Why baby teeth are important

Your baby needs strong baby teeth to be able to learn to chew solid foods, to smile, and to speak. You want your baby to meet all the age-appropriate developmental milestones.

Baby teeth are the forerunners to your child’s permanent teeth. Permanent teeth grow inside the jaw under the baby teeth.

If your child loses a baby tooth too early from decay and lack of care or trauma, the permanent tooth that comes in may be misaligned, making it hard for the rest of the teeth in that area to line up properly; this could cause bite problems. Teeth can become crooked or crowded. Your child may need braces as he grows older to correct issues that stem from a missing baby tooth.

Tips for taking good care of baby teeth

Care of baby teeth can have a lifelong impact — positive or negative — on your child. Following are some tips to help ensure your child’s baby teeth are healthy.  

Wipe your newborn’s gums

Clean your newborn’s gums with a soft, clean washcloth or moist gauze. This keeps bacteria to a minimum.  

Don’t share saliva with your baby

Many parents share spoons, forks, and cups with their babies. Studies show that it’s not a good idea. When you transfer bacteria through your saliva by sharing food or a drink, you baby can get a cavity. It’s a lot better to play “pretend” than to actually share that spoon.

Some parents are astonished to find out that their 2-year-old has cavities.

Brush your baby’s teeth

When the baby teeth come in, do the brushing for your child until they’re ready to do it. Use a small amount of fluoride toothpaste on a child’s toothbrush and brush twice a day.

Make brushing part of the daily routine

Dentistry for Children teaches your child how to brush and floss their teeth, but you can reinforce good habits at home. As your child begins to brush on their own, supervise the brushing until you’re sure they’re doing it correctly — using the right amount of toothpaste and not swallowing it. Spot check periodically.  

As your child learns to brush, make this part of the day fun. You can brush alongside them or create a chart with their daily routine on it; visual cues help keep young children on track.

Don’t put your baby to bed with a bottle

Make sure your baby finishes their bottle before putting them to bed. Continually sucking on a bottle increases the amount of bacteria their teeth are exposed to.  

Don’t put juice in baby bottles

Bottles should contain only breast milk, formula, or water. Your baby won’t want to stop sucking on the bottle if you give him juice.

Minimize sugar in your child’s diet

Make pastries, candy, and cakes an occasional treat, not an everyday occurrence. Limit the juice they drink. Unlimited juice can lead to cavities; plus, the calories hinder the appetite at meals.

Visit the dentist regularly  

Dentistry for Children recommends bringing in your child for their first visit when they reach 1 year old. Regular dental care is an important part of your child’s overall health.

Call or book an appointment with Dentistry for Children to ensure your child has positive dental visits and expert care.

Complete avoidance is never the answer. Children, and adults, just want what they can’t have. Instead, teach safer sugar consumption behavior. 

Encourage your child to only eat sugary treats with a meal. Or offer the treats right after a meal. This helps children avoid the temptation to eat candy after they’ve brushed.

According to the American Dental Association (ADA), eating candy after a meal assists in canceling out harmful acids that lead to tooth decay. Don’t let your children wait too long to brush.

2. Provide alternatives

It’s easier for your children to resist eating a whole bag of fruit-flavored snacks when healthier sweet alternatives are around. As Halloween approaches, make sure you stock up on raw berries, apples, carrots, and other natural treats.

The fiber in whole foods helps reduce cravings and over-consumption while training the taste buds to prefer these better choices. But remember that fruit is still sugary and acidic and fruit juice is not the same as whole fruit.

Monitor fruit consumption as well. It’s not completely harmless. Always encourage rinsing and brushing after eating.

3. Select better candy

Now we get controversial. While all candy can cause tooth decay, there are some candies that are better than others. The longer a candy stays in the mouth, the greater risk to your child’s teeth.

Hard candies and those that require a lot of chewing will stay on the teeth longer. Taffies, caramel, and shiny candies may stay on the teeth for hours because of their stickiness. If you must choose between one candy and another, chocolate is really your best option. It’s chewed up and swallowed much more quickly than other candy types.

