The Children's Dental Blog for Mom's and Dad's about All Things That Matter
Author: kidstoothhotline
As a Board Certified Pediatric Dentist with over ten years of experience practicing Pediatric Dentistry, I understand that parents and caregivers are in need for information to care for their children's oral health. You may not have your normal lines of communication open or you cannot easily call or visit your child’s Dentist and obtain answers to your questions. Some families may not yet have a Pediatric Dentist to call.
My expertise and knowledge can help serve as your source as I provide answers with information that is current, informative and the Gold Standards of Care which are the practice Guidelines approved by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
I want to help you access this important information by answering your questions through this site. You may want to submit your own individual questions or you can view my postings and answers to other families questions that may apply to your child's needs.
I am committed to helping you stay informed, after all it is all about your child.
Halloween will soon be here. What costume will your child wear? Will it be trick or will it be treat?
If you choose treats, what will they be? and what will you do to keep their teeth healthy?
Check out these tips for a happy Halloween –
*If it’s sticky, it gets stucky and that’s so yucky! Staying away from taffy, dried fruits, caramels, and other chewy, sticky candy is a good idea.
**When choosing candy less sticky and less sour goodies like pretzels, xylitol gum, and smooth chocolate are a good choice. Chocolate without any mix-ins is great because it slides off their teeth.
***Drink water to help wash away the sticky gooey chewy candies. Water is really good for you and your teeth.
****After trick or treating it’s important to make sure to brush their teeth and remember to floss before you brush. It takes 2 Minutes of brushing to clean away all the candy and flossing to remove what has gotten in between their teeth. Keeping up your flossing and brushing routine is important every day.
*****Select with your child their top 5 favorite pieces of candy. Allow them to eat all these choices with in a specific time period rather than continually snacking throughout the night and next day. By doing this you’re one and done and everyone is happy.
Follow these tips for spooktacular teeth.
Happy Halloween!
Tell us about your Halloween plans, costume, whether you tricked or treated, and what your child’s candy choices were. Send us an email at kidstoothhotline@protonmail.com or Message us, Send us a Comment and Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kidstoothhotline
More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!
Chewing gum and blowing bubbles is so much fun. The bigger the bubble gets the more fun it is.
Regular gum is full of sugar and well sugar is really not so much fun. So what’s a gum lover to do?
To keep those bubbles coming a great alternative is chewing gum with Xylitol.
What Makes Xylitol Gum Better?
Everyone’s mouth contains bacteria and some bacteria really like sugar. These are the bacteria that cause cavities. But these bacteria so not like Xylitol. So Xylitol is a great alternative because of this plus it helps produce more saliva and keep everything moist and moving around and as an added bonus gives you minty fresh breath with no added sugar.
Sounds Good, Any Other Tips?
As with all good things moderation is key for maximum enjoyment. Remember to Brush (2 Minutes 2X’s A Day) and floss before brushing every night.
Anything Else?
Are you ready for a Bubblegum Blowing Contest? Ready – Set – Blow Bubbles!
I may just have been born but I can still have teeth
In the Know for You to Know
Yes it is possible for babies to be born with teeth. We’re used to hearing that we should expect babies to get their first teeth around the time they are 6 months of age. Believe it or not, you’d be surprised that some babies are born with teeth!
What Are These Teeth And Where Did They Come From?
Some babies are born with teeth, and they are called Natal Teeth.
The reason for natal teeth is not well understood. What is known is that there is no one single cause of natal teeth.
Some say these are baby teeth that come in early. Some say it’s genetic. While others are of the opinion that babies born with cleft lip or cleft palate are more likely to have natal teeth.
What To Know About Neonatal Teeth
There are some babies who have teeth appear within the first 30 days after they are born, these are called Neonatal Teeth.
Neonatal teeth are less common than Natal Teeth. They can develop like typical baby teeth, but they need to be watched as they carry many of the same complications and risks as natal teeth.
