Good oral hygiene practices should be formed early. Dentists advise that you begin brushing your child’s teeth when the baby erupts, using a toothbrush for their age range and progressing to larger brushes. Electric toothbrushes are better than manual ones.
As long as they are used properly, both toothbrushes can equally effectively prevent plaque and decay from building up on your child’s teeth. However, attractive features on electric toothbrushes may encourage younger children to brush their teeth less frequently and promote oral health.
Electric toothbrushes can be enticing to some children and unsettling or frightening, though this changes typically as the child becomes accustomed to the device. It is all a matter of preference. While some kids might enjoy the back-and-forth, up-and-down motion of traditional brushing, others might prefer the motion of electric toothbrushes that clean their teeth one at a time.
How Do I Choose the Right One?
Allowing your child to select their toothbrush is the best approach to finding one that they will like using. Bring them to the store, pharmacy, or dental office so they can look over all the options and choose the one they’ll be happiest utilizing daily.
Some electronic toothbrushes have features like lights, music, and sound effects that are intended to make them even more enticing. This might assist your child in brushing for the necessary amount of time and encourage them to do so (two minutes, twice a day).
Are There Any Solid Benefits to Electric Toothbrushes?
Electric toothbrushes do provide some great benefits for children. Some of them are as follows:
They remove plaque more effectively than manual toothbrushes
The bacterial coating that sticks to our teeth and is colorless and sticky is called plaque. We want children to remove all the plaque when they brush! Plaque eradication is more effective with electric toothbrushes than with manual ones. Why? An electric toothbrush may clean your teeth anywhere from 8,000 to 25,000 times per minute, depending on the brand and type. All of them use bristles that oscillate or vibrate in some way. A human hand cannot match that many strokes! Every stroke is an opportunity to remove plaque, which can result in bad breath, tartar, and decay.
Kids can avoid brushing their teeth too hard by using electric toothbrushes.
It would help if you had acute motor control to brush your teeth. Children must move the toothbrush with the proper pressure and at the appropriate angle. Many children seven and younger need more coordination to accomplish this. Also, many older children think brushing more vigorously results in better brushing. In actuality, overly vigorous brushing might harm tooth enamel. There are pressure alerts on many high-quality electric toothbrushes, so they stop working if your child brushes too hard! Kids can also use the brush in a motion that requires less fine motor control, such as a slide-and-glide action.
Kids are more likely to brush with an electric toothbrush for the full two minutes.
For children, two minutes can seem like an eternity. It’s easy to become sidetracked when so many screens and toys are around. With certain electric toothbrushes, brushing becomes fun. Some toothbrushes use Bluetooth to link the toothbrush and tablet, and when your child brushes for the entire two minutes, an app rewards them with points. The app then monitors how long your child brushes. These points can be used to feed or personalize a virtual pet they can brush. Another great electric toothbrush is the Oral-B Smart 1500, which is high-quality and long-lasting.
Children might be encouraged to brush those challenging areas with an electric toothbrush.
Bluetooth apps can track WHERE children are brushing. They can see where they touched and missed, so kids can go back and brush those forgotten spots! Some brushes are good at cleaning hard-to-reach areas in a short period.
For many children, using an electronic rather than a manual brush is more enjoyable.
Even if it features a child’s favorite character, a manual toothbrush doesn’t seem appealing in today’s high-tech world. Even those intended for teenagers and adults often include high-tech features. For example, personalized 3-D brushing models keep track of where you brush. Timers serve as a reminder of how long to remain in one spot. You are prevented from brushing too hard by pressure sensors. Your youngster is far more likely to brush without conflict if they enjoy it! Kids will look forward to brushing when you add entertaining online pets to the mix, who will keep you company. Many kids relate high technology to “fun” and “better.”
This informative article helps you decide whether or not electric toothbrushes are the right choice for your child. It’s also essential to take your child for regular dental visits, so feel free to book an appointment with us for your child today. Please check out our blog page for many great articles about your child’s dental health and helpful advice on keeping your child’s oral health in tip-top shape!
To maintain children’s oral health, regular dental visits are essential. Once your child has grown their first baby tooth, you should start taking them to a paediatric dentist. Some parents won’t give this much thought because they believe that permanent teeth will soon replace baby teeth. You will need to take good care of their primary teeth during their early years, though, to make sure that their permanent teeth have a strong foundation. Your child’s oral health will be better as an adult if you start taking care of their teeth at a young age.
It is essential to take your child to the dentist for a regular checkup for a number of reasons. In this post, we’ve highlighted a few of those factors in the hopes that they’ll encourage you and your child to visit your local dentist today.
