“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.
It’s no secret that parents and experts alike worldwide are concerned about how life under the duress of COVID-19 is influencing (for better or – more talked about – worse) our children’s lives. We worry about the physical effects on their eyes and their brains from so much time in front of a computer or tablet screen when virtual school has caused such a significant up-tick in screen time. We worry about their behavioral development as our societies have turned very insular and social interactions are so limited if they occur at all. We worry about their mental health as more are subjected to internalizing major stresses in the home from food and job insecurity or the direct stress issues that come from parents managing so much all while everyone is in the home all the time.
Less talked about, although certainly a concern from all our staff at the four Utah Pediatric Dentists locations, is the impact the pandemic is having on children’s dental health.
Mott Poll Report on the Challenges to Children’s Oral Health Due to the Pandemic
60% of parents surveyed reported they had at least attempted to get preventative dental care for their child since the onset of COVID-19.
69% of those parents reported they were able to get an appointment in the usual timeframe.
24% of those parents reported they were able to get an appointment, after a delay.
7% of those parents reported they were unable to get an appointment.
Of the parents, unable to get an appointment, a small percentage of them did have private insurance (4%) or no coverage (5%) at all while a significantly higher percentage had Medicaid dental coverage (15%). 40% of parents reported they had not attempted to schedule preventative dental care for their child. When asked to give a reason most responses fell into one of the following four reasons:
40% of the parents in this group gave the reason that they did not want to risk coronavirus exposure.
23% of the parents in this group said their dental office was closed or only accepting patients with dental emergencies.
23% of the parents in this group said their child wasn’t due for an appointment.
28% reported their child didn’t have any dental issues.
67% of parents surveyed reported that it felt safe to seek dental care for their child now.
14% of parents surveyed reported that it felt unsafe.
19% of parents surveyed reported that they were unsure if it was safe or not.
33.33% of parents say the pandemic has been a barrier to getting preventative dental care.
Now for the pleasant surprises:
28% of parents reported at least one change to the benefit of their child’s dental health.
37% of this group of parents have Medicaid dental coverage.
32% of this group of parents have zero dental coverage.
24% of this group of parents have private dental insurance.
Of the positive changes reported:
16% are brushing more often.
11% are flossing more often.
9% are using a fluoride rinse more often.
15% are drinking sugary beverages less often.
While the survey doesn’t exactly give a pediatric dentist an overwhelming feeling of success, the positive changes that were reported in almost 1/3 of surveyed households are absolutely encouraging. We want to follow that feeling of encouragement and share it with the parents of our pediatric patients in our communities.
What You Can Do in Home to Combat Negative Dental Effects During the Pandemic
While our kids are spending more time at home, and less time in the actual classroom their access to food has become almost unlimited. The problem with unlimited access to food for kids is that it can result in grazing, which means snacking lightly but steadily over a long period of time. Grazing, simply stated, is bad for anyone’s dental health (not only kids) because it is a near-constant assault of sugars and acids on your teeth.
What Can You Do About It?
We’re not asking you to put locks on the pantry, fridge, and cabinets (although technically you could do that.) We’ve got a few simple things you can do to help reduce the grazing and reduce the damage snacking can cause.
Create a meal and snack schedule for the household.
Maximize the healthy snacks that are available such as crisp fruits and vegetables like apples, pears, carrots, celery. Nuts are also a great snack packed with protein. For more about teeth healthy snacks, check out this blog post.
Minimize access to “junk” foods. If it’s not in the house, it’s so much easier to curb. Junk foods can be such a temptation, knowing there’s a bag of chips in the pantry just might be torture for your 14-year-old.
Safe access or perceived safe access to preventative dental health was another major concern in the Mott Report, and for that, we ask you to call us. We are open, we are taking precautions to protect ourselves, our staff, and our patients from contagion, and we want to see our pediatric patients!
If you’re a parent who is concerned about the safety of bringing your child in for a dental cleaning and checkup, let us know your concerns and we can tell you specifically about our biosecurity protocols. If you think your child doesn’t have a need for an appointment, nevertheless it’s been more than six months, it’s still time to schedule an appointment. Your child might not have any pressing dental needs right now, but an important part of prevention is dental cleanings every six months. Call us today and get your child scheduled for a cleaning.
The month of April is a time of spring blossoms, of new life after the harsh cold has passed, sports activities taking us outside, and biannual dental checkups. That’s right, your kids (and you!) should be having dental checkups two times per year. April is a great month to do it, because your sports calendars and vacation trips haven’t filled up the calendar yet, and our four locations are offering $25 gift cards for our patients when they have a dental appointment through the end of April.