What Do Natal and Neonatal Teeth Look Like?
Sometimes these teeth have the same shape and appearance as typical baby teeth. While other times they may be smaller, under developed, yellow or yellow-brown in color, loose, or conical in shape.
Natal and neonatal teeth can come through the gums in the same places a baby tooth would, but they’re most likely to be in the bottom front area. Sometimes there’ll be a lone tooth, or they can come in as a pair.
Complications To Watch Out For
While natal and neonatal teeth aren’t usually fully developed like usual baby teeth, there are some complications to watch out for:
Breastfeeding Difficulties – Babies with natal and neonatal teeth often have difficulty latching on for breastfeeding. These teeth can also make breastfeeding painful for mothers as they can cause sores due to biting.
Tongue Injury – An injury to the tongue is uncomfortable, especially for a newborn, and especially when it is on the bottom surface or tip of their tongue. These are the places where their tongue comes in contact with the natal or neonatal teeth. This can also cause interferences with breastfeeding.
Tooth Swallowing – There are some circumstances when the natal or neonatal teeth are loose and there is a risk of them being swallowed that they’ll need to be taken out for safety.
Treatment For Natal And Neonatal Teeth
Some treatment may include:
Tooth Extraction – This is recommended if the baby’s natal or neonatal tooth is loose to prevent the tooth from being swallowed.
Smoothing – Smoothing the tooth if it is impacting the baby’s ability to feed. If the tooth is sharp it can cause pain and injury during breastfeeding.
Watch and Wait – Some natal and neonatal teeth are actually baby teeth. If this is the case and there aren’t any concerns with these teeth, keeping them in place has many potential benefits for your child’s oral health.
As long as natal and neonatal teeth are not interfering with feeding, not causing any injuries or problems, aren’t at risk for being swallowed, aren’t bothering you or the baby they can be kept in place and monitored. It’s also important to care for them as you would regular baby teeth.
As parents we always want the best for our children and will explore all options available to us.
A question we have been receiving a lot recently from parents is about the type of toothbrush their child should be using. Specifically whether to use a regular toothbrush (manual brush) or an electric toothbrush.
What Are The Benefits Of A Manual Toothbrush?
Manual toothbrushes come in lots of sizes, shapes, and colors. There are many varieties that have children’s favorite characters on them. They are light weight, easy to hold, and don’t need to be plugged into an electrical outlet or have batteries changed.
What Are The Benefits Of An Electric Toothbrush?
Electric toothbrushes take the work out of brushing. The brush’s bristles move in a circular motion, mimicking what you and your child would need to do with a manual brush. Some brushes already have the bristles angled (45 degrees) to the gum line for effective tooth and gum cleaning.
Many electric toothbrushes come in children’s favorite characters and colors. These brushes encourage your child to brush for the correct amount of time (2Minutes 2X’s A Day) because they come with a built-in timer. Some timers play music, some flashing lights, some talk, some make buzzing sounds, some simply stop.
How Do I Choose The Right Toothbrush For My Child?
Here are some helpful tips when looking for your child’s toothbrush —
1. Select a child-size toothbrush (or electric toothbrush handle) for easier holding, use and comfort,
2. Choose a child-size head on a child-size manual or electric toothbrush,
3. Select a toothbrush or toothbrush head with soft bristles,
4. Include your child in the decision, the more involved your child is in selecting their toothbrush the more willing they are to (or allow you to) use the brush.
Children should have their teeth brushed for them until they have the motor skills and dexterity they need. A good rule to judge this is when your child can fully bathe or shower on their own as well as wash, dry and style their hair all on their own.
Taking Care Of My Child’s Toothbrush
Taking care of your child’s (and your) toothbrush is always important; whether you choose a manual brush or an electric toothbrush. Always rinse the toothbrush head after each and every use with water.
Check the brush’s bristles for wear and change their toothbrush or toothbrush head (if electric) every 3 months. If anyone has been ill, change their brush (or brush head) after their illness.
