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Why Does My Child Keep Getting Cavities?

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According to one report, about 42% of kids aged two to 11 get dental cavities.

st. louis child with cavity

You are aware of the importance of good oral hygiene habits. So, you brush your toddler’s teeth thoroughly two times a day. You are not giving him any candies or sugary drinks and his diet is overall balanced and healthy. So, why does he keep getting cavities?

The first thing that you need to know is that it’s not unusual. According to one report, about 42% of kids aged two to 11 get dental cavities. It happens so often that cavities are more common than conditions like asthma. Lack of proper oral hygiene, as well as an unhealthy diet, play an important role. However, that’s not the full picture.

How Babies and Toddlers Get Cavities

There is a group of bacteria called streptococcus mutans. The bacteria feed on sugar and produce acid that affects the structure of the teeth. It also creates plaque that erodes the teeth even more, depleting it from calcium. In time, the surface of the teeth is affected and eventually collapses. That’s when you get a cavity.

Babies are born without these bacteria but get infected by their caregivers (most often their mother.) Whenever you are kissing your baby on the mouth, eating with the same spoon or letting him use your toothbrush, you are creating opportunities for the bacteria to populate his mouth. And, if you have cavities yourself, then the chances of passing these bacteria on to them increases considerably.

What You Can Do

The first thing you need to do is to make sure that your toddlers brush his teeth correctly. It can be difficult for babies to understand the concept of cavities and why they need to brush. It’s also uncomfortable for them when someone sticks something into their mouth for no apparent reason. So, try to make brushing as fun as possible.

Here are some ideas:

  • Sing a song and dance while you are brushing
  • Let them brush the toy’s teeth first
  • Let them brush their teeth by himself. Praise him for a good job then tell him that you are just going to make sure that he didn’t miss anything.

It’s Never too Soon to Visit a Dentist

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Association (AAPD) recommends that babies see a dentist by their first birthday. If you wait too long, tooth decay may be well on its way and more difficult to prevent. If you haven’t already, then schedule an appointment with your St. Louis pediatric dentist as soon as possible. They can help you understand what you need to know about how to care for your kid’s pearly whites.

Give us a call today at (314) 862-7844. We’d be happy to help you setup an appointment!

How Sedation Can Help You With a Chipped Tooth after an Accident

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Chipped teeth can vary in seriousness, but they always involve some damage to the enamel of your tooth.

st. louis man with tooth ache

Accidents are often traumatic events, even when they don’t result in injuries. The unexpected unfortunate event can affect your confidence and make you anxious and tired. When you also suffer injuries from an accident, you are dealing with a lot more on top of the mental distress. Sometimes injuries are not so serious but can become really uncomfortable. Such a case is when you chip your tooth as a result of a car accident for example.

Here is how to spot it and what to do about it.

Symptoms of a Chipped Tooth

Chipped teeth can vary in seriousness, but they always involve some damage to the enamel of your tooth, which is the most important protection you have against cavities, infections and other oral diseases. If the enamel is cracked or missing a part of it, your tooth is now exposed to the elements.

But chips and cracks can be so small that you don’t notice them from the beginning. If your head was tilted suddenly during the car accident, you might have hit your teeth together with such force that chipping occurred. If nothing is visible, but you have one of the following symptoms, you might have a chipped tooth.

List of symptoms for chipped teeth:

  • Visible cracks or missing part of your enamel
  • Soreness in your tongue, where it catches the chipped tooth
  • Inflammation of the gums surrounding a tooth
  • Uneven surface of the tooth, which you can notice with the tongue
  • Pain in the tooth when biting on something
  • Sensitivity to cold or hot foods and drinks in the tooth

If you have one or more of these symptoms, it’s a good idea to speak with your dentist. They will discover the cause of your discomfort and solve the problem properly. If left unchecked, a chip or crack in the tooth, no matter how small or painless it is, can lead to bigger problems.

Sedation Dentistry for Chipped Teeth

Even if a chipped tooth sounds like a very small problem usually, it can be a very serious issue, even an emergency. Underestimating its effect on your oral health or treating it lightly, will not do you any favors. And if the chipped tooth was a consequence of an accident, it can be a traumatic experience, especially since in most cases the front part of the smile is affected, which can damage the patient’s self-esteem.

For these reasons, you can comfortably ask your St. Louis sedation dentist what your sedation options are when treating your chipped tooth. Whether they will use laughing gas, oral sedation or IV sedation, you will decide together what the best option will be for your situation.

To speak with a St. Louis sedation dentist give us a call today at (314) 862-7844.

How Sedation Can Help With Dental Bone Grafting

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Bone grafting is a complex surgical procedure used to replace missing bone tissue and encourage it to heal.

sedation dental bone grafting

Here’s what you need to know about it how sedation dentistry can help.

When Is Bone Grafting Recommended in Dentistry?

