What are the Do’s and Don’ts When Using a Pacifier?

Sucking is a normal part of babies’ development. It is a natural reflex that they develop even before they are born. In fact, sucking provides them the comfort even after a child stops drinking milk from breast or bottle. Many children find pleasure by sucking their fingers or pacifier. On one hand, parent wonder if this habit can lead to problems on their child’s mouth or teeth.

Are Pacifiers Bad for Your Child’s Dental Health?

During a child’s first years, your child’s sucking habits probably won’t harm his/her mouth. However, frequent and long-term sucking can lead to problems, especially true if it continues after the milk teeth begins to fall out.

Some of the problems include:

• Top front teeth slanting out
• Bottom front teeth tilting in
• Misalignment of upper and lower jaws
• Roof of the mouth may become narrow side to side

Do’s and Don’ts of Using Pacifier

Below are some tips on how to use pacifier (1).

• Do purchase products that are made in one piece. It should not be composed of parts that may break off and might be swallowed.
• Do not try to calm a crying baby by dipping the pacifier in sugar water or any sweets. This will only increase the risk of developing tooth decay.
• Do not tie a pacifier on a necklace or string around the neck of your child. He could accidentally be strangled.
• Do encourage older children to give up using pacifier.
• Don’t use pacifier when the infant is falling asleep. He might be too dependent on the pacifier and may not learn how to sleep on their own.
• Do choose a pacifier with ventilation holes as it allow air passage. This feature is important in cases where the pacifier accidentally becomes lodged in your baby’s throat.
• Do replace pacifier every two to three months even if you cannot see any wear and tear.
• Don’t use pacifier when nipple changes color or become cracked, sticky or torn
• Do clean the pacifier before putting it in your child’s mouth. It can transmit germs that may risk your child of illness or cavities.

Thumb and pacifier sucking habits can become a problem if they continue for a very long period of time. Most kids discontinue use on their own, but if they continue past the age of three, your pediatric dentist may recommend a mouth appliance.

Also, your children should learn to do proper brushing and flossing of their teeth. In addition, it is important to visit a children’s dentist to have their teeth and gums checked.  Dental check-up every six month is advised to prevent carries and other dental problems.

Mint Kids Dentistry’s top priority is bringing children and adolescents on the right path to dental health and proper oral hygiene. Dr. Soo Jun believes that early education will prepare kids to a lifetime of optimal dental health. Hence, she educates the importance of routine dental checkups and proper oral care.

Schedule an appointment as http://www.mintkidsdentistry.com/.

How Can You Protect Your Child from Sports-Related Dental Injury?

Is your child into sports? If so, then you probably have to buy a mouth guard. Certain sports require every player to wear a mouthguard to protect from dental injury. However, not all mouth guards are the same. For a typical parent, it may be difficult which one suits best for your child.

Why Bother Getting One?

             Protect your child's smile

When you think about sports injury, what comes into your mind? You’ll likely think of things like bruises, scrapes, cuts, sprains, muscle cramps and even broken bones. Yet, you might have overlooked the chance of getting in the mouth, jaw or teeth.

Truth is, dental emergencies can be life-threatening. Most schools require using mouthguard as a protection during contact sports such as ice hockey and football. They are not require for non-contact sports like basketball or baseball even though there is still the risk for a dental injury.

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), sports accidents accounts for about 10% to 39% of all dental injuries in kids. The most susceptible to oral injury are children between the age of 7 and 11.

Mouthguards can help protect the teeth by acting as a cushion against impacts to the face. Mouthguards reduce the risk of injuries to the jaw, teeth and soft tissues of the mouth. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends the use of items that can help prevent injuries to the mouth and face such as helmets, mouthguards and faceguards. It also encourages providing education on mouthguards and facial injury risks.

