Do you know about “baby bottle tooth decay”? Baby bottle tooth decay is a term that pediatric dentists use to describe decay that develops on baby teeth even as they are erupting. Baby bottle tooth decay is the result of young toddlers that are beginning to develop teeth and are often put to bed with a bottle, sippy cup or pacifier. Even when given milk, tooth decay will occur. Bacteria is always present in the mouth. Therefore you should never fuel the bacteria by giving a child milk or juice as they go to bed. Even pacifiers can contain remnants of sugar from earlier in the day. It is always best to never put your child to sleep using a bottle, sippy cups or pacifier. Smile Reef would like to share more about baby bottle tooth decay and why parents need to be aware and help combat this common problem.
Does Bottle Rot Affect Permanent Teeth?
Many babies will sleep better when they have a bottle, sippy cup or pacifier to suck on. For many babies it is relaxing and natural to have something in their mouth as they fall asleep. Many parents give in to their baby’s desires and let them have their little comforts. However, that is a major mistake. In the minds of many parents, “what is the big deal if their baby teeth get a few cavities, they will lose them anyway.” As baby teeth will eventually fall out, what will the baby chew with? Babies with severe baby bottle tooth decay will not just have a hard time chewing food without pain, but they can have speech problems as well. Teeth help form words and sounds. When the teeth are decayed they can have speech problems. The issues with baby bottle tooth decay do not stop there. Decayed teeth can have major impact on the developing adult teeth. If babies lose their baby teeth too early due to severe decay, adult teeth can erupt tilted or drift into the empty space. The drifting teeth can crowd the other adult teeth, leading to major crowding and or blocking the other adult teeth from erupting.
How Do I Know if My Baby has Tooth Decay?
As a parent it is important to monitor your baby’s teeth. It is easier to treat and prevent baby bottle tooth decay. It is important to know early signs of tooth decay, so you can seek professional treatments and correct the cause of the decay. An early sign of tooth decay is when there is a super white spot on the teeth. Once the teeth develop brown or black spots, this is advanced tooth decay and the child requires dentist treatment to help preserve the teeth until the adult teeth are ready to fall out.
How Do You Prevent Bottle Tooth Decay?
To help prevent baby bottle tooth decay there are a few steps you can take, starting with night time habits. If possible try not to put your child asleep with a bottle, sippy cup or pacifier. If you do, try using water. In the beginning it is okay to use bottle or breast milk and once teeth begin to develop try to transfer to water. Avoid sweet drinks such as juice and soda. If you do give your child a pacifier, make sure you clean it off thoroughly before giving it to the child. Even though the baby may not have teeth, you should still clean the baby’s gums before bed time. Use a clean gauze pad and gently wipe the baby’s gum to remove any sugar. As soon as teeth begin to develop make sure to brush and floss them. Once your baby is one year old, begin taking them to a dentist. Make sure to help brush your child’s teeth until they are at least eight years old.
A visit from the tooth fairy is an exciting experience to most children. Some parents may notice that the permanent teeth are growing in and the baby teeth are not even loose as parents monitor their kids teeth. Children usually start to lose their baby teeth around age 6. When the permanent teeth can grow in behind baby teeth, often referred to as “shark teeth,” there are actually common instances. This condition is fairly common and this situation can fix itself in some instances. To further expound on when permanent teeth come in before baby teeth have fallen out, we at Smile Reef would like to discuss.
Baby Teeth Not Falling Out But New Teeth Coming In
Permanent teeth usually grow in behind baby teeth when the size of the permanent tooth is too large for the space occupied by the baby tooth. This occurs when a permanent tooth that doesn’t fully erupt forward or when there are two rows of teeth along the lower jaw or overcrowding. When the root is all but gone, the baby teeth become loose and fall out, generally. Through the gums behind them, the permanent teeth miss the baby teeth and push in some individuals. Because nothing is pushing and dissolving their roots, the baby teeth stay in place. When the baby teeth fall out without assistance, this condition is not painful, and will even fix itself more often than not. Once the baby teeth are gone and the new space opens up, the permanent teeth should shift into their proper position.
When to See a Pediatric Dentist
When you should make an appointment with your child’s dentist, there are a few factors involved, and they include the following list below.
