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Healthy Oral Hygiene Tips For a Sick Child | Lewisville Pediatric Dentist

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Have you ever struggled with helping your child maintain healthy oral hygiene habits when they’re feeling under the weather? When dealing with a fever, cough, or vomiting, your child’s oral health might be the last thing on your mind. Our team is here to help provide tips for keeping your child’s mouth clean and teeth healthy, especially when they’re sick. 

Brush and Floss

Regular brushing and flossing help prevent build-up of harmful bacteria in your child’s mouth, which helps keep their immune system focused on fighting a cold or the flu. If your child’s illness includes vomiting, their teeth are exposed to acids that can weaken them.Try encouraging your child to rinse thoroughly and brush their teeth to avoid this type of damage.

Hydrate

When your child is sick, water can help them stay hydrated, soothe a sore throat, and keep sinuses moist. In addition, congestion can cause mouth breathing, resulting in dry mouth. This lack of saliva can lead to increased risk of tooth decay. While sports drinks and ginger ale can help ease some symptoms, remember they contain sugar and can make the problem worse. Water should be your go-to to prevent dry mouth and congestion.

Be Aware of Sugary Medicine

Like sports drinks and soda, cough drops and cough syrups can contain high amounts of sugar. While sweeteners can make medicine more pleasant-tasting, they can also leave a residue on teeth and lead to decay. Look for sugar-free options when possible and have your child rinse well after taking any medicine containing sugar.

Disinfect Dental Appliances

If your child has a dental appliance such as a retainer, athletic mouth guard, or night guard, be sure it is cleaned thoroughly between uses. Contact our office for information on the type of cleanser appropriate for your child’s device. When your child is well again, replace their toothbrush to prevent reinfection. Even a clean toothbrush may retain some bacteria or other germs following use.

For more tips on keeping teeth healthy through an illness, contact our office.

Lewisville Kids Dentistry
Phone: (972) 436-9121
501 S Stemmons Fwy
Lewisville, TX 75067

Pacifiers and Your Child’s Development | Pediatric Dentist in Lewisville

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Many parents don’t realize that babies derive comfort from non-nutritive sucking. It’s been shown that some babies begin to self-soothe by sucking on their fingers or thumbs even before birth.  By allowing your child a pacifier, you may be able to more easily break the habit as the child reaches an age where this self-soothing behavior is no longer needed, by removing or cutting the pacifier. If a child learns to self-soothe by thumb sucking, it may be more difficult to break this habit.  

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, If your child is still using a pacifier at the age of 3, the habit should be discouraged. This is because the upper front teeth may tip outward or come in improperly as a result. If you’re unsure if your child’s pacifier or thumb-sucking habit is interfering with the healthy development of teeth and jaws, please contact us. We’re happy to advise you with behavior modification techniques.  

Here are a few additional guidelines for pacifier use:  

  • Never dip the pacifier into a sweet substance such as honey. 
  • Do not use a string, ribbon or cord to secure the pacifier to clothes or cribs. 
  • The pacifier shield should be larger than the child’s mouth. 
  • Discontinue use if the pacifier fits into the child’s mouth.  
  • Discard pacifiers that are worn or deteriorating 
  • Do not allow the child to sleep with the pacifier.  

Remember, the AAPD recommends your child’s first visit with a pediatric dentist by the age of 1 or with the eruption of the first tooth. If you’ve yet to find your dental home, we welcome you to become a part of our dental family.  

Lewisville Kids Dentistry
Phone: (972) 436-9121
501 S Stemmons Fwy
Lewisville, TX 75067

Should My Child’s Permanent Teeth Be Coming in Yet? | Pediatric Dentist 75067

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Losing baby teeth is a significant rite of passage for young children, and it can be exciting for kids with hopes that the tooth fairy pays them a visit. But this rite of passage is important for parents, too. As a pediatric dental office, one of the common questions we hear from parents is regarding the proper timing for permanent teeth to fully appear. While every child is different, the average timeframe for an adult tooth to replace a baby tooth is about 6 months. In some instances this timeframe can be longer, for a number of reasons. Learn more about a few of the more common reasons some teeth take more time to come in.      