Remember what’s most important is for you to feel comfortable and confident taking care of your child’s oral health.
Once your baby comes you’re going to be busy. As a parent you have so many responsibilities. Let’s face it, teeth sometimes fall to the bottom of the list.
So we’ve put together some tips to help you seamlessly incorporate dental health into your new daily routine.
Tip 1 Mom and Dad, you and your baby share everything.
If you have cavities, then you also have the bacteria in your mouth that causes them. These bacteria can be passed from your mouth to your baby’s mouth and increase their risk of having cavities. Think giving kisses, licking spoons, and licking pacifiers.
Oral health is always a work in progress, so think about your own healthy smile early on.
Tip 2 Take care of your baby’s teeth before they come into their mouth.
Whether you bottle feed, breast feed, or a combination of both, what’s important is that you wipe your baby’s gums and lips after each feeding and before naps and bedtime. Their mouth is a warm moist place, the milk (or formula) contains sugar, and bacteria love both so they can grow.
When wiping your baby’s gums and lips use a soft lightly wet washcloth. Gently go over their top and bottom gum pads and gingerly move their lips so you have their gums in full view (this is called – Lift the Lip). Then wipe their lips from the inside to the outside.
Tip 3 Don’t let your child fall asleep with a bottle or while breast feeding.
Of course this can happen and the milk bubbles they make with their lips is so adorable. While this looks super cute the sugar in the milk helps to cause cavities (which are not so cute). Even with your best efforts to avoid this, if it does happen, wipe their gum pads and lips with a soft damp washcloth.
Keep extra washcloths at the ready in a separate compartment of your diaper bag so if this happens when you’re out and about you’ll be prepared.
Tip 4 What to do when your baby starts teething.
Baby’s can start teething when they are between 4 and 6 months old. Some baby’s can be older and some can be younger. You can rub their gums with your clean fingers or with a cool washcloth that you hold.
It’s a good idea to stay away from those liquid teething medicines (since they can burn their tender gums), teething rings, teething beads and teething necklaces.
Teething itself doesn’t cause a fever or diarrhea. Check with your Pediatrician if your baby develops a fever, diarrhea, or looks sick.
Tip 5 Baby Teeth are important.
Not all baby teeth are the same. Some teeth go to the tooth fairy when your child is much older, like 13 to 15 years old.
Baby teeth allow your child to chew their food and speak clearly. Very importantly they provide the place for adult teeth to grow in healthy and in proper position.
Remember, your oral health matters. A healthy mouth for mommy and daddy means a healthy start for your baby.
Back to school means there is a lot of learning going on right now! We thought we would add a lesson in ourselves.
Today we’re going over the proper tooth brushing technique. So grab your tooth brushes, and put our knowledge into action.
Why Is It Important To Brush?
Tooth brushing is the best way to remove plaque from your child’s teeth and gums to help prevent cavities. Remember it’s 2Minutes 2X’s A Day.
What is Dental Plaque?
Dental plaque is the sticky stuff that adheres to teeth and forms after eating and drinking every day. The less often you brush the more it accumulates. The more it grows on teeth the higher the risk of cavities.
Steps For Brushing Your Way To Healthy Teeth
Step 1. For a gentle and through tooth brush cleaning always use a small head soft bristle tooth brush,
Step 2. Starting on the Outside of your child’s Front Teeth – Hold the brush at a 45 degree angle to the gum line and move around the tooth in little circles,
Step 3. Keep going around as you move towards the Outside of the Back Teeth and keep the brush going in the same way,
Step 4. Now turn the brush onto the Inside of the Back Teeth and keep going along in circles as you come up to the Front Teeth,
Step 5. When you come to the Inside of the Top and Bottom Front Teeth turn your brush vertically and keep brushing in circles up and down the tooth,
Step 6. Now it’s onto those Chewing Surfaces where you’ll hold the brush flat and brush in a gentle back and forth motion, and don’t forget
Step 7. Gently brush their tongue to remove food particles and freshen breath.
