Your child’s overall state of health can be affected by the condition of their gums and teeth. For this very reason, your child’s pediatrician will talk to you about good dental habits for kids before their first tooth even erupts. It’s also why it’s so important to get your children to the dentist by the age of one to start regular checkups. Read more about this in our post, “At What Age Should You Take Your Child to the Dentist?”
Once your child’s very first tooth comes in, it is recommended by pediatricians and pediatric dentists that they started getting fluoride varnish treatments in order to help prevent tooth decay. Watch the video below to hear Dr. Jason Horgesheimer talk about the benefits of fluoride varnishes at South Davis Pediatric Dentistry.
Why are Fluoride Varnishes Important?
Fluoride varnishes are used to protect the teeth and to help prevent tooth decay. These fluoride treatments can be done two or four times per year. How often you get the treatments for your child is directly related to how likely it would be for your child to get a cavity.
“One of the benefits of coming to the dentist on a regular six-month basis is a fluoride treatment. Fluoride varnishes are simply smeared on the teeth and it’s very beneficial to intercept small little cavities. One or two applications of these fluoride varnishes can actually remineralize or strengthen these cavities so that we don’t need to actually restore them with a filling.” – Dr. Jason
While there are some pediatricians who will apply fluoride varnishes at their office, it is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) that the fluoride varnishes are applied at a dental office instead. Keep reading to learn more valuable information from the AAP regarding the use of fluoride varnish.
What is a Fluoride Varnish?
This is a type of dental treatment that can help prevent cavities and tooth decay, slow down the progression of tooth decay, or stop it altogether. Fluoride varnish is made with the mineral fluoride that’s known to strengthen the outer coating on the teeth, which is known as enamel.
It is important to realize that fluoride varnish treatments alone cannot completely prevent the formation of cavities. However, fluoride varnish treatments can help to prevent tooth decay and cavities when a child is also brushing their teeth with the right amount of fluoridated toothpaste, flossing regularly, eating a healthy diet, and visiting their pediatric dentist on a regular basis.
Are Fluoride Varnish Treatments Safe?
Fluoride varnish is safe. They are used by dentists and doctors around the entire world to help prevent cavities and prevent tooth decay from getting worse. The treatment alone contains a very small amount of fluoride and hardly any of it is swallowed. It hardens quickly immediately after it is applied. Then after four to twelve hours, it is brushed off.
Most children enjoy the taste of fluoride treatments as they are quite palatable. Some of the brands could make your child’s teeth appear yellow or dull, but this goes away once the treatment is brushed off.
How is Fluoride Varnish Applied to My Child’s Teeth?
The tincture which is known as the fluoride varnish is simply painted on the tops and the sides of each tooth with a little brush. At first, the substance may feel a bit sticky but as soon as it comes into contact with saliva it hardens. While your child might be able to feel the hardened varnish, they are not able to lick the varnish off of their teeth.
No pain is involved during the application process. However, some small children may still cry because they are fearful of the procedure. Brushing the varnish onto the teeth only takes a couple of minutes, and if the child is crying it can actually be applied at that time as their mouth will be slightly opened. In the case of small children, you may be asked to hold your child in your lap while you sit knee-to-knee with the person who is applying the varnish.
How Should I Care for My Child’s Teeth After the Fluoride Varnish is Applied?
Once the varnish has been applied to your child’s teeth, there are some general guidelines that you should pay attention to regarding the proper care for their teeth. Your doctor or pediatric dentist may offer other special instructions, so be sure to review with them as well.
Your child can start eating right after the varnish has been applied, but needs to avoid hot foods and drinks. Only cold and warm foods or liquids should be consumed right after the treatment.
Wait at least four to six hours before the child brushes or flosses their teeth. Many dentists will advise you to wait until the next morning to do so. Be sure that you instruct your child to spit everything out during the brushing of the fluoride varnish.
Other Reminders to Maintain Your Child’s Dental Health
Be sure your child is receiving care by a dentist who is specially trained to work with pediatric patients.
Ensure that your child receives enough – but not too much – fluoride.
Fluoride and fluoride varnishes are never meant to be swallowed. Be sure your child understands this.
Remind your child and check on them to be sure they are performing tooth brushing and flossing regularly.
Provide a healthy, balanced diet for your child full of fruits and vegetables.
