If it is your child’s first visit to the dentist or a visit to a new dental office, you will want your child to feel comfortable and have a great experience. In order to do that it is helpful for you to inform your child where they are going and make sure to always be positive.

Stay away from using any negative words such as hurt, needle, shorts or anything unpleasant, which may plant the seed of fear into his or her mind that would not have been there otherwise. let your child dentist go over what he or she is going to be doing. Dentist are trained to tell your child what is going to happen in a very non threatening way. For children under the age of six, it is often recommend scheduling their appointment as early as you an when he or she is fresh and alert.

Infants have a natural reflex to suck on their thumb and fingers. Babies use fingers or pacifiers to help them feel secure and or content. Thumb and fingers sucking is also relaxing habit for babies and toddlers that can help induce sleep.

Thumb and fingers sucking start to become a problem when it continues after the eruption of the permanent teeth. That’s because it can affect the growth of the mouth and the proper placement of the new teeth coming in. Pacifiers are no different, they affect the mouth in the same way however they can be easier to control then finger habits. It is advise that a child should stop sucking their thumb between the ages of 2-4

Parents frequently have concerns of the noise they hear their kids teeth are making at night. There are several theories surrounding why kids often grind their teeth at night. The two most common are stress due to changes in environment )home, school etc) and pressure in the inner ears at night.

Either way, the majority of kids with teeth grinding issue do not need dental treatment. If there is evidence of excessive wear on your child’s teeth, your dentist may recommend a night guard. Most children will outgrow this condition between the ages of 9-12 and if will decrease over time as they reach the 6-9 age range

Some people worry about dental X-rays do to excess radiation exposure but the fact is that one would need to have 2,000 dental x-rays done to equal the radiation in one mammogram, yet it still important for women to have regular mammograms done as advise by their doctor.

X-rays are equally important tool for your dentist in order to provide you with good dental care. Knowing the low dose may help put into perspective the importance of having dental x-rays and how x-rays help the dentist to detect hidden tooth decay, the presence of a cyst or tumor, determining the presence of permanent teeth detect oral cancer problems, root involvement with the sinuses and to help determine whether or not to remove a primary tooth

What is Pediatric Dentistry ?

Pediatric dentists, specialize in taking care of babies and your kids teeth/oral health. They do extra years of training after dental school to dedicate themselves to working with children. Babies, toddlers, and adolescents all need unique approaches with dental care, seeing a Pediatric dentist provides them the added dental care services they may need

Sippy cups are good training tools that can help your child transition form a baby bottle to a cup. However like with a baby bottle if your child continues to use a sippy cup throughout the day, fill it with water only (unless with a meal ) The prolonged period of exposure to liquids containing sugars will promote the cavity causing bacteria in your child’s mouth

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay or BBTD is serious condition that is a result of long exposure of your infant’s teeth to liquid that contains sugar. These liquids can include milk, breast milk, formula, juice and any other sweetened drinks.

Putting your infant to sleep whether for a nap or bedtime, with a baby bottle containing anything other than water ca result in severe and rapid tooth decay The sugar pools around the teeth gives the plaque a chance to produce acid that attacks their tooth enamel

When babies are born they typically have around 20 teeth partly formed inside the gums. The front tow, lower first and then upper, are the first to erupt between 6-12 months of age. By age three, most kids have a set of 20 primary teeth in their mouths. The american Dental Association recommends scheduling your child’s first dental appointment between the arrival of his/her first tooth and first birthday

Did you know that, mothers who have poor dental health could be at a higher risk of passing bacteria that causes cavities to their children? However there are many things that can be done to help decrease this risk such as:

• Having a health diet that is low in sugars and starches
• Having regular dental visits
• Daily burnishing and flossing
• Choosing a toothpaste with fluoride
• rinsing daily with an alcohol free rinse
• do not share eating utensil or things that can transmit bacteria with your children
• If you chew gum, choose something with xylitol as this can decrease you and your children’s caries rate

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that all pregnant women obtain dental health care during their pregnancy. according to research done it has linked periodontal disease with preterm birth and low birth weight. Speak with your dentist on ways you can prevent or treat periodontal disease during pregnancy.

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry at 12 months, your baby is old enough to visit the dentist. Cavities are a common concern with children that is why it is important to take your child to the dentist regularly. according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more then one in four children have tooth decay by the time they enter kindergarten

How to brush your baby’s teeth

When brushing your baby’s teeth you will want to put your baby on your lap, facing away from you. Brush the teeth from behind, making sure to support your baby’s head. When you brush, focus your efforts between the gums and teeth, that’s the most important area. Consult with your dentist about frequency, and if you should add flossing to your child’s routine

Did you know that roughly 130 million American still do not have dental insurance ? Even though according to studies the number one primary reason people delay dental visits is the cost of having dental care services render. Buying dental insurance is one sure way to help save money in the cost of y our dental care. In addition people with insurance tend to make and keep their dental appoints

There are dental clinics throughout the country that offers low to free dental care to low income households. In addition, Dentistry From The Heart has hundreds of events each year, during which free dental care is made available to communities across the country

if you ca not afford dental insurance, a dental discount plan may be a good alternative. Dental discount plans are not insurance, however they offer saving by as much as 10-60 percent on a broad range of dental services provided by participating dentists with in the plan network of providers.

Most dental insurance plan have some type of dental provider date base.  So a good start when looking for a new dentist is to use the provider date base your dental insurance plan provides. Also in some plans by using the plan network of dental providers you receive better benefits under the plan.  However you may still want to call the dental office to do further research on the potential dental office you have found. Here are a few tips on what to ask when searching for a new dentist.

1) Ask about the dentist educational background and credentials
2) Ask what you should expect during the first exam.
3) Ask to make sure if the office staff goes over the treatment options and cost before work is started. It is important to make sure you have the right information including what is covered by your dental insurance plan and your cost before making treatment decisions.
4) How does the dental office file out claims and what is expected from you at the time of service.  Some dental office may file the claim and bill you latter for any unpaid balances. Where as other dental office may make you pay in full at the time dental services are render, and have you file out your own claim so premium benefits are paid back to you.
5) Know the office hours and how patient emergencies are handled outside of regular hours.
6) Ask any additional questions that are important to you in choosing a dentist.

In a study of 1566 community-dwelling Japanese elderly who were followed for 5 years, the risk of developing dementia was elevated in individuals with fewer remaining teeth.

Individuals with 10-19, 1-9, and no teeth had 62%, 81%, and 63% higher risks of dementia, respectively, than individuals with >20 teeth. Likewise, an inverse association was observed between the number of remaining teeth and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Source:Society for the Study of Addiction

If cost is a factor for why you do not see a dentist regularly, remember that by having dental insurance you are able to have dental care services at a much more affordable cost.  In addition most dental insurance plans provide free preventive dental care hopefully so you will not need to have larger more costly dental care services.

When searching for a new dentist make sure to know what their business hours are and how they deal with dental emergencies. The reason you want to confirm their business hours is that you are more likely to make and maintain regular dental visits when the practice has hours that works around your time frame.

Someone that has to take time off from work will tend to put off their dental care needs. Check if the dental office is open on a Saturday or if they provide latter hours during the week. In cases of emergencies know what their practice is. Will they take a walk-ins or get you in that same day or the next in case of an emergency. Knowing this ahead of time will help make choosing a dental provider that is best for you and your needs.

A new review published online today in the scientific journal Addiction has found that dental patients with substance use disorders have more tooth decay and periodontal disease than the general population, but are less likely to receive dental care. With drug use increasing by approximately three million new users each year, this is a problem that will not disappear anytime soon.