How Much Toothpaste Should I Put On My Child’s Tooth Brush?
It doesn’t take that much toothpaste to brush their whole mouth and tongue.
Your child is younger than 3 years old use a rice-grain size (think teeny tiny dab) of toothpaste.
If your child is 3 years old to 6 years old use a small pea size amount of toothpaste.
When your child is over 6 years old you can still use a small pea size amount of toothpaste and really don’t need much more than a regular pea size amount of paste as they get older (yes even for tweens and teens).
How Often Do I Need To Change Our Tooth Brushes?
2 good rules to follow is every 3 to 4 months because the tooth brush bristles start to wear out and fray so they become less effective for brushing, or if your child has been sick.
Tooth Brushing Can Be Fun
Playing your child’s favorite music during tooth brushing time helps make the time fly by.
Tell us about your tooth brushing routine or favorite tunes you like to play.
Did you know that today, September 8th is ToothsDay? Yes it is!
Today is the day we celebrate everything about teeth. No matter getting teeth, baby teeth, grownup teeth, teeth for biting into food, teeth for chewing food, teeth for talking, teeth for smiling, teeth for flossing, teeth for brushing.
Here are 3 great ways to celebrate Toothsday and give your child their best smile —
1. Mirror Mirror on the Wall – looking in the mirror to make sure you floss and brush away all the food and sugar that sticks to your child’s teeth and tongue is a great way to teach healthy habits. 2 Minutes 2X’s a day keeps the sugar bugs away.
2. Sweets are treats. There are so many goodies to choose from so keep an eye on snacking and drink choices. With sugar less is more.
3. Celebrate ToothsDay and National School Pictures Day together. That’s right, both are celebrated on September 8th. Pick out your child’s perfect outfit, work on that awesome hairstyle, and practice their best and brightest smile. Mom and Dad you remember this from your childhood, now it’s time for your child to go in front of the camera, think about the deep sense of pride and joy this brings to you.
Today is all about making memories and beautiful smiles together.
The annual ritual for back to school is here. Daycare, Preschool, Elementary School, Middle School, High School – your school year schedule is back.
For the last few weeks so many of you have been out there checking off clothing and school supply lists. Finding the perfect outfit for 1st day pictures, school pictures and practicing your child’s adorable smile.
While you were busily hunting for the treasured lunch box your child has been asking for, you were also planning what you were going to be packing into it for snacks and lunch that meet your child’s seal of approval.
You know it is important for your child to have a healthy balanced diet. Snacks and lunch at school need to provide a good source of protein, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables and grains.
If your child purchases their school lunches this is a great opportunity for you both to have a conversation about healthy food choices. If vending machines line the hallways or lunch room at your tween’s or teenager’s school, this is a good time to sit down and discuss healthy selections.
What are some good choices to include in their lunch box?
Sticky and chewy snacks need an upgrade. Fresh fruit and veggies are always flavorful and appealing. Have your child help you select their apple, pear, strawberries, orange, grapes. To make eating them more fun for your child to eat you can pre-peel a Clementine or Mandarin Orange, or cut their fruit and veggies into different shapes with your cookie cutters.
Know what goes great with fruit and is good for teeth? Cheese! The calcium in cheese is healthy for growing teeth and growing bones. So it’s a win-win 2 for 1.
When thinking about bread and crackers, whole grains are a great addition to stay on that healthy track.
A healthy drink to wash down a good lunch and snacks is water. Drinking regular plain old water is best. It’s best to avoid juice boxes and soda. To encourage your child to drink more water try having them select their own water bottle. With some reminding they’ll be more likely to bring it along on all your outings.
You’ll be surprised how satisfied your child is with their lunch and snacks, and how happy you are knowing they are eating healthy.
I’ve got this!
More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!
I can’t wait to show my Teacher my shiny new teeth!