4. Make sure your toothpaste has fluoride

You may be surprised to find that some very popular natural toothpastes don’t include fluoride. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral found in some foods. Studies show that it reduces tooth decay risk significantly in children.

It’s also naturally occurring in most home tap water. However, many children today drink filtered or bottled water. They may not get sufficient fluoride if it’s not in their toothpaste. Please, go check the tube next time you brush.

5. Encourage healthy eating all year 

Dr. Sina would like to remind you that children who are accustomed to eating healthier foods all year find themselves less tempted to eat candy at Halloween. In fact, when you eat a well-balanced diet, most candy tastes too sweet. Does it mean your children won’t eat some candy? It probably doesn’t, but they may want to eat less of it.

6. Set some limits

Set some healthy limits. If your children trick-or-treat, bring all of the candy home. Let them choose a certain number of their favorites. Discard the rest. It seems like a waste of money and food, but allowing them to eat all of it could lead to cavities.

7. Don’t feel bad

This time of year, you might feel like the “bad guy,” but you’re being a parent. You’re doing what’s best for your child. As your little ones grow, they take these moderation skills into adulthood. They’ll be so grateful you helped them learn self-control.

Make sure your children understand why these rules are in place. Reward them when they make their own smart decisions about sweets to reinforce positive behavior.

8. Don’t buy into, “Everyone’s doing it”

It feels like candy is just part of being a kid. You may feel pressure from parents, teachers, and your children to ease up. If you’re following these 10 strategies, then you’re right on track. You’re not being too strict, and you’re probably not the only parent on the block who limits candy consumption. 

9. Reinforce the brushing schedule

Take this time to reinforce brushing and flossing with your little ones. Protect your children’s teeth now, and give them healthy habits they’ll take into adulthood.

10. Schedule a checkup

You’re probably thinking about tooth health as Halloween approaches. It’s the perfect time to schedule a check up here at Dentistry for Children. Contact the office to request an appointment.

Fortunately, at Dentistry for Children, we offer solutions to help kids protect their teeth and even quit their grinding habit. The key to preventing damage is to seek treatment as soon as possible. Of course, first, you need to determine if your child is grinding their teeth. Here’s what you should look for.

Telltale signs of teeth grinding

When a child grinds his or her teeth at night during sleep, parents are often able to hear the teeth grinding together, especially if the child is a heavy grinder. If a sibling shares the room, they also may hear grinding noises. That’s certainly the easiest way to know if your child has a teeth grinding problem. But what if you listen and don’t hear anything, or you aren’t able to listen while your child is sleeping? That’s when it’s time to look for other clues.

Headaches, earaches or jaw pain

Since teeth grinding places a lot of excess stress and strain on the jaw muscles, many chronic teeth grinders have frequent headaches or ear or jaw pain. If your child has any of these complaints, there’s a good chance he or she is a grinder.

Tooth pain or sensitivity

Grinding puts a lot of pressure on the tooth surfaces and on the roots too. When a child grinds on a regular basis, all that pressure can make teeth very sore, or the surrounding gums can become overly sensitive. In extreme cases, grinding can cause tiny cracks or chips to form in the tooth. Those cracks can make your child’s teeth very sensitive to hot or cold foods, another clue your child may be grinding their teeth.

Jaw clicking

If your child has been grinding for a while, the jaw joints may have become irritated or inflamed. When that happens, you may hear clicking noises when your child chews or yawns. Even if you don’t hear them, your child may. Pay attention if they report any unusual noises when they chew.

Rhythmic jaw movements

Sometimes if you closely, you may actually see your child grinding, especially when they’re focused on other activities like watching TV or playing video games. Look for repetitive tightening movements or side-to-side movements in the jaws.

Not all children who grind their teeth will exhibit noticeable symptoms. But that still doesn’t mean your child’s grinding habit will go unnoticed. During your child’s six-month dental check-up, Dr. Sina will carefully examine each tooth for any telltale signs of grinding, like worn tooth edges or tiny cracks.