It’s advised by the American Academy of Pediatrics to take your infant in for an oral health risk assessment by age six months or when their first tooth comes in (whichever comes first). This is especially true if the parents or other members of the family are especially prone to caries and tooth decay. Regardless, it’s important to have the child’s dental “home” established by their first birthday.
Do you have a baby that needs to be scheduled for their first check-up? Do you have children that are in need of fluoride varnish? Whatever the case may be, call the South Davis Pediatric Dentistry at (801) 294-8880 to get an appointment set up today. Physicians and parents throughout Bountiful, Centerville, Farmington, and Kaysville trust us for their child’s dental health needs, and so can you.
As pediatric dental professionals, one of the most frequent questions we get is:
“Why do we fix baby teeth if they are going to fall out anyway?”
There are many different reasons why dentists fix baby teeth with cavities. In this blog post, we are going to review how and why pediatric dentists offer baby tooth decay treatment. To introduce the topic, here is a video in which Dr. Jason Horgesheimer explains why it’s important to fix teeth.
Primary teeth are not going to be there for the child’s entire lifetime, but they are not expendable. Untreated cavities in baby teeth can cause very serious harm in the short term. In the long term, untreated baby teeth cavities can cause a negative impact on how the child’s mouth develops. Keep reading as we take a deeper dive into what baby teeth decay is and how it’s treated.
Childhood Tooth Decay is a Common Issue
Five times more common than asthma. Four times more common than childhood obesity. Twenty times more common than childhood diabetes. What exactly are we talking about here? Baby tooth decay.
Tooth decay is the technical term for an acid attack that affects tooth enamel. Untreated tooth decay leads to cavities, which is another term for holes in the teeth. When it comes to baby teeth decay treatment, the cavities are treated with fillings which are used to help keep the holes from getting worse or spreading.
What Can Happen When Baby Teeth Decay is Left Untreated?
Tooth decay needs to be stopped in its tracks. When tooth decay is not treated by dental professionals, the teeth can become completely riddled with cavities. Children who have cavities affecting their primary teeth face many different health risks, including:
The child’s overall nutrition may be affected by an impediment on their ability to eat healthy food
The child could develop an overbite or other bite alignment problems that can require an appliance to fix
Adult teeth could face difficulty growing in normally
Speech impediments can be caused by untreated tooth decay, which can lower a child’s self-esteem
Severe tooth pain could be experienced – which will only worsen without treatment
Infections can occur that can affect surrounding teeth and cause more cavities
What are the Symptoms of Baby Teeth with Cavities?
It’s pretty obvious when a child has cavities in their baby teeth. However, your child needs to be evaluated by a pediatric dental professional in order to accurately diagnose and treat cavities in baby teeth. If your child is experiencing any of the following symptoms, you should call our pediatric dental office at (801) 294-8880 to schedule an appointment.
Pain below the gum line around or below teeth
Pain in a tooth when brushing or chewing
Visible discolorations, holes, or dark spots on teeth
Increased sensitivity to either hot or cold temperatures
Bad breath that is constant and not alleviated by consistent brushing or mouthwash
Baby Teeth with Cavities Should Get Fillings
Even though primary teeth are not permanent, they are the only teeth that your child will have for many years – until their full set of adult teeth have come in. Baby teeth decay treatment is done in order to preserve your child’s oral health. These baby teeth with decay should not just be pulled, because they will help guide the permanent teeth to come in properly.
What Types of Fillings are Used for Cavities in Baby Teeth?
Just like adult teeth are treated, baby teeth fillings will either be made out of metal or white composite. There are other types of materials for fillings and crowns such as ceramic and gold, however, these are rarely used in fillings for primary teeth. Many parents choose metal fillings because they are quicker to apply and less expensive than white composite fillings. A child might not like the idea of a metal filling, but it is a cost-effective method of treating a tooth that is going to eventually fall out. Furthermore, the type of insurance you carry may not cover white composite fillings – or do so at an increased cost.
How are the Primary Teeth Cavities Treated?
Your pediatric dentist will gently drill the cavity in your child’s baby teeth as necessary. Next, your dentist will either create a crown or fill the tooth, depending on how extensive the tooth decay is. After the cavity has been fixed, it’s important that the child continues to practice good oral hygiene to care for crowns or fillings.
