Family Dentistry

Dental hygiene and exams

An important part of your oral health is having regular exams and cleanings. During a dental exam, the dentist or hygienist will check for cavities and gum disease and thoroughly clean your teeth.

X-rays and CT scans

In addition to your cleaning and exam, we may also take imaging of your mouth using x-rays or computed tomography (CT) scans. X-rays are done in order to detect decay between teeth, changes in the thickness of the bone caused by gum disease, look for possible tumors and check for the breakdown of dental fillings. CT scans are more often used to help guide tooth implant placement, look for problems in the gums, roots of teeth or jaw and look for potential cysts and tumors.

Oral cancer screenings

One of our most important jobs as your oral health provider is to perform regular oral cancer screenings to ensure early detection and the best chance for survival and recovery. Because you generally only see your regular doctor when a problem comes up, your dentist is in a unique position – inside your mouth – to screen you for oral cancer on a regular, twice-yearly basis. Some of the things we look for and things you should be on the lookout for at home include (can occur anywhere inside the mouth including the lips, cheeks, tongue, gums, and throat):

Sores, swelling, lumps or thick patches
Red or white lesions
Feeling of a lump or something stuck in the throat
Numbness, pain or tenderness
Pain in the ear without loss of hearing
Trouble moving jaw or tongue, swallowing or speaking
Loose teeth with no apparent dental problem
Lingering sore throat or hoarseness

Oral cancer is unfortunately on the rise in the United States – one American dies every hour. There are certain lifestyle habits and risk factors that put you at a higher risk for developing oral cancer, although 25% of oral cancer patients have no risk factors. These risk factors can include:

Men are 2x more likely to develop oral cancer
Smoking or chewing tobacco
Alcohol use
HPV
Age
Poor diet
Sun exposure

Brushing

Starting at birth, clean your child’s gums with a soft cloth and water.
As soon as your child’s teeth erupt, brush them with a soft-bristled toothbrush.
If they are under the age of 2, use a small “smear” of toothpaste.
If they’re 2-5 years old, use a “pea-size” amount of toothpaste.
Be sure and use an ADA-accepted fluoride toothpaste and make sure your child does not swallow it.
When brushing, the parent should brush the child’s teeth until they are old enough to do a good job on their own.

Flossing

Flossing removes plaque between teeth and under the gumline where a toothbrush can’t reach.
Flossing should begin when any two teeth touch.
Be sure and floss your child’s teeth daily until he or she can do it alone.

Diet

Healthy eating habits lead to healthy teeth. Like the rest of the body, the teeth, bones and the soft tissues of the mouth need a well-balanced diet. Children should eat a variety of foods from the five major food groups. Most snacks that children eat can lead to cavity formation. The more frequently a child snacks, the greater the chance for tooth decay. How long food remains in the mouth also plays a role. For example, hard candy and breath mints stay in the mouth for a long time, which causes longer acid attacks on tooth enamel. If your child must snack, choose nutritious foods such as vegetables, low-fat yogurt, and low-fat cheese, which are healthier and better for children’s teeth.

Preventing Cavities

Good oral hygiene removes bacteria and the leftover food particles that combine to create cavities. For infants, use a wet gauze or clean washcloth to wipe the plaque from teeth and gums. Avoid putting your child to bed with a bottle filled with anything other than water.

For older children, brush their teeth at least twice a day. Also, watch the number of snacks containing sugar that you give your children.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends visits every six months to the pediatric dentist, beginning at your child’s first birthday. Routine visits will start your child on a lifetime of good dental health.

Your pediatric dentist may also recommend protective sealants or home fluoride treatments for your child. Sealants can be applied to your child’s molars to prevent decay on hard to clean surfaces.

Seal Out Decay

A sealant is a protective coating that is applied to the chewing surfaces (grooves) of the back teeth (premolars and molars), where four out of five cavities in children are found. This sealant acts as a barrier to food, plaque, and acid, thus protecting the decay-prone areas of the teeth.

Fluoride

Fluoride is an element, which has been shown to be beneficial to teeth. However, too little or too much fluoride can be detrimental to the teeth. Little or no fluoride will not strengthen the teeth to help them resist cavities. Excessive fluoride ingestion by preschool-aged children can lead to dental fluorosis, which is a chalky white to brown discoloration of the permanent teeth. Many children often get more fluoride than their parents realize. Being aware of a child’s potential sources of fluoride can help parents prevent the possibility of dental fluorosis.

Some of these sources are:

Too much fluoridated toothpaste at an early age.
The inappropriate use of fluoride supplements.
Hidden sources of fluoride in the child’s diet.

Two and three-year-olds may not be able to expectorate (spit out) fluoride-containing toothpaste when brushing. As a result, these youngsters may ingest an excessive amount of fluoride during tooth brushing. Toothpaste ingestion during this critical period of permanent tooth development is the greatest risk factor in the development of fluorosis.

