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Your Child's First Trip To The Pediatric Dentist

Healthy baby teeth are important. They are the placeholders for the permanent teeth that follow. Studies show that 50% of two-year olds have one or more decayed baby teeth. So visiting a pediatric dentist can ensure that those baby teeth are getting the attention they deserve.

How can you make that first visit to the pediatric dentist easier for your child?

Keep it low key. Going to the pediatric dentist should be treated as a routine event. Discuss it with your child no more than a day or two ahead of the visit. Your child will have less time to become anxious and hear horror stories from friends.

Stay upbeat. Say a pediatric dentist is a doctor who makes sure our teeth are okay. Don't make promises (such as, it won't hurt) you may not be able to keep.

Use your pediatric dentist's name. Hearing the pediatric dentist's and other staff members' names brings the visit to a more personal level.

Make the appointment early in the day so your child won't have all day to think about the visit. And, usually young children behave better in the morning.

A positive first visit can benefit your child's dental health for many years to come and can actually affect how your child views the pediatric dentist for the rest of his or her life. Do what you can to make the first impression positive.

+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.

Child's Dentist: Tongue Piercing Damages the Mouth

Tongue piercing carries some very serious risks. It can cause a wide range of problems, some even permanent. The pain from the piercing itself might be much more than temporary. It can actually get worse because of excessive swelling and infection and require medical treatment.

The mouth is a hard place to sterilize, so infections are common. Piercing establishments don't always maintain a sterile environment either. They are not regulated by law and many operators are not even licensed. The piercing operator might not be experienced or be thinking of your health and safety. He or she may not even know that the tongue has major blood vessels within it. If pierced in the wrong place -- bingo! You bleed badly. Excessive swelling of your tongue can even block your breathing passages.

The tongue is a breeding ground for bacteria. Piercing the tongue causes an open wound. Bathing it in antiseptic mouthwash isn't enough to kill bacteria. Without the ability to keep bacteria out, infection can develop, and lead to throbbing pain and a trip to the doctor or dentist.

Even if you get through the piercing without too much pain, swelling, or bleeding, you still run the risk of other complications. The jewelry might chip your teeth. It can damage your teeth from the inside, too, and that trauma may require an expensive root canal or crown. Over time, the jewelry can irritate your gums. Or, your fancy jewelry can go right "down the tubes" -- you might swallow or even choke on it, or have it lodge in your lungs.

Tongue Piercing Can Cause:

• Pain
• Swollen tongue
• Infection
• Severe bleeding
• Blood poisoning
• Increased saliva flow
• Gum injury
• Internal resorption (the tooth dissolves from the inside out)
• Chipping of teeth
• Tooth damage requiring crowns, root canals, or other restoration
• Delayed healing
• Allergic reactions to metals
• Choking
• Difficulty eating
• Difficulty speaking
• Life threatening diseases (for example, AIDS and hepatitis) caused from infected needles

Mouth jewelry attracts attention, sometimes the type you aren't looking for -- like dental and medical attention. Be cool. Think smart. Don't put your jewelry where your mouth is.

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.