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Dental Care Tips for Healthy Smiles While Having Summer Fun

Dental Care Tips for Healthy Smiles While Having Summer Fun

by | Aug 18, 2020 | Children's Oral Health, Pediatric Dental Treatments

August is arguably the best month of the summer. Your family has already settled into full swing summer mode, in fact anticipation for what the school year will look like is probably on everyone’s mind. You may be packing in some final road trips or getaways and special activities before school starts back up. This August will surely be unforgettable, as COVID-19 has certainly made our summer experiences unique. 

However, that doesn’t mean you haven’t found ways to have summer fun. Summer fun can have an impact on your kids’ smiles if you aren’t careful. Nevertheless, there are some concrete things that you can do to keep those smiles healthy. Here we’ve put together some strategies for making sure your kids’ dental health (and yours!) are still a priority.

 

  1. Hydrate with Water

This heat won’t keep kids inside all the time, and why should it when there’s so many fun water activities in our communities and the gorgeous Salt Lake? Summer drinks like sugary lemonades, slushes, and ice cream shakes are totally normal treats to cut the heat and feel refreshed but your body needs water and your teeth do as well.

Aside from the obvious hydrating benefits water has on the body, it is a valiant defender for our teeth and gums. Water helps wash away bacteria, food debris stuck between teeth, syrupy sugars, and acids from citrus drinks. Moreover, water with fluoride is even better. The American Dental Association (ADA) reports that fluoride prevents tooth decay by 25% in adults and children. Prepackaged water bottles typically do not have fluoride added, so we recommend carrying around your child’s favorite water bottle and refilling it instead. 

If you’re interested in more information about fluoride and why we offer fluoride treatments in our offices, read our post, “Why is Fluoride Important to My Child’s Dental Health?”

 

  1. Teeth Are Not Tools

So technically speaking, you can say teeth are tools; for eating. However, they are very much NOT tools for anything else. Definitely do not use them to hold something when your hands are full. And most assuredly, do not use teeth to open packaging, bottles, or soda cans. If you see your child or teen using their teeth in any of these ways, gently discourage the habit.

Why? Well a surprising number of dental emergencies involving chipped teeth, cracked teeth, or shifting teeth are a result of using teeth as tools. Protect the teeth and keep them on the sidelines when they aren’t working as intended; chewing food.

  1. Vitamin D is Good for Your Gums and Teeth

You might know there’s a relationship between vitamin D and the sun, but did you know that the vitamin D doesn’t actually come from the sun, but your own body? Exposure to the sun actually triggers your body to produce vitamin D itself. Research has shown that vitamin D plays a considerable role in both regulating calcium and aiding with calcium absorption in your body. Calcium is part of what makes the enamel on your teeth so strong and able to protect the teeth. Moreover, vitamin D works to lessen inflammation of the gums and fight infections. Gingivitis can expose the roots of teeth and in some cases even spread the infection to the roots causing teeth to loosen. Moreover, gum disease is unpleasant, sometimes painful, and related to heart health. Thusly, vitamin D is a very good friend for maintaining healthy gums.

 

  1. Don’t Forget Sun Protection for Your Lips

Just about everyone has forgotten a patch on their back that resulted in a splotchy sunburn or had a red, peeling, tender nose. Nevertheless, it is widely known and accepted that sunblock is important to protect your kids and yourself when you’ll be out under the hot summer sun. One widely overlooked spot though, is the lips. You can find a non-color chapstick with sunblock SPF in just about any store. Lips can sunburn and blister which is painful and can make eating and drinking awkward. So, keep those healthy smiles safe from the sun.

 

  1. Schedule a Cleaning

August is a good time to schedule a dental checkup and teeth cleaning. School hasn’t started up just yet and so you won’t have to worry about missed classes. Sometimes your child knows something is wrong in their mouth while yet other times they truly don’t. Get in to see us so that if there are any issues that require more treatment than a routine cleaning we will have time to do them before the school year starts.

 

  1. Keep Your Routines

It may be difficult to keep up the routine of brushing twice a day and flossing once daily, especially if you’re staying up late or traveling. Don’t start the slippery slope slide of skipping a brushing “just this once”. There are enough sugars and acids in their diets (no matter how health conscious your family is) that missing a brushing actually is harmful. Additionally, kids thrive on routines. Keeping to the brushing and flossing routines in spite of otherwise unusual or special activities and events will help them see that dental health is a priority, always.