A lifetime of healthy teeth and gums

Bringing your child to Dentistry for Children every six months is one of the best things you can do to help your child enjoy healthy teeth and gums now and during their adult years. Not only do routine checkups with Dr. Sina help identify (and stop) grinding and other oral health problems in their earliest stages, but taking your child to see the dentist regularly establishes a healthy pattern of behavior that can stick with your child even after they’ve grown and left the nest. If your child is exhibiting the signs of teeth grinding, or if they’re having any other unusual symptoms, don’t delay care. Book an appointment online today.

Although there is no current nationwide data about the number of cavities dentists fill in baby teeth, statistics from the period between 1999 and 2004 confirm that about one-quarter of children aged two to five had dental caries, and more than half of kids between the ages of six to eleven had fillings. It is unlikely that the percentages have changed a great deal since then because they have been relatively constant since they were first tabulated in the early 1970s.

Dentistry for Children in Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada, specializes in modern techniques and painless fillings, but Dr. Maryam Sima and associates also urge parents to begin teaching good habits to children early in order to prevent cavities. 

The path to early brushing

Parents should gently massage an infant’s gums and gently brush baby teeth as soon as they appear. We also recommend a first visit to the dentist before a child’s first birthday.

When the child is old enough to hold a toothbrush and sit or stand in front of a mirror, a parent can help to maneuver the brush over the teeth and along the gums. As a toddler demonstrates interest in holding the toothbrush on his own, make a game of brushing your teeth together. Place a small amount of toothpaste on the brush, and show your child the proper way to move the brush around his mouth.

Then playfully rinse and spit until the youngster becomes adept enough to attempt the whole process alone. Offer encouragement and extend the brushing time a little at a time. It’s the regularity that’s important at first, not the duration of the brushing.

Encourage good habits before and after a cavity is filled

If your child does develop a cavity or two, there is no need for panic. Cavities in baby teeth can be filled quickly and painlessly with little chance of complication. Most children’s dentists today use white filling material, and nobody is likely to notice the filling.

If your child has had regular dental appointments, there is little reason he will fear having a cavity filled. The child may experience some soreness or sensitivity to heat or cold, but they are not likely to last. It’s wise to avoid citrus drinks immediately following the appointment, and gentle gum massage or brushing with a soft brush can be helpful. Tenderness should disappear within a few days at most. 

Effective dental hygiene stems from good habits, and it’s what you do after the cavity is filled that will make a difference in the lives of older children and young adults.

Recommendations for childhood routine

Just as for adults, children should be encouraged to brush their teeth for a full two minutes morning and night. Children typically need some help, or at least attentive supervision, until they are at least seven or eight years old.

Flossing is vital, and a handled flosser is usually the best way to instill that habit. 

Fluoride is instrumental in preventing cavities, both for children and adults, so the use of fluoride toothpaste is recommended even if your water supply is treated. Check with your dentist about the desirability of topical fluoride treatments or sealants to prevent cavities. And don’t forget to schedule those twice-yearly appointments for cleaning and routine exams. 

Other important aspects of dental hygiene

In addition to brushing, flossing, and regular checkups, be aware of any unusual spots on your child’s teeth, and never ignore complaints about aches, pains, or sensitivity to heat and cold. Tooth grinding during sleep can be a symptom worth investigating. 

Finally, know the importance of a proper diet, and limit the child’s intake of sugar and soft drinks. Drinking water should be encouraged, especially following sweets or after eating sticky foods.

Call Dentistry for Children or use our convenient online form to contact us at either the Las Vegas E. Silverado Ranch Boulevard location or at our Henderson location on North Green Valley Parkway. 

1. Reduces appointment anxiety

Does your child cry, scream, or hide when it’s time to visit the dentist? While this behavior may be inconvenient as you’re trying to load him or her into the car, this is a healthy, age-appropriate emotional response to how the child is feeling about their upcoming appointment. They’re expressing the fact that they’re beginning to develop anxiety around dental visits. While some children may be fine receiving traditional dental care at Dentistry for Children, sedation is just one more way we can put your child at ease so that visits are less of an ordeal before, during, and after.

