by Miranda Booher | Dec 6, 2022 | Children's Oral Health, Community News
Have you ever thought about how your child’s eating habits could affect their dental health? We may not see the relationship between the two right away, but they are actually very dependent on one another. Just like your body requires a certain amount of vitamins and minerals each day to stay healthy, so do your teeth. To prevent tooth decay and other dental issues, children need to consume a balanced diet. All food groups are part of a balanced diet, and making smart decisions helps maintain good oral health.
As a parent, you want to make sure your kids are eating healthy, getting exercise, and doing well in school. Not only are there foods that your child should avoid, but there are also many foods that make a kid’s teeth stronger and more resistant to dental problems. Tooth decay is the most common disease among children, so providing a good diet in addition to great oral health habits like brushing and flossing goes a long way.
What relationship exists between a child’s dental health and nutrition?
According to experts, children require food from all of the major food groups to develop normally and maintain good health. Too many carbohydrates, sugars (found in things like cake, cookies, candy, milk, fruit juice, and other sweet foods and drinks), and salty foods and starches (like pretzels and potato chips) can all lead to tooth decay. The key factor causing tooth decay is how long carbohydrates stay on the teeth.
Here are some recommendations for selecting foods that are better for your child’s teeth:
- Keep fresh produce around the house to serve as “healthy snacks” in place of processed foods. Pick produce that is high in water content, such as cucumbers, melons, pears, and celery. Bananas and raisins should be limited because they contain high sugar content. After eating these fruits, immediately brush your teeth.
- Serve cheese as a snack or with lunch. Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Swiss, and other aged cheeses, in particular, encourage salivation, which helps remove food residue off teeth.
- Avoid chewy, sticky foods. It is challenging for saliva to wash away foods that stick to teeth, such as raisins, dried figs, granola bars, oatmeal or peanut butter cookies, jelly beans, caramel, honey, molasses, and syrup. If your child eats these kinds of foods, encourage them to brush their teeth right away.
- Serve sweets with meals rather than as snacks. If you’re going to give your kid any treats, serve them as dessert right after the meal. Around mealtimes, saliva production often increases, making it simpler to wash food from teeth. The liquid consumed during meals aids in cleaning off food residue from the teeth.
- Encourage your kids to eat as few snacks as possible. More significant than the amount eaten is how often you snack. Saliva can wash away food particles that bacteria would otherwise eat if there is a gap in between meals. Regular munching without immediately brushing afterward gives bacteria constant fuel, which promotes plaque formation and dental decay. Try to keep the number of snacks you eat every day to no more than one or two. If at all possible, brush your teeth right away after eating the snack.
- Eat less sugary food, so it doesn’t stick to your teeth. Because they continually cover the teeth with sugar, and avoid or limit gum, mints, hard candies, and cough drops, all of which promote tooth decay.
Buy sugar-free or unsweetened foods.
Never give your infant a bottle of milk, formula, juice, or soda to drink before bed. If your child needs a bottle before bed, fill it with just water.
Instead of giving your child juice or soda, give them pure water. Sugar is present in milk, drinks, and juices. Water helps wash away any food particles that might be stuck to the teeth and is safe for the teeth.
To help them develop strong teeth, provide calcium-rich foods in your child’s diet. Yogurt, broccoli, and milk are all excellent sources.
If your youngster chews gum, pick sugar-free or xylitol-sweetened varieties. Bacteria in the mouth have been demonstrated to decrease when xylitol is consumed, and chewing increases saliva production.
Some Tips on Brushing and Visiting the Dentist
- Brush and floss your child’s teeth, and use fluoride. After age two or after your child can spit out and not swallow toothpaste, using a fluoride toothpaste every day is the best way to avoid tooth decay. Early deterioration is reversed by fluoride. Fluoride administration remineralizes the surface after the tooth has developed. This entails supplying the teeth with minerals again. Minerals support tooth strength, which helps ward off tooth decay. If feasible, brush your child’s teeth at least twice daily and after every meal or snack. If brushing is not an option, at least repeatedly rinse your mouth with water. To help get debris out from between the teeth and below the gum line, floss your child’s teeth at least once a day.
- After giving your child medicine, remember to brush his or her teeth. Cough syrups and other medications include sugar, which oral bacteria use to produce acids. The enamel, the tooth’s outermost layer of protection, can be destroyed by these acids.
- Regularly visit the dentist. By the age of one or within six months of the first tooth breaking through the gums, your child should visit the dentist for the first time. Regular dental checks will also aid in early detection of any growing dental issues.