 

We are the Utah Pediatric Dentists and we are committed to seeing health smiles in the children and teenagers of our communities. You can find us at one of our four locations in the Salt Lake City area. Bountiful, Taylorsville, Stansbury Park, or Herriman; each office is dedicated to making your child’s trip to the dentist a positive experience. Call us today to schedule an appointment. If you haven’t been to the dentist in a while because of the pandemic, take a few minutes to read our post, “Utah Pediatric Dentistry Offices Are Open Again!” where you’ll find information about some of the changes we made upon reopening in May to make visiting our offices a safe event.

Why Your Kids Should Use a Mouth Guard Dental Blog

Why Your Kids Should Use a Mouth Guard Dental Blog

by | Jul 27, 2020 | Dentistry News, Pediatric Dental Treatments

Have you ever considered that your kids, even the ones who don’t play football, should be using mouth guards when they play any sport? Mouth guards have been a staple piece in contact football equipment gear, hockey gear, lacrosse gear, and the boxing arena for a long time. Encouragingly, we’re starting to find them used more often in other sports that aren’t considered “contact sports” as well. These other sports include professional basketball, professional soccer, skateboarding, roller derby, biking, and more.

Why It’s a Good Idea for Your Kid to Wear a Mouth Guard

Your school’s team may not require your kids to wear a mouth guard for his or her chosen sport, but we’re going to talk about why they should be worn.

Just because a sport isn’t classified as a contact sport, doesn’t mean your kid won’t have a dramatic fall or take a hit to the head. Sports like soccer and basketball restrict physical contact between players with their “foul” systems but any of you who have played soccer or basketball or even just watched, have seen that fouls do occur. Furthermore, those accidental contacts can be truly cringe worthy, resulting in injuries. 

Sometimes it’s an arm swinging around with the ball, the elbow cocked and unintentionally lands on the defender’s jaw. Sometimes it’s a midfielder who slams to the ground when they’re slide tackled. Or maybe you’ve witnessed a fearsome trick on the half pike only to watch the skater miss the landing and crash.

What to Do in Case of Dental Trauma or Injury

The American Dental Assistants Association states that about 20 million kids are involved in official sports programs across our nation, moreover an even greater 80 million kids are participating on a recreational (and unsupervised) level. Combine that knowledge with the information that five million teeth are lost on a yearly basis due to dental trauma and injuries from sports.

Here are the common dental injuries sustained by athletes. We’ve outlined how to care for them in the immediate aftermath until you can get yourself and your kid to the dentist’s chair. If the injury occurs during a game, please do not wait until the game is over to go to the dentist. The sooner the damage to the teeth are addressed, the better the outcome.

Broken or chipped tooth, or a root fracture

  • Carefully bite down on a towel or washcloth to help hold the tooth still within the mouth in place.
  • Transport any fragments to the dentist office in milk, or gauze soaked in saline.

Tooth knocked out

  • Pick up the tooth by the crown, but do not touch the root of the tooth.
  • Do not attempt to brush, or sterilize the tooth.
  • Transport tooth to the dentist office in milk, or gauze soaked in saline.

Tooth in the socket but incorrectly positioned

(if the tooth has been pushed back or forward, or further into the socket)

  • Do not attempt to fix positioning.
  • Carefully bit down on a towel or washcloth to hold tooth still and go to the dentist’s office.

 

Studies Show Mouth Guards Protect from Dental Trauma and Injury

That’s right, research supports the use of mouth guards. In 2018, a group of researchers worked together to perform a review and meta analysis of 14 studies that were selected for the study due to their subject matter. They investigated, “ the impact of mouth guards (MG) on the prevalence of dento-alveolar trauma (DT) among athletes of contact sports.”

The conclusions this study found are significant and persuasive. They determined that mouth guard users were 82%-93% less likely to experience dento-facial injuries. Additionally, non-mouth guard users had a prevalence of dental trauma of 48.31% to 59.98%, as opposed to mouth guard users who had a prevalence of dental trauma at only 7.5% to 7.75%.

