Mouth Ulcers and Your Child

Mouth Ulcers and Your Child

Seeing an ulcer in your child’s mouth can be disconcerting, especially if the sore causes pain. A relatively common condition, mouth ulcers in children typically are either canker sores, cold sores (caused by the herpes simplex virus) or hand-foot-mouth (HFM) disease (caused by the Coxsackie A-16 virus). The first step in helping your child deal with mouth ulcers is diagnosing the underlying cause.

Canker sores—one to three small, white ulcers that usually pop up on the inside of cheeks and lips, as well as on the tongue and gums—are the most common mouth ulcers in general but are rare in children under the age of 10. There’s evidence that heredity might play a role in the development of canker sores. Other culprits are vitamin deficiencies, stress and food sensitivities. While canker sores can last up to two weeks, they aren’t contagious. There’s not much anyone can do about them other than trying home remedies.

If your child is prone to canker sores, you can try to reduce outbreaks by avoiding abrasive, salty, spicy or acidic foods; choosing dental products without sodium lauryl sulfate, a chemical that has been linked to canker sores; and brushing with a soft-bristled brush to minimize trauma to the mouth. If canker sores become a chronic problem, we may also recommend testing for food allergies or vitamin deficiencies.

If your child suddenly develops numerous mouth ulcers accompanied by fever, it might be cold sores or HFM disease. Since these viral conditions are contagious, call your pediatrician if you suspect your child has one or the other.

As long as no underlying health issue needs to be addressed, caring for a child with mouth ulcers is all about comfort. Ask us about home treatments like baking soda salves, as well as over-the-counter analgesics for pain. Offer a soft diet, and make sure your child stays hydrated. And, as always, if you have any questions or concerns, or if you think your child’s ulcers might be related to a dental problem, don’t hesitate to call us and schedule an appointment at KiDDS Dental.

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

Mouth Breathing: Why It Matters

Mouth Breathing: Why It Matters

Let’s say your child has a stuffy nose for a few days and you notice that, understandably enough, he or she is breathing mostly through the mouth rather than through the nostrils. No long-term harm will result from that temporary change.

But if a child breathes through the mouth as a matter of course, week in and week out, cold or no cold, that is a cause for significant concern.

Here’s why. If left untreated, chronic mouth breathing can cause

• abnormally elongated facial development
• crowded, crooked permanent teeth that are prone to decay
• a “gummy” smile (gums more prominent than in the average smile)
• frequent upper respiratory infections
• poor school performance due to sleep deprivation caused by snoring or apnea
• possible erroneous diagnosis of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)
• bad breath, chronically chapped lips and abnormally fibrous gums

Mouth breathing almost always has a physiological cause rather than being a “habit.” The most common causes include chronic nasal obstruction, enlarged adenoids and/or tonsils, and allergies. If the underlying cause can be successfully treated, the mouth breathing will likely subside, with no or few permanent effects. If still breathing through the mouth by age 7, your child should see an orthodontist, who may recommend palate expansion to correct misaligned teeth and abnormal facial development. We will help your child by working in conjunction with your other medical professionals, including an ear, nose and throat doctor, an allergist and, of course, an orthodontist.

If you are not sure whether your child is a mouth breather, look for these signs:

• frequently has his or her mouth open at rest, especially while sleeping
• dark circles under the eyes
• subtle changes in facial shape
• tends to be more tired and listless than others the same age

When in doubt, err on the side of caution. Bring your concerns to Dr. Jared and to your pediatrician. Make appointments at KiDDS Dental for evaluations and get your questions answered. Sadly, mouth breathing is often underreported and undertreated. But diligent observation and action can keep your child from suffering any long-term effects from mouth breathing.

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

More Calcium Equals Better Dental Health

More Calcium Equals Better Dental Health

Good nutrition is an important component of good oral health. We all know that children should avoid sugary snacks, especially soda and candy that stick to the teeth. Calcium consumption may play a significant role in maintaining your child’s healthy smile. In addition to milk, there are several other foods that will add calcium to your child’s diet.

Most of us were told as children that milk helps to build strong bones. That is true—and it builds strong teeth as well. Milk is one of our primary sources of calcium, and while milk does contain lactose, a form of sugar, lactose is one of the least-damaging sugars to teeth. Experts routinely recommend that milk and water be the only drinks offered to children between meals.

However, there is an important caveat here: While milk may be good for your child’s teeth during the day, it can be detrimental at night. Letting your toddler go to sleep with a bottle of milk encourages prolonged exposure to the sugars in the milk and can actually cause decay.

