Primary teeth are essential to the healthy development of adult teeth, which will be present in your child’s mouth for life! So how can you best take care of your child’s baby teeth?

Infancy: Wipe Out the Mouth to Clean

When your child is an infant, mouth cleanings are still important. Since teeth won’t come in until your baby is about six months old, brushing won’t be necessary until this time. However, you should simply wipe out your child’s mouth after feedings with a clean cloth. Once their baby teeth begin to come in, you can gently brush them. As soon as they have two teeth that touch together, you can begin flossing. Remember, your child should see the dentist as soon as their first teeth begin to come in!

Toddler: Begin Teaching Brushing Habits

As your baby grows into a toddler, you can begin to teach them oral care habits. It’s essential that you still supervise your child’s care of their teeth, as they likely won’t be able to master this practice yet. You can get them into the habit of brushing their teeth every morning and every night, helping them along the way. Your child should be familiar with the dentist and go every six months or so to ensure their teeth are healthy and that tooth decay isn’t present.

Child: Supervise Brushing and Healthy Habits

Once your toddler has become a child, they should be able to brush their teeth on their own. At around age six, they’ll begin losing their primary teeth and adult teeth will make an
appearance. You should still check in to ensure they are brushing and flossing properly, and the dentist visits should be routine by this point. It’s important to encourage healthy snacking with limited juices, soda, and other sugar products. This will help your child develop healthy habits for life!

Teen: Emphasize the Importance of Care

Typically, around age 12, kids have their full set of adult teeth in. This means your child should be pretty well established to continue caring for their teeth and have a routine in place. Regular dentist visits can help remove any plaque that’s built up, helping to keep your child cavity-free. It’s important to continue emphasizing care of their teeth, especially if they have braces. Your child’s adult teeth will now last them for life thanks to your help!

Caring for your child’s baby teeth is important even though they’ll eventually lose these little teeth. Not only can you help your child establish healthy habits, but you also help encourage a strong full set of adult teeth for your child, setting them up for a great smile for life. Your dentist is your partner to ensuring your child has great teeth, so don’t skip those visits!

The post How to Best Take Care of Your Child’s Baby Teeth appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

From what type of toothbrush you should buy to whether or not you need to clean it, here’s
everything you need to know about your toothbrush!

What Kind to Buy

The best kind of toothbrush to buy is any soft-bristled one. Even if you’ve bought firm
toothbrushes for years, here’s why you should switch: harder brushing damages tooth enamel. The bristles combined with toothpaste eliminates the need for you to brush very hard in order to remove plaque and bacteria. A gentle brushing is all that’s needed to clean your teeth and protect tooth enamel. So make it a little easier by getting a toothbrush that’s softer!

When It Needs to Go

Your toothbrush has a pretty short life due to the fact that it’s exposed to bacteria day in and day out. The American Dental Association recommends you get a new toothbrush every four months at the maximum. You should replace your toothbrush sooner if:

 The bristles are frayed (these can damage gum tissue)
 People in your house or you have been sick and you want to be extra careful about
spreading germs
 You just received treatment for tooth decay or gum disease

Fortunately, toothbrushes are relatively inexpensive. Keep a spare one in your bathroom and when you open it, write the date on the package so you know when to replace it!

How to Store It

Since bacteria love to grow in moist, dark environments, keeping your toothbrush in a place like this is a bad idea. Bathrooms tend to be exposed to humidity, so your toothbrush is already at a disadvantage. You can still store your toothbrush in the bathroom, but be sure to keep it in an open space. Use a toothbrush holder and if you share the holder with anyone else’s toothbrush, be sure they don’t touch.

Don’t Ever Share

It’s never a good idea to share your toothbrush with anyone, even if they are a family member or your spouse. Bacteria can easily transfer from mouth to mouth and if the person you share with has gum disease, you could even be exposed to blood. Keep an extra toothbrush on hand for guests but never share your own.

Cleaning Your Toothbrush

It’s almost impossible to get rid of all the bacteria on your toothbrush, so sanitizing it isn’t only unrealistic, it also hasn’t been shown to have much of an effect on your oral health. Giving your toothbrush a thorough rinse after brushing is typically all that’s needed. If you want to give your toothbrush a deeper clean, you can soak it in mouthwash for up to 15 minutes. This isn’t normally necessary if you’re replacing your toothbrush as needed.

