Pacifiers, Thumbs and Your Baby’s Teeth

Pacifiers, Thumbs and Your Baby’s Teeth

Are you concerned when your child sucks his or her thumb or cries for a pacifier? Sucking on fingers and other objects is a perfectly normal habit that provides babies with a sense of security and a way to learn about the world. However, when continued for too long, thumb- or pacifier-sucking can have a negative effect on the child’s dental health, particularly the alignment of the front teeth, as well as the formation of the jaw and the bones that support teeth.

Most babies outgrow the thumb or pacifier habit on their own, usually between the ages of 2 and 4, but some do not. Experts disagree about how long is too long to continue sucking and how early is too early to discourage it, because the action is a natural source of comfort to the child. Some believe that a child can safely suck a thumb or pacifier until school-age or when the permanent teeth start to come in at around age 6. Others argue that persistent sucking after age 2 poses a greater risk for developing protruding front teeth and a misaligned bite (the point at which the top and bottom teeth meet).

Sorting out these conflicting opinions can be confusing for parents, but we can help. Dr. Jared can monitor your child’s developing teeth and jaw and help you to determine whether an intervention is necessary to curtail your child’s habit.

We can also suggest ways to wean your child from sucking. A surprisingly successful tactic is to simply tell the child that his or her new teeth may not come in straight and then show your child photos of permanent teeth that did and did not form properly.

Also effective is a gradual withdrawal technique that limits sucking to certain times of the day, increasing the restricted periods until the habit is completely eliminated. Substituting a soft toy or another comfort object often helps.

These methods are likely to be more effective with children who use pacifiers. Limiting access to a pacifier is easier than restricting the use of a readily available thumb. If these tactics prove ineffective, we may recommend a mouth appliance that discourages thumb-sucking by interfering with the action.

If you have a child who is a persistent thumb- or pacifier-sucker, knowing when to intervene can be critical. We can provide the support and expertise you need to ease the weaning process and avoid trauma for your child.

Give us a call at 509-891-7070 to schedule today!

Reduce the Risk for Enamel Fluorosis

Reduce the Risk for Enamel Fluorosis

Parents are vigilant lest their baby develop any imperfection—especially one that could be avoided. For instance, parents would not want to feed their child with formula that would cause enamel fluorosis in permanent teeth.

Although the name sounds ominous, enamel fluorosis is most often nearly invisible to the naked eye and has no systematic effects. Enamel fluorosis is the excessive whitening of spots on the enamel of permanent teeth. The condition develops only while the teeth are still maturing, invisibly, below the gums, in children 8 years and younger. It’s caused by the intake of too much of the tooth-strengthening mineral fluoride.

When it occurs, enamel fluorosis is almost always mild, with the whitened spots visible almost exclusively to peering dental professionals. Occasionally, fluorosis spots are more visible; very rarely do they cause a potential cosmetic problem.

How would an infant take in excessive fluoride? Theoretically, by consuming too much highly fluoridated water, especially water to which more than 2 mg/liter of fluoride is added. Properly fluoridated water contains about 0.7 mg/liter of fluoride. Fluoridation, usually, is a good thing—it helps prevent tooth decay.

But, often, babies drink not only tap water in their bottles or sippy cups but also powdered or concentrated liquid formula that has been prepared with fluoridated water. The formula itself does not contribute to enamel fluorosis; it is the improperly fluoridated water with which it has been mixed.

If you’re concerned about your tap water, a potential source of enamel fluorosis, consider these choices:

• Breastfeed your child for at least the first six months of life.
• If and when you feed your child formula (after consultation with your child’s physician), choose either the ready-to-feed kind or mix the formula with low-fluoride bottled water, usually marked purified, distilled, demineralized or deionized. You can also alternate between fluoridated tap water and bottled water.
• Wipe your child’s gums with a soft cloth after he or she drinks formula—a good habit to develop, in any case.

If you don’t know how much fluoride is in your tap water, consult your local water utility—or ask Dr. Jared and his clinical team. We’ll have the answer or help you find it. Taking care of your child’s primary teeth can have a big payoff on the health of his or her permanent dentition.

If you have further questions regarding fluorosis, click here to schedule an appointment with Dr. Jared. Or give us a call at (509)-891-7070.

Protecting the Oral Health of Your Child with Autism

Protecting the Oral Health of Your Child with Autism

If there’s one word to remember when you and your child with autism navigate the world of oral hygiene, it’s “gradual.” Gradually have your child adjust to the first toothbrush, or to a new toothbrush, perhaps by just having it touch the lips at first. Practice the steps of toothbrushing in a favorite room, then gradually move the activity to the bathroom. Post a follow-along series of photos showing each step involved in toothbrushing. And gradually get your child used to the idea of visiting KiDDS Dental, even if the first visit just involves stopping at our front door.

Because the needs of children with autism have become better understood in recent years, we know more about strategies to maintain and improve their dental health. For instance, some children with autism respond very well to a time-oriented cue such as an hourglass, timer or clock; you can utilize such a tool to show how long brushing, or eventually brushing and flossing, should take. That sense of predictability can make the task much more palatable and make the child feel calmer when doing it. So can rewards for completion, whether in the form of verbal praise, stickers or another desired item.

To make your child’s experiences in our office as stress-free as possible, we will work with you to determine the best environment to provide. Will he or she want to watch a specific video? Have you remain in the room? Wear headphones to reduce outside noise or to listen to music? Or even wear a lead apron as a sensory tool to create a feeling of calm?

Dr. Jared and his clinical team very much want your child’s visits to be successful, so please be upfront with us about your child’s current situation. We may ask pre-examination questions that cover a range of topics, from progress in the classroom to how your child responds to haircuts. With honesty, creativity and a respect for your child’s limits, we can help make dental care visits less worrisome for everyone involved.

Call us to schedule an appointment today!  509-891-7070. We’d love to meet you and your family!