruits and vegetables. Many foods, such as fruits, taste sweet without any added sugars.
Foods that contain sugar and/or starches are safer for teeth when they are eaten with meals, because there is more saliva released when eating a meal. Saliva helps wash foods from the mouth, so it reduces the effect of acids on the teeth. Sticky foods, such as fruit roll ups, fruit snacks, and candies are more difficult to wash away with saliva because they get stuck on the tooth or in a tooth groove, so there is a greater risk of tooth decay. Encourage children to brush at least twice each day with fluoride toothpaste, drink plenty of water, and see a kids’ dentist routinely.
Dental Care during Pregnancy
When a woman finds out that she is pregnant, she often finds her appointment book filled to the brim with an onslaught of doctors’ appointments. But often, women gloss over the importance of dental care during pregnancy. Read on to discover a few reasons why maintaining dental care during pregnancy is a good and healthy practice.
Avoid Pregnancy Complications Caused by Poor Dental Hygiene
Did you know that seeing a general dentist during your pregnancy can help you to avoid harmful birthing complications? According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), there is new evidence that suggests that women with periodontal disease have an increased risk of preterm birth and low birth weight. In order to avoid these risks, it is important that a pregnant woman continues to maintain good dental health throughout her entire pregnancy.
After pregnancy, it is equally important that a mother regularly visits a general dentist. Mothers with poor oral health are at a greater risk of passing on cavity-causing bacteria to their young children. To avoid this, mothers and pregnant women should practice the following good oral hygiene rules:
- Maintain a proper diet. Dental health starts with a good, healthy diet that isn’t too high in cavity-causing sugars.
- Visit your dentist regularly. Seeing the dentist regularly will help your gums and teeth to stay in top-notch condition. A dentist will also help you to avoid and resolve oral diseases, such as cavities or the presence of harmful bacteria.
- Use a fluoridated toothpaste and mouthwash.
- Don’t forget to brush at least twice a day. While many dentists recommend brushing three times a day, sometimes that doesn’t happen during the busy months of pregnancy. Using mouthwash after eating is a good substitute during the day. But remember, teeth should be thoroughly brushed morning and night.
- Don’t share utensils with your infant children. Sharing utensils and food is one of the easiest ways that bacteria are spread from one person to another.
For more helpful tips about kids dental health and family dentistry, check out our FAQs at Playtime Dental.
Caring for Baby Teeth: What You Need to Know
Teething is a difficult process for babies as well as for parents. When you have a baby who is teething, you want to make sure you know what needs to be done throughout the process to help with the overall development of your child’s teeth.
Signs that your baby is teething
There’s likely going to be some fussiness from your baby as he or she starts to teeth because of what’s going on. You may notice that your child is drooling more, becoming more irritable, or not sleeping normally. You can provide comfort with a cool spoon or a clean, cool teething ring.
When should I start brushing my baby’s teeth?
Even before a tooth breaks through the gums, there are things that you can be doing. Your baby’s mouth and gums can be cleaned with a soft cloth or an infant toothbrush. This helps to remove plaque and prepare your baby for the brushing that will come.
As soon as the teeth have broken through, you should brush twice a day. The brush and the toothpaste should be designed especially for infants.
If your baby sleeps with a bottle, we recommend making sure that there is only water or a sugar free beverage inside it. Milk, juice or anything that has sugar can create bacterial acid and which breaks down tooth enamel, leading to cavities.
When should I take my child to the dentist?
The moment that you notice the first tooth, you should schedule a dental visit. This can help to prevent any cavities from forming down the road. You can learn about how to introduce fluoride, which can slow the process of cavities that have started, and sometimes stop the process, as well as to prevent tooth decay.
How to choose a kids’ dentist
When choosing a dentist, make sure you choose one that loves kids. There’s a big difference in the approaches of general dentists who enjoy children versus those who don’t. Many people in the world fear the dentist all because of an unsatisfactory first dental visit. At Playtime Dental, we make sure that it’s a positive experience for kids from day one.
