The enamel of our teeth is stronger than even our bones, it’s almost rock-like in fact. This serves us well in part, because unlike our bones which are protected by muscles, and skin, our teeth are out on display and put into direct contact with crunchy, chewy foods day in and day out. Also in contrast to our bones, our teeth cannot repair themselves. Although they are incredibly strong and damage resistant, our teeth can break, or chip.
How Does a Chipped or Broken Tooth Occur?
When we use our teeth as tools – Unfortunately, people use their teeth to open objects, packages, bottles etc.
Fall down – A fall can cause the jaw to snap shut harshly or to hit our jaw on some other object thereby causing the damage.
Blows to the face such as from fights, sports, bicycle, or car accidents.
Chewing ice or other especially tough foods could also cause chipping.
Bruxism is another potential cause that is grinding and/or clenching your teeth in your sleep, or unconsciously when awake.
Reason number one is why every dentist will tell you that you should never use your teeth to open something. Even an object as harmless-seeming as plastic packaging.
Reasons number two and three are why we strongly advocate the use of mouthguards for kids when they go biking or play any sport, even if that sport isn’t considered a contact sport.
Reason number four is a little trickier, but we encourage you to avoid hard candies for your kids, and explain to your kids early on that chewing ice is harmful to their teeth before it can develop into a habit that is challenging to break.
Reason number five can be alleviated by the use of a mouth guard at night. For more information about mouthguards, check out our in-depth post on the topic titled, “Why Your Kids Should Use a Mouth Guard“.
Regardless of the reason, if your child chips or breaks a tooth you should call us immediately for a dental emergency appointment. We have four office locations in around Salt Lake City, and our pediatric dentists and hygienists are here to help.
What Can a Pediatric Dentist Do for a Chipped or Broken Tooth?
So, we’ve established that a broken or chipped tooth can’t repair itself, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have options. We may recommend a bonding repair method, veneers, dental crowns, or a dental filling. The options depend on the severity of the chip or break, and the location of the damaged tooth. You might think having a chipped front tooth is the worst due to the fact that it’s impossible to hide. Nevertheless, a broken or chipped molar is often incredibly painful and more serious for the reason that your molars are vital to the chewing of your food.
More Information About the Repair Options
Bonding is exceedingly common for smaller chips or breaks. The dentist roughs up the area around the damage a bit and next, molds and a bond composite over the damaged spot. This bond composite is a color similar to that of the actual tooth so as to not be obvious. This repair method can last approximately ten years. In this process of restoration, we might be able to use the piece that broke off.
Veneers are a more expensive repair option and often are chosen because of their cosmetic appeal. Veneers are a porcelain cover for the outer face of the tooth. They can be applied to the nearby teeth as well to create a blended cosmetically appealing look. This is more typical in cases when a front tooth has been chipped.
We may recommend a dental crown when the chip or break is large. A dental crown is a two-step process. We start by doing a mold and then fitting a temporary crown, this will protect the vulnerable inner part of the tooth. The mold is then sent to a lab for a long-term crown to be created. At the second appointment, we remove the temporary crown and attach and seal the lab crown, which will also match the tooth in color. It’s important to note that a temporary crown will not be as strong as the lab-created. Avoid crunchy, chewy foods in the area of that tooth if possible.
What If You Have the Piece of Tooth that Broke Off?
Remember, don’t wait to call the dentist. You should call us for an emergency appointment, immediately. If you have a piece of the tooth, here is how to take care of it until you can get in to see us:
1. Submerge the piece of tooth in a container with milk, do not rinse it first with water.
Rinse your child’s mouth out with warm water.
Give them an ice pack for their jaw around the area to help with the pain.
Come in to see us, and don’t forget to bring the chip in the milk container.
What If the Whole Tooth Is Knocked Out?
Call us immediately for an emergency dental appointment! Do not touch the root part of the tooth, pick it up by the crown (the part that sits above the gum line) and submerge it in a container with milk.
If the tooth that was knocked out is a permanent tooth but is whole and not chipped or broken, you can, depending on your child’s emotional state, place the tooth back into the vacated socket. That should only be done if you can manage it without touching the root if it won’t upset your child, and you are sure the tooth is not broken or chipped.
The longer a permanent tooth is outside of the socket the less likely it is to re-embed into the gum. If the thought of reinserting the tooth on your own is too overwhelming, don’t feel guilty. The key is to get it submerged quickly into milk so that it doesn’t have the chance to dry out before you can get in to the dentist’s office and we’ll take care of the rest.