Taking care of your child’s nutrition as well as dental health and all the other things you must think about as a parent can be overwhelming. Still, it’s well worth the effort when your child grows into a healthy young adult with a brilliant and healthy smile as well as a healthy body. We only want what’s best for our children, and starting young is the safest and surest way to ensure we are doing all we can for them. Kids love sweets, but as parents, we need to make sure we are limiting their sugar intake and brushing their teeth frequently to avoid the buildup of plaque and acids that can ruin those little pearls.
Please book a dental appointment with us today, and let us make sure your child’s teeth are well taken care of.
by Miranda Booher | Aug 8, 2022 | Community News, Dentistry News, Uncategorized
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.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry advises consulting your pediatric dentist if your child is still sucking their thumb after age 3, as it may cause crooked teeth or bite issues.
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.
by Miranda Booher | Jul 4, 2022 | Children's Oral Health, Community News, Dentistry News
While the majority of our population is in fact, not dental experts, society actually as a whole has a few very firm (and correct) understandings and expectations when it comes to the topic of healthy teeth.
We expect our babies to grow the first few adorable little whites within the first year. Most homes generally have a routine to brush teeth in the mornings and again at night before bed. We teach our children to put their lost teeth under their pillow for the tooth fairy, and we associate healthy smiles to the general color category of white. So, what does it mean then, when one of your kids’ pearlies is actually a grey color?
A grey tooth is what we call a necrotic tooth or pulp necrosis. This means that the pulp of the tooth has suffered damage to its blood supply. Without proper blood supply, the tissue begins to die, thereby changing the color of the tooth from white to grey.
Why is My Child’s Tooth Grey?
The potential causes of a grey tooth include the following:
- Dental trauma – this is the most likely cause of a necrotic tooth in children. One of the reasons we strongly advise parents to invest in mouth guards for kids who play sports of any kind is because the use of mouth guards can actually reduce the chances of a dental trauma injury by 73%-83%. Nevertheless, even with the use of mouth guards while engaged in sports activities dental trauma injuries can occur. An accidental elbow to the face, or a head first tumble for your walking toddler. These injuries can occur even with the best of safe guards in place. If your child has suffered a dental injury such as a chipped tooth or a tooth has been knocked loose or all the way out, follow these steps and give us a call immediately. Quick reactions can save the tooth.
- Severe and untreated tooth decay – this cause is less likely if you’re keeping your kids to the recommended biannual cleaning and checkup schedule in addition to encouraging healthy dental hygiene routines at home.
- Gum disease – another cause avoidable with healthy dental hygiene at home and routine checkups and cleanings at your local pediatric dentist.
Can a Grey Tooth Be Saved?
Actually, a grey tooth can be saved if action is taken quickly enough. When the whole of the tooth is mostly intact in spite of the dead or dying pulp tissue within, measures can be taken to save the tooth itself. For this we may perform a pediatric pulpotomy or a root canal.
This means we must first create a hole within the enamel to get inside the tooth to remove the infected or decaying pulp from the inside of the tooth. Next a healing medicine is applied to soothe the nerves and treat any bacteria attempting to grow (which can spread to the root and cause an abscess if untreated). Once that part of the treatment is completed, we reseal the entry and create a cap to cover the tooth. If the tooth in question is a baby tooth (primary tooth) we may opt to cover the entry with a composite filling instead of a cap. A composite filling is a more economic route, and only appropriate in the case of a primary tooth because the tooth’s lifespan is only a few years as opposed to if it were a permanent tooth in question.
Does a Dead Baby Tooth Need to Be Pulled?
In general, we avoid tooth extractions whenever possible. The primary teeth, serve as place holders for their permanent teeth and our bodies generally allow primary teeth to loosen and fall out naturally in accordance for the timing of the eruption of the permanent teeth. Additionally, primary teeth serve to help our children chew and eat foods properly and develop proper speech patterns.
Nevertheless, if your child has a necrotic tooth that is causing severe pain, an infection in the gums or spreading to other teeth, a pediatric pulpotomy may not be appropriate. In these rare circumstances, we may need to simply extract the tooth. For this to be necessary your child would likely be experiencing severe tooth pain, therefore we urge parents to listen to their children when they complain of tooth pain. Don’t wait for it to become severe before scheduling an appointment for a consult.
What if the Teeth Have Grey Spots?
If the tooth or teeth are not wholly grey but instead have grey or black spots or streaks, that doesn’t necessarily mean necrosis is to blame.
These grey colored spots may be indicative of too much iron in their diet. Iron supplements, fortified cereals, or iron-rich water may be to blame. When iron is the culprit, assist your child with tooth brushing for a time and they will disappear.
