To have children means to have joy, love, frustration, and responsibilities. Lots of responsibilities. Among that long list of responsibilities is your child’s dental care. There’s a lot more to understanding the world of children’s dental care than simply connecting to your local pediatric dentist (although that is definitely important).
Here we’ve put together a list of tips for maneuvering the world of pediatric dental health. Some things may seem obvious and intuitive, but you may be surprised by a few others.
1. Start Dental Hygiene Habits Early
Even before their first tooth comes in, you can introduce the idea of mouth hygiene to your child. Gently wipe their gums with water and a clean wash cloth. Once their first tooth erupts it’s time not only to go to your friendly pediatric dentist, but also to start establishing the routine of brushing their teeth (or tooth if it’s just the first one).
2. Find a Pediatric Dentist that You and Your Kids Feel Comfortable With
You may be happy as a peach with your own dentist, but the reality is for your children, you really need a pediatric dentist. Pediatric dentists have an extra two years of schooling under their caps that has prepared them to work specifically with children. This means they’re better prepared for the psychology of working with children, and that they’re specially trained for the dental issues and treatments that are specific to children as well.
For more information on how to select a pediatric dentist for your kids, read our in-depth post titled, “How to Find the Best Kids Dentist Near Me” where we list how to look and what to look for. This is an important decision because positive dental experiences in children lead to better dental health in adults.
3. Baby Teeth Require Care, Regardless of the Fact That They’ll Fall Out
Unfortunately, some parents believe dental health for baby teeth isn’t terribly important because they’ll all fall out anyway. Proper dental care of baby teeth is important for several reasons. Starting with the fact that dental issues, even in baby teeth, can be very painful. Save your baby/child the pain when you can. Secondly, habits that are formed early are very hard to break. If you’re child learns the habit that dental care isn’t a priority, when their permanent teeth come in, it’s going to be difficult to change that habit on its head. And finally, the baby teeth help your child learn to chew, to speak properly, and reserve the space in their growing jaws for when their permanent teeth come in.
Until at least eight years of age, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends parents do or assist in their children’s teeth brushing. The reasons vary depending on age, development, and character, but don’t take away from the necessity.
Just because it’s a “must” doesn’t mean it has to be misery however. Get them fun colors or characters of toothbrushes. Instead of setting a timer, listen to a fun song to get them to last the full two minutes of brushing. The American Dental Association (ADA) put together a playlist of fun tooth brushing songs. Check them out, and find a favorite!
5. Careful and Cautious with Loose Teeth
If your child has a tooth that is knocked loose from an accident or a fall, just because it’s a baby tooth doesn’t mean you should pull it out. In these circumstances, it’s best to contact us right away to get in and let one of our pediatric dentists check it out.
If it’s a tooth that is wiggly and loose just because, then let your kid wiggle it all they want, but don’t try to pull it out. Teeth get loose because the roots are being pushed out by the permanent teeth preparing to erupt. This is a natural process and is best left alone.
Fluoride may be controversial in some circles, but the truth is, fluoride makes tooth enamel stronger, helps teeth resist the acid and bacteria that are found in our mouths, and community water fluoridation is considered one of the top public health achievements of the 20th century. Make sure the toothpaste for your kids (and you!) has fluoride added, and if your water supply at home is fluoride water, be sure they’re drinking it instead of store bought bottled water.
Additionally, fluoride varnishes are a preventative service that our pediatric dental practice and others offer.
7. Healthy Eats Help Healthy Smiles
Even with routine brushing and flossing, fluoride water and toothpaste and routine checkups healthy eating is important. We explore this topic thoroughly in our post titled, “Do-Eats and Don’t Eats for Kids to Promote Healthy Teeth“. Furthermore, we realize that getting your kids to eat healthy can seem like an impossible challenge. Because of that, we put together a list of hacks to encourage healthy eating in your home. Read our post, “To Get Your Kids to Eat Healthy – Try These 7 Magic Tricks“.
If your child is due for a checkup, don’t wait until the holidays are over to get it done. We’re offering patients with appointments until the end of the year, $25 gift cards. For more information about this promotion, give us a call today!
Holiday Season is Here: Seven Tips for a Teeth Healthy Holiday
Halloween itself has come and gone, but probably not the enormous bag of candied goodies your kids have managed to acquire. And honestly, we’re just winding up to the most wonderful time of the year. Most wonderful for family fun and joyous feelings, but not the most wonderful time of the year for your teeth.
