Kids Dental in Stafford VA

It’s the beginning of a brand new school year! You’ve got school supplies & new clothes. But how’s your child’s dental health? Here are some back-to-school dental tips for kids!

It’s the beginning of a brand new school year, a blank slate, waiting to be filled with exciting new adventures. Everything is ready to go. You’ve got school supplies, new clothes, and a note from the doctor saying your child is healthy. But what about his mouth? How’s your child’s dental health?

Did you know that there is an undeniable link between a child’s oral health and his overall health?

In fact, the link is so universally recognized that the state of Illinois requires children in public, private, and parochial schools to have a dental exam performed before entering kindergarten, second, and sixth grade. Simply put, dental problems can indicate unseen health problems.

A dental exam is as important as immunizations and should be part of all back-to-school preparations, reports the American Dental Association (ADA). Further, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that U.S. children are more affected by tooth decay than any other chronic infectious disease. Tooth decay is not just unsightly. It can also lead to pain, difficulty speaking, eating, playing, and even learning.

Our goal at Red Apple Pediatric Dental Team is to help ensure that your child is as healthy as possible.

Following ADA guidelines, here are our dental tips for kids going back to school:

• Come see us for a dental examination. Caught early, many dental issues have an easy fix. We may suggest fluoride or sealants to prevent decay and can diagnose and treat any problems that could cause your child lost time at school.
• Make sure your child brushes with fluoride toothpaste and flosses every day. As you’re buying those school supplies, why not pick up a package of several toothbrushes? That way, you can swap a tired toothbrush for a new one every few months, and make sure your child has a fresh toothbrush after an illness.
• Provide healthy lunches and snacks that include milk, cheese, raw vegetables, grains, fruit, and yogurt.
• Make it a rule that your child wears a properly fitted mouthguard when participating in gym class or sports.

Caring for your child’s oral health offers a pretty wonderful fringe benefit: it provides them with a bright, healthy smile that makes people smile back at them. Give us a call, and we’ll make sure your child is on the road to the best smile possible.

Gum Disease Doesn’t Discriminate!

It attacks children just like it does adults. There are several different types that children are prone to. And if it isn’t prevented and treated properly, it can cause loose teeth and damage the bone and soft tissue under and around the teeth.

Gum Disease in Children

Gum disease is marked by chronic swelling and redness (inflammation) of the soft tissue called “gingiva” that surrounds the teeth. It also involves abnormal loss of bone tissue that holds the teeth in place.

Causes 

Bacteria in the mouth secrete toxins that mix together with food particles and saliva to form “gingival plaque”. If the plaque isn’t cleaned away from the gum line quickly enough, it begins to harden into “tartar”. Left unaddressed, it can cause periodontal gum disease.

As with adults, early signs in kids are bad breath and gum bleeding, redness, and swelling. Later-stages involve considerable and chronic pain as the bone tissue around the teeth begins to recede. This causes movement of the teeth, which leads to the formation of “gum pockets”.

Bacteria can cause an infection inside the gum pockets, which then causes more swelling, redness, pain, and loss of bone tissue. Advanced gum disease can cause the person to lose teeth that are completely healthy.

Prevention

Good, consistent oral health habits are the best way to prevent and treat gum disease in kids (or adults). Help your children to develop proper oral hygiene habits as early as possible:

• Teach them to brush every day
• Have them swish their mouths with water after eating
• As soon as their teeth develop gaps, help them to begin flossing
• Take them to see the dentist regularly for checkups, cleanings, and evaluations

The American Academy of Periodontology advises that advanced periodontal disease can be indicative of a systemic health disorder. If you think your child exhibits advanced signs, contact us today.

Here are our summer dental tips for helping your kids maintain their healthy habits!

Nothing puts a smile on the face of a child like summer! But, keeping that smile requires kids to brush and floss their teeth. With this in mind, here are summer dental tips for helping your kids maintain their brushing habits:

1. Remind Your Kids to Brush Their Teeth

With all the activities that happen over the summer, it may be difficult for families to keep the same schedule as they had during the school year. So, your kids may sometimes forget to brush and floss their teeth.  But, it is important to remind your kids to keep up their daily dental routine.