  • Teeth Spacing: Occasionally, baby teeth can come in too close together. Close spacing can cause issues when a baby tooth is lost and the new tooth is coming in. There may not be enough space for the new tooth to properly grow in. When this happens, the tooth may take longer to come in.   
  • Impacted Teeth: An impacted tooth is normally caused when a baby tooth is lost prematurely, such as a tooth being knocked out. The emerging tooth can get lodged inside the bone, preventing it from emerging. This can also happen with a tooth that is partially exposed, creating a partially impacted tooth.  
  • Incorrect Growth: Children’s teeth, more commonly than not, have a non-uniform appearance. In some instances, baby teeth can be misplaced which causes the adult teeth to come down in the wrong location.  

Sometimes new teeth struggle to erupt with no apparent cause. If you feel your child may be experiencing one of these permanent teeth growth issues, consult our pediatric dentist. We can determine if there is a cause and take the correct steps to start to improve the situation. If there is an issue with adult tooth eruption, the sooner it’s addressed the better.  

It’s important to regularly schedule dental cleanings and examinations for your children. During these visits with our pediatric dentist, we’ll monitor your child’s smile as it continues to transition. This allows our dentist to be more interceptive with any issues that may arise, making any treatments easier to manage as your child continues to grow. If you have any questions or want to schedule an appointment, contact our office today.

Lewisville Kids Dentistry
Phone: (972) 436-9121
501 S Stemmons Fwy
Lewisville, TX 75067

Why Every Child Deserves Great Dentistry | Lewisville TX Pediatric Dentist

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If our children are the future, we have a responsibility to ensure the next generation has the tools and skills they need to succeed. Without question, proper education, quality healthcare, and good oral health habits are at the foundation of this effort. Unfortunately for some, dental care can sometimes fall by the wayside when it comes to healthcare priorities. All the more reason why pediatric dental care is an essential part of making sure every child has access to the great dentistry services they deserve. 

Maximize Overall Health 
It may not be well known, but oral health has a large and direct role in overall health. If a child doesn’t receive quality dental care, it can cause problems not only with their dental health, but in other areas of their overall wellbeing. It’s important to know dental health and overall health go hand-in-hand. As with adults, routine dental cleanings and oral examinations should be scheduled about every six months.  

Prevent Future Dental Problems 
Preventive dentistry, including routine dental cleanings and oral examinations, are the foundation for quality dentistry. Regularly scheduled visits to the dentist will ensure a child’s oral health is monitored and maintained. As children grow up they experience many changes related to oral health. Pediatric dentists are trained to monitor your child’s developing dental health, including the eruption of baby teeth and the growth of permanent teeth. Getting ahead of problems like crowding or decay can protect and preserve your child’s precious smile. 

Education on Good Oral Habits 
Education is important for a child’s development. Education related to dentistry can help start any child on the right path to maintaining their oral health. Sharing techniques for brushing or even explaining why we brush can give kids the informational foundation they need for maintaining their oral health. Pediatric dentists can only do so much during regularly scheduled visits to maintain oral health. Empowering children to start and keep a good oral hygiene routine will continue to benefit them throughout their lives.  

There’s nothing more beautiful than a child’s smile. Granting children access to quality pediatric dentistry from a young age will help set a trend for them to follow as they grow into adulthood. If you have any questions or want to schedule an appointment, contact our pediatric dental office today.

Lewisville Kids Dentistry
Phone: (972) 436-9121
501 S Stemmons Fwy
Lewisville, TX 75067

Can You Inherit Oral Health Issues? | 75067 Pediatric Dentist

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Most serious oral health issues can be prevented by maintaining an effective routine of dental hygiene and in-office care. However, you could be at higher risk for some oral illnesses due to hereditary factors. Awareness and proper treatment can help minimize these risks. Here are a few of the most common oral health concerns that are affected by genetics.

Tooth decay – One of the most common oral issues, some tooth decay has been linked to a genetic deficiency of a protein called DEFB1. If your parents experienced an unusually high rate of tooth decay, then you may want to be more vigilant regarding your own dental care.

Oral cancer – Certain genetic factors can increase your risk of developing oral cancer. Our pediatric dentist in 75067 recommends annual oral cancer screening for early identification and treatment. In addition, certain lifestyle choices, such as quitting smoking and limiting alcohol consumption, can help reduce your risk of oral cancer.

Periodontal disease – Recent research has found that some forms of gum disease may be linked to mutations in genes that affect immunity and inflammatory response.