As the leaves on the trees turn and then fall, our holiday spirit lifts and typically with it, our sugar intake. This time of year doesn’t have to result in cavities, and no we’re aren’t suggesting you throw away their Halloween candy treasure trove. We don’t even mean you need to try the onerous task of enforcing your kids to abstain while they are surrounded with goodies everywhere they go. So, what are we recommending for you to do? Here, we’ve put together a list of seven things you can do to ensure your kids get through the glorious holiday season with their beautiful smiles healthy and happy.
Seven Tips for a Teeth Healthy Holiday Season
Control the Halloween Treasure Trove
Don’t just throw away all of their Halloween candy, instead take control of it. Place limits on how many pieces of their candy they can have per day. Caramels and marshmallows are particularly bad for your teeth as they really like to stick. If you can, sort through the candy and throw away pieces that aren’t their favorites, or any pieces that seem to be of lower quality.
Enjoy Goodies in Moderation
Homemade pies, brownies and cookies are not only fun to eat, but they’re fun to make as well. Don’t give up this pleasurable activity, just enjoy it in moderation. Instead of your kids eating all the fresh baked cookies in one day, give them a couple, and save some for the next few days, and if you still have more, consider sharing with a neighbor or friend.
Alternatively, if the baking of the goodies isn’t something you or your family do, keep yourself in check when you’re at the stores. Don’t be drawn in to all the bright holiday packaging. Place limits on yourself for how much sugary desserts you buy.
Play Around with Recipes
For those of you who do the baking, take a moment to consider your recipes. Many recipes have high levels of sugar. Perhaps you will find that those brownies are still sweet enough but with less sugar than the recipe calls for. Moreover, can you use a sugar alternative such as honey, applesauce, or mashed bananas?
The internet has revolutionized our lives in many ways, and one of those ways can be access to healthier baking recipes. You’ll be shocked to see how many sugar free or sugar alternative recipes there are out there in the internet universe that are absolutely delicious.
Play around with your own recipes, or try new ones. You just might find new favorites that are even healthier.
Swap Out Candy for Fruit When You Can
Fruits have the benefit of being naturally sweet without the processed sugars of candy. Consider some of your Christmas or Thanksgiving traditions. For example: do you normally include candy in Christmas stockings or gifts? Do you leave out cookies for Santa to eat? Perhaps Santa will be tired of eating cookies in every single house, and would appreciate a sandwich or some fresh fruit for variety instead?
Drink Lots of Water (with Fluoride)
With the influx of sweets and sugars in the form of food, it’s important not to forget about what your kids are drinking. Limit sodas, sport drinks, and juices as much as you can, and focus on water with fluoride. Bottled water is better than the juices or sodas but doesn’t have fluoride added. You want the water with fluoride because fluoride is an integral defense for dental health. Follow up snacking and sweets with a good drink of water. Water will help rinse out your mouth and remove the larger chunks of leftover sugary foods that get stuck in between teeth. Find some fun holiday-decorated refillable water bottles, or choose some that have your kids’ favorite character or superhero and keep those babies handy.
Have Set Eating Times and Avoid Grazing
What do we mean by grazing? By grazing, we mean those days when you just casually snack here and there throughout the day. Holiday times are notorious for grazing because a lot of people and places have candy dishes just sitting out, and it’s so easy to snag a treat whenever you walk by. The problem with grazing is that it causes a continuous assault on your teeth of sugar and bacteria. Work on sticking with a schedule for meals and snacks, and put that candy bowl out of sight and out of mind.
Brush and Floss Routinely
You knew we would end with this one, didn’t you? However, many times you’ve heard us say it in the office, this list wouldn’t be complete without it being stated again. Holidays often mean late nights, and tired kids when you get home. Don’t, no matter how tempting, skip the brushing and flossing routine for your kids. They’re teeth are running a gamut during the holidays and it’s your job (and your kids’ job) to give them a good brushing at least twice a day, and a good flossing. We’ll even go so far to suggest that during this time of year, you bump up the number of times they’re brushing. If you can get them to brush their teeth sometime during the day, on a day when there’s been a lot of grazing (hello, Thanksgiving anyone?) their teeth will be grateful.
If you’re concerned that your kid might already have a cavity, or they’re simply due for a cleaning and checkup, give us a call! We’re here for you during the holidays and happy to see the kids of our communities and hear about their holiday plans.
Are you wondering if a chipped tooth or a knocked-out tooth is a dental emergency? The answer is an unequivocal yes. This might not be something that you see every day, and yet it is surprisingly common, that a child will chip their tooth or even have a tooth knocked out.
