Advise for Parents

Oral Health for Children - click on one of the Colgate links below for some detailed info by age:

Infants

Toddlers/Children

Teens

Wisdom Teeth

Tips for expectant mothers

First visit - how old and what to expect

How to prepare your child for a dental visit - do's and dont's

Why treat baby teeth

American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (www.aapd.org)

Pre Op instructions

Post Op instructions

Behavior Management Methods

ADA topics and resources (www.ada.org)

Tips for expectant mothers

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that dental caries is perhaps the most prevalent of infectious diseases in our nation's children. Dental caries is 5 times more common than asthma and 7 times more common than hay fever in children. More than 40% of children have tooth decay by the time they reach kindergarten. Decay of primary teeth can affect children's growth, lead to increased need for braces, and result in significant pain and potentially life-threatening infection or swelling.

Dental caries is the disease that causes cavities. It is a complicated, infectious, contagious disease, and it can have a significant impact on your child's general health as well as his oral health.

The disease begins in infancy when bacteria first start to inhabit the mouth. Many different kinds of bacteria make their home in the mouth. Some are good, and some are bad. The good ones compete for space with the bad ones. The bad ones love an acidic environment and therefore, produce cavity causing acids when exposed to sugars. The more acid they produce, the happier they are and the more they multiply, thus creating a vicious cycle of more and more bad bacteria. If they start overgrowing the good bacteria (like weeds in a garden) the dental caries process will begin.

The parent's mouth (or primary caregiver's mouth) serves as the host for the bacteria that the child will be infected with. If the parent has had a history of lots of cavities, either recently or as a child, it is likely that their mouths are inhabited by lots of these bad bacteria. It is also likely that, unless they are very careful, they will transmit these bacteria to their child, causing them to have lots of cavities as well.

What can a parent do to try not to transmit these bad bugs to their kids?

Keep their mouth as clean as possible during and following pregnancy and have cavities treated. This will reduce the number of bad bacteria in the mouth.
Optimize fluoride intake. Rinse with fluoride rinses as recommended by your dentist.
Chew xylitol based sugarless chewing gum (like Orbit or Koolerz), this can reduce the effects of the acids on the teeth.
Do not share eating utensils or toothbrushes with your child, this will transmit bacteria.
Do not place your child's pacifier in your mouth prior to placing in their mouth.

Studies show that if your child is not exposed to these acid producing bacteria until their 2nd birthday, the good bacteria will already have their "homes" set up and won't allow the bad bugs to establish themselves. With a little knowledge and a lot of effort, your child can grow up to be cavity free for a lifetime.

First visit - how old and what to expect

Ideally, it is best to take your child to the dentist before their first birthday. The earlier you begin, the better chance we have to prevent problems before they occur.

Our goals for the first visit are to:

Perform an oral health risk assessment to determine how likely your child is to develop cavities. That way, we can custom tailor a prevention program for your child.
Discuss feeding and dietary habits as they relate to oral health and overall health. We will also discuss the frequency of snacking, which can have an enormous effect on the decay rate. (Yes, juice is considered a snack.)
Clean your child's teeth in a non-threatening manner (either on your lap or in the dental chair, depending upon your child.)
Teach you proper oral hygiene techniques so you can keep your child's teeth clean at home.
Evaluate your child's fluoride needs to determine if supplementation is necessary. (May be done in consultation with their physician.)
Build your child's trust in the dentist and the office staff by letting him know that visits can be fun and we are his friend.

How to prepare your child for a dental visit - do's and dont's

You may discuss the positive aspects of dentistry with your child, but avoid fear-provoking words such as hurt, drill, pull, shot or needle. We use words such as “sleepy water” to numb the area, “special brush” for drill, and “wiggle” for pull. Avoid statements like “the dentist won’t hurt you,” but rather, state “the dentist will be very gentle while working.” At the time of the visit, we will prepare your child by explaining and showing him/her what will be done. Parents should try to appear relaxed and at ease. Anxiety on your part will be sensed by your child. A parent or legal guardian must accompany your child to this appointment.

Some first visit "DO'S":

Play "dentist" with your child at home. First, pretend that you're counting your child's teeth, then switch roles and let your child play "dentist."
Set a good example by brushing and flossing your own teeth daily.
Read your child a story about going to the dentist.
Talk about the visit in a positive, relaxed matter of fact way.
Make the dental appointment for a time when your child is well-rested. Mornings are usually best.
Let your child know that you visit the dentist regularly too.
Talk about the visit afterwards and remind them how much fun it was.

Some first visit "DON'TS":

Don't convey anxiety about the dental visit to your child. Anxiety on your part will be sensed by your child. They are very perceptive.
Don't worry if your child cries a little during the visit, since this is perfectly normal behavior for infants and young children in new situations.
Don't use negative words like: hurt, shot, needle, or drill around your child.
Avoid reassuring comments like "don't worry, the doctor won't hurt you." Comments like these tend to raise the child's anxiety level.
Don't use a visit to the dentist as punishment.
Don't allow scary stories to be told to your child about the dentist.
Be careful not to over do it. If you make too big of a deal about it, it will become a "big deal."

Why treat baby teeth

It is important that the baby (primary) teeth stay healthy until they are lost naturally. They serve many functions including:

They permit your child to chew food easily and comfortably.
They allow your child to speak well as teeth are needed for proper pronunciation of many sounds.
They hold space for the permanent teeth that will take their place (if they are lost early, space maintainers are necessary.)
They help to guide the eruption of the permanent teeth.
They are important for esthetics and keep you child's smile looking bright so your child can feel good about the way they look.

