How Dental Sealants Can Protect Your Child’s Teeth

DID YOU KNOW, on average, a child smiles around 400 times per day? That’s up to ten times more than the average adult! No matter how many times your little one smiles, we want to help them make sure theirs remains healthy throughout their childhood.

One way to protect your child’s pearly whites is by applying dental sealants.

Dental Sealants Protect Teeth From Tooth Decay

A dental sealant—also known as a pit and fissure sealant—is a protective barrier placed on the chewing surfaces of teeth in order to seal out food and bacteria which result in cavities. These sealants are often made of a plastic-like material and applied in a thin layer to fill hard-to-clean recesses in teeth known as fissures in the premolars and molars, and cingulum pits found in canines and incisors.

Application Of Dental Sealants Is Quick And Easy!

The application of sealants is a quick and comfortable process, and usually only takes one visit!

• First, the surface of your child’s teeth are polished and cleaned of any plaque or food debris.
• Next, each tooth receiving sealants will be isolated and dried.
• The teeth are then etched to allow the sealant to adhere more securely and then rinsed and dried to prepare for the sealant application.
• The sealant is then applied to each tooth and cured by a special light to bond the sealant to the teeth.
• Finally, the new sealants will be evaluated and once hardened, will be safe to chew on!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy_gl0vwKT8
 

When Should Your Child Get Sealants?

Children should get dental sealants as soon as possible after their permanent teeth erupt. This happens at a different time in each child’s life, but most children have all of their permanent teeth around the age of 6.

Children often develop dental caries (cavities) in the pits and fissures of these new permanent teeth because they can be very difficult to clean, even if they are brushing and flossing properly. If sealants are applied soon after permanent teeth erupt, food and bacteria don’t have the chance to settle in these crevices and your child can reduce their chance of cavities by 80 percent. Studies show that sealants can remain effective for many years if properly cared for.

We Can Help Protect Your Child’s Smile

Each and every smile is precious, and we are committed to ensuring your child remains happy and healthy as they continue to grow. If you have any questions about dental sealants, let us know in the comments below or call and make an appointment today! We’d love to answer any questions you might have about your family’s oral health care needs.

Thank you for continuing to be part of our practice family!

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Why Are Dental Sealants Important?

DO YOU SPEND A LOT of time worrying about how to keep your child’s teeth cavity-free? Teaching them to brush and floss are critical steps towards ensuring that they can take good care of their teeth for life. Once those permanent teeth come in, there’s something we can do at the dental practice that will give them even more protection against tooth decay, and that something is applying dental sealants.
 

Bacteria Versus Your Child’s Teeth

The reason it’s so critical to teach our children good oral health habits at an early age is that 40 percent of children develop cavities by the time they start school because of poor oral hygiene and consuming sugary snacks and drinks. Every human mouth contains numerous species of bacteria that excrete acid onto our teeth when consuming sugar, and this acid wears away at our enamel and leads to tooth decay.

Brushing, flossing, and limiting our sugar intake are all important ways we can keep that bacteria in check. But even when we do all of these things, there are crevices in our teeth where bacteria can hide, and these can be difficult to reach with a toothbrush. That’s where sealants come in!

What Are Dental Sealants?

Dental sealants are a protective clear plastic layer brushed onto the chewing surfaces of teeth to “seal them off” from plaque and bacteria that would cause cavities to form. Dentists started using sealants in the 1960s, and they’ve been popular ever since.

Typically, sealants are applied to the molars because these teeth are the ones that do the most chewing and have those deep crevices where bacteria can hide. The sealant will fill in and cover any crevices on the tooth to act as a shield from the bacteria. What makes them even better is that the sealant application process is quick and painless!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOeKfLMk6WU

When Should Your Child Get Sealants?

The best time to bring your child in for dental sealants is around when their adult molars erupt, which is usually at age six. The sooner they sealants are in place, the less opportunity the oral bacteria will have to build up in the crevices of the molars. However, sealants are still beneficial when applied later on. Older children and even adults can get them and have their teeth protected too!

