“They’re just going to fall out eventually, so why do we need to treat or restore the baby teeth?” This question comes up more often than you might think, and in a way, it has logic to it. After all, we don’t fix broken or chipped fingernails, we let them fall off or clip them the rest of the way off. So why is it different when we talk about baby teeth?
Here’s a handful of reasons for you to understand why not only the routine daily dental care of your kids’ baby teeth is important but the value of filling cavities in baby teeth as opposed to leaving them alone or simply extracting the tooth.
1. Chewing Skills and Speech
Baby teeth serve to help the development of eating habits, and speech patterns. Consider that the front teeth primarily function to bite off foods, but the grinding process occurs with the molars. We prefer to extract teeth only in certain circumstances: when the tooth is so severely decayed that proper restoration is not possible, or if a primary tooth is preventing a permanent tooth from erupting.
Speech is the outcome of a blend of tongue, teeth, and lips working together as they control sound and airflow coming out of your mouth. Not every single sound requires the tongue to strike the teeth, but the majority do. Just for fun try saying the following sentence without allowing your tongue to touch your teeth or lips:
“Thank you for this delicious meal.” Doesn’t come out sounding correct at all, does it?
2. Keep the Space
Moreover, they are excellent placeholders. The formation of their bite and the drawn-out eruption of the permanent teeth is a delicate balance maintained by the primary teeth which generally have all erupted between the ages of three and four years old. Typically, healthy primary teeth won’t begin to fall out until your child is six to seven years old. Permanent teeth start erupting around the same time, but the eruption timeline for them stretches out until their late teens. Some wisdom teeth erupt even as late as 21 years of age. When a primary tooth is extracted, the rest of the teeth in the jaw can drift a bit, consequently crowding can be an issue later on.
3. Pain and Infection
Untreated cavities in primary teeth can spread, worsen, and lead to severe decay which in turn can be quite painful and negatively impact their quality of life. Abscesses, infections, dental sepsis are all painful complications that can develop and require serious interventions. While less painful perhaps, the untreated cavities in baby teeth can be visible and depending on their age impact their confidence and raise unnecessary insecurities.
4. Hypodontia / Oligodontia / Anodontia
This reason is often surprising to people, but it actually affects a markedly large percentage of the population. Moreover, it addresses the original question pretty precisely. Hypodontia is when one to six permanent tooth or teeth fail/s to even form. This means the baby tooth that erupts will never get a replacement and therefore its importance jumps to the front of the line, immediately. Taking care of the baby teeth should be important anyway, but if that baby tooth is the only one they will have in that position for the rest of their life? That certainly puts a new perspective on it, doesn’t it?
Oligodontia is when more than six permanent teeth fail to form and occurs significantly less often than hypodontia, while anodontia is a total absence of permanent teeth and is even rarer. The most common permanent teeth to be missing in a case of hypodontia are actually the wisdom teeth which often are extracted anyway so people don’t get concerned about a missing one or two. Next in line are the premolars that are located on the sides between the canines and the molars, followed by the upper lateral incisors, and then the lower central incisors.
An estimated 20% of adults have hypodontia, and while it’s been linked to genetics, research suggests environmental factors may influence its occurrence as well. The condition presents more often in women, with identical twins displaying a higher than average rate as well.
If you’re a parent reading this who has a baby tooth that was never replaced by a permanent tooth, then it is possible this trait could present in your child(ren) but should not be an automatic conclusion. Tell your child’s pediatric dentist if hypodontia applies to you, so they can be aware to look for it. If your child currently has a gap due to a lost baby tooth and the permanent tooth has yet to erupt, no need to panic. This does not automatically mean there is no permanent tooth, it is more than likely only a delayed eruption of the permanent tooth.
Restorations for Baby Teeth
If we discover a cavity in a baby tooth, we’ll discuss with you the options available for restoration so you can make an informed decision. Generally, we recommend resin composite fillings because they match the color of the teeth, and dry quickly allowing for a shorter period of time in the dentist chair.
Dental Checkups Matter
Even if your kids don’t have complaints, it’s important that they have routine dental office checkups. Some insurances only cover visits once a year, but we normally recommend bi-annual visits (every six months). When was the last time your kids came in to see us? We have four offices spread over the Bountiful area, all conveniently located and designed to put your child at ease. We’re here for you, so give us a call and put us to work!!
