Tooth Decay In Baby Teeth

Statistics show that about 5 percent of babies will experience some form of tooth decay by the age of 9 months. Likewise, about 15 percent will have cavities by the time they are one year old. The risk of developing cavities rises as the child grows. In this article, we take a detailed look at tooth decay in baby teeth.

Understanding Baby Tooth Decay

Early decay manifests itself as tiny white spots on the teeth. These spots typically get bigger or spread over time. As the decay progresses, the spots will slowly change to light brown stains.

Over time, the cavity may turn black or dark brown. If left untreated, it will dig deeper into the tooth’s enamel. Eventually, the cavity will get to the nerve and blood vessels of the baby tooth. This can cause pain, eating difficulty, inability to speak properly, and premature loss of baby teeth. It can also result in an unhealthy development of permanent teeth. It can also affect a child’s overall health.

Preventing Tooth Decay in Baby Teeth

Tooth decay in a baby tooth can be expensive to treat. Fortunately, the problem can be prevented by following these tips:

• From birth to 12 months, gently wipe the baby’s gums with a clean washcloth to keep his mouth clean.
• Between 12 and 36 months, brush your baby’s teeth at least two times a day for two minutes. Don’t use more than a smear of fluoride toothpaste until the child turns three years old.
• Avoid putting your baby to bed with food or bottle in his mouth. You don’t want to expose your child’s teeth to sugar.
• Take your child to the dentist before they celebrate their first birthday. You may take them earlier if you’re worried about their dental health.
• Make sure your child drinks fluoridated water. If your tap water is non-fluoridated, your pediatric dentist may recommend a fluoride supplement. The dentist may also apply fluoride varnish to the child’s teeth. The varnish is an effective protection against tooth decay.

Now that you understand what tooth decay in baby teeth entails, you can uphold proper dental care for your baby and protect them from the problem.

Tooth Decay In Baby Teeth

Statistics show that about 5 percent of babies will experience some form of tooth decay by the age of 9 months. Likewise, about 15 percent will have cavities by the time they are one year old. The risk of developing cavities rises as the child grows. In this article, we take a detailed look at tooth decay in baby teeth.

Understanding Baby Tooth Decay

Early decay manifests itself as tiny white spots on the teeth. These spots typically get bigger or spread over time. As the decay progresses, the spots will slowly change to light brown stains.

Over time, the cavity may turn black or dark brown. If left untreated, it will dig deeper into the tooth’s enamel. Eventually, the cavity will get to the nerve and blood vessels of the baby tooth. This can cause pain, eating difficulty, inability to speak properly, and premature loss of baby teeth. It can also result in an unhealthy development of permanent teeth. It can also affect a child’s overall health.

Preventing Tooth Decay in Baby Teeth

Tooth decay in a baby tooth can be expensive to treat. Fortunately, the problem can be prevented by following these tips:

• From birth to 12 months, gently wipe the baby’s gums with a clean washcloth to keep his mouth clean.
• Between 12 and 36 months, brush your baby’s teeth at least two times a day for two minutes. Don’t use more than a smear of fluoride toothpaste until the child turns three years old.
• Avoid putting your baby to bed with food or bottle in his mouth. You don’t want to expose your child’s teeth to sugar.
• Take your child to the dentist before they celebrate their first birthday. You may take them earlier if you’re worried about their dental health.
• Make sure your child drinks fluoridated water. If your tap water is non-fluoridated, your pediatric dentist may recommend a fluoride supplement. The dentist may also apply fluoride varnish to the child’s teeth. The varnish is an effective protection against tooth decay.

Now that you understand what tooth decay in baby teeth entails, you can uphold proper dental care for your baby and protect them from the problem.

Making Sure Your Child’s Teeth Develop Correctly

Many children develop straight teeth naturally. However, some kids may need some intervention to help them develop a perfect smile. In this article, we’ll look at some steps you can take to help your child develop healthy, straight teeth that radiate a pleasant smile.

Prevent Tooth Decay

There are several things you can do to promote your child’s oral health and minimize chances of tooth decay. These include:

• Teach the child to drink from a bottle about 12 months of age
• Get him to stop using a pacifier
• Make sure your child drinks water between meals
• Brush his teeth with some toothpaste
• Floss after all primary teeth have grown in

Discourage Thumb-Sucking

Kids will typically stop thumb-sucking when they are about three years old. If your child continues to suck his thumb after reaching four years, you should find ways to remove things that make him feel anxious. Another effective idea is to bandage their thumb.