2. Curb the Sweet Tooth

It wouldn’t be summer without candy, cake, soft drinks, and other sugary treats. The joys of eating sugary foods, however, can easily turn into the sorrows of tooth decay. Since kids can get off of their regular diets in the summer, limit your kids’ sugar intake.

3. Prepare for Dental Emergencies

Unfortunately, kids can slip and fall and damage their teeth, especially at swimming pools. To treat a damaged tooth, the Academy of General Dentistry recommends carrying a handkerchief, gauze, a container with a lid and ibuprofen. Contact your child’s dentist as soon as possible after the emergency.

4. Book a Dental Appointment

Schedule a dental appointment at the end of the school year rather than before school starts again. In this way, a dentist can catch potential problems that can become worse and affect your kids’ summer plans.

Without a doubt, getting your kids to brush and floss regularly over the summer may not be easy. But, it is well worth the effort to help your child make oral hygiene a daily habit.

The Red Apple Pediatric Dental Team has more tips for parents who want to help their kids maintain good dental habits. To find out more about the services our team of pediatric dentists provides or to book an appointment, contact us today.

Dental Sealants and Your Child: Here is What You Need to Know

Worrying about tooth decay in your children probably isn’t at the top of your concerns, however, this is a problem that affects 42% of children ages 2 to 11. In fact, nearly 28% of children ages 2 to 5 develop at least one cavity.

We want all our patients to have happy, healthy smiles so we put together this handy guide for parents on how they can prevent tooth decay in children and what they can expect if their little one develops a cavity.

What Causes Tooth Decay in children?

Tooth decay is caused when bacteria in the mouth begin to eat away at the primary teeth. This can happen due to:

• Inadequate dental care
• Not brushing your teeth
• Going to bed with a bottle (baby bottle tooth decay)
• Too many sugary treats

You can prevent cavities before they happen

Although this is a somewhat common problem in children, there are a few things you can do to prevent tooth decay in the first place.

• Limit sweets. Sweets every once in a while is just fine as let’s be honest, no one can resist them always! But it’s best to limit these sweet treats as they help bacteria to grow and can lead to tooth decay.
• Proper brushing technique. Brush with fluoride toothpaste and use only a pea-sized amount. Learn more about proper brushing techniques.
• Visit the dentist regularly. It’s best to visit the dentist twice a year to make sure your child doesn’t have cavities or tooth decay. Once the back molars grow in, Dr. Payam will probably recommend applying dental sealants to help even more in cavity prevention.

What to expect if your child has Tooth Decay

If your child develops tooth decay, they will require dental work. This can range from a filling to correct smaller cavities, to a full crown for extensive damage. These procedures are necessary to prevent the bacteria from spreading and leading to more decay.

The fact that your child’s teeth will fall out doesn’t mean that you can ignore problems like tooth decay. If the decay is severe enough, it can damage the permanent teeth underneath. This is also the prime time to lay down the groundwork for good dental hygiene that your child will carry with them for the rest of their life.

Schedule your appointment today with Dr. Payam to get started on the path to great dental health!

Pros and cons of Dental Sealants

If you are considering getting dental sealants for your child, check out our list of pro’s and con’s so that you can be more informed. Contact Dr. Payam if you want your child to have the best dental sealants in Stafford, Va.

Pros

Significantly reduces the chance of a child getting cavities

Dental sealants prevent plaque and bacteria from getting into the grooves of the back teeth that even a toothbrush has trouble cleaning which helps limit the chance of cavities

Dental Sealants are cheaper than filling cavities

Filling a cavity on average can cost up to four times as much as applying a dental sealant does!

The process is quick and painless

Dental sealants are easy for a dentist to apply and the process is completely painless. The dentist will clean the tooth and then brush the coating on top of the tooth, covering the groves that are hard to clean.  View our Dental Sealants video to learn more.