When was the last time you replaced your toothbrush? Taking good care of your toothbrush is essential to keeping your smile healthy. Purchase the right one, store it properly, and never share. Rinse it out after every use and you’re good to go. Happy brushing!

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However, there are few sports that exist without the risk for injury. Even sports deemed to be relatively safe such as soccer and volleyball can cause injury to your smile.

So what can you do to prevent teeth damage while playing sports? Here are your top picks for protection.

Custom Mouthguards

Mouthguards are the number one way to protect your teeth during sports. Although there are many mouthguards available over the counter, your best bet for optimal protection will be a custom mouthguard. Custom mouthguards are made at your dentist office specifically for your smile. This means there’s minimal room for harm because every tooth is protected.

Mouthguards are required in many children’s sports and are recommended for sports such as basketball, hockey, football, lacrosse, softball, volleyball, wresting, and boxing. Never forgo a mouthguard during contact sports—it could save your smile by absorbing the impact and protecting your teeth!

Wear a Helmet

Helmets are required for some sports and recommended during others. Although designed to protect your head, helmets do the job of protecting your smile in the event of a head injury. Whether it’s a few knocked-out teeth or a broken jaw, helmets are absolutely worth the investment for the following sports:

Rugby
Horseback riding
Skateboarding
Sledding or skiing
Football
Baseball
Bicycling

Wearing a helmet during these sports can protect your smile in the event that injury occurs!

Healthy Teeth Are Strong Teeth

Teeth that are healthy and strong will naturally be more resistant to injury than those that are weak from decay or gum disease. Getting regular checkups with your dentist can ensure that your teeth are strong and healthy.

Your dentist can also fit you for a custom mouthguard during your appointment. It’s always important to protect your smile when it comes to sports—both on and off the field!

Keep an Emergency Kit

Preventing injuries to your teeth is advisable but in some cases, accidents still happen and teeth can still be injured. It’s wise to keep an emergency kit with you for this reason. In your emergency kit, you should have the names and numbers of nearby dentists who may be able to see you for an emergency visit. If they cannot, go to your local emergency room.

You can also keep:

Cotton absorbers such as cotton balls and gauze
A cold compress that can be activated on site
Alcohol wipes to clean the site
Ibuprofen for pain
A container for a knocked-out tooth

Make sure to talk with your dentist before doing anything to the site beyond controlling the bleeding!

Tooth injuries during sports can be as minor as a chipped tooth or as severe as a broken jaw. Preventing injuries is the best way to stop them—but when an accident happens, be prepared. Always wear a mouthguard or a helmet as appropriate for your sport, keep your smile healthy, and have an emergency kit on hand!

The post How Can I Prevent Teeth Damage While Playing Sports? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Make a Dentist Appointment

Although it might feel like your tooth is fine at the moment, you need to make a dentist appointment right away. Call and tell them what happened and ask when they can fit you in. The following suggestions will only last a few days at the absolute most. You need to get your tooth repaired as soon as possible!

Make Use of Dental Cement

Over-the-counter dental cement can usually be found at your local pharmacy. If you apply this to your filling, it can substitute as a protective layer if your dentist appointment is a couple days away. If you had a crown placed over your filling and it came loose, you can try to fit the crown over the tooth. If you choose to do this, it’s imperative that you clean the crown first. You can also use the dental cement to temporarily “glue” your crown back on.

Try Clove Oil for Pain

Since your cavity is the result of eroded enamel, your affected tooth is going to be pretty sensitive. You may experience a mild pain from temperature or exposure, or it may be intense. To help cope with the pain, you can try clove essential oil. It’s relatively inexpensive and can be found at most supermarkets. Dab a very small amount—about a Q-Tip size—onto your cavity to help ease your tooth pain.

Keep Your Mouth Clean

It’s important to keep your mouth clean while your filling is exposed. You don’t want any food particles or bacteria making a home in there. Carefully remove food debris, brush gently around the area, and try to chew on the opposite side of your mouth. You may also choose to rinse with warm salt water, which may help ease pain.

Sugar-Free Gum Can Help

As with dental cement, sugar-free gum can work as a temporary filling. It may even help ease your tooth sensitivity. Never use gum that has sugar, otherwise it can make the cavity worse and irritate the area. Simply chew a piece of gum and place over the area. Keep it on for as often as you’re able to until your appointment.

