What is tooth decay?

Tooth decay is the destruction of the tooth structure and can affect both the enamel (the outer coating of the tooth) and the dentin layer of the tooth.

These are five ways to prevent tooth decay from occurring:

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day with fluoride containing tooth paste. Brush after every meal and especially before going to bed.
• Clean your teeth daily with dental floss.
• Rinse daily with fluoride contain mouthwash.
• Eat nutritious balanced meals and limit snacks. Avoid carbohydrates such as pretzels, candy and chips.
• Also you can ask your kids dentist about dental sealants ( a plastic coating applied to the chewing surfaces of your back teeth (molars) to protect them from decay.

How Do I Help My Children Care for Their Teeth and Prevent Cavities?
Teaching your child proper oral care at a young age is an investment in his or her health that will pay lifelong dividends. You can start by setting an example; taking good care of your own teeth sends a message that oral health is something to be valued. And anything that makes taking care of teeth fun, like brushing along with your child or letting them choose their own toothbrush, encourages proper oral care.

To help your children protect their teeth and gums and greatly reduce their risk of getting cavities, teach them to follow these simple steps:

• Brush twice a day with an ADA — accepted fluoride toothpaste to remove plaque-the sticky film on teeth that's the main cause of tooth decay.
• Floss daily to remove plaque from between your teeth and under the gumline, before it can harden into tartar. Once tartar has formed, it can only be removed by a professional cleaning.
• Eat a well-balanced diet that limits starchy or sugary foods, which produce plaque acids that cause tooth decay. When you do eat these foods, try to eat them with your meal instead of as a snack the extra saliva produced during a meal helps rinse food from the mouth.
• Use dental products that contain fluoride, including toothpaste.
• Make sure that your children's drinking water is fluoridated. If your water supply; municipal, well or bottled does not contain fluoride, your dentist or pediatrician may prescribe daily fluoride supplements.
• Take your child to the dentist for regular checkups.

For more information on how to care for your children’s teeth, please call our office at (561) 333-4568 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Yang today!  Stay tuned to our blog for more fun facts on your child’s oral hygiene and care!  We look forward to seeing you at Tooth Town!

What Brushing Techniques Can I Show My Child?

You may want to supervise your children until they get the hang of these simple steps:

• Use a pea-sized dab of an ADA-accepted fluoride toothpaste. Take care that your child does not swallow the toothpaste.
• Using a soft-bristled toothbrush, brush the inside surface of each tooth first, where plaque may accumulate most. Brush gently back and forth.
• Clean the outer surfaces of each tooth. Angle the brush along the outer gum line. Gently brush back and forth.
• Brush the chewing surface of each tooth. Gently brush back and forth.
• Use the tip of the brush to clean behind each front tooth, both top and bottom.
• It's always fun to brush the tongue!

Tune in next week for more tips on how to care for your children’s teeth and come visit us at Tooth Town! Call the office today to schedule your child’s visit with Dr. Yang at (561) 333-4568!

When Should My Child Begin Flossing?

• Because flossing removes food particles and plaque between teeth that brushing misses, you should floss for your children beginning at age 4. By the time they reach age 8, most kids can begin flossing for themselves.
• Begin using toothpaste to brush your child's teeth when he (or she) is 2 years old. Young children tend to swallow toothpaste when brushing, rather than spitting it out. Introduce fluoride toothpaste when your child is old enough not to swallow it. As soon as two teeth touch each other, floss between them once a day. You can use regular floss or special plastic floss holders.

Check back next week for more helpful tips on caring for your child’s teeth!  Call Dr. Yang today to schedule your child’s visit at Tooth Town at (561) 333-4568!

What are Dental Sealants and How Do I Know if My Child Needs Them?

A dental sealant creates a highly-effective barrier against decay. Sealants are thin plastic coatings applied to the chewing surfaces of a child's permanent back teeth, where most cavities form. Applying a sealant is not painful and can be performed in one dental visit!

Help prevent decay and schedule an appointment for your child with Dr. Yang today!  Call us at Tooth Town Pediatric Dentistry at (561) 333- 4568.  Don’t forget to tune in next week for more helpful tips on caring for your children’s teeth!

What is Fluoride and How Do I Know if My Child is Getting the Right Amount?