When you’ve got a little one in your home, that first year of their life is full of exciting new moments and milestones; first smiles, sitting up, crawling, first full night of sleep, walking, first words, and among others, the first tooth! As your local pediatric dentists, we are committed to the happy and healthy smiles of all children and proper dental care for those first teeth is therefore a topic near and dear to our hearts. Accordingly, today’s article topic is about why your one year old should visit the pediatric dentist.
While eruption of the first baby tooth varies quite widely, anywhere from three months of age to 12 months old, experts agree (the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Dental Association for starters) that a child’s first dental office visit should occur before or at the age of one year old. Some of you might feel that one or two sweet little baby teeth shouldn’t require a dental visit, and while we can understand why you might believe that, there are two powerful reasons why. Let’s dive into those reasons.
2 Crucial Reasons Why Your One Year Old Needs to Go to the Pediatric Dentist
Lay the Foundation – Lamentably, many adults and children have a fear of the dentist. Often adults who have had a negative experience with a dentist can unknowingly pass on general feelings of distrust, suspicion, and fear to their children. Like the field of medicine, dentistry is not a stagnant industry. Our knowledge and understanding has grown exponentially alongside the development of better technologies and techniques to make the experience more comfortable and virtually pain free. In addition to improvements in knowledge and practice, major emphasis has been placed in the field of pediatric dentistry on how to create, develop, and foster positive associations and relationships for children with dentistry. We begin by laying the foundation, early in life. A trip to the dentist becomes a normal part of life, much in the way going to the pediatrician as a child is.
Prevention – In addition to laying the foundation, a dentist visit by one year of age allows the first dentist trip to not have an association with pain. Consider, if you wait to go to the dentist for the first time until your child is having pain in a tooth, then that place becomes associated with pain. Moreover, while at six to 12 months of age your little one might not have many teeth, we can discuss and review proper ways of feeding, brushing, massaging gums, and other important hygiene practices that work to prevent cavities. Even if your child only has one or two teeth, it is still possible to get cavities, and bottle rot is unfortunately more common than we’d likely and almost entirely due to lack of information for parents.
How to Prepare for the First Trip to the Pediatric Dentist
Be sure the time is right! Each child is unique and has their own rhythms that their bodies and minds cycle throughout the day. Watch closely for a few days (or ask your childcare provider) to look for the time of day when your child is most alert and merry. This time of day for your child will vary however typically occurs sometime before midday.
Let them eat their meal or snack before the appointment. Hungry littles are less tolerant (understandably so) and more likely to cry and refuse any requests.
Talk to your little one about the impending trip to the dentist. Regardless of how verbal your child is at this age, telling them about a new activity incorporated to their day is helpful, as they understand more than we think! Be cautious not to impart any words of anxiety or negativity about the visit. For this age, a simple “we’re going to the dentist today, and they’re going to look at your tooth and show us how to clean it properly” is enough.
Bring the favored snuggle animal. A comfort item is absolutely appropriate for your toddler to bring to the dentist. Our offices are specifically designed to be warm and welcoming for children, yet a cuddly stuffed animal or doll is invited along. Furthermore, we can even incorporate said cuddly stuffed animal into a demonstration.
Come alone with your child. If possible, leave their siblings with another family member, school, or childcare setting. Allow yourself to focus entirely on your child during the dental visit attentive to their cues without distractions from another sibling.
What to Expect for the First Trip to the Pediatric Dentist
You’re probably wondering what exactly a dentist visit entails when only one or two teeth (or less or more) have erupted. Here’s what you can expect that first time:
We’ll let you and your child have a look around the office, and let them choose if they want to sit alone in the dentist chair or on your lap. If appropriate, we may use their accompanying snuggle animal to give a demonstration of what we’ll do. We’ll take a look inside their mouth, assessing their gums and teeth for any injuries, cavities, or plaque. Following that inspection, we’ll clean the teeth. Before you leave, we’ll review your dental hygiene routine at home and offer advice or information for any questions you have.
Utah Pediatric Dentists Believe in Prevention
In closing, we leave you with this video created by two of our own pediatric dentists where they encourage parents to start early with visits to the pediatric dentist as a preventative measure. Take just the one minute to watch it and hear the voices of Dr. Jason, and Dr. Chuck.