Mouthguards must be used by everyone while playing a sport, not only for contact sports. Moreover, they have to be worn even during practices.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Mouthguard

These tips will help you get the most from using a mouthguard:

1. Make sure you remove any removable dental appliances such as retainers.
2. If your child is wearing braces or has a protruding jaw, clef palate or receding chin, it is best to wear a custom-fitted mouthguard.
3. Don’t chew, bite or cut pieces off when using a mouthguard.
4. Always wear mouthguard during games and practice sessions.
5. Don’t forget to have regular dental checkups with your pediatric dentist. Each time you visit, bring your mouthguard with you.

When choosing a mouthguard, make sure that it is tear-resistant and resilient. It should also be comfortable and must fit properly. Aside from being easy to clean, the right mouthguard should not restrict breathing and speech.

Your children’s dentist can create a custom-made mouthguard for your child that is durable, comfortable and provides superior protection from dental injury. Since treating sports-related dental injuries can be a costly situation, having a custom-made mouthguard can be a worthwhile investment.

Mint Kids Dentistry’s top priority is bringing children and adolescents on the right path to dental health and proper oral hygiene. Dr. Soo Jun believes that early education will prepare kids to a lifetime of optimal dental health. Hence, she educates the importance of routine dental checkups and proper oral care.

Schedule an appointment at http://www.mintkidsdentistry.com/ .

Why Do Kids Need to Go to a Pediatric Dentist and to Visit Regularly?

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, tooth decay is one of the most common chronic childhood conditions in the US. If left untreated, tooth decay can be a painful and uncomfortable experience for children and it can lead to infection, creating problems with learning, speaking and most especially, eating.

• Nearly 1 out of 4 children between 5 and 11 years have at least one decayed tooth left untreated.
• Thirteen percent of adolescents between 12 and 19 years have at least one decayed tooth left untreated.

Importance of Early Childhood Dental Visits

The earlier children started going to a pediatric dentist, the healthier their teeth and mouth will be throughout their lives. Doing early dental visits help prevent tooth decay and cavities – conditions that can lead to pain, loss of appetite and other medical issues. Children with healthy teeth learn to speak clearly, chew their food thoroughly and smile with confidence!

The American Academy of Pediatric recommended that every child must visit a dentist at the age of 1. This visit also teaches caregivers and parents how to take good care of the child’s teeth and help keep them cavity-free.

For instance, pediatric dentists often see numerous children with tooth decay due to falling asleep with a bottle of juice or milk. Your pediatric dentist can teach the parent or caregiver why it causes cavities, why is it important to introduce drinking from a cup once they approach their first birthday and the proper way of brushing young teeth.

Your dentist can also explain why you need to stop on-demand bedtime feeding once your child’s first tooth emerges.

Another reason why early childhood dental visit is important is that your pediatric dentist can provide treatment procedure that can help prevent decay and cavities. Your children’s dentist may apply dental sealants to the chewing surfaces of the molars to prevent tooth decay. Studies show that sealants can reduce decay of permanent molars by about 81%. Flouride varnish is also another preventive dental treatment that is painted on the teeth to prevent decay.

What Parents Should Do

It is important to bring your child to his/her dentist by age 1 for checkup, as advised by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Consult your paediatrician or pediatric dentist about applying fluoride varnish as soon as first tooth appears as well as dental sealants.

If you are living in a community that has water not fluoridated, consult your dentist if your child needs fluoride supplements in the form of tablets, drops or lozenges.

Why is Fluoride Important for Your Kid’s Dental Health?

What is Fluoride?

Fluoride is the ionic form of the element fluorine, a naturally-occurring substance. When combined with other elements like sodium, fluoride ions form a compound called sodium fluoride, which is the active ingredient in many toothpaste.

Fluoride works in many ways to prevent tooth cavities and decay. For children, it is important for tooth development because fluoride combines into the crystals forming the enamel, which is the hard outer layer of the teeth. Development of the enamel happens in children up to the age of 8, when the teeth is growing under the gums. Fluoride in the enamel makes the teeth resistant to demineralization.

How Does Fluoride Protect Your Child’s Dental Health?

