by Miranda Booher | Jun 21, 2022 | Children's Oral Health, Community News, Uncategorized
“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!!
by Miranda Booher | Oct 25, 2021 | Children's Oral Health, Dentistry News
We write regularly about parent tips for encouraging dental hygiene, healthy eating habits, and our pediatric dental services, and yet the sheer breadth of information on the topic of children’s teeth can seem rather overwhelming. Our staff answers individual questions from parents (and kids!) regularly, and you might be surprised to know that many of the questions bouncing around in your head, are frequently asked by others as well. With this in mind, we’ve put together a master list of frequently asked questions (FAQs).
Pediatric Dentistry Frequently Asked Questions (and Answers)
When should I bring my child in for their first dental checkup?
We typically suggest you bring in your little one when their first tooth has erupted. This is generally between six to 12 months of age. If your baby is turning one year old and has yet to have their first tooth poke through, it’s time for a dental checkup, yes even without a tooth. For more in-depth information about this topic, check out our article.
How should I clean my baby’s teeth?
You can purchase a special infant toothbrush at most drugstores. The bristles should be soft and the head of the brush especially small to better fit their mouth. Brush twice a day, using a tiny amount of toothpaste (such as a grain of rice).
What is the difference between a pediatric dentist and a regular dentist?
Pediatric dentists complete two to three additional years of specialized training after dental school. This additional training focuses on the techniques and tools specifically designed for children’s comfort as well as training to encounter, understand, and address the developmental and emotional needs for infants to adolescents, including children with special needs. For more information, read this article.
Are pacifiers bad for my baby’s teeth?
Pacifiers and thumb sucking are natural soothing habits for babies and toddlers. They can become harmful if they persist beyond three years of age. Chat with your pediatric dentist if you have concerns.
How often should my kid visit the dentist?
Everyone, adults included, should have two dental checkups per year. Most insurances have transitioned to including coverage for two per year, as companies analyze the cost benefits of preventative care. Be sure you’re maximizing your dental insurance benefits before the year is out, for more information about this, read our in-depth article.
How do I prevent tooth decay from nursing or bottle rot?
Research shows that breast milk while containing sugar, does not cause tooth decay, however once your baby begins eating foods the potential for tooth decay will arise. Bottle rot is a common term that refers to tooth decay that is caused due to improper bottle feeding habits. Keep your baby’s access to their bottle limited, and never put juice in it. Even before your baby erupts their first tooth, you should gently wash their gums with a clean washcloth and water to scrub away any lingering bacteria. For more detailed information about how to avoid bottle rot, read our article, here.
Should my child get dental sealants?
Dental sealants are a preventative measure dentists use that we strongly recommend. The crevices and ridges in teeth, particularly the back molars are favorite spots for bacteria and food stuffs to linger. Additionally, those back teeth are more difficult for children to reach when they brush. The dental sealants literally seal a protective coat to the crevices of the teeth protecting them from tooth decay and making them less deep, and therefore easier to brush clean. For more information about dental sealants, read here.
Does my child need fluoride treatments?
Is your primary source of water treated with fluoride? Or do you typically drink store-bought bottled water? Most city and town water sources have been treated with fluoride, it’s in fact considered one of the greatest public health accomplishments in the last century. Check to be sure your toothpaste has fluoride. When your child comes in for a dental visit we can discuss whether your child is a good candidate for a fluoride treatment, or supplement. We know that some families find the topic of fluoride controversial, so if you have concerns please bring them to us so that we can discuss. You can also read more about fluoride treatments, here.
What do I do if my child chips a tooth or one is knocked out?
Retrieve the tooth (or piece of it), but avoid touching the root. Place the tooth in a sealed container with milk, and call your pediatric dentist for an emergency dental appointment right away. For more detailed guidance if you find yourself in this circumstance, we’ve written up several scenarios and step by step instructions for how to respond. You can find them, here.
Many of these instances occur due to injuries from sports activities. We strongly urge parents to invest in mouth guards for their children. Mouth guards are required for contact sports such as football, but research shows they are necessary for all sports activities. For more information about mouth guards, check out this article.