Fluoride is one of the best ways to help prevent against tooth decay. A naturally occurring mineral, fluoride combines with the tooth's enamel to strengthen it. In many municipal water supplies, the right amount of fluoride is added for proper tooth development. To find out whether your water contains fluoride, and how much, call your local water district. If your water supply does not contain any (or enough) fluoride, your child's pediatrician or dentist may suggest using fluoride drops or a mouth rinse in addition to a fluoride toothpaste.  Here at Toothtown Pediatric Dentistry, we do a fluoride treatment every time your child comes in for their cleaning to give your child the maximum protection against cavities!

Call Dr. Yang today at (561) 333-4568 today!

The average American consumes 22 grams of sugar per day, which is double the recommended daily amount. All of that sugar does considerable damage to tooth enamel and can lead to cavities and other oral issues. Some of the beverages we consume are surprisingly high in sugar. Below are some of the best – and worst – drinks for your teeth.

Drinks that Help Your Teeth

Water

Water – especially water with fluoride – helps strengthen and clean teeth. With every sip, water cleans your teeth by ridding them of any leftover foods or acids. It also washes away bacteria and sugars that can eventually lead to cavities. Water has zero calories, and helps restore the Ph balance in your mouth to fight unhealthy levels of acid.

Milk

Milk and other dairy products are rich in calcium, which strengthens bones and teeth. Milk also contains a protein called casein – a substance that helps fight tooth decay by strengthening tooth enamel. The calcium and phosphorous in milk also strengthen and repair tooth enamel that has dissolved due to acid.

Low Sugar Vegetable Juice

Vegetables are some of the healthiest foods you could possibly eat, so it makes sense then that vegetable juice would improve your oral health. When buying – or making – vegetable juice, make sure that you limit the percentage of fruit in the juice, since fruits are high in sugar. Typically, dark green vegetable juices are better for your teeth. Juice that has kale, or spinach contain healthy B vitamins that can help fight against gum disease. Leafy greens are also high in calcium, which boosts your enamel health.

If you want your vegetable juice to be a bit sweeter, look for juices containing small amounts of apple or carrots, as they are sweet and healthy in moderation.

Drinks that Hurt Your Teeth

Fruit Juices

Fruit juices are often chosen as an alternative to sugary sodas, but did you know that some juices have as much sugar as the leading colas? Apple juice has as much as 10 tsp. of sugar per serving, which is the exact amount as the leading brand cola. The sugar and citric acids in fruit juice can lead to tooth decay. If you must drink juice, you can lower the sugar by cutting it with water. Alternatively, you can look for low sugar juice options as well.

Sports Drinks

Sports drinks can also contain more sugar than leading cola beverages, with as much as 19 grams of sugar per serving. Additionally, sports drinks contain an unhealthy amount of sodium (salt) which can be as much as a bag of potato chips per bottle. Sports drinks can eat away at tooth enamel, and can contain very unhealthy amounts of calories.

Colas

The gold standard of “terrible for teeth” are soft drinks. Sodas are awful for teeth because they are high in two of the worst things for teeth: sugar and acid. There are some sodas that contain more than the total recommended amount of daily sugar in one 20 oz. bottle! The high sugar and acid content can eat away the enamel that protects your teeth, and can lead to cavities. Consuming too much soda can cause irreparable harm to your body in the form of diabetes and other diseases. Your best bet is to stay away from sodas all together to avoid exposing your teeth to unhealthy levels of sugar and acid.

How to Help Reduce Negative Effects

If your child does drink sugary beverages, then they can help curb some of the negative effects by swishing water around in their mouth once they’re finished. Additionally, they should brush their teeth twice per day for two minutes at a time and floss once per day to remove debris between their teeth.

Visit Our Office

If you are worried that your child is drinking too much soda, or if they are beginning to complain of sensitive teeth that may be related to consuming too many sugary drinks, then visit our office. We will evaluate your child’s smile and determine a treatment plan that’s best.

Has your child ever come to you with bleeding gums? If so, there are a number causes that could be the culprit, but the one to watch out for is gum disease. Below, we discuss some common causes of bleeding gums, and when it’s time for your child to visit the dentist.

New Toothbrush

A new toothbrush with firm bristles can sometimes cause gums bleed. If you just bought your child a new toothbrush, check the bristles to see how firm they are, or look on the package to see what types of bristles it has. You should always buy toothbrushes with soft bristles, which clean as well as firm bristles, and are much easier on gums and teeth. Additionally, make sure your child isn’t brushing their teeth with too much pressure, which can also cause bleeding and damage sensitive gums.

