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Category : pediatric dentistry

Dental Sealants Give Children An Added Boost Against Tooth Decay

Posted on: May 3, 2021 by Arpit

Although adults are more prone to dental disease, children aren’t immune from one particular infection, tooth decay. Dental Sealants is the solution. Some children, in fact, are at higher risk for an aggressive form called early childhood caries (ECC).

Child Oral Care

You can do several things to help your child avoid this destructive disease, especially daily brushing and flossing to remove bacterial dental plaque, the underlying cause of tooth decay. It’s also important for your child to see a dentist regularly for professional dental cleanings and checkups.

But some of their teeth, particularly the back molars, may need some extra attention to protect them against decay fully. This is because larger teeth like molars have numerous pits and crevices along their biting surfaces. It makes dental plaque difficult to remove by brushing alone. The added plaque increases the presence of bacteria around the tooth, which increases the risk of decay.

To minimize this possibility, dentists can apply dental sealants to “smooth out” those pits and crevices in the molars and make it more difficult for plaque to accumulate. This is a quick and painless procedure in which a dentist brushes a liquid plastic resin or similar material onto the teeth’s biting surfaces. They then apply a curing light to harden it into a durable coating.

Tooth decay

About one-third of children—mostly those considered at higher risk for tooth decay—have undergone dental sealants treatment. But the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommend this preventive measure for all children between ages 5 and 7, and then later between 11 and 14 when additional molars come in. Although there is a moderate cost per tooth for sealant application, it’s much less than the potential expense of treating an infected tooth.

Combined with daily oral hygiene and other preventive measures, sealants can reduce the chances of damaging tooth decay. Keeping your child’s teeth healthy is important in maintaining their dental health today—and tomorrow.

If you would like more information on preventive dental care for children, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation.

You Don’t Need To Pass A Football Like Patrick Mahomes To Remove A Loose Baby Tooth

Posted on: May 3, 2021 by Arpit

Kids get pretty inventive pulling a loose primary (baby) tooth. After all, there’s a profit motive involved (aka the Tooth Fairy). But a young Kansas City Chiefs fan may have topped his peers with his method, as revealed in a recent viral Twitter video.

Inspired by all-star KC quarterback Patrick Mahomes (and sporting his #15 jersey), 7-year-old Jensen Palmer tied his loose tooth to a football with a line of string. Then, announcing, “This is how an MVP gets their tooth out,” the next-gen QB sent the ball flying, with the tooth tailing close behind.

It appears young Palmer was no worse for wear with his tooth removal technique. But if you think there might be a less risky and dramatic way to remove a loose tooth, you’re right. You should first know that primary teeth come out when they’re good and ready, which is important. Primary teeth play an important role in a child’s current dental and speech function and future dental development. For the latter, they serve as placeholders for permanent teeth developing within the gums. If one is lost prematurely, the corresponding permanent tooth might erupt out of position and cause bite problems.

In normal development, though, a primary tooth coming out coincides closely with the linked permanent tooth coming in. When it’s time, the primary tooth lets you know by becoming quite loose in the socket.

If you think one of your children’s primary teeth is ready, clean your hands first with soap and water. Then using a clean tissue, you should be able to wiggle the tooth with little tension easily. Grasp the tooth with the tissue and give it a little horizontal twist to pop it out. If that doesn’t work, wait a day or two before trying again. If it does come out, be sure you have some clean gauze handy in case of bleeding from the empty socket.

Normally, nature takes its course from this point. But be on the lookout for abnormal signs like fragments of the tooth left behind in the socket (not to be mistaken for the top of the permanent tooth coming in). You should also look for redness, swelling, or complaints of pain the following day—signs of possible infection. If you see anything like this, make a prompt appointment so we can take a look. Losing a primary tooth is a signpost pointing the way from childhood to adulthood (not to mention a windfall for kids under their pillows). You can help make it a smooth transition—no forward pass required.

If you would like more information about caring for primary teeth, please contact us or schedule a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Importance of Baby Teeth” and “Losing a Baby Tooth.”