Gallery Of Little Smiles

Cavities in Preschool Children On The Rise

Recently, the NY Times published a front page article discussing the very real problem of tooth decay in young children.
Please visit the link above to see a video on this subject as seen on Today @MSNBC.

As we all know, that ghoulish time of year has come again!
This year, Gallery of Little Smiles is planning to offer a one-day-only Candy Buy Back.
We are still getting things set up, but announcements will follow shortly.

Please come back soon to find out details!

A new study in the Journal of Dental Research published on July 28, 2011 finds bone fluoride levels are not associated with osteosarcoma.   Along with years of evidence demonstrating that fluoride is effective at preventing cavities, this new study reinforces the notion that fluoride is also safe.

For more information and comments from the President of the ADA:
http://www.ada.org/6064.aspx

“…..they are going to fall out anyways, so why bother fixing them?”
Set up an appointment and we’ll talk about it.  (I’m joking, but really -  I’m not.)

This is a very common question among parents.  In a nutshell, it’s all about TIMING.
Yes, most of the time, baby teeth eventually fall out.  But when?
Uh oh, your 5 year old has cavities.  Do you know that although baby teeth start falling out at 6, the last to fall out does so at about 12?  Did you know that untreated cavities can cause damage to the developing teeth?  Did you know that untreated cavities can lead to tooth loss, space loss, and the need for braces in the future?  Did you know that untreated cavities can lead to more dangerous, systemic health problems in your child?

By prudently treating baby teeth, we can prevent unnecessary orthodontic needs in the future.  We can prevent unnecessary damage to the permanent teeth (which are not supposed to fall out….).  And we can prevent unnecessary chronic pain and discomfort for your child.

Patients often ask “is it ok to rinse with mouthwash instead of brushing?”.  The answer is NO.  (Well, unless you plan on using the high pressure power washer you just bought from Costco to clean your teeth….)  The problem is biofilm.  This is a layer of “goop” that acts like fly paper for foodstuffs, plaque, and bacteria.  No amount of normal rinsing will remove the biofilm adequately.  Mouthwash may kill off some bacteria, but not all.  And the longer we leave the goop to accumulate, the less effective rinses will be.  Sorry folks, but brushing and flossing is still the best way to prevent cavities!

Did you know that there is now a way to obtain stem cells from a child’s primary (baby) teeth?  Stem cell research continues to find ways to use a person’s stem cells for such uses as growing tissue, aiding in treatment of diseases, etc.  This area of medical research is sure to continue.  To find out more about how our office can help you obtain and store stem cells for your child, contact us!

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Happy Holidays!

Sorry to break the bad news to you, but “sweets” are not the only foods that can cause cavities.  In fact anything that we eat that contains carbohydrates may be processed by bacteria in our mouths, and can contribute to tooth decay. Hmm.  Pasta, rice, potato chips, french fries, ham and cheese sandwiches…….

Furthermore, keep in mind that it is not SUGAR that causes decay, but the ACID that is produced.  You see bacteria take sugar and spit out acid.   The acid then erodes the surface of the tooth, leading to the cavity.  So covering your teeth in sugar doesn’t make the cavity (don’t try it at home).  Leaving the sugar to the bacteria in our mouths does the damage.  

Finally, watch what you DRINK.  Did you think Gatorade was just electrolytes?  Check out the sugar content next time…..  Drinking Coke is a no-brainer.  Bad for teeth.  But don’t think that Diet Coke you just drank is fine.  Sodas are often quite acidic and the low pH alone will weaken and erode your teeth, eventually leading to the same ugly conclusion - cavities.

“Why does the dentist always tell me to floss?  It’s such a pain.  It’s not very comfortable.  And my gums bleed.”

If I had a dollar for all the patients that shared this opinion…..

Let’s start by talking about bleeding.  Bleeding gums can mean many things.  But often, when your gums bleed during brushing or flossing, they are telling you that they are not clean or healthy.  Bacteria and plaque hanging around your gums cause inflammation and make your gums bleed more easily.  (notice blood did not necessarily mean pain?).  When you floss without extreme pain and see blood, it means you need to floss more!  The gums aren’t clean enough.

Pain associated with flossing most often can be caused by the tightness between teeth.  This leads to difficulty getting the floss through, and when you finally do, you end up “jamming” the floss deeply into the gums.  OUCH.  Discuss proper flossing technique with your dentist and you will have a much less painful time flossing.

And is it a nuisance to floss?  Well, yes.  But consider this.  without flossing, you subject your gums to gingivitis and eventually periodontitis — loss of bone surrounding your teeth because of chronic gum disease.  How much of a