Misaligned or supernumerary (extra) teeth – Genetics can play a role in having misaligned or even extra teeth. The size of your jaw is determined mostly through heredity, and is the most common reason for an overbite, underbite, or dental crowding.

Canker sores – In most cases, canker sores are an isolated reaction to fatigue, stress, or menstrual cycles. However, there are certain inherited diseases that count canker sores among their symptoms. Crohn’s disease and Celiac sprue are two such conditions. While you may not be able to avoid hereditary oral health issues entirely, we can help minimize or even reverse their effects with proper treatment and care. If you suffer from any of these inherited conditions, contact our dental office in Lewisville, TX for an oral health evaluation. We can help

Lewisville Kids Dentistry
Phone: (972) 436-9121
501 S Stemmons Fwy
Lewisville, TX 75067

Can Teething Affect More Than My Child’s Mouth? | Lewisville TX Kids Dentist

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It is a common belief that teething causes secondary symptoms such as a runny nose, irritability, high fever, or problems with sleeping. However, studies shared by our pediatric dentist in 75067 have shown that these types of concerns are caused by health issues unrelated to teething. Here are some of the things to expect during teething, and some that are often attributed to teething, but are better discussed with your child’s doctor.

A Teething Breakdown

Teething generally begins around 6-12 months of age, and can 24 months or more to complete. Each tooth eruption lasts about a week – 4 days before the tooth breaks through, followed by 3 days of healing. During these episodes, it is common to see some minor symptoms. Your child may experience a low-grade fever (around 99.0°F), excessive drooling, chewing obsession, gum irritation and discomfort, and/or a slight facial rash during tooth eruption. These symptoms are all normal and should pass within a few days.

What Teething Doesn’t Cause

While teething may cause the mild reactions listed above, more serious symptoms like those below, are not related to teething:

·         Runny Nose

·         High Fever

·         Vomiting

·         Digestive issues (Diarrhea, cramping)

·         Coughing

If your child is experiencing any of these symptoms for an extended time, consult your child’s doctor.

Your child should have a dental visit within the first 6 months of tooth eruption. It is important to have dental examinations done early, so you can start them on a path of life-long oral health. If your child is teething, our team is more than happy to help. Contact our pediatric dental office in Lewisville, TX to schedule an appointment.

Lewisville Kids Dentistry
Phone: (972) 436-9121
501 S Stemmons Fwy
Lewisville, TX 75067

Lewisville Pediatric Dentist | Healthy Transitions: Trading Bottles for Cups

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Helping your child switch from bottles to cups can be challenging. Babies may become emotionally attached to their bottles as a source of comfort as well as nutrition.

However, bottles can also become dangerous to your child’s teeth over time. Continuing to use a bottle too long can cause your child’s palate to narrow. This can lead to an increased need for orthodontic treatment as they grow.

Bottles also expose a baby’s teeth to liquids over an extended period of time. Liquids such as milk, formula, and juice contain sugars that can increase the risk of tooth decay. To help protect your child’s teeth, you should encourage your child to start drinking from a cup by their first birthday.

It is important to consider your choice of training cup. There are many and varied options of child training cups available. Here are some things to consider when selecting cups for your child.

Keep the goal in mind when choosing a style of training cup for your child.

Cups advertised as “no spill” often contain a special valve beneath the spout. This valve does protect against easy spilling, but also prevents sipping. Instead, these cups require your child to suck on the spout, essentially replacing one type of bottle with another. This can slow your child’s training on cup usage. In some cases, these valves may even require a high level of suction, making them frustrating to use.

Look for a cup with a simple spout rather than a “no spill” spout.

These cups are easy for your child to use and help them learn to sip. Cups with handles can be easier for small hands to learn to hold. If spills are a concern, look for a cup with a weighted base that can help it self-right.

Remember that transitions occur in stages.

Phase out the bottle in favor of the cup, don’t try to change all at once. Once your child can use the cup, limit the bottle to water. This can help make the bottle less desired. Provide the bottle less often over time to allow your child time to adjust. Once your child has mastered training cups, start offering a small plastic cup without a lid. When they can use this new cup, phase out the training cup.

For more information about bottle to cup transitions or to schedule an appointment, contact our office.

 

Pediatric Dentist in Lewisville | Baby Teeth – Should My Child’s Teeth Be Removed?