But milk is not the only good source of calcium. Consider adding the following to your child’s diet:

• Yogurt contains calcium and the added benefit of probiotics, encouraging the growth of “good” bacteria in your child’s mouth and digestive tract. Check the ingredients on the yogurt you purchase, however, and make sure it does not contain large amounts of sugar.
• Cheese, too, has added benefits. Many studies have found that cheese stimulates the flow of saliva in the mouth, which washes away decay-causing food particles and lowers the level of acid in the mouth. Consider adding cheddar, Swiss, Monterey Jack or another cheese to your child’s meals or as a snack.
• Dark, leafy greens such as kale, collard greens and spinach are also good sources of calcium. While children may not get excited about eating green vegetables, include them in your meals when your children are young, and they are more likely to become fans.

When you encourage healthy eating early on, your child will develop good habits that last a lifetime. For more tips on encouraging a healthy diet, call us for an appointment with Dr. Jared or ask us at your child’s next checkup at KiDDS Dental. We are always happy to discuss foods that can help keep your child’s teeth healthy for years to come.

Mind the Gap: Dealing with Prematurely Lost Baby Teeth

Mind the Gap: Dealing with Prematurely Lost Baby Teeth

People get two sets of teeth, their primary teeth and their permanent teeth. Losing baby teeth is a normal, healthy part of life. As children grow, their baby teeth fall out to make room for the larger adult teeth that should last them for the rest of their lives. But some children might lose them too soon, usually from cavities or accidents. For others, not all their baby teeth grow in normally. If this should happen to your child, we may recommend a space maintainer.

Without a space maintainer, the premature loss of a tooth could lead to problems when the permanent teeth grow in. The baby teeth on either side of the gap can move closer together as your child grows, which can cause the adult teeth to grow in either crooked or crowded and, perhaps, make it more difficult to chew and speak.

Space maintainers are generally made out of either metal or plastic. There are two common types of space maintainers:

• a fixed maintainer that will generally be cemented in place between two other teeth. Often this will be in the form of a wire loop that simulates the continued presence of the missing tooth. In other cases, it will take the form of a temporary crown.
• a removable space maintainer that is created from a mold of your child’s mouth. It looks something like a retainer.

It is important for children with a space maintainer to take extra-special care of their teeth. Poor oral hygiene can cause the gums to swell up over the wire in a fixed maintainer, which can cause infection. Young children are also prone to playing with their space maintainers, which can cause the maintainers to end up misshapen and less effective.

If your child has a space maintainer, you must bring him or her in for follow-up appointments at KiDDS Dental at least every six months. That way we can ensure that the space maintainer is still in place, shaped properly and doing its job.

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

Make Toothbrushing Fun for Your Child

Make Toothbrushing Fun for Your Child

Getting your children to brush their teeth can be a lot like, well, pulling teeth, and it is a challenge many parents list among their greatest difficulties. But getting children to brush—and do it correctly—may require a change of perspective. Dentists have spent decades helping children view taking care of their teeth not as a chore to be dreaded but as a game to be enjoyed. Here are a few of their techniques you might want to try with your children.

Musical molars: Brushing the teeth requires a certain amount of time. Most electronic toothbrushes have built-in timers to make sure that at least two minutes are spent brushing teeth. But what if, instead of counting up to two minutes, you used music to pass the time? Pick a favorite children’s song at least two minutes long. Challenge your child to thoroughly brush each tooth before the song ends. If he or she manages to brush every tooth with time left, challenge the child to brush each tooth twice! Remember to monitor the toothbrushing. They cannot win the game if they don’t brush each tooth thoroughly or if they neglect their gum lines!

Harry Potter and the Plaque of Peril: Why not take advantage of your child’s love of make-believe? Turn toothbrushing time into a story featuring their favorite characters. Perhaps you could say that Lord Voldemort (of Harry Potter fame) put plaque on the teeth to help the Death Eaters control your child’s mind and that he or she must brush that plaque away before it becomes dangerous. For children who are easily scared, use a less-threatening villain.

ChoreMonster: An app for iOS, Android and Windows smartphones and tablets called “ChoreMonster” creates a reward structure for children who complete their chores. You set a schedule for how often a task needs to be completed, and assign from 5 to 5,000 points for completing it. When a certain point level is reached, the child can choose an appropriate reward that you have created. Many parents find that using the app helps motivate their offspring to become more disciplined about their personal responsibilities. Why not add toothbrushing to the to-do list?

Seasoned parents know that the best way to turn a child off from toothbrushing is to make it a struggle. We have many other easy tips and tricks to get children to brush their teeth in our oral care toolbox. Let us know if you need additional suggestions at your child’s next visit to KiDDS Dental.