It Prevents Cavity Development and Tooth Decay
Everyone is prone to cavities and tooth decay, but children are especially vulnerable. In the long run, cavities and tooth decay are brought on by bacteria found in plaque and tartar. A regular dental checkup and good oral hygiene practices will help you identify the issue early and stop it from getting worse. Additionally, it lessens and even eliminates the chance of developing cavities. When a dentist can detect dental issues early on, they can be treated.
Neglected cavities can harm the teeth, resulting in bacterial infections such as periodontitis and, in severe situations, the necessity for extraction and filling of teeth. Depending on your child’s dental needs, you should schedule at least 3 to 4 dental checkups for your children every year.
It Instills Healthy Dental Hygiene Habits in Children at a Young Age
It’s never too early to begin teaching children the value of excellent dental hygiene. Starting early is the best way to instill in your child the value of proper dental hygiene. Once they turn two years old, it is advised to take your child to a nearby dentist office. You can choose a toothbrush for your child’s soft gums with the assistance of a paediatric dentist. In order to accommodate their tiny mouths, the toothbrush head needs to be smaller. Your child’s attitude toward dental checkups and oral care will improve if you take them to the dentist on a regular basis.
Children are more likely to develop a better and more positive attitude toward dental visits if they receive regular checkups. It’s crucial to establish a positive relationship with the dentist early on, because childhood experiences can affect how someone feels about going to the dentist for the rest of their lives. While a child may not initially find the dental procedure appealing, they will become accustomed to the procedure and feel more at ease with repeated visits.
Our child-friendly dentists take a compassionate and kind approach with your children to ensure their comfort while explaining what they are doing and why it needs to be done.
Prevent Malocclusion
The baby teeth will act as the permanent teeth’s “foundation,” as we already mentioned. This ensures that the positioning and spacing are acceptable. If you neglect your child’s dental health, the permanent teeth won’t have enough room to erupt and fit properly, which might cause alignment issues. Early detection will make it simple for the local paediatric dentist to fix the teeth’s out-of-place alignment and stop malocclusion.
Help them Understand the Significance of Cutting Back on Sugar Intake
Children adore candy and chocolate. Simply put, you can’t persuade them to consume less sugar and junk food. Fortunately, kids will understand how it can affect the growth of their teeth when you take your child to a local children’s dentist. They might then start to make an effort to reduce their intake of junk food and sweets, as you may start to notice. A wonderful time to talk to them about how diet can affect their oral health is when you take them to the dentist.
Allows for the Early Detection of Oral Health Issues
By taking care of issues as soon as they arise, oral disorders can be prevented from getting worse and can be treated more quickly and affordably. Diet, dental hygiene, and even the jaw can contribute to these issues, which can be identified early on with regular check-ups.
In order to maintain a clean mouth, it is necessary to remove any accumulated plaque or tartar as well as any surface stains, which stop bacteria from sticking to the tooth. Regular visits to the dentist for a professional clean are crucial for removing the buildup and debris they might have missed because many young children have not yet developed the motor skills required to brush and floss effectively.
Regular examinations give you information about your child’s oral health, including problems that can be identified early, such as overcrowding and crooked teeth. If any preventive measures can be taken, they are carried out in good time.
Ensures Healthy Development of the Mouth and Teeth
The health of your child’s teeth can be improved and maintained by taking them to the dentist every twelve months. Baby teeth serve as the foundation for adult teeth, so when they are strong and straight, it is simpler for adult teeth to grow straighter and more healthy.
Baby teeth that are not adequately cared for may fall out too early, pushing the rest of the teeth forward. Permanent teeth are therefore more likely to develop irregularly and crookedly. Maintaining healthy teeth during the formative years also helps avoid the need for later orthodontic work.
Schedule a Dentist Appointment for Your Child With Us Today!
Every child responds differently to pediatric dental procedures. There are just as many children who are nervous about dental work as there are those who are eager to hop in the chair and remain calm during their procedure. Some kids, particularly those with sensory disorders, find dental procedures overwhelming. Regardless of the cause, all of our pediatric dental offices offer various levels of sedation dentistry for kids.
Your child will be extremely comfortable the moment they enter one of our Pediatric Dental locations. Our offices are child-friendly, warm and inviting. Please call us at 801-948-8880 and book a dental appointment for your child today!
Summer lovin’ fun days are still in full swing, and we know you’ve been enjoying time poolside, neighborhood and friend barbecues, and hopefully have already had a summer vacation trip or have one in the works. Our pediatric dentists and staff enjoy the summer fun, especially appreciating the air conditioning in our offices, all while hearing stories from our pediatric patients about family trips and summer activities.