The steps you need to take in these circumstances to save the tooth are not complicated. They are however, vital to the life of the tooth. You’ll need to react quickly, and appropriately so as to save the tooth.
In this post, we’ll take you through the steps you need to take for each scenario. Then we’ll explain the possible outcomes so you have an understanding of what you can expect.
What to Do if Your Child Chips a Tooth
Locate the tooth fragment and store it in milk.
Call the pediatric dentist office near you to get your child in as soon as possible.
Do not rinse or store the tooth fragment in water.
What to Expect if Your Child Chips a Tooth
Your pediatric dentist might be able to glue the tooth fragment back to where it belongs.
If not, a tooth colored filling may be used to fix the shape of the broken tooth instead. If it is a back tooth that is broken or chipped, it is possible that a crown will be used to cover and reseal the molar.
What to Do if Your Child Knocks a Tooth Out
For this scenario, it is important to first assess whether the knocked-out tooth is a baby tooth or a permanent tooth.
If it is a baby tooth that is knocked out:
Locate the knocked-out tooth and pick it up by the crown of the tooth, avoid touching the root.
If the baby tooth is dirty, rinse gently with milk or with contact lens saline solution.
Store by submerging the tooth in milk, or your child’s saliva.
Call the pediatric dentist office near you to get your child in as soon as possible.
Do not rinse the tooth with water.
Do not allow the tooth to dry out.
Do not attempt to reinsert the baby tooth. If you attempt to reinsert the baby tooth, it could damage the permanent tooth underneath the now vacated socket. Alternatively, it could attach itself to the socket which may cause problems in the future when the permanent tooth underneath is ready to erupt.
If it is a permanent tooth that is knocked out:
Locate the knocked-out tooth.
Pick it up by the crown of the tooth and be careful to avoid touching the root of it.
If the tooth is dirty, gently rinse it with either milk or contact lens saline solution.
While holding the crown of the tooth, have your child open their mouth and with a light but firm pressure re-insert the tooth to its proper place.
They can hold the re-inserted tooth into place by biting down on a clean washcloth or handkerchief.
Call the pediatric dentist office near you immediately to get your child in the dentist’s chair.
If your child won’t allow you to reinsert the knocked-out tooth, then submerge and store it in milk until you can get into your pediatric dentist.
If the knocked-out tooth is broken or chipped, submerge and store all found pieces in milk.
The sooner the permanent tooth can be re-inserted to the socket, it increases the chances that the tooth will embed itself again to the gum.
What to Expect if Your Child Knocks a Tooth Out
If the knocked-out tooth has not been reinserted, the pediatric dentist will assess the socket, and the tooth itself to determine if reinsertion of the tooth is appropriate.
If you were able to re-insert the tooth yourself, then the pediatric dentist will take an X-ray to examine and confirm that it’s in the proper position. Once the tooth is in the proper position, they will need to do a splint to ensure the tooth remains in place long enough to re-embed itself.
What if You Can’t Find the Knocked-Out Tooth?
If you can’t locate the tooth that was knocked out, there are still measures your pediatric dentist can take.
If the lost tooth was a baby tooth, your child’s dentist may determine to simply leave the gap alone and let the permanent tooth erupt in its own time.
If the lost tooth was a permanent tooth, there are four options available:
Bridge – A bridge is when a false tooth is anchored into place by using sealant to attach it to the teeth on either side of it.
Implant – An implant is when a screw is put into the jaw bone and then a false tooth is created from a mold.
Denture – A denture is a false tooth that can be removed and cleaned.
Leave the gap – This option may be the least popular, but it should be noted.
All four options have varying costs and consequences. You would need to speak honestly with your pediatric dentist about the decision while you consider your child’s age, your financial situation, and your appearance preferences.
Potential Complications and Risks
No matter how straightforward the steps you need to take may seem, when a tooth is chipped, broken, or knocked out, there are potential risks and complications.
If the nerve inside the tooth is injured or exposed it can be very painful. This may require a root canal. We place a lot of importance on submerging and storing broken or knocked out teeth in milk because as a tooth begins to die, it turns a black color. Restoring a tooth to its original color can be challenging if not impossible.
These kinds of dental emergencies commonly happen during sports activities. We recommend a mouth guard to protect your child’s smile. For more information about mouth guards, read our in-depth post, “Why Your Kids Should Use a Mouth Guard“.
