gum disease

Your Child Can Suffer from Gingivitis Too. Here’s What to Do.

September 4, 2019 by DAC Leave a Comment

Kids can suffer from gum diseases too and it can quickly spiral into more complicated problems if left untreated.

father showing son how to floss properly

Some people may think that only adults have to deal with gingivitis, but that’s simply not true. Kids can suffer from gum diseases too and it can quickly spiral into more complicated problems if left untreated. If you noticed that your child’s gums are a bit swollen or if he is spitting blood after brushing his teeth, then it’s time to act and schedule an appointment with your St. Louis pediatric dentist.

Here’s what you should know.

What Is Gum Disease?

Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, is an inflammation of the tissue that supports the teeth. It is caused by plaque buildup that hasn’t been removed effectively through brushing and flossing. Over time, the plaque hardens and turns into tartar that affects the gums, causing them to bleed and pull away from the teeth. Left untreated, it can lead to periodontitis, a condition that causes the teeth to become loose and fall out.

How to Treat It and What Can You Do to Prevent It

If you suspect that your kid has gum disease, then the first thing you should do is have him checked by your St. Louis pediatric dentist. The dentist will decide the best way to remove the tartar based on the child’s age and the severity of the problem. They may also make recommendations regarding the kid’s diet and dental habits.

Diet Can Affect Gums’ Health

You already know that sugar is bad for the teeth, but did you know that it can affect gums health too? According to The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), you should offer your kid nutritious and filling snacks, such as veggies, yogurt, cheese or peanut butter. Keep starchy foods like bread or potato chips for mealtime as bacteria love to feed on the starch.

Don’t Skip Brushing

Make sure that your kid brushes two times per day, after breakfast and before bedtime. If your child is younger than five years old, then you should be the one brushing their teeth as they don’t have the necessary skills yet to clean them properly. Kids aged five and older can brush by themselves, but with adult supervision.

Floss Daily

Brushing isn’t enough to reach the plaque that builds up between the teeth and against the surface of the gums. That’s why in addition to brushing you should also floss your child’s teeth once a day.

Use a string about 18 inches long and wind the ends around your middle finger. Insert it between the teeth so that to create a C-shaped and move it up and down gently.

Flossing a toddler can feel intimidating so try turning this into a fun activity. Tell them that you are trying to catch the plaque monster and that the floss is a special weapon that will annihilate it.

Be a Role Model

Taking care of your kids’ teeth and gums can feel like a daunting task. Remember that kids love to imitate adults, so try becoming a role model. Brush your teeth and floss with them and always remind them of the importance of good oral health.

Treating Gum Disease with Dental Sedation

May 27, 2019 by DAC Leave a Comment

Dental sedation can be an excellent option for those with dental anxiety who have gum disease.

Oral health is linked to the general health of the body, influencing other big systems, like the cardiovascular, digestive or skeletal systems. Keeping your gums and teeth healthy and clean goes far beyond a pleasant appearance, as it directly advantages your other functions, preventing diseases like diabetes, stroke or bone infection.

If you do have gum problems, it is important to get the right treatment early in the development of the disease, as it will surely become worse if left unattended. Here are some of the basic things to know about periodontal disease.

Symptoms of Gum Disease

Unfortunately, gum disease is the sort of condition that can develop undetected until it is bad enough to show visible symptoms. Some of the obvious signs that you are dealing with periodontal disease include red, swollen gums, bleeding while brushing your teeth, flossing or eating hard food, bad breath, and receding gums.

Check your gums carefully in the mirror when doing your oral hygiene and look for any of these signs. If you think something should be checked, make an appointment with a dentist as soon as you can.

Not missing your dental check-ups will also help you prevent advanced gum disease. Your dentist can monitor your gum health and act when the first signs of trouble appear.

Causes for Gum Disease

Gingivitis, or gum disease, starts when food traces get stuck in between the teeth or in between the gums and teeth and solidify in a layer called dental plaque. If plaque is not removed soon after forming, by brushing and flossing your teeth, it becomes harder and harder, eventually getting so stuck that only a professional cleaning at the dentist will remove it. This hardened plaque is called tartar.

Your gums can and will be irritated by plaque and tartar and will react by swelling, getting red, bleeding, and eventually receding, leaving a big part of the tooth exposed. Gingivitis can lead to tooth loss if left untreated.