That’s a tremendous difference, isn’t it? The American Dental Association (ADA) has been supportive of increasing the use of mouth guards and advocates that they be used in all sports and recreational activities.

Types of Mouth Guards

If the idea of paying for a custom mouth guard for each of your kids causes your wallet to shrivel up and your heart to beat faster with anxiety, take a deep breath. There are three types of mouth guards on available on the market today at a range of prices.

Stock – Stock mouth guards are exactly what they sound like. They can be bought just about anywhere that has a sporting equipment aisle. They are however, the economical option, as they are inexpensive and preformed. These stock mouth guards may come in a range of sizes to choose from such as “youth” or “adult”, but they won’t conform to your kid’s jaw. This means they can be bulky consequently making it difficult to talk, and can cause discomfort, even gagging. 

Boil and Bite – These mouth guards are a step up from the stock mouth guards. As you might have guessed from their catchy name, they can at least partially conform to your kid’s individual bite. These are more likely found in sporting goods stores. You place the mouth guard in boiling water for them to soften, then while still soft, have your kid bite down and hold it. 

Instructions will vary depending on the brand, so be sure to read thoroughly before you boil and bite. This type of mouth guard will cost more than the stock guards but will provide a more customized fit, consequently making them more comfortable and less likely to induce any gagging. Unfortunately biting through these guards is relatively common on the grounds that the material will degrade over time and use.

Custom – A custom made mouth guard will provide the maximum protection possible for your kid’s teeth and jaw. Whereas a custom guard will fit perfectly to the nooks and crannies of the teeth. They are made from high grade materials so bite-through is rare, and the integrity of the materials will not degrade. These mouth guards also have the benefit of being the most comfortable. Having a custom fit ensures that your kid will be able to talk, and breath easily.

Over the Counter Mouth Guard that Have the ADA Seal of Acceptance

 

If you can’t afford to fit your kids for custom mouth guards, but want something dentist approved, there is one mouth guard that has the ADA Seal of Acceptance, the Game On Mouthguard.

If you really want a custom mouth guard, talk to us at your next visit. We can discuss your options together and find a solution.

Utah Pediatric Dentists Pregnancy

Utah Pediatric Dentists Pregnancy

by | Jul 7, 2020 | Children's Oral Health, Pediatric Dental Treatments

Did You Know?

Did you know your dental health can decline during pregnancy? When you’re pregnant, your teeth are probably not something you give much thought to, there’s so much else to occupy your time and your thoughts after all. It is however something that you should be mindful of. Here’s why.

 

Factors in Pregnancy that Lead to a Decline in Oral Health

 

Many mothers experience morning sickness, and not just in the mornings. It’s an unfortunate part of pregnancy for some, and definitely unpleasant. Aside from the obvious discomfort, stomach acid is harmful to your tooth’s enamel. 

 

If you’ve never been pregnant before, then nothing will prepare you for the exhaustion that a pregnant woman can feel. Your body is working so hard at growing a new human, and exhaustion as a side effect is common. With exhaustion, often comes a gradual decline in abiding by lifelong bedtime routines, namely brushing teeth and flossing.

 

Increased snacking and grazing often accompany pregnancy. We’ve written before about how continual grazing and snacking during the day is harmful for your kids’ teeth, but the same goes for the teeth of pregnant women. For your teeth grazing and snacking creates a feeding ground for Streptococcus mutans, a cavity causing bacteria that feeds on sugars and starches all while secreting acid. 

 

Gingivitis is more likely during pregnancy. According to the CDC, “60-75% of pregnant women have gingivitis”. Gingivitis is inflammation, swelling, redness, and bleeding of your gums and is more likely during pregnancy because of the hormonal changes. Obvious unpleasantness aside, gingivitis can transform to periodontitis. Periodontitis can affect the integrity of your jaw bone and cause you to lose teeth. In addition, periodontitis has been linked with preterm births and low birthrate.

 

Gummy prenatal vitamins are harmful for teeth. Most expecting mothers take a prenatal vitamin, but beware of prenatal vitamins that are gummy or chewy. Those types of vitamins unfortunately are sugary and stick in the crevices of teeth. 

