FAQ

• General dentists and pediatric dentists are trained and qualified in diagnosing and treating children.
• Pediatric dentists differ from general dentists in that they complete 2 years of extra training after dental school to learn more about how to best treat children.

• There are many factors involved in cavity formation
• Dental decay is the most common chronic disease of childhood!
• The actual cavities are formed by acids generated from bacteria when they are exposed to carbohydrates, especially sugar.
• These bacteria are often passed from parents and caretakers to their infants.
• Therefore, it is very important that parents and caretakers have regular dental checkups and take care of their teeth as well!

Brush

• It is recommended that you begin brushing your child’s teeth twice a day as soon as the first one comes in.
• Use a thin smear of toothpaste with fluoride until your child is 2 years old.
• After your child turns 2, you should begin using a small dab (the size of a baby pea) of toothpaste with fluoride and encourage your child to spit after brushing.
• It is important to use the recommended amount of toothpaste with fluoride, as swallowing too much fluoride before the age of 8 years old may cause stains to form in the permanent teeth.

Floss

• Any adjacent baby teeth that are touching are ready for flossing!

Start early with good dietary habits

• Feed your child healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and protein.
• Help keep your child hydrated by giving him/her water to drink between meals.
• Give your child plenty of milk to drink to help build healthy bones and teeth.
• Give your child soda and watered-down juice / sports drinks in regular drinking cups and in moderation.
• Avoid putting your child to bed with a bottle or sippy cup.
• Wean your child from bottle use and/or at will breast feeding around his/her first birthday.
• Only put water or milk in his/her sippy cup.

• Fluoride can help fight future cavities by strengthening tooth enamel.
• Fluoride mainly works when it comes into contact with enamel.
• Vitamins containing fluoride and fluoride tablets that are swallowed are less effective at preventing decay and may increase the risk of fluorosis, which can lead to staining of permanent teeth.
• Mouth rinses with fluoride can be of benefit to children at risk for dental decay who are old enough to rinse and spit (usually children 6 years old and up).

• Yes – it is normal for children to explore their world by placing everything in his/her mouth, including a pacifier or a thumb up to age 3.
• Around age 3 is the time to take note and gently encourage your child to stop; be careful about pushing your young one to stop too hard; sometimes this can have the opposite effect, as kids will rebel.
• Some suggest that a pacifier habit is easier to break than a thumb habit, because you can throw a pacifier away.
• You can also try positive reinforcement or you can ignore your child while he/she is sucking and only respond when the sucking stops.
• Some people have reported success with painting the nails with a bitter tasting liquid or hot peppers.
• A helpful trick to wean your child off a pacifier is to progressively cut off small pieces of the tip each week until, eventually, the entire nipple is gone.
• Prolonged oral habits may cause your child’s upper front baby teeth to flare out and give the appearance of an “overbite”.
• If your child continues to have an oral habit past age 6, the permanent teeth will likely become affected, and you should discuss a plan to help your child stop the habit with the dentist.

• On average, the first baby tooth comes in at 6 months of age; this is usually a lower front tooth.
• There are 20 baby teeth all together; the last ones to come in usually emerge around age 2.
• Permanent teeth start to come in around age 6, usually starting with the 6-year molars.
• The remaining permanent teeth (except for wisdom teeth) come in between ages 6 and 13; this age group keeps the tooth fairy very busy.

• As far as sugar goes, like most things in life, the key is moderation.
• Some gums and candy contain xylitol, a natural sweetener that can actually prevent tooth decay!

Untreated tooth decay can lead to:

• Pain – which may then lead to missed school and even malnutrition
• Infection – baby teeth can become infected, causing damage to the developing permanent teeth and may even lead to a potentially life-threatening swelling
• Space Loss – untreated decay in baby teeth may lead to the premature loss of that tooth, which holds space for the future permanent tooth; if the baby tooth is lost early, the back teeth will drift forward, leading to future crowding

• Sealants consist of a plastic coating placed in the pits and grooves of teeth as an attempt to prevent decay from starting and/or progressing in these areas, which is where the vast majority of tooth decay occurs.
• Sealants require upkeep in order to perform their duty; over time, portions of the sealants may break off and require a “touch up” to ensure the tooth is protected.
• It is important to note that sealants have their limitations; while sealants aim to prevent decay in pits and grooves, other parts of teeth can only be protected from decay with good diet and oral hygiene practices!

• Teething is one of those unfortunate stages all kids must go through.
• The best things for teething are the frozen teething rings and Tylenol (acetaminophen), although you may wish they were even more effective.
• Topical anesthetics (ex. Orajel) are not recommended.

• Call Dr. Lesley immediately, as some treatments for dental traumas have a better prognosis if treated early.
• If your child has knocked out a permanent tooth, immediately place the tooth in milk (skim, 1%, 2%, or whole milk are all fine).
• After treatment, it is often difficult to predict how your child’s body will react to the trauma long-term; damage may occur at the time of the trauma or it may occur later on from inflammation in the area.
• Be on the lookout for changes in color (yellowing, darkening), sensitivity, looseness, or infection, which may appear as a “bubble” on the gums or “gum boil”.
• If your child hit his/her baby tooth, there is always a chance that the developing permanent tooth could be damaged in some way (most often damage appears as a small discoloration or defect on the permanent tooth); if this occurs, treatment for the permanent (if needed) can wait until the permanent teeth come in.