Since they never had my baby teeth treated, my parents think I'm crazy because I want to get my child's baby teeth treated.
Early treatment of baby teeth helps prevent many more (and bigger) problems such as cavities, abscesses, and loss of space between teeth.
Why is my child the only one in her class who hasn't lost a tooth?
While there really is very little need for concern (what is considered the "normal" period for losing teeth varies with each child), you should ask your dentist to look at your daughter's baby teeth to make sure that they are not blocking the growth of permanent teeth and that all of her permanent teeth are developing normally.
My child's teeth are very crowded. Can't we just pull some baby teeth to make room for the permanent ones?
Removing baby teeth isn't always the answer, although crowding may occasionally be relieved by extracting permanent teeth. Crowding can occur because the permanent teeth, not the baby teeth, are too big for the available space in the jawbone. Extracting baby teeth can create problems that are more difficult to correct later. Talk to your dentist about other options. See the earlier question, "Why treat baby teeth? Can't my dentist just pull them?"
My child's new tooth is coming in behind her baby tooth. Is this normal?
Yes, this is fairly normal. To make sure that there isn't any abnormal crowding, which can sometimes be corrected by extracting the baby tooth, have your child's dentist evaluate the situation.
My son was hit in the mouth with a bat and his front permanent tooth was knocked out. What should I do?
Your child must see our dentists within one hour of the incident. If you wait any longer, the chances of the tooth being successfully re-implanted are poor. If you can, rinse it in cool water; don't wipe it or scrub it. Place it in a glass of water or milk, or gently wrap it in a clean, damp cloth until you get to your dentist's office.
Teeth that have been knocked out will almost always require a root canal, but they can often survive for years if treated within one hour after the injury.
To protect your child in the future, have your dentist fit your child for a mouthguard and consider purchasing one or more tooth-saver boxes for your home and your car. These boxes are designed to hold and protect a knocked-out tooth until you can see a dentist.
My daughter fell and bumped her front baby tooth and now it's dark. Is it dead?
Probably. The discoloration may mean that the impact has broken a blood vessel at the tip of the tooths root. Here is one note of encouragement: Baby teeth often survive blows that would kill a permanent tooth. Take your daughter to a dentist right away and have the tooth examined.
My son chipped his front tooth. How difficult will it be to fix it, and how long will it take?
If you find the fragment, bring it with you to the Dr.Smilez. A fragment can occasionally be bonded back onto the tooth. Even without the broken piece, a dentist can often restore the tooth to its natural appearance in less than one hour.
What should I do if my child has a toothache?
Call us immediately. We recommend that, until your child can be treated, you should rinse his/her mouth with lukewarm water and apply cloth-wrapped ice to her face. We do not recommend that you apply heat, and you should never put an aspirin on the tooth or gums. Aspirin is acidic; placed on a tooth or against the gums, it can produce burns. If you're going to use aspirin, make sure it's swallowed.
Finally, children who complain of a toothache often have food lodged between their teeth. Gently flossing the area of discomfort may provide immediate relief.
How can I prevent injuries to my child's teeth?
If you have toddlers, make sure your house is childproof. This means sharp corners or protruding knobs and handles on furniture have been padded; if this isn't possible, lock the doors to the rooms with this furniture. When your child is in a stroller or car, make sure she is strapped in firmly. Never let your child stand on a seat or sit in your lap while you are in a car.
Mouthguards can prevent injuries in older children. Most dental injuries occur in your neighborhood, not on the gym floor or playing field, so a mouthguard should ideally be worn during all rough play, even if it's just in your own backyard.
Stocking Your Dental First-Aid Kit
We've all come to expect bumps, bruises and cuts when we're out and about, especially when kids are part of the deal. Consequently, many people tote along bandages, ice packs and antiseptics. Some even carry bee sting kits and accidental poisoning remedies.
But what happens if your crown or filling falls out? Or if your child knocks out a permanent tooth or breaks her braces? And what would you do if you got a toothache out in the middle of nowhere?
Dr.Smilez, recommends packing along a small dental first-aid kit, which should include:
 clove oil, a natural pain reliever
tweezers
a dental mirror (ask your dentist where to pick one up)
small cotton pellets kept in a zipper-style bag (again, ask your dentist where to get these)
petroleum jelly
dental floss
soft dental wax, carried by drugstores or available from your orthodontist
dentist phone number
instructions (below) for temporary dental first aid
If you lose a filling
Pain is the issue here. If you aren't in any pain, simply keep the area clean and see your dentist as soon as you can. If it hurts, take clean tweezers and grab one of the cotton pellets. Dip it in a little bit of clove oil and place it in the tooth. Don't just dab it; put the whole cotton pellet in the tooth and leave it there. This should minimize the pain until you can get to a dentist. Caution: NEVER put an aspirin on your tooth or gum. Aspirin is an acid and can burn the tissue.