Provide a Healthy Diet

Your child requires a balanced diet not only for proper growth and development but also for their oral health. Be sure their meals have plenty of vegetables and fruits, lean proteins, and dairy products. Limit their intake of sugary foods and drinks.

Provide Protective Gear

When your child starts engaging in contact sports, you should get him a mouth guard and ensure he’s always wearing it when playing. Swimming pools are also known to cause dental emergencies, especially during summer. Be sure your child understands the safety precautions before engaging in any activity.

Schedule Regular Dental Visits

Regular dental visits can help in the detection of potential dental issues before they progress into more severe complications.  It is also essential to monitor the growth and development of your child’s teeth. If you notice any unusual issues with how the teeth are erupting, the jawline, or if your child is having difficulty chewing, you should contact your dentist as soon as possible.

It’s important to keep an eye on your child’s dental health. These tips will help you ensure that your child’s teeth develop correctly.

How Nail Biting Can Affect Your Teeth

Nail biting is a subconscious habit that is easy to start doing but difficult to quit. This habit is claimed to be effective in relieving stress and helping you cope with excitement. While numerous factors can cause nail biting, it is generally a sign of severe nervousness, boredom, or the inability to cope with stressful situations.

Most people do not think about how this habit affects their dental health. The Academy of General Dentistry points out that nail biting can lead to cracking, chipping, or wearing down of the front teeth. Let’s explore some of the major effects of nailbiting on your teeth:

• Tooth chipping and cracking– The friction between your teeth and nails can erode the enamel over time. It can even result in your teeth chipping or cracking.

 

• Malocclusion – Nail biting can cause your teeth to shift, resulting in malocclusions (imbalanced bites) and unsightly gaps.

 

• Gingivitis – There’s usually loads of germs and dirt trapped under your fingernails. So, when you bite your nails, allthe dirt gets transferred to your mouth. That can lead to infections such as gingivitis.

 

• Root resorption –Nail biting can cause your jaw bone to reabsorb the roots. This can weaken the roots and leave your teeth more susceptible to falling out. This can be worse if you have wire braces.

 

• Bruxism – Biting your nails often can increase your risk of developing a chronic teeth-grinding problem. This can be accompanied by even more serious oral health complications, headaches, and soreness.

 

How to stop biting your nails

 

Fortunately, there are several things you can do to help fight the nail biting habit.

Here are a few solutions:

• Make sure your nails are always trimmed You’ll have nothing to bite whenever the nail-biting urge strikes
• Coat your nails with a nasty tasting nail polish
• Have a rubber band around your wrist. Snap it every time you feel like biting your nails
• Ask your dentist about a mouth guard. It can help you stop nail biting
• Try to avoid situations that make you bite your nails, such as nervousness or boredom

Nail biting can cause serious harm to your teeth, but the above five practices can help you fight the habit.

Baby Teething Comfort Tips

A teething baby can be very stressful. They’re cranky, tired, in pain—and very loud. Teething can also sometimes cause illness, such as rashes, diarrhea, and even fever. All the above often leave parents looking for any option to help their baby feel better. Thankfully, there are many methods to comfort a teething baby. Here are our top six suggestions.

Massage the baby’s gums

Rubbing your baby’s gums with a clean finger or dampened gauze pad can help ease the baby’s discomfort.

Give your child a teething ring

A teething ring is effective in easing your baby’s discomfort.  It’s advisable to use the firm, rubber teething ring.  The types filled with water may break due to the pressure of your child’s bite.

Keep the baby’s gums cool

Place a chilled washcloth on your baby’s gums to keep them cool and ease the discomfort. Don’t make the mistake of giving the baby a frozen teething ring, as the extreme cold can aggravate already sore gums.

Give your baby cold food before bedtime

Cold is effective in easing gum pain, and a full stomach promotes sleep. Be sure to provide age-appropriate food, such as fruits and vegetables that your baby can chew properly. Grapes and boiled carrots are great options. You can also give cold yogurt.

Give chamomile tea

Chamomile tea will provide your baby relief from teething discomfort and even induce sleep. You can give chamomile tea through a feeding bottle. The ea can be slightly warm or room temperature.

Over-the-counter medications can be helpful

If your baby proves to be too cranky, you can try over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. These have proven to ease hurting gums.