Reminder of Caution
If your child has already chipped or broken a tooth once, no matter how skilled the restoration work is, that tooth is at a higher risk of chipping or breaking again. Take extra care to utilize mouth guards at night in case of bruxism, and during sports activities. Moreover, please, please, please, don’t crunch ice or use teeth to open packages, bottles, etc.
When your kid colors a tongue on an animal or a person in a coloring book, what color do they use? We tend to think of tongues as being red or pink. Although, sometimes our tongues (our, meaning humans in general) can appear as other colors to be sure. The color possibilities of our tongue are visual signs or indicators that perhaps something is not quite right with our health. Let’s review the potential colors and what they might mean.
A Colorful Review of the Tongue
A healthy tongue is customarily pink, with a slight white coating. The pink can vary from a dark pink to a light pink and still be considered healthy or “normal”.
A red tongue (not to be confused with dark pink) can signify a few different possibilities: a deficiency of vitamin B, scarlet fever, allergic reaction, Kawasaki disease, and/or even eczema. Smooth red patches or red islands on the top of the tongue or the sides is indicative of a condition called geographic tongue or glossitis. The red patches may appear and then disappear only to reappear in a different spot on the tongue later.
An orange-colored tongue can be the result of certain antibiotics or foods. Also, dry mouth and poor oral hygiene can manifest this color as well.
A yellow tongue is most likely to be the result of bacteria buildup. Smoking or chewing tobacco are common miscreants for this in addition to copious amounts of black tea, coffee, and/or alcohol. More serious conditions can present a yellow tongue as well such as jaundice and possibly diabetes. Lastly, the tongue can turn yellow right before it turns black and hairy. (More on black in a bit.)
A green tongue most likely indicates oral thrush. Oral thrush is an easily treated condition that occurs when the natural balance of bacteria and yeast in your mouth tips and the yeast takes over. Initially, thrush may look white, but if untreated can turn green. Oral thrush is quite common in breastfeeding infants and can cause them pain during swallowing.
A bluish tongue is likely an indication of issues with blood circulation. This should be taken seriously for the reason that it can mean a blood disorder, kidney disease, or respiratory issues.
A purple tongue may similarly, be indicative of poor blood circulation, but could also point to heart problems or Kawasaki disease.
A white tongue is most commonly indicative of oral thrush. It can be thick and patchy, and if not addressed could turn greenish (as previously stated). Another possible cause of a white tongue could be a rash called lichen planus, but this would appear more as streaks or stripes instead of coloring the entire tongue.
A gray tongue may indicate digestive concerns or eczema.
A brown tongue is usually the result of smoking or excessive consumption of dark liquids, notably coffee or black tea.
A black tongue has a few different possible explanations. It can be due to excessive consumption of dark liquids such as black tea or coffee. However, it can also be a result of bacteria due to poor oral hygiene. It is also worth noting that the common over-the-counter medicine of Pepto Bismol can temporarily turn a tongue black. This occurs because the main ingredient in that special pink medicine is bismuth, and our mouths have sulfur (the presence of sulfur in your mouth is completely natural). The combination of sulfur with bismuth can cause your tongue to turn black but the discoloration should subside a few days following the last time you or your kid ingested the medicine.
A keratin buildup is another likely cause of black tongue, this often is accompanied by a hairy texture (more on tongue textures in the next section). In rare cases, diabetes or HIV can be a cause.
Tongue Textures
Your tongue in its natural, healthy state, is pink, but not is not smooth. Our tongues all have little bumps on the top and sides; these are called papillae. Contrary to common misperception, these papillae are not in and of themselves the taste buds, but some of them are homes to the taste buds. In addition to some of them containing taste buds, they also trap bacteria and serve the important function of helping to grip our food to make chewing and swallowing easier.
If your child’s tongue (or yours) appears hairy, this is not normal. Also, it’s not actually hair, it’s the papillae. Normal, healthy papillae are no more than 1mm long. The “hairiness” comes because the dead cells or the papillae aren’t shedding properly. A component of papillae is keratin, which is also the main protein of the hair on your head. The length of the normal short papillae continues to grow as they build up which explains the hairy appearance. Moreover, food, bacteria, and yeast will accumulate in the mass of lengthened papillae and will cause the discoloration. The hairy tongue can present because of poor oral hygiene, as a side effect of certain antibiotics or radiation, or tobacco use.
In most circumstances, hairy tongue can be eliminated by tongue brushing and/or a tongue scraper. It is important to note that once a person has had hairy tongue, they are more susceptible to a recurrence. The best way to avoid hairy tongue is to be sure you are brushing/scraping the tongue with the toothbrush as part of your daily dental hygiene routine.
Time for a Checkup at a Nearby Pediatric Dentist?