 

Cavities in Expecting Mothers and Why It Matters

 

Unfortunately, cavities are relatively common in expecting mothers. The CDC reports that “1 in 4 women of childbearing age have untreated cavities”. When a cavity is present it means that you have harmful bacteria in your mouth and you can pass that bacteria to your baby after they are born thereby increasing the likelihood that your baby will have cavities early on.

 

Those harmful bacteria in a pregnant mother’s mouth, if in excessive supply, can actually traverse through the bloodstream to the uterus. It then triggers the production of prostaglandins which is the suspected link to preterm births.

 

Tips for Pregnant Women

 

It isn’t all doom and gloom for your teeth and those of your unborn baby. There are many things you can do during pregnancy to take care of your oral health and therefore protect your baby.

 

Take a glass of water and dissolve 1tsp of baking soda in it. Swish and rinse that solution around in your mouth after a bout of morning sickness to help wash away the stomach acids.

 

Schedule a visit with your dentist during pregnancy. There is no reason you can’t visit the dentist during pregnancy. Schedule a checkup and cleaning at least once during your pregnancy before your baby is born. Your dentist can advise you on the condition of your gums, any potential or current cavities and can make a plan with you for treatment if needed to get your teeth ready before your baby is born.

 

Don’t let go of your brushing and flossing routines. Even at the end of the day when you think you can’t do one more thing before going to bed, do just one more thing. Brush and floss those teeth. Consider also taking the time to brush during the day after you’ve indulged in a sugary or starchy snack. 

 

Drink water with fluoride. We know that with pregnancy comes cravings, moreover we have no desire to shame a pregnant mother away from those cravings. When you feed a craving that you know isn’t great for your teeth, we suggest washing it down with a glass of water to help rinse the sugars from your mouth. 

 

Healthy Snacking

 

Put some healthy snacking into your snacking repertoire as one more thing you can do to take care of your dental health. Here’s some suggestions:

 

Apples, Pears, Celery and Carrots

Crunchy vegetables and fruits are a good snack option because the crunch will do a bit of scrubbing on the tooth’s enamel and they are chalked full of vitamins. Crunchy fruits do have natural sugars but have a higher water content which lessens the sticky factor that processed sugars have.

 

Kale, Spinach, and Broccoli

Leafy greens are great sources of folic acid which in addition to being an important component in your prenatal vitamin, is also beneficial to maintaining healthy teeth and gums

 

Almonds, Cashews, and Peanuts

Nuts are great sources of calcium and phosphorus. Calcium and phosphorus are minerals important to dental health but can be eaten away by the acids in foods. Snacking on nuts helps to replenish them.

 

Utah Pediatric Dentists

 

We know that expecting mothers feel a lot of pressure. Worrying about your dental health can be one more anxiety on top of so many others that can occur during a pregnancy. Don’t feel overwhelmed by the information presented here. Mindfulness about your brushing routines and your snacking will be beneficial. Be sure to visit your trusted dentist before your baby is born. 

 

At Utah Pediatric Dentists, we look forward to meeting your baby and being part of helping you foster good dental hygiene habits in your home by visiting us at any of our four locations. If you’re already curious about when your baby’s first dentist visit should occur, check out our post, “At What Age Should You Take Your Child to the Dentist“.

10 Tips to Ensure a Positive Experience at the Dentist for your Kids

10 Tips to Ensure a Positive Experience at the Dentist for your Kids

by | Jun 30, 2020 | Dentistry News, Pediatric Dental Treatments

  1. Siblings with Positive Attitudes Go First

When you have more than one kid, schedule their appointments back to back. It’s easier for you this way and can be beneficial for your younger or more anxious kids. Have the sibling with positive experience and attitude go first (usually this will be the oldest). Your other kids will see their sibling come out of the dental chair with a smile, and this can be encouraging. Often younger siblings want to copy what their older siblings do, hopping into the dentist chair can be just another cool thing that big sister or big brother does.

  1. Schedule Around Naptime

For your kids that take naps, scheduling around the nap is key. Never schedule a dental visit during nap time and consider your child’s emotional state close before and after naptime. Try to avoid scheduling during a time they are prone to grumpiness. Kids that come in happy are more likely to be open to doing something new.