When you lose a filling, don’t panic! You will need to see your dentist as soon as you can, but it’s not exactly a dental emergency. You can employ the use of these materials and practices to help you out in the meantime. Remember, seeing your dentist can fix the cavity right up. Fillings don’t last forever and you’ll need to replace yours eventually!

Post image courtesy of All Brite Dental

The post Lose a Filling? Don’t Panic! Here’s What You Can Do Until You See Your Dentist appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

An Infection from a Partially Erupted Wisdom Tooth

If your wisdom teeth haven’t fully erupted, this means they’re stuck halfway between your gums and your jaw. This is a dangerous position to be in, as this area is difficult to keep clean. Debris from food and plaque can accumulate and cause an infection. This condition is called perisoronitis.

Some of the symptoms of perisoronitis may include swelling around the area, problems moving your jaw, even a fever and bleeding from your mouth can be indicative of a problem. If you have a bad taste in your mouth, this could mean an infection is present. Fortunately, your dentist can remove the debris, properly clean the area, and talk with you about what your options are moving forward. You should never ignore perisoronitis or any infection as it could get worse and affect your entire body via the bloodstream.

Impacted Wisdom Teeth

Impacted wisdom teeth occur when there’s essentially no room for these third molars to come in. They rest below your gumline and usually aren’t visible. These impacted molars can cause pain and overcrowding in your mouth. If impacted wisdom teeth are left to push your other teeth together and crowd them, this can make it much more difficult to clean your teeth and could lead to tooth decay or an infection. Impacted wisdom teeth don’t always have symptoms. This is why getting regular checkups with your dentist is so important. If you haven’t had your wisdom teeth out but are seeing your teeth shift or have jaw pain or swelling, see your dentist. Impacted wisdom teeth can also lead to perisoronitis!

Surgical Site Complications from Extracted Wisdom Teeth

If you’re one of the many people that’s had their wisdom teeth extracted, caring for your mouth after the surgery is essential. Most people heal from these surgeries as expected, but a small percentage of people will experience what’s called “dry socket”, where the blood clots that protects your surgical sites are no longer there.

If you experience worsening pain after your wisdom tooth extraction, call your dentist immediately. Reactions or infections after removal are rare but still seek help if something doesn’t feel right or you have any questions. Never put treatment off!

Wisdom teeth can cause problems so be aware of the symptoms. If you suspect you have an infection, are having symptoms of impacted wisdom teeth, or are experiencing pain after your extraction surgery, it’s imperative that you contact your dentist. He or she can evaluate your wisdom teeth and treat your smile!

The post Wisdom Teeth Emergencies: When Should You Seek Help? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Over Bushing Can Damage Enamel

Did you know that there is such a thing as over brushing your teeth? Teeth that are brushed too often or too roughly can experience enamel damage. This means that the outer protective layer will erode away and can lead teeth to experience tooth decay.

Brushing more than twice a day—such as after every meal or numerous times per day—increases the likelihood that your teeth will suffer enamel erosion from your consistent brushing. If you feel the need to brush after every meal, ensure that your brushing is done gently with a soft-bristled toothbrush and never before 30 minutes after you’ve eaten your last meal.

Overuse of Mouthwash Can Harm Bacteria

Using mouthwash can be a great asset to your oral health routine. Not only does it help kill germs that can cause bad breath, but it can also help prevent plaque from sticking to your teeth and remove food particles from tight spaces that your brush can’t reach.

However, using mouthwash too often can actually harm your beneficial oral bacteria. Your mouth is home to up to 700 different types of oral bacteria, and not all of them are bad. There are some types of oral bacteria that actually help protect your smile. When you use mouthwash too often, you can upset your bacterial balance and damage your teeth and gums. How often is too often? Two times a day is safe, three times or more is considered harmful!

Flossing too Much Can Cause Gum Damage

Flossing is excellent for your oral health and should be done once a day. This helps remove stuck food, cleans the surfaces of your teeth that you can’t reach, and helps prevent cavities and gum disease. Flossing is great, but flossing too much could hurt your gums.

If you haven’t flossed in a long time, you’re familiar with that sore feeling—and maybe even a bit of blood—that comes with flossing for the first time. When you floss too often, the same can happen to your mouth. Your gum tissue and even your enamel can be damaged from flossing too often. Instead of helping your smile, it could contribute to gum recession and cavities!