You now know more about the tongue than you ever thought (probably), and we hope it’s helpful! If your child’s tongue is discolored, make an appointment for us to check it out. As you likely noted, many of the possible discolorations of the tongue are related to oral hygiene. Keep up good brushing routines, and come to see us at least once every six months.
“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!!
If you have kids near the ages of four to six years old then the topic of the tooth fairy has probably come up a time or two (or on a daily basis if they’re excited about a loose tooth). In fact, did you find this article because you did a quick Google search for backup?
When your kids ask “is the tooth fairy real” or “what does the tooth fairy look like”, you might be tempted to give a simple yes or no answer and then make up something that sounds like what you were told when you were a kid. Nevertheless, there actually is an origin story to the myth, and it’s a convoluted one that reaches further back in time than you’d think: nearly a millennium. Moreover, research is showing that saving those baby teeth could have health benefits later on in life. First, we’ll go back in time, and then we’ll talk about the future.
Baby Teeth and Mythology
Yes, baby teeth were a talisman of sorts in the old Norse and Northern European cultures as far back as the tenth century. In the earliest writings of these cultures, the Eddas, references to a tradition of exchanging money for a baby tooth can be found. Baby teeth were believed to bring luck to a warrior in battle, and some cultures even made necklaces of them. This superstitious tradition was known as the “tand-fé” which translates to tooth fee. Interestingly and perhaps completely benign, the German word for fairy is “Fee”. Moreover, one Norse myth involves the god Frey who received an entire fairy kingdom as a “tooth gift”.
In the Middle Ages in England, children were instructed to burn their baby teeth to save themselves hardship in the afterlife. Children who refused to do so were warned they would search for their baby teeth forever in the afterlife. Other cultures have children bury their teeth, or throw them into the air. Nevertheless, these baby teeth mythologies and superstitions didn’t actually involve a tooth fairy until much more recent times: 1908 to be exact.
Where did the Tooth Fairy Come From?
In 1908, the Chicago Daily Tribune Household Hints section featured a helpful tip from reader Lillian Brown and the tooth fairy was born. In response to the concern that children didn’t want to have their loose teeth pulled, Ms. Brown wrote,
“Tooth Fairy.
Many a refractory child will allow a loose tooth to be removed if he knows about the Tooth Fairy. If he takes his little tooth and puts it under the pillow when he goes to bed the Tooth Fairy will come in the night and take it away, and in its place will leave some little gift. It is a nice plan for mothers to visit the 5-cent counter and lay in a supply of articles to be used on such occasions.”
Of course, it’s entirely possible that this was a long-standing tradition in Ms. Brown’s family going back generations, or maybe her family ran the 5-cent counter and she was cleverly thinking to drum up more business. Regardless, that is the first written mention of the tooth fairy as we know it.
Should You Pull a Loose Tooth?
Just because it seems parents were looking for ways to pull loose teeth in 1908 does not mean you should be doing that in 2021. We should take special note that we do not believe in pulling a loose tooth unless absolutely necessary. We prefer to allow a loose tooth to fall out, on its own time and without force. Your child’s body, including the workings of their mouth, is a powerful and intentional force and we should trust that the tooth will fall out when it’s good and ready.
If the gum around the loose tooth is inflamed, give us a call. There are certain circumstances in which we may decide pulling a tooth is best.
What Does the Tooth Fairy Do with Teeth?
This one can be a stumper for parents. Because really, their little but very rational and inquisitive minds are investigating and asking questions about everything as they learn about the world around them. Why would anyone want to collect a bunch of fallen out teeth since our warriors don’t wear teeth necklaces anymore?
Save Those Baby Teeth for the Future
Well, there’s some really interesting research out that shows you should collect and store your kids’ baby teeth for later on in life. The advancements being made today in both medicine and science are astonishing and the baby teeth may be an integral part of the future.
Baby teeth, and wisdom teeth, have adult stem cells that are referred to as “mesenchymal stem cells”. These stem cells are important because they can be applied to bone and tissue regeneration treatments. As of today, more than 2,000 clinical trials have been completed or are in process to study how these mesenchymal stem cells can help with treatments for a wide range of diseases including (but not limited to) the following:
Type 1 diabetes
Stroke
Parkinson’s
Alzheimer’s
Muscular dystrophy
Bone loss
Multiple sclerosis
Cardiovascular disease
Neural injuries
Cancers (Leukemia, Lymphoma)
In order for your child’s baby teeth to be viable in the future, they require proper storage. There are a few services already established for exactly this purpose such as Store-A-Tooth, or The Tooth Bank. If you’re interested in this idea for the future, do a little research about the companies to decide which one feels right for you.