Summer’s here and we’re so excited about it! A break from the homework and the out-of-the-house rush in the mornings without forgetting backpacks or snack packs is due. Pool parties, barbecues, grill parties, sports team tournaments, rec league games, and all the other summer fun activities are already bringing smiles to your kids’ faces and sweetening their dreams. Nevertheless, those same activities that make them smile, can be hard on those very same smiles. What do we mean by that? Well, the snacks, the drinks, and the types of foods we ingest at these parties can be harmful to our teeth. With this in mind, we’ve put together a list of tips for summer fun to help you and your kids take care of their smiles.
Hot Tips for Healthy Summer Smiles
Choose Crushed Ice: This one may seem like it’s coming at you out of the left-field, but it’s a great tip that’s easy to gain your kids’ approval for. The truth is, that crunching on ice cubes is harmful to the enamel on our teeth. Crunching ice can crack the enamel of the tooth which can result in cold sensitivity and increased vulnerability to cavities. Add to that, the potential for actually chipping or cracking a tooth, which is a legitimately shocking and even painful experience, do we need to say more? Bottom line, everyone wants ice-cold drinks, especially in the Utah summer heat, and we can’t begrudge anyone that desire, so here’s your workaround. Choose crushed ice whenever possible!
Mouth Guards Make a Difference: Just because school sports are on a break, doesn’t mean your kids won’t be playing this summer. Whether it’s competitive tournaments, or a more casual rec league doesn’t matter when it comes to the propensity for dental emergencies. Mouth guards are essential for any sport. A large portion of our emergency dental visits to the office are a result of a broken or chipped tooth from a ball game, a bike crash, or simply falling on the wet, slippery surface by the pool. Mouth guards will protect their teeth in those types of situations, even the more economical versions found at your local store. Give us a call to learn more about a custom-fitted mouth guard that will have the advantage of increased comfort.
Ensure Crunchy Veggies Are Available: You won’t be the menu master at other people’s home parties, but you sure are for your own! When you’re planning a summer bash, make sure you put out vegetable platters with crunchy carrots, celery, bell pepper, broccoli, cauliflower, and more. Go further, and integrate these vegetables into your daily snack options for your kids. Take a morning or afternoon and prep them by cleaning, peeling, and slicing so they’re easy to grab or pack if your kids are headed out the door. Not only are vegetables rich in vitamins, but the crunchiness serves as a scrubber for the teeth, helping to remove sugars or other food debris that is otherwise lodged in their teeth. Also, why not bring a veggie platter to your neighbor’s pool party?
Lemonade in Moderation: Who doesn’t love a lemonade or a limeade in the summertime? Your teeth, that’s who. These delicious summer drinks are a double whammy on teeth: the citrus runs an assault the enamel while the enormous amount of sugar dives in and hides in the nooks and crannies looking for vulnerabilities. We generally prefer to avoid doling out a hard ‘no’ on anything as we know that kids often love what they can’t have, yet we encourage these types of drinks to be limited. Also, after a limeade or a lemonade follow it up with a generous swig of water. Swish the water around and spit it out to help wash away residue citrus and sugars.
Refillable Water Bottles: We love the benefits of water, as demonstrated in the aforementioned lemonade tip. In general, swishing and then spitting a mouthful of water after any snack or meal that has sugars, sauces, or stickiness is highly recommended. When your kids are out and about, they are less likely to splurge on a soda or other sugary drink if their water bottle is already on hand. The same goes for you, parents. Carrying around your water bottle sets a positive example for your kids, and will help you moderate the temptation to buy yourself a cold sugary drink when you’re sitting in the sun watching a game, or hanging by the pool or grill. Other benefits to utilizing refillable water bottles include the fluoride benefit from the city’s water supply, and the cash benefit as well. $1.50 (or more) every day adds up.
Travel Toothbrush and Toothpaste: At any local drugstore, you can find travel-sized toothpaste and toothbrushes that will fit easily into your purse, your kid’s backpack or sports bag, and even the console of your car. Make brushing teeth a priority, even when your family is on a road trip or weekend getaway.
Schedule a Cleaning: The majority of dental insurance plans these days cover two cleanings per year. When was the last time your kids had a cleaning? If you can schedule around vacations, getting in for cleanings during the summer is easier than pulling them out of school, or utilizing the short afternoons Monday through Friday during the school year. Utilize your dental plan to its maximum benefit, and schedule cleanings for your kids this summer.
