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Why Are My Baby’s Teeth Stained?

As brand-new humans, it seems logical that babies and children would have gleaming white teeth to go along with their bright eyes and soft skin. Baby teeth—also called primary teeth—generally do appear whiter than adult permanent teeth because they are more calcified. However,  it is not uncommon for a child’s teeth to appear less than luminous for any number of reasons. Your Portland dental team at Family Dental Health would like to share some causes and possible solutions for yellow, brown, and black stains on kids’ teeth.

What Causes Stained Baby Teeth?

• Poor Oral Hygiene – If baby teeth aren’t brushed and flossed thoroughly, bacteria may form and become plaque, which hardens into tartar and can lead to discoloration. Practice thorough oral hygiene for the healthiest, whitest smile.
• Medication – If babies are given nutritional supplements containing iron, their teeth can become dark and discolored. If their mothers take tetracycline while pregnant or breastfeeding, babies can develop black stains on their teeth.
• Injury – A single blackened tooth can be the result of dental trauma that caused bleeding inside the tooth.
• Weak Enamel – Inadequate enamel formation can be hereditary and lead to baby teeth that appear a dull gray color.
• Excessive Fluoride – Fluorosis is a condition caused by the consumption of too much fluoride when teeth are forming but prior to appearance in the mouth, which takes place before kids are eight years old. To avoid fluorosis, keep an eye on your child’s oral hygiene habits and remind them not to swallow toothpaste or mouthwash. Fluorosis can also be caused by mixing infant formula powder or liquid with fluoridated water if these types of formula are your baby’s main food source. Fluorosis can range in severity from mild, barely visible markings to pitting and black or brown spots in more severe cases.
• Illness – Some kids’ baby teeth develop with a greenish or yellowish tint if they are born with a condition called hyperbilirubinemia, which means there is too much bilirubin in the blood.
• Foods & Beverages – This list of staining culprits wouldn’t be complete without some common staining foods and beverages. Thankfully (hopefully), kids don’t need to worry much about tea, coffee, or red wine, which are some of the biggest factors for adults, but any dark-colored foods and drinks like berries or fruit juice will stain their teeth. Even light-colored foods like apples and potatoes go through a process of oxidation that can cause teeth staining. Who knew!?

How Can Stained Baby Teeth Be Prevented or Treated?

If discoloration is caused by poor dental hygiene, brushing more thoroughly should help. Until your child learns to spit at around age three, don’t use more than a rice-sized smear of fluoride toothpaste on their toothbrush.

To decrease bad bacteria in your child’s mouth, avoid putting soft drinks, juice, formula, or other sugary concoctions in their bottle—only allow them a bottle filled with water. If your child uses a pacifier, never dip it in sugar or honey, and try to avoid sharing utensils with your child as this can transfer bacteria from your mouth to theirs (and vice versa!) and increase the likelihood of cavity formation.

Depending on your child’s unique dental situation, Family Dental Health may watch their teeth for signs of other problems or recommend future procedures like teeth whitening or bonding. Some kids are more sensitive to stained teeth than others due to their natural oral pH level.

If you are concerned about stains on your child’s teeth, contact your Portland dentist, Dr. David Case at Family Dental Health today. We’d love to help!

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Oral Piercings: Not Cool for Teeth

Remember that guy with the lip ring you had a crush on in high school? I wonder how his teeth are doing now. Don’t get us wrong—at Family Dental Health, we’re all about the freedom of self-expression, and if body modifications like tattoos and piercings are your thing, we support you. However, as your dental health professionals, we strongly advise against oral piercings specifically because they can be really harmful to your teeth—and we want you to keep your teeth healthy, so you can continue to express yourself with your beautiful smile.

Oral piercings refer to any piercing in or around the mouth. In the old days, the only options were the more traditional tongue or lip piercings, but today there are more options than you can shake a stick at. If it’s in your mouth, you better believe someone has pierced it. From the tongue web piercing to the vampire or upper frenulum piercing, to the gum piercing, venom bites, snake eyes, smiley piercing, frown piercing, and even the uvula piercing—yes, apparently you can pierce your uvula. There’s even a “dental piercing” which is not necessarily a drilled hole, but jewelry that is embedded onto the tooth surface. But of course, we don’t recommend any of these, so don’t get any ideas!

