Tooth brushing is one of the most important tasks for good oral health.
Many toothpastes, and/or tooth polishes, however, can damage young smiles.
They contain harsh abrasives which can wear away young tooth enamel. When
looking for a toothpaste for your child make sure to pick one that is
recommended by the American Dental Association. These toothpastes have
undergone testing to insure they are safe to use.
Remember, children should spit out toothpaste after brushing to avoid
getting too much fluoride. If too much fluoride is ingested, a condition
known as fluorosis can occur. If your child is too young or unable to spit
out toothpaste, consider providing them with a fluoride free toothpaste,
using no toothpaste, or using only a "pea size" amount of
toothpaste.
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Does Your Child Grind His Teeth
At Night? (Bruxism)
Parents are often concerned about the nocturnal grinding of teeth
(bruxism). Often, the first indication is the noise created by the child grinding on their
teeth during sleep. Or, the parent may notice wear (teeth getting shorter) to the
dentition. One theory as to the cause involves a psychological component. Stress due to a
new environment, divorce, changes at school; etc. can influence a child to grind their
teeth. Another theory relates to pressure in the inner ear at night. If there are pressure
changes (like in an airplane during take-off and landing when people are chewing gum, etc.
to equalize pressure) the child will grind by moving his jaw to relieve this pressure.
The majority of cases of pediatric bruxism do not require any
treatment. If excessive wear of the teeth (attrition) is present, then a mouth guard
(night guard) may be indicated. The negatives to a mouth guard are the possibility of
choking if the appliance becomes dislodged during sleep and it may interfere with growth
of the jaws. The positive is obvious by preventing wear to the primary dentition.
The good news is most children outgrow bruxism. The grinding gets
less between the ages 6-9 and children tend to stop grinding between ages 9-12. If you
suspect bruxism, discuss this with your pediatrician or pediatric dentist.
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Thumb
Sucking
Sucking is a natural reflex and infants and young children may use
thumbs, fingers, pacifiers and other objects on which to suck. It may make them feel
secure and happy or provide a sense of security at difficult periods. Since
thumb sucking
is relaxing, it may induce sleep.
Thumb sucking that persists beyond the eruption of the permanent
teeth can cause problems with the proper growth of the mouth and tooth alignment. How
intensely a child sucks on fingers or thumbs will determine whether or not dental problems
may result. Children who rest their thumbs passively in their mouths are less likely to
have difficulty than those who vigorously suck their thumbs.
Children should cease thumb sucking by the time their permanent front
teeth are ready to erupt. Usually, children stop between the ages of two and four. Peer
pressure causes many school-aged children to stop.
Pacifiers are no substitute for thumb sucking. They can affect the
teeth essentially the same way as sucking fingers and thumbs. However, use
of the pacifier can be controlled and modified more easily than the thumb or finger habit.
If you have concerns about thumb sucking or use of a pacifier, consult your pediatric
dentist.
A few suggestions to help your child get through thumb
sucking:
-
Instead of scolding children for thumb sucking, praise them when they
are not.
-
Children often suck their thumbs when feeling insecure. Focus on
correcting the cause of anxiety, instead of the thumb sucking.
-
Children who are sucking for comfort will feel less of a need when
their parents provide comfort.
-
Reward children when they refrain from sucking during difficult
periods, such as when being separated from their parents.
-
Your pediatric dentist can encourage children to stop sucking and
explain what could happen if they continue.
-
If these approaches don’t work, remind the children of their
habit by bandaging the thumb or putting a sock on the hand at night. Your pediatric
dentist may recommend the use of a mouth. appliance
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Tongue
Piercing – Is it Really Cool?
You might not be surprised anymore to see people with
pierced tongues, lips or cheeks, but you might be surprised to know just how
dangerous these piercings can be.
There are many risks involved with oral piercings
including chipped or cracked teeth, blood clots, or blood poisoning. Your
mouth contains millions of bacteria, and infection is a common complication
of oral piercing. Your tongue could swell large enough to close off your
airway!
Common symptoms after piercing include pain, swelling,
infection, an increased flow of saliva and injuries to gum tissue.
Difficult-to-control bleeding or nerve damage can result if a blood vessel
or nerve bundle is in the path of the needle.
So follow the advice of the American Dental
Association and give your mouth a break – skip the mouth jewelry.
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Tobacco
– Bad News in Any Form
Tobacco in any form can jeopardize your child’s
health and cause incurable damage. Teach your child about the dangers of
tobacco.
Smokeless tobacco, also called spit, chew or snuff, is
often used by teens who believe that it is a safe alternative to smoking
cigarettes. This is an unfortunate misconception. Studies show that spit
tobacco may be more addictive than smoking cigarettes and may be more
difficult to quit. Teens who use it may be interested to know that one can
of snuff per day delivers as much nicotine as 60 cigarettes. In as little as
three to four months, smokeless tobacco use can cause periodontal disease
and produce pre-cancerous lesions called leukoplakias.
If your child is a tobacco user you should watch for
the following that could be early signs of oral cancer:
-
A sore that won’t heal
-
White or red leathery patches on your lips, and on
or under your tongue
-
Pain, tenderness or numbness anywhere in the mouth
or lips
-
Difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking or moving
your jaw or tongue; or a change in the way your teeth fit together
Because the early signs of oral cancer usually are not
painful, people often ignore them. If it’s not caught in the early stages,
oral cancer can require extensive, sometimes disfiguring, surgery. Even
worse, it can kill.
Help your child avoid tobacco in any form. By doing
so, they will avoid bringing cancer-causing chemicals in direct contact with
their tongue, gums and cheek.
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What
is the Best Time for Orthodontic Treatment?
Developing malocclusions, or bad bites, can be
recognized as early as 2-3 years of age. Often, early steps can be taken to
reduce the need for major orthodontic treatment at a later age.
Stage I – Early Treatment: This period of treatment
encompasses ages 2 to 6 years. At this young age, we are concerned with
underdeveloped dental arches, the premature loss of primary teeth, and
harmful habits such as finger or thumb sucking. Treatment initiated in this
stage of development is often very successful and many times, though not
always, can eliminate the need for future orthodontic/orthopedic treatment.
Stage II – Mixed Dentition: This period covers the
ages of 6 to 12 years, with the eruption of the permanent incisor (front)
teeth and 6 year molars. Treatment concerns deal with jaw malrelationships
and dental realignment problems. This is an excellent stage to start
treatment, when indicated, as your child’s hard and soft tissues are
usually very responsive to orthodontic or orthopedic forces.
Stage III – Adolescent Dentition: This stage deals
with the permanent teeth and the development of the final bite relationship.
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Mouth
Guards
When a child begins to participate in recreational
activities and organized sports, injuries can occur. A properly fitted mouth
guard, or mouth protector, is an important piece of athletic gear that can
help protect your child’s smile, and should be used during any activity
that could result in a blow to the face or mouth.
Mouth guards help prevent broken teeth, and injuries
to the lips, tongue, face or jaw. A properly fitted mouth guard will stay in
place while your child is wearing it, making it easy for them to talk and
breathe.
Ask your pediatric dentist about custom and
store-bought mouth protectors.
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