Call Utah Pediatric Dentists Today
We have three fully equipped and staffed office locations waiting to hear from you. Our team of staff is dedicated to happy kids with healthy smiles. We’re just a phone call away, and look forward to hearing from you! Happy summer, we hope you enjoy it to the fullest!
You might be thinking to yourself, how in the world would a pediatric dentist help with breastfeeding? To be sure, there are several resources available to mothers with breastfeeding struggles; including a doula, a midwife, a lactation consultant, or the international non-profit organization called La Leche League (translates to the milk league).
We are not lactation consultants or specialists in the birthing process. However, we can help if your doctor, pediatrician, lactation consultant, or midwife determines a medical condition related to difficulty with latching called a tongue tie or a lip tie.
Breastfeeding Challenges Are Not Uncommon
In fact, if you are struggling with breastfeeding, and the only step you’ve taken thus far is to do some research on google, we strongly encourage you to reach out to one of the above-mentioned resources. Breastfeeding is a natural body exchange between you and your baby. Nevertheless, the fact that it is a natural process does not always equate to the term, easy. Breastfeeding can present numerous challenges for a new mother, in spite of the fact that we know a woman’s body is created with the specific ability to produce milk for her baby. A variety of factors can create challenges with breastfeeding including:
pain for the mother
difficulty with latching
anxiety or stress related to breastfeeding in public
concern about supply (many mothers worry: ‘is my baby getting enough?’)
returning to work
The Majority of Mothers Want to Breastfeed
Mothers who struggle with breastfeeding are not alone and are not unique in their challenges (even though it may feel like you are). In fact, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) a little over 80% of mothers start out breastfeeding their babies which is indicates that a majority of mothers want to breastfeed their babies, yet by the three-month mark, the percentage of breastfed babies drops to just under half (46.9%).
How a Tongue Tie or Lip Tie Impairs Latching
If you’re having pain during breastfeeding or your baby struggles to latch, ask your breastfeeding resource support if it could be related to a tongue-tie or a lip tie.
Tickle your baby’s lips with your nipple. This will help the baby open its mouth wide.
Aim your nipple just above your baby’s top lip. Make sure your baby’s chin isn’t tucked into their chest.
Aim your baby’s lower lip away from the base of your nipple. The baby’s lips should be turned outward like a fish. Your baby should lead into the breast chin first and then latch onto your breast. Your baby’s tongue should be extended, and your breast should fill your baby’s mouth.
As stated by these steps, your baby’s lips must be able to turn out, and their tongue must be able to extend. If your baby has a lip tie or a tongue tie, it could prevent your baby from the ability to form a good latch. To further explain we need to understand a bit about the anatomy of the mouth. The tongue is attached to the floor of the mouth by a thin membrane called the lingual frenulum. The lips as well, are attached by a thin membrane to the gum which is called the labial frenulum. These membranes should be thin enough to allow movement of the tongue and lips, when the frenulum is too short or thick and tight, it restricts mobility which can therefore impair latching capability. If your baby is unable to create a seal on the breast that enables them to suction out the milk, they may be squeezing your breast or nipple which is painful.
How We Can Help?
To clarify, if your baby has a lip tie or a tongue-tie there is no negative stigma associated with either of those terms. Neither means your baby has a disfiguration, nor does it automatically mean your baby will struggle to latch during breastfeeding. If you believe your baby has a tongue or lip tie but can breastfeed without pain, then put it out of your mind. However, if your breastfeeding supporter believes a lip tie or tongue tie is contributing to breastfeeding challenges, call us for a consult about a simple, effective procedure called a frenectomy.
What is a Frenectomy?
A frenectomy is a procedure that snips the lingual or labial frenulum. Traditionally, a frenectomy was conducted merely with surgical scissors. At Utah Pediatric Dentists, we perform frenectomies via our LightScalpel CO2 laser. Our laser allows this quick procedure to be less painful and less traumatic as well as with increased accuracy, safety, and quicker healing.
Following the frenectomy, the frenulum will reform, albeit thinner or longer than its previous state. To ensure this, we provide wound treatment, follow-up care, and education for stretching exercises to ensure the reformed frenulum allows proper mobility. We are pleased to work with your breastfeeding supporter to provide well-rounded and collaborative aftercare for you and your baby.