Family Dental Health is here to share some reasons oral piercings are not cool for teeth.

Infection

If you’ve ever had your ears or anything else pierced, you understand the risk of infection and the importance of keeping your new piercing clean. However, oral piercings have a much higher rate of infection because of their location in or around the mouth. The mouth is home to millions of bacteria (some are good, others are extremely dangerous) that have the potential to enter the piercing site and cause infection. 

According to the American Dental Association, secondary infections can result in serious illness including blood-borne hepatitis, angina, and herpes. With oral piercings, there is always a risk of infection, but particularly in the few weeks following the initial piercing. Signs of infection include swelling, pain, fever, chills, shaking, or a red-streaked appearance around the piercing. Contact us right away if you notice signs of infection.

Tooth & Gum Damage

One of the most common dental problems associated with oral piercings is tooth and gum damage. It’s easy enough to damage your teeth and gums already, whether from chewing ice or brushing your teeth too hard. Add a piece of metal jewelry into the equation and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. Oral piercings can irritate the gum tissue, and cause enamel damage in the form of cracks, chips, scratches, and tooth sensitivity. 

If you’ve had any dental work done—including fillings or crowns—oral piercings can damage these as well, so if you don’t want to spend more money and time in the dental chair having your dental work repaired, we recommend choosing a non-oral piercing—if you’ve really got the urge to pierce something.

Nerve Damage

Following a tongue piercing, it’s not uncommon to experience numbness due to nerve damage; this is usually temporary, but can sometimes be permanent. Nerve damage can affect your sense of taste, as well as the movement and function of your mouth. Tongue piercings have also been known to damage the tongue’s blood vessels, which can cause serious blood loss.

Other Hazards

Allergic reactions are always possible with piercings. Some folks are allergic to certain types of metals, and some are just hypersensitive to certain metals. Tongue piercings can create increased saliva production, which can cause excessive drooling and can also affect your speech patterns causing a lisp. Not as appealing as you thought it was going to be, eh? Finally, oral piercings can be a problem when it comes to dental care because they interfere with x-rays and prevent us from seeing the full picture of your mouth.

Our Advice

If you already have an oral piercing, we do recommend removing it, but we understand if it’s become a staple of your signature look. If you’re keeping or still considering getting an oral piercing after reading this article, at least read our advice on how to care for it and avoid or minimize dental problems.

• Choose a jewelry style that works well with the location in your mouth.
• Gauge your jewelry accordingly. Longer or bigger jewelry may be necessary at first due to swelling, but once the swelling goes down the jewelry should be swapped or adjusted to fit.
• If you choose metal jewelry, make sure you’re aware of any sensitivities you may have and make sure the jewelry conforms to surgical implant grade standards.
• Use polymer balls to reduce the risk of damage, and select a smaller ball for the underside of the tongue to reduce contact with this soft tissue area.
• Keep the piercing clean and free of debris by brushing and flossing diligently and rinsing with mouthwash after every meal—contrary to what you might believe, alcohol-free is a better option because alcohol is drying, and a dry mouth is more susceptible to infection.
• Avoid playing with your jewelry or moving it around in your mouth, including chewing on it or clicking it around against your teeth. Be gentle and aware of how the jewelry moves when you speak and eat.
• Check the tightness of your jewelry (with clean hands) regularly to ensure it’s secure so you don’t swallow or choke on it.
• If you participate in sports, you may want to remove your jewelry while playing, and you should always wear a mouthguard.
• Maintain your diligent oral hygiene routine and see us at Family Dental Health regularly so we can catch any small problems before they progress.

We hope this article has made you think twice about oral piercings. There are plenty of other places to pierce, after all, and plenty of other ways to express yourself that don’t involve permanently damaging your mouth. If you already have an oral piercing or are considering getting one, we hope you’ll follow our advice on how to best minimize the damage. 

If you have any more questions about oral piercings or anything else related to oral health, we would love to speak with you. Contact your Portland dentist, Dr. David Case at Family Dental Health today!

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Why Haven’t My Child’s Permanent Teeth Come In?

If your child’s permanent adult teeth haven’t emerged in a timely manner, you may wonder if there is a reason to worry. Family Dental Health would like to share a few possible reasons permanent adult teeth can be delayed. 

Is There Enough Space for the New Teeth to Grow?