Schedule Your Child’s Next Appointment Today!

Whether your child needs sealants or just a normal twice-yearly dental cleaning, don’t hesitate to schedule their next appointment! And if you have any concerns with the way your child is brushing or with how the food they eat might be affecting their teeth, be sure to let us know so that we can help.

Our top priority is protecting your child’s smile!

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Choosing The Right Dentist For You

MOVING TO A NEW AREA comes with a long to-do list, and one important item on it is finding the right dentist. There are a few factors to take into account when choosing a dentist in order to make sure they’re a good fit for you and your family.
 

Why Decide Now?

Dental care should be about preventing problems before they have a chance to get worse, not waiting until they’ve become an emergency. That means it’s important to find a dentist ahead of time so that you can start making regular checkup appointments to keep your teeth healthy.

Another benefit to choosing your dentist ahead of time is that the pressure is off! You don’t have to rush and take a risk with a practice nobody can vouch for. If you start early, you’ll have plenty of time to make sure you have only the best dentist for your needs.

Our Top 5 Tips For Choosing A Dentist

You might have other items you’d include on your own list, but these are five we feel are particularly important for any patient. Still, it’s up to you to decide which items on the list are a higher priority for you!

1. Location. A crucial thing you should be looking at is if the office is within a reasonable distance from your home. How far are you willing to drive twice a year for your checkups? Answer that question for yourself, then choose from dentists within that range.
2. Reputation. Once you’ve decided how far you’re willing to travel for your appointments, research your local dentists to find the ones with great reputations. You can check their Google reviews and Yelp pages for quick information, but you can also ask your friends, coworkers, and neighbors for recommendations.
3. Cost. While the quality of the dental care should always be high on the priority list, the cost is an important consideration as well. Determine your household’s dental care budget, research dental insurance options, and remember that good preventative dental care now will always be cheaper than dental repair work down the road!
4. Specialization. Are you looking for a family dental practice, or do you need a pediatric dentist for your kids? This will make a difference in your final choice. If you know you need more complicated work than a regular cleaning or filling, you might want to learn about nearby periodontists or endodontists as well.
5. Comfort. Even if a dentist meets all four of the other requirements, it may not mean so much to you if you can’t relax while you’re in their office. This is why it’s a good idea to go in beforehand to get a feel for the team and the overall environment of the practice. A good dentist will always look after your comfort!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Lf6IaBZ_aM&t=1s
 

We Look Forward To Meeting You!

If you still aren’t sure how to find the best dentist for you, we can help! Come to visit our practice and we’ll answer any questions you may have. We want to make sure every new member of our community has their dental health needs looked after. In the meantime, keep up your daily brushing and flossing habits!

Help us help you keep your smile healthy for life!

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Childhood Tooth Injuries

WHEN WE PICTURE the ideal childhood, we usually think of children playing on playgrounds and exploring nature with their friends. They discover the world around them, imagine fantastical worlds beyond it, play games, and make friendships that could last a lifetime. As wonderful as that image is, it often comes with bruises and scraped knees — and, sometimes, tooth injuries.

So what can parents do to minimize their children’s risk of tooth injuries while they play? It’s easy enough to remember a mouth guard during actual sporting activities, but sports games and practice aren’t the only situations that can lead to a lost or chipped tooth.

Home And Play Tooth Safety Tips 

Here are a few simple tips for keeping your children’s teeth safe around the house and when playing with friends.

• With babies and toddlers, the most common culprit for tooth injuries is the bathtub. Never leave a young child unattended in the bathtub, because they could easily slip and hurt their teeth.
• When your child is playing with friends and using objects such as frisbees or balls, have a discussion with them about safety. Make sure they know how important it is not to aim for each other’s heads.
• Using playground equipment like the monkey bars, jungle gym, and swings can easily lead to tooth injuries. Make sure to talk to your children before they start playing so that they will know to be careful.

