Remove Plaque and Reduce Pneumonia Risk

Remove Plaque and Reduce Pneumonia Risk

Practicing good oral hygiene is essential to preventing tooth decay, gum disease and other dental problems. But did you know that proper oral care can also benefit your child’s overall health?

Recent research has linked dental hygiene to many respiratory conditions, particularly pneumonia, which, along with influenza, is the eighth leading cause of death in the United States.

Pneumonia is commonly triggered by a viral or bacterial infection. Viral pneumonia usually heals on its own, while the bacterial form can be treated by antibiotics. However, the disease has become more resistant to antibiotics over time, so taking steps to help your child avoid it is wise.

The connection between dental hygiene and pneumonia lies in the fight against bacteria. Oral hygiene aims to prevent and remove plaque from teeth. Plaque is a sticky substance that forms on teeth through the eating and chewing processes and encourages the growth of bacteria.

If plaque is not removed from teeth, the bacteria thrive and can lead to tooth decay, gum disease and eventual tooth loss. Decay-causing bacteria can also contribute to other illnesses, particularly respiratory diseases, such as pneumonia.

To prevent and fight plaque build-up,

• have your child brush his or her teeth at least twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, floss daily and use an antibacterial mouth rinse each day
• bring your child to our office for regular checkups and cleanings
• encourage your child to eat a healthy diet
• limit your child’s intake of sugary foods and drinks, because these encourage the growth of plaque and bacteria

These basic preventive measures can help your child maintain good oral health, while also strengthening his or her resistance to other bacteria-caused illnesses. Keep in mind that if your child already suffers from asthma or another chronic respiratory condition, he or she may be particularly vulnerable to pneumonia.

Good dental care is a simple, cost-effective and proven way to defend your child’s oral health and general well-being. Make an appointment at KiDDS Dental so we can review these measures with you and your child.

Click here to schedule an appointment with Dr. Jared. Or give us a call at (509)-891-7070.

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!  

Putting Your Child’s Tongue Back Where It Belongs

Putting Your Child’s Tongue Back Where It Belongs

Does your child always have his or her mouth slightly open? Are your child’s lips dry or cracked from excessive licking? These are signs of tongue thrust, a common childhood condition that involves inappropriate placement of the tongue when swallowing or at rest. Tongue thrust can cause speech issues as well as dental problems.

Children with this condition tend to thrust their tongues forward against the lips when swallowing. This motion puts pressure on the front teeth—around four pounds with each swallow—which can eventually cause an overbite, or protruding or misaligned teeth.

Experts believe that between 67% and 95% of children ages 5 through 8 years have tongue thrust, yet the condition usually goes unnoticed until a dental or speech problem arises. While some blame heredity, a larger-than-average tongue or such habits as thumb-sucking might contribute to tongue thrusting, no one knows what causes tongue thrust. We may notice signs of the condition and bring it to your attention, but you can also ask Dr. Jared to check for tongue thrust if you suspect it may be present in your child.

Depending on your child’s age and whether other structural issues are at play, treatment for tongue thrust typically involves oral habit training. A speech therapist works with your child to correct the swallowing pattern and retrain the muscles in the jaw and mouth to work properly. We may also recommend that a special appliance be put in your child’s mouth to help correct the tongue’s position.

While it isn’t a serious health problem, tongue thrust can wreak havoc on your child’s bite and jaw alignment. Unfortunately, the most difficult problem is the diagnosis; usually, your child’s pediatric dentist or pediatrician can detect the problem. Tongue thrust is a major contributor to the need for further dental work. If left untreated, tongue thrusters can essentially “undo” the process of wearing braces by pushing newly straightened teeth out of alignment.

The sooner tongue thrust is diagnosed, the easier it will be to fix, avoiding future dental problems. If you suspect your child might have tongue thrust, bring it up at his or her next dental checkup at KiDDS Dental along with any questions you might have.