If a cap or a crown falls off
Coat the inside of the cap or crown with petroleum jelly and gently place it back on the tooth. See your dentist as soon as you can.
If wires on braces break
There are a few things you can do to minimize the discomfort of orthodontic wire protruding from your teeth. Ideally, cover the sharp end with a small piece of dental wax; orthodontists will provide this material for you. If you don't have any wax, you can use a little chunk of pre-chewed sugarless gum. It's not pretty, but it does the job.
If you knock out a tooth
If it's a baby tooth, don't worry about it. However, if it's a permanent tooth, you should keep the tooth in the mouth, between the cheek and gum, to keep it moist. But if that's not possible, submerge the tooth in a glass of milk.
And no matter where you hold the tooth, get to a dentist as quickly as possible. It's likely the tooth can be saved IF you get to the dentist within 30 minutes of losing the tooth.
If a tooth becomes dislodged or loose
Get to a dentist immediately. Many dentists will make room in their schedule to tend to dental emergencies.
Infant Tooth Care
As soon as your child gets his first tooth, you should begin cleaning his teeth and gums after feedings with a moist gauze pad or washcloth.
When your child is comfortable with a toothbrush, brush his teeth twice a day with a special, extra soft infant toothbrush. Use a small dab of toothpaste if your child likes it and if you're sure he won't swallow it. Otherwise it's fine to brush without toothpaste.
Gently floss your child's teeth each day, and pay particular attention to areas where the teeth are close together. Regularly help your child brush and floss until he's 7 to 10 years old and able to effectively keep the plaque off his teeth by himself. After that, check his efforts occasionally.
Fluoride is an important preventive tool for infants. Your dentist sometimes prescribes fluoride tablets and always recommends fluoride toothpaste and fluoride treatments in the dental office after cleanings.
The most serious dental problem for young children is called "bottle-mouth syndrome." This is tooth decay caused by the constant presence of sugars from milk, formula, or fruit juice in a child's mouth. It happens when a child takes a bottle to bed, or has a bottle for extended periods during the day. Use pacifiers or bottles of water at these times to prevent this severe decay of baby teeth, and always clean your child's teeth and gums immediately after each feeding.
Children learn best by imitation, so let them watch you brush and floss your teeth. Regular praise of their homecare efforts, together with a positive example from you, will get your child started down the path of excellent oral hygiene.
Braces
Isn't an eight-year-old a little young for braces?
Not really. Some conditions, such as an excessive overbite or underbite, are far more easily treated in the growing child. There are two kinds of devices used to re-position or hold the position of teeth, braces and functional dental appliances. Braces are usually cemented directly to all of the upper or lower tooth surfaces, and then connected by a stainless steel wire.
Functional appliances are usually applied to fewer teeth, often to correct misalignment or an over/underbite, or to hold the space created when a tooth is lost or extracted. These devices may be fixed in the mouth and worn for extended periods, or they may be removable and worn only for short periods. By applying a functional appliance to an eight-year-old's protruding upper front teeth, which are very susceptible to injury, an orthodontist can more easily move them back into a less vulnerable, more attractive position. If you wait until your child is older, this is a more difficult task.
Will the gap between by child's teeth close on its own?
If your child is under 10 years old, the normal growth of their permanent teeth will occasionally push the upper front teeth back together. Have your dentist x-ray these teeth to determine if the gap will close on its own.
Sealants
Sealants are a clear or white plastic that are placed in the grooves of the biting surfaces of back teeth.
Back teeth have deep grooves and pits that are very difficult to keep clean. Plaque, which is a nearly invisible film of bacteria and food, collects in these grooves.
Look how the plaque shows up after it's stained with red dye. Every time you eat, the bacteria in plaque forms acid. Without sealants, these acid attacks can cause the enamel to break down and decay. Then you have a cavity.
To place sealants, first your dentist thoroughly cleans and dries the teeth. A conditioning solution is applied, and then the sealant material is brushed into the grooves of the teeth.
Some types of sealants harden on their own, while others harden when exposed to a special light.
Sealants are an important part of a preventive dental care program.
| Pit And Fissure Sealants |
 |
| Dr. Naveen Kumar |
Why is it important for my children to be seen by a dentist every six months?