Baby Teeth Decay Can Return
No matter how hard your dentist works to remove all of the tooth decay, it can become a recurring issue. Teeth that are most likely to experience a recurrence of tooth decay are the ones with cavities between them – rather than those with cavities present only on surface areas. If tooth decay returns on a primary tooth, your pediatric dentist will need to remove the filling and re-fill the tooth.
Trauma and Other Problems May Also Require Pediatric Dental Treatment of Baby Teeth
Tooth decay is not the only reason children need fillings on baby teeth. Sometimes a child may experience a type of trauma that can cause a crack in the tooth which may also need to be filled. Other problems children experience that can require treatment include:
Incorrectly shaped teeth
Underdeveloped teeth
Chipped Teeth
Crowns are often used instead of fillings to correct these types of issues.
In Some Cases, Tooth Extraction is Necessary
In order to maintain the right amount of space needed for adult teeth to come in, it’s always best to preserve baby teeth and repair them as needed. However, there are some cases in which your dentist will have no other option than to pull a baby tooth early. If the tooth decay has become so extensive that it’s causing pain and gum issues, extraction may be the best option. In this case, your dentist may opt to fill that gap with a prosthetic in order to maintain the right amount of space for adult teeth to come in.
Sometimes Kids Get Laughing Gas
Dentists may sometimes opt to use nitrous oxide, or laughing gas when treating cavities in children. For some children, the administration of laughing gas can reduce anxiety and distract a child from the pain caused by the Novocaine shot and the drilling of the teeth. Laughing gas does not work for all kids, so an orally-administered sedative may be needed in certain cases.
The Number of Fillings Done in One Sitting Depends on the Kid
When a child goes to the dentist to have cavities filled, sometimes they will get only one done and other times they will get several done at a time. This all depends on the kid and the extent of the tooth decay. Some children do better at sitting in a chair for prolonged periods of time, while others don’t. The ultimate goal is always to do what’s best for the child, which may require several appointments for the baby teeth decay dental treatments.
Does Your Child Have a Cavity or Tooth Decay?
Our pediatric dentists are here to help you. If your child is experiencing pain or has obvious cavities, make an appointment today at South Davis Pediatric Dentistry. Call us today at (801) 294-8880 to set up an appointment.
As a parent, when your child is sleeping, the only noises you want to hear them make are the sounds of soft breaths, sweet dreams, and maybe an occasional sigh. The last thing you want to hear is the harsh sound of grinding and gnashing teeth, also called bruxism. However, bruxism is actually very common in children – but it can be particularly distressing for parents. Hearing your child grind their teeth at night is a frightening sound and it evokes much anxiety in parents. In fact, Dr. Chuck Odion says that some parents even compare the sound to that of construction!
Why do kids grind their teeth? What are the effects of teeth grinding? How can I stop my child from grinding their teeth? Today we are going to provide you with answers to these very common questions parents ask at South Davis Pediatric Dentistry regularly. First, watch this short video with Dr. Jason Horgesheimer and Dr. Chuck that explains more about teeth grinding and how it’s handled.
What is Bruxism?
The medical term used to describe the grinding of teeth and clenching of jaws is referred to as “bruxism”. According to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, three out of every ten kids will clench their jaws or grind their teeth. While tooth grinding usually occurs at night time when your child sleeps, you may notice the bruxism randomly throughout the day as well. Most children will eventually outgrow this habit.
What are the Causes of Bruxism?
Dentists don’t always know the exact reason why a particular child grinds their teeth, but there are a few different known causes for bruxism. It’s important to note that misalignment issues and pain are causes for bruxism that children typically outgrow. However, if your child grinds their teeth as a response to stress or as a symptom of hyperactivity, the habit may be harder to break.
Misalignment Issues
“Teeth are meant to snap together like Legos. If a lego is off you slide it around until it snaps together – and that’s subconsciously what they’re doing at night.” – Dr. Chuck
As Dr. Chuck explained, sometimes when a child has misaligned teeth where the top and bottom aren’t connecting, they may grind them.
Pain
Some kids might exhibit bruxism as a coping mechanism while they are dealing with pain of some sort that might be from an earache or teething. Just like you would rub a muscle that is sore, they grind their teeth to help ease the pain and discomfort.