Contact Utah Pediatric Dentists for Your Dental Emergencies
Utah Pediatric Dentists serve the Salt Lake City community at four convenient locations. If you have a dental emergency, one of our offices is sure to be near you. Dental emergencies for kids can be scary and painful. Our offices are comfortable and inviting to kids of all ages and we are fully equipped for in office sedation when appropriate.
If you have a dental emergency, don’t hesitate to contact us!
It’s important that you find a pediatric dentist for the oral and dental care of your kids.
Pediatric dentists are specially trained to interact with infants, kids, teens, and youths with special needs, and to provide services specific to the size, shape, and issues that are special to kids. A pediatric dentist completes an additional two years of education and training to make them uniquely qualified to take care of your kids’ dental health.
That information is helpful perhaps in understanding why you need a pediatric dentist for your kids, but it still begs two important questions: Firstly, “How Do I Find a Kids Dentist Near Me?” and secondly, “What Do I Look for in a Good Pediatric Dentist?”
We’ve put together some tips to help you answer both those questions. Without further ado, here you go!
Tips to Find the Best Kids Dentist Near You
Talk to Your Dentist
Hopefully as a busy adult you have still managed to keep up with your own positive dental habits including a biannual checkup and cleaning with your chosen dentist. If you feel good about the culture, environment, and capability of your own dentist, ask if they know of any pediatric dentists in the area that they know professionally. Pediatric dentists are often connected to the communities and therefore also other dental professionals.
Ask Your Friends and/or Neighbors
Your friends and neighbors who have kids may have already done the legwork in finding a pediatric dentist that their kids feel comfortable with. See what they have to say, and ask more than one. Maybe there will be a pediatric dentist or two who pop up more often in your friends’ referrals than not.
Search it Online
Type the words “pediatric dentist near me” into your browser. If your browser is set to know your location, the search results will give you a list of pediatric dentists on a map so you can see how many there are and how near or far.
Alternatively, you can visit https://www.dentists4kids.com/ and adjust your search radius for how far you are willing to travel.
Take Time to Read Reviews
While I recommend that you do more than read reviews in order to make an informed decision, they still serve an important part of the process. You can find reviews on google, and yelp. Take the time to read more than just the bad ones. You can also learn from the responses: if the pediatric dentist responds, in what manner they respond etc.
Visit a Few Pediatric Dentist Offices
You should do this whether you have a list of four offices or only one. Pop in to the dentist office or offices that you are considering. Have a quick look around, what does the waiting room or play area look like. It doesn’t necessarily matter how big the area is, but is it clean? Are the toys that are available broken? How do the staff members interact with the children and parents? How is the atmosphere? Does it feel warm and welcoming? How does the receptionist respond to your entry? Are you greeted? Are you made to feel welcome?
Check out their Website
Usually, a website will have an “About Us” page. Take a look and see if the website can give you an idea of what the office looks like if you haven’t already visited it. Some websites will include information about their pediatric dentists, a biography of sorts. The website can be particularly important if you have a child with a specific dental concern. Not all pediatric dentists are trained and equipped to handle in-office sedation services for example. The website is a quick way to see if they can perform the services you require.
What to Look for in a Good Pediatric Dentist
Credentials
You want to be sure the pediatric dentist you are considering has the appropriate credentials. Pediatric dentists do an extra two years of specialized training and education to earn the special credential of pediatric dentist.
Office Atmosphere
This is where the office visit comes in and knowing the personality of your own child. Is the atmosphere friendly and welcoming? Does it feel chaotic? Is it clean? Do the staff seem comfortable and competent? How do the staff interact with the children and the parents waiting?
Patient Responses
Take a moment to notice the kids and their parents who are walking back to the waiting room, or exiting the building. What is their demeanor?
Prevention Focused
Browsing through their website and asking questions should give you an idea about this one. Prevention is a key building block to dental health in children. Find a pediatric dentist who cares about prevention, this can be observed by looking at the services they provide. Routine cleanings are a more obvious part of prevention. However, dental sealants, and fluoride varnishes are also prevention focused services. Additionally, a pediatric dentist who can perform in-office sedation services is important, particularly if you have a child who has exhibited some dental anxiety.
We hope this has helped you feel informed and ready to make a choice to ensure quality dental care for your kids. Our pediatric dentists are highly trained, and integrated members of their communities. Our practice provides dental care for children in the Salt Lake City, and undoubtedly one of our four locations is near you!
For the month of October, we are offering our patients, old and new, a promotion to prioritize clean teeth in our communities. Schedule a cleaning in one of our four office locations and in return you’ll walk away with a $25 gift card. Our offer is only good for appointments to the end of October, so don’t wait too long to get your appointment scheduled. Call us today, and reserve your child’s spot in October!
