Category: kid dentist

Importance of Dental Care for Preschoolers

Posted on by Playtime Dental
Dental care from a children’s dentist offers a variety of solutions against any possible tooth and gum damage. A 2006 paper in Pediatric showed that children who took longer than their first birthday to see a children’s dentist were more prone to having recurring problems and emergency dental visits.
About Children’s Teeth
Children’s teeth begin to grow under their gums immediately after birth. There are two types of teeth: milk teeth (more commonly called baby teeth) and permanent teeth. Milk teeth usually erupt through the gums at the early age of six months. They are replaced by permanent teeth around the age of six. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), founded in 1947, has compiled a three-part approach to caring for children’s teeth: prevention, education, and research.
​Prevention: What can damage children’s teeth?
Tooth decay
Tooth decay occurs if children often consume sugary foods or drinks, or do not clean their teeth properly. Our mouths are full of bacteria that build up on the teeth to digest some of the sugar in our food and drinks. These bacteria form acids which weaken the enamel (hard outer layer of the teeth) causing tooth decay.
Dental erosion
Dental erosion is the gradual corrosion of enamel on the surface of the tooth. The most common cause is acid from drinks such as processed fruit juice and soda. These acids attack the surfaces of the teeth leading to dental erosion. Harmful acids can also be produced if your child vomits or has stomach problems.
Education and Research: Teeth protection practices for children
Parents should realize that food does not cause tooth decay, eating does. A visit to the children’s dentist will prove that dental health does not only depend on what children eat, but more on how often they eat it. Attacks by bacterial acid, lasting for more than 20 minutes, often lead to tooth decay and eventual dental erosion.
While it is true that baby teeth do eventually come out, it is also true that they are crucial to the child in the meantime. Because of this, it is crucial for children to brush their teeth properly at least twice a day, preferably following breakfast and dinner, to reduce bacterial growth following meals. Until your child has developed good dental habits, it is important for their parent or caretaker to supervise brushing and flossing. Building a good dental routine while children are young ensures good dental health as they grow.

Visit Playtime Dental for more information regarding your child’s dental health, or to schedule a cleaning.

A Good Kids Dentist to Restore Your Kids Smile

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If your child has a chipped or broken tooth, pay a visit to a kids dentist for a professional checkup. It is common for kids to chip or break their teeth while playing. This happens when the enamel, the hardest protective part of the tooth, has reached its limits. A kids dentist can restore your child’s smile without the trip being scary or uncomfortable. But before you go, here are some basics to know about this sensitive issue.

Restore Your Kids’ Dental Health

By visiting a kids dentist, you will be advised on the best treatment for your child. In some cases, it is possible to mold the shape of the kid’s tooth into its former self. One method that dentists use to restore broken or chipped teeth is through bonding a filling to the tooth to restore the missing structure. Depending on the specialist’s specifications, you might be required to visit the dentist at most three times for you to get to the bottom of the problem.

Composite Resins

In bonding, the materials used are called composite resins. These are tooth-colored plastic materials. The materials are applied to the affected tooth and then formed into a definite shape. The next step is curing (hardening). It can be done by either a chemical procedure or the use of light. Colored materials are used to brighten the discolored tooth. Your child will be able to have that confident smile once more.

Contact us at Playtime Dental for more information about keeping your child’s smile beautiful.

Bleaching: Great Choices to Brighten Your Smile

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Many teens want whiter teeth. Talk to your kids’ dentist about bleaching as an option to make your child’s smile really stand out. This is usually considered by parents after their children have tried whitening toothpastes or have changed their diets to help whiten their teeth. The darkening of teeth can also occur because of injury or something else that could be wrong with the teen physically, so it may also be the sign of something else that should be checked out medically. Once this is done, bleaching can be handled in a number of different ways.

IN-OFFICE BLEACHING

In-office bleaching at your kids’ dentist is the most reliable choice for a fast result, but likely the most expensive, depending on your insurance coverage. A concentrated bleaching agent is applied to your child’s teeth and is activated with heat or light. It usually takes about an hour for this whole bleaching process to take place and most patients need as many as four visits for this to be truly effective on stained teeth. A children’s dentist can also focus on specific teeth, so that not all the teeth are bleached but only one in particular to match the bright shade of the rest.  Bleaching with trays (at home bleaching) is recommended afterwards to maintain the desired shade of the teeth.

AT HOME BLEACHING

Another method is a bleaching kit that a kids’ dentist can give you to use at home. An impression (mold) is taken of the child’s teeth and then made into a tray for bleaching gel. The child then wears the tray filled with bleaching gel for a set period of time over the course of a week or two. This is best for children who have all their teeth, such as teens. Performing teeth whitening at home can also be cheaper, but more risky as it can be done improperly. However, the side effects from it are relatively minimal.