“Teeth grinding is often associated with the eruption or coming in of new molars.” – Dr. Jason
Stress
Stress can be a reason why a child might grind their teeth or clench their jaws. Typically a child experiences stress in the form of either tension or anger. If your child is worried about something coming up at school or a new change in their life they must adjust to (like a new teacher or sibling) – they might grind their teeth. Arguments with parents or other household members can also cause the child enough stress that they either clench their jaws or grind their teeth.
Hyperactivity
It is not uncommon to find a child who has hyperactivity and bruxism, as the two often run hand in hand. Because the child is often “sped up” they may grind their teeth as a response to that increased energy running through their body.
Medical
There are some medical conditions that can cause a child to grind their teeth, such as cerebral palsy. There are also several different types of medications (especially those used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD), that indicate bruxism is a common side effect.
What are the Effects of Bruxism?
Some children may experience headaches or earaches that are caused by the grinding of teeth. In most cases, the parents are the ones most greatly affected because the grinding sound can be quite bothersome and cause anxiety.
The vast majority of bruxism cases go undetected and the child experiences no ill effects from the habit. Dr. Jason explains that most kids “require no treatment at all.” He then goes on to explain that “only if they have severe wear patterns occurring would we ever recommend a mouthguard.”
As Dr. Jason touched upon, there are some children who can experience ill effects of bruxism, such as:
Chipped teeth
Wearing down of tooth enamel
Increased sensitivity to temperature
Facial pain
Jaw problems including temporomandibular joint disease (TMJ)
Keep in mind that in children, the cases of TMJ are rare and this would only occur if the child is doing a lot of clenching and grinding.
What are the Signs of Bruxism?
Things you should watch out for regarding bruxism include:
Grinding and gnashing noises while your child is sleeping
Complaints of a sore face or jaw when the child wakes up in the morning
Pain with chewing
If you are concerned that your child is grinding their teeth and you are worried about the health and integrity of their teeth, you can bring them to our experienced pediatric dentists. One of our Bountiful dentists will perform an examination in which they look for any type of unusual wear and tear and spray water on the teeth to watch for signs of increased sensitivity to temperature.
What is the Recommended Treatment for Bruxism?
As Dr. Jason explained, typically there is no treatment needed. Most kids will grow out of this phase without any ill effects on the integrity of their adult teeth that start to come in as the grinding usually only occurs on the baby teeth which will fall out.
If the child is experiencing unusual patterns of wear and tear or complaining of facial or jaw pain, our pediatric dentists may recommend a special mouth guard to be worn at night. This type of protective mouthguard is similar to the ones worn by athletes and our dentists will create the appliance to perfectly mold to your child’s teeth.
How can I Help My Child with Bruxism?
Depending on the cause for your child to grind their teeth, there are a few different approaches that can be taken to help the child reduce the bruxism.
Helping the child relax before bed by reading them a book, giving them a bath, or putting on some soothing music can help decrease bruxism.
If you feel your child is grinding their teeth as a response to stress, open communication can help you find a way to help them. Talk to your child and ask them what’s on their mind and if anything has been bothering them.
When a child is taking a medication that can cause teeth grinding, be sure that you bring this issue up with your pediatrician and seek alternative medications or therapies when possible.
Have you noticed your child exhibiting signs of bruxism? Are you concerned that there may be severe damage happening to their teeth as a result? If so, you should make an appointment at South Davis Pediatric Dentistry. Call us today at (801) 294-8880.
Canker sores hurt. Also known as mouth ulcers, these red or yellow craters can cause sharp, stabbing pain.
The pain is like no other and plagues even the toughest kid when a canker sore decides to erupt. One of the most frustrating things about canker sores is that even though we know some contributing factors, it remains largely unclear how they are caused. A lot of people don’t know where to turn for relief of the pain associated with the canker sore and treatment of the sore itself.
At South Davis Pediatric Dentistry, parents ask us all the time how to treat a child’s canker sore. There are many different types of over-the-counter treatments you can buy at any local pharmacy that do a pretty good job of healing up the canker sore and reducing some of the pain. However, it’s truly a hit or miss, as many people do not respond to these remedies.