Children are growing and changing so fast that each of their six-month checkups is essentially a new-patient examination. Teeth are being lost, new ones are growing in, bones are lengthening and elongating, and the bite is being established. Seeing your child every six months lets us track the progress of these events and catch any problems early, when they are easier to correct.
When should I bring in my child for his first dental examination?
Some dentists recommend that children be brought in for an examination as soon as their first tooth appears (usually between five and eight months, but definitely by one year) so that the parents can learn how to prevent infant tooth decay. During these early visits, most dentists will discuss the need to begin cleaning teeth as soon as they appear in your child's mouth, the importance of not putting your child to bed with a bottle, and the use of fluoride supplements.
Placing Stainless Steel Crowns on Primary Teeth
Small cavities in primary teeth can be fixed with fillings, because there's still plenty of supporting tooth structure. However, large cavities need to be fixed with crowns. A crown strengthens a damaged tooth by covering and protecting it.
Crowns for primary teeth, unlike crowns for permanent teeth, can be placed in only one appointment. They are relatively easy for children to care for, and they are much less expensive than adult crowns.
To ensure the entire procedure is comfortable for your child, the first thing the dentist will do is make sure the tooth is thoroughly numb.
Then your dentist removes any decay and shapes the tooth with the handpiece.
A crown is selected, trimmed and shaped, and then it is adjusted until it precisely fits the tooth. We then cements the crown in place.
After double-checking both the fit and the bite, your child will have a new stainless steel crown.
| Stainless Steel Crowns |
 |
| Dr. Naveen Kumar |
What is a Pulpotomy?
In primary teeth, when deep cavities are in or close to the nerve, it's sometimes necessary to perform a pulpotomy. A pulpotomy is the removal of the irritated part of the pulp, while leaving the healthy root canals intact.
A pulpotomy usually involves three steps:
First, your dentist makes an opening in the tooth and removes the part of the nerve in the top of the tooth
Medication is placed to promote healing
Then your dentist crowns the tooth to seal and protect it.
To make the entire procedure comfortable for your child, the first thing your dentist will do is make sure she's thoroughly numb.
The dentist places a rubber dam around the tooth to isolate it from the rest of the mouth. This functions like a safety net, preventing debris from falling to the back of the throat.
To get at the irritated tissue, the dentist makes an opening through the top of the tooth down into the pulp chamber, and carefully cleans out the nerve tissue. He then places a medicated packing material into the opening. Sometimes the medicated packing is removed and sometimes it's left in place.
The last step in the procedure is a crown to seal and protect the tooth.
What is a Space Maintainer?
Normally, as a permanent tooth comes in under a baby tooth, the roots of the baby tooth dissolve away and the permanent tooth replaces the baby tooth.
In addition to being important for chewing, the baby tooth holds the adjacent teeth in place.
When a baby tooth is lost early due to decay or injury, the adjacent teeth may shift together, causing loss of space in the dental arch.
Fortunately, by placing a space maintainer, this loss of arch space can be prevented.
Depending on the situation, space maintainers are usually cemented in place, but they can be removable in some cases. It generally takes two appointments to complete a space maintainer.
On the first appointment, orthodontic bands are carefully placed and an impression is taken. A duplicate model of the child's mouth is made from this impression so the dental laboratory can custom make the space maintainer to the exact contours of the mouth.
On the next appointment, your child will try out the space maintainer. Then the dentist adjusts it if necessary, and it's cemented in place. Space maintainers are used until the permanent teeth begin to break through the gums.
While wearing a space maintainer, it is important to avoid chewing gum, sticky candies, and hard foods like Corn Nuts or ice.
Great Beginnings for Young Teeth
Get your child's dental health off to a great start!
Your child's first visit to our office will likely influence how she will feel about dentists and dental care for the rest of her life. A positive first visit can be the first step toward a lifetime of good dental habits. A negative visit can build fear and hesitancy, and result in her delaying or avoiding the dental care she may need as an adult. We suggest you plan her first visit soon after she gets her first tooth.
Preparing for the visit
You can help make your child's first visit a positive one by following a few easy steps. Call ahead and discuss with us what will happen during the visit. Also, tell us in advance about any history or medical condition that might affect how she reacts. This can help us meet your child's unique needs and plan the best possible visit for her.
Here are a few more pre-visit tips:
Don't wait until your child needs dental care to plan the first visit. If she's frightened or in pain, it's difficult for us to gain her trust.
Even very young children are perceptive, and can pick up and react to any anxiety you might have about the upcoming visit.