If you need a tooth replacement, the dentist must insert the implant in your jaw bone, fixing the tooth in your bone and ensuring that it is as close as possible to a healthy one and that it maintains its function. More often than not, the jaw bone is already affected by tooth loss. It may start receding and getting more and weaker because of the infections and trauma. In these cases, a bone graft may be necessary to recover the jaw tissue and provide the necessary support for the implant.

Other cases where a dental bone graft is necessary may include patients who suffered injuries at face-level. The surgeon is capable of adding a bone graft and help the area heal better and maintain its functional structure. Some individuals may suffer from congenital diseases that affect their jaw bone structure. A bone graft can be an optimal solution for them too.

The Process of Getting a Dental Bone Graft

If you are a candidate for receiving a bone graft, then you need to know that it can be a lengthy process as it can take quite a lot of time for your body to heal. Grafting is actually helping the body in its healing process, and it may involve harvesting bone tissue from another region of your body. So, don’t expect to be done with the whole process after a few visits to your dentist.

First, you will likely be tested via medial imagery with a CT scan. The doctors need to know how much tissue needs to be added and what size and shape the gap is.

After the initial tests and examinations, the next step is to decide where the harvested tissue will come from. You can have a bone graft from your own bone tissue (jaw, hip, tibia, etc.) or processed bone from a bank.

During the procedure, the healthy bone tissue is placed in the area that needs treatment and held together by special membranes that will dissolve in your system. Your body will do the rest, but you do need to help it by taking antibiotics, avoiding pressure on the area and keeping the pain under control.

If all goes well, you generally just need to wait for the bone to heal. Once it has healed, you can get the implant and/or go on with your life without having to take the mentioned cautions.

What Is the Role of Sedation in Dental Bone Grafting?

A dental bone graft procedure is a complex operation, even if your problem is not very serious. Because of that, and the invasive nature of the operation, sedation is mandatory. Your St. Louis sedation dentist will opt for IV sedation or general anesthesia to numb you and help you go through the operation. Your doctor will choose the least invasive sedation form needed for your operation.

A dental bone graft operation is not the easiest procedure to go through, but it leads to better oral health and it solves many serious issues. The complications that can come from a weakened jaw bone will be worse than the recovery process you go through after a bone graft.

To speak with an experienced sedation dentist at The Dental Anesthesia Center call (314) 862-7844.

Modern Solutions for Dental Anxiety and Fear

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Dental anxiety can range from mild to severe, impacting the sufferer’s dental health along the way.

st. louis woman with dental anxiety

Dental anxiety, for someone who has never experienced it, is more like an anecdotal cliche that isn’t justified in an era when medical procedures generally less invasive and less traumatic. If it wouldn’t be so prevalent, dental anxiety could’ve been brushed off as a quirk, but a lot of people actually experience it at a certain level.

Dental anxiety can range from mild to severe, impacting the sufferer’s dental health along the way. In popular culture, it is often called “dental phobia”, but specialists are explaining that fears associated with the dentist are more similar to PTSD than a phobia. Understanding the nature of this fear will help patients control it better and get the necessary treatment.

What Can Cause and Trigger Dental Anxiety

Fear of suffocation can play a big role in dental anxiety. You need to sit still while your mouth is filled with water, saliva, cotton pads, instruments, etc. Local anesthesia can aggravate the anxious feelings, making the tongue and cheeks numb and unable to move.

Specialists who researched dental anxiety have discovered that it rarely connects to a fear of pain and it is more of an existential threat. Being pinned to a chair in such a vulnerable position and having another adult in control can trigger an anxiety attack that goes beyond the rationalization of the event.

Fear of needles, as strong as it is in itself, represents milder cases of dental anxiety. Modern studies propose that it is classified as “dental fear”, because it connects to immediate, palpable things, like the menacing instruments. The existential threat that we discussed above is more characteristic of a true case of dental anxiety, and it is more difficult to overcome.

Modern Solutions for Dental Anxiety and Dental Fear

Today’s dental offices are very far from depictions in the literature that often would compare dentists to butchers or mechanics. Modern medical procedures are focused on the well-being and comfort of the patient and generally includes flexible solutions for patients suffering from anxiety: noise-canceling headphones, warm towels, TV screens showing calming images, music, etc. The staff of a dentist office is trained to treat sensitive patients with empathy and respect, helping them get used to the environment little by little.

Another highly effective approach when dealing with anxious patients is the use of dental sedation. This can help patients with dental fear or anxiety to get the necessary treatment they would normally avoid. From laughing gas to IV sedation and even general anesthesia, sedation dentistry has really broadened the range of patient categories that visit the dentist.

Discuss all your fears and worries with your St. Louis sedation dentist and look for a solution that fits your particular case best. Call The Dental Anesthesia Center today at (314) 862-7844.

When Is It Too Soon for My Child to Lose His Baby Teeth?

