Teaching Kids the Importance of Dental Health to Fight Cavities

 www.adelbergpediatricdental.com

 

Tooth decay occurs when areas in the hard surface of your teeth become damaged and develop holes - cavities. If these cavities are left untreated, the holes will get bigger and can eventually lead to pain, infection, and tooth loss. While it’s true that some people are more prone to tooth decay than others (even within the same family) - by teaching the importance of dental health we can work together to fight cavities and instill a lifetime of good oral hygiene:

Brushing twice a day - One of the BEST ways to prevent tooth decay. Encourage your children and other family members to brush teeth for two minutes two times a day.

Use toothpaste with fluoride - Research has shown that fluoride is effective in reducing cavities. Should someone in your family be especially susceptible to cavities, we may recommend a daily fluoride rinse or supplements (tablets or drops).

Ask us about applying dental sealants - A sealant is a protective coating applied to the chewing surface of back teeth. Since these areas are tough to clean of bacteria and food, the sealant seals off these grooves to protect tooth enamel. This is recommended for all school-aged children.

Floss, floss, floss! - Flossing is the most effective way to remove food and plaque from between the teeth. Encourage your children and other family members to floss at least once or twice a day for the best cavity protection.

Lower your children’s sugar intake - Sugar is linked to tooth decay because if it is not cleaned off teeth well, the bacteria in the mouth can feed on it and produce acids. Over time this acid wears away at the teeth and the process of decay begins. Lower the amount of sugary snacks and beverages your children consume throughout the day!

Finally, another tried and true method of cavity prevention is bringing your children in for their regularly schedule dental appointments. This way we have the opportunity to spot an irregularities and catch any problems fast. At Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dental our purpose is to provide exceptional mental and dental care that can impact your child’s life forever.  Our practice has been providing excellent pediatric dentistry to children of Long Island for over 14 years.  We have three locations: Nesconset, Massapequa Park and our newest location in West Islip. 

School Library Month: Tooth Tales

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2015 marks the 30th anniversary of School Library Month! A time dedicated to celebrating school librarians and their programs. Every April, the Association of School Librarians (AASL) encourages schools to create activities to help their school and local community celebrate the essential role that strong school library programs play in a student’s educational career.

So in honor of School Library Month, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite tooth tales to help celebrate! Be sure to encourage your young readers to pick up these titles in their libraries this month:

Photo via Might Twenty

NEW!: Where do our baby teeth go?
By Vilasinee Bunnag, Illustrated by Yasmin Doctor
Losing baby teeth can be a complex experience that often includes excitement, nervousness, curiosity and confusion. This new book from Might Twenty LLC helps little ones to understand, celebrate, and document this right of passage! "Where Do Our Baby Teeth Go?" is a modern take on tooth stories and traditions from around the world. From the US to Brazil to India to Nigeria to Sweden and more, each page is filled with endearing stories and details to pique any child&'s curiosity. In the last pages, the book invites readers to write their own tooth story in the book and also offers a diagram where readers will enjoy tracking which teeth they have lost and where in the world they were when the milestone occurred.

Curious George Visits the Dentist
By H.A. Rey
When George bites into a shiny apple made of wax, his tooth begins to hurt. The next morning George shows his wiggly tooth to the man with the yellow hat, who takes him to the dentist. George is nervous about his first visit to the dentist, but overcomes his fear and learns about better dental hygiene—with a little good-natured mayhem on the side! With art in the style of H. A. Rey, this engaging story will teach young readers that there is nothing scary about the dentist or wobbly teeth—and adds some tooth fairy fun for good measure!

Tooth Trouble (Ready, Freddy! Series #1)
By Abby Klein, John McKinley (Illustrator)
Freddy Thresher has a problem: a really, really, big problem. He's the only one in his class who hasn't lost a tooth! All of the other students in Mrs. Wushy's first grade have signed their names on the Big Tooth, and Freddy's determined to get his name on it, too. So when Max "The Meanie" Sellars calls Freddy a baby, Freddy decides he's going to lose that tooth one way or another, even if it means getting punched in the face at recess, or even bigger trouble, with Mom! Unhappy to be the only one in his class who still has not lost a tooth, first-grader Freddy tries to find a way to expedite matters but then is faced with another problem.