Cons

Dental Sealants are not a solution to existing cavities

If a child already has a cavity on a tooth, dental sealants are not helpful. They are a preventative measure that will reduce the risk of cavities on a tooth but are not the solution if one is already present.

The rare chance that a cavity may be covered under the sealant

There is a very small possibility that an unnoticed cavity is covered by a sealant, but the sealant would deprive the cavity of the bacteria that would make it grow so it will not get any larger.

They don’t last forever

Dental sealants last on average 10 years because they are eventually worn down through the use of the tooth.   This means they need to be reapplied around this time to make sure that they are truly protecting the tooth for bacteria.

Still have questions about Dental Sealants? Here are 5 fun facts!

Protect against cavities

Dental Sealants help protect a child’s teeth from cavities by covering the top of their tooth with a “tooth-colored” plastic that makes it difficult for bacteria to remain on a tooth. As a result of the dental sealants, the bacteria cannot attack the enamel of a child’s tooth.

Useful to any child

Even if a child brushes twice a day, that does not mean that they are completely safe from developing cavities. The grooves in a tooth are a place where bacteria love to sit and attack the tooth. The average toothbrush is unable to get deep into these grooves, so the bacteria is not removed no matter how often a child brushes. Dental sealants are an extra layer of protection to make sure each tooth stays as healthy as possible.

Quick and painless process

Applying dental sealants is a relatively fast and pain-free process. First, the dentist will clean the child’s tooth and apply a sticky solution so that the sealant can bind tightly to the tooth. Next, the dentist will coat the tooth with a sealant and use a light to harden it. The drying process will take under a minute and then the tooth is sealed!  

Long lasting

Dental sealants can last around 10 years depending on the brushing patterns and eating patterns of the child. That is a long time to have a highly reduced chance of tooth decay!

Saves money on future cavities

Filling cavities can cost almost 4 times as much as purchasing dental sealants. Many dental plans also cover dental sealants. Why pay more for fillings in the future when a tooth can be protected with dental sealants now?  Schedule an appointment with Dr. Payam today!

Although baby teeth are not permanent, it is incredibly important that they stay healthy until they fall out to make room for adult teeth.

Cavities in toddlers and infants are known as Baby Bottle Tooth Decay. These cavities can prevent children from having strong teeth to chew their food with, and can also cause tooth pain or sensitivity.

What causes Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay is most common in a child’s upper teeth, particularly in the front. However, it is possible in other places as well. These cavities can be caused by a number of things, most common of which is overexposure to sugary drinks. If a baby is usually put down for bed with a bottle in its mouth, or a bottle is commonly used to quiet a fussy baby, they are likely to get cavities in those front upper teeth, hence the name. Cavity-causing bacteria can also be passed from the mother to the baby through bacteria in the mother’s saliva. The bacteria slowly wear away at a baby’s teeth, causing decay in the long run.

Prevention

Thankfully, there are several ways to prevent your baby from having Baby Bottle Tooth Decay. First and foremost, it is vital to avoid passing bacteria to the baby. Do not lick your child’s spoons or put anything in your mouth that will later go into your baby’s mouth. You can also use a washcloth to wipe any baby food or milk from your baby’s gums after feeding. Once their baby teeth start to come in, use a baby toothbrush to gently brush your baby’s teeth, using a dab of fluoride toothpaste. After the age of 3, you can start using slightly more toothpaste, about the size of a pea. Use bottles for milk or formula only. If you put your child to bed with a bottle, it is especially important to avoid filling it with juice, soda, or any other sugary drink.

Conclusion

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay can be painful and prevent children from having strong, healthy teeth. These cavities can be caused by many things, such as sugary drinks and shared saliva.

Thankfully, it is completely preventable by brushing your child’s teeth with fluoride toothpaste often, and teaching your child healthy dental habits once they are old enough to brush their teeth by themselves.

If you have any questions about Tooth Decay or Dental Sealants for your child, don’t hesitate to contact our office directly!