The most common reason for permanent teeth to appear late a simple one: there is just not enough space for them. Adult teeth tend to be larger than the primary baby teeth they replace, and at times, a surrounding tooth (or teeth) may require removal to create extra space. Occasionally, braces also become necessary to facilitate this process.

Are Permanent Teeth Facing the Right Direction?

Sometimes permanent teeth come through the gums facing the wrong way. This is most common with upper canines and bicuspids. The primary teeth around the affected area may require removal to allow repositioning of teeth that are out of place, and braces are usually required for a permanent solution. 

Gender

There are wide variations in every aspect of human development, and the rate that teeth grow is no exception. Girls tend to experience puberty changes before boys do, and studies also show that girls begin losing primary teeth up to six months earlier than boys lose theirs. If your firstborn was a girl and your second child was a boy, keep this in mind if you start comparing the rates their teeth develop!

Genetics

In 80% of cases, kids are going to take after one (or both) biological parents when it comes to their teeth—so if you needed braces or your spouse’s teeth came in late, this could happen to your child, too. 

There are also congenital conditions present at birth that can cause teeth to be missing. Hypodontia is when six or fewer permanent teeth are absent, and is associated with Down’s syndrome, cleft lip, and cleft palate. 

Having more than six permanent teeth missing is a condition called oligodontia. If a child is missing multiple adult teeth, consulting with their pediatrician to rule out medical conditions affecting the entire body is a good idea.

Since each tooth serves an important purpose in the mouth, when one or more teeth are missing, it can impede the function of the overall mouth structure. Dental implants are the most commonly recommended solution for a missing permanent tooth; bridges can also be an option in certain cases. Orthodontics may also be necessary to reposition any teeth that have shifted into the wrong spot to compensate for the absent ones. 

Nutrition

Calcium and other minerals give permanent teeth the strength to push through the gums. If your child is a picky eater, you know that feeding them can be challenging—and what they eat or don’t eat can also affect the development of adult teeth. If essential nutritional components are lacking, dental delays can occur—so you may want to consider dietary changes or supplements to make sure they’re getting the essential nutrients they need.

Height & Weight

Children that are heavier and taller typically develop their adult teeth before children that are shorter or have more slender body types. Heavier children, particularly girls, also tend to go through puberty at a younger age, so this goes along with the correlation between gender and earlier appearance of permanent teeth as well.

Impacted Teeth

If your child lost a baby tooth prematurely—for example, due to injury—the permanent teeth in their mouth may not have room to erupt. A small jaw can also complicate things. These situations can cause impacted teeth, which are teeth trapped in the jawbone that either only partially erupt or fail to emerge at all. 

Impacted molars are the most common, but other teeth may also become impacted. If children with missing teeth complain of jaw pain, infected or swollen gums, bad breath or recurring headaches, impacted teeth may be the problem. Extraction or oral surgery are possible solutions.

Missing Teeth that Never Develop

If wisdom teeth come in—and most do by the time a person turns 21—the adult mouth should, in theory, have 32 teeth. If all four wisdom teeth were extracted and no other teeth have been lost, the tally is reduced to 28. However, about 20% of the population has one or more wisdom teeth that just never showed up. Lucky for them!

Failure to Launch

If there is enough space in the jaw and the teeth are present in the gums but have not erupted, your child may have a rare condition called “primary failure of eruption”. It sounds dire, but the definition is “adult teeth that failed to erupt on their own.” 

The solution to this condition is typically a combination of oral surgery and braces to “save” the teeth in the jaw and prevent additional complications with neighboring ones. Because multiple teeth are usually involved, correction can take many treatments and several years. Family Dental Health will outline a detailed treatment plan to make each step of the process easier to understand.

If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s permanent teeth coming in, we would be happy to speak with you. Contact Family Dental Health today!

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

What to Expect: Your Child’s First Visit to the Orthodontist

If you had to undergo orthodontic treatment as a child or teen, hearing it recommended for your little one might make you wince—we understand! However, we’d like to assure you that just like general dentistry and treatments today, orthodontic care has improved in hopscotch-style leaps and bounds! 

Thanks to advances in technology and early intervention, Family Dental Health can focus on building your child’s comfort in our care, and confidence in their smile! Read on to learn about what you can expect during your child’s first visit to the orthodontist, and feel free to contact Family Dental Health with any questions! 