Healing from a Frenectomy
Thanks to the CO2 laser, which both disinfects and cauterizes the wound site immediately, there will be little to no bleeding following the procedure, and you can breastfeed your baby immediately after to help soothe your baby (and you!) The wound site itself will have a diamond shape appearance, which will change colors during the healing stages: white, yellow, and/or green are all appropriate colors that do NOT indicate infection.
Call Utah Pediatric Dentists for a Frenectomy
Each of the three of our office locations in Redwood, South Davis, and Herriman has a LightScalpel CO2 laser. Our staff and pediatric dentists have performed hundreds of frenectomies, some of our patients driving long distances to utilize our services. We are cognizant of the fears that parents may have at the thought of a frenectomy for their precious baby, and we both respect and honor those fears by being patient, present for questions, and supportive of a collaborative breastfeeding approach for mothers.
With our busy schedules and seemingly endless to-do lists, it is easy to put off taking our kids to the dentist – we probably don’t go ourselves unless we are suffering from unendurable pain. What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, right? This expression might have some truth to it, but it certainly does not apply to our oral health. When it comes to your kids’ pearly whites, prevention and early treatment are key to ensuring not only your children’s oral health but their overall physical health as well.
Read on to learn more about pediatric dentistry and where to find the best pediatric specialists in Salt Lake City.
What Is a Pediatric Dentist?
A pediatric dentist is a specialist who provides preventive and therapeutic oral health care for infants and children through adolescence, including those with special health care needs. Pediatric dentists provide care, carry out research, and teach in diverse clinical and institutional settings. They collaborate with other health care providers and
members of social disciplines for the wellbeing of children.
To become a pediatric dentist, after four years of dental school, a dentist must complete a 24-month advanced education program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. Pediatric dentistry programs cover a variety of disciplines, techniques, procedures, and skills which are adapted to the particular needs of infants, children, adolescents, and those with special health care needs.
The work-scope of a pediatric dentist encompasses all of the following:
• Behavior guidance (for example, pacifier use and thumb sucking)
• Care of medically and developmentally compromised and disabled patients
• Supervision of orofacial growth and development, including early assessment and treatment for straightening teeth and correcting an improper bite (orthodontics)
• Caries prevention, including cleaning and fluoride treatments, as well as nutrition and diet recommendations
• Repair of tooth cavities or defects
• Management of gum diseases and conditions including ulcers, short frenulae, mucoceles, and pediatric periodontal disease
• Care for dental injuries (for instance, fractured, displaced or knocked-out teeth)
• Pharmacological management, including sedation
Why Is Pediatric Dentistry Important?
As any parent knows, children usually feel nervous or even terrified of the simplest medical procedures – and unfortunately visits to the dentist are not the exception. Thankfully, pediatric dentists know how to examine children and interact with them in ways that put them at ease. Furthermore, the entire office is geared towards children from the equipment to the decoration – don’t underestimate the soothing effect of a set of Peppa Pig scrubs!
Not only do pediatric dentists win over their patients with fun outfits and decorations, but – more importantly – they also explain and demonstrate to kids step by step what they will do before they even ask the children to open their mouths. For example, a water flosser looks scary even to adults, but if children have seen how it works and maybe felt the water on their hands, instead of being afraid, they might think it seems fun and look forward to a cleaning.
Is Pediatric Dentistry a Modern Invention?
As parents, it often seems like the world our kids are growing up in is vastly different from the one we grew up in, and it is hard to distinguish between true improvements/necessities on one hand and inventions of consumer society on the other. However, in the case of pediatric dentistry, the American Dental Association officially recognized this specialty in 1940, and the American Academy of Pedodontics was founded in 1947. Furthermore, the first book on children’s dentistry dates all the way back to 1742. In other words, pediatric dentistry is by no means a new fad.
Moreover, taking kids to the dentist nowadays is even more important than it was in the past. According to the latest National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999-2004), tooth decay in children ages two to eleven has been increasing since the mid-1990s with younger children being more severely affected. The aforementioned survey found that 42% of children two to eleven have had dental caries in their primary teeth, so if you haven’t yet taken your children to the dentist, it is imperative that you do so; remember that with oral health sooner is always better.
Kids Dentist Near Me
If you live in or around Salt Lake City, Utah, we have three conveniently located pediatric dentistry offices for you to choose from: in Redwood, in South Davis, and in Herriman. Click on the location nearest you to get to know us a little better – the more you know us, the more you’ll love us; then call to schedule your child’s appointment today!
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