While there is a good chance that your toddler has been visiting her pediatrician regularly since the time that she was born, it is possible that she has not yet had her first visit to the dentist. There is no iron clad rule about when a toddler’s first visit to the dentist has to happen because each child’s teeth come in on their own unique schedule. A generally accepted timetable for a child’s first trip to the dentist is within six months of getting her first tooth, or by one year of age at the latest. There are many reasons … Continue reading →
The magical day has arrived… Happy Halloween to those who are dressing up and celebrating today! I’m taking a break from putting the finishing touches on my costume to give some thought to the Tooth Fairy. Why? Because that’s what I’m going to be for Halloween! For many people, teeth are a milestone. When are the baby teeth coming in? When are the baby teeth falling out, to be replaced by adult teeth? The change from infant to child to adolescent can be measured in our teeth. In the days when superstition was strong, teeth falling out could be bad … Continue reading →
There are different culprits for that little zing of pain in a tooth… and different types of pain can mean different things! Here’s a look at some common types of tooth sensitivity, and what they may mean for the health of your mouth. Sensitivity to cold — this is a common complaint and often indicates tooth decay or root exposure. Both these things can make cold a real pain in the mouth! After a dental treatment, teeth may temporarily be sensitive to cold, but the sensation should subside within a week. If it doesn’t go away (or gets worse), call … Continue reading →
Another candy joins the fight against bad teeth: those sweet, colorful Gummy Bears! As long as those Gummy Bears are sweetened with xylitol, that is. Xylitol is a naturally-occurring sugar alcohol that is often used as a sugar substitute. Studies have shown that xylitol can help reduce levels of a particular kind of bacteria (mutans streptococci) in plaque. You may have seen xylitol as an ingredient in sugar-free chewing gum! However, gum isn’t usually recommended for younger children — it’s all too easy for a young child to chew and swallow gum, rather than just chew it. A study from … Continue reading →
Dry mouth can be a situational problem — like getting nervous before making a speech — or a chronic problem. Chronic dry mouth occurs when saliva glands don’t work properly. Chronic dry mouth could be caused by medication or chemotherapy, it could be nerve damage from a head or neck injury, or it could be a disease that affects the saliva glands themselves. If you do experience chronic dry mouth, you should talk to your doctor or dentist. But for situational dry mouth (or while you’re waiting to see your health care professional) you can try these tips: Sip water … Continue reading →
Just because we brush every day (often twice a day) doesn’t mean we’re doing it right! Studies have shown that there are lots of people out there who have bad brushing habits. Here are some tips to help you get it right. Don’t brush too hard. You can actually hurt your teeth and gums this way. A thorough brushing takes two minutes or more — whether you use an electric toothbrush or a traditional one. Set a timer if you need to. Most people think they’re brushing long enough and they just aren’t. Those “Tooth Tunes” brushes are great for … Continue reading →
When I was losing my baby teeth, way back in those dark ages, it was a dime a tooth that I found when I turned them over. With my own children, if I remember correctly (and it was a little while ago too) it was a dollar a tooth. Although for the big molars I think the tooth fairy left $1.50 or, in the case of my middle daughter, she often wanted a toy or book instead of money—she just was never that into money when she was younger. Now that our tooth fairy days are done, I’m a little … Continue reading →
The food you eat helps build a strong, healthy body — that includes your teeth! Adding a few simple things to your diet can help your choppers stay strong and healthy. Watch when you eat your carbs. Carbohydrates break down into sugars, which can be converted to plaque in the mouth. Plaque is the primary cause of gum disease and cavities! If you snack on carbs like chips, cookies, and crackers, foods can get caught between teeth and under the gum line, making it easy for bacteria to get to work. If you eat your carbs at mealtimes, you’ll be … Continue reading →
Do you seem to always wind up with tons of toothpaste tubes. I do. Sometimes we try one and decide we really don’t like them, other times we just get a new one and the kids might forget about the old one and by then it just seems silly to use it. So they collect in this basket I have. It didn’t take me long to go on a quest to find out how to use the toothpaste in new and innovative ways. Smells Remove smells from hands after preparing fish, or anything that else that has a foul smell. … Continue reading →
What’s your Tooth IQ? Let’s see if you know the basics. Every tooth has three parts: the crown, the neck, and the root. The crown is the visible part of the tooth — what you see above the gum line. This is where the enamel is; enamel protects your crown. The neck is the part of the tooth between the crown and the root. The root is the part of the tooth that goes through the gums and down into the jawbone. A child has twenty baby teeth, also known as temporary teeth, primary teeth, or deciduous teeth. Four first … Continue reading →
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