Adult supervision and open conversations about safety are the most crucial components of reducing the risk of injury. By utilizing them, you could help your child avoid the need for major dental work. Just as important in that regard are their daily brushing and flossing habits and their regular dental checkups, because healthy teeth are harder to injure.

What To Do When Accidents Happen

While it is possible to reduce the risks of your child injuring a tooth, not all accidents are preventable. In the event a tooth does get knocked out or chipped, don’t panic. If the tooth isn’t already loose when it gets knocked out, and especially if it’s an adult tooth, try to put it back in place and come straight to the dentist. This will give it the best chance for reattachment.

If it isn’t possible to put the tooth back in place, the next best thing is to place it in a glass of milk to keep the root alive. In any case, bring your child to the dentist as quickly as possible. The faster you arrive at the dentist, the better the chances are of saving the tooth. Do not clean the tooth or put it in water! This will kill the root!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrM6aEuRl0Y

They Grow Up So Fast

Childhood never seems to last as long as we, the parents, wish it would. Our practice can’t make it last longer, but we hope this advice will help make it a little safer. If you have any questions for us about child tooth safety, feel free to ask or come see us. If not, we look forward to seeing you and your child at their next regular check-up!

Be careful with those teeth, but don’t forget to have fun!

The Effects Of Thumb Sucking And Pacifiers

BEING A PARENT, though wonderfully rewarding, can also be stressful and full of uncertainties, especially when it’s your first child and everything is new and overwhelming. Our practice might not be able to take away all of the uncertainties, but we can certainly help you out when it comes to pacifiers and thumb sucking and their effects on your child’s dental health.

Benefits of Thumb Sucking And Pacifiers

According to the American Dental Association, it’s a natural reflex for babies to suck on things. They find it comforting and soothing, which means that allowing thumb sucking or giving them a pacifier can help them feel happy and safe as they grow from infancy to toddlerhood. At this stage, are many benefits to pacifiers or thumb sucking, for the baby and for the parents:

    •       It helps your baby sleep (which also helps you sleep).

    •       It keeps your baby calmer when separated from you.

    •       Studies have shown that pacifiers reduce the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).

When To Wean

One of the main concerns parents often have about thumb sucking in particular is whether or not it will cause their adult teeth to grow in crooked. This certainly can be a problem, but not for toddlers. Most children will stop sucking their thumbs on their own by age four. If they don’t stop on their own, this is when it becomes important to encourage them to stop.

If vigorous thumb sucking continues around when they start getting their permanent teeth, it can lead to changes in the palate that affect the permanent bite. Dental alignment and bite issues are less common with pacifiers because breaking that habit can be as simple as taking the pacifier away if they’re still using them by age three.

For more information about weaning your child off of their pacifier, watch the video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXkxxp9hUPQ

Thumb Sucking And Pacifier Don’ts

Because these sources of comfort don’t cause damage until the adult teeth are coming in, it isn’t necessary to attempt to break your child’s habit before the age of four. Younger toddlers in particular aren’t old enough to understand why parents want them to stop sucking their thumb or pacifier, so they’ll only get upset.

When you do want to wean them off thumb sucking, be careful with topical aids that make the thumb taste unpleasant, because they can be ineffective or even harmful.

Weaning Strategies For Thumb Suckers

Ideally, you’ll be able to wean your child off thumb sucking before they turn five, but if your child is close to age six and is still an avid thumb sucker, it’s definitely time to get serious. Here are some safe strategies you can use:

    •       Praise them for successes rather than scolding them for continued thumb sucking.

    •       Use a rewards chart so they can see the goals they’re working towards.

    •       Make sure they have plenty of activities to do with their hands, like arts and crafts.

    •       Put socks on their hands while they sleep so that they don’t have access to their thumbs. You may need to tape the socks in place so they can’t pull them off.