Grey spots could also be an indication of over exposure to fluoride. Is your child using an appropriate amount of toothpaste when they brush? Are they spitting out the toothpaste or swallowing it instead?
If grey lines or spots are visible near the gum line, they could be indicative of decay, because that area of the tooth can be the hardest for kids to brush properly. Are you taking a turn to help them brush at night before bed?
Call Utah Pediatric Dentists and Schedule a Consult
In any of the aforementioned cases, it is important to seek advice and assistance from your pediatric dentist. We can determine the cause, and appropriate treatment while providing you and your child with reassurance and choices about the best way to move forward with a healthy smile.
by Miranda Booher | May 25, 2022 | Children's Oral Health, Community News, Uncategorized
Summer’s here and we’re so excited about it! A break from the homework and the out-of-the-house rush in the mornings without forgetting backpacks or snack packs is due. Pool parties, barbecues, grill parties, sports team tournaments, rec league games, and all the other summer fun activities are already bringing smiles to your kids’ faces and sweetening their dreams. Nevertheless, those same activities that make them smile, can be hard on those very same smiles. What do we mean by that? Well, the snacks, the drinks, and the types of foods we ingest at these parties can be harmful to our teeth. With this in mind, we’ve put together a list of tips for summer fun to help you and your kids take care of their smiles.
Hot Tips for Healthy Summer Smiles
- Choose Crushed Ice: This one may seem like it’s coming at you out of the left-field, but it’s a great tip that’s easy to gain your kids’ approval for. The truth is, that crunching on ice cubes is harmful to the enamel on our teeth. Crunching ice can crack the enamel of the tooth which can result in cold sensitivity and increased vulnerability to cavities. Add to that, the potential for actually chipping or cracking a tooth, which is a legitimately shocking and even painful experience, do we need to say more? Bottom line, everyone wants ice-cold drinks, especially in the Utah summer heat, and we can’t begrudge anyone that desire, so here’s your workaround. Choose crushed ice whenever possible!
- Mouth Guards Make a Difference: Just because school sports are on a break, doesn’t mean your kids won’t be playing this summer. Whether it’s competitive tournaments, or a more casual rec league doesn’t matter when it comes to the propensity for dental emergencies. Mouth guards are essential for any sport. A large portion of our emergency dental visits to the office are a result of a broken or chipped tooth from a ball game, a bike crash, or simply falling on the wet, slippery surface by the pool. Mouth guards will protect their teeth in those types of situations, even the more economical versions found at your local store. Give us a call to learn more about a custom-fitted mouth guard that will have the advantage of increased comfort.
- Ensure Crunchy Veggies Are Available: You won’t be the menu master at other people’s home parties, but you sure are for your own! When you’re planning a summer bash, make sure you put out vegetable platters with crunchy carrots, celery, bell pepper, broccoli, cauliflower, and more. Go further, and integrate these vegetables into your daily snack options for your kids. Take a morning or afternoon and prep them by cleaning, peeling, and slicing so they’re easy to grab or pack if your kids are headed out the door. Not only are vegetables rich in vitamins, but the crunchiness serves as a scrubber for the teeth, helping to remove sugars or other food debris that is otherwise lodged in their teeth. Also, why not bring a veggie platter to your neighbor’s pool party?
- Lemonade in Moderation: Who doesn’t love a lemonade or a limeade in the summertime? Your teeth, that’s who. These delicious summer drinks are a double whammy on teeth: the citrus runs an assault the enamel while the enormous amount of sugar dives in and hides in the nooks and crannies looking for vulnerabilities. We generally prefer to avoid doling out a hard ‘no’ on anything as we know that kids often love what they can’t have, yet we encourage these types of drinks to be limited. Also, after a limeade or a lemonade follow it up with a generous swig of water. Swish the water around and spit it out to help wash away residue citrus and sugars.
- Refillable Water Bottles: We love the benefits of water, as demonstrated in the aforementioned lemonade tip. In general, swishing and then spitting a mouthful of water after any snack or meal that has sugars, sauces, or stickiness is highly recommended. When your kids are out and about, they are less likely to splurge on a soda or other sugary drink if their water bottle is already on hand. The same goes for you, parents. Carrying around your water bottle sets a positive example for your kids, and will help you moderate the temptation to buy yourself a cold sugary drink when you’re sitting in the sun watching a game, or hanging by the pool or grill. Other benefits to utilizing refillable water bottles include the fluoride benefit from the city’s water supply, and the cash benefit as well. $1.50 (or more) every day adds up.