2. Reduces lifelong dentist anxiety

You’ve seen the dentist cliches on TV, and we have too. Many healthy children have never needed a medical procedure during their lifetime so far, so the dentist is their first experience with what can be unpleasant regardless of how gentle Dr. Sina and her team are. While it’s the goal of all staff to make dental visits positive, this can create lifelong fear, anxiety, and even phobia-level avoidance that could hinder that child from proper dental care now and once they reach adulthood. Sedation dentistry can help your child build positive memories around the dentist that make going to the dentist easier as they get older.

3.  A pain-free experience

For a young child who has received few shots that they can remember, traditional local anesthetic needles can be scary and excruciating and, on top of that, local anesthetic doesn’t remove all of the the discomfort of having the jaw held open or the pain of dental procedures. Sedation dentistry ensures a calm, pain-free experience for your child whether they’re having a cleaning of a filling.

4. Faster and better treatment

Let’s face it: children squirm. They try so hard to do what the adults tell them, but it’s not easy to stay still while a stranger works in the mouth. Despite the skill of your pediatric dentist, this may impact the amount of time it takes to complete cleanings and it may impact the quality of that cleaning. Sedation dentistry is just one more tool that an experienced dentist like Dr. Sina can use to help your child get the most out of a visit to the dentist.

How does sedation work?

During the visit, one of Dr. Sina’s team members places an oxygen mask over your child’s face so that your child can breathe in odorless, colorless nitrous oxide, which causes a deep feeling of mental calmness and little to no physical sensation, but not to the point of falling asleep. Dr. Sina keeps the gas on and closely monitors the level of sedation to maintain this relaxed state. Once she completes the procedure, she turns the gas off, and within minutes, your child returns to a normal awakened state with some residual drowsiness that may last for a short time. Your child shouldn’t go back to school after a visit, however, and Dr. Sina recommends that you schedule the appointment in such a way that your child can take a nap afterward.

Help your child develop positive feelings around proper dental care, and stop the fights about going to the dentist with sedation dentistry. Contact Dentistry for Children to schedule an appointment.

1. Know your child’s cavity risk level

Lifestyle, health, and socioeconomic factors can increase the risk of decaying teeth. Evaluating these risks allows you and your child to take control of various tooth decay factors to reduce risk. For example, a child with the following illnesses may be at increased risk:

• Autoimmune disorders
• Diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2
• Cancer, particularly if receiving radiation
• HIV
• Osteoporosis or other conditions that may impact your child’s bone health
• Depression

Improving how you and your child manage these conditions can help prevent pediatric tooth decay in yourself or a loved one for whom you may be caring. On the lifestyle side of things, drinking lots of soft drinks and juice and failing to brush and floss increase your risk, but addressing these lifestyle choices reduces your risk profile. 

2. Teach proper brushing and flossing techniques

You already know the importance of brushing and flossing, so we don’t have to list that as a tip, but are you doing it properly? Just as importantly, are you teaching your child to brush and floss properly? Many people are not.

You should be brushing for at least two minutes after every meal, but at the very least in the morning and before bed to reduce the level of acid and harmful bacteria that remain on your teeth. You should brush gently to avoid inflaming and damaging the gums. In two minutes, you should be able to go over every tooth on the front, back, and top several times, which reduces the risk of missing a spot.

When it comes to flossing, work with your children because they may be tempted to pull a piece of floss back and forth like a saw, which cuts into the gums. Instead, follow these tips:

1. Work the floss in between two teeth slowly
2. Create a “C” around one of the teeth so that the floss is folded over the front and back of the tooth
3. Gently carry the floss down the tooth into the gumline and back out
4. Repeat the “C” on the other tooth
5. Pull the floss straight up or down to remove it, never out like a string.
6. Adjust the floss so that a clean stretch of floss is used between each set of teeth

Floss at least once a day. Your child should also learn to brush the tongue to remove bacteria. Supervise brushing and flossing for most children up to age six or seven until you’re confident they’re doing it right. Pop in on occasion after that to ensure they don’t fall into bad habits that they may learn from friends or relatives.