Kids should enjoy going to the dentist. Playtime Dental fosters a nurturing environment where kids are going to learn that going to the dentist can actually be fun, especially when they remember to brush and floss daily. We cater to families and accept various HMO insurance plans for your convenience.
Remember this formula: One plus one = Zero. One baby tooth + one dental visit = Zero cavities for your kids! Make an appointment to learn more about baby teething and get your child’s teeth taken care of today.
Nutrition Tips for Babies and Kids
As parents, we want our kids to be healthy and happy, but if your kids are picky eaters, you know that getting them to eat healthy foods can be challenging at best and downright frustrating at worst. What you probably aren’t aware of is that nutrition not only affects your child’s health but also has a major impact on dental health. It also isn’t just about what your kids eat but how often they eat it and how. For example, if they have a sugary piece of candy, the longer it takes them to finish it, the worse it is for their dental health. When sugar sits in their mouth for long periods of time, it leads to a much a higher rate of tooth decay then if they eat the candy quickly. The same is true for soda and other sugary drinks; if they sip on the beverage for hours, it leads to more erosion of the enamel on the teeth.
The good news is that you have several ways to help your child avoid dental problems that arise from improper nutrition and eating habits. Here are a few tips to help keep your child’s smile as perfect as possible.
· Limit snacking: Children should have snacks no more than three times a day. Make these snacks nutritious; items such as yogurt, peanut butter, chocolate milk, and cheese are kid- and teeth-friendly.
· Save sugars and starches for meal times: Sugars and foods with starch, including bread and pasta, take longer to clear the mouth, but if eaten with meals, they break down faster, reducing the chance of decay.
· Don’t send your child to bed with a bottle: Sending your kids to bed with milk, formula or juice means that they can potentially spend the entire night with sugars from these drinks lingering in the mouth, leading to much faster decay.
You don’t have to deprive your children of fun snacks; just be aware of what they are eating and when. When in doubt, speak to a pediatric dentist, who can advise you on what you are doing right and where you can improve.
How to Protect Your Baby from Tooth Decay
Think you need to wait until your baby has a mouth full of teeth to begin dental care? Wrong! In fact, the American Association of Pediatric Dentists recommends that you take your baby to see the dentist when he or she gets that first tooth. The first visit is primarily informational, but it could mean that you and your baby are one step ahead on the road to healthy teeth.
Baby Tooth Care
You’ll want to make sure that you are instilling good oral care habits in your baby from as early on as you can. Pediatric dentists recommend that you don’t send your babies to bed with bottles, especially when those bottles contain milk, formula or juice. Once your baby gets his or her first tooth, you’ll want to gently brush their teeth gently with just a light smear of toothpaste to begin building proper hygiene and brushing habits.
Thumb Sucking
Do you have a thumb sucker? Pediatric dentists agree that a pacifier is their preferred choice in the pacifier vs. thumb debate. Ideally, your child shouldn’t use a pacifier or a thumb for sucking, but if it has to be one or the other, dentists recommend the pacifier over the thumb. Keep in mind that you should never dip the pacifier in any kind of sweet liquid before giving it to your baby, because the sugar in the liquid will simply remain in the mouth, potentially leading to future decay.
Using Bottles
Finally, wean your baby from bottles by the age of one. By this time, you will want to encourage your child to learn how to drink from a cup as you continue to encourage a healthy and nutritious diet for your child.
You can easily teach your kids how to prevent the possibility of future cavities and tooth decay by practicing proper brushing habits and instilling the idea of not having sugary drinks right before bedtime.
Encouraging Healthy Teeth for Kids
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that children visit a dentist with the eruption of the first tooth, or at the latest, by age one. While some babies are born with one or two teeth, some won’t have their first tooth until after age one. The average age for the first tooth eruption is six months. The best way for us to prevent cavities in our children’s teeth is to address it at an early age.