We want to see your kids’ smiles. Is it time for a pediatric dental office visit? Do you know what types of services we offer? Do you know why you should visit a pediatric dentist instead of a general dentist? Here’s a rundown of everything you should know about pediatric dentistry.
Pediatric Dentistry FACTS
Did you know pediatric dentists have more training than general dentists? Pediatric dentists complete an additional two to the three-year unique program following dentistry school. This additional training is specific to pediatric care, which means different sized tools and techniques for procedures. Additionally, their learning and training are focused on children’s psychological and physical development from infancy through their teenage years.
Dental hygiene habits start in infancy. Even before their first tooth, you should gently cleanse their gums with a soft, wet washcloth (be sure it’s clean!) after breastfeeding or bottle feeding. Once that first tooth has popped, use an infant toothbrush to build the habit of brushing it in the mornings and the evenings before bed.
Your little one should have their first dental visit either when they turn one 3year old or when their first tooth has come in. As with starting dental hygiene habits early, dentist visits should become a routine part of their life, similar to a visit to the doctor’s office. Positive dental experiences are essential. Furthermore, we know that the earlier we start with those, the less likely it is that dental anxiety will be an issue in the future.
Cavities in baby teeth should be restored, not ignored. Nor should the baby tooth be removed. Why? The primary teeth serve multiple essential functions for the development of your child. Firstly, the cavities can be extremely painful. Secondly, as your toddler is learning to switch from a liquid diet to foods, chewing is essential! Thirdly, the primary teeth help your child’s speech development; the tongue touching the teeth is necessary for most of the sounds we use in our speech. Lastly, the primary teeth also serve as placeholders in our jaws for the permanent teeth. The surrounding teeth may move around if a primary tooth is extracted before its natural timing.
Dental sealants are a necessary preventative procedure in pediatric dentistry. They are painless and serve to help protect the teeth from cavities. Kids can have trouble reaching the deep grooves and valleys in the molars; after all, motor skills are learned over time, and even adults have trouble with those spots in their teeth. The dental sealants are typically a transparent color or colored to match the tooth. The procedure is quick and painless. We thoroughly clean and dry the tooth before applying a gel to rough the surface up slightly for better adhesion. Following that, the sealant is applied. Once the sealant has dried (typically, we use a blue light), the procedure is finished. Usually, your child can eat at their next snack or mealtime without a problem. Dental sealants have been proven to reduce the risk for decay in molars by up to 80%. For more information about sealants, click here.
Utah Pediatric Dentists can help you with breastfeeding. Each of our locations has the CO2 LightScalpel laser, and our pediatric dentists have been specially trained in its proper use. This cutting-edge technology allows us to help breastfeeding mothers whose babies have a lip tie or tongue tie. We have had mothers travel to see us from hundreds of miles away because the CO2 laser is proven to be a better, more effective, and less painful process than other tools or technologies. Read here for more information about how our CO2 laser may help you and your baby.
We recommend mouth guards for all sports, not only contact sports. A broken, chipped tooth that has been knocked loose can be painful and alarming for your kid. More than 80 million kids nationwide participate in sports, and studies have shown that athletes using mouth guards are 82-93% less likely to have a dentofacial injury. Protect those smiles, and avoid painful mouth injuries by talking with your pediatric dentist about a mouth guard. For more information about mouth guards, click here.
Most kids get cavities. Don’t feel guilty, parents, even when you’re a champion for moderation in sweets. Moreover, you try to limit sodas and sugary drinks, but the truth is that most kids get cavities. In fact, according to the CDC, over 52% of kids between the ages of six and eight have had a cavity in a primary tooth. What does this mean for you? The meaning for you is two-fold: number one, don’t beat yourself up about it, and number two, talk to your pediatric dentist about preventative care, your dental hygiene routines in the house, and schedule biannual teeth cleanings.
Schedule Your Biannual Checkup for Your Kids with Utah Pediatric Dentists
We care about our community and our patients and their families. Come and see us; we want to hear about your summer. Show us those smiles, and tell us summer stories while we clean your kids’ pearly whites. We have three convenient locations in the Salt Lake City area (Bountiful, Taylorsville, and Stansbury Park), all fully staffed and equipped so your kids can receive the best care.
Any child, regardless of age, might experience anxiety or panic at the mere mention of a dentist appointment. Fear of the dentist can develop at a young age. Although dental anxiety is not something that is innate in children, certain events or experiences in their lives can cause it. Kids’ dental anxiety is frequently brought on by their parents’ dread of the dentist or their own negative dental experiences.