Getting Acquainted

We enjoy getting to know everyone who sits in our chair, and we want you and your child to trust that you’re in safe, qualified, and caring hands. We’re here to answer questions in ways that make sense and take any fear out of treatment. Your child will get an opportunity to meet the Family Dental Health team and tour the office before we settle in for some radiography (x-rays) and digital photography to get a clear picture of what’s going on internally and externally. 

Oral Health Exploration

Once we have a chance to look over the images and share them with you both, we’ll move to the next phase of examination. Gathering the physical clues is imperative, but there are certain signs to be aware of that will make diagnosis and treatment more individualized and effective. We will want to know if your child displays any of the following habits:

• Mouth breathing
• Thumb sucking
• Trouble sleeping
• Jaw clenching & teeth grinding
• Difficulty eating/chewing food
• Frequent cheek biting

If there is an issue to address and intervention is desired to prevent complications at a later stage, we can create a fully customized treatment plan. We will go over options with you and weigh the pros and cons, and we absolutely want the input of your child or teen—it’s their mouth, after all! 

Game Plan

Once a treatment method has been chosen, you and your child will be given an estimated timeline as well as an estimate of the cost. Our staff will review your insurance benefits and work to maximize them when applicable—either way, we can discuss financing options and payment plans to suit your needs. We want everyone to be able to get the care they need and deserve without breaking the bank.

We’ll get to visit with your child as often as every 4 weeks, or as few as every 10 weeks depending on their appliances and progress. However, it’s very common for people to have questions or concerns between appointments, so don’t hesitate to reach out to us as they pop up. We’re here to help teach you both how to care for the hardware and maintain proper dental hygiene throughout treatment. 

Once they have completed their treatment, we’ll be able to congratulate them, celebrate their healthy, beautiful new smile, and prescribe a retention appliance when necessary—achieving that smile was a process, and we want to ensure they hold onto it for a lifetime! 

If you’re curious about pediatric orthodontics in Portland or would like to schedule an appointment, contact us today!

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

No Tradesies: Packing Mouth-Healthy Lunches for Kiddos

Breakfast is always being touted as the most important meal of the day—and for good reason! It’s important for families to kickstart their day with nutrients that will help them power through school, work, socializing, sports, homework… does anyone else feel exhausted just thinking about it all? 

The right foods in your child’s lunch can help boost their energy and keep those brains, bodies, and mouths going all day! Alternatively, lunches full of sugary, sticky, acidic foods and beverages can accelerate tooth decay and cause your child to feel sluggish both physically and mentally.

Dr. David Case of Family Dental Health loves to share ideas on what to include in your child’s lunch to keep their smile safe and their health optimal… and perhaps what to leave out and have as an occasional treat for good behavior. 

But First, Hydration

About 65% of a child’s body is made up of water (60% for adult men, 55% for adult women), and it’s important for this balance to be maintained. Water is the best choice for hydrating for the following reasons:

• Water tends to be neutral instead of acidic or alkaline, which makes it safe for the teeth.
• It helps prevent dry mouth (xerostomia), which creates a breeding ground for dangerous, decay and gum disease-causing bacteria.
• Being adequately hydrated helps aid proper digestion.
• Water regulates body temperature.
• It helps deliver oxygen throughout the body.
• Keeps joints lubricated and is a shock absorber for the brain and spinal cord.
• Flushes waste from the body, mostly through urine.

Encourage your child to keep their mouth and body healthy by sending them to school with a refillable water bottle rather than a bottle of juice or soda.

Now for the Flavor

You probably guessed that Family Dental Health would recommend fruits and veggies, right? There are so many tasty options, and their vitamin and mineral content makes them an excellent choice for both oral and overall health. Our favorites are:

• Apples 

• Oranges

• Limes

• Kiwis

• Cantaloupe

• Papaya

• Strawberries

Each of these fruits contains vitamin C, which can help kill bacteria and promote a healthy supply of collagen in the gums. We do suggest your child waits for at least 30 minutes to brush their teeth after eating fruits because the citric acid combined with brushing can weaken tooth enamel and cause erosion. (Everyone should wait 30 minutes to brush their teeth after eating, but especially with highly sugary or acidic foods and drinks.)