Bring Your Concerns To Us

Don’t hesitate to talk to us if you’re worried about your child’s pacifier use or thumb sucking habit. We can answer any other questions you may have and help you come up with a strategy to safeguard your child’s healthy dental development.

Your child’s oral health is our first priority!

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Celebrating Our Mothers

WE WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE an important figure in all of our lives—our mothers!

We’re grateful for all of the time, attention, and care our mothers provide for us throughout our upbringing and beyond. The positive impact they have is immeasurable and we want to express what they mean to us this Mother’s Day.

What I love most about my Mom, is her thoughtfulness and how genuine she is as a person to everyone.  She puts thought in to every gift, action or deed she does for another person.

One of my favorite memories with my mom is our girls trip to NYC during Christmas 2014.  It was my first trip ever to NYC but we saw shows, ate at amazing restaurants, saw the city in all its Holiday glory and dec or and shopped in the most amazing places!  Definitely checked off some bucket list items with her during that trip!

Now that I’m a mother of two I’m able to look at what I enjoy most about being a mom.  For me, its probably watching my children learn and grow daily.   To see all the emotions they go through during new experiences is amazing and makes me truly enjoy the simple things.

My life changed for the better when I became a mother, because I had to slow my life down in general and enjoy each day with my child.  Everything was so fast paced for me prior to having kids and I was just so busy (still busy these days too) but now I have to prioritize each day.  I learned also I need to take care of myself and my family and enjoy life a bit more.

Mothers, We Appreciate You!

Whether your mom lives near or far, show her how grateful you are for her this Mother’s Day. To all you moms out there, THANK YOU!
Have any great stories about your awesome mom or an amazing motherly figure in your life? Post it in the comments below or on our Facebook page!

Happy Mother’s Day! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRoqk_z2Lgg

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

4 Fun Apps to Improve Your Oral Hygiene

OUR SMARTPHONES are never farther than an arm’s length away and help us do everything from track our calendars to track our calories. Today, we want to show you the wonders they can do for our daily hygiene routines with the help of these apps!

Dental Expert

We may only see you twice a year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a “dental expert” by your side every day. The Dental Expert app acts as a patient’s guide to understanding different dental procedures. This app includes a frequently asked questions answered by actual dentists. It also has sections discussing myths vs. facts and things that can improve your smile.

Brush DJ

Brushing for two minutes, twice a day is an important part of your oral hygiene routine. It can sometimes be hard to keep track of the time, so why not get some help from your favorite songs with Brush DJ!

Brush DJ is a free app that will play 2 minutes of music from your music library. It also has a visual display guiding you on where to brush and for how long. Brush DJ also lets you set reminders to change your toothbrush, floss and go to regular dental appointments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoILstdnLHs

Chomper Chums

Getting your child excited about brushing their teeth can sometimes take a bit of creativity. Luckily, Chomper Chums® has you covered. Chomper Chums is a dental hygiene focused app designed to help parents teach children proper brushing techniques while keeping them engaged and entertained.

Children earn rewards within the app for brushing their teeth which they then use to buy food or drinks for their virtual Chomper Chums pet. Don’t worry though, this is a free app and no actual money is used to buy their virtual pals’ treats! The app encourages children to choose healthy food for their on-screen friends as well, so they learn about healthy eating choices in addition to building better oral hygiene habits.

BracesHelp

BracesHelp is an iPhone app for people who have or are considering getting braces. This app has helpful tips, videos and pictures on how to care for braces. It also has information on what to do if you are having troubles with your braces. If used in conjunction with tips you receive during your regular orthodontic appointments, you will have all of the help you need on your smile-makeover journey.

Have You Used One Of These Apps?

Or, do you know of other great dental apps for your smartphone or tablet? Comment and share below! And if you decide to try out one of the apps above, let us know how you like it!

We love giving our patients the resources to not only better educate them about their oral health and hygiene, but to make it fun! If you have any questions about these apps or other dental health topics, please feel free to reach out on social media or give us a call!

We appreciate you, our valued patients and friends.

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.