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

Maintaining Good Dental Health: Easier Than You Think

Maintaining Good Dental Health: Easier Than You Think

Dentists use all sorts of weird, complicated-looking equipment during treatment. Keeping your child’s teeth and gums as clean as they are after an office visit would probably take as much time, work, education and expense as dentists have to go through when starting their practices, right? Wrong. Maintaining your child’s oral health is much easier and less complicated than you might think.

You don’t need any special training, tools or degrees to manage the health of your child’s mouth. Here are a few easy ways to maintain your child’s oral health.

• Set a routine: Most children’s lives are a series of routines. Once they learn them, they stick to them. If you make brushing and flossing a part of their daily schedule, over time they won’t even notice that they are doing it. It will become just another form of muscle memory.
• Use fluoride products: Easily available mouthwashes help keep your children’s teeth and gums clean and their breath fresh. A brief rinse every morning before they leave the house will not only help your children’s oral health but also make them much more pleasant to talk with.
• Watch what your children eat: Managing their sugar and carbohydrate intake is not just good for their oral health but it is beneficial for their health in general. A well-balanced diet helps their teeth and the rest of their body.
• Make sure your children pay attention to their own mouths: You don’t need to know as much as a dentist to recognize when something is wrong. Ask your child if something in his or her mouth feels uncomfortable, swollen, itchy or painful—then tell us during the next appointment. We’ll figure out what’s wrong and know how to fix it.
• Schedule regular cleanings and checkups: Don’t wait until your child’s mouth is in terrible shape to see the dentist. Bring your child to see Dr. Jared at least twice a year—more often if necessary.

If you follow these easy steps, taking care of your children’s teeth will become second nature in no time.

Call to schedule an appointment today at KiDDS Dental. (509)-891-7070.

Contest: Let the KiDDS Team Stuff Your Stocking!

Contest Rules:

By entering this promotion, participant agrees to a complete release of Facebook from any or all liability in connection with this contest. It is also acknowledgment that the contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. No purchase is necessary to enter or win.

How to enter: Entries consist of following the directions (comment, "like," etc.) given in the official promotion posts on the KiDDS Dental Facebook page between December 2, 2019 at 9:00 AM and December 16, 2019 at 5:00 PM. One entry per promotion post per Facebook user is allowed. Multiple entries per promotion post will be disqualified.

Drawings:
For first choice of prize: One random prize drawing will be held on or about December 17, 2019.  The winner will receive their choice of the two prize stockings. This prize is valued at $100. Cash cannot be awarded in lieu of prize. Prize is not transferable. The winner is solely responsible for reporting and paying applicable state and federal taxes.
 
For remaining prize: One random prize drawing will be held on or about December 17, 2019.  The winner will receive the remaining stockings. This prize is valued at $100. Cash cannot be awarded in lieu of prize. Prize is not transferable. The winner is solely responsible for reporting and paying applicable state and federal taxes. 
 
If a winner is disqualified or if a prize is unclaimed, KiDDS Dental reserves the right to conduct another drawing to determine an alternate winner or to not award that winner's prize, at its sole discretion.

Odds: Actual odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries.

Eligibility: Legal residents of the United States are eligible to participate and win. Any person under the age of 18 must have a parent's or legal guardian's permission to participate and/or win.  Must be 13 years or older to enter. Employees of KiDDS Dental and their immediate families (spouse, parents, siblings, children, in-laws) are not eligible to enter. Winners must be available to pick up prize at KiDDS Dental in Liberty Lake, WA by December 23, 2019 at 4:00 PM.

Decisions: By entering into the promotion, entrants and their parents or guardians (if the entrant is under the age of 18) agree to abide by and be bound by these official rules, and to accept the decision of KiDDS Dental as final.  Entrants and their parents or guardians (if entrant is under the age of 18) also agree to hold KiDDS Dental harmless from any liability arising from participation in this promotion. KiDDS Dental is not responsible for entries not received because of technical difficulties. KiDDS Dental reserves the right to disqualify any participant to a person who fails to follow these official rules or uses fraudulent means in participating. If for any reason this promotion is not able to be conducted as planned, KiDDS Dental reserves the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend this promotion and randomly draw from the entries received up to the cancellation/suspension date.

Liability Release: By participating, each participant and winner waives any and all claims against KiDDS Dental their employees and agents for any personal loss of any kind which may occur from the participation in the promotion.

Publicity: Each winner (and such winner's parent or guardian if any winner is under the age of 18) agrees to permit KiDDS Dental to use his/her name and likeness in promotional and other KiDDS Dental materials, without additional compensation or permission, except where prohibited by law.

This promotion is void where prohibited.

By entering the contest, entrants grant KiDDS Dental license to display, distribute, reproduce contest entries. Winners must sign a media release and will be responsible for paying any taxes they may owe on a prize.