Veggie Time

They may not be your child’s favorite, but veggies are full of goodness for mouth and body health. The following choices naturally scrape away plaque that can build up between meals or be missed when your child brushes:

• Carrots

• Celery

• Cauliflower

• Green beans

• Snap peas

• Spinach

• Cucumber

Sandwiches & Snacks

If you’ve been wondering: “What about protein?” we’ve got you covered. We recommend using whole grain wheat bread and enamel-building meats like chicken and turkey. Including cheese will help your child get calcium, vitamin D, and phosphate, too. You can also go with the classic PB & J! 

Hard-boiled eggs are another good source of protein. For more fiber, folic acid, iron, vitamin E, potassium, and zinc, add nuts like almonds, cashews, and walnuts, as well as sunflower and pumpkin seeds!

We know it can be a bit more difficult if you have picky eaters at home, but these foundations are good to keep in mind. At Family Dental Health, we love to find recipes that some of these ingredients can hide in, ensuring our young ones get the health benefits without even knowing it!

A proper diet will go a long way toward keeping your child’s smile healthy, but it’s still important to bring them in for thorough, gentle cleanings and cavity prevention methods. We love seeing their smiling faces, too, so contact Family Dental Health today to schedule an appointment!

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Dental Insurance Trends

Above any other medical need, people are more likely to skip seeing the dentist because they can’t afford it.

Many people choose not to buy dental insurance because it’s an added cost without a lot of perceived value. For some reason, people simply feel more comfortable taking this risk because they don’t fully understand the consequences of oral health problems. But it’s a risk indeed. You can develop a facial or oral injury just as easily as any other injury and oral infections and diseases are just as common—if not more common—as any other. 

Beyond the critical events of oral injury or infection, preventive dental care (aka your regular cleanings and check-ups) is crucial for catching problems before they become dangerous. Seeing the dentist regularly can help you address a surprising number of overall health and wellness issues.

Still, dentists understand that medical costs are rising, the world of insurance is often a mystery, and sometimes you’re just at a loss. Dr. Case, Portland dentist explains more below about the current trends in dental insurance and what they mean for you.

Forgoing Dental Insurance

Of all the reasons adults avoid the dentist, 40% say it’s because of cost, followed closely by the 33%  who don’t think they need dental care. You can see where this is going—there’s almost no reason someone would pay for a service they think is expensive and unnecessary.

A lot of people seek dental treatments without dental insurance to help cover it. In 2013, the numbers ranged from 12% of children to 61% of senior citizens. Insurance may seem like a luxury but when you need it, it becomes essential. If you can make any changes to your monthly budget to allow room for dental insurance, it might be one of the best ways you take care of yourself and your family. No one wants to be stuck with a cracked tooth, gum infection, or jaw pain while also wondering how you’re going to pay for treatment.

Children’s Dental Insurance

Government-mandated insurance through the Affordable Care Act does not include dental coverage, except in the case of children. This is for good reason—children are vulnerable and they’re growing at such a fast rate. Catching a health problem and treating it promptly is essential for a lifetime of health and wellness. 

It’s also important that children develop good oral health habits early that they’ll stick to the rest of their life. Search HealthCare.Gov, or talk with a caseworker if you have one, to learn about your options for enrolling children in free or discounted dental insurance.

Increased PPOs & Decreasing Payments

PPO plans (Preferred Provider Organization), which are more expensive, are becoming far and away more popular, making up 80% of all dental plans. But dental insurance plans are actually paying dentists slightly less per patient than they have in the past. 

Consumerism

With or without dental insurance, more people are shopping around for the best rate before making a dental appointment. Following the recession, people care more than ever about understanding what they are paying for when they buy any goods or services.

Dental Plans Need to Stay Current

Research shows that, over time, dental insurance is actually the best “bang for your buck.” To help patients get even more out of their dental coverage, some plans are offering a rollover of funds if you don’t use all of your yearly benefits. Some plans allow for important preventative and diagnostic services without it going against yearly maximums.

Flexible Payment Plans

Your dentist wants you to be healthy and will do whatever we can to increase your access to good oral health care. If you’re avoiding dental treatment because you don’t have insurance and/or you’re afraid of the cost, talk honestly with your Portland dentist. Dentists are humans, too, and we understand life circumstances especially in regards to health and finances. 

