Do You See Kids?
Keeping your child’s smile healthy is just as important as scheduling regular checkups with their pediatrician. By doing so, you’ll help them build confidence and develop the habits needed for lifelong oral health. And just as importantly, identifying any issues early will help prevent additional trips to the dentist for fillings and other restorative procedures. Red Bank Smiles is proud to offer comprehensive children’s preventative dentistry that covers all aspects of dental health to ensure your child’s smile remains bright and beautiful.
Starting Off on the Right Foot
If you have just had a child, you may be wondering when it is time for their first dentist appointment. It is generally recommended that you take your child for their first preventative dental exam before their first birthday, or right after their first tooth erupts, whichever comes first. After that initial visit, exams should be scheduled every six months for two trips a year. This interval allows any problems that may arise to be caught early and handled before any serious developments. However, if there is an emergency, make sure to take your little one to the dentist as soon as possible.
Services We Provide
Our preventive dentistry exams involve several components that encompass every part of your child’s dental health. The children’s services that we offer include:
- Physical Exam: One of our caring staff members will inspect their teeth, gums, soft tissue, jaw joint and supporting muscles for any decay, erosion or sensitivity.
- Cleaning: Your child’s teeth will be scraped with a scaler to remove any buildup, then polished with a paste and electric brush. This will help remove any bacteria that can lead to cavities or plaque.
- X–Rays and Photos: While there will be fewer X-rays than an adult’s preventive exam, being able to see what the human eye cannot is important. These photos help track the progress of developing teeth, see the roots of a tooth and identify cavities.
- Oral Cancer Screening: The mouth will be checked for any bumps, sores, discolored patches or any other anomaly that may indicate the presence of oral cancer.
- Sleep Apnea Screening: Teeth can be a sneaky indicator of poor sleep. Our staff will check for worn down teeth due to grinding at night and gum irritation that can be a sign of sleep apnea caused by swollen tonsils or adenoids.
At-Home Dental Care
While our children’s preventive dentistry services provide ample care to maintain healthy teeth, good habits are built at home. Starting when your little one is an infant, washing their gums with a washcloth or soft brush will help remove debris and buildup. Once your child is three years old, introduce them to toothpaste and work with them to learn how to brush. Everyone, not just kids, should brush twice a day for at least two minutes. The best times to complete this are first thing in the morning and right before bedtime. Set a good example by brushing with your child and making it a fun activity. Once your child is around five years old, encourage them to use sugar-free gum or other products featuring xylitol, which helps slow the rate of tooth decay in their mouth, and works for all ages.
Flossing can be more difficult for little hands to coordinate, so help them with this task until they are around ten or eleven years old. If you prefer, pre-strung flossers are an excellent tool and easier to use than normal dental floss. Your child should floss at least once per day. The time of day does not have an impact, so encourage them to do so whenever they have time. Make your children’s trips to the dentist quick and easy by building good habits.
Keep Them Smiling
Get out in front of any potential dental issues before they become more serious. Through our preventive dentistry procedures, your child’s smile will be kept clean and healthy. Call Red Bank Smiles today at 732-741-1052 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Klayman, and browse our other services to find the care needed for kids and the whole family.
Important Information for Expecting Parents
CONGRATULATIONS! This is a very exciting time, and I am so glad to share it with you. I know there is so much going on that it’s often tough to remember everything, so I want to make it simple for you.
Pregnancy and Labor
Pregnancy gingivitis, or hormonal swelling of the gums, is common in pregnancy. These swollen gums easily bleed and create a pathway for oral bacteria to enter your blood stream. To be as healthy as possible, we recommended to have your teeth professionally cleaned every 3 months when pregnant, and to do so 1 month prior to birth.
Mercury in metal fillings can be found in cord blood, placenta, kidneys, liver, & hair in a fetus; and brain and kidneys in infants. It is also excreted in breast milk. It has been linked to many adverse health effects related to menstrual cycle disorders, fertility, pregnancy & gestation, birth, and childhood development.
A relaxed jaw has been shown to help in pain management and uterine relaxation during labor. The direct link between the jaw and pelvis has been known for a long time. If the jaw is relaxed, your pelvis will be more relaxed, making labor simpler. Using a guard during labor will allow your jaw to evenly clench and better distribute the forces- it will allow your body to work better. We will provide you with a short-term guard at your pre-birth cleaning appointment.
Growth and development
The most important thing is to bring the child to a dentist by either: their first birthday or when their first tooth erupts. This is to unsure proper growth and development; help your child get acclimated to the dental office; and to help you to be confident and comfortable with your child’s care.
Craniofacial development, or the growth of your child’s upper and lower jaws, is a process that begins in utero. It is only after the child is born that you can affect their proper growth. Unfortunately, it has become all too common for the early signs and symptoms of improper development to be missed. It is also commonplace for things that negatively affect growth to be recommended, accessible, and used by most people.
Simply, the human jaw is supposed to be able to contain all 32 adult teeth. It is an epidemic amongst the wider healthcare community, including OB/GYN, pediatricians, pediatric dentists, dentists, orthodontists, and oral surgeons, to favor perspectives that both expedite treatment time and increase profit. The media and marketplace advertise quick, easy foods. Treatment for sickness is prevalent to prevention.
Optimally, your baby should breast feed for up to 3 years, but at least for the first 18 months. The nutritional benefits of mothers milk far outweigh any alternative. The emotional and mental connection for both mother and baby is paramount to total health and wellness. Breast feeding is also crucial to proper craniofacial, and full-body, development. Suckling allows the face to grow properly, which will allow for a proper airway for breathing and for the teeth to erupt in their more natural positions. This will allow for better speech, nutrition, and optimum skeletal positioning.
Eating a healthy, balanced diet of natural non-processed foods will help the teeth erupt practically into their ideal position. Mouth-breathing, snoring, and common allergies and colds are all signs of improper development. Waiting to treat your child with orthodontics and resultant teeth extractions should be avoided. Healthy bodies are more resistant to the bacterial infections and the affects of cavities and periodontal disease.
Cavities and gum disease
There are two dental bacterial infections: those that eat teeth and cause cavities (caries) and those that eat jawbone (periodontitis). These bacteria are a communicable infection that is passed onto the baby during the first 6 months of birth, mainly by sharing saliva. Moms are the number 1 transmitter of oral bacteria, but other people can share them, too.
The good news is there are some things that you can do to reduce your child’s exposure to the bad bacteria and lower their risk for dental disease in the future. Make sure your mouth (and general health) are impeccable. Brush and waterfloss at least twice daily, once after breakfast and again before you go to bed. Make sure you stay up to date on your maintenance and exam visits.
To reduce the amount of bad bacteria in your mouth, use products containing xylitol, such as rinses, gum, sweetener, mints, toothpaste, etc. The bad bacteria can’t eat xylitol, so they die off, and the good bacteria take over. Also, avoid any mouth rinses with alcohol, such as Listerine and Scope.
I know this might seem overwhelming, so please, if you have any questions, ask! I love to help.
