Category: Uncategorized

Parents are sometimes surprised to learn that playing out in the sun exposes their child to the same amount of radiation used to take dental x-rays. So before you make a decision on whether or not to have x-rays taken at your child’s next dental visit, read more about its safety.

X-ray Safety

X-ray technology has provided immeasurable diagnostic benefits to the medical and dental community. Doctors can now identify and prevent the progression of disease at earlier stages. With the development of digital imaging technology, the amount of radiation exposure in routine dental x-rays is now considered negligible.

A comparison of our daily natural environmental radiation exposure with the amount of radiation in dental x-rays will help in understanding the risks and benefits encountered during your child’s routine dental check-ups.

According to the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, the average American receives an effective dose of 3 millisieverts (mSv) per year from naturally occurring radioactive materials and cosmic radiation from outer space. Naturally occurring radioactive materials can be found in the air that we breathe and the food that we eat. Cosmic radiation is that which we receive from the sun in the form of UVA/UVB wavelengths.

For a child who is in their primary dentition and has not yet lost their first baby tooth, the dental x-rays indicated to be taken by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), are two bitewings and two periapical. The total amount of radiation for this set is 0.008 mSv. If a child has one or more adult teeth then a panoramic x-ray is indicated in addition to the bitewing and periapical x-rays. The amount of radiation exposure in a single panoramic x-ray is 0.007 mSv.

Following are comparisons of effective radiation dose with naturally-occurring environmental radiation exposure:

Depending on your child’s dental health and history, the AAPD recommends that children have dental x-rays taken as soon as their teeth touch, and proximal services cannot be visualized or probed. Then, once every 12-18 months, thereafter, and more frequently when there is past experience of tooth decay or an increased risk for tooth decay. Examples of factors that increase the risk for tooth decay are poor oral hygiene, inadequate fluoride exposure, prolonged nursing, and frequent high sugar content in the diet.

Tooth decay left undiagnosed and untreated can oftentimes lead to dental pain or emergency. With the help of your child’s pediatric dentist, you can gain the information and tools vital to keeping your child cavity-free. Schedule your child’s first dental check-up by their first birthday and every 6 months following. Prevention and early diagnosis are key to a healthy dental home.

Yours truly,

Dr. Jackie

* LEGEND
Risk Level	The approximate additional risk of fatal cancer for an adult from exposure
Negligible:	Less than 1 in 1,000,000
Minimal:	1 in 1,000,000 to 1 in 100,000
Very Low:	1 in 100,000 to 1 in 10,000
Low:	1 in 10,000 to 1 in 1,000
Moderate:	1 in 1,000 to 1 in 500

Many parents have contacted me, concerned about their child’s sudden onset of oral pain. They report that their child can’t eat or sleep well, and brushing teeth is more than torturous for them. When asked, their child points inside their mouth as the source of discomfort and upon investigation, what parents uncover looks something like this:

An aphthous ulcer. Otherwise referred to as, a cantankerous canker sore.

Canker sores can be found almost anywhere inside the mouth; They begin as small red circular swellings that usually ulcerate [rupture] within a day, after which they become white, surrounded by reddish inflammation and can last 8-10 days. As open sores, they can be very painful to the touch.

Not to be confused with a cold sore, which is caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus, a canker sore’s etiology is still yet unknown. And even though their cause has yet to be discovered, they appear to breakout more in stressful situations, from getting a small “nick” in the mucous membrane [soft tissue inside the mouth] or from foods such as citrus fruits and tomatoes.  While they can occur in very young children, they are usually first seen between the ages of 10-20. It’s not uncommon for them to erupt 3-4 times a year, but they occur less frequently or stop altogether in adults.

When your child experiences canker sores, avoid feeding them rough textured or spicy foods that will irritate the affected area. In other words, a soft, bland, room temperature diet is best. Examples of such food choices are macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, and scrambled eggs. Try not to touch the sores with eating utensils or a toothbrush. The Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, in recent months, released a report that discourages the use of topical anesthetics, such as Orajel, in small children as a means to alleviate oral discomfort. Instead, children’s Motrin or Tylenol is suggested.

With some time and lots of TLC, canker sores resolve completely. To know more contact us to schedule an appointment with Sunny Smile Kids Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics.

The Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) as well as the Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have changed their recommendations on when to introduce fluoride toothpaste to the general population of children. Fluoride toothpaste is now recommended for use in children as soon as their first tooth comes in. The important thing to note is the amount by which to use. The following amounts of fluoride toothpaste are recommended for use in children, no more than twice daily.

• A ‘rice-grain’ – For children less than 3 years of age.
• A ‘pea-size’ – For children aged 3 to 6 years.

This daily exposure of topical fluoride has shown to significantly decrease the incidence of cavities occurring in young children, with very little risk of developing fluorosis (a cosmetic condition affecting adult teeth, caused by overexposure to ingested fluoride during early childhood).