For more information on bleaching teeth, check out the AAPD website or contact us at Playtime Dental. We’d love to help you and your child pick the best whitening option for you.

Dental Care for Your Preschooler

Posted on by Playtime Dental
In a study released by the Center for Disease Control, the number of decayed or filled surfaces in children under six progressed with age. For example at age 2 children experienced between 0-2 cavities. By age three, the number of cavities was found to be between 0-5. By age four, cavities jumped from 1-6, and by age five, cavities jumped from 2-8 in primary teeth. As a parent, you might be wondering how to reduce the impact of decay and cavity/fillings for your child. The good news is that there is a lot that you can do to help improve the oral health of your children.
Help to develop a positive attitude for dental visits

As a dentist who works well with dental patients who are young and growing, I recommend finding a dental home doctor for your children by the age of one. As parents, you play a huge role in how successful your children perceive dental visits. If you dread going to the dentist, then your children will pick on that emotion and fear the dentist. Instead, try to act excited to go to the dentist. Make a big day out of dental appointments for your kids. Praise and reward them for brushing their teeth. The younger they are when they take pride in their oral health the better it is for you as a parent. Good oral health is the result of great parenting. As a dentist, I can give you the best advice, but it is up to you to make sure it is followed. These tips and tricks can help you achieve great oral health for your children.

Tips and Tricks to get your child to help with their oral care.
Start off early and avoid sugary drinks and snacks. Read the label on juice and dairy products and choose items with the least amount of added sugars.
Set dental appointment times when your child is at their best. This means choosing a time when they are alert and rested. Even the best dentist may have a difficult time overcome a grumpy mood.
Introduce children to the dental environment before their appointment. Familiarity is a great tool to reduce stress in children. Also take the time to explain the procedure to children, and encourage them to ask questions.

Another great tip is to include dental teachings in bedtime stories. … and the little prince brushed his teeth and then …. We hope that these tips help you and inspire your child to engage in the best oral health practices possible.

Fluoride for Babies

Posted on by Playtime Dental
As a parent, you’re probably concerned about your baby’s health and you may be wondering whether you should be cleaning his teeth. The truth is that a baby’s tooth development could greatly benefit from teeth cleaning and a little fluoride. This wonderful little mineral can help prevent tooth decay by strengthening the tooth enamel. Additionally, it will make your baby’s teeth more resistant to amino acids and potentially harmful bacteria.
When Should You Begin A Teeth Cleaning Routine With Your Baby?
It’s a good idea to wait until your baby’s about six months old before you begin your baby’s teeth cleaning routine. It doesn’t matter that his teeth haven’t come in all the way, he still needs a small amount of fluoride to help his developing teeth to grow strong. You should meet with your child’s dentist to determine your individual child’s specific fluoride needs.
How Do I Make Sure My Baby Is Getting Enough Fluoride?
Your baby will get his fluoride from water and toothpaste and sometimes from bottled fruit juices even through it’s not always listed on the label. However, if your drinking water doesn’t contain fluoride or the right amount of fluoride, you may need to talk to your dentist about a fluoride supplement. Your dentist will then prescribe just the right amount of fluoride that’s recommended for your child’s age.
The prescribed fluoride can be easily administered via liquid fluoride drops or through the use of a prescription vitamin. Many HMO insurance plans may cover at least a portion of the cost of the fluoride for your child; therefore, the price should be minimal. Fluoride has been proven to reduce tooth decay anywhere from 50 to 70 percent; therefore, it’s a dental health issue that shouldn’t be skipped. Just make sure you follow the recommended dosage, because when it comes to fluoride, more is not better.
If you would like some help finding a dentist that works specifically with children, check with your HMO insurance plan provider to find a dentist that caters to the young and growing. Your HMO group may be able to recommend one of their preferred providers to you.
Conclusion

Cleaning your baby’s teeth should become part of your daily routine once your baby turns six months old. Your dentist will instruct you on the proper techniques for cleaning his teeth, as well as, any additional amounts of fluoride your baby may need. Never hesitate to talk with your dentist about any concerns you may have about your baby’s teeth. Your dentist will be your best resource when it comes to the dental health of your baby.

Pumpkin Painting Contest A Success!

Posted on by Playtime Dental

We had such a great time this past Saturday at our first annual Pumpkin Painting Contest! It couldn’t have been any more of a perfect day! We want to thank all the families and kiddos that came out to help celebrate Halloween a little early. We had a blast and hope you all did too! 


Make sure to check out our Facebook Album to see all the memories captured! We look forward to seeing you all back again next year!