What do I do when my child has a toothache?
If your child complains of a toothache, it is likely to be a symptom of tooth decay. Have them rinse their mouth out with some room temperature salt water. You can give them an appropriate dosage of child’s acetaminophen to help with the pain, and an icepack for their cheek if the area is also swollen. You’ll also need to schedule a visit with your pediatric dentist as soon as possible.
Why does a cavity in a baby tooth need to be filled?
A cavity in a baby tooth needs to be treated not only to ease your child’s pain, but also because the decay in one tooth can spread into others when left untreated. We prefer not to pull a tooth in such a circumstance because our body’s natural inclination is for the baby tooth to fall out when it’s ready. Until then, the baby teeth serve to preserve the space for the permanent tooth, and help with chewing and proper speech.
Are dental X-rays safe?
As previously mentioned, pediatric dentists are specially trained to work with kids. We take special care to limit exposure, lead protective aprons are used as is high-speed film. X-rays are important for pediatric dentists to properly assess dental issues so that nothing is overlooked that could become a bigger problem later on.
Schedule Your Child’s Dental Appointment Today
Before you get caught up in the swing of the holidays, be sure to get your child’s second annual dental checkup and cleaning scheduled! Our offices in South Davis, Herriman, and Redwood are at your service. Give us a call today.
by Miranda Booher | Oct 13, 2021 | Dentistry News
Moms and dads, holiday season is under way with the familiar scents and events as we pull out those gorgeous leafy decorations, pumpkins (pumpkin everything, really) costumes, and favorite movies, in addition to tissue boxes for sniffling noses and chapstick. Before you know it, Thanksgiving will arrive, and then it’s a frantic busy slide right into Christmas and New Year’s Eve. It’s a fun time of year full of family gatherings and events, yet it also means that your insurance benefits are coming close to a lapse.
Most insurance plans include coverage for dental services for all members of the family in question. You are paying those monthly premiums, however have you checked to see if you’re maximizing the dental insurance benefits in your plan? Some things to consider:
- Has each child in your family had dental X-rays taken this year?
- Has each child in your family had 2 dental cleanings this year?
- Has one of your children complained about dental pain but you’ve forgotten about it in the everyday bustle of life?
Questions to Ask Your Dental Insurance Provider
- What is my copay?
- What is my maximum coverage amount per person in the family?
- Does my coverage include basic preventative care?
- Are X-rays covered?
- If yes, under what circumstances and/or with what frequency?
- Are dental cleanings covered?
- If yes, how many per year?
- Are fluoride treatments covered?
- If yes, are their age restrictions for fluoride treatments?
- What is my coverage for basic restorative care?
- Is basic restorative care covered up to a certain amount or is a percentage of it covered?
- What is considered basic restorative care in my plan?
- Is in-office sedation covered in my plan?
General Information About Dental Insurance
Basic preventative care typically covers two dental cleanings per year, some plans include a fluoride treatment at the cleaning appointment under the coverage, while others do not. Other insurance plans only cover fluoride treatments for certain ages.
Annual X-rays may be covered by your insurance, while yet other plans only cover them when deemed necessary by the dentist. Such circumstances when X-rays would be necessary would be in preparation for restorative work.
Some plans may cover mouth guards for children under preventative care but not all. Which is unfortunate due to the fact that we know dental injuries are common and preventable with the use of mouth guards when engaging in any type of sport activity!
Basic restorative care typically includes fillings, dental emergencies such as chipped or knocked loose teeth, as well as crowns or root canals. It’s important to ask your insurance questions about basic restorative care, due to the fact that while fillings are almost always covered, they might have restrictions on said coverage. For example, most people prefer composite fillings on the grounds that the composite material blends in with the color of the tooth so as to not be obvious. Some dental plans may only cover amalgam fillings, which are structurally sound but have the disadvantage of being metal in appearance and therefore not very discreet.