Pediatric Dentistry Is Unique

Pediatric dentists had to go through specialized training for a reason, there are issues just for kids dentistry; certain dental problems that children face that adults do not.  Some are more common than others, so we have compiled a list of four issues that a child may face through the various stages of teeth development.  

Thumb Sucking

Thumb sucking is common in most children, and if the habit ends early enough, there is no dental damage.  On the other hand, if a child continues to suck their thumb after the age of five, it could result in improper teeth development.  Luckily, if a child breaks the habit before permanent teeth settle in, their teeth will most often not be impacted.

While thumb sucking may appear to be an innocent habit, it can cause your children to suffer from dental problems in the future. Thumb sucking places pressure on the baby teeth and cause them to push forward. This can lead to tooth removal or braces.

Tooth Decay

Unsurprisingly, a child’s teeth are not as strong as an adult and normally have 50% less enamel protecting their teeth. This means that cavities can form easier and can cause damage faster. So make sure to practice good brushing and flossing habits with your child and bring them in for regular visits to check for tooth decay!

Worrying about tooth decay in your children probably isn’t at the top of your concerns, however, this is a problem that affects 42% of children ages 2 to 11. In fact, nearly 28% of children ages 2 to 5 develop at least one cavity.

We want all our patients to have happy, healthy smiles so we put together this handy guide for parents on how they can prevent tooth decay in children and what they can expect if their little one develops a cavity.

What Causes Tooth Decay in Children?

Tooth decay is caused when bacteria in the mouth begin to eat away at the primary teeth. This can happen due to:

• Inadequate dental care
• Not brushing your teeth
• Going to bed with a bottle (baby bottle tooth decay)
• Too many sugary treats

You Can Prevent Cavities Before They Happen

Although this a somewhat common problem in children, there are a few things you can do to prevent tooth decay in the first place.

• Limit sweets. Sweets every once in a while is just fine as let’s be honest, no one can resist them always! But it’s best to limit these sweet treats as they help bacteria to grow and can lead to tooth decay.
• Proper brushing technique. Brush with a fluoride toothpaste and use only a pea-sized amount. Learn more about proper brushing techniques.
• Visit the dentist regularly. It’s best to visit the dentist twice a year to make sure your child doesn’t have cavities or tooth decay. Once the back molars grow in, Dr. Payam will probably recommend applying dental sealants to help even more in cavity prevention.

The fact that your child’s teeth will fall out doesn’t mean that you can ignore problems like tooth decay. If the decay is severe enough, it can damage the permanent teeth underneath. This is also the prime time to lay down the groundwork for good dental hygiene that your child will carry with them for the rest of their life.

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Cavities in toddlers and infants are known as Baby Bottle Tooth Decay. These cavities can prevent children from having strong teeth to chew their food with, and can also cause tooth pain or sensitivity.

What Causes Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay is most common in a child’s upper teeth, particularly in the front. However, it is possible in other places as well. These cavities can be caused by a number of things, most common of which is overexposure to sugary drinks. If a baby is usually put down for bed with a bottle in its mouth, or a bottle is commonly used to quiet a fussy baby, they are likely to get cavities in those front upper teeth, hence the name. Cavity-causing bacteria can also be passed from the mother to the baby through bacteria in the mother’s saliva. The bacteria slowly wear away at a baby’s teeth, causing decay in the long run.

Prevention

Thankfully, there are several ways to prevent your baby from having Baby Bottle Tooth Decay. First and foremost, it is vital to avoid passing bacteria to the baby. Do not lick your child’s spoons or put anything in your mouth that will later go into your baby’s mouth. You can also use a washcloth to wipe any baby food or milk from your baby’s gums after feeding. Once their baby teeth start to come in, use a baby toothbrush to gently brush your baby’s teeth, using a dab of fluoride toothpaste. After the age of 3, you can start using slightly more toothpaste, about the size of a pea. Use bottles for milk or formula only. If you put your child to bed with a bottle, it is especially important to avoid filling it with juice, soda, or any other sugary drink.