Cavities grow very quickly in primary teeth as the enamel is very thin (compared to permanent teeth). If cavities do arise, it is important to take care of them quickly. This way they can be treated in the most conservative manner possible. If cavities get large, they are much more difficult to restore and will become painful for the child. Untreated decay on any tooth, permanent or primary, can lead to serious infections (abscess) requiring hospitalization and extraction of the involved tooth. If primary teeth are lost early due to infection, a space maintainer will be required to hold the space for the permanent replacement.

Preparing your child for their treatment

You may discuss the positive aspects of dentistry with your child, but avoid fear-provoking words such as “hurt, drill, pull, shot or needle.” We use words such as “sleepy water” to numb the area, “special brush” for drill, and “wiggle” for pull. Avoid statements like “the dentist won’t hurt you,” but rather state, “the dentist will be very gentle while working.” At the time of the visit, we will prepare your child by explaining and showing them what will be done. Parents should try to appear relaxed and at ease. Anxiety on your part will be sensed by your child. *A parent or legal guardian must accompany your child at every operative appointment*

Post Op Instructions

Fracture/Filling in a front tooth -

A composite (white filling) material has been used to repair your child's tooth because of a fracture or decay. By using a build-up technique or a crown form, the material sets up (dries) completely by using a special light. Your child may eat and drink right away. Even though the material is completely set up, it will never be as strong as the natural tooth. Your child will need to be cautious of eating any foods that are a "stick" form (carrot sticks, pretzel sticks, celery sticks, candy canes, etc.) These foods can still be eaten, but cut them thinly and/or bite them using the back teeth. No direct force should be put on the tooth that has been repaired. If local anesthesia was used, please refer to additional instructions.

Stainless steel crown -

A stainless steel crown has been placed over your child's primary (baby) tooth. The crown will stay on the tooth permanently until that tooth falls out. Your child should avoid eating any sticky foods such as gummy candy, fruit roll-ups, bubble gum, caramels, etc. If local anesthesia was used, please refer to additional instructions.

Restorations (fillings) -

Composite (white filling) - the composite (white filling) material used is set up completely with the blue light. Your child may eat and drink normally right away (unless local anesthesia was used, then please refer to additional instructions).

Amalgam (silver filling) - the amalgam (silver filling) material used is set up right away. It will be completely set in about an hour. Your child may eat soft foods until the material is completely set (unless local anesthesia was used, then please refer to additional instructions).

Extraction -

If your child had a tooth extracted today, here are some simple instructions to help them feel better.

Diet: For the first day or two, your child should eat only soft foods. After this initial clotting phase, there are no eating restrictions. During this time, your child should not use a straw, spit or smoke. They should not eat anything that crumbles, such as crackers, chips or dry cereals. Also avoid hot, spicy, salty or acidic foods for several days. It is important that your child maintains adequate fluid intake.

Bleeding control: Bleeding was well controlled at the appointment. You will be given gauze which you should maintain firm pressure by biting on it for approximately one hour. It may be necessary to replace the gauze after 15 to 30 minutes. If your child does not bite the gauze, hold it in place for them. Minimal oozing from the extraction site is normal. If excessive bleeding continues, contact the office.

Pain control: Usually there will be little or no pain. If your child complains of pain, we recommend the appropriate child's dose of Tylenol or Advil. Aspirin should be avoided as it can prolong bleeding. Keep in mind that it may take an hour or so to take effect. If it is still painful, call the office.

Oral Hygiene: A clean mouth heals much better and much faster. Be sure that you and/or your child maintains routine daily brushing. You may wish to avoid brushing the extraction site for a day or two.

Activity: Since increased activity may lead to increased bleeding, we recommend your child take it easy for the day of the extraction and the day following.

Anesthesia warning: Since local anesthesia was used, your child's lip, tongue and cheek may be numb for several hours. This effect will wear off, but while it's "asleep" it may feel funny and your child may play with it or bite it and not feel it until the area "wakes up." Be aware of the potential problem so that you can prevent it. Also, be extra careful to keep the diet soft before the anesthesia wears off.

Behavior Management Methods

Because every child is different, we have a wide range of choices to help a child complete needed dental treatment. We will make a recommendation of behavior management methods for your child based upon your child's health history, special health needs, dental needs, type of treatment required, emotional and intellectual development, and your parental preferences.

The three main goals of behavior management are first to help a child feel relaxed and confident; second to guide a child in coping with dental treatment; and third to complete dental treatment as quickly and safely as possible.

To be a well-informed parent, you should know the choices available to help your child during dental treatment. Working together, we can select the best treatment methods to make your child's visit safe and comfortable.

Tell-Show-Do: Our pediatric team explains the treatment in words just right for your child's age and level of understanding, shows the child the treatment in a simplified manner, and then does the treatment.

Positive Reinforcement: Our team will praise your child for any behavior that helps with the treatment. Every child does something right during a dental visit.

Voice Control: The dental team changes voice tone or volume to calm a child or get a child's attention. Typically, we speak in a soft, controlled tone and repeat messages as necessary.

Physical Restraint: This may include asking the parent to hold the child on his/her lap, holding the child's hands. Restraint is only recommended for children who are very young or have difficulty remembering the importance of keeping their hands away from the dental instruments. Used only after alternative approaches have been considered, this approach is sometimes necessary to protect your child from the instruments required for dental treatment.