 

Toothbrushes for a Greener Tomorrow

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Happy Earth Day! Today we’re reminded of just how important it is to follow those three important rules: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!  According to a recent article on About.com, about 50 million pounds of toothbrushes are tossed into American landfills each year. That’s a whole lot of toothbrushes!  Since replacing your toothbrush regularly is important for your dental health, here are some great ways to go green and reuse your old toothbrushes:

Toothbrush, or conveniently sized scrub brush?  An old toothbrush is perfect for scrubbing at those hard to reach places in your home.  Whether it’s cleaning out the grout in your bathroom, or getting every last speck out of your coffee grinder, a toothbrush will do the trick!

Vegetable cleaning is a breeze!  Just use your recycled toothbrush as a tool to give your fruits and veggies a quick scrub before cooking.  The soft bristles of the brush help to wash away dirt and pesky pesticides.  Have you ever been frustrated trying to clean all of the silk off an ear of corn before cooking?  An old toothbrush can help with that too!

Keep your mouth clean, and your wardrobe fresh!  An old toothbrush is great for scrubbing the soles of your favorite pair of sneakers.  It also makes for an excellent agent for stain removal when paired with your preferred laundry detergent.  Have a hard time cleaning your favorite piece of jewelry?  A toothbrush can help reach into all of those tiny crevices.

Get crafty!  Are you in touch with your artistic side?  FaveCrafts.com suggest using an old toothbrush to aid in your creating.  A toothbrush makes for a great tool for splatter painting or adding texture to your masterpiece by dabbing and sweeping the bristles along the surface.

Remember, reduce your amount of toothbrush waste by reusing and recycling your old toothbrush for help with everyday duties and creative crafts!

Can you think of anymore great ways to reuse and reclaim an old toothbrush?  Share with us on our Facebook page or let us know during your child's next cleaning!

Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dental FAQs

 www.adelbergpediatricdental.com

You've probably heard that brushing and flossing twice a day is recommended, but what other pediatric dentistry facts are you sure of? Since we bet you'd like to be more familiar with what your child experiences during their early years, we put together the following FAQs to answer some of your most pressing questions:

When do the first teeth start to erupt?
At about 6 months, the two lower front teeth (central incisors) will erupt, followed shortly by the two upper central incisors. The remainder of the baby teeth appear during the next 18 to 24 months but not necessarily in an orderly sequence from front to back. At 2 to 3 years, all of these 20 primary teeth should be present.

How should I clean my baby's teeth?
A toothbrush with soft bristles and a small head, especially one designed for infants, is the best choice for infants. Brushing at least once a day, at bedtime, will remove plaque bacteria that can lead to decay.

How can I help my child through the teething stage?
Sore gums when teeth erupt are part of the normal eruption process. The discomfort is eased for some children by use of a teething biscuit, a piece of toast or a frozen teething ring. Your pharmacy should also have medications that can be rubbed on the gums to reduce the discomfort.

Why should my child see a pediatric dentist instead of our regular family dentist?
Pediatric dentistry is a dental specialty that focuses on the oral health of young people. Following dental school, a pediatric dentist has two to three years additional specialty training in the unique needs of infants, children and adolescents, including those with special health needs.

When should my child start using toothpaste?
Do not use fluoridated toothpaste until age 3. Earlier than that, clean your child's teeth with water and a soft-bristled toothbrush. After age 3, parents should supervise brushing. Use no more than a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and make sure children do not swallow excess toothpaste.

If my child gets a toothache, what should I do?
To comfort your child, rinse his/her mouth with warm salt water and apply a cold compress or ice wrapped in a cloth on your child's face if it is swollen. Do not put heat or aspirin on the sore area, but you may give the child acetaminophen for pain. See us as soon as possible.

For more of our frequently asked questions, please visit our website! Is there something we missed? Let us know on our Facebook page, perhaps the rest of the Adelberg Montalvan community is curious as well!

