Dentists For Kids - In Your Local Kansas City, MO 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.

Tooth Care: Space Maintainers

What happens when a primary (baby) tooth is lost too early? An appliance called a space maintainer will be recommended by your pediatric dentist. The area of the mouth and the age of the child will determine the need for and type of space maintainer.

The primary teeth save the space for the permanent teeth. The 20 primary teeth are replaced by 20 permanent teeth. The six-year molars, twelve-year molars, and wisdom teeth will erupt (come in) in the back of the jaw. The bone will begin to grow around five years of age to make room for these teeth. If a primary tooth is lost before the permanent tooth is ready to erupt, other teeth will drift or tip into the empty space. This may block out the spot for the permanent tooth that replaces the primary tooth. The space maintainer will hold the teeth in their proper position.

Primary teeth may be lost early because of decay, crowding, injury, or improper eruption of the permanent teeth. Most space loss occurs during the first six weeks after the loss of the tooth. This may continue over the next six months. A space maintainer should be placed before this loss occurs. Sometimes, space loss cannot be avoided and your dentist can only attempt to preserve the remaining space.

There are many types of space maintainers, but two are most often used. The band and loop is used to hold the space for one tooth. The lingual arch is used to hold the space for two or more teeth that have been lost from both sides of the jaw.

If a primary molar is prematurely lost and the six-year molar has not yet erupted (come in), the parent must watch closely for the eruption of the six-year molar. This is very important because the six-year molar will rapidly tip or drift forward causing space loss. The teeth that replace the first and second primary molars ordinarily do not erupt until between nine and eleven years of age. The six-year molar must be partially erupted to make the space maintainer for early loss of a second primary molar.

Space maintainers are usually made with orthodontic bands and wires. Two appointments are necessary. During the first dental appointment, an orthodontic band is fitted on the tooth next to the space. An impression is taken. Next, the band is removed from the tooth and placed in the impression. A mold of the teeth is made with the band on the tooth. A laboratory will custom make an appliance to exactly fit the space. During the second appointment, the appliance is cemented in place.

The space maintainer is not removed until the permanent tooth begins to erupt. The parent must be sure to tell the dentist when the permanent tooth is erupting. If the space maintainer is not removed at the proper time, the permanent tooth may come in improperly. Your dentist will inform you of the age when your child's permanent tooth will likely appear. Early tooth loss may cause the permanent tooth to be delayed in its eruption or to erupt earlier than expected.

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.