Effects of Periodontal Disease on the Body

Besides affecting your oral health, gum disease can have repercussions on the rest of the body too. Medical studies have found a link between untreated periodontal disease and systemic diseases, such as cardiovascular ones, diabetes or stroke.

Sedation Dentistry in Treating Gum Disease

Because it can go for a long time undetected, gum disease can easily be left untreated, becoming active and symptomatic when it is usually quite advanced. Many people don’t get the treatment they need because they fear the pain and discomfort caused by dental treatment.

For patients with dental anxiety, sedation dentistry could be an excellent solution, as it helps your dentist perform the cleaning and treatment needed.

St. Louis Sedation Dentistry

Give us a call today to schedule an appointment!

Call (314) 862-7844

5 Dental Emergencies and How to Manage Them

February 28, 2019 by DAC Leave a Comment

Dealing with a dental emergency may be unpleasant, but it is the best way to minimize the pain you are going through and address the problem.

Tooth pain or discomfort should generally prompt you to make an appointment with your dentist. Ignoring dental problems can lead to a variety of problems, from prolonged pain and difficulties eating to heart disease. When it comes to dental trauma or infection, these emergencies don’t allow any postponing.

If you are not sure whether your pain qualifies as a dental emergency and you want to know what you can do about it, here is a list of the most common dental emergencies.

Toothaches

Whether it signals a cavity, tooth decay, gum disease or some other problem, the dreaded toothache may be a sign of trouble. It can be a very debilitating pain which radiates and pulsates. When you experience such pain, you need to see your dentist for a diagnose. However, until you get to the dentist’s office, you may consider taking an over the counter anti-inflammatory, as reducing the swelling will help ease the pain. If you are postponing your visit because you are afraid of the procedure, our St. Louis sedation dentist can make the entire process comfortable for you.

Broken or Chipped Tooth

If you get a crack in a tooth or you chip off a piece of it, chances are it is not really an emergency. The dentist can schedule you right away for a consultation, just to see what steps he will need to take next time. If you are in pain, though, he will likely act right away.

Depending on the depth of the crack or the size of the chipped piece, you can experience discomfort at tooth level, especially if the dentin is exposed. You can also hurt your tongue or cheeks in sharp edges, so try to chew on the other side to protect them as much as you can.

Swollen Face

If other conditions are more or less urgent and could wait a day or two if you’re not in great pain, a swollen face likely requires a trip to the emergency room ASAP. It is a symptom that you need to address as soon as possible, as it may indicate an infection. It could be a tooth, your gums or even your bone, and it can spread to your throat or ear.

Abscess

A tooth or gum abscess is usually annoying and painful enough to send you to the dentist the next day. Sensitivity to hot and cold food and beverages, pain on contact, starting to swell are all signs that you might need a root canal.

Bleeding from the Mouth

Any type of bleeding from your mouth is not normal, so schedule an appointment with your dentist as soon as you can. In certain cases, it can indicate a chronic gum disease that needs to be addressed before your gums start receding and you lose your teeth. If your bleeding is caused by a dental procedure or an injury and it won’t stop, speak with your dentist ASAP.

Dealing with a dental emergency may be unpleasant, but it is the best way to minimize the pain you are going through and avoid improvised treatments that don’t really address the problem. Leave it to the professionals to take the best course of action and remember it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Give The Dental Anesthesia Center a call today at (314) 862-7844.

5 Common Reasons Your Child’s Gums Are Bleeding

July 31, 2018 by DAC Leave a Comment

If your child’s gums are bleeding, it is not the end of the world, but it is an issue that requires your attention.

A parent never wants to see their child bleeding. You may be afraid at first, but then compose yourself, diagnose the issue, and solve it. What makes gum bleeding so frustrating is that it is hard to decipher why it is happening. If a child falls off their bike and skins their knee, the cause and treatment are obvious. However, with bleeding gums, this is not the case. If your child experiences bleeding gums for an extended period, it is best to visit a St. Louis pediatric dentist. If they have just begun to bleed, you can try to solve it by understanding the common causes.

New Toothbrush

Some toothbrushes have very firm bristles, especially when they are new. If your child has been using a worked in, soft bristle brush for a few months and then switches to hard bristles, it could cause bleeding. You can avoid this by inspecting the new toothbrush carefully. Make sure it comes with soft bristles, rather than hard ones that need to be used to soften. (Read more: Tips on Buying a Toothbrush for Your Child)

Flossing

If your child has not been flossing regularly and then starts to floss, there is bound to be some bleeding. Don’t let this scare you! When your child doesn’t floss for an extended period, their gums become sensitive and inflamed. When they do start to floss, the gums may bleed a little bit. This is entirely normal and is merely a part of the process of strengthening gums. If you see bleeding, have your child floss every other day for a couple of weeks. After that, they can move on to daily flossing.