If a rice grain of fluoride toothpaste is not enough for you to obtain a proper brushing for your child, I would recommend supplementing the toothbrush with a fluoride-free toothpaste, prior to brushing.

For more detailed information on the use of fluoride toothpaste for children, please go to the Academy websites at www.aapd.org or www.aap.org.

“I gathered the team together for this morning’s huddle and broke the news that we just received the WORST negative online review. As I read from the review – ‘The front desk was incredibly rude… the hygienist had no patience for my child.. the treatment plan estimate was incomprehensible…’ I could feel everyone’s heart well up with sorrow and see in their faces an expression of utter disbelief.

And then I blurted, ‘APRIL FOOLS’!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAAA!!!’

An instant burst of laughter, mixed with sighs of relief came from the team. Then, the immediate desire for each of them to wring my neck. 😀

It’s these moments that remind me of what a lucky gal I am to work with such an awesome group of people; They take such great pride, care, and joy in what they do. It doesn’t get much better than that!

Happy April Fools’ Day, Friends!” – Dr. Jackie 🙂

There is an ongoing debate about when you should stop nursing your baby. As a pediatric dentist and a hopeful mother-to-be, my goal is to support mommies through this beautiful bonding period by providing the information needed to maintain their baby’s dental health and prevent the development of early childhood caries.

Some vital background information to know- Early childhood caries (ECC), also known as baby bottle tooth decay, is a disease characterized by severe decay in the teeth of infants or young children. Frequent bottle feeding or nursing at night and extended and repetitive use of a no-spill training cup are associated with ECC. Children experiencing caries as infants or toddlers have a much greater probability of subsequent caries in primary and permanent teeth.

What is important to understand is that nursing can continue after your baby begins teething; It just now needs to be done with some minor modifications.

If your baby has one or more teeth I would recommend starting brushing. Use a soft-bristled, baby toothbrush with a half pea size amount of non-fluoride toothpaste. This oral hygiene regimen should be done twice daily and more frequently if you are nursing or bottle-feeding your baby repeatedly through the night. Brushing after each nighttime feeding will make the difference in whether your baby will develop early childhood caries.

The first line of protection for your child’s teeth is the enamel, which is the white, visible part of the tooth.  It’s also the hardest substance in the human body, and yet it takes a lot of abuse.  Enamel can crack, chip, and wear away.  What steps can you take to protect your child’s enamel?

Use a soft toothbrush.  While we may be tempted to use a toothbrush with hard bristles, thinking that a stiff bristle will be better and cleaning teeth, the best choice is one that provides more gentle care.  Additionally, children often use more force than needed when brushing their teeth.  This can be damaging to the sensitive gum tissue and only serves to wear down precious enamel.

Limit starchy foods.  While we all understand that certain starchy foods like potato chips and french fries aren’t always the healthiest choices, we don’t often associate these foods as being bad for teeth.  Interestingly, starch turns to sugar so quickly that it raises blood glucose levels even faster than table sugar.  The sugar produced by starchy foods feeds bacteria that act as microscopic jack-hammers on your child’s enamel.

Don’t forget the cheese.  Cheese truly is a dental powerhouse.  Dairy neutralizes acid, contains calcium, and a protein called casein which acts as an enamel protector.  Cheese is a great choice for an afterschool snack.

Drink water after meals.  Drinking water shortly after eating is an excellent way to quickly wash away some of the food that lingers on and between the teeth.  Even having children simply rinse their mouths with water after meals have been shown to be an effective way to protect enamel.

Avoid “whitening” toothpaste.  Toothpaste made specifically for children if often the best choice when deciding what they should brush with.  Not only are flavors often more kid-friendly, but they generally don’t carry the harsh abrasives that many whitening kinds of toothpaste have.  These abrasives can act line sandpaper by wearing down the enamel on young teeth.  Remember, any toothpaste you choose should always carry the ADA’s seal of approval.

Flossing removes plaque between the teeth and gum line where a toothbrush can’t reach, in fact, some sources indicate that floss does up to 40% of the work needed to remove plaque from your teeth.  Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most overlooked practices in caring for our teeth.   You should floss your child’s teeth daily until he or she can do it alone.  Getting children in the habit of daily flossing can yield a lifetime of benefits.

Here are five flossing facts to encourage your child (and you!) to start a regular flossing routine:

• Children tend to get better results by using flat, wide dental tape because of the larger spaces between their teeth, however, you should choose floss based on what works for you and your child.
• Flossing should begin when any two teeth touch.
• Use around 15-18 inches of floss, wrapped around your index fingers, and held tightly but gently.  Children who find it difficult to use this method often benefit from using a flosser designed just for small hands
• Be gentle and avoid snapping floss between teeth because it can damage sensitive gum tissue.
• Floss both sides of the tooth, even when another tooth is missing on one side.