3 Ways Spring Allergies Affect Oral Health

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Blooming flowers, budding trees, and itchy watery eyes - hooray spring is here. For those of us with allergies, spring is prime time for those pesky seasonal allergy flare ups.

But aside from just having a runny nose or itchy eyes - did you know that spring allergies can create toothache symptoms? See below for 3 ways allergies can affect your oral health:

Tooth Pain: Sinus pressure, possibly one of the worst symptoms of seasonal allergies. Our bodies respond to pollen and other allergens by producing mucus which leads to congestion and pressure. Since your sinus cavities are located at the very top of the roof of the mouth, when the sinuses swell from congestion, inflammation, or infection, they tend to press on the roof of the mouth and cause pain in the nerves of the teeth. Antihistamines commonly relieve congestion, which in turn rids the tooth pain - but if it doesn’t, give us a call!

Sore Throat: Another common complaint of allergy sufferers is a sore throat, which is more often than not caused by postnasal drip. Once mucus increases in the sinuses, the overflow starts to ‘drip’ down the back of the throat leading to throat irritation, and a sore or swollen feeling.

Dry Mouth: While antihistamines help to relieve congestion, they also come with some side effects - like dry mouth! Problem is, saliva is what protects the mouth and teeth from bacteria and the lack of it can lead to future cavities, bad breath, and gingivitis. So be sure to keep hydrated this season!

Should your children experience any of the above this allergy season and are unsure if its allergies or actually an infected tooth, give us a call to schedule an appointment.

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Sports Safety Tips for National Facial Protection Month

 www.adelbergpediatricdental.com

Calling all MVPs, intramural enthusiasts, coaches, teachers, and parents - April is National Facial Protection Month! As such, we want to remind everyone to play it safe during recreational and organized sports to help in preventing serious, painful facial injuries that can take the fun (and the athlete) out of the game.

See below for some sports safety tips to keep in mind now, and always:

• Mouth guards are a MUST. Compared to the cost of repairing an injury, mouth guards are significantly less expensive.
• Always Wear a Helmet. Helmets help to absorb the energy of an impact and can help prevent serious damage to the head.
• Use Protective Eyewear. Eyes are extremely vulnerable to damage, especially when sports come into play.
• Wear a Face Shield. Face shields save the skin and prevent other severe facial damage that can come from hockey pucks, footballs, and racquetballs.

At Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dental, we offer our very own mouth guard centers so your athlete can receive a custom fit mouth guard. Custom fit mouth guards are specific to an athlete’s mouth, they mold the teeth perfectly and allow for normal speech and breathing. Plus your child will have the opportunity to pick their own colors, whether for their school, intramural, or PAL league!

Please come by any of our 3 locations before your child’s next game to be sure a mouth guard is included as part of their uniform!

Autism Awareness Month: Autism and Oral Health

 www.adelbergpediatricdental.com

 

We know how important oral health is to our daily routines, but for children with autism, oral health habits can be challenging. If you have a child on the spectrum, we wanted to provide some tips in helping to prepare them for their first visit with us.

You can practice having your child sit in a reclining chair as well as practice some of the below steps so that they understand the directions from the dental professional.

• Putting their hands on their stomach
• Putting their feet out straight
• Opening wide
• Holding their mouth open
• Counting their teeth
• Cleaning with a power brush
• Taking X-Rays
• Spitting into the sink

Each step may need to be mastered individually and some children may benefit from visual supports and schedules. For a visual schedule print out and additional oral health care tips, take a look at Autism Speaks' Dental Guide here »

 

At Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dental, we are devoted to providing the best mental and dental care for all of our patients, including those with special healthcare needs. Our doctors are specially trained in special needs dentistry and are committed to providing your child with the attention and care they deserve to create a positive dental experience.

Majority of our special needs patients are treated in the chair, awake - but we also offer in house sedation when needed. If you have a child on the spectrum, or with other special needs, please give us a call to come in for a walk through. You and your child will be able to visit the office prior to having an actual ‘appointment.’ During that visit you can meet the dentists, tour the office, sit in the dental chair and ask any questions or concerns you may have. Contact us for more information today.