Too Much Pressure

Sometimes a child gets carried away with their dental routine and applies too much pressure when brushing or flossing. If you suspect this, watch your child go through their dental routine. If you notice that they are being too aggressive, tell them to lighten the pressure.

Medication

If your child has just started taking a new medication, that could be the culprit. Certain medicines tend to sensitize gums, so be careful in administering them. The most common case is when a medication dries a child’s mouth out significantly. Dry mouths are more likely to bleed.

Gum Disease

The worst case scenario is your child having legitimate gum disease. The cause for this is usually poor oral health. Your child is likely not brushing and flossing enough, and the result is a buildup of plaque. That plaque buildup leads to gum disease, which causes bleeding. If you think this might be the case, you will want to see a pediatric dentist for advice.

If your child’s gums are bleeding, it is not the end of the world, but it is an issue that requires your attention. Your first step should be reviewing the simplest common causes and seeing if you can work the issue out yourself. If the problem ends up being more complicated, you can always give The Dental Anesthesia Center a call at (314) 862-7844 to schedule an appointment.

3 Types of Periodontal Diseases

October 26, 2017 by DAC Leave a Comment

Periodontitis shows very few signs in the early stages so many people do not realize that they have a problem.

Periodontal diseases do not affect only adults, they can also be found in adolescents and children. Periodontitis, or gum disease, is a group of inflammatory and infectious diseases which affect the tissues around the teeth. It is caused by microorganisms which settle down on the tooth’s surface and the destructive immune response to combat them. The disease can be diagnosed by inspecting the soft gum tissues surrounding the teeth and evaluating the X-ray film of the teeth.

Research shows that younger people tend to develop severe types of gingivitis. Children and adolescents with immune deficiencies and type 1 diabetes are more susceptible to the disease.

1. Chronic Gingivitis

Gingivitis is a type of periodontal disease. If it is not treated in time it can develop into periodontitis. If an adolescent complains about bleeding, redness or swelling of the gums the parents can presume that he is suffering from chronic gingivitis. They should consult a St. Louis pediatric dentist immediately.

2. Aggressive and/or Chronic Periodontitis

Earlier it was known as adult periodontitis. Now the word adult has been replaced by chronic because the disease can occur in the early teenage years and keep growing throughout the person’s teens. Chronic and aggressive periodontitis affects the incisors and the first molars. Its most important characteristic is bone loss. It is interesting to note that minimal dental plaque can be seen when the teeth of a patient suffering from this disease are examined.

3. Generalized Aggressive and Chronic Periodontal Disease

The characteristics of this type of periodontal disease are quite similar to the chronic and aggressive type. But this is a more severe form of the disease and affects the whole mouth. Inflamed gums, major calculus and plaque accumulation are some of the symptoms of the disease.

When a person is affected by a severe form of the periodontal disease, his gum structure may undergo a change. The gums may become weak and the teeth may become loose. Sometimes they may even fall out.

Preventive Measures

Prevention is key and treatment can be successful if the disease is diagnosed in the early stages. So the St. Louis pediatric dentist must thoroughly examine the adolescent’s teeth twice a year.

Innumerable bacteria are present in the mouth. Some of them are essential for the digestion of food. If the bacteria settle down in the cavities or the open gum pockets they can cause diseases. Proper oral hygiene is important for a healthy mouth which is free from painful diseases.

A person should brush his teeth at least twice every day. He should direct the bristles of the toothbrush underneath the gum line. This will prevent the formation of subgingival plaque.

In addition, regular flossing and using an antiseptic mouthwash are important.

Periodontitis shows very few signs in the early stages so many people do not realize that they have a periodontal disease. By the time they visit the dentist the disease is already in an advanced stage. So, timely diagnosis and treatment is important.

Schedule Your Visit

Your child’s initial oral examination will include a visual examination, charting, diagnosis and treatment recommendations. We work hard to make your child feel at ease by providing exceptional patient care in a relaxed, convenient atmosphere. Depending on your child’s circumstances, we will discuss if sedation or anesthesia is right for your child.

Call us today to schedule you appointment at (314) 862-7844. We look forward to meeting you!