Start Early
Children need to become comfortable with having their teeth and mouths inspected by parents and dentists. This can start in infancy, even before a tooth erupts. After meals, use a damp warm cloth to gently cleanse the gums. As your child grows, continue regular inspections.
As our children grow, we must be active and vigilant. We cannot simply ask our kids if they’ve brushed their teeth and hope they’re honest. Most kids don’t like to brush their teeth. Many lie about it! Some will run the toothbrush under water to “prove” they’ve brushed when they haven’t. Parents must actually inspect their children’s teeth. The best way to ensure our kids are brushing is for us to watch them brush.
Make Dental Hygiene Fun
Just by walking down the toothpaste and toothbrush aisle at the supermarket or drugstore, it’s obvious that marketers have figured out that fun products attract kids. Most general retailers carry a huge selection of kid-themed toothbrushes, toothpaste and mouthwash. Kids like to have fun. Commercial packaging is designed to be fun and appealing to children. Make it fun!
Purchasing dental products with popular animated characters is the simplest way to start the fun. Take it a step farther by finding tools available through various other outlets. Sesame Street, for example, has a wealth of tools on its site for parents, such as activities, games, and informational brochures. YouTube is a great source for kid-oriented dental hygiene videos. There’s no shortage of fun videos on YouTube instructing kids on dental hygiene!
Insurance Providers as a Resource
For families with health maintenance organization (HMO) dental insurance plans, check with your provider to see what resources are available regarding your child’s dental care. Many HMO plans offer resources on their websites that will help with caring for your child’s teeth.
Best Kid Books that Teach Oral Hygiene
When it comes to dental hygiene, teach kids often and start early. Parents and even teachers of young children who want to encourage proper dental hygiene, which includes brushing, rinsing, flossing and routine visits to the dentist, might rely on books to supplement their words. Here are some parents’ and teachers’ favorite books, many of which are recommended by dentists who know how important it is to get the word out to children.
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| Available on Amazon |
Plenty of books exist featuring your child’s favorite movie and TV characters. Spongebob and the Berenstein Bears know how important it is to brush and floss! Even Dr. Seuss has a book aptly titled The Tooth Book. We recommend the popup book Ready, Set, Brush, which features everyone’s favorite red muppet from Sesame Street. Elmo teaches kids all about brushing twice a day for two minutes each to keep their pearly whites, well, pearly and white! Elmo and friends also talk about visiting the dentist.
Kate Parkhurst is the author of The Invasion of The Cavity Creatures, which provides a fun look into what happens when you don’t properly take care of your teeth. No one wants cavity creatures! And this book helps inspire children to keep on top of their brushing routine every day.
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| Available on Amazon |
Brush, Rinse and Floss is a good book for children who are a little older and need motivation to take care of their teeth and mouth. Dads who want to teach their children how to brush correctly might like Pony Brushes His Teeth, which centers on a daddy horse teaching his little pony to brush for the first time. Junie B., First Grader: Toothless Wonder is ideal for children who are losing teeth and worried by it.
If your little one is worried about visiting the dentist, which can seem scary to children, try Teddy Visits the Dentist. This book explains routine dental visits in a way that isn’t scary.
Parents may receive other recommendations or activity sheets from teachers and dentists. Children will identity with different artwork, stories and characters, so having plenty of sources to teach about oral hygiene is key to making an impression.
The Best Dental Hygiene Products for Small Children
Many people wonder why anyone would teach children about brushing baby teeth since we get another set of teeth. Even though this first set will eventually fall out, it allows a parent to instill good dental hygiene habits in a youngster. We recommend starting a child on a daily brushing routine as soon as he or she has teeth, and flossing as soon as the teeth touch. Unfortunately, finding the ideal dental hygiene products for children can be challenging, but there are a few creative solutions available.