Partial Coverage for Restorative Dental Work
Don’t be surprised if you learn that your plan will only fully cover some basic preventative care services. It’s pretty common for restorative care to be partially covered. Partial coverage can mean that they’ll cover up to a certain amount in a year period for each member of your family (or in some cases a certain amount per family) while with other insurance providers, partial coverage means the insurance company will cover a percentage of restorative care services.
Furthermore, some insurances cover partial until a threshold is reached. Upon reaching that threshold, you may be entitled to full coverage again. Accordingly, if this is your circumstance, it’s important to find out how close to that threshold you are.
In-Office Sedation Services and Dental Coverage
When you are checking the details of your dental coverage with your insurance provider, it’s a good idea to ask for details about sedation. Our offices provide three different sedation options:
- Oral Sedation – prescription sedatives for the night prior or the day of a procedure or visit, we may suggest and also implement if your child suffers dental anxiety or has developmental delays that may cause difficulties for dental procedures.
- Nitrous Oxide – also referred to as “laughing gas” is most often utilized in conjunction with a local numbing agent for restorative dental procedures.
- Intravenous Sedation – unlike general anesthesia utilized in hospitals by surgeons, our intravenous sedation technique does not inhibit the protective reflexes, which mainly means our patients under intravenous sedation can breathe on their own.
Any time we consider in-office sedation, we first review the options, the benefits, including the circumstances with the parents. If there is a concern for cost and/or insurance coverage, we will work with you and together we’ll find a solution.
Utah Pediatric Dentists Accepts Most Insurance
We work with most insurance companies, if you don’t find your provider on this list, give us a call to double check that your provider isn’t a new addition.
- Aetna
- Assurant/Sun Life Financial
- Ameritas
- Allegiance
- Anthem BCBS
- Regence BCBS
- BCBS Federal
- Blue Cross of Illinois (Blue Care)
- Blue Cross of Michigan (Blue Dental)
- Carrington
- Cigna
- Dental Select
- DMBA
- Dentist Direct/Direct Care Administrators
- Dentamax
- Delta Dental
- EMI
- GEHA – Connection Dental Network
- Guardian
- Humana – Connection Dental Network
- Life Map
- Lincoln Financial Group/Lincoln Dental Connect
- Metlife
- Traditional Medicaid
- Medicaid Premier Access
- Premier Access PPO
- Premier Access Chip
- PEHP
- Principle – EMI Network
- Standard Life Insurance/Reliance Standard
- Select Health
- Utah Sheet Metal/JAS/Southwest Service Administrators
- United Concordia PPO
- United Concordia Tricare/Active Duty
- United Healthcare – GEHA/Connection Dental Network
Book an Appointment Right Away
Don’t wait for your dental benefits to expire! Some dental services require impressions that must be sent to a lab for production which means a time lag of at least a week. Schedule an appointment with your pediatric dentist before the holiday season speeds up.
Disneyland Giveaway
We’re hosting a Disneyland Giveaway for one family this November, enter to win and that lucky family can be yours! We’ve established 12 different methods for you to enter the sweepstakes, moreover there’s no limit to your total number of entries. On November 15th, we’ll draw the name of one lucky family. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if it was your name? For more information on how to enter, click here.
by Miranda Booher | Jun 7, 2021 | Children's Oral Health
“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!!
by Vedran | Oct 27, 2020 | Children's Oral Health, Pediatric Dental Treatments
7 Children’s Dental Care Tips
To have children means to have joy, love, frustration, and responsibilities. Lots of responsibilities. Among that long list of responsibilities is your child’s dental care. There’s a lot more to understanding the world of children’s dental care than simply connecting to your local pediatric dentist (although that is definitely important).
Here we’ve put together a list of tips for maneuvering the world of pediatric dental health. Some things may seem obvious and intuitive, but you may be surprised by a few others.
1. Start Dental Hygiene Habits Early
Even before their first tooth comes in, you can introduce the idea of mouth hygiene to your child. Gently wipe their gums with water and a clean wash cloth. Once their first tooth erupts it’s time not only to go to your friendly pediatric dentist, but also to start establishing the routine of brushing their teeth (or tooth if it’s just the first one).