  1. Schedule After a Meal or a Snack

As with sleep, we don’t want a dental appointment to interfere with mealtime or snack time. Hungry kids can be grumpy kids, and let’s face it. Being hungry isn’t fun for anyone. Make sure they’ve eaten before their dental appointment so we can avoid hungry tummy rumbles or impatience to go eat. While it’s best that they have eaten recently before a dental appointment, please don’t offer snacks on the car ride to the office or in the waiting room just before. 

  1. Role Play at Home

Before their first dental visit, it’s a good idea to role play with your kids at home. Playing pretend is part of every child’s normal day and can a fun and engaging opportunity for learning and preparation. Take turns being the dentist and being the patient. For the first time, maybe demonstrate on a doll or stuffed animal. Be sure you give your kids the opportunity to be the dentist and you the patient. It can be fun for them to have the position of the “doer” and you can demonstrate how to be cooperative.

  1. Handle Your Own Anxiety

Be self-aware. Do you have your own anxiety about trips to the dentist? If you do, take some time before hand to prepare yourself to be calm and encouraging. Our children learn so much from us and can pick up on attitudes and behaviors that we might not be aware of displaying. Do your research about pediatric dentists so that you can feel confident about where you take your kids for their dental needs. If you need to, go in and check the place out on your own, so that it doesn’t feel new to you the first time you go with your kid.

  1. Watch Your Vocabulary

In accordance with being self-aware about any dental anxiety you may have, also beware your language about the dentist. When you talk about needing to go to the dentist for yourself, do you complain about it as something that you “have to do”? Be mindful to speak about it in a positive manner. Avoid talking about shots, or pain. Give them the opportunity to have a positive experience by not tainting their expectations. Also, please never use going to the dentist as punishment or threaten with it. Dental checkups for kids should be a routine like going to the doctor for a yearly checkup even when they aren’t sick. 

  1. Don’t Offer Rewards for Dental Visits

Avoid bribing or offering rewards for going to the dentist. Bribing or offering rewards implies that a trip to the dentist office won’t be fun so you have to offer something to balance it out. It sets the tone that a dentist appointment is something to be endured which casts it in a negative light. 

  1. Read a Book About the Dentist

Reading a book with your kid about a visit to the dentist is a great way to help set their expectations and help them visualize what to expect. Kids learn a lot from picture books and reading. Here’s a list of some kid’s books that can help you and your family out.

 

  • Dora Goes to the Dentist by Random House and Robert Roper: Your kids don’t have to love Dora the Explorer to love this book. It focuses on having your child look for certain objects in the picture and takes them through the process of what to expect.
  • Just Going to the Dentist by Mercer Mayor: In this book, the main character has a cavity and has to get a filling.
  • ABC Dentist by Harriet Ziefert, illustrated by Liz Murphy: This book goes through the entire alphabet with words applying to dentistry.
  • Visiting the Dentist by Charlotte Guillain: This book is a beginning reader book with a glossary and chapters. With photos, instead of illustrations it caters to an older child.

 

 

  1. Start Young

Familiarity goes a long way for kids, new experiences at new places are always harder than the known. Start taking your kids for dental checkups at a young age. We recommend your child’s first visit be when that first little tooth erupts. Having them come in for regular checkups will make visiting the dentist easier as they get older.

  1. Do the Paperwork Beforehand

Ask for the patient forms ahead of time and fill them out at home, so that when you get to the office, wait time isn’t any longer than necessary, and you can have your hands free to engage with your child. 

 

Remember that we are on your side, we want what is best for your child and we want for them to have a positive dental experience. Feel free to talk with us ahead of time about any concerns or anxieties you or your child may have. Together we can ensure that dentist visits occur with happy healthy smiles along the way.

 

5 Dental Concerns Specific to Teens

5 Dental Concerns Specific to Teens

by | Jun 11, 2020 | Children's Oral Health, Pediatric Dental Treatments

For all of our parents of teens and teen readers, this post is for you! We write a lot about dental issues and concerns surrounding toddlers and kids, but some topics apply specifically to our older patients and should be talked about on their own. So, let’s get started.

Wisdom Teeth

Most kids have all of their permanent teeth in by thirteen years old. That means you should have 28 permanent teeth in your smile when all is said and done. This is all you need to have. But in your teenage years, a few extra teeth decide to pop in, at the back of your jaw behind your already perfectly adequate molars. These new teeth are called wisdom teeth, and they often cause problems.