A Toothbrush Specifically Designed for Baby Teeth
| Brush Baby Chewable Toothbrush |
It’s no secret that toddlers can be stubborn, so the ideal children’s tooth brush has to make them want to use it. That’s why the Brush Baby Chewable Toothbrush is garnering so much attention from medical professionals and parents. This is one of the most innovative dental hygiene products available for infants and toddlers. This teether features medical grade silicone bristles which clean the teeth as infants or toddlers chew on it. The Chewable Toothbrush is ideal for children with several teeth or infants who are teething. Like traditional teethers, this product can be kept in the freezer to provide relief from incoming teeth.
Tooth Paste for Toddlers
One of the dangers of allowing toddlers to brush their own teeth is the threat of swallowing too much toothpaste. For children under the age of 2 years, a smear of fluoridated toothpaste should be used on the bristles. For children aged 2-5 years, a pea sized amount of fluoridated toothpaste should be used. Non-fluoridated toothpastes like Weleda Mint Children’s Toothpaste are available, but the cavity fighting effects of the fluoride do not exist to help remineralize tooth structure and buffer the pH of the saliva, which reduces cavities. A child should never be forced to use one particular product, because that can create a negative association with brushing if they do not like the product. So find a product your child likes so they are receptive to brushing!
Prepare Kids for a Life of Good Oral Hygiene
While shopping for your children’s toothpaste, your children may see specific products in which they are interested. Some toothpaste tubes and toothbrushes feature popular animated characters that your children prefer. It’s important to instill the routine of brushing and flossing into your children by making it seem like a privilege instead of a chore. Since baby teeth will eventually fall out, they serve as practice for the permanent set. If a less effective product is getting your children to brush, then by default it’s more effective. Keep this in mind when selecting your children’s dental hygiene products and teaching them to brush should be a breeze. Be sure your children see a reputable children’s dentist when the first tooth grows. A cavity-free smile can last a lifetime.
Essential Foods for Healthy Teeth
Although there are the basics of good oral hygiene such as brushing and flossing daily and twice-a-year dentist visits, our diet is also an essential part of the process. Nutrition is important for our entire body, and that includes our teeth and gums. It’s critical to not only have a healthy diet, but also to understand which foods in particular promote a healthy mouth.
But people should not only consider which foods to avoid such as sugary and starchy foods that bring plaque-causing bacteria and attack the teeth for up to 20 minutes after eating. They should also consider which foods specifically help their teeth.
Teeth-Healthy Foods
Any food products that are rich in both vitamin D and calcium help create healthy bones and teeth. These include milk, calcium-fortified juices, and other dairy products such as powdered milk.
Fruits and vegetables, the same foods doctors talk to their patients about, will also help individuals with their dental health. Brewer’s yeast and green leafy vegetables, for example, support cell growth and promote a healthy mouth through the folic acid they provide. Also cranberries should be eaten as part of a healthy diet because they interrupt oral bacteria from bonding to the tooth and prevent damage from plaque.
Cell damage and bacterial infection can be reduced by eating vegetables and fruit that contain vitamin C, antioxidants, and other nutrients. Also, the fibrous nature of celery, carrots, apples and other raw vegetables and crisp fruits help clean plaque away mechanically as well as freshens the breath while eating.
Fight Cavities with Cheese
One food that many individuals are unaware helps to promote overall health is cheese. In addition to having calcium, essential for bone strength, certain characteristics have proven to interrupt the progress of cavities in the mouth. Further, specific types of cheese act as buffers to counteract the acids that attack teeth and also help clear the mouth of food debris by stimulating the flow of saliva. These cheeses include Monterey jack, mozzarella, Swiss, and aged parmesan.
In addition to the calcium contained in cheese, cheese also contains another vital element, phosphorous. These two elements in cheese support the mineralization of tooth enamel. Moreover, cheese also reduces and in some cases prevents pH level decreases of saliva.
Consuming these various foods can help teeth remain strong and can prevent dental diseases from forming.