1401 W INNES STWednesday, October 30, 2013
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
It's that time of year again! Trick-or-treating is a lot of fun, and who doesn't enjoy filling up a bag with candy? Of course we all know that Halloween candy isn't the healthiest thing in the world, and it's hard to think of an event that is more associated with tooth cavities. Let's be honest though - we aren't going to throw out all that candy, so here are a few simple things that can be done to minimize the risk of getting cavities.
- Get rid of some of the candy
Your children probably ended up with more candy than you really want them to eat. Have them go through their collection and set aside the pieces they really want, then package up the rest for donation. There are several donation websites that will take extra candy and send it to members of the military stationed overseas. Here are two:
www.operationshoebox.com
www.operationgratitude.com
There may also be local options for Halloween candy donations in your area.
- Don't munch
It's better for your teeth to eat a lot of candy all at one time rather than eating one piece at a time throughout the day (though you might end up with a stomachache!). Try to avoid going back to the candy stash again and again during the day - eat several pieces at once (ideally right before or after a meal) and then be done. Cavities take a long time to develop, so indulging once in a while is pretty safe. Problems are much more likely to occur when there is a constant exposure to sugar in the mouth.
- Rinse your mouth afterward
One of the problems with candy is that it tends to be sticky. This means that the sugar from candy stays on the teeth for a long time after it's eaten. The longer the sugar from the candy stays in the mouth, the longer your teeth are at risk for developing cavities - this is the same reason why it's better to eat lots of candy at one time instead of spreading it throughout the day. Rinsing your mouth with plain water and spitting after you've eaten candy will help to remove some of the sugar that is left behind after you're done eating.
The bottom line: The candy that gets passed out at Halloween can be a contributor to cavities, but with a little bit of care, you can still enjoy the spoils of trick-or-treating and not be worried.
- Don't munch
It's better for your teeth to eat a lot of candy all at one time rather than eating one piece at a time throughout the day (though you might end up with a stomachache!). Try to avoid going back to the candy stash again and again during the day - eat several pieces at once (ideally right before or after a meal) and then be done. Cavities take a long time to develop, so indulging once in a while is pretty safe. Problems are much more likely to occur when there is a constant exposure to sugar in the mouth.
- Rinse your mouth afterward
One of the problems with candy is that it tends to be sticky. This means that the sugar from candy stays on the teeth for a long time after it's eaten. The longer the sugar from the candy stays in the mouth, the longer your teeth are at risk for developing cavities - this is the same reason why it's better to eat lots of candy at one time instead of spreading it throughout the day. Rinsing your mouth with plain water and spitting after you've eaten candy will help to remove some of the sugar that is left behind after you're done eating.
The bottom line: The candy that gets passed out at Halloween can be a contributor to cavities, but with a little bit of care, you can still enjoy the spoils of trick-or-treating and not be worried.
Monday, October 21, 2013
PREVENTIVE TREATMENT
What’s the fastest way to ruin a nice long weekend? A toothache!Well maybe there are faster ways, but anybody who has had a toothache knows that it’s hard to enjoy yourself when you have one, and it’s even worse when faced with the possibility that you may not be able to see a dentist for several days.
The best way to deal with an urgent dental problem like a toothache is to not let it become an urgent problem. The majority of dental problems can be recognized and treated long before they cause symptoms. It’s almost always less expensive, less time-consuming, and less uncomfortable to fix a tooth problem while it’s still small.
We encourage most patients to come in for a cleaning and a regular check-up every six months. This way we can catch problems early and fix them while they’re still small and easy to fix. Don’t avoid going to the dentist until something is wrong – call and make an appointment!
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY
Prevention of dental problems with a healthy diet, good oral hygiene habits, and regular dental check-ups is the ideal approach to dental health for children (and adults, for that matter). Unfortunately, tooth decay does occur sometimes and has to be treated. There are a variety of ways that tooth decay can be managed in children. For the most part, these treatment options are similar to those available for adults.
SEALANTS
A sealant is a protective layer that is placed over the top of a healthy tooth to prevent future decay. Some teeth (usually the molars) have deep grooves that trap food particles and can be difficult to clean thoroughly with brushing. A sealant fills in and covers these grooves with a thin layer of resin (similar to a tooth-colored filling) that prevents food from getting trapped inside and causing tooth decay. A sealant requires little or no drilling, and therefore does not require any anesthetic (numbing).
