Children's Dental Health

Why should we worry about cavities in baby teeth when these teeth will be replaced by permanent teeth later?

The answer is that baby teeth serve important functions. Neglect of baby teeth can cause severe problems. Consequently, it is important to make sure that even these "temporary" baby teeth remain healthy and cavity free.

1. Healthy baby teeth are crucial in helping the baby learn how to speak properly.

2. Healthy and nice looking teeth are important in building self-confidence and self-esteem. This is especially important at such an early age. Unfortunately, small children can be cruel to one another quick to tease peers about ugly looking or decayed teeth. Furthermore, bad breath resulting from poor dental hygiene can make your child an outcast among peers.

3. Baby teeth serve as spacers which maintain the proper spacing and alignment of the teeth so that permanent teeth have enough room to come in.

4. Baby teeth are important in proper feeding and nutrition. A recent study has illustrated a potential link between the number of cavities a child has and the probability of the child being underweight.

It is crucial to note that the proper care of baby teeth is not only important now but for the future as well.

You see, early dental care gets a child accustomed to a clean cavity free mouth. Because children become accustomed to clean teeth they will continue with the proper habits to ensure this clean feeling in the future as well.

Poor dental care can easily lead to childhood periodontal disease. This is a condition in which bacteria invade the gums and ligaments supporting the teeth. Unchecked, periodontal disease can cause teeth to fall out and bone to erode, creating major problems for permanent teeth if and when they do come in.

Remember to wipe a baby's mouth with a clean gauze pad or washcloth to remove plaque. If your child is old enough get them in the habit of brushing their own teeth but always remember to brush their teeth after they are finished brushing.

Finally make sure your child sees a dentist regularly starting by the age of 2. 

What You Should do in Case of a Dental Emergency

For a parent, seeing a child lose a tooth in an accident can be gut wrenching. Such injuries are often bloody and can be anxiety provoking for the child as well. Knowing how to prevent dental injury and what to do in case an accident occurs can save your child's teeth.

All teeth, even baby teeth, are important. Many parents, are under the false impression that baby teeth are less important because they will eventually be replaced.

This is absolutely not true. Baby teeth serve several important functions including, acting as spacers creating enough room in the jaw so that permanent teeth can come in, aiding in proper speech development, and serving to help build self-esteem in the newly independent child.

What To Do in Case of an Emergency
One of the most important things you can do as a parent to protect these precious baby teeth is to make sure that you are prepared before an accident even occurs.

The most common dental emergencies include (1) teeth that have been knocked out due to trauma and (2) teeth that have been chipped as a result of an accident. In either case, it is important to know what to do.

Time is the enemy when a tooth is knocked out. If a dentist is seen within one hour after an accident, chances are good that the tooth can be re-implanted and saved. Remember to rinse the tooth off and place it in a cup of saliva or milk. See a dentist immediately.

With chipped teeth the situation is slightly more complicated. If your child is experiencing pain or sensitivity in the affected tooth, see a dentist immediately as this indicates the tooth nerve may be injured. The dentist can perform a root canal or other necessary procedure to save the tooth. Afterwards, a porcelain crown or bonding material can be sculpted onto the tooth to replace the lost portion.

If no pain or sensitivity is experienced the situation is not as critical. You should call your dentist to double check, but in most cases, you can simply schedule a future appointment to replace the lost portion of the tooth with a porcelain veneer or with bonding material.

In summary:

If your child's tooth is knocked out:

• Carefully rinse the tooth in water. Make sure that you do not touch the root of the tooth with your hands. The root is the portion of the tooth embedded in the gum and not normally seen.
• Attempt to place the tooth back in its socket and secure with a wet wrap. If this is not possible or if you are afraid that your child might swallow the tooth, place it in a glass containing either saliva or milk.

See your dentist immediately.

If your child's tooth is chipped:

1. Check to see if your child is experiencing pain or sensitivity in the tooth. If so call your dentist and seek dental treatment immediately.
2. If your child is not experiencing pain or sensitivity, contact your dentist to see whether or not your child should be seen. In most cases, this will not require immediate attention and your dentist will schedule your child for an appointment.