Modern technology has changed the dental care industry from the way that dental professionals find local work to the equipment you find at the dentist’s office. We pride ourselves in staying on top of the latest, which is why we have invested in CO2 laser technology which allows us to go above and beyond and even heal a cold sore if needed. Dr. Jason Horgesheimer talks about this laser treatment of canker sores and mouth ulcers in more detail in the following video…
We are going to review the possible causes of canker sores and how they can be treated using pediatric laser dentistry.
What are Canker Sores?
Canker sores are commonly known as mouth ulcers but their technical term is aphthous ulcers. These small lesions erupt inside of the mouth or around the gum tissue and they can cause pain during the most insignificant actions, such as:
Talking
Smiling
Eating
Drinking
It’s important to make the distinction that canker sores are not the same as cold sores. Thus, do not respond to the same types of treatments as do cold sores. Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus. The causes are not exactly known for canker sores, but we do know some of the contributing factors which we will list below. Canker sores occur inside of the mouth and on top of the gum tissue, where cold sores occur on the outside surface of your lips. Cold sores are contagious. Canker sores are not contagious. However, similar to the length of a cold sore, a canker sore also is known to last somewhere between seven and 14 days. Any child or adult can get a canker sore.
What Factors Contribute to the Development of a Canker Sore?
While it’s impossible to pinpoint the exact cause of your child’s canker sore, there are some factors that may contribute to the development of these pesky buggers, including:
Stress
Acidic foods
Trauma to the mouth tissues caused by biting, over-intensive brushing, eating, or dental work
Allergies to specific ingredients in certain foods and drinks
Toothpastes that contain sodium lauryl sulfate
However, there are some instances in which a person is particularly prone to the development of mouth ulcers or they last for extended periods of time, which may be indicative of an underlying health issue, such as:
Celiac disease
Crohn’s disease
Ulcerative colitis
Other gastrointestinal disorders
Impaired immune system
A diet lacking in vitamins B12, folic acid, iron, or zinc
What are Common Treatments for Canker Sores?
Typically, a canker sore will resolve by itself within about seven to 14 days. However, they can still be very painful and annoying, especially in young children. Most people will seek out treatment to either shorten the duration or to help ease the pain associated with mouth ulcers.
As mentioned above, our dentists will often recommend parents pick up an over-the-counter treatment to help reduce the pain and duration of the canker sore. However, these pharmacy treatments are not a one-size-fits-all approach, and there are varying degrees of success reported to us by patients using such remedies. Many patients complain that the options work for only a couple of minutes, or not at all.
How Laser Treatment for Canker Sores Clears Them Instantly
At South Davis Pediatric Dentistry, we’ve found that our modern CO2 laser dentistry tools allow us to basically close off a canker sore or mouth ulcer through cauterization. Parents rely on their dentists to help treat their children’s oral health needs. When a child has a canker sore, the pain experienced is intense. These laser treatments have been proven to reduce or eliminate the pain associated with a canker sore.
Parents love coming to us for the pediatric laser treatments we provide that can treat canker sores and give the child instant relief from the pain and sensitivity caused by mouth ulcers. Our trusted pediatric dentists use a CO2 laser to close off the sore. This method is proven effective at treating the sore and providing fast healing times and causing a huge reduction in pain. Unlike other laser treatments, the CO2 laser tool vaporizes the tissue surrounding the sore, which also serves as a method of sterilization to the affected area. Learn more about our CO2 laser treatment for lip ties and tongue ties on our frenectomy services page.
During the process, cells are stimulated to turnover, which speeds up the wound healing time and decreases the overall length of time the ulcer lasts. For best results, bring your child in for laser treatment of canker sores when the mouth ulcer first begins or within the first few days of its presentation.
Parents and pediatricians throughout North Salt Lake, West Bountiful, Centerville, Farmington, and Kaysville trust us to handle their children’s and patients’ pediatric dental needs. You can trust us too. We are proud to bring together only the most experienced pediatric dentists, Dr. Jason Horgesheimer, Dr. Chuck Odion, and Dr. Clark Walker. They all have extensive experience working exclusively with children and using advanced CO2 laser tools to treat pediatric dental issues.
If your child is suffering from annoying and painful canker sores, please call our office at (801) 294-8880 to see if we can provide instant relief and promote a faster healing period.