FILLINGS
Once decay has started, it must be removed to prevent toothache and/or loss of the tooth. When decay is relatively small, it can be removed from the tooth and replaced with a filling, just like on a permanent tooth. The filling can be tooth colored (composite resin) or silver.
PULPOTOMY/STAINLESS STEEL CROWN
In some cases, tooth decay progresses to the point that it damages the nerve inside the tooth (baby teeth have nerves just like permanent teeth). When this happens, a child can develop a toothache. In order to repair the tooth, the decay must be removed and the nerve must be taken out of the tooth as well. This procedure is called a pulpotomy, and is similar to a root canal in an adult tooth. Contrary to popular belief, this procedure is not particularly painful and feels very similar to having a filling done.
When a pulpotomy is required, the tooth decay is usually extensive and a large portion of the tooth is already missing. In this situation, a stainless steel crown is preferred to a filling. A pre-made crown is cemented on top of the tooth after the decay is removed. The crown will stay on the tooth until it is replaced by the permanent tooth. Although having a metal crown on a tooth may not sound very attractive, children generally don't mind and get used to it very quickly.
EXTRACTION/SPACE MAINTENANCE
Sometimes tooth decay is so severe that there is no way to fix the affected tooth. In this situation the only option is to extract the tooth. After an extraction it is often strongly recommended that a device called a space maintainer be placed in the child's mouth. The space maintainer prevents the remaining teeth from shifting significantly and interfering with the permanent teeth that will come into the mouth later on. Space maintainers come in several forms, but most will involve a metal band that is placed around one or two teeth, with a thin metal wire that holds the space between the teeth. The device is left in place until the permanent tooth is ready to come into the mouth.
It's important to diagnose and treat dental problems in children quickly. Waiting too long can result in unnecessary discomfort and make successful treatment more difficult. If your child has not been seen by a dentist in the last six months, make an appointment today!
SEALANTS
A sealant is a protective layer that is placed over the top of a healthy tooth to prevent future decay. Some teeth (usually the molars) have deep grooves that trap food particles and can be difficult to clean thoroughly with brushing. A sealant fills in and covers these grooves with a thin layer of resin (similar to a tooth-colored filling) that prevents food from getting trapped inside and causing tooth decay. A sealant requires little or no drilling, and therefore does not require any anesthetic (numbing).
FILLINGS
Once decay has started, it must be removed to prevent toothache and/or loss of the tooth. When decay is relatively small, it can be removed from the tooth and replaced with a filling, just like on a permanent tooth. The filling can be tooth colored (composite resin) or silver.
PULPOTOMY/STAINLESS STEEL CROWN
In some cases, tooth decay progresses to the point that it damages the nerve inside the tooth (baby teeth have nerves just like permanent teeth). When this happens, a child can develop a toothache. In order to repair the tooth, the decay must be removed and the nerve must be taken out of the tooth as well. This procedure is called a pulpotomy, and is similar to a root canal in an adult tooth. Contrary to popular belief, this procedure is not particularly painful and feels very similar to having a filling done.
When a pulpotomy is required, the tooth decay is usually extensive and a large portion of the tooth is already missing. In this situation, a stainless steel crown is preferred to a filling. A pre-made crown is cemented on top of the tooth after the decay is removed. The crown will stay on the tooth until it is replaced by the permanent tooth. Although having a metal crown on a tooth may not sound very attractive, children generally don't mind and get used to it very quickly.
EXTRACTION/SPACE MAINTENANCE
Sometimes tooth decay is so severe that there is no way to fix the affected tooth. In this situation the only option is to extract the tooth. After an extraction it is often strongly recommended that a device called a space maintainer be placed in the child's mouth. The space maintainer prevents the remaining teeth from shifting significantly and interfering with the permanent teeth that will come into the mouth later on. Space maintainers come in several forms, but most will involve a metal band that is placed around one or two teeth, with a thin metal wire that holds the space between the teeth. The device is left in place until the permanent tooth is ready to come into the mouth.
It's important to diagnose and treat dental problems in children quickly. Waiting too long can result in unnecessary discomfort and make successful treatment more difficult. If your child has not been seen by a dentist in the last six months, make an appointment today!