3. Drink more fluoridated water

Water not only hydrates the body, but drinking more of it makes it easier to reduce the number of sugary or acidic drinks your child consumes. Introduce “plain” water early, avoiding water flavoring, which adds acid and potentially harmful chemicals to the water. If you and your child don’t drink water from the tap, your child may need fluoride supplements or regular fluoride treatments, which have been shown to significantly reduce tooth decay in children.

4. Schedule regular dental checkups

From the moment that first tooth breaks through, it’s time to begin scheduling regular visits to the dentist for your child. This way, Dr. Sina can catch health challenges or issues early. Tooth decay in baby teeth can quickly spread to permanent ones if untreated.

Keep your child on track for a healthy smile that lasts a lifetime. Contact Dentistry for Children to schedule an appointment.

Of course, knowing that your child should see the dentist and actually getting your child to enjoy the routine are two different things. Many children are nervous about seeing the dentist, usually because they’ve had an uncomfortable experience in the past. At Dentistry for Children, we also understand the importance of establishing good oral health habits early on, and we help relieve anxiety and concerns with state-of-the-art laser dentistry treatments that can be a lot more comfortable than traditional treatments that rely on “old-fashioned” drills.

What is laser dentistry?

Laser dentistry may sound like the stuff of science fiction, but it’s actually been around for a while. At Dentistry for Children, we use the Waterlase iPlus dental laser, a state-of-the-art instrument designed to provide safe, effective, and comfortable treatments for patients of all ages. The Waterlase iPlus laser uses laser-powered droplets of water to perform repairs and restorations.

The iPlus has been used for more than two decades in both children and adults. During an iPlus procedure, the laser and water work together to gently remove soft tissue like decay, plus they can provide deep cleaning to get rid of plaque and tartar that can harbor disease-causing bacteria. The laser uses rapid bursts of water and laser energy — 100 pulses per second — for treatment that’s fast and comfortable. The laser also covers a larger area than a traditional drill, which makes treatment faster, and that means less time spent in the dental chair for your child.

Benefits of laser dentistry

Obviously, one of the biggest benefits of laser dentistry is the reduction in discomfort. In fact, the laser system is so gentle, many procedures can be performed without the need for an anesthetic. But that’s not the only benefit. The laser is also a lot quieter than a traditional dental drill, and it doesn’t cause vibrations either. Plus, the laser combined with water means there’s no overheating of nerve and soft tissue, which is one of the reasons why the treatment is so much more comfortable.

The laser is very precise, which means more of your child’s natural tooth material can be preserved during filling procedures. What’s more, because of the technology used in laser dentistry, there very little or even no bleeding or swelling after treatment either, so recovery is faster and more comfortable. If your child needs a filling, the laser can also improve the way the filling material bonds with your child’s tooth, which means the restoration will be more secure and durable.

Laser dentistry procedures

The iPlus laser isn’t just precise — it’s versatile too. At Dentistry for Children, we use the iPlus laser for an array of treatments and procedures, including:

• Routine dental cleanings
• Cavity treatment and fillings
• Root canal preparation
• Gum reshaping procedures

During cavity treatment, one of the most common procedures for kids, the laser is especially good because it’s accurate enough to break down and remove only the decayed portion of the tooth without harming the healthy tooth material — something that can’t be achieved with a traditional drill.

Give your child the gift of healthy teeth — for life

Childhood is the time for establishing a lifetime of good habits, including good oral health care that can help your child avoid tooth decay, gum disease, pain, and tooth loss all the way through their adult years. If it’s been a while since your child’s last office visit or if you’d like to learn more about laser dentistry and other treatments we offer at Dentistry for Children, book an appointment online today.

Why is flossing important?

Flossing is an important part of your dental care routine because it removes food particles from between your teeth. When these particles are not removed, they can cause tooth decay and gum disease. 

When should children start flossing?