Should you take your child to the dentist when their first tooth erupts? Or, do you wait until all of your child’s baby teeth have come in? First birthday? Second birthday? Birth? Does anyone really know when the right time is to take your child to the dentist to begin regular checkups?
Dr. Jason Horgesheimer recommends that parents bring their child in for their first dental check-up between 12 and 18 months. Either way you look at it, it’s apparent that the sooner you start bringing your child in for regular dental checkups, the better. Here are five reasons why you should start bringing your child to the dentist as early as possible.
1. Get Your Child Used to the Dentist
Dr. Chuck Odion explains that there’s a lot of misconceptions surrounding when you should bring your child to the dentist. Many people falsely think it’s best to wait until the child’s teeth have all come in or that you should wait until the child is older so that they are not scared of the dentist. As he explains, “you’ve got to break that ice and the more you do it, the more often something becomes a habit.”
By introducing your child to the dentist office experience at a young age, you are helping them get used to the setting and the procedures common to a dental practice visit. These younger children will become more accustomed to their dentist and the staff and they will grow to trust their pediatric dental professionals more.
2. Preventative Pediatric Dental Care Saves Money and Teeth
It’s important that you start bringing your child in for regular dental checkups every six months at an early age in order to prevent future tooth decay and cavities. In fact, if you bring your child in for one dental visit while they have only one tooth, this means you can ensure they have and maintain zero cavities, as suggested by the AAPD.
In addition to taking your child in for regular dental checkups every six months starting as soon as possible, this also includes taking care of your child’s teeth until they are able to do so independently. When you make it a habit to bring your child in for regular dental checkups at a young age, your dentist can determine fluoride needs and you will receive instructions on how to perform proper dental care on young teeth, and receive information on proper oral and facial development.
3. Intercept Small Problems to Avoid More Serious Dental Issues
At South Davis Pediatric Dentistry, we aim to intercept little problems before they become big problems. If you want to decrease dental treatments and prevent extensive needs down the road, it’s important that you begin appropriate preventative dental care as early as possible. Dr. Chuck talks about the importance of early identification of oral health problems:
“For the child’s oral health, we are able to identify things younger. We can only prevent cavities through instruction and good oral habits, and those habits start at seeing your dentist every six months. It’s a battle that we can win and it’s structured around early intervention with the dentist.”
4. Kids Enjoy Their Visit at South Davis Pediatric Dentistry
Your child will enjoy their experience at South Davis Pediatric Dentistry. Our pediatric dentists and professional staff members have specialized working only with kids and know how to treat them in order to make your child feel comfortable and to decrease their fears and anxieties about seeing a dentist. Dr. Chuck explains in the video:
“They actually like to come. They like to see the fish tank. They like the prizes. They like to laugh. They like to talk about princesses and superheroes, and that makes them comfortable and familiar.”
4. Babies’ Teeth are More Susceptible to Cavities
Baby teeth are highly sensitive to tooth decay. This is because, in comparison to adult teeth, baby teeth have a very thin layer of enamel (the hard outer surface of the teeth) covering them. Cavities can be infectious and spread, even causing infection in the adult teeth growing beneath them in certain cases.
First teeth usually make their appearance sometime between six months and one year of age, and they are vulnerable to tooth decay from the very moment they erupt in your baby’s mouth. Many problems can result from the associative pain that comes from tooth decay, including:
The child may experience difficulty eating correctly
The child’s overall health and development may be impacted
Untreated tooth decay can lead to infection, loss of teeth, and expensive restorative interventions
Early identification of pediatric dental problems and proper preventative treatment can prevent tooth decay and its associated issues.
5. You Can Save Money When You Take Your Child to the Dentist By Age One
A study published in the Journal of Pediatrics showed that children who first saw their dentist before age one had dental costs that were 40 percent lower in their first five years of life, than children who did not. The reason is most likely because the cost of dental and medical procedures that may be necessary due to poor oral health can be quite costly. A scientific paper published in the journal Pediatric Dentistry revealed that children who wait to have their first dental visit until age two or three are more likely to require restorative and emergency visits than those who started seeing the dentist by age one.
Set Up an Appointment for Your Child at South Davis Pediatric Dentistry
Ready to “Get it Done in Year One?” Call us today at (801) 294-8880 to set up an appointment. We can’t wait to hear from you!
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