Some flexible payment options we can discuss together are:

• Discounted services for paying upfront, before the treatment
• Interest-free payment plans
• Splitting up the treatment over time (when appropriate) so you don’t have to pay for it all at once
• Cheaper alternatives: many dental procedures have cheaper (though sometimes less desirable) ways of treating a problem. Your doctor can tell you what the most affordable route of treatment is.

If you need dental care, whether you have insurance or not, come see us at Family Dental Health. We’re a contemporary practice that can meet you where you are and offer caring, professional services. Make an appointment today!

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

What Happens in Your Mouth While You Sleep?

Ah, nighttime… the end of the day, the ceasing of work, and hopefully a good night’s sleep. But did you know things are still happening in your mouth all night long, even if you’re blissfully unaware of it?  Portland dentist Dr. Case, sheds some light on the world of your mouth and everything going on inside of it while you catch some zzz’s.

Dry Mouth

You produce much less saliva overnight than you do during the day—your body’s way of minimizing the risk of choking. This leads to the common occurrence of dry mouth. Dry mouth can be a bit uncomfortable and lead to more cavities and bad breath. It’s perfectly fine and normal to have less saliva at night but to take care of your oral health, it’s important that you brush and floss before going to bed. 

Saliva usually rinses away the food debris that can stick around and cause plaque and bad breath, so it’s a good idea to head to bed with a blank canvas. Keeping a glass of water by your bed can relieve the pain in your mouth and throat from dry mouth.

Bruxism

If you wake up with a headache or jaw pain, or your teeth are noticeably ground down and fractured, you might have bruxism. Also known as teeth grinding, bruxism is an extremely common way that everyday stress gets expressed through the body. People grind their teeth for all sorts of reasons, such as:

• Abnormal bite or crooked teeth
• Sleep disorders
• Missing teeth
• Alcohol and tobacco use
  

You can prevent the side effects of bruxism by wearing a nightguard while you sleep.

Sleep Apnea & Snoring

Sleep apnea occurs when your breath is irregular or temporarily stops while you sleep. Sleep apnea can cause snoring, but not all cases are identical. Some cases of sleep apnea are a problem with your brain and its ability to regulate the vital function of breathing. 

Otherwise, sleep apnea can be caused by physical blockages of the airway such as:

• Large tonsils
• Collapsed soft tissues in your throat
• Allergies clogging your sinuses

Being an older, overweight male increases your chances of developing sleep apnea. Whatever the cause of your sleep apnea, talk to your dentist or doctor. Sleep apnea can cause a host of other health issues such as fatigue, high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, and depression.

Solutions for sleep apnea include:

• Changing your sleep position
• A Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP) device
• Oral appliances that keep the airway open
• Surgery to fix oral tissues and aid airflow

Morning Breath

Sadly, not everyone wants to have that Hollywood-worthy morning kiss with their partner when they first wake up. Bad breath (or halitosis) tends to be worse in the morning and it can be really unpleasant. Normal oral bacteria become more active overnight, eating and digesting proteins found in your mouth. 

Bacteria produce a sulfur gas while they digest that can smell like rotten eggs. Normally, saliva washes bacteria away and neutralizes the smell, but you make less saliva overnight, so the smell can really build up. This is why it’s essential that you brush, floss, and only drink water right before falling asleep.

Oral Health & Sleep

Did you know that regular visits to the dentist will improve your overall health and well-being, and can even improve your quality of sleep? If you’re looking for a medical professional to help you feel better across the board—with a beautiful smile to boot—come see us at Family Dental Health! Make an appointment to address any concerns and start taking care of your oral health today.

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Are Baby Bottles Bad for Baby Teeth?

Tooth decay in infants and very young children is often called baby bottle tooth decay. This happens when liquids with natural or artificial sugars remain in an infant’s mouth for extended periods of time. Bacteria in the baby’s mouth thrive on these sugars, using them to produce acids that attack the teeth and gums. Today, Family Dental Health would like to share some information about baby bottle tooth decay and how to prevent it.