How often is too often? Once per day is all you need, two or more is considered excessive. Are you a little too good at keeping your smile clean? Brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash numerous times per day may seem like beneficial steps to protect your smile, but they can actually end up being harmful. Getting dental checkups regularly can help you protect your smile, and all you need to do is brush, floss, and use mouthwash as directed!

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Start Early

The earlier you get your children used to oral care, the more readily they’ll accept this habit. You can begin brushing your child’s teeth as soon as they have teeth. Prior to this, wiping their mouth with a clean cloth will suffice. And you can begin flossing as soon as your child has two teeth that touch. These habits will get your little one used to care before they’re able to do it themselves!

Have them Teach a Sibling

Many kids love teaching other kids how to do things. After your oldest has learned how to properly brush their teeth, have them show their little brother or sister. This will encourage them both to brush their teeth, floss, and show their healthy smiles to mom and dad before school or bedtime!

Make Brushing Time Fun

If your child is resistant to brushing, you have lots of options for making this time more creative and fun. Here’s how you can teach your child that brushing doesn’t have to feel boring or unnecessary!

 Listen to a two-minute song. Encouraging kids to brush for at least two minutes can feel like an eternity, depending on how young your child is. To make the time go by, listen to a favorite song that’s about two minutes and brush together the entire time!

 Use a reward system. In the event that brushing is a really trying time in your house, try a reward system. Create a chart and give your kids stickers or tokens every time they brush their teeth and floss. When the tokens add up, they get a prize!

 Consider apps to track progress. There are many apps that can help your kids see just how well they’re doing with their oral care. There are even toothbrushes that you can sync with your phone that shows you where you’re missing spots!

Be Familiar with the Family Dentist

Trust your kids to brush well, but always check their progress. An important part of doing this is through regular checkups with your family dentist. The earlier your kids see the dentist, the more comfortable they’ll be when they go for checkups. They’ll learn the dentist is friendly and fun, not scary and painful. Your dentist can also assess your child’s oral health and tell you what needs to improve as well as what he or she is doing well.

Teaching your kids about how important oral health is can feel like a long process. Start early to help ease the transition into self care. Have them teach their little brother or sister how to brush their teeth. Make brushing time fun when things get tough and as always, visit your dentist to ensure your child’s smile is as healthy as possible!

The post How to Promote Healthy Dental Habits for Your Children appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

They Were Essential to Our Ancestors

Wisdom teeth likely became part of the human jaw on account of our distant ancestors. These people ate a diet that consisted of lots of raw, crunchy foods such as roots, plants, and nuts. Even meat could be difficult to consume for people who lacked the proper utensils! These third molars were present in people who had larger jaws than we did. Over thousands of years, our jaws and our faces have actually gotten smaller. We no longer have the need for huge jaws with lots of teeth. Although our ancestors likely found wisdom teeth to be a great help when chewing their food and preventing their teeth from wearing down too much, today, wisdom teeth are really no longer needed.

Evolution Has Rendered Them Unnecessary

On account of our smaller jaws, there’s no longer room for an additional four large molars in our jaws. Although wisdom teeth come in at a time when the jaw is fully developed, there still just isn’t much use for them today. Our foods have also gotten easier to eat. No longer do we need to crunch on raw roots and plants when we have the ability to cook meals and cut up our meat for easy consumption. Today, wisdom teeth do more harm than good to the majority of people. Wisdom teeth often become impacted in modern humans. Impacted wisdom teeth do not have enough room to erupt through the jaw and end up crowding the other teeth or causing pain. In fact, impacted wisdom teeth have been happening to humans for centuries. The oldest case dates back to the skeleton of a woman found in France who lived 15,000 years ago! Her remains showed severely impacted third molars.

Wisdom Teeth Today

35% of people never even develop wisdom teeth. The possible cause of this is because evolution may be phasing them out again, as modern humans no longer need wisdom teeth. Some people may develop less than four wisdom teeth. It’s rare to have more than four, however. Wisdom teeth cause of host of problems to people today. They can cause infection if they don’t erupt through the gumline all the way. They are difficult to brush, can cause jaw pain, crowded teeth, and ruin orthodontic work.

