Child Dentistry
Parents want to be sure to purchase dental coverage that meets the needs of their children. A common question for parents is when coverage should begin. The answer varies, but most doctors recommend that parents begin early. Remember that the health of baby teeth can affect the health of permanent teeth that will replace them. In children, dentists check the placement as well as the health of permanent teeth waiting to replace baby teeth. For this reason, whether families sign on to a group or individual insurance plan, all family members, including young children, need access to sound dental care. In addition to a dental insurance plan, parents need to know the basics involved in caring for a child’s teeth. For example: brushing should begin early and should be done two to three times per day, particularly at night. Browse the articles below to learn more about this and other topics in pediatric dental care.
09/25/2005
Surgeon General's Report states: More than 51 million school hours are lost each year to dental related illnesses!
We love kids! Our staff is experienced in relating to children. We like to see kids with their parents around the age of one to come in for a "fun" visit.
We would like them to meet us and feel comfortable coming to see us. We have a kid corner with movies and toys for kids. We have disposable toothbrushes in our bathroom if they forget to brush. There are lots of fun giveaways plus a toy box and a cavity free club.
We count their teeth and give them rides in the chair and explain everything we are going to do.
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09/19/2005
Do You Know Your Teeth?
The part of the tooth you see
is called the crown. The rounded high parts
of the back teeth are cusps. The hard white outer covering of the tooth
is the enamel. Below the gumline, holding
the tooth in the jawbone is the root of the
tooth. You can't see
the roots. The inner portions of the tooth consist of the dentin,
a bonelike tissue, and the pulp. The pulp
is like a house for the nerves and blood vessels at the center of the
crown and root.
Teeth have different shapes
for different jobs.
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08/24/2005
By Dr. Mitsy Navales-Antolin
Friday, 08 05, 2005
Tour child's baby teeth are important. Many take for granted baby or milk teeth as it fall off and will be replaced by permanent teeth. But what we don't realize is that neglecting your child's teeth can do more harm than good. Baby's teeth are susceptible to decay as soon as they come out. It is uncommon that by the time the decay is noticed, it may be too late to treat and preserve the teeth.
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08/23/2005
Dear Dr. Mady: My son is 14 years old and he has a funny looking
extra tooth that has grown in the front of his mouth. The real permanent
tooth is still underneath and we do not think it is going to come in.
What should we do about this? - Margaret in River Canard
Dear Margaret: It appears that your son has what is known as
a supernumerary tooth or extra tooth. Occasionally these are developed
and their presence can cause some of the normal permanent teeth to assume
the wrong position.
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08/21/2005
Evidence shows that periodontal disease may increase during adolescence due to lack of motivation to practice oral hygiene. Children who maintain good oral health habits up until the teen years are more likely to continue brushing and flossing than children who were not taught proper oral care.
Hormonal changes related to puberty can put teens at greater risk for getting periodontal disease. During puberty, an increased level of sex hormones, such as progesterone and possibly estrogen, cause increased blood circulation to the gums.
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08/17/2005
Dental problems such as tooth decay can cause schoolchildren severe pain and keep them from learning in the classroom, said Dr. Jed Jacobson, vice president of Professional Services and dental director at the Delta Dental Plans of Michigan, Ohio and Indiana.
"Children with painful teeth often have difficulty concentrating in the classroom and on homework assignments because their focus is on their discomfort," Jacobson says.
Pain in the mouth can also keep kids awake at night, discourage them from playing with their friends, and make it difficult for them to eat. And sometimes these problems prevent children from coming to school.
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08/16/2005
LANSING, Mich., Aug. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Don't forget to kick off your child's new school year with a dental checkup. A dental examination is as important as booster shots and should be a regular part of every student's back-to-school routine.
More than one-half of all children between the ages of five and nine years old have at least one cavity or filling. A painful or chronic dental problem can lead to difficulty concentrating in the classroom and may result in poor grades and children missing school.
According to the 2000 report of the U. S.
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08/13/2005
Dental Emergencies
Parents have recently been asking me a mouthful of questions about what to do if their child chips or knocks out a tooth accidentally. Let me see if I can do more than just brush the surface on this one.
When kids are active during the summer, they're sure to knock into each other and, occasionally, they will knock out one of their teeth. Teeth that are jarred and pushed forward may bleed a little, but they will usually return to their normal position. Chipped teeth, though, need to be seen by a dentist.
When a baby tooth comes out, it's out forever-there's no replacing it.
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08/07/2005
Little brother Jaeger, 5, has a few empty spaces in his mouth. His mother, Holly, attributes his chronic teeth problems to medication he was prescribed after being born prematurely. On one side of his mouth is a silver tooth - not the work of Rencher. And on the other side is a wide-open space where Rencher recently removed a broken tooth.
Jaeger realized the tooth was broken when a piece of it stuck into a gummy bear he was eating.
"It was really bleedy," Jaeger said about the removal process. "But it didn't hurt.
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Child Dentistry Archive
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