There are actually a high number of grownups who are utterly terrified of seeing the dentist. When you have a child who is terrified of the dentist and you want to calm his or her anxieties, it can be difficult if you happen to be one of those people who are afraid of the dentist yourself. Here are a few strategies you can use to lessen your child’s fear of the dentist and make their visits there seem more enjoyable, regardless of whether you’re terrified of going to the dentist yourself or not. Keep reading to learn these important tips to ease your child’s fear of the dentist.
1. Take Your Child to the Dentist From An Early Age
The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends introducing your child to a dental expert as early in life as you can as one of the best methods to help them develop a comfort level with visiting one. Some professionals advise bringing your child to the dentist as early as age 1. Your child will become more accustomed to and at ease with the regular visits if you give them a “dental home” at a young age. They can become accustomed to the sights, sounds, and smells of the office. The sooner they become accustomed to going to the dentist, the sooner they will realize that it’s just a regular checkup.
2. Watch Your Choice of Words and Keep Things Simple
Keep your descriptions of the trip to the dentist as simple as you can whenever you are discussing it with your child. You don’t want to overwhelm a young child with information and details they may find overwhelming. Keeping things simple and uncomplicated will make your kid feel less perplexed and/or anxious.
In order to avoid associating unfavorable words with the dental visit, you should also be mindful of the language you use. Never describe or explain a trip to the dentist’s office using the words “hurt,” “pain,” or “shot.”
3. Don’t Tell Them Your Scary Dental Stories
It’s crucial to refrain from discussing any unpleasant or painful dental experiences you’ve had in the past with your child. Some parents do this in an effort to “scare” their kids into caring for their teeth. To encourage their child to brush their teeth, parents may, for instance, mention how, when they were younger, they had to have four cavities filled at the same time because they neglected to brush correctly. Most of the time, all this will do is make your youngster more fearful of their upcoming dental appointment. Remember, your experiences may not be the same as their experiences will be, so it’s best to allow your child to go into it with a blank emotional canvas and allow them to paint their own experience. Our minds are powerful and can create our realities how we choose them to, so it’s best to be mindful of this and allow our children to create their own reality based on their own experience of any situation.
4. Do Not Use Bribery
Bribing your child to go to the dentist may seem like a “simple” method to soothe them, but it’s not a good idea. The focus will be taken off the notion that good oral health is a reward in and of itself since kids will begin to expect a reward each time they visit the dentist.
Additionally, promising a sweet treat after a dentist stresses the importance of maintaining clean, healthy teeth by avoiding sugary treats that can result in cavities may send the wrong message. Instead, commend your child for their bravery and good behavior after the visit is finished. Encourage them occasionally by surprising them with a sticker or a little toy.
5. Stay With Your Child
No matter how well you have planned for this moment, your child will probably feel a bit uneasy when he or she sits down in that large dental chair for the first time. By remaining close by, you can help him keep calm. Most dentists accept and encourage parents to accompany their children during appointments since having you around can make your youngster feel more at ease about getting a checkup alone.
6. Emphasize the Significance of Maintaining Good Oral Hygiene
Your child will be more receptive when you explain the significance of regular dentist visits to their dental health if you emphasize the value of proper oral hygiene to them and make it a habit in their daily lives.
Teach your child that going to the dentist is something they must do, not something they can choose to do and that the dentist will take care of their teeth so they are sturdy enough for them to eat with. Additionally, you might mention how the dentist works to prevent cavities and guarantees that his patients will have a bright smile for years to come.
7. Take Them Along to Your Appointments
Take your child along if you can to your own appointment. Allowing them to observe you sitting calmly and unbothered during your procedure will enable them to realize they have nothing to fear as well. After all, parents are their children’s biggest role models, so this is one of the most effective methods in eliminating your child’s fear of going to the dentist.
Please note that we do provide all four levels of sedation at our offices in order to ensure your child does not feel any pain or discomfort from any type of dental procedure they may require.
Your child’s oral health along with their comfort is extremely important to us, and taking your little one for regular dental visits not only saves you money in the long run by avoiding the progression of dental decay, cavities or other ailments, but it also makes your child’s experience much more comfortable when they see a familiar face every time they need a dental checkup. We hope this article was helpful and some of these tips help ease your child’s fear of visiting the dentist. Call us at 801-948-8880 to book an appointment for your child today!
If there’s drool constantly dripping from your baby’s mouth and chin and she wants to put everything in her mouth all of a sudden, then congratulations! Your baby’s tooth is probably on its way.