Medications

Certain medications can cause gums to become inflamed and extra sensitive, which can make them more susceptible to bleeding. If your child has just started a new regiment of medications, then they might be the culprit. Make sure they stick to their medication routine, but have them be gentler when they brush so that they don’t irritate their sensitive gums.

New Flossing Routine

If your child has just started flossing, then they will most likely experience some minor bleeding. This is because deep crevices in the gums are incredibly sensitive and are easily agitated when someone begins a new flossing routine. Bleeding gums caused by flossing usually subsides in about a week. Visit our office If your child is experiencing bleeding gums for more than one week after beginning flossing, since this may indicate a more serious problem that requires treatment.

Gum Disease

If your child has gums that bleed easily, or that are red, swollen and tender, then they may have gum disease. Gum disease can be caused by a number of factors, but it is most commonly associated with poor oral hygiene. Also called periodontal disease, gum disease is also caused by excessive plaque buildup. The best to keep gum disease away from your child is a good oral health routine. Make sure that they are brushing twice daily for two minutes at a time and that they floss once per day.

Visit Our Office

If your child has bleeding gums that last more than one week then visit our office so that we can prescribe a proper treatment plan. Gums that bleed for more than a week often indicate some form of gum disease that needs to be treated by a pediatric dentist. Visit our office today to help your child get healthier gums, and a smile that they’re proud to share.

Oftentimes, we are so focused on having healthy teeth that we lose sight of our gum health. However, your gums are imperative to your oral health, and also play a larger role in the overall health of your body. In toddlers, healthy gums can help prevent the pain caused by teething and bacteria buildup. Great gum care can also give your child a head start on having healthy baby teeth. So, how can we ensure that our children’s gums stay clean?

1 – Keep their mouth debris-free

Toddler food is designed so that it can be eaten without teeth, making it mushy and sometimes sticky. It’s important to keep your toddler’s mouth free of any leftover food, which helps to prevent bacteria build-up and mouth soreness. To do this, simply wrap a sanitary gauze around your forefinger and dip it in clean water. Gently wipe your child’s gums clean of any leftover food. It’s good to this after each meal so that no food stays in their mouth past meal time. You can also do this around bath time with a clean wash cloth.

2 – Avoid the bedtime baby bottle

Parents often send their children to bed with a bottle. While this may be a great comfort for your toddler, it can be very destructive for their gums and developing teeth. When left in your children’s mouth, sugar from breast milk, formula and milk can lead to infection and pain. Try to establish a bedtime routine that doesn’t involve a baby bottle. If your child is insistent upon a bedtime bottle, fill it up with water, which improves their overall health and has no negative oral side effects.

3 – Keep a Clean Pacifier

Toddlers love the comfort of a pacifier, but parents should make sure that it stays clean. The proper way to sanitize a pacifier is by boiling it for a couple of minutes, or by running it through the dishwasher. For minor cleanups, simply rinse it with warm water for a few seconds. Avoid using your own mouth to clean your child’s pacifier, since you can transmit your own oral germs into your child’s mouth. Also, try to resist dipping their pacifier in anything sweet such as sugar, juice or formula to prevent unhealthy sugar buildup.

4 – Ease into brushing

Begin brushing your children’s teeth as soon as they emerge. Since they don’t understand the importance of spitting out toothpaste, make sure that you use unfluoridated toothpaste. With toddlers, only use a smear of toothpaste – about the size of a grain of rice – to brush their teeth.

5 – Begin flossing

You may think that flossing is only for those with a mouth full of teeth, but we recommend that you begin flossing your children’s teeth as soon as they have more than one tooth in a row. We suggest using flat, wide dental tape, which is ideal for the large spaces in children’s teeth.

6 – Establish a Dental Home Early

Get a head start on healthy gums by introducing your child to our practice as soon as their first tooth emerges, which is sometime before their first birthday. We like to make the first meeting an informal tour to ensure that both you and your child are comfortable with our office and our team. We think it’s important that children have a good association with their dentist, which is why our first meeting will be lighthearted and fun, and without any dental procedure.

Maintaining healthy gums can prevent heart disease and cavities, and also lowers the likelihood of contracting an infection. It’s never too late to begin taking care of your child’s gums, and with these guidelines, your child will have a great head start on having a healthy smile!