It’s no wonder that many people find removing their wisdom teeth is a simple solution to experiencing pain, discomfort, or crooked teeth from impaction. Although wisdom teeth were certainly helpful at one point, wisdom teeth are commonly removed today. Our ancestors used their third molars to help them consume foods that were essential to their health. Now, we have smaller jaws and less room for wisdom teeth than our descendants did!

The post Why We Have Wisdom Teeth: Explained! appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

You ideally want a dentist who can treat all ages when you have a family. Finding the best dentist for every member in your household can make keeping up with dental appointments easy. How can you find the right one? Here’s how you can find one great dentist to fit all your needs in one place!

Find a Dentist Who’s Experienced

Finding an experienced dentist is a must regardless of what age you are. However, when you have a family, you want a dentist who’s equally experienced with children and teenagers. Children often require more skills to treat than adults, and you want the dentist to be kid-friendly. You should also take into account any special needs your family has. Does one of you experience dental anxiety, or do you have a child with special needs? Talk to the dentist you’re considering about their experience in working with different patients. The right dentist will be able to accommodate all your needs!

Your Family Dentist Should Take a Holistic Approach

When searching for a dentist, you want a professional who cares. If you have a cavity or gum disease, your family dentist shouldn’t just fix the problem, but talk to you about preventative measures in addition to treatment.

Your ideal family dentist will take a holistic approach and talk with you about your oral health habits. He or she should also be able to offer tips on what you can do better. From avoiding sugar to becoming a better brusher, your dentist should be invested in your oral health just as much as you are. Look for a dentist who offers more than just treatment during appointments—find a dentist that wants you and your family’s oral health to be the best it can be.

Visit the Office and the Dentist

Visiting the dentist you’re considering can make all the difference. Evaluate the location and cleanliness of the office. Check for play areas and look for staff members who are friendly with kids. You want an office that offers emergency services when needed and has the experience to handle everything your family needs.

If you have dental anxiety, talk with the dentist about their accommodations. They may offer sedative dentistry or even laser dentistry to help you feel more at ease. You want a staff and a dentist that’s great with kids and gets to know you and your family.

Finding the perfect dentist in one location with appointment flexibility and expertise is well worth the effort. Ask your friends and family for recommendations. Visit local dentists in your area and talk to the staff. Your family dentist should be conveniently located, friendly, and knowledgeable. Get all your oral care needs in one place with the right dentist for the entire family!

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The following conditions are ones that will likely require antibiotic prophylaxis before your dental procedure to minimize risk of this condition!

Artificial Heart Valve

If you have an artificial heart valve, your dentist will likely ask you to take antibiotics before your procedure. This is because endocarditis can happen if your heart has abnormal valves where the bacteria can attach themselves and proliferate in the heart.

You may have an artificial heart valve if you’ve had mitral valve disease, in which the valves of the heart do not work properly to allow adequate blood flow. Always inform your dentist if you have an artificial valve before receiving any type of treatment to reduce your risk of endocarditis.

Heart Transplant

If you’ve had a heart transplant, especially one that was the result of the problem with your heart valves, you’ll likely need antibiotic prophylaxis before your cleaning or extraction. Be sure to tell your dentist if you’ve had a heart transplant or even if you’ve had infective endocarditis previously. He or she can recommend the course of action that will ensure your safety during the procedure. You may have had a heart transplant if you have a heart defect, advanced heart disease, or heart failure. Infective endocarditis isn’t worth the risk to your heart—talk to your dentist about your heart transplant.

Heart Defects

Certain heart defects like congenital heart disease may require the use of antibiotics before a dental procedure. It’s important to disclose this information to your dentist to see if you qualify. The more your dentist knows, the more he or she can help you take the best care of yourself. Tell your dentist if you have any type of heart condition before receiving treatment, even a cleaning!

Joint Surgery or Replacement

Patients who have had previous joint surgery like a replacement of the joint or hip may need to take antibiotics before going to the dentist. This is because they’re more at risk to develop an infection in the replaced joint after their dental cleaning or other procedure. While this won’t apply to every patient, if you have doubts about whether or not you need antibiotics, ask your dentist!

Your dentist does the best he or she can to ensure you have a safe and effective procedure. Whether you’re getting a simple teeth cleaning or getting treatment for gum disease or a tooth extraction, talk to your dentist about whether or not you should receive antibiotics before the procedure. If you have any of the above conditions, you likely will need to!

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