The pandemic has changed our lives in a myriad of ways. Some big changes were temporary, like the stay home orders and closing down of schools, businesses and healthcare facilities except for emergency situations (like our own). Other changes are smaller and more lasting such as social distancing, wearing masks, and the caution we now have as we engage with our communities in sports and social activities. Through it all unless you had a dental emergency, it is highly possible that your kids’ dental health took a back seat in your priorities. But let’s get it back on track as your family gets back into the swing of school and finding a new normal. Keep those teeth healthy with the following tips:
1. Schedule a Cleaning
Dental cleanings weren’t considered part of the emergency health services during the quarantine lockdown, but we’ve been open for business again as of April 27, and are here to check your children’s teeth for cavities or other potential issues and give them a good cleaning. Some experts are worried about a second wave of COVID 19 as our communities go back to school, so don’t wait to get that routine visit taken care of, contact us today!
We have four locations in the Salt Lake City area, so call the one nearest you if you’ve never been, or your favorite if you’re already a patient of ours. We are always accepting new patients so we can find a time and day of the week that works well for you. For some tips about scheduling the checkup so your little one can be at their best, check out our post “10 Tips to Ensure a Positive Experience at the Dentist for Your Kids”. We’ve simplified the paperwork process for you a bit; you can fill out our easy New Patient Form online.
2. Start Brushing Your Babies’ Teeth
If you’ve brought a new little one into the world this year, congratulations! What a story for them you will have when they get older, about the era in which they were born. You might believe that since they don’t have teeth you don’t need to worry about brushing just yet. But on the contrary, brushing should begin before their first tooth erupts. For more information about when you should start dental visits for your baby, we’ve written a post just for that topic, “At What Age Should You Take Your Child to the Dentist?”
Did you know that your baby is born with their teeth already forming (some already fully formed) in the jaw? Before any teeth have erupted, get them accustomed to the sensation of having something rub/brush along their gum line. For this, simply use a wet wash cloth (wet with only water) and rub gently to remove any bacteria that may be lying in wait.
Once a tooth or teeth have erupted, you’ll need to switch to an infant toothbrush. At this stage, you can begin to use a tiny amount of fluoride toothpaste, no more than the size of a grain of rice. If you are wondering why the toothpaste should be a fluoride toothpaste, read our post “Why is Fluoride Important to My Child’s Dental Health?”
Start flossing once they have any two teeth that are side by side. Introducing floss at a young age will not only help them to adjust to it, but as they get older and flossing becomes even more important, it will already be part of their routine.
Once your little one turns two, begin the process of teaching them to spit out the toothpaste instead of swallowing it. This is not an easy task and won’t happen overnight, but avoid the misstep of offering a cup of water to swish it around before spitting. Often that tends to increase the likelihood that they will swallow. Some kids might think spitting is fun, and that can be challenging from an appropriate behavior standpoint but you could use that to your advantage when it comes to brushing teeth. Suggest to your kids that when brushing teeth, it is appropriate to spit.
It is important that you start brushing early because babies can get tooth decay. There are sugars in formula and milk, and even if you are committed to only breastfeeding, bacteria can still find its way into your baby’s mouth.
3. Make Food and Snack Decisions that Help Prevent Cavities
Some days it seems that your kids never stop snacking. Perhaps that was especially true when they were home all day with you and couldn’t go anywhere. If you can, schedule eating times so that their teeth aren’t continually assaulted by food and sugars and bacteria all day long. Be mindful about the types of foods they are snacking on. Can you remove or limit sugary juices and sodas? Do you have healthy snack foods stocked in your pantry and refrigerator for easy access and little preparation? We explored the topic of health snacking in depth in our post, “Do-eats and Don’t-eats for Kids to Promote Healthy Teeth”. Additionally, if you are looking for ways you can encourage your kids to eat healthier foods, check out our tips, “To Get Your Kids to Eat Healthy – Try these 7 Magic Tricks”.
4. Routine Brushing and Flossing
We saved the best for last. We’ve said it before, and you’ll hear us say it again and again. Routine brushing and flossing is a necessary and perhaps the most important part of keeping your children’s teeth healthy. Make it routine in the morning and at night before bed, for two minutes. Let them pick out their own toothbrush (age appropriate), play a tooth brushing song while they do it, or count to 20 for each side top and bottom and front top and bottom.
We hope this helps your family get back on track with keeping teeth clean and having healthy smiles. We look forward to seeing your families again, and meeting new families as the school year begins!
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