Excessive and inappropriate intake of fluoride supplements may also contribute to fluorosis. Fluoride drops and tablets, as well as fluoride fortified vitamins, should not be given to infants younger than six months of age. After that time, fluoride supplements should only be given to children after all of the sources of ingested fluoride have been accounted for and upon the recommendation of your pediatrician or pediatric dentist.

Certain foods contain high levels of fluoride, especially powdered concentrate infant formula, soy-based infant formula, infant dry cereals, creamed spinach, and infant chicken products. Please read the label or contact the manufacturer. Some beverages also contain high levels of fluoride, especially decaffeinated teas, white grape juices, and juice drinks manufactured in fluoridated cities.

Parents can take the following steps to decrease the risk of fluorosis in their children’s teeth:

Use baby tooth cleanser on the toothbrush of the very young child.
Place only a pea-sized drop of children’s toothpaste on the brush when brushing.
Account for all of the sources of ingested fluoride before requesting fluoride supplements from your child’s physician or pediatric dentist.
Avoid giving any fluoride-containing supplements to infants until they are at least 6 months old.
Obtain fluoride level test results for your drinking water before giving fluoride supplements to your child (check with local water utilities).

Dental Emergencies

Toothache: Clean the area of the affected tooth. Rinse the mouth thoroughly with warm water or use dental floss to dislodge any food that may be impacted. If the pain still exists, contact your child’s dentist. Do not place aspirin or heat on the gum or on the aching tooth. If the face is swollen, apply cold compresses and contact your dentist immediately.
Cut or Bitten Tongue, Lip or Cheek: Apply ice to injured areas to help control swelling. If there is bleeding, apply firm but gentle pressure with a gauze or cloth. If bleeding cannot be controlled by simple pressure, call a doctor or visit the hospital emergency room.
Knocked Out Permanent Tooth: If possible, find the tooth. Handle it by the crown, not by the root. You may rinse the tooth with water only. DO NOT clean with soap, scrub or handle the tooth unnecessarily. Inspect the tooth for fractures. If it is sound, try to reinsert it in the socket. Have the patient hold the tooth in place by biting on a gauze or clean cloth. If you cannot reinsert the tooth, transport the tooth in a cup containing the patient’s saliva or milk, NOT water. If the patient is old enough, the tooth may also be carried in the patient’s mouth (beside the cheek). The patient must see a dentist IMMEDIATELY! Time is a critical factor in saving the tooth.
Knocked-Out Baby Tooth: Contact your pediatric dentist. Unlike with a permanent tooth, the baby tooth should not be replanted due to possible damage to the developing permanent tooth. In most cases, no treatment is necessary.
Chipped or Fractured Permanent Tooth: Contact your pediatric dentist immediately. Quick action can save the tooth, prevent infection and reduce the need for extensive dental treatment. Rinse the mouth with water and apply cold compresses to reduce swelling. If possible, locate and save any broken tooth fragments and bring them with you to the dentist.
Chipped or Fractured Baby Tooth: Contact your pediatric dentist.
Severe Blow to the Head: Take your child to the nearest hospital emergency room immediately.
Possible Broken or Fractured Jaw: Keep the jaw from moving and take your child to the nearest hospital emergency room.

Xylitol – Reducing Cavities

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recognizes the benefits of xylitol on the oral health of infants, children, adolescents, and persons with special health care needs.

The use of XYLITOL GUM by mothers (2-3 times per day) starting 3 months after delivery and until the child was 2 years old, has proven to reduce cavities up to 70% by the time the child was 5 years old.

Studies using xylitol as either a sugar substitute or a small dietary addition have demonstrated a dramatic reduction in new tooth decay, along with some reversal of existing dental caries. Xylitol provides additional protection that enhances all existing prevention methods. This xylitol effect is long-lasting and possibly permanent. Low decay rates persist even years after the trials have been completed.

Xylitol is widely distributed throughout nature in small amounts. Some of the best sources are fruits, berries, mushrooms, lettuce, hardwoods, and corn cobs. One cup of raspberries contains less than one gram of xylitol.

Studies suggest xylitol intake that consistently produces positive results ranged from 4-20 grams per day, divided into 3-7 consumption periods. Higher results did not result in greater reduction and may lead to diminishing results. Similarly, the consumption frequency of fewer than 3 times per day showed no effect.

To find gum or other products containing xylitol, try visiting your local health food store or search the Internet to find products containing 100% xylitol.

Sports Drinks

Due to the high sugar content and acids in sports drinks, they have erosive potential and the ability to dissolve even fluoride-rich enamel, which can lead to cavities.

To minimize dental problems, children should avoid sports drinks and hydrate with water before, during and after sports. Be sure to talk to your pediatric dentist before using sports drinks.

If sports drinks are consumed:

reduce the frequency and contact time
swallow immediately and do not swish them around the mouth
neutralize the effect of sports drinks by alternating sips of water with the drink
rinse mouth guards only in water
seek out low sugar, dental-friendly sports drinks