Fluoride has many caries-protective actions. When applied topically, it has been found that low levels of fluoride in saliva and plaque prevent demineralization of tooth enamel and boost enamel by replacing nutrients. Fluoride also prevents development of dental cavities by inhibiting the activity of cariogenic bacteria – the specific bacteria that causes caries.

Certain types of bacteria in our oral cavity break down the carbs we eat and along the process, they produce acid which causes lowering of pH in the mouth. When this happens, the enamels begins to break down and release minerals such as phosphate, calcium and fluoride (this is called demineralization).

If there is sufficient fluoride available on the teeth’s surface, it will alleviate the process before tooth decay occurs. In fact, it can remineralize tiny areas affected by decay. Such cycles of remineralisation and demineralization continue all throughout the life of a healthy tooth.

Aside from tooth remineralisation and remodelling, fluoride also protects the teeth with its direct antibacterial effect. When fluoride ions enters the bacterial cells, they inhibit the enzyme responsible for the production of acid.

On the other hand, high levels of fluoride, particularly those applied as varnishes or topical gels, provide a temporary covering of calcium fluoride-like element on the surface of the enamel.

Fluoride that is swallowed, such in the case of dietary supplements and fluoridated water, may provide benefits on erupted teeth. Fluoride supplementation is effective in lowering prevalence of caries and must be considered for kids who are at high risk of dental caries because of drinking fluoride-deficient water.

 How Much Fluoride Do Kids Need?

The amount of fluoride will be based on the child’s age. Sufficient levels of ingested fluoride are usually obtained through dietary sources, particularly if the child is living in a place with fluoridated water. However, children below the age of 2 must not receive any form of topical fluoride as they have the tendency to swallow them.

Between the ages of 2 and 6, children must use toothpaste that contains children’s strength amount of fluoride. Brushing must also be supervised by the parents to make sure they will only use a pea-size amount and then spit it out when finished.

Brushing twice a day is important. It will not only get rid of dental plaque, it will also make sure that the teeth are protected to fluoride. Topical fluoride sources such as gels, rinses and varnishes but be sure to consult your pediatric dentist first to know if these are suitable for your child.

Why Parents Should Understand Preventive Dental Care to Their Kids

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For children, dental health is as important as general health. As parents, understanding that your kid’s teeth, even their baby teeth, require utmost care is the first crucial step. Parents should know what dental care is proper and timely to make sure their children maintain a healthy mouth.

 

What is Preventative Dentistry?

Preventative dentistry refers to the process of maintaining oral health in order to prevent disease. For kids, this includes:

• A healthy, balanced diet

• Brushing and flossing

• Routine visit to a dentist for children

• Oral health education

• Flouride dental visits

• Protection against dental injuries

• Checking risk for developing cavities

• Managing oral habits

• Guiding an erupting teeth

A pediatric dentist can provide these measures, in addition to routine dental check-up that require parental assistance.

In a report published by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the incidence of dental caries has been lowering in the US, primarily because of better prevention, patient attitude towards tooth preservation and improvements in dental treatment technique.

The Role of Parents in Preventive Dentistry

We know that oral health can influence overall health. Oral problems can affect a child’s speaking, eating and other daily activities. Children suffering from tooth pain may not be able to concentrate on their studies. Moreover, a healthy smile looks more attractive, and it can positively affect a child’s confidence level. And the most important – preventive dentistry results in less expensive and less extensive dental care.

As parents, you must strive to be the best role model for your kids. You need to reinforce proper oral hygiene habits such as flossing and brushing at home. But the most important influence would coming from you seeing your own good habits. Demonstrate how vital your kid’s teeth are to their health and lead by example.

How to Prevent Childhood Cavities

The American Dental Association defines early childhood caries as the presence of one of more missing, filled or decayed tooth surface in a baby or primary tooth. Dental caries is an infection disease that should be controlled through prevention.