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Making sure your child’s mouth develops properly is important. Part of a growing mouth will mean your child’s baby teeth will come out. For many kids, baby teeth loosen and fall out on their own, but every child is different. When you bring your child in for an orthodontic evaluation, we take into consideration your child’s baby teeth. Here are some things to remember about your child’s teeth.

Is My Child on Track?

Sometimes we see parents in our office who are concerned that their child’s baby teeth have not fallen out. Each child’s mouth is going to be different. Typically, between the ages of 6 and 8, your child will lose their first teeth. This usually continues through ages 10 to 13 when the last of their baby teeth come out. Many kids experience a break between ages 8 and 10, so don’t be alarmed if your child hasn’t lost any teeth for a while.

What This Means for Orthodontic Treatment

We start any examination with a basic inventory of your child’s teeth. We look at how many they have lost and what teeth still must come in. Your child might lose teeth at a slower pace, and this usually is not cause for any concern. However, as kids reach age 12 and beyond we might consider removing baby teeth when planning orthodontic treatment. If your child is getting their second molars and has yet to lose some of their baby teeth, we likely will consider removal.

Why They Need to be Removed

Crowding is an issue when a permanent tooth begins to grow next to a baby tooth. We usually recommend removal in this instance, but it is important to note that this does not solve the issue of crowding. Usually expansion is a solution for crowding.

In our office, we use x-rays and scans to track your child’s mouth. These are a valuable resource in helping figure out the best time to have teeth removed. We can see what is coming in and decide to remove a baby tooth if it will cause complications to the new permanent tooth.

Why They Shouldn’t be Removed

Sometimes, the best course of action is to wait it out. Your child’s baby teeth have an important function in holding the required space needed for permanent teeth to come in. With missing teeth, our doctor will decide if the space between needs to be closed. Keeping teeth in place is also good for keeping your gums healthy.

Our doctor will decide if removal is needed based on your child’s teeth. Your child should be receiving regular examinations. Their fast-changing mouths need to be looked at frequently to ensure their teeth will grow properly in the future.

For more questions about orthodontics, or to schedule an appointment, please contact our office.

Pediatric Dentist Lewisville TX | 5 Building Blocks for Optimal Infant Oral Health

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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found that tooth decay is the single largest ailment impacting children. In fact, tooth decay is more widespread than illnesses such as asthma. As a parent, you can help establish habits that will lead to a lifetime of optimal oral health for your child. Essential oral health care practices start during infancy. Don’t wait for your child’s teeth to begin erupting before considering their oral health.

  1. Clean Gums, Healthy Smile

Before your infant has teeth, it is important that you clean their gums. This can be done by using a clean, damp cloth and gently wiping your child’s gum line. This cleans off any residue from food and drink. When left uncleaned, your child may be at risk for developing gum disease. Our team suggests cleaning your child’s gums at least twice a day.

  1. Introduce Toothpaste

Many parents find it helpful to introduce the flavor of toothpaste to infants after establishing a routine of cleaning their gums. Consult our team before using any toothpaste on your child’s gums. A small amount of toothpaste may be rubbed on your child’s gums. The amount of toothpaste used should be significantly less than what you might put on your own toothbrush.

  1. When Teeth Erupt, Brush

Once your child’s first tooth erupts, it is time to begin brushing. We recommend selecting a soft-bristled toothbrush made for infants. A pea-sized amount of child-friendly toothpaste should be used. Gently brush your child’s tooth, and be sure not to neglect their gums. Continue to gently clean their gums.

  1. Visit Us

When your child’s first tooth erupts, it’s time to visit our team. Their first dental examination should be scheduled once you notice the appearance of their first tooth. Children should receive at least two regular dental examinations each year, or more if they are at a higher risk for oral health complications.

  1. Instill Proper Brushing Habits

Help your child learn how to brush their teeth. Children learn by imitating. You can try brushing alongside your child to supervise their progress. Children should brush twice each day, for a minimum of two full minutes. Each child develops at his or her own rate, but on average, children can begin brushing their own teeth, with parental supervision, at age 5.

Proper oral health practices are vital for infants and children. Your role as a parent is to shape your child’s habits to set them on a path for a healthy smile that will last a lifetime. Don’t wait for your child’s first tooth to erupt before considering their oral health.

Schedule an appointment with our team today.

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