While you might be concentrating on relieving her gum pain and providing her with the most comfort possible while she is teething, it’s also critical to start considering how to take care of those tiny pearls.
This is why: Babies who have teeth are susceptible to tooth decay and cavities. Additionally, children are more likely to develop cavities in their adult teeth if they have cavities in their baby teeth. Therefore, it’s crucial to establish a dental care routine early. Also, healthy baby teeth are super important because they form the shape of your child’s face, they make it easier for your child to talk more clearly, and they make eating and chewing easier.
How might you go about doing this? We have some pointers just for you.
Infant Oral Care
It’s crucial to understand that a bacteria known as Streptococcus mutans is one of the factors contributing to some kids’ increased risk of developing cavities. Because it consumes sugar and produces acid that dissolves the teeth’s protective enamel, it is the primary cause of tooth decay.
Although this bacteria is not present at birth, studies have shown that babies can pick it up very early on through the saliva of a parent or caregiver. Streptococcus mutans can be contracted by kissing a baby on the lips, sharing a spoon, or cleaning her pacifier in your mouth. The more cavity-causing bacteria an adult has in their mouth, the more cavity-causing bacteria the baby will get. We advise parents or any other adults not to share a toothbrush or eating utensil with a child, or to clean off a pacifier with their mouth.
The way a baby is fed can also affect the condition of their teeth. Babies who go to sleep with a bottle of milk, juice, or a pacifier coated in honey or sugar run the risk of developing baby bottle tooth decay. When sugar builds up around their teeth while they are sleeping, it feeds the Streptococcus mutans bacterium, causing decay.
At this age, oral hygiene also plays a huge role. When a baby’s first tooth erupts, you should begin brushing it. The American Dental Association advises using a dollop of toothpaste the size of a grain of rice up until the age of three and a small, soft toothbrush to gently brush all the way around the teeth. The fluoride in toothpaste will help fortify tooth enamel, making it more resistant to decay. When using fluoride-containing toothpaste on babies and young toddlers who are unable to spit, you should use a piece of damp gauze to remove any excess toothpaste. Although the fluoride is not hazardous to their health, when developing teeth are exposed to excessive amounts of the substance, they can begin to appear chalky and white (dental fluorosis) so just be wary of this.
By their first birthday or six months following the eruption of their first tooth, children should begin visiting the dentist.
Brushing Your Toddler’s Teeth
You’ll have to take the lead until your child is old enough to brush his/her own teeth, and we advise sitting cross-legged while holding your small toddler in your lap so they can gaze up at you. You get easy access to the rear teeth thanks to this.
Giving your toddler something to play with or watch can be a great distraction if they aren’t being cooperative.
Until your child learns to spit, you should be brushing twice a day and wiping away excess toothpaste with a piece of gauze.
Kindergarten and Up
You can start using a little larger, pea-sized dollop of toothpaste on the toothbrush once a child is able to spit. Children should clean their teeth twice daily for two minutes each.
And let’s not forget about flossing! The parent should be actively flossing their child’s teeth as soon as they come into contact with one another. This is typically the case when the child’s molars, which typically erupt between the ages of 3 and 4, come in.
Up until the age of 8, you should continue to supervise your child’s dental routine, as they might not have the manual dexterity required to reach every part of the mouth before that age.
Additionally, the American Dental Association advises seeing the dentist regularly and changing their toothbrush every three to four months.
Other Things to Prevent Tooth Decay And Promote Infant Oral Care
Make sure your toddler doesn’t consume food or liquids regularly during the day. Within 20 minutes of ingesting or drinking something, the sugar turns into an acid.
Only use a bottle at feeding time. Never breastfeed or use a bottle as a pacifier.
Avoid putting your baby to bed with a bottle of formula or breastmilk.
Take the breast out of your baby’s mouth if they nod off while you are breastfeeding.
Avoid night feedings and frequent, on-demand feedings once the first tooth erupts.
By the age of 12 months, transition your child from a bottle to a cup.
Once your child turns one, they are allowed to drink water whenever they are thirsty during the day. Give them only water at meals; do not give them other beverages.
Fluoride makes teeth strong and less prone to decay, so having your dentist put a cap of fluoride on their teeth may be beneficial
As soon as your child’s first tooth erupts, you should start teaching them proper oral hygiene practices to prevent cavities and provide the foundation for a lifetime of good oral health. Please give us a call today at 801-948-8880 to book an appointment for your infant/toddler and let us ensure that their tiny teeth are well taken care of.
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