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Neglect of Baby Teeth Can Cause More Harm That You May Think!

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Baby teeth are as important as permanent teeth are, and proper dental care of a child’s baby teeth is essential.

St. Louis girl with baby teeth

Dental care often becomes a concern and a priority with most people only after they suffer pain and discomfort from a dental cavity. Many parents do not prioritize the need for preventive dental care for their baby’s teeth, citing reasons such as, “Baby teeth are going to fall out anyway!”

Baby teeth are as important as permanent teeth are, and proper dental care of a child’s baby teeth is essential. Cavities, plaque, unpleasant odor, and tooth decay are some of the most common and chronic dental problems that are increasing among children at an alarming rate. In this post, our St. Louis pediatric dentist will discuss this in detail.

Effects of neglected dental hygiene

Pediatric dentists all over the world have been always emphasized the importance of maintaining proper dental hygiene among children. Neglecting dental hygiene can lead to a number of problems for children, including the following:

  1. Cavities and tooth decay among children is very common and is considered a chronic disease. It is extremely infectious and spreads to other teeth as well. Sensitivity and pain are related discomforts.
  2. It has been estimated by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) that about 23% of children between the ages of 2 and 5 years old in the United States have cavities in their baby or primary teeth.
  3. About 20% of children between the ages 6 to 8 have untreated cavities and tooth decay.
  4. The chances of children developing cavities in their permanent teeth are much higher if they have suffered from cavities in their baby teeth.
  5. Cavities and tooth decay can cause pain, sensitivity, and difficulty in speaking and eating. Pain and discomfort can cause the child to lose focus from schoolwork and other activities.
  6. When cavities are ignored, they worsen and the deeper into the tooth they go, they affect the root. Such infections require root canals that can be very painful. Moreover, untreated tooth decay can lead to a number of oral infections like an abscess. An abscess is puss formation inside the tooth or in the gum that needs ER treatment. It can occasionally be fatal.
  7. When primary teeth fall before time, they can cause the permanent teeth to erupt incorrectly and misaligned. Such problems often need corrective dental and orthodontic treatment.

Prevention is better than cure

When it comes to dental hygiene, the adage, “Prevention is better than cure” holds true. A few good hygiene habits, a little enforcement, and the ability to say “no” at the right time can go a long way in ensuring that children have healthy teeth – primary or permanent. Here are some things you can do.

  1. Restrict free access to an excess amount of sugary food and drinks.
  2. Encourage eating sweets at mealtimes, so that saliva in the mouth can neutralize the acids produced.
  3. Ensure that children brush twice a day.
  4. Monitor children while they brush their teeth to ensure that they clean them properly
  5. Avoid letting children sleep with a milk bottle or a sippy cup in their mouth.
  6. Remember even excessive fruit juice and breast milk can speed up the onset of cavities.

Dental problems among children are completely preventable and simply need a little care from parents. Regular check-ups at a pediatric dentist will ensure healthy baby teeth. Give us a call today at (314) 862-7844 to schedule an appointment.

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Sleeping in Dentures: Don’t Do It!

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Promote good health by taking your dentures out at night!

Dont sleep in dentures

Maybe you don’t like to be without teeth — ever. Or maybe you get a little forgetful sometimes. Whatever the reason, if you’re wearing your dentures to bed at night, we have one message for you: Please stop!

Serious Health Consequences

Sleeping in dentures can have serious health consequences. A recent study published in the Journal of Dental Research found that nursing home residents who wore their dentures to sleep were 2.3 times more likely to be hospitalized or even die of pneumonia as those who did not sleep in their dentures. But how can wearing dentures at night more than double your chances of getting a lung infection?

As the study noted, pneumonia-causing bacteria can readily be moved from the mouth to the lungs simply by breathing. And dentures that are not removed at night can become breeding grounds for all kind of bacteria and fungi (such as yeast). That’s what makes them potentially dangerous.

Another condition often seen in people who wear upper dentures continually is called denture stomatitis, which is characterized by a red, inflamed palate (roof of the mouth) that has been infected with yeast. The yeast microorganisms can also infect cracked corners of the mouth, a condition known as angular cheilitis. Moreover, it has also been shown that people who sleep in their dentures have higher blood levels of a protein called interleukin 6, which indicates that the body is fighting an infection. Need we go on?