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

Preventing Preschool Caries

Preventing Preschool Caries

It’s an unfortunate combination in young children: trends toward too much sugar (even from “healthy” carbs like whole-wheat crackers) and too little toothbrushing (allowed by parents who don’t want to force their toddlers to do something they don’t enjoy), along with some nasty bacteria called mutans streptococcus. The result is a significant rise in dental caries—the infection commonly known as “cavities”—in American preschoolers. Four million preschoolers, in fact—40% of children age 2 to 5—have at least one cavity, up from about 3.4 million a decade ago.

Genetics plays a role in caries susceptibility; a child of parents who had multiple cavities in youth will be more likely to suffer as well. Still, severe caries is not inevitable even then. Because the bacteria thrive where sugar is present, creating acid that leaches calcium from teeth and weakens their structure, dental-health vigilance to eliminate sugar on tooth surfaces becomes even more important.

Of course, parents should try to keep the teeth of any preschooler as strong and sugar-free as possible. Here’s how:

• Keep the consumption of sugar—and foods that turn to sugar, like breads—to a minimum. Gobbling a big candy bar in 10 minutes, then brushing—while not a good daily habit for a small tummy—is better for a preschooler’s teeth than nibbling on tiny crackers or sipping fruit juice off and (mostly) on all day long. Sugar stays on the teeth, and the bacteria feast.
• Have your child brush at least twice daily to physically remove sugars from tooth surfaces.
• Supply fluoride, as prescribed by us or your child’s doctor, especially if your preschooler drinks mostly unfluoridated water. Fluoride strengthens tooth structure.
• Ask us about giving your child lollipops flavored with xylitol, which can kill cavity-causing bacteria.

Multiple cavities in a frightened preschooler are challenging to treat. Some dentists turn to general anesthesia—which has its own risks—to more easily treat all the teeth at once. It’s far preferable to try to prevent caries in the first place, even if a nightly tiff with Tiffany at teeth-brushing time is the result.

And don’t forget to bring your child to KiDDS Dental for a dental check-up several times a year. That way, we can assess your child’s oral health and suggest ways to prevent preschool cavities.

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

Pacifier or Finger or Thumb: Does It Matter?

Pacifier or Finger or Thumb: Does It Matter?

Whether it’s a finger, thumb or pacifier, the comfort object your baby sucks allows him or her to self-soothe and even learn about the world in some basic ways. In fact, babies even suck their thumbs or fingers before birth. After birth, most babies who enjoy sucking between feedings demonstrate a preference for pacifier or thumb or finger. In terms of dental development, all three affect (or don’t affect) oral structures equally.

If you’re worried about your child’s sucking habit, remember―your child won’t leave for college with a pacifier in his or her mouth. Ideally, children stop their sucking habit—on their own or with help—by the time the permanent teeth begin emerging, usually around age 6. Some experts believe that the practice should be addressed when a child is 3 years old; others suggest age 4 or even 5.

Knowing that the habit will have to stop—or be stopped—someday, some parents think (logically): It’s easier to rid a home of pacifiers than it is to rid a child of his or her fingers and thumbs, so they try to steer their sucking infant toward pacifiers from the beginning. They figure that will leave their children without options when it’s time to quit, having long ago dismissed the possibility of their fingers or thumbs as an attractive replacement.

Other pros and cons? Both pacifiers and hands can be full of germs, and those organisms can end up in your child’s mouth. But both pacifiers and hands can be washed as often as necessary. Pacifier use may lower the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS); it may, however, increase the risk of ear infections.

Again, as long as the practice stops before the permanent teeth start coming in, sucking habits will most likely have no effect on your child’s teeth, mouth or jaw. If your preschooler is old enough to begin to comprehend consequences, though, all of us can talk together at your next visit to KiDDS Dental about why giving up the pacifier, thumb or finger as soon as possible would be a good idea.

Call us to schedule an appointment today!  509-891-7070.