Category: Pediatric Dental Care

Do you want to have a much healthier mouth this year? If you have not always had the healthiest teeth and gums in the past, it is not too late for you to make a few changes. Getting into a better oral hygiene routine is the best way for you to improve your oral health while making your teeth look even better.

Get a New Toothbrush

If you are still using a traditional manual toothbrush, it is a great time to upgrade to an electric toothbrush. While you may feel like your traditional toothbrush does a great job at removing unwanted food and stains from the teeth while you are brushing, certain electric toothbrushes are much more powerful and can easily get rid of the excess plaque from between the teeth in an effortless manner. Not only are electric toothbrushes best to use when you need to get rid of plaque, but they also make it possible for you to reach every tooth in your mouth, including the teeth that are in the back.

You may think that electric toothbrushes are too expensive, but there are some effective and affordable options on the market. Even if you need to spend a bit more than you would normally spend on a traditional toothbrush, it is worth it because you will have teeth that look and feel a lot cleaner than they felt beforehand.

Start Using a Water Flosser

You should always floss your teeth to get rid of the food particles and bacteria that get stuck between them. Unfortunately, a lot of people do not floss often enough. It is good to use floss in the morning, before bed, and even between each meal, but most people forget to do this. While using traditional floss is ideal, you may want to consider using a water flosser when you are at home because then you can get rid of plaque and food particles with ease.

The at-home water flosser is similar to the kind of device that is used in dental offices by dental professionals when they are performing thorough cleanings of the teeth. There are both corded and cordless devices, both of which are easy to travel with when you are going on vacation. If you are going to use a water flosser, make sure to use it before you begin brushing your teeth. It helps to get rid of all the food and gunk that is on and between your teeth before you even start brushing with your toothpaste and toothbrush. You should feel the difference that a water flosser can make when you use it regularly.

Cut Back on the Sugary Foods and Beverages

If you want to have a healthier mouth, you will need to make some sacrifices. It helps to cut back on the consumption of sugary foods and beverages, both of which can contribute to tooth decay. This does not mean that you cannot have a soda here and there or that you cannot have your favorite piece of chocolate. It just means that you should cut back a bit and make healthier choices when grabbing something to eat or drink.

Eat Foods That Are Good For Your Teeth

While sugary foods are not good for the teeth and can ultimately lead to decay, there are other foods that you should start eating more often simply because they are known for keeping the teeth strong while preventing plaque buildup. Some of the best foods to start consuming when you want to have a healthier mouth include apples, celery sticks, carrot sticks, strawberries, and cheese. You should focus on consuming foods that are loaded with vitamins because those vitamins are good for your teeth and good for you in general.

Start Seeing a Dentist Regularly

Having a healthy mouth means visiting the dentist more often than you normally would. In the past, you may have only visited the dental office for cleanings once every few years, but this is a bad thing because then different issues can go undetected for such a long time. By having the teethed cleaned a few times a year, you can keep the plaque and tartar at bay while having any possible issues detected earlier on before they start getting much worse. A dentist will let you know if he or she sees something in your mouth that may need treatment.

If you would like to have a healthier mouth this year, these are the types of changes that you should start making. Use an electric toothbrush, start flossing with a water flosser, avoid sugary foods and beverages, eat healthier foods, and see a dentist regularly for cleanings and checkups. By making these changes now, you can end up with healthier teeth and gums that look good while avoiding all kinds of issues, including tooth decay, gum disease, and chronic bad breath.

Even though baby teeth or primary teeth will ultimately fall out, their importance can’t be overstated. Good primary dentition helps a child establish good biting and chewing patterns, hold healthy space in jaws for the next set of teeth and develop speech.

Primary teeth are just as prone to cavities as adult or permanent teeth. When a primary tooth is lost to decay or falls out prematurely, the other teeth can tilt into the space and cause a delay in eruption. Teaching kids to take care of their teeth from an early age will ideally pave the way for a healthy oral cavity in the future.

That being said, here is a closer look at the importance of baby teeth:

Tooth Position and Alignment

Baby teeth save space for the permanent teeth and guide them into the right position. If a primary tooth is lost because of tooth decay, the adjacent tooth will tip or drift into that space. As a result, the permanent tooth gets less room to grow and tends to be blocked from erupting in that area.

Proper Health & Nutrition

Obviously, teeth are required for chewing. Pain from cavities leads to nutritional issues if the kid isn’t able to properly chew food.

If cavities are left unattended, there’s a huge risk of infection and this can spread to other regions of the body, including the brain. This can result in an emergency situation and the child may have to be hospitalized. Unfortunately, there have been cases where children passed away as a result of a dental abscess.

Healthy Permanent Teeth

Permanent or adult teeth develop near the roots of the primary teeth. Baby teeth are way smaller and so, cavities tend to spread quickly through the thin enamel. If left untreated, the primary teeth can develop an abscess or an infection which can interfere with teeth development and cause damage to the adult teeth underneath.

Facial and Speech Development

The cheeks, lips, and tongue deflect the teeth off during sound formation. The correct positioning of primary teeth helps in the formation of ideal pronunciation during speech. The structure of the tooth ideally gives support to the development of facial muscles and helps shapes the child’s face.

Self Esteem and Concentration

If your kid is experiencing dental pain, it can have a huge impact on their ability to focus and learn in school. Decayed teeth can also interfere with their social interactions and affect their self-esteem and confidence. This can lead to the kid missing school and you missing work if you have to take them to the dentist for an emergency appointment.

Tips For Baby Teeth Care

1. Getting Started

Since primary teeth usually arrive in six months, it is usually a good idea to introduce the aspect of dental hygiene at this stage. Parents usually find it hard to introduce brushing and establish proper oral hygiene at this point.

However, we all know that infants and toddlers put everything in their mouths and so, why not a toothbrush. Introducing this aspect at an early stage will allow the baby to be used to the idea of brushing.

2. Dentist Appointments

The cornerstone of good oral health is visiting the dentist at an early age. The best time to bring the kid to a pediatric dentist is before they hit the 2 year mark, particularly when the first tooth comes out. This gives you a chance to ask hygiene and dietary questions and get professional advice on dental health.

It allows your practitioner to establish a baseline record of the oral health of your child, which further safeguards the establishment of ideal dental health and prevents premature loss of crucial baby teeth.

3. Establishing a Brushing Regime

To keep your child’s mouth healthy and establish a dental health routine, brushing regularly is recommended. For 0-2 years old, it is best to brush with just water. From 2 to 7 years, the kid should brush twice a day with a little amount of fluoride toothpaste. You will still need to provide assistance with brushing, while still encouraging them to manage their own routine.

For a child under 7 years, a gentle scrub technique is recommended. However, your dentist should be able to advise you on the best technique for your child.