- Travel Toothbrush and Toothpaste: At any local drugstore, you can find travel-sized toothpaste and toothbrushes that will fit easily into your purse, your kid’s backpack or sports bag, and even the console of your car. Make brushing teeth a priority, even when your family is on a road trip or weekend getaway.
- Schedule a Cleaning: The majority of dental insurance plans these days cover two cleanings per year. When was the last time your kids had a cleaning? If you can schedule around vacations, getting in for cleanings during the summer is easier than pulling them out of school, or utilizing the short afternoons Monday through Friday during the school year. Utilize your dental plan to its maximum benefit, and schedule cleanings for your kids this summer.
Call Utah Pediatric Dentists Today
We have three fully equipped and staffed office locations waiting to hear from you. Our team of staff is dedicated to happy kids with healthy smiles. We’re just a phone call away, and look forward to hearing from you! Happy summer, we hope you enjoy it to the fullest!
by Miranda Booher | Apr 18, 2022 | Dentistry News
With our busy schedules and seemingly endless to-do lists, it is easy to put off taking our kids to the dentist – we probably don’t go ourselves unless we are suffering from unendurable pain. What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, right? This expression might have some truth to it, but it certainly does not apply to our oral health. When it comes to your kids’ pearly whites, prevention and early treatment are key to ensuring not only your children’s oral health but their overall physical health as well.
Read on to learn more about pediatric dentistry and where to find the best pediatric specialists in Salt Lake City.
What Is a Pediatric Dentist?
A pediatric dentist is a specialist who provides preventive and therapeutic oral health care for infants and children through adolescence, including those with special health care needs. Pediatric dentists provide care, carry out research, and teach in diverse clinical and institutional settings. They collaborate with other health care providers and
members of social disciplines for the wellbeing of children.
To become a pediatric dentist, after four years of dental school, a dentist must complete a 24-month advanced education program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. Pediatric dentistry programs cover a variety of disciplines, techniques, procedures, and skills which are adapted to the particular needs of infants, children, adolescents, and those with special health care needs.
The work-scope of a pediatric dentist encompasses all of the following:
• Behavior guidance (for example, pacifier use and thumb sucking)
• Care of medically and developmentally compromised and disabled patients
• Supervision of orofacial growth and development, including early assessment and treatment for straightening teeth and correcting an improper bite (orthodontics)
• Caries prevention, including cleaning and fluoride treatments, as well as nutrition and diet recommendations
• Repair of tooth cavities or defects
• Management of gum diseases and conditions including ulcers, short frenulae, mucoceles, and pediatric periodontal disease
• Care for dental injuries (for instance, fractured, displaced or knocked-out teeth)
• Pharmacological management, including sedation
Why Is Pediatric Dentistry Important?
As any parent knows, children usually feel nervous or even terrified of the simplest medical procedures – and unfortunately visits to the dentist are not the exception. Thankfully, pediatric dentists know how to examine children and interact with them in ways that put them at ease. Furthermore, the entire office is geared towards children from the equipment to the decoration – don’t underestimate the soothing effect of a set of Peppa Pig scrubs!
Not only do pediatric dentists win over their patients with fun outfits and decorations, but – more importantly – they also explain and demonstrate to kids step by step what they will do before they even ask the children to open their mouths. For example, a water flosser looks scary even to adults, but if children have seen how it works and maybe felt the water on their hands, instead of being afraid, they might think it seems fun and look forward to a cleaning.
Is Pediatric Dentistry a Modern Invention?
As parents, it often seems like the world our kids are growing up in is vastly different from the one we grew up in, and it is hard to distinguish between true improvements/necessities on one hand and inventions of consumer society on the other. However, in the case of pediatric dentistry, the American Dental Association officially recognized this specialty in 1940, and the American Academy of Pedodontics was founded in 1947. Furthermore, the first book on children’s dentistry dates all the way back to 1742. In other words, pediatric dentistry is by no means a new fad.
Moreover, taking kids to the dentist nowadays is even more important than it was in the past. According to the latest National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999-2004), tooth decay in children ages two to eleven has been increasing since the mid-1990s with younger children being more severely affected. The aforementioned survey found that 42% of children two to eleven have had dental caries in their primary teeth, so if you haven’t yet taken your children to the dentist, it is imperative that you do so; remember that with oral health sooner is always better.
Kids Dentist Near Me
If you live in or around Salt Lake City, Utah, we have three conveniently located pediatric dentistry offices for you to choose from: in Redwood, in South Davis, and in Herriman. Click on the location nearest you to get to know us a little better – the more you know us, the more you’ll love us; then call to schedule your child’s appointment today!
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