Keeping Kids Healthy
- At what age should my child first visit a dentist?
We advise that the parents should consult their dentist to educate them and give them tips on how to properly maintain a good oral hygiene for their baby before any teeth eruption occurs.
- How to care for those little choppers?
Even before your baby starts teething, run a clean, damp washcloth over the gums to clear away harmful bacteria. Once your baby gets teeth, brush them with an infant toothbrush. Use water and a tiny bit of fluoride toothpaste (about the size of a grain of rice). Kids aged 3 and up should use only a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.
- How does tooth decay happen?
Even babies can develop tooth decay if good feeding habits aren’t practiced. Putting a baby to sleep with a bottle might be convenient, but can harm the baby’s teeth. When the sugars from juice or milk remain on a baby’s teeth for hours, they can eat away at the enamel, creating a condition known as bottle mouth. Pocked, pitted, or discolored front teeth are signs of bottle mouth.
- But now, what if your child got a tooth decay?
We have many options according to the type of decay ranging from simple filling till tooth extraction. But one way to save a tooth where the caries reached the pulp of the tooth (the tissue inside the tooth responsible for its blood supply and nerve sensation) is a procedure known as pulpotomy.
- What is pulpotomy and/or pulpectomy?
Generally both terms mean “cutting off” of the pulp. Due to infection of the pulp tissue by the decay, the pulp tissue is removed to prevent any future pain occurring in that particular tooth, and to avoid spreading of the infection to the underlying jaw bones and permanent teeth successors.
- Why pulpotomy if the tooth will fall-out?
Some parents may wonder why even bother, if the tooth will fall out anyway. But keeping these teeth healthy can be important. Yes, if the baby tooth is a front tooth, it can fall out without any complication. But if it’s a baby molar, which is the case with almost all pulpotomy cases, and the tooth is lost prematurely, the permanent dentition will become a jumbled mess. With no teeth present to maintain the proper space for the permanent successors, the teeth will drift and the spaces will grow smaller. Then, at age 10 to 12, when it’s time for the permanent premolars to come in, there won’t be enough space for them to come out properly and they may be forced out sideways.
Premature extraction of baby teeth is the main reason for why so many children need orthodontic treatment in a later stage.
- What’s after pulpotomy?
Non-vital teeth are brittle just like tree branches, so they need protection, they need to be covered, and one way to cover those primary teeth is the use of simple prefabricated crowns known as stainless steel crowns or zirconium crowns.
- What should I do if the dentist had to extract one of my child’s baby teeth?
- What is a space maintainer?
- Are thumbsucking and pacifier habits harmful for a child’s teeth?
Thumb and pacifier sucking habits will generally only become a problem if they go on for a very long period of time. Most children stop these habits on their own, but if they are still sucking their thumbs or fingers past the age of three, a mouth appliance may be recommended by your pediatric dentist.
- When should I expect my baby’s first teeth to come out?
- When should I consider that my baby is running late on teeth eruption?
- When should I expect my child’s first permanent teeth to come out?
- When should I consider that my child is running late on changing his baby teeth to permanent teeth?
- My child’s new teeth have ragged and uneven edges, is this normal?
- What are the methods that could protect my child’s teeth from future decay
- What should I do if my child falls and knocks out a permanent tooth?
- What can I do to protect my child’s teeth during sporting events?
Soft plastic mouthguards can be used to protect a child’s teeth, lips, cheeks and gums from sport related injuries. A custom-fitted mouthguard developed by a pediatric dentist will protect your child from injuries to the teeth, face and even provide protection from severe injuries to the head.
Postoperative Instructions After Children’s Procedures
After any procedures requiring local anesthetic:
If the procedure was in the lower jaw, the tongue, teeth, lip and gums surrounding the tooth will feel numb.
If the procedure was in the upper jaw, the teeth, lip and gums surrounding the tooth will feel numb.
Pediatric patients may not understand the notion of a part of their mouth feeling numb. This confusion may lead them to scratch, bite or pick at the numb gums, lip or cheek. This manipulation may lead to irritations, abrasions or even swelling of the tissue.
In an effort to prevent this, please watch your child very closely for 2 hours following his or her dental procedure. Additionally, it is advised to keep your child on a liquid diet until the anesthetic has worn off to minimize the likelihood that he or she may bite his or her lip.
Extractions
Please limit the amount of activity in which your child engages following an extraction as this may cause the site to begin bleeding again. Place more gauze (which will be provided by our office) and have your child hold it in place with firm pressure for 60 minutes.
Avoid small foods such as chips, rice or beans for 2 days as these may become trapped in the healing tissues. A helpful adjunct to keep the mouth clean is to have your child rinse with salt water several times per day (begin doing so 2 days following the extraction). Additionally, we recommend that your child avoids spitting, drinking from a straw and consuming hot beverages or food for 2 days.
Sealants
By forming a thin covering over the pits and fissures, sealants keep out plaque and food, thus decreasing the risk of decay. Since, the covering is only over the biting surface of the tooth, areas on the side and between teeth cannot be coated with the sealant. Good oral hygiene and nutrition are still very important in preventing decay next to these sealants or in areas unable to be covered.
Your child should refrain from eating ice or hard candy, which tend to fracture the sealant. Regular dental appointments are recommended in order for your child’s dentist to be certain that the sealants are still intact and have not broken or worn-off.
Space Maintainers
Many children will report a feeling of “having something in their mouth” after they have a space maintainer placed, and this sensation is normal, and they also may tell you that they are having difficulty eating. This complaint is also a normal one, and as with most dental appliances, your child will get used to the space maintainer over time.
Post-operative instructions after Trauma
Please keep the traumatized area as-clean-as possible. A soft wash cloth often works well during healing to aid the process.
Watch for darkening of traumatized teeth. This could be an indication of a dying nerve (pulp).
If the swelling should re-occur, our office needs to see the patient as-soon-as possible. Ice should be administered during the first 24 hours to keep the swelling to a minimum.
Watch for infection (gum boils) in the area of trauma. If infection is noticed – call the office so the patient can be seen as-soon-as possible.
Maintain a soft diet for two to three days, or until the child feels comfortable eating normally again.
Avoid sweets or foods that are extremely hot or cold.