Wisdom teeth typically come in between the ages of 17 and 25 years. At this age, your bite has had time to establish, whether it be naturally aligned or with the help of mouth appliances such as braces. Wisdom teeth can upset the established order of your bite and can cause crowding. In turn, your teeth may move around to accommodate the late comers.

You might have heard a dentist say the wisdom teeth are “impacted”. This is when the wisdom tooth cannot fully erupt because it has tried to break through the gum line at an angle or sideways.

This is not uncommon; many adult jaws don’t have the space to accommodate 32 teeth. If your wisdom teeth are impacted, they need to be removed. Impacted wisdom teeth may not initially be painful but can become painful over time. Gum irritation and bleeding are common symptoms because the tooth agitates, if it has partially erupted it can be a feeding ground for food particles and bacteria to hide in your mouth.

If your wisdom teeth erupt fully, you still may need to have them removed. Proper alignment of your jaw and bite is very important, and if wisdom teeth causes crowding and movement of your other teeth, we may decide that they’ve got to go.

Braces

We may make referrals for our teenage patients for braces. We will do this if we determine that your bite is off, or if you have several teeth that are crooked. For some of you, having a smile with perfectly aligned teeth is enough of a motivator to deal with braces. But for those of you that it’s not, there’s a few other reasons to justify braces that may interest you.

Crooked teeth can be difficult to properly clean and brush. This leaves these areas in your mouth ripe for bacteria and food particles that can lead to gingivitis (bloody gums) and cavities. If your bite is off, it is possible that you might not even realize that eating could be easier and more comfortable if your teeth were properly aligned. If you struggle to take a clean bite out of a sandwich or a burger, it might mean that you have an overbite or an under bite. These issues can be fixed with braces, or sometimes retainers.

Braces may not seem so great, but the reality is the teeth that you have now, will be with you for the rest of your life. Taking care of them and fixing them when necessary is important to keep you smiling proudly throughout the rest of your adult life.

Lip and Tongue Piercings

If you’ve ever appreciated the look of someone you’ve seen that has a tongue piercing or a lip piercing, read this before taking any action. Piercing your tongue, your lip or the area above your lip is bad for your dental health.

Firstly, your mouth is a home to millions of bacteria. It is counterintuitive to pierce a hole in your flesh in an area crawling with bacteria. Infections in the mouth are quite painful, as anyone who’s had a cavity can tell you. Even if the piercing does not become infected, it can still cause problems. Lots of people with tongue and lip piercings develop a habit over time of playing with the piercing, tapping their tongue against their teeth, or twisting the lip ring using their teeth. Piercings can rub away your tooth enamel, crack your teeth, crack and dislodge fillings, cause bad breath (because they are another feeding ground for bacteria) cause gum recession, and gingivitis.

Tobacco Use

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), tobacco use among teens continues to persist in the United States.

  • “In 2019, 4 of every 100 middle school students (4.0%) and nearly 11 of every 100 high school students (10.8%) reported current use of two or more tobacco products in the past 30 days.
  • In 2019, about 12 of every 100 middle school students (11.5%) and about 30 of every 100 high school students (29.9%) said they had ever tried two or more tobacco products.”

Aside from the well-known health risks of cancer and heart disease because of tobacco use; the most immediate negative effects from tobacco use on your teeth are an aesthetic deterrent. We know that tobacco use stains your teeth. We also know that tobacco use causes bad breath. Information about how to quit or helping your teen quit can be found here.

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are a devastating issue that affects more than 10 million Americans. Aside from their harmful effects on the nutrition and development of the body they have a negative impact on dental health as well. Lack of proper nutrition for your body can cause bloody gums and chronic dry mouth. Saliva is your mouths natural defense to fight plaque and bacteria that thrive on your teeth and gum lines. Furthermore, frequent vomiting causes enamel erosion of the teeth from repeated exposure to the strong stomach acids. More information about eating disorders can be found here.

Utah Pediatric Dentists

We are committed to the kids in our communities of all ages. When was the last time your teen came in for a check-up? The teeth your teens have now, will stay with them for the rest of their lives, let’s take good care of them! Give us a call today to schedule a visit.