Establishing good flossing habits early in life is important for many reasons. When children learn to floss early, they are more likely to continue this behavior throughout their lives. In addition, establishing good flossing habits at an early age ensures that teeth and gums remain as healthy as possible. 

In general, it is best to begin flossing as soon as your child’s teeth start to fit closely together. This usually happens between the ages of two and six. If you aren’t sure whether it is time for your child to begin flossing, talk to your child’s dentist. 

How to teach children to floss

When you have decided it is time for your child to start flossing, you will need to do it for them at first. Most children will be able to floss on their own without help by the time they are 10 years old. Be sure to purchase a flexible, soft floss to prevent injuries to the gums while your child is still learning. Continue to supervise and assist your child with flossing each day until the habit is established and he or she can floss without help. 

Most children will experience some bleeding during the first few flossing sessions, which is normal. However, if bleeding continues for more than a week, be sure to mention the issue to your child’s dentist. 

Getting help from the dentist 

One of the best ways to make sure that your child is engaging in the appropriate dental care habits is to ask your child’s dentist for guidance. In general, children should be visiting the dentist once every six months for a cleaning and a check-up. During this visit, you can ask the dentist or another member of the staff to discuss flossing and other important dental care habits with your child. 

If your child needs to see a dentist for a check-up or cleaning, please contact Dentistry for Children today. You can also request an appointment online. 

When we hear the word “emergency,” we tend to think of really serious traumatic events, like an accident that involves having a tooth knocked out, but the fact is, dental emergencies can include lots of issues. Toothaches, swollen gums, chipped teeth, objects lodged between the teeth — pretty much any unusual condition that’s causing pain or dysfunction or just needs to be “fixed” promptly. At Dentistry for Children, we provide state-of-the-art treatment options for all sorts of dental emergencies. Here’s what to do if your child has an emergent care need.

Knocked-out tooth

Have your child rinse their mouth very gently, then see if you can place the tooth back in the socket. Give your child a clean cloth to gently bite down on to hold the tooth in place. If you can’t place the tooth back in the socket, place the tooth in a container of milk and bring it with you to the office. If our office is closed, head to the nearest emergency department.

Chipped or fractured tooth

Have your child gently rinse their mouth, then see if you can find the broken part of the tooth. If you can, wrap it in a clean cloth or paper towel so you can bring it with you to the office. Our team is skilled in restorations that can help your child’s tooth look like “new” while also preventing further damage like decay or infection.

Bitten or lacerated lip or tongue

If your child bites or cuts their lip, place a cold compress on the injury to help reduce pain and swelling. Have your child keep the head elevated as well. Depending on the severity of the injury, your child may need stitches. Call the office for further instructions.

Foreign object caught in teeth

First, see if you can gently dislodge the object using dental floss, or if there’s no floss available, using a toothpick. Don’t ever use any type of sharp implement to try to remove the object, and don’t use anything made of plastic that could wind up breaking off or injuring the gum or tooth and causing more problems. If you can’t dislodge the object, call the office. We have special instruments that can remove foreign objects without harming your child’s gums or their other teeth.

No matter what type of dental emergency your child is dealing with, the first step toward making sure they get the right care is to call our office right away. If it’s after hours, you can call our emergency number for further instructions.

How to prevent dental emergencies

Let’s face it: A lot of accidents are difficult to prevent. But there are some things you can do to reduce the impact of an accident, at least as far your child’s teeth are concerned. First, if your child plays any type of sport, look into getting a mouth guard. Today, mouth guards are smaller, more lightweight, and just more comfortable than mouth guards from when you were a kid, and they provide a lot of critically important protection. 

Second, be sure your child’s oral hygiene habits are optimized. That means regular brushing and flossing using proper techniques, limiting sugary snacks and drinks, and seeing the dentist for routine checkups and cleanings. Why is this all important? Because healthy teeth are strong teeth, and that means they’re less likely to be damaged by relatively minor bumps and bangs.

If your child plays a sport or if it’s been a while since their last checkup at Dentistry for Children, don’t put off their next visit. Book an appointment online today.