Arrange for a morning appointment if possible, when most children are more positive and receptive.
Don't talk about specific procedures or instruments. These ideas may confuse or upset her; words like "drill," "injection," and "needle" are potentially very frightening to a child.
In addition, plan to arrive early if you possibly can. If you don't feel rushed, you'll feel more relaxed and less anxious yourself, and your child will feel the same way. This extra time will also let her gradually become familiar with our office and how it looks; young children often need to absorb the sights, sounds and smells of new places before they become confident about being there.
The first visit
Your child's first visit will typically just be to introduce our office and our staff to her, take a quick look at her teeth, and, if she is old enough, give her advice on good brushing, flossing and eating habits. Don't worry if your child is still a little nervous. Children sometimes need a little extra time to develop trust and confidence before they'll sit in the dental chair by themselves. Remember, we are trained to help children accept their dental care with confidence; show her your faith in us, and her visit will likely be a great one!
After the visit
After you leave our office, talk to your child about her visit. Help her remember what she saw and learned. Tell her how well she behaved, too. Your confidence in her will shine through, and she'll have more confidence herself. If your child was shown brushing and flossing techniques, practice them with her, and praise her for learning.
The Sugar Habit May Be Developing along with Your Child's First Tooth
Plagued with a sweet tooth? If you are, it's likely that this habit was formed long before you could walk into the kitchen to grab a soda or a candy bar.
The Academy of General Dentistry , USA reports that a strong correlation has been established between sweetened drinks consumed during infancy and high sugar consumption in later years. Why? Because at the age a baby's first tooth erupts, the types of foods that are introduced can influence eating habits for a lifetime. In other words, if a baby's first "real" foods are pieces of dry, sweetened cereal, raisins, sweet fruit juice or worse yet, fruit "drinks" that are as little as 7 percent juice, a high-sugar habit may follow him into adulthood.
"Sugar is known to cause cavities throughout a lifetime, and the earlier an infant gets used to sugar, the easier it is to get hooked on high-sugar snacks as an adult," says Heidi Hausauer, D.D.S., F.A.G.D., a spokesperson for the AGD. "The eating habits of adults are formed at weaning, so it's important for the baby to develop good eating habits that will affect dental health."
Bottle syndrome, or baby bottle tooth decay, is an all-too-frequent consequence when teeth are continually exposed to sugary fluids. Sugar feeds bacteria in the mouth, and in response, an acid is produced that decays the teeth. Even beverages labeled "100% juice" can have this effect, as they contain high levels of fructose, the form of sugar naturally found in fruit. Primary teeth (baby teeth) are much more susceptible to these acid attacks, as their protective outer enamel layer is thinner and more easily penetrated by the acid. To avoid bottle syndrome, parents are advised to:
Limit beverages other than water to mealtimes only.
Keep juice consumption down to 10 percent of your child's total diet (as recommended by the AGD).
Never put your child to bed with a bottle containing anything but water.
Don't flavor your child's pacifier by dipping it in honey or any other sweet substance.
Brush your child's teeth after giving him any liquid medicine; many contain high amounts of sugar.
So in a nutshell, to maximize your child's nutrition and dental health, and to encourage lifelong healthy eating habits, it's important that you minimize his exposure to sweets of all kinds while he's an infant.
Sources - The Academy of General Dentistry
The American Dental Association
Sticky Snacks Amplify Sugar's Destructive Effects on Teeth
Kids love fruit rollups and fruit snacks, but dentists wish they'd reach for a real piece of fruit instead when they want a snack. The processed fruit snacks are usually loaded with sugar, as well as artificial colors and flavors, preservatives, hydrogenated fats, citric acid, and mono- and diglycerides.
They also affix themselves to teeth in a sugar-filled wad that's tough to remove, even with a toothbrush. For this reason, sticky foods are notorious for contributing to tooth decay because they prolong the tooth's exposure to the acids that attack the structure of the tooth.
Fruit snacks aren't the only culprit, of course. But they're frequently thought of as being healthy snacks for kids.
Caramels, taffy, hard candies, gummy candies-anything that sticks to teeth or stays in the mouth for a long period of time-prolong the "acid bath" that sugar causes in the mouth. And the longer the acid bath lasts, the greater the chances for tooth decay.
Do kids' snacks have to be boring to be tooth-friendly? Absolutely not! Granted, it takes a bit more time and effort on a parent or guardian's part to provide kids with snacks that aren't destructive to their teeth. But in the long run, think of the time you'll save when your child's only trips to the dentist are for biannual checkups and cleanings! |