It’s worth noting that homeopathic teething tablets and teething drugs that contain benzocaine or lidocaine are not recommended. They are not healthy for your baby, and they can even cause death. Always ask your pediatrician or pharmacist before giving your child any medications—natural or not.

Baby teething can be a frustrating period for both you and your child, but you can minimize the stress by following the above six baby teething comfort tips.

How do you get kids to brush their teeth?

It can be challenging to get your kids to brush their teeth as it’s not usually something they are interested in doing. Nonetheless, it’s important to teach your kids how to brush and encourage them to do it to avoid dental problems and other health complications associated with poor oral health.

Here are some tips to help you get your kids to brush their teeth.

Start Early

The earlier you get your children started with brushing, the more likely they’ll be to practice proper dental care for the rest of their lives. Get them soft-bristled toothbrushes and make sure you supervise them while they’re learning to brush.

Let Them Choose Their Products

Allowing your kids to choose their toothpaste and toothbrush, raises the likelihood of them using the products later.  This gives them an opportunity to select brushes that feature their favorite characters or a toothpaste they love using. However, this freedom should not override your pediatric dentist’s recommendations.

Inject Some Fun in the Brushing Routine

One of the best ways to make your kid embrace brushing as a regular part of their day is by making brushing more exciting. Here are a few ideas you can try:

• Devise a reward system – Something as simple as a sticker and calendar system can be awesome.
• Teach by example – Your kids should see you doing what you’re teaching them to do.
• Play some music – You can sing or play their favorite song for about two minutes while they brush. They’ll soon get used to how long brushing needs to take.

Be a Good Role model

Children frequently copy what the people close to them do or say. If you want them to embrace brushing, you should be a good role model for them and brush your teeth in front of them every day. You should start this practice before you allow them to brush on their own.

This is an excellent way to teach your kids that brushing teeth is a part of everyday routine, and should be done daily. Getting your children to brush their teeth every day can have a significant impact on their future dental and overall health. You can achieve by following the five tips above.

New Year, New Mouth Health

Ringing in the New Year is fun! Many look forward to this time of year to make New Year’s resolutions. Most people focus on bodily health but neglect their mouth health. Well, this year resolve to improve your teeth and mouth health. If you do, your overall health will improve too. Here are some simple steps to do just that.

Brushing

Resolve to brush your teeth two times a day for at least two minutes. Lightly brush your gums. Brush away that plaque buildup, and your teeth will be healthier. Remember to clean your tongue as well. Use an antibacterial toothpaste to help lessen plaque.

Mouthwash

Get a good antibacterial mouthwash. There are many flavors and options. Some brands have no alcohol, which reduces the sting as well. Swish the mouthwash around your mouth for a minute to help curb the bacteria buildup. This combined with brushing and flossing ensures that you’re doing everything you can to fight plaque.

Flossing

This is often the piece of the puzzle that most people skip. However, it couldn’t be more important. Flossing every day helps to reach the places your toothbrush missed. You should floss every tooth, wrapping the floss tightly around your fingers. Plaque hides in the back teeth so don’t neglect them.

See Your Dentist

If you haven’t seen a dentist in a while, make a point to do so now. Having your teeth checked for cavities and plaque buildup is vital to good mouth health. Allowing a professional to clean your teeth is crucial. They will remove plaque and save your teeth from further decay. Don’t neglect to see your dentist.

Fluoridated Water

Fluoridated water is beneficial for your teeth. It helps to fight the acid in your mouth that could break down and decay your teeth. Drinking more water is good for your overall health because most people are dehydrated and aren’t aware. Since water helps with mouth health too, there’s even more reason to drink it.

Sugarless Gum

Chew some sugarless gum for about twenty minutes; it will help clean your teeth. Chewing gum after a meal can also help you with digestion and clean your teeth.

Eat Healthy

How To Get Your Kid To Not Dread The Dentist

Ah… it’s that time again, the ‘dreaded’ visit to the dentist with your child.  While we’ll be the first to admit, there are plenty of other things your child should rightfully want to do rather than go to the dentist, such as playing outside, the truth is in today’s day in age you and your children should certainly not have to dread the dentist! In fact, many dental offices like ours continue to innovate and make their offices as kid friendly as possible. We believe great dental can and should be fun!

If you have a child that for some reason or another dreads the dentist, here are a few helpful ways to help them come around.