What Not to Do

Children whose pacifiers are dipped in sugar, honey, or syrup and those who are given bottles of sugary concoctions for naptime or bedtime comfort are at increased risk of tooth decay due to the decrease in natural saliva flow during sleep. Even fruit juice, milk, and formula contain natural sugars that can wreak havoc on tiny teeth while your little one slumbers. Here are some helpful “don’ts” for avoiding baby bottle tooth decay:

• Don’t fill bottles with sugar water or soda. Bottles should only be for milk, water, formula, and pediatric electrolyte solutions.
• Don’t allow them to go to sleep without wiping or brushing their gums and teeth.
• Never give your child pacifiers dipped in anything sweet.
• Reduce the sugar in your baby’s diet, especially between meals.

Baby Teeth Are Important

Although baby bottle tooth decay usually affects the upper front teeth the most, other teeth can be affected as well. Some folks underestimate the importance of baby teeth, but they are actually very important for children’s health and development. Not only are baby teeth necessary for chewing, speaking, and smiling, they serve as placeholders for permanent teeth that come later. Left untreated, baby bottle tooth decay can result in pain, infection, and premature tooth loss.

When children lose teeth prematurely because of baby bottle tooth decay, they may develop poor eating habits, speech problems, crooked teeth, and damaged permanent teeth. The chances that the permanent adult teeth will also be crooked and unhealthy are greatly increased by the presence of baby bottle tooth decay.

What to Do

Starting a good oral hygiene routine early can help keep baby bottle tooth decay at bay:

• Wipe your baby’s gums with a clean, warm washcloth after each feeding.
• Begin brushing your baby’s teeth with a baby-sized toothbrush, without toothpaste as soon as they come in.
• Clean and massage the gums in areas of your child’s mouth that do not have teeth.
• Once baby teeth have come in, begin flossing between them.
• Make sure your child is getting enough fluoride. You can begin using fluoridated toothpaste around age three. If your local water supply does not contain fluoride, ask your dentist or doctor if a supplement would be appropriate.
• Start regular dental visits by your baby’s first birthday. If it seems necessary, ask about sealants, which can help prevent tooth decay.

How Do I Break Bad Habits?

It’s never too late to change those bad habits. Start today by:

• Gradually diluting the contents of bottles with water over a period of 2-3 weeks.
• After 2-3 weeks have passed, fill bottles with only water.
• Switching from a bottle to a pacifier at night before bedtime.
• Establishing a nightly oral hygiene routine so they never go to sleep with a sugary mouth.

Remember, the healthier your child’s baby teeth are, the more likely their permanent teeth will be healthy, too. If you have any questions about baby bottle tooth decay or would like to schedule a visit for your little bundle of joy, contact Family Dental Health today!

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Sugar Rush: When Sweet Turns Bitter

You’ve heard it before: too much sugar is not good for little bodies. Or, more precisely, added sugar is not good for people, big or small. The more we learn about how sugar affects the body, the more we realize that additional sugars have many downsides for health. This is particularly true of dental health. Sugar can cause serious problems for tiny teeth.

The Rise & Fall

A sugar rush is a real thing, and it can be no joke. Sugar is a simple source of energy that the body can use very quickly to make energy. Because the body uses it so quickly, the sugar rush is generally followed by a sugar crash when the body runs out of the high-energy sugar. 

The human body isn’t the only thing that feeds quickly on the simple sugar. The bacteria in your child’s mouth also like to feed on sugars. When they eat sugary foods or drink high-sugar drinks, the bacteria in their mouth begin to feast. This lets the cavity-causing bacteria grow quickly, making lots more bacteria.

A Balancing Act

Sugar doesn’t just feed decay-causing bacteria in the mouth. It also changes the pH balance of the mouth. The pH is a way to measure if an environment is acidic, basic (the opposite of acidic), or neutral. Sugar tips the balance of the mouth toward acidic. This is a problem, since the bacteria that cause cavities to grow and thrive in an acidic environment. 

The acid, in addition to helping the bacteria overgrow, softens the minerals in the tooth enamel. If the acidic environment sticks around instead of returning to neutral soon, the minerals can be washed away instead of reabsorbed. The loss of minerals causes serious damage to the teeth. The demineralized areas are more susceptible to cavities, particularly since the cavity-causing bacteria are present and thriving.

Cavities are Only Part of the Damage

It’s important to remember that the damage sugar can do to your children’s health goes beyond cavities. Too much sugar can contribute to obesity and diabetes, both of which bring additional risks for oral health. A diet high in refined and added sugars contributes to fat accumulation in the body. 

