About Tooth Decay - In Your Local Santa Cruz, CA Area

The Baby Tooth - Children's Dental Care For Parents

Q. Does a woman's oral health during a pregnancy have any effect on the fetus?

A. Yes, a pregnant woman's oral health can affect the fetus. Studies have shown that women with many decayed teeth and advanced gum disease may have babies who are born underweight or prematurely.

Q. What about the juices? Can they cause baby tooth decay?

A. Juice causes 20 times more baby tooth decay than milk. Any beverage other than water will cause damage to your child's baby teeth if it is given constantly in a bottle or sippie cup.

Children whose stomachs's are full of liquid may have less of an appetite and eat less of the more nourishing foods. White grape juice contains more fluoride than the other juices. Consumption of white grape juice should be limited before four years of age.

Q. How does one know if her baby needs a fluoride supplement?

A. Fluoride supplements are necessary only if the baby is receiving no fluoride. These supplements may begin at six months of age.

If an infant is strictly breastfed, fluoride may be prescribed for optimal oral health. However, there are many sources of fluoride besides your tap water.

The following contain fluoride:

• juices
• bottled water
• baby foods, (especially chicken)

Q. If the baby receives only bottled water, should a fluoride supplement be used?

A. Bottled water may contain significant amounts of fluoride. The time of year, the source of the water, including the water table and plant from which the water was obtained, will cause fluctuations in the amount of fluoride.

Q. When should one begin brushing the baby's teeth?

A. Brushing may begin with a soft-bristled brush as soon as the first baby teeth erupt. Do not use toothpaste. Toothpaste contains too much fluoride, the taste may be unacceptable and the foaming may upset your child.

Q. Any toothbrush tips?

A. A toothbrush with a small, rounded head is safer. Bristles should be extra soft. Rinse the brush with hot water before and after brushing.

Change the toothbrush as soon as the bristles appear to be frayed. The toothbrush should also be changed after any illness.

Q. Can medicine harm baby teeth or second teeth?

A. >Tetracycline is the only antibiotic that can cause irreversible color change to the second teeth. It is no longer prescribed for children under eight years of age. Chronic illness and long-lasting high fevers may cause changes in the developing permanent teeth, but medication will not.

Children's medications are colored with dyes and have a very high sugar content to make them taste good. Some pharmacies are adding flavoring to improve the taste. The combination of the dye and sugar may cause staining of the teeth. This stain is easily removed when the teeth are polished during a cleaning by the pediatric dentist.

Q. What about injuries to the baby teeth?

A. If a baby tooth is knocked out, do not attempt to replace it in the tooth socket. This is not the same with permanent teeth.

Attempt to find the tooth. If the tooth cannot be located and your child is coughing, a chest X-ray must be performed in order to be sure that the tooth is not lodged in a lung. The baby tooth could also be intruded or pushed up into the gum and bone. This can be confirmed by an X-ray.

The baby tooth should come back into the mouth in six to eight weeks. Other treatment may be necessary, but not usually. Sometimes the permanent tooth that is developing in the bone just under the baby tooth is damaged when the baby tooth is pushed into the bone. The extent of the damage can not be predicted. When the permanent tooth erupts or comes in, the damage could range from a white spot to a dark indentation.

If the baby tooth is lost, a space maintainer with a denture tooth can be made. This may maintain the space for the permanent tooth and improve appearance, but it is not always necessary.

Q. When should my child have his or her first dental visit?

A. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentists recommends the first visit be within six months of the eruption of the first baby tooth. This is generally around 12 months of age.

Early intervention is much easier on you and your little one than an emergency visit for advanced baby tooth decay. Injury to the teeth and mouth are common as children progress through crawling to walking.

By establishing a relationship earlier with a pediatric dentist, you will not only have someone to call in the event of an emergency, but your child will be familiar with the pediatric dentist and the dental environment. Give yourself and your child the advantage of the best of oral health and schedule that first visit.

By Jane A. Soxman, DDS

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

The Making Of An Awesome, Most Excellent Smile

A winning smile is awesome! It's a very special part of your face. Your teeth are a big part of your smile. Keeping them in good shape helps your smile.

Taking care of your teeth is your job. Make it a habit. Here are some tips to follow for keeping your teeth, gums, and all parts of your mouth healthy. These give your mouth something to really smile about!

• Brush your teeth in the morning and at night with a fluoride toothpaste. There may be times you don't feel like it, but good brushing habits can save you from lots of problems later.
• Cavities are caused by a sticky film containing germs. It's called plaque and it coats your teeth. Plaque is nasty and needs to be brushed away at least twice a day. So if you go to bed without brushing your teeth, get up and brush! Or, if you forget to brush before going to school in the morning, rinse your mouth with water. Brush your teeth as soon as you get home.
• If you don't, you're in for a plaque attack, and that causes cavities!
• Use a tongue scraper or brush your tongue, too. Swish with water after brushing to rinse your mouth. If you're 12 years old or older, you can use a mouth rinse, too. Be careful not to swallow it. Don't swallow any toothpaste either. It's good for your teeth but not good in your tummy.
• Use dental floss or an interdental cleaner (special picks, brushes, or sticks) to clean between teeth every day. Plaque gets between teeth, too. Cleaning between your teeth removes plaque and trapped food particles your toothbrush might not get. Do it as part of your bedtime routine. Fighting tooth decay is your job.
• See your dentist twice a year for check-ups and cleanings. They have special tools that can get your teeth really clean. Think of your dentist and dental hygienist as your healthy teeth team. They like helping to keep your smile in good shape!
• Clean your teeth after snacks, even if it only means "swishing" out with water. Even healthy snacks like fruits and vegetables leave food particles and natural sugar in your teeth. Don't eat too many sweets. When you do eat sweets, brush your teeth as soon as possible. Cavity-causing germs love sweets. They start attacking your teeth right away.
• Wear a mouth protector when participating in sports. They can save your teeth from getting chipped, broken, or knocked out.
• Stay away from all tobacco products including cigarettes, cigars, and smokeless tobacco. Tobacco is very bad for your teeth, gums, lips, and mouth. Yuck! It can stain your teeth, give you sores that really hurt, and make you very sick. It's a bad habit for your whole body.

Follow these steps to an awesome smile.

• Brush teeth in the morning and at night.
• Floss every day.
• Rinse or brush after snacks.
• See your dentist for check-ups and cleanings twice a year.
• Wear a mouth protector for sports activities.
• Stay away from tobacco.

You're in charge of your teeth. Brush them. Floss them. Build strong, healthy teeth with healthy foods. Follow good health habits. You are sure to make and keep an awesome, most excellent smile!

Discover what pediatric dentistry can do for your child's smile.

by Brian J. Gray, DDS, MAGD, FICO

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.