Preventing Your Child's Dental Injuries

The best way to prevent a dental emergency is to properly protect your child. Increasingly, dentists are recommending that children engaged in sports wear mouth guards. Once only used in football and ice hockey, mouth guards are now being recommended for other sports as well including rollerblading, basketball, and soccer. Most mouth guards are made of plastic and cover the lower teeth.

Not only do mouth guards protect teeth but they also protect lips, gums, and cheeks. Commonly there are two types of mouth guards:

• Semi-formable mouth guards are available in sporting good stores and in drug stores. Often these mouth guards can be boiled to fit allowing them to sit snugly against the teeth.
• Dentist made mouth guards are custom made. The dentist creates a mold of the mouth which is used to create the mouth guard. Consequently, these mouth guards fit more securely against the teeth affording the best protection.

Another way to reduce the risk of dental injury is to watch out for situations that commonly lead to injury. These are some of the more common:

Trips and Falls - Falling into furniture and down stairs often causes dental injury. This is most likely to occur when children are first learning to stand using furniture to maintain balance.

Children who are just learning to walk also have a tendency to fall down - often onto household furniture or other items. If you have an infant make sure to child-proof your home before they become mobile, usually around 12 - 16 months.

Water Fountains - Often kids injure teeth by ramming them into the spout of water fountains as they drink. Sometimes kids behind them accidentally bump into them causing them to injure their teeth.

Forks and Spoons - Believe it or not, some injuries are self-inflicted when people, not paying attention, crack or chip their teeth with spoons or forks as they eat

Bottle Caps - Tell your child to never open a bottle cap by using their teeth. 

Pregnancy & Dentistry

It’s vitally important for you to take good care of your oral health while you are pregnant. This is because pregnancy causes hormonal changes that increase your risk of developing gum disease, and because your oral health can affect the health of your developing baby.

Below are some suggestions for maintaining good oral health – as well as your baby’s health and safety -- before, during, and after your pregnancy.

Before you get pregnant
Make a dental appointment before getting pregnant (if possible). In this way, your teeth can be professionally cleaned, your gum tissue can be carefully examined, and any oral health problems identified can be treated in advance of your pregnancy.

While you are pregnant

Tell your dentist if you know you are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant. This will help your health care providers plan for any treatments or procedures. It's always best to complete any major dental treatment prior to pregnancy. Routine dental care, on the other hand, can be received during the second trimester.

As a precautionary measure, dental treatments during the first trimester and second half of the third trimester should be avoided as much as possible. These are critical times in the baby’s growth and development, and it’s simply wise to avoid exposing the mother to procedures that could in any way "influence" the baby’s growth and development. All elective dental procedures should be postponed until after the delivery.

Tell your dentist the names and dosages of all medicines you are taking – including medicines and prenatal vitamins prescribed by your doctor – as well as any specific medical advice your doctor has given you to follow. Your dentist might need to alter your dental treatment plan based on this information. Certain drugs -- such as tetracycline can affect the development of your child's teeth and should not be given during pregnancy.

Avoid dental X-rays during pregnancy. If X-rays are essential (such as in a dental emergency), your dentist will use extreme caution to safeguard you and your baby. Advances in dentistry have made X-rays much safer today than in past decades.

Don’t skip your dental checkup appointment simply because you are pregnant and believe this appointment is not important. Now more than any other time, regular periodontal examinations are very important. Pregnancy causes hormonal changes that put you at increased risk for periodontal disease and for tender gums that bleed easily – a condition called pregnancy gingivitis. To remove irritants, control plaque, and maintain optimum oral health, you might actually benefit from more frequent professional cleanings during your second trimester or early third trimester rather than fewer dental visits. Pay particular attention to any changes in your gums during pregnancy. If tenderness, bleeding, or gum swelling occurs at any time during your pregnancy, talk with your dentist or periodontist as soon as possible.