In the Know for You to Know
Making sure your child starts and ends the day in a healthy way! Brushing for 2 Minutes 2 Times a Day makes for a happy and healthy smile for everyone.
With the new school year here you want to brush up on your tooth brushing habits. The best way to start is with spiffing up your night time brushing. To do this all you and your child have to remember are the 4B’s.
That’s right, the 4B’s are the key to a pleasant and consistent bed time routine, so that this is a time for both of you to enjoy together.
By incorporating these 4B’s you are turning challenges into an easy routine and protecting those little teeth in a big way.
So What Are The 4B’s?
The 4B’s are …. Bath, Brush, Book, Bed
Bath bath time – a warm bath along with comfy and cozy pj’s encourages your child to start to relax and wind down from the day.
Brush brushing time – 2 Minutes with a soft wet wash cloth or a soft toothbrush while singing your favorite brushing song puts brushing in a whole new light, stress free. Remember, nothing to eat or drink afterwards keeps the sugar bugs away.
Book book time – children love the sound of their parents voice. Spend time together reading a good night book, singing, acting out stories, or simply talking. Then as your child gets sleepy it’s book away and into their comfy snuggly bed.
Bed bed time – hugs and kisses for sweet dreams and restful nights with clean sparkling teeth.
You Have The POWER
What makes your 4B routine powerful is how you do this. Be consistent in your timing so you have enough time between when you start and your child’s bed time. Pretty soon your diligence will rub off on your child and they will be reminding you.
Did you know that teeth are the only part of the human body that can’t repair itself?
Tooth enamel is the outer most layer of teeth and is made up of specific proteins, crystals and minerals like calcium and phosphorus. When teeth have been in ongoing contact with foods high in carbohydrates (aka sugars), carbonated beverages (aka soda), and there are longer times (than you would like) between tooth brushings these minerals break down and dissolve the enamel.
DEMINERALIZATION
Everyone has bacteria in their mouths, even newborns. When the bacteria comes in contact with the yummy sweet foods and drinks they produce an acidic environment in the mouth which causes the minerals in your child’s teeth to demineralize and weaken the enamel.
The weakened enamel makes their teeth more vulnerable and cavities form. It is usually not only one cavity that forms, it’s multiple.
Cavities grow fast in baby teeth. The enamel is super thin. A finger nail is thicker than enamel on baby teeth.
SO WHAT TO DO?
Once cavities get to a certain size they can’t be stopped or reversed and don’t stop growing.
While it’s best if cavities aren’t given the opportunity to grow at all, if they do show up and they are small, sometimes they can be stopped.
This does take work on your part when your child is young and on your child’s and your part when they are older. The rewards are worth it.
TIPS TO DO
For your newborn, infant, and baby use a clean moist washcloth to wipe their mouths after every feeding and before putting them to bed.
For your toddler, pre-schooler, and kindergartener you can also use a clean moist washcloth twice a day (as you would a tooth brush) and add a rice grain size amount of fluoride toothpaste, or, if they allow you can use a soft toothbrush with a rice grain size amount of fluoride toothpaste and brush for 2 Minutes in the AM after breakfast and in the PM floss first and then brush for 2 Minutes before bedtime.
For your school-age child you’ll use a soft toothbrush, a small pea size amount of fluoridated toothpaste and brush for 2 Minutes in the AM and in the PM floss first and then brush for 2 Minutes before bedtime.
For your tween and teenage child you get to watch them use a soft toothbrush, a pea size amount of fluoride toothpaste and brush for 2 Minutes in the AM after breakfast and in the PM floss first and then brush for 2 Minutes before bedtime.
For your college age child you may still need to advise them and make sure they use a soft toothbrush, a larger pea size amount of fluoride toothpaste and brush for 2 Minutes in the AM after breakfast and in the PM floss first and then brush for 2 Minutes before bedtime.
P.S. Don’t forget about yourself!
P.P.S.
REMEMBER – YOU GOT THIS
More Tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!
kidstoothhotline 