1) If the baby teeth have not come out after several weeks.
2) Causing remaining baby teeth closing the gap, a premature loss in baby molars, as it eliminates the space for the permanent molar to come through.
3) Meaning the tongue can neither push the baby teeth out nor the permanent teeth forward, the upper-front baby teeth will not come out.
If your child can wiggle their tooth and cause it to fall out on its own, the permanent teeth should move into the space in time. From the initial crowding caused by stubborn baby teeth, permanent teeth come in crooked and worsen overcrowding.
Pediatric Dentistry
A dentist can remove the baby teeth to make room for the permanent teeth. An X-ray may be taken to check the baby tooth’s roots. If there is not enough room for the permanent teeth to come in, the dentist may trim some of the neighboring baby teeth. The permanent teeth should shift into their final position within a few weeks or a couple of months. If the permanent teeth do not move into the correct position, your child may have to see an orthodontist to correct their alignment. While the permanent teeth erupt, call in the experts of Smile Reef if you are concerned about your child’s baby teeth still in place. We can take the appropriate X-Rays and determine the best course of action with your appointment.
Las Vegas Children's Dentist
Most parents and guardians of little children, if not all, are greatly concerned about the growth and development of children's teeth especially in this day and age where almost any food available in groceries and restaurants are loaded with sugar and or sucrose which greatly contribute to the formation of cavities, eventually resulting to tooth decay. From the time that the first set of baby teeth comes out, pediatric dentists would already heavily advise parents to start a religious and proper care routine of their children's teeth to ensure that the proper development of these important part of a child's mouth are done with the right techniques and required consistency. Caring for baby and children's teeth takes a lot of effort since children are not expected to care for their own set due to their limitations in capacity and information. That is why until children reach the stage where they are capable to care for their own teeth comes, the weight of the call rests on the shoulders of the parents. It is for this reason that proper oral care for children begins with choosing the right dental office which houses the best pediatric dentists who will be the partner of parents in ensuring that their children's oral care are safeguarded. Las Vegas Children's Dentist is a dynamic and vibrant supporter in the campaign against early onset of tooth decay in children's teeth. Certified and competent, this Dentist for kids in Las Vegas, very carefully and thoroughly instruct and teach good oral care to parents and children. This dentist follows the best practices in worldwide standards and features state of the art dental equipment that allows not only for the best oral care of each patient but also creating an environment that is friendly and accommodating to kids and children who frequent this pediatric dentist office in Las Vegas.
To begin early oral care for babies, a competent and friendly Las Vegas dentist from a reputable pediatric dentist office will advise that even before the eruption of the teeth, a child's mouth and gums should be wiped after meals with a clean, soft damp cloth to make sure that excess food would not linger in the mouth. These excess foods when left in a moist area like the mouth would form bacteria which would eventually get lodged in the baby's first set of teeth triggering the beginning of tooth decay. A meticulous and caring kids dentist in Las Vegas would also advise that to prevent the onset of pre-mature cavities, it is best to give babies plain water when sipping at bedtime to prevent baby formula - which sometimes contain sugar - from settling in the mouth which also invites cavity formation. Once the first set of baby teeth comes out, the practice of brushing should also commence, normally beginning with soft bristled baby toothbrush combined with a non-fluoride toothpaste or even just plain warm water to gently clean every part of the emerging teeth. A licensed Las Vegas children's dentist is a strong support in making sure that these early oral care regimens are done by the parents regularly to avoid unnecessary formation of tooth decay that could prove to be costly to take away using dental procedures. Children's dentist in Las Vegas recommends that children's toothbrushes should be replaced every two to three months taking special note of the appearance of the head bristles to make sure that they still serve their purpose of thoroughly cleaning the teeth. There are several pediatric dentist in Las Vegas so one must be very careful to choose the best, and the best pediatric dental clinic must not only be concerned about treatment but more so on prevention methods. So far Las Vegas pediatric dentistry is a cut above all other pediatric clinics because of its practices on preventative measures that do away with costly teeth drilling and fillings.