Diet and Dental Care

Posted on by Playtime Dental
As adults, we know that what we eat and our overall health is extremely important to our day to day lives. The same goes for children. Daily exercise and a balanced diet are important for kids of all ages. Too often kids are given sugary snacks or drinks as a bribe for them to behave or as an award for doing something good. Although giving kids these types of foods are okay every once in a while, as parents, we should really try to limit these.
An overall poor diet may affect the development of your child’s teeth. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, food does not cause tooth decay, eating does. Eating foods with high sugar content can play a role in tooth decay. It is important to monitor the type of food consumed and as always, make sure your kid brushes his or her teeth at least twice a day to help remove the bacteria that cause decay.   
Here are some simple, helpful diet tips that can help with your kid’s dental health:
  • Ask your pediatric or general dentist to help you assess your child’s diet.
  • A balanced diet is key. Try to only provide sweets or starchy foods for meal times.
  • If your child would like a snack, try to provide something nutritious and low in sugar.
  • Try to keep your pantry and refrigerator full of healthy snacks and foods. Save the “fun foods” for a special occasion.
  • Do not put your child to bed with a bottle full of milk, juice or formula. Once your child’s teeth are clean it’s best to give them water when going to bed.
  • Always try to choose the sugar free option for soda and gum. Eliminating sugar where you can, will help in the long run!

Pacifier or Thumb?

Posted on by Playtime Dental
To continue from last week’s blog post regarding dental care for babies, we felt it is necessary to talk about other baby habits that can affect oral hygiene such as using a pacifier or the baby sucking on their thumb.

According to the American Association of Pediatric Dentistry, here is a list of quick facts regarding pacifier/thumb sucking:

  1. Babies suck on their thumb or pacifier for pleasure, comfort and security. This habit can start before they are even born.
  2. The AAPD recommends pacifiers over thumbs to comfort new babies. The pacifier habit is typically easier to break and could decrease the chance of orthodontic problems.
  3. Thumb or pacifier sucking is normal for infants and children. Usually children will stop on their own, however if the child doesn’t, the habit should be discouraged by the age of 3.
  4. Thumb or pacifier sucking can affect the teeth the same way. After a long period of time, there may be affects with the upper front teeth sticking outward. Other potential effects include problems with jaw alignment, tooth positioning or the bite.



It is very important that you visit a pediatric dentist or a dentist who devotes most of his or her time to children, by the age of one year.  As time goes on, support from your pediatric dentist, as well as family, can help children quit the pacifier or thumb sucking habit!

Dental Care for the Baby

Posted on by Playtime Dental
Here at Playtime Dental we care about your child’s oral health!  We are here to share with the world, how to prevent cavities and keep the mouth healthy!

People wonder, why clean your baby’s mouth when they don’t have any teeth? We want to clean the mouth even without teeth because plaque from food can accumulate and bacteria can still grow and cause problems for the gums!  Also by doing so, this will prevent the bacteria from sticking to your baby’s gums which can help avoid damage to the teeth as they erupt, as well as prevent bad breath.  So it is important to gently wipe your baby’s gums at least twice a day or after each meal.


It is recommended by American Academy of Pediatric Dentists, that a child have his or her first dental visit by the age of 1! Here is an equation to help: 1 + 1 = 0. Let me guess, in thinking back to your elementary math days, you learned that 1 + 1 =2 not zero. However, in this scenario 1 + 1 = 0 because ONE dental visit when there is ONE baby tooth can equal ZERO cavities!


After consulting with your dentist, you can graduate to using a toothbrush once the baby has a tooth or two. The toothbrush needs to have soft bristles and be small enough to fit comfortably in your baby’s mouth.  You can start using a smear of fluoridated toothpaste around age 1. Carefully supervise your children when using toothpaste so they are not swallowing it!

Babies can “catch” cavities from their caregivers. In 71 percent of the cases, the mother is the source. Research indicates that the cavity-causing bacteria known as Streptococcus mutans can be transmitted from mothers to infants even before teeth erupt! The better the mother’s oral health, the less the chance the baby will have problems.

All in all, being a proactive parent will not only benefit your child’s oral hygiene but also help start making a routine dental visit a positive experience for your kiddos! 

Pumpkin Painting Contest

Posted on by Playtime Dental
Hello from Playtime Dental! It is hard to believe that we are about half way into the month of September; however, we are excited because you know what follows September? October and October brings fall goodies and Halloween at Playtime Dental!

We are happy to announce our Pumpkin Painting Contest is set for Saturday, October 12th from 11:00AM to 2:00PM. This family fun event is full of kid activities such as face painting, snacks and of course, pumpkin painting. The judging for the Pumpkin Painting Contest will start at 1:30PM and yes, there will be a prize for the winner!

Go ahead and mark your calendars for this afternoon event and bring in your best painted pumpkin! We look forward to seeing you all there!