Your child’s first visit to a pediatric dental office must take place within six months after the first tooth appears. The baby’s mouth will be assessed for any abnormalities or decay. In addition, you will get instruction on how to maintain proper dental hygiene to prevent further oral bacteria in the oral cavity.

You will also learn how to ‘brush’ your baby’s teeth, either by using a specialized brush intended for infants or by wiping them with a cloth. Parents will also learn to limit intake of milk, juice and other fermentable carbohydrates as sugar liquids are often the cause of tooth cavities among children.

Visiting a pediatric dentist Bellevue will involve a thorough cleaning and examination, review proper nutrition, fluoride treatments, fissure sealants on molars and make recommendation on the use of mouth guards to protect your child’s teeth when playing sports. Visit your pediatric dentist today to ensure your child gets the best outcome in terms of dental health.

Baby Pacifiers: Pros And Cons

Baby Pacifiers: Pros And Cons

Should parents let their infant use a pacifier? According to the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), there are benefits as well as a downside to baby pacifiers.

On the positive side, pacifiers provide a source of comfort to infants. Pacifiers can also assist in reducing the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, according to the AGD. Because babies with pacifiers sleep less deeply than those who sleep without pacifiers, they can be aroused from a deep sleep that could result in the stopping of breathing.

The downside of pacifiers is the effect they can have on the growth and development of the teeth and mouth. Prolonged pacifier use can cause changes in the shape of the roof of the mouth, prevent proper growth of the mouth and create problems with tooth alignment. Parents who give their baby a pacifier should consider these points:

Restrict pacifier use to when the infant needs to fall asleep.
Look for a pacifier with ventilation holes in the shield, as they permit air passage. This is important if the pacifier accidentally becomes lodged in the child’s throat.
Always clean the pacifier before giving it to a child.

Breaking the pacifier habit

The AGD recommends that children stop using pacifiers by age two. (Up until that age, any alignment problem with the teeth or the developing bone is usually corrected within six months after pacifier use is stopped.)

Breaking the habit is not always easy. Here are a few suggestions for helping a child wean from the pacifier:

• Dip the pacifier in white vinegar.
• Pierce the top of the pacifier or cut it shorter to reduce sucking satisfaction.
• Leave it behind on a trip.
• Always throw away a used pacifier; it is not sanitary for another child to use or to save.

What’s the Best Toothpaste for My Child?

One of the more common questions we are asked on a regular basis concerns choosing the right toothpaste. There are so many choices that it can be difficult to find one that is best for your child’s oral health. Here are a few quick guidelines to make sure you find one that’s right:

1) Look for the ADA seal.

When trying to find the best toothpaste, it’s important to start with one that is recommended by the American Dental Association. Their seal of approval can be found on the box and tube and ensures that the toothpaste has been objectively evaluated for safety by the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs.

2) Avoid harsh abrasives.

Many toothpastes, especially those advertised as “whitening” often contain abrasives that can damage young tooth enamel.

3) Check for fluoride.

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that has been shown to dramatically reduce tooth decay. But you should remember to have children spit out toothpaste and avoid swallowing it. Too much fluoride can cause a condition known as fluorosis. For children too young to spit out toothpaste, you may consider using a fluoride free toothpaste or only a small “pea size” amount.

4) Consider the flavor.

While not a health related issue, you want to make sure that a toothpaste doesn’t taste bad to your child. Many children often find traditional flavors like mint to be “spicy” and they often prefer the more kid friendly options available today.

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Dr. Soo Jun
Board Certified Pediatric Dentist
Mint Kids Dentistry
1500 145th PL SE, 
Bellevue, WA
http://www.mintkidsdentistry.com
425-321-0833

Why Choose a Pediatric Dentist?

As I determined my career path I specialized in Pediatric Dentistry specifically, I had a strong desire to be able to make a change in children's lives. I knew I could do that by making that connection for children, that going to the dentist is fun! 

As a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry I can say that I am a “Big Authority on Little Teeth”.

The AAPD website serves as a great resource for parents!  www.aapd.org