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The natural process of losing baby teeth should be expected somewhere around 6 years of age.

baby teeth

Children grow amazingly fast in the first years of life, and parents are sometimes taken by surprise by this rollercoaster of mental leaps and growth spurts that come one after the other. Witnessing such rapid development is a delightful spectacle, but it can also leave some of us a bit confused and unsure of what’s going on with our little ones.

While it is helpful to hear experiences from other parents and look at growth and development charts, comparing your child to others can generally be irrelevant and may even be harmful for your emotions. However, certain standards are meant to be met to rule out any abnormalities and underlying issues.

With baby teeth, it is not possible to predict exactly what the growth rate will be, nor how fast will they be replaced by permanent ones. However, it is good to know that certain exceeded limits can be considered a symptom of a bigger problem.

My Child Lost His Baby Teeth Too Soon

Your St. Louis pediatric dentist will tell you that the natural process of losing baby teeth should be expected somewhere around 6 years of age. If your child is losing one or more of his baby teeth sooner than that, there may be something else causing it.

The main possible causes of premature baby teeth loss are trauma and tooth decay. If the tooth loss is sudden and associated with pain, you should have your child checked by a dentist. They will evaluate the damage and decide how to best handle this situation.

Many parents don’t think that baby teeth are such a big deal since they will be lost anyway. However, their health is crucial to the health of permanent teeth. Baby teeth that are lost too soon may cause a misalignment in permanent teeth, which can lead to bad occlusion, tooth decay, cavities, and so on. So it is not a good decision to just let it be and wait for the problem to pass, as it almost always gets worse if left untreated.

What your St. Louis pediatric dentist can do, however, is to fit your child spacers, braces or other dental fixtures that will keep the proper spacing between the permanent teeth and help them align nicely.

When to Go to the Dentist

Many people go to the dentist only when their problem does not go away and it causes so much pain that they can no longer treat it at home. This approach to oral health is not effective and often leaves you with long term problems and complications. Your child should be seen by a dentist regularly even when there is no apparent problem. Regular check-ups will help the doctor monitor the little one’s development and the health of their teeth and gums.

If you believe that your child has lost a baby tooth too early, don’t hesitate to speak with an experienced dentist. Call The Dental Anesthesia Center at (314) 862-7844.

Is My Kid Too Young for an Electric Toothbrush?

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As medical advice is often updated with the recommendations parents are often confused with the details of oral hygiene during the first few years of their child’s life.

electric toothbrush on sink

Parents nowadays understand that good oral hygiene starts in infancy. How you care for your baby’s first pearly whites can set up the foundation of healthy teeth and gums. That is why so many parents today are taking special care of their children’s first contact with a toothbrush and toothpaste.

As medical advice is often updated with the recommendations, not to mention all the folklore it gets buried under, parents are often confused with the details of oral hygiene during the first few years of their child’s life.

Case in point: the electric toothbrush.

Is it a safe alternative for your kid? When can you start using it? This should all be discussed with your pediatric dentist. Until then, here’s a short overview and some general guidelines to consider.

When It’s Safe to Start Using Them

Electric toothbrushes have been used for decades as an alternative to the dull, static traditional toothbrush. The invention of the electric toothbrush gave parents a new tool which helped make brushing fun and effective.

If you are a new parent dealing with your infant’s first steps towards oral care, you’ve probably already received contradicting information about the right moment to start, the techniques that should be used and the right instruments for your child’s age. Quite often, electric toothbrush manufacturers specify that their product should only be used by children over 3.

There are two reasons why the age of 3 was promoted as a minimum requirement to use an electric toothbrush:

  • Some models have small detachable parts. The manufacturer chooses 3 as a minimum age of use because children are less likely to fall victims of choking hazards.
  • It is debated whether introducing electric toothbrushes instead of the traditional ones deprives the child of practicing finesse movements and other abilities required for brushing.

These are the two major factors to take into consideration when choosing the right electric toothbrush for your child’s age.

Fortunately, the market has plenty of variety in terms of size, functions, bristle softness, ergonomics, etc. First of all, make sure the electric toothbrush you choose is small enough for your child. Adult electric toothbrushes are generally suitable for children over 6. Younger children should use the right size toothbrush, as indicated by the manufacturer. The handle and the head of the toothbrush will vary, making it suitable for the child’s size and dexterity.

Manufacturers that produce and sell brushes for very small children have introduced safety measures to prevent accidents and injury. However, your child should always be under adult supervision when using a toothbrush of any kind.

You should also supervise and take over the brushing until the child turns 7. Young kids simply cannot maneuver the toothbrush well enough before this age. If you are concerned about the use of electric toothbrushes being too easy, you can alternate between an electric and a traditional toothbrush, making brushing fun with songs, games or props.

Choosing the right toothbrush and brushing your child’s teeth may not be so simple or pleasant from the beginning. Fortunately, we can use today’s latest gadgets to make our lives easier and our smiles brighter.