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay can be painful and prevent children from having strong, healthy teeth. These cavities can be caused by many things, such as sugary drinks and shared saliva. Thankfully, it is completely preventable by brushing your child’s teeth with fluoride toothpaste often, and teaching your child healthy dental habits once they are old enough to brush their teeth by themselves.

Teeth Grinding

Grinding teeth is another habit that children form that is usually broken at an early age.  Like thumb sucking, if it continues into later years, some damages can occur. A couple of results of teeth grinding are chipped teeth or worn down enamel which could be problematic.  Most often though your child will stop grinding their teeth before problems present themselves.

Though some children may grind or clench their teeth while awake, bruxism is often an issue when children sleep.

Bruxism—gnashing, grinding, or clenching of teeth—is common among children. In fact, twenty to thirty percent of all children experience it. Bruxism is a big part of what pediatric dentists help children with. Though some children may grind or clench their teeth while awake, bruxism is often an issue when children sleep. Children may not be aware of it unless someone hears them doing it.

Possible Causes

If your child experiences bruxism, especially while sleeping, it may be the result of anxiety, stress, hyperactivity, or how the upper and lower teeth contact each other.

What to Look For

Check your child occasionally while they sleep to listen and watch for indications of grinding, gnashing, or clenching. Ask your child if he or she is having headaches, earaches or a sore jaw. Ask if your child is experiencing pain when chewing. They may also be tired from a lack of sufficient sleep.

What You Should Do

Often, bruxism is minor, and children eventually outgrow it without it having long-term effects on their health. Over a long period, however, bruxism can lead to other issues including teeth enamel loss or sleep disorders such as apnea.

If your child experiences bruxism, and you suspect it is stress-related, talk to him or her about what may be causing the stress. Then plan how to relieve that stress or hyperactivity before bedtime. Consider, for example, playing soothing music, reading a book, or having your child take a warm shower.

If that doesn’t help, consult your pediatric dentist for an accurate diagnosis. There may be a simple reason, such as poorly-aligned teeth. It is not unusual for children to require a custom-fitted mouthguard which can prevent cracking, breaking, or premature teeth wear.

Cleft Lip & Palate

Both cleft lip and palate are orofacial birth defects in which a baby is born with an opening in the roof of the mouth and/or the lip.

A cleft lip can occur between the fourth and seventh weeks of pregnancy and is caused when the normal joining of the lip and facial tissue does not completely close. The result can be a small unclosed slit or a large opening traveling from the lip to the nose – and is most common in boys.

A cleft palate occurs when the tissue that forms the roof of the mouth does not completely join, leaving an opening in the front and/or back mouth palate. This defect usually occurs between the sixth and ninth weeks of pregnancy and is more common in girls. Both cleft lip and cleft palate can be successfully treated by skilled pediatric dental professionals or plastic surgeons. Follow-up treatment to improve the child’s speaking and eating abilities and to treat any other ear, nose and throat conditions are common.

The direct cause of these birth defects are still unknown – even though each year over 2500 babies are born with a cleft palate and over 4,400 with a cleft lip (with or without cleft palate).  Both of these oral and/or facial defects could be caused by various reasons, including a mother who smokes during pregnancy, women who take certain medications, or those diagnosed with diabetes prior to pregnancy.

Cleft lip and palate repair will vary depending on the child’s specific needs, but are geared towards closing and rebuilding the mouth separation along with additional surgeries to improve appearance. Like many birth defects, the risk factors and methods to prevent and treat these childhood issues are continually researched to shed light on increasing the national rates for a healthy pregnancy.

Sensitive Teeth

When a child has sensitive teeth, they can experience pain with extreme temperature changes.  Tooth sensitivity can occur as a result of a new tooth coming in, a cavity forming, or improper brushing techniques.  Regular visits to the pediatric dentist are key in helping prevent tooth sensitivity.

For these reasons and many others, your child should be visiting a pediatric dentist on a regular basis.  Unlike a regular dentist, we specialize in just for kids dentistry. Dr. Payam has the best skills to take care of your child’s teeth.  Schedule an appointment today!