Promoting Good Health

Wearing dentures is supposed to improve your quality of life, not reduce it. To promote good health, take your dentures out at night, and stick to a good daily oral hygiene routine:

  • Remove and rinse your dentures after every meal.
  • Brush your dentures at least once a day with a soft toothbrush or denture brush and dish soap, liquid antibacterial soap, or denture cleanser (but don’t use toothpaste — it is too abrasive).
  • Store your dentures in water or a solution made for this purpose.
  • Brush your gums and tongue every day with a soft toothbrush (not the same one you clean your dentures with).
  • Rinse your dentures in clean water before you put them back in your mouth.

If you would like any more information on dentures and oral hygiene, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation at (314) 862-7844. We look forward to meeting you!

IV Sedation can help Relax Patients with Acute Dental Visit Anxiety

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To ease anxiety, dentistry has developed sedation methods that help patients relax during dental treatment.

Did you know 50% of people admit to some form of anxiety visiting the dentist, with roughly 1 in 6 avoiding dental care altogether because of it? To ease anxiety, dentistry has developed sedation methods that help patients relax during dental treatment.

Sedation Dentist in St Louis

Types of Sedation Dentistry

Many can achieve relaxation with an oral sedative taken about an hour before a visit. Some with acute anxiety, though, may need deeper sedation through an intravenous (IV) injection of medication. Unlike general anesthesia which achieves complete unconsciousness to block pain, IV sedation reduces consciousness to a controllable level. Patients aren’t so much “asleep” as in a “semi-awake” state that’s safe and effective for reducing anxiety.

While there are a variety of IV medications, the most popular for dental offices are the benzodiazepines, most often Midazolam (Versed). Benzodiazepines act quickly and wear off faster than similar drugs, and have a good amnesic effect (you won’t recall details while under its influence). While relatively safe, they shouldn’t be used with individuals with poor liver function because of their adverse interaction with liver enzymes.

Other drugs or substances are often used in conjunction with IV sedation. Nitrous oxide (“laughing gas”) may be introduced initially to help with anxiety over the IV needle stick. Sometimes pain-reducing drugs like Fentanyl may be added to the IV solution to boost the sedative effect and to reduce the amount of the main drug.

If we recommend IV sedation for your dental treatment, there are some things you should do to help the procedure go smoothly and safely. Because the after effects of sedation may impair your driving ability, be sure you have someone with you to take you home. Don’t eat or drink anything after midnight the day before your appointment, and consult with both your physician and dentist about taking any prescription medication beforehand. Wear loose, comfortable clothing and don’t wear contact lenses, oral appliances like dentures or retainers, watches or other jewelry.

The Dental Anesthesia Center

Our top priority is safety — we follow strict standards and protocols regarding IV sedation and you’ll be carefully monitored before, during and after your procedure. Performed with the utmost care, IV sedation could make your next dental procedure pleasant and uneventful, and impact your oral health for the better.

If you would like more information on IV and other forms of sedation, please contact us at (314) 862-7844. We look forward to meeting you!

First Dental Appointment – St. Louis Pediatric Dentist

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Way to go Miss Vivian! We are so proud of you!

Miss Vivian had her first dental visit at The Dental Anesthesia Center with her Daddy, Michael. Once a child has their first tooth erupted or by their first birthday, they should be seen for their first dental visit. It is important to get children introduced to going to their pediatric dentist at a young age, so they are familiar.

pediatric-dentist-st-louis

Positivity is KEY!!

Child’s first dental visit parents play a vital role in making the visit a positive experience by “setting the stage.” Any fear or anxiety presented by parents will be “picked up” by the child.

Is Your Child Scared of Dentist? Here is What Can You Do to Help Your Child

Call The Dental Anesthesia Center, to make your child’s first dental appointment (314) 862-7844.

Every child grows 20 primary teeth, usually by the age of 3. These teeth are gradually replaced by the age of 12 or so with a full set of 28 permanent teeth, and later on, four molars called “wisdom teeth.”

It is essential that a child’s primary teeth are healthy because their development sets the stage for permanent teeth. If primary teeth become diseased or do not grow in properly, chances are greater than their permanent replacements will suffer the same fate. For example, poorly formed primary teeth that don’t erupt properly could crowd out spaces reserved for other teeth. Space maintainers can sometimes be used to correct this condition if it is spotted early enough.

P.S. There is nothing like your Dental Hygienist photobombing your picture 😉