Visit Utah Pediatric Dentists
When was the last time you brought your child in for a dental checkup and cleaning? Our offices are open and we want to see happy healthy smiles in our community. Give us a call to schedule an appointment at one of our four convenient locations.
The emotions surrounding the decision around whether to breastfeed or bottle-feed your baby can be intense and unfortunately can involve guilt or even shame. New moms have enough to worry about, and there is absolutely no desire on our part to make any of you feel a single negative emotion about the way you choose to nourish your baby.
Our aim with this article instead provides you with knowledge about your options. We want to share with you some of our expertise so that you can be confident that whichever way you feed your baby you can also look out for their dental health.
Did You Know?
Did you know that when your baby is born, their baby teeth are already fully-formed? While it generally takes time for each tooth to erupt (push through their gums) those teeth are already present from day one. This is why dental hygiene is important even prior to the first visible tooth!
While there are those who will argue for one feeding method over another, all experts agree on one fact: That newborns do not require any additional sustenance other than either breast milk or formula. Up until the age of six months, babies do not even require water. Even after introducing sips of water to your little one, milk (from the breast or formula) should remain their main source of hydration.
Bottle-Feeding with Care for Your Baby’s Dental Health
Bottle feeding can have a negative connotation because of its association with the dental term “bottle rot”. If bottle feeding is done improperly, it can cause major dental health issues for your baby. The keyword in that statement however is “can”. With knowledge and guidance, you can feed your baby by bottle without causing harm to their dental health.
Bottle rot occurs when a baby or toddler drinks milk, formula, or juices (those are the worst!) from a bottle over an extended period of time. The reason is as follows: When your baby drinks from a bottle nipple, the liquid will actually pool around inside his or her mouth causing additional exposure to the enamel of their teeth. Because of this, it is important for their bottle feeding to be an action that has an end instead of a continuous throughout the day. Here are a few guidelines so you know you are on the right track:
Your baby should be kept awake the entire time they are feeding.
Your baby should not be allowed to crawl or walk around carrying their bottle to take sips randomly throughout the day.
Your baby should not be put to bed with a bottle.
Additionally, start dental hygiene early on. You won’t need a toothbrush until their teeth actually erupt, however cleaning out your baby’s mouth following a bottle-feeding by covering a single finger of your own with a clean, wet washcloth and wiping it along the insides of their cheeks and their gum line. This has the benefit of wiping free any residual milk and getting your baby prepared to eventually have a toothbrush inside of his or her mouth.
Breastfeeding and Your Baby’s Dental Health
Yes, there is sugar in breast milk. However, research shows that breast milk is not cariogenic (does not cause tooth decay). Early childhood cavities have been previously associated with breastfeeding, but further studies have shown that most of those cavities occur when a breastfed infant is exposed to supplemental foods. Lower risk of tooth decay in breastfed babies may also be attributed to the difference in suckling from a breast as opposed to suckling from a bottle. When breastfeeding, the mother’s milk will enter the baby’s mouth already behind the teeth, and when the suckling action stops, so too does the flow of milk.
What this means for breastfeeding mothers is twofold: that their milk is not actively causing harm to their babies’ teeth. Moreover, they should still start dental hygiene for their babies early on. In exactly the same way as described above for bottle-fed babies.
Furthermore, studies have shown that breastfeeding may have a positive impact on your baby’s bite structure. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), those studies have shown
“that babies who were exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months were less likely to have teeth alignment issues such as open bites, crossbites, and overbites, than those exclusively breastfed for shorter lengths of time or not at all.”
What It Can Mean for Parents
While mothers can take these aforementioned steps to ensure the dental well-being of their babes, it’s not unusual to see a slip of sorts in the mother’s own dental care. The exhaustion and stress of being a new mom can be and often is overwhelming. Consequently, new moms are more likely to grind their teeth or clench their jaws and skip their brushing teeth routines.
It shows your dedication to your baby that you’ve taken the time to read this post, and so while we have your attention; we ask you to remember to take the time for your own dental care as well. Stick with those lifelong habits of brushing twice daily, and flossing once. Keep hydrated by putting your water bottle in the diaper bag when you leave the house. Dry mouth causes an increased risk of cavities and gum disease.
We recommend (as does the ADA) you bring your baby in to see us when the first tooth erupts. If they are one year old but not a tooth has erupted, it’s still time for them to come in. Bring your beautiful baby in to see us at any of our four locations in Bountiful, Taylorsville, Herriman, or Stansbury Park, Utah. Simply call us today at 435-580-8800 and we will get you scheduled at the pediatric dentist nearest you.
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