Start Early

How you present the dentist to your children plays a significant role in their overall experience and making the dentist a regular part of their life from when they are little through their teenage years is one of the most effective ways to reduce any anxiety they might have before the big visit. If your children grow up with going to the dentist and are comfortable throughout the process, they are significantly less likely to have a poor experience. Meaning, the earlier you can get your kid to the dentist the better. Of course, not all visits (when they need shots in the gums for example) will be fun, but the more you expose them to the dentist the better.

Don’t Give Them Candy

One common trick for getting kids to go to the dentist without a fuss is by promising them candy afterward. We probably speak for other dentists when we say that probably isn’t the most effective reward after going to the dentist. That being said, you can reward your children who show good behavior at the dentist with something other than candy! Maybe you can let them have that sleepover they have been looking forward to, or perhaps that means taking your kids and his or her friends to the pool!  Rewarding your child for a good dental visit can be extremely helpful in making it a win-win for everyone involved.

Show Don’t Tell

Last but not least, one way you can help your child not dread the dentist is by working on how you feel about the dentist yourself! The truth is, even some adults show great anxiety when they go to the dentist, and little kids can pick up those queues! Before taking your kid to the dentist try and not tell them about some of your experiences, you may just show them why the should be scared. Instead, for the first couple of dental visits, assure them it will be fine and let the incredible dentist take care of the rest!

Going to the dentist doesn’t have to be a drag. We hope the above tips will help you get your child to stop dreading the dentist!

Top Four Foods to Avoid to Keep Your Children’s Teeth Healthy

As a parent, it’s a never-ending battle to keep your children healthy – they tend to be attracted to the least healthy foods and drinks available. While it’s important to consider a child’s overall wellness when constructing their diets, it’s also important to consider their oral health.

Growing evidence suggests that poor oral health can have dire consequences for your overall wellbeing. Certain dental conditions can create heart problems and other adverse effects. So, what are some foods and drinks that you need to keep away from your children? Check out our top four below!

Soda

Soda is one of the worst substances for teeth – it can accelerate tooth decay and cause various health problems. The problem with soda is the sugar – it creates the development of corrosive acid that can destroy the enamel that protects your teeth. Even diet sodas produce large amounts of acid and damage enamel. It’s best to avoid sodas at all costs if you want to keep your child’s teeth healthy.

Chips

If your child eats a lot of potato chips, it could be damaging their teeth. Chips often get caught in between teeth and cause plaque buildup. It’s important to brush and floss your child’s teeth after they consume any form of chips.

Sports Drinks

Soda isn’t the only culprit. Sports drinks are often marketed as healthy, refreshing drinks that help fuel young athletes. The harsh reality is that many famous sports drinks are very unhealthy – they contain extreme amounts of added sugar. For this reason, it’s essential to avoid sports drinks as much as possible. It is much better for children to consume water when engaging in sporting activities.

Dried Fruit or Gummy Candy

While many people view dried fruit as healthy, it’s awful for your teeth because it can stick to surfaces in your mouth. The same goes for ‘gummy’ or chewy candy – they can pose serious risks to your child’s oral health.

Two ways to help your kids brush their teeth

 

As a parent, it is difficult enough to get your kids to bed on time, and getting them to brush their teeth is a whole other story. Whether they complain about the taste, or you worry they are not brushing their teeth effectively, brushing their teeth at night brings a whole host of problems and you know you can’t do it for them forever. We understand the struggle but it doesn’t have to be this way, which is why we have come up with 2 ways you can make the experience more enjoyable for you and your kids.

Make the process fun

Part of the problem is that kids have associated brushing their teeth as being a negative or boring experience. But if you help encourage them to have fun when they are brushing their teeth, they are more like to look forward to it. For example, you could have your kids practise on your while you make exaggerated silly sounds for effect, or you could tell a fun story about how the nasty bugs need to be fought twice a day. Whatever method you choose, make it as compelling as you can to win your child over with fun.

Change the toothpaste

A lot of kids don’t enjoy the taste of tooth paste and this can be the biggest barrier to getting them to brush their teeth. Nowadays, you can buy fruity flavoured toothpastes that are design for kids, which not only taste better, but can be swallowed without causing harm for your reassurance. If they still don’t enjoy the toothpaste, you can always try without toothpaste first to see how they do. While it’s not ideal in the long run, it is better to have them brushing their teeth at all and gradually add it in the toothpaste over time.