“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!!
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.
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.
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!
August is arguably the best month of the summer. Your family has already settled into full swing summer mode, in fact anticipation for what the school year will look like is probably on everyone’s mind. You may be packing in some final road trips or getaways and...
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.
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