Follow good oral hygiene practices to prevent and/or reduce gingival problems, including brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing at least once a day. Use a good-quality, soft-bristled toothbrush. Use a toothpaste that contains fluoride, and brush for at least two minutes to remove the plaque that forms on your teeth.

If morning sickness is keeping you from brushing your teeth, change to a bland-tasting toothpaste during your pregnancy. Ask your dentist or hygienist to recommend brands.

Rinse your mouth out with water or a mouth rinse if you suffer from morning sickness and have bouts of frequent vomiting.

Ask your dentist about the need for fluoride supplements. Since fluoride is found in water and almost all brands of toothpaste, fluoride supplementation might not be necessary.

Avoid sugary snacks. Sweet cravings are common during pregnancy. However, keep in mind that the more frequently you snack, the greater the chance of developing tooth decay. Additionally, some studies have shown that the bacteria responsible for tooth decay are passed from the mother to the child. So be careful of what you eat.

Eat a healthy, balanced diet. Your baby’s first teeth begin to develop about three months into your pregnancy. Healthy diets containing dairy products, cheese, and yogurt are good sources of these essential minerals and are good for your baby’s developing teeth, gums, and bones.

Consult with your dentist or doctor about the need for anesthesia or other medicines should a dental emergency arise. Make sure you tell all health care providers that you come into contact with that you are pregnant. This information could change their treatment plans. Dental treatments that could be considered "emergency" are those that are necessary to ease your pain, prevent an infection, or decrease stress on you or your fetus.

After you’ve had your baby
If you experienced any gum problems (including pregnancy gingivitis or a pregnancy tumor) during your pregnancy, see your dentist soon after delivery to have your entire mouth examined and your periodontal health evaluated.

Pacifiers and Thumb-sucking: What You Should Know

Many parents express concern over their child's thumb-sucking or use of a pacifier. Often worried about affects on teeth, parents sometimes try to prevent their children from sucking their thumb or using a pacifier.

The truth is that thumb-sucking and using a pacifier are quite normal and most kids forego the habits long before any damage can be done to the jaw and teeth.

In fact, it has been shown that embryos actually suck on their thumbs while in the mother's womb. Thumb-sucking and pacifier use both help children become comfortable with their environment, as well as offer children a sense of security. Parents should not be upset over their child's need to suck their thumb or use a pacifier.

There are some things that parents should be aware of when allowing their children to use a pacifier. To reduce choking danger, always purchase pacifiers that come as a solid molded piece instead of those which have been created as separate pieces fused together.

Constantly check the pacifier, especially the nipple end, to make sure that it has not become brittle. Brittle nipples can break and choke your child. Also, never tie a pacifier around your child's neck as this can create a strangulation danger.

Most children should grow out of thumb-sucking and pacifier use by age 3 or 4. As long as the habit is discontinued before their permanent teeth come in (around ages 4-5) your child will be fine. If, however, they continue this habit as their permanent teeth come in it is best to help your child discontinue their habit.

The most effective way to accomplish this is to simply explain to your child that they must do so in order for their teeth to come in straight. You would be surprised at how effective simply explaining this to your child can be. When they do suck their thumb or use a pacifier give them a gentle verbal reminder.

What should you do if your child is having trouble giving up the pacifier or thumb-sucking? We suggest gradually weaning your child. First, start by not allowing them to suck their thumb or use a pacifier during certain hours of the day.

Offer them rewards when they successfully do this. Also, since thumb-sucking and pacifier use are often security mechanisms, consider giving them a teddy bear, a blanket, or lots of hugs to, in effect, replace the pacifier or thumb-sucking.

Gradually increase the number of hours in which they are not allowed to use the pacifier or suck their thumb until they no longer need these habits. Remember, the time they need the pacifier the most (during bed) should be the last time period phased out.

Using a pacifier or sucking a thumb are quite normal for small children and should not concern parents until the child's permanent teeth start to come in. By this time most children have given up the habit. If yours has not, remember, explaining to your child why they need to stop, along with gradually weaning them from the pacifier or thumb-sucking, are the most effective ways to get them to stop.