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Cavities and Your Kids

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We often forget that children can develop cavities at any age. From before their first tooth comes in, it is important to care for your child’s oral health. Cavities and tooth decay are almost always preventable with a healthy diet, great dental hygiene habits and regular dental cleanings and check ups. However, despite it’s preventability, tooth decay remains one of the most common childhood health issues. The rate of cavities in children and toddlers is becoming a serious issue and it is growing. We are seeing tooth decay and cavities form on baby teeth as well as permanent teeth, which can have negative effects on a child’s overall health.

Below, we will give you some tips on how you can help prevent cavities and tooth decay in your child’s teeth.

Dental Visits: When and how often?

This varies from patient to patient, but to be safe, we recommend making an appointment with your family dentist as soon as your child has their first tooth. This allows us to show you proper techniques to caring for such little teeth and preventing cavities. We will also let you know when you should bring your child back in for their next check up.

Care for your own dental health.

Sharing things like utensils, straws, or anything else that can transmit saliva can bring harm to your kid’s teeth. There are specific cavity germs that are easily transmittable through saliva, so be sure you are keeping your dental hygiene in check too!

Limit the sugar intake.

For the younger kids, it is very important to limit the sugar you allow in their diet. This not only helps their dental health but it also helps their overall health. Avoid putting your baby to bed with a bottle, but if you feel you have to try to stick to water.

At each stage in life, there are different guidelines to caring for your child’s teeth. This is why it is so important to visit the dentist regularly and follow their guidelines for at home care. Also take into consideration your own dental health and the eating habits of your children and your family.

We know how important it is to develop healthy dental habits from a young age.

If you’d like to meet with us about cavities in children, or if you have any other questions or would like to schedule an appointment, give us a call!

What Is This Whole Ortho-tain Thing You Keep Talking About?

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shutterstock_210060295Wondering what this whole Ortho-tain thing is I keep mentioning? Well here is everything thing you need to know!

My Experience:
For the past three years of my 13 years of experience as a dentist, I am truly stunned by the results of the Ortho-tain appliance and am so excited to share it with the public. The Ortho-tain appliance can effectively prevent the need for orthodontics and straighten young smiles as early as possible. The best part about this appliance though is that it actually works!

So what exactly is this amazing product?
Ortho-tain is a mouthguard appliance that can straighten your teeth without brackets and wires. It is generally worn for just a few hours a day. It also gradually guides your child’s teeth in the correct position before severe crowding, unlike braces which mainly correct crowding.

Why have I never heard of it then?
The appliance has actually been around since the 1970’s but does not garner as much of a profit as braces do. I have actually had the pleasure of meeting with the Otho-tain creator, Dr. Earl Bergerson, a humble and caring orthodontist. He is very passionate about this product and is excited for it to increase the growth and development of oral health.

Will Ortho-tain work on young children?
I have placed the Ortho-tain appliance on children as young as 5 and 6 years old. It is actually ideal to start children on this appliance young because it guides the teeth into the correct placing, corrects cross-bites, overbites, and deep-bites, avoiding the need for costly braces.

Can I afford Ortho-tain?
Oh yes! This appliance is actually 1/3 to 1/2 the cost of traditional orthodontics.

Will my child need a retainer after treatment like they will after braces?
Nope! Your teeth are connected to your jawbones with a periodontal ligament. With normal braces, we wait for the adult teeth to come in crooked and twisted (after the ligaments are set), and then they must be untwisted. The ligaments are like rubber bands and they want to move back to where they were. This is a relapse and this is the reason people get braces over and over again. With Ortho-tain, the appliance actually guides teeth straight as the erupt in the first place, and the ligaments form and end up exactly where they need to be. It’s the most remarkable thing about the appliance!

Interested now that you know a little more about this amazing product, or maybe you’re still a little skeptical even? That’s alright, give me a call at (907) 276-5522 and I would love to tell you more about it and answer all your questions.