Early childhood dental decay is a severe form of tooth decay that affects the teeth of infants and young children. It is found usually on the upper front teeth but other teeth may also be affected.
Tooth decay happens when germs in the mouth create a sticky covering called plaque on the tooth surface. These germs feed on sugars in food and drinks and produce an acid that damages the tooth surface. Over time, this acid eats away at the surface of the tooth, creating holes or ‘cavities’.
Tooth decay can cause pain and infection. It can even affect children’s growth. Severe decay in baby teeth can have serious consequences for your child’s nutrition, speech, and jaw development.
Early tooth decay can be hard to spot. The first sign of tooth decay is when teeth develop a dull, white band along the gum line (the area at the base of the teeth, near the gums). You might also see brown spots on the teeth, and the gums might be red and swollen.
With more advanced tooth decay, you might notice blackened holes in the teeth or broken teeth. If the decay has led to an infection, you might notice lumps or pimples on the gums or swelling around the gums and face.
Early childhood dental decay can start as soon as the tooth appears in the mouth.
Whitish marks on the tooth surface close to the gum line may be an early sign of tooth decay. At this early ‘white spot’ stage, the decay process can be stopped and/or reversed by the use of fluoride.
If it is left untreated it can quickly progress to become a hole that will need dental treatment. This more advanced stage of decay will have a yellow-brown or black appearance on teeth.
Decay is more likely to occur in infants or toddlers who:
• fall asleep sucking a bottle filled with a sugary liquid or a dummy dipped in a sweet substance such as honey
• have prolonged (more than one year) on-demand breastfeeding
• get poor oral hygiene
Frequent snacking can also contribute to tooth decay because there is less time between eating to allow teeth to recover from plaque acid attacks.
Children are not born with decay-causing bacteria in the mouth.
These bacteria are passed to the child by their parents or caregivers through food tasting and/or through cleaning a dummy or teat in their mouths.
By keeping their mouth healthy, parents can reduce the risk of decay in themselves and their children.
Oral hygiene should start from birth, even before teeth erupt (come through). Start by cleaning your child’s gums after feeds and then start cleaning teeth as soon as they come through.
Cleaning teeth isn’t a guarantee against tooth decay. The types of food and drink you give your child also affect dental health and the development of tooth decay.
Newborns and young babies need only breastmilk or formula.
When your breastfed or formula-fed baby is older than six months, she can also have small amounts of water. Avoid giving your baby sweetened milk, fruit juice or cordials.
Children need a wide variety of healthy foods and snacks. Foods and drinks that are low in sugar are best. Avoid giving your children sweet biscuits or cakes. If your child does eat something sweet, drinking a glass of water or eating tooth-friendly food afterward can reduce the amount of acid on your child’s teeth.
Resources:
raisingchildren.net
healthywa.wa.gov
We love our patients and love to help them form healthy dental life that will last them a lifetime. Growing Smiles is a pediatric dentist in Anna, Richardson, Plano, Garland, Murphy we have Pediatric Services in Texas: Early Childhood Care, Preventive Care, General Treatments, Sedation Dentistry, Special Needs Dentistry, Emergency Service and Orthodontic (Braces & Invisalign) For more information call us to answer all of your questions so get an appointment today.
Teething is a normal part of a baby’s development during the first year of life. Most babies get their first tooth between 4 and 7 months of age. The first teeth that poke through the gums are the central incisors, which are located on the bottom front.
While most infants get their first teeth months after birth, some babies are born with one or more teeth. These are called natal teeth. Natal teeth are relatively rare, occurring in about NJ 1 out of every 2,000 births.
It can be a shock if your baby is born with teeth. But you don’t need to worry or take action unless the teeth interfere with feeding, or are a choking hazard. Your pediatrician can help advise you about what to do.
Natal teeth can seem mysterious, but certain conditions can increase the chances of babies being born with teeth. Babies who are born with irregularities in dentin (the calcified tissues that help form teeth) may also have natal teeth.
There are underlying medical issues that may cause natal teeth. These include the following syndromes:
What Are the Risk Factors for Natal Teeth?
In addition to certain medical conditions, there are a few risk factors that may increase a baby’s chances of being born with teeth. About 15 percent of babies born with teeth have close family members that had natal teeth when they were born, too. These include siblings and parents.
While there are conflicting studies on the role of gender and natal teeth, females seem to be more likely to be born with teeth than males.
Malnutrition during pregnancy is another possible risk factor.
While some babies are born with teeth, the situation isn’t always so clear cut. There are four types of natal teeth. Your doctor can determine which case your baby has:
Most cases of natal teeth involve just one tooth. Being born with multiple teeth is even rarer. Lower front teeth are the most common, followed by upper front teeth. Less than 1 percent of babies with natal teeth are born with molars.