April is National Facial Protection Month
We’ve shared our stance on the importance of mouth guards and facial protection for your kids and teens when they’re engaging in sports activities, and now is a perfect time to re-iterate its value.
Mouth injuries and head injuries are rather common in the spring months due to the uptick in outdoor sports activities and we’d prefer (as would you as parents!) not to have to reset a knocked-out tooth or fix a broken or chipped tooth for your kid if it can be avoided.
Facts About Mouth Guards
Over 20 million kids in the U.S. participate in sports every year.
Approximately 36% of unintentional injuries to kids occur due to sports activities.
Up to 20% of those injuries are maxillofacial.
If your child plays soccer they are more likely to incur a dental injury than if they play football.
Basketball is the leading sport in dental injuries.
Athletes who wear mouthguards are 82%-93% less likely to have a dental injury.
It should be noted we aren’t indicating that soccer and basketball are dangerous sports to be avoided, the point is that unlike in football, emphasis on facial protection (mouth guards) isn’t made in these sports, in spite of the fact that dental injuries do occur. Football players wear pads and helmets, and also mouth guards are required. Basketball and soccer players wear uniforms and special shoes, and shin guards for soccer, so why not spend the money to also protect their teeth as well?
Mouth Guard Options for Your Athletes in the Family
If we’ve convinced you that mouthguards are a good idea for your family athletes this spring, hooray! You have basically, three options moving forward. If your budget is your primary concern, you can look for stock mouth guards or “boil & bite” mouth guards in just about any sporting goods store. Stock mouth guards are going to come in standard sizes, but a boil and bite is generally a step up in price that will allow a more modified fit. The best protection is a custom mouthguard, and although it will cost more, it will undoubtedly be the most comfortable and provide the best protection. Ask us about a custom mouthguard when your kids come in for their next checkup and we’ll help you work through your options to find a good fit (pun intended) for your budget and your family.
April is National Oral Cancer Awareness Month
Aside from the necessary benefits of routine dental checkups that serve as an important preventive measure to look for plaque, decay, and seek to maintain you and your child’s teeth in a state of cleanliness, routine dental checkups can serve as screenings for oral cancer detection as well.
Facts About Oral Cancer
Over 50,000 Americans are diagnosed with oral cancer every year and 450,000 globally.
One death per hour can be attributed to oral cancer in the United States.
The death rate can be attributed due to the fact it is often diagnosed late in its progression.
A person who survives the first diagnosis of oral cancer is 20 times more likely to develop second cancer.
Approximately 90% of diagnosed oral cancers are squamous cell carcinomas.
Previously, oral cancer was statistically more likely in men over 50 who drank and smoked tobacco. Unfortunately, it is occurring in the younger non-smoking generations as well due to the HPV16 virus.
Check Your Own Mouth and Your Kids’
The Oral Cancer Foundation (OCF) has created a public campaign for awareness encouraging civilians to “check their mouth” for signs and symptoms which include the following (cited directly from the OCF website):
“Signs and symptoms of oral cancer caused by tobacco usage and/or excessive alcohol usage may include one or more of the following:
Any sore or ulceration that does not heal within 14 days.
A red, white, or black discoloration of the soft tissues of the mouth.
Any abnormality that bleeds easily when touched.
A lump or hard spot in the tissue, usually the border of the tongue.
Tissue raised above that which surrounds it; a growth.
A sore under a denture, which even after adjustment of the denture, does not heal.
A lump or thickening that develops in the mouth.
A painless, firm, fixated lump felt on the outside of the neck, that has been there for at least two weeks.
All these symptoms have the commonality of being persistent and not resolving.”
“Signs and symptoms of HPV-caused oropharyngeal cancer persist longer than two-three weeks and may include one or more of the following:
Hoarseness or sore throat that does not resolve.
A painless, firm, fixated lump felt on the outside of the neck, which has been there for at least two weeks.
Constant coughing that does not resolve.
Difficulty swallowing; a sensation that food is getting caught in your throat.
An earache on one side (unilateral) that persists for more than a few days.
All of these symptoms have the commonality of being persistent and not resolving.”
Organize Dental Checkups for Your Athletes This April
Through the end of this month, we’re offering $25 gift cards for each patient who comes in for a dental checkup at any of our four locations. Don’t let the month pass you by, we can answer questions or concerns about oral cancer and facial protection, and be sure your kids’ teeth are happy and healthy this spring.
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