2. Find a Pediatric Dentist that You and Your Kids Feel Comfortable With
You may be happy as a peach with your own dentist, but the reality is for your children, you really need a pediatric dentist. Pediatric dentists have an extra two years of schooling under their caps that has prepared them to work specifically with children. This means they’re better prepared for the psychology of working with children, and that they’re specially trained for the dental issues and treatments that are specific to children as well.
For more information on how to select a pediatric dentist for your kids, read our in-depth post titled, “How to Find the Best Kids Dentist Near Me” where we list how to look and what to look for. This is an important decision because positive dental experiences in children lead to better dental health in adults.
3. Baby Teeth Require Care, Regardless of the Fact That They’ll Fall Out
Unfortunately, some parents believe dental health for baby teeth isn’t terribly important because they’ll all fall out anyway. Proper dental care of baby teeth is important for several reasons. Starting with the fact that dental issues, even in baby teeth, can be very painful. Save your baby/child the pain when you can. Secondly, habits that are formed early are very hard to break. If you’re child learns the habit that dental care isn’t a priority, when their permanent teeth come in, it’s going to be difficult to change that habit on its head. And finally, the baby teeth help your child learn to chew, to speak properly, and reserve the space in their growing jaws for when their permanent teeth come in.
For a more in-depth look at baby teeth and why their care is so important, read our post titled, “Baby Teeth Decay: Is It a Big Deal?”
4. Twice a Day Brushing is a Must
Until at least eight years of age, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends parents do or assist in their children’s teeth brushing. The reasons vary depending on age, development, and character, but don’t take away from the necessity.
Just because it’s a “must” doesn’t mean it has to be misery however. Get them fun colors or characters of toothbrushes. Instead of setting a timer, listen to a fun song to get them to last the full two minutes of brushing. The American Dental Association (ADA) put together a playlist of fun tooth brushing songs. Check them out, and find a favorite!
5. Careful and Cautious with Loose Teeth
If your child has a tooth that is knocked loose from an accident or a fall, just because it’s a baby tooth doesn’t mean you should pull it out. In these circumstances, it’s best to contact us right away to get in and let one of our pediatric dentists check it out.
If it’s a tooth that is wiggly and loose just because, then let your kid wiggle it all they want, but don’t try to pull it out. Teeth get loose because the roots are being pushed out by the permanent teeth preparing to erupt. This is a natural process and is best left alone.
For more information about how and when your kids baby teeth start to fall out, check out our post, “The Childhood Rite of Passage, Losing a Baby Tooth“. Alternatively, if a tooth has been knocked loose or chipped, call us right away and follow our instructions which we’ve lined out clearly in our post, “My Child Chipped a Tooth: What Should I Do?”
6. Get on the Fluoride Train
Fluoride may be controversial in some circles, but the truth is, fluoride makes tooth enamel stronger, helps teeth resist the acid and bacteria that are found in our mouths, and community water fluoridation is considered one of the top public health achievements of the 20th century. Make sure the toothpaste for your kids (and you!) has fluoride added, and if your water supply at home is fluoride water, be sure they’re drinking it instead of store bought bottled water.
Additionally, fluoride varnishes are a preventative service that our pediatric dental practice and others offer.
7. Healthy Eats Help Healthy Smiles
Even with routine brushing and flossing, fluoride water and toothpaste and routine checkups healthy eating is important. We explore this topic thoroughly in our post titled, “Do-Eats and Don’t Eats for Kids to Promote Healthy Teeth“. Furthermore, we realize that getting your kids to eat healthy can seem like an impossible challenge. Because of that, we put together a list of hacks to encourage healthy eating in your home. Read our post, “To Get Your Kids to Eat Healthy – Try These 7 Magic Tricks“.
If your child is due for a checkup, don’t wait until the holidays are over to get it done. We’re offering patients with appointments until the end of the year, $25 gift cards. For more information about this promotion, give us a call today!
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