Some babies aren’t born with teeth, but get them shortly after birth. Generally seen within the first month of life, teeth that emerge soon after birth are called neonatal teeth.
According to the journal Pediatrics, neonatal teeth are even rarer than natal teeth. In other words, your baby has a higher chance (though rare) of being born with teeth than getting teeth a few weeks after birth.
Symptoms of teething can start as early as 3 months of age. But in these cases, your baby won’t get any actual teeth for a month or more after that. Neonatal teeth appear so quickly after birth that your baby may not exhibit the normal telltale signs of teething like drooling, fussiness, and biting their fingers.
Natal teeth that aren’t loose are usually left alone. But if your baby is born with loose teeth that have no roots, your doctor might recommend surgical removal. These types of natal teeth can put your baby at risk for:
A loose tooth will be looked at via an X-ray to determine whether a solid root structure is present. If no such structure exists, removal may be necessary.
Yes, it is important to clean teeth at whatever age they appear, but you should do it very gently as the teeth may be loose.
And as a general guideline for all parents dealing with new baby teeth, at whatever age they first appear, brush regularly as part of the morning and night routine – just before going to bed, using a flat smear of fluoride toothpaste until they are 3 years of age.”
Resources:
healthline.com
madeformums.com
rarediseases.info.nih.gov
ninds.nih.gov
rarediseases.org
stanfordchildrens.org
We love our patients and love to help them form healthy dental life that will last them a lifetime. Growing Smiles is a pediatric dentist in Anna, Richardson, Plano, Garland, Murphy we have Pediatric Services in Texas: Early Childhood Care, Preventive Care, General Treatments, Sedation Dentistry, Special Needs Dentistry, Emergency Service and Orthodontic (Braces & Invisalign) For more information call us to answer all of your questions so get an appointment today.
Fluoride is commonly found in toothpaste, mouthwashes, and dental gels. But what exactly is fluoride, why do dentists rave about it, and as a parent, should I have any concerns about fluoride?
It is a mineral that is present in nature from many sources, from our natural water supply to tea, fish, and beer. When added to drinking water, it has been shown to drastically reduce tooth decay. The World Health Organization and Public Health England are among several other important health bodies that have endorsed the merits of fluoride in improving oral health. Research has consistently shown that brushing with fluoride toothpaste is the single most important way of reducing your child’s risk of tooth decay.
Not true! Fluoride works its magic in several different ways…
In the UK around 10% of the population benefit from a water supply with it either occurring naturally or being added to a level that has been shown to improve oral health. If you are curious to know whether this applies to where you live the majority of water companies have an online function to check this.
In areas with fluoridated water, 5-year-olds are 15% less likely to have had tooth decay than children from non-fluoridated areas. Also, fluoridated areas have 45% fewer admissions to hospital for dental decay, which often results in teeth being removed under general anesthetic.
With regards to other health complications, a report by the Water Fluoridation Health Monitor for England by Public Health England in 2014 proved there was no evidence for a difference in the rate of the following medical conditions in populations living with it or without it in the water:
Although fluoride is very good for our teeth you must use the correct concentration and amount for the age of your child. As a general rule children under three should use a smear of toothpaste containing no less than 1,000 ppm fluoride and children between the are of 3 and 6 should use no more than a pea-sized amount of toothpaste containing more than 1,000 ppm fluoride.
Too much fluoride for our teeth can result in a condition called fluorosis, which can cause little white flecks on the teeth when mild and sometimes larger brown patches when more severe. The risk of fluorosis from consuming too much fluoride is linked to the amount of toothpaste much more than the actual concentration. To avoid fluorosis make sure you know how much paste to put on your child’s brush and make sure your child does not eat or lick the toothpaste (where possible!).
The most important thing you can do is assist your child with their brushing using fluoridated toothpaste. Fluoride also comes in different forms such as mouthwashes, fluoride gel, and even as a component of some tooth-colored fillings. Pop into Happy Kids Dental for a consultation and we can provide a fluoride plan tailored to your child’s oral health needs.
Resources:
happykidsdental.co.uk
We love our patients and love to help them form healthy dental life that will last them a lifetime. Growing Smiles is a pediatric dentistry in Anna, Richardson, Plano, Garland, Murphy we have Pediatric Services in Texas: Early Childhood Care, Preventive Care, General Treatments, Sedation Dentistry, Special Needs Dentistry, Emergency Service and Orthodontic (Braces & Invisalign) For more information call us to answer all of your questions so get an appointment today.
Do you think gum disease is something that only happens to people your grandparents’ age? Think again! Teens can get gum disease too, and it can cause problems from the simply embarrassing (like bad breath) to the serious — like pain and tooth loss (which is both embarrassing and serious!).
What Is Gum Disease?
Gum disease is also known as periodontal disease.