Children develop their baby teeth as preparatory ground for the eruption of the final adult teeth which they would use for the rest of their lives. Many parents feel that since baby teeth would still be replaced, they could be more relaxed in spearheading for their children's oral care. But this is very far from the truth since the condition and health of the baby teeth would also greatly determine the condition and health of the permanent teeth. Parents are advised that the first visit of their children to the dentist should happen when babies are 12 months old and prior coaching such as open your mouth or saying 'ahhh' must be done to avoid too much time on the dental chair which might be very scary for some kids. Dental patients could rest assured that reputable pediatric dentist in Las Vegas would be more concerned with prevention but would also be very competent when treatment is necessary. A parent could expect that a children's dentist in Las Vegas is well trained in handling children especially the first timers who might have reservations in seeing a dentist for the first time let alone open their mouth for a stranger. But the first visits to the dentist are crucial because those are the times when good oral plan is discussed aside from giving out the message to the children that dentists are friends not enemies to increase their trust and confidence with them. A well trained dentist for kids in Las Vegas would also discuss the availability of important pediatric care such as the application of fluoride and sealants that help protect baby teeth from plaque and cavities. The substance fluoride help make the teeth stronger by protecting them from the initiation of dental caries and tooth decay while at the same time re-mineralizing areas of the teeth that get weakened by acid coming from leftover food or juices which the children consume.
Las Vegas pediatric dentistry is known as one of the best pediatric dentistry all over the United States which practices not only the best dental techniques using state of the art equipment, a Las Vegas dentist also has the best techniques and rapport with children patients giving them a wonderful experience inside the clinic that helps ensure repeat comebacks for consistent and thorough oral care. Las Vegas pediatric patients could expect that as they step inside a Las Vegas pediatric dentist office they would experience the best pre and post care evaluations not to mention above standard procedures including the application of necessary treatments that are non-threatening, very friendly and truly professional. Las Vegas pediatric dentistry is unchallenged when it comes to everything that makes oral care for children fantastic and something to look forward to and having children as clients that speaks highly of the credibility and expertise that a kids dentist in Las Vegas has to showcase and bring to the table. So next time you are in great need of an expert in oral care for you and especially for your young children - including those cute toddlers- consider pediatric dentistry in Las Vegas and you might not go anywhere else after trying its services. With the rising cost of dental care each year, wouldn't you want every dime you spent on it to be truly worth it? And wouldn't you want to see those beautiful and sparkly teeth on your children as they flash you their beautiful smiles? All of these and more could be yours by just visiting a reputable Las Vegas pediatric dental clinic. Check your directory for assistance or better yet take the word of our loyal customers who have given their generous testimonials of how happy and satisfied they are with our services. We assure you that you will have the best oral care on our hands and we will ensure that your children's teeth are not only taken cared of, they will also pass on the legacy of consistent and excellent oral care with their children and their children's children.
The Las Vegas Dentist Office
One of the best kid friendly dental offices you will find in the state of Nevada is the Las Vegas Pediatric Dentist Office. It's got the best ways and practices of making sure pediatric patients are well taken cared of and assured of warm, non-threatening dental procedures that help them ease up and become comfortable in this environment. Many parents regard a beautiful pediatric dental experience as part of the success why children stick to proper oral acre and why they regards a dental visit as an exciting adventure rather than a traumatic one. The Las Vegas pediatric dentistry is one of the top pediatric dental practices not only in the whole State but could also be compared, if not above, other dental pediatric practices in the United States. Parents coming from other nearby States bring their children to experience pediatric dentistry in Las Vegas because of its very popular kid-friendly atmosphere that children would sometimes forget they are inside a dental office. Parents love that their children are having a great time while having their excellent oral check up or procedures and children enjoy because it's like going to the zoo or the park where the environment is fun and lively and not scary at all. From themed rooms with matching themed cups and bibs, the pediatric dentist office in Las Vegas is a must see and must experience for all children. The pediatric dentists are well trained and well equipped to handle pediatric patients but the thing that endears all of them to their kid patients is the way they make cleaning teeth an exciting and fun thing to do rather than a boring chore that must be done regularly. And if dental procedures are needed such as drillings and putting of sealants, the expertise of a Las Vegas Dentist would surpass everyone's expectations including adults and parents who often have had traumatic experiences inside a dental office. So come now and visit us and see and feel the difference or better yet let your children tell you the difference with their exciting dental experience Truly it is like not going to the dentists at all!