Category Archives: Dental Care For Kids

Children with damaged, discolored or missing teeth sometimes have problems with self-esteem that can be improved through aesthetic dentistry.

When a child has lost one or more front teeth, the dentist can replace these teeth with an aesthetic maintainer. The artificial teeth can be placed onto a removable or cemented dental appliance. Also, dentists can apply aesthetic veneers, or plastic facings, on discolored primary front teeth.

For mildly or moderately decayed front and back teeth, dentists now are able to place tooth-colored dental fillings. These materials have been dramatically improved and eventually, dentists no longer will need to place silver fillings. These tooth-colored fillings are bonded to the tooth surface and they not only are beautiful but strong as well.

For severely decayed front and back teeth, silver-colored dental crowns no longer are the norm. Dentists now have tooth-colored plastic and porcelain materials that can be used to cover the entire surface of the tooth to restore both function and aesthetics. Some of these crowns have metal linings but still have tooth-colored facings that allow for beautiful aesthetic restorations.

Many children benefit dramatically from aesthetic dental care on their primary teeth. Be sure to consult with your dentist if you have questions about whether aesthetic dentistry is right for your child.

Taking Care of Baby’s Baby TeethDon’t wait until your baby sprouts his or her first teeth to start thinking about protecting their oral health. Good dental care starts from the time your child is born.It’s important to make dental hygiene a regular part of your daily infant-care routine. Start by taking a wet washcloth and wipe your baby’s gums to clear away residue after feedings. Once primary teeth (e.g. baby teeth) come in, use a soft toothbrush and water to brush away debris, and avoid putting your baby to bed with a bottle to prevent baby bottle tooth decay.

Your dentist can tell you when it’s safe to start using fluoride toothpaste, but a pea-sized amount is usually recommended after the age of 2. Children should learn to spit out the toothpaste and rinse with water to prevent dental fluorosis. You can start teaching your child how to brush on their own after the age of 3.
How to floss properly should be introduced once teeth are large enough to touch each other. Regardless of when they start brushing their own teeth, children should be supervised until they are responsible enough to do it properly on their own.

Dentists recommend that children visit the dental office by their first birthday, and have regular dental visits twice a year — just like anyone else. Your dentist or pediatric dentist will not only check for signs of tooth decay, but can also look for any pre-existing conditions that may cause future dental problems.

A dental visit is a great time for your dentist or dental hygienist to show you the proper way to care for your child’s teeth. And thanks to modern dental practices combined with a gentle, caring dental staff, your child has no reason for dental anxiety.

Remember, excellent dental care will turn children’s toothless grins into gorgeous smiles, so get them started early for a lifetime of dental health.

Although 4 percent may not seem like a lot, that increase represents thousands and thousands of children and cavities — as well as a trend in the opposite direction of the last 40 years, when tooth decay was on a gradual decline.

So if you have children and cavities are a concern, here are six easy ways to reduce the risk:

1. Avoid giving your baby juice or formula at night. The sugar in juice and formula causes the bacteria in the mouth to produce the acids that cause baby bottle tooth decay. Use fluoridated water instead.

2. Choose low-fat foods from the basic food groups. Raw fruits and vegetables, nuts, whole-grain breads and low-fat dairy products are great for your child’s overall health and their dental health!

3. If you must, give sweets only as a dessert. If your child must have sweets, limit it to dessert or following a main meal. Late-night snacking and frequent snacking are a major culprit of cavities in children.

4. Invest in a water filter. Instead of spending extra on bottled water, invest in a filter for your sink, or a filtered water pitcher. Fluoridated tap water is an excellent resource to help the battle between children and cavities.

5. Don’t share cups or utensils. Cavities are contagious. So if you have them, you can pass them onto your child by sharing cups and utensils.

6. If you smoke, stop. The University of Rochester’s Strong Children’s Research Center has discovered a link between smoking, children and cavities. Results from a study show that children of parents who smoke are more likely to develop cavities.