Periodontal disease is an inflammation of the tissues and bone that support the teeth. Untreated gum disease can become very serious, causing teeth to become loose or fall out.
Gum disease is usually caused by a buildup of plaque, an invisible sticky layer of germs that forms naturally on the teeth and gums. Plaque contains bacteria, which produce toxins that irritate and damage the gums.
Hundreds of types of bacteria live in the mouth, so keeping plaque at bay is a constant battle. That’s why brushing and flossing every day — and regular trips to the dentist — are so important.
Who Is at Risk?
Certain things can make a person more likely to develop gum disease. Some may inherit this tendency from their parents. The snacks you eat also can put you at risk of developing gum disease — especially if you grab fries and a soda after school and aren’t able to brush immediately after eating them. You probably know that sugar is bad for your teeth, but you may not know that starchy foods like fries also feed the acids that eat into your tooth enamel.
If you have braces, fending off plaque can be tougher. Plus, some medical conditions (including diabetes and Down syndrome) and certain medicines increase the risk of gum disease.
Running yourself down with a lousy diet, too little sleep, and too much stress leaves you more vulnerable to infection anywhere in the body, including your gums.
Girls have a higher risk of gum disease than guys. Increases in female sex hormones during puberty can make girls’ gums more sensitive to irritation. Some girls may notice that their gums bleed a bit in the days before their periods.
For severe — and early — gum problems, though, the real bad guy is tobacco. Not only does smoking lead to bad breath and stained, yellowed teeth but smoking also is a leading cause of gum disease.
According to the American Dental Association (ADA), people who smoke cigarettes and chew tobacco are more likely to have plaque and tartar buildup and to show signs of advanced gum disease. They’re also more likely to develop mouth cancer in the future.
How It Progresses?
Gum disease progresses in stages. Believe it or not, more than half of teens have some form of gum disease.
Do your gums bleed when you floss or brush your teeth? Chances are you already have the mildest form of gum disease — bleeding gums are usually a sign of gingivitis. Other warning signs of gingivitis include gum tenderness, redness, or puffiness.
If plaque from teeth and gums isn’t removed by good daily dental care, over time it will harden into a crust called calculus or tartar. Once tartar forms, it starts to destroy gum tissue, causing gums to bleed and pull away from the teeth. This is known as periodontitis a more advanced form of gum disease.
With periodontitis, gums become weakened and form pockets around the base of teeth. Bacteria pool in these pockets, causing further destruction of the gums. As periodontitis spreads, it damages deeper gum tissue and can eventually spread to areas of the jawbone that support the teeth. This can cause teeth to become loose and fall out. Though periodontitis is rare in teens, it can happen. If it’s not treated, it can cause real trouble for your teeth.
What should you do to avoid these problems? See your dentist if you notice any of these signs of gum disease:
Tracking It Down and Treating It
Gum disease can be sneaky, sometimes causing little or no pain or irritation before permanent damage is done to your teeth. That’s why regular dentist visits are a must. With X-rays and a thorough examination, a dentist or dental hygienist can spot trouble before you know it’s there.
The earlier that gum disease is caught, the better. Adopting better brushing and flossing habits can usually reverse gingivitis. Sometimes your dentist will also prescribe antibiotics or a special antibacterial mouth rinse to tackle the problem.
Once someone develops periodontitis, it isn’t as easy to control. Usually, there is a widespread infection of the gums that need to be treated. This may require several special treatments either by a dentist or a periodontist, an expert who specializes in the care of gum disease.
Some of the ways dentists and periodontists may treat periodontitis are:
While undergoing treatment for periodontitis, it’s especially important to take special care of your teeth and gums to see lasting improvement. This includes flossing and brushing every day and quitting habits that mean bad news for the mouth, such as smoking or eating sugary snacks between meals.
Prevention Tips
Fortunately, there’s good news: Gum disease is usually preventable. Just take care of your teeth, starting now. Don’t wait!
Advice for Parents
Early diagnosis is important for successful treatment of periodontal diseases. Therefore, it is important that children receive a comprehensive periodontal examination as part of their routine dental visits. Be aware that if your child has an advanced form of periodontal disease, this may be an early sign of systemic disease. A general medical evaluation should be considered for children who exhibit severe periodontitis, especially if it appears resistant to therapy.
The most important preventive step against periodontal disease is to establish good oral health habits with your child. There are basic preventive steps to help your child maintain good oral health:
Sources
kidshealth.org
perio.org
We love our patients and love to help them form healthy dental life that will last them a lifetime. Growing Smiles is a pediatric dentist in Anna, Richardson, Plano, Garland, Murphy we have Pediatric Services in Texas: Early Childhood Care, Preventive Care, General Treatments, Sedation Dentistry, Special Needs Dentistry, Emergency Service and Orthodontic (Braces & Invisalign) For more information call us to answer all of your questions so get an appointment today.