Worse still, sugar causes the brain to release dopamine, the feel-good chemical that causes sugar to be addictive. The more sugar your children eat, the more sugar they will want. The more they want, the more damage it can do, both to their overall health and their dental health. Do your children (and yourself) a favor, and limit added sugars in their diet. Their improved health will thank you, even if they aren’t likely to do so themselves.

The Side Effect

Sugar itself does not directly cause the tooth to fail. Rather, it starts a cascade that causes cavities. In that sense, cavities are like a side effect of sugar. Avoid the sugar roller coaster of energy rushes and dives, the acid spikes, and teach your children healthy habits that will serve them well their whole lives.

If you have any questions about sugar or anything related to oral health, or would like to schedule a visit with your Portland dentist, Dr. David Case at Family Dental Health, please contact us today to make an appointment. We would be more than happy to help your little one learn the importance of a healthy smile and body. Isn’t that sweet!?

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Is Thumb Sucking Dangerous?

Thumb sucking is normal behavior for babies and young children. But just how normal? More than 75% of little ones suck their thumbs, fingers, hands, pacifiers, or other items such as the corner of a blanket during these early years. Most kids stop this behavior on their own between the ages of three and six. But how long is too long, and can it be problematic? Family Dental Health would like to share more information about this common childhood habit.

Why Do Babies Suck Their Thumbs?

Human babies come into the world hungry, and with hunger in mammals comes an instinct to suck. This urge usually becomes less intense naturally, beginning to taper off when babies reach about six months of age. However, many babies take a liking to the practice, continuing to suck their thumbs to self-soothe when hungry, anxious, sick, bored, tired, or just trying to adjust to changes in their environment. Thumb sucking may also help them fall asleep or lull themselves back to sleep. Since it is an age-appropriate way for kids to calm and comfort themselves, many experts recommend ignoring thumb sucking with children who are preschool age or younger. They should stop in their own time when they’re ready.

Can Thumb Sucking Cause Any Lasting Problems?

The American Dental Association says most kids can suck their thumbs safely without damaging teeth and jaw alignment until permanent teeth start to appear around age six. It should be noted that all thumb sucking is not created equal – kids passively resting their thumbs in their mouths are less likely to have dental problems than children who are vigorous thumb suckers. However, prolonged or intense thumb sucking can alter tooth and jaw alignment, so the longer the habit continues, the more likely that orthodontics will become necessary in the future – but if the child is able to kick the thumb habit between four and six, alignment issues may resolve themselves.

If your child is an aggressive thumb-sucker, consider starting to work with them to kick the habit around age four. If you notice changes in your child’s mouth or teeth, consult Family Dental Health, and if you observe evidence of speech problems, consider a consultation with your child’s pediatrician as well. 

How Can I Help My Child Stop Sucking Their Thumb?

A child should never be punished for thumb sucking. After all, it’s a habit formed from a human instinct they were born with – and shaming only hurts their self-esteem. Children usually give up thumb sucking when they find other ways to calm themselves. (For example, if a child tends to suck their thumb when hungry, eventually they will learn to ask for a snack or look in the fridge instead.)

• Limit the times and places the child can suck their thumbs, such as only at naptime and bedtime.
• Try distraction with a substitute activity, like a fidget spinner, stress ball, or finger puppets.
• If your child turns to the thumb when frustrated, try to help them “use their words” to talk about how they are feeling instead.
• Put stickers on a chart or calendar for positive reinforcement, and give lots of hugs and praise.
• After an agreed-upon goal is reached, celebrate the victory so their good behavior is encouraged.

It can be a frustrating process, but most kids do stop on their own if given the opportunity – and once they are in school, peer pressure can work wonders.

When Should I Be Worried About Thumb Sucking?

Watch out for several specific symptoms in your child that may be cause for concern:

• Changes in teeth or bite alignment
• Problems with speech
• Callused, chapped, or red thumbs
• Over 5 years old with no sign of stopping the behavior

Thumb sucking can also be a symptom of anxiety and other emotional or developmental problems in kids five and older. If this seems to apply to your child and the at-home methods are just not taking root, treatment options ranging from speech therapy to behavioral therapy to devices that are attached to the thumb or the mouth do exist and have been shown to help. 

If you have any questions or concerns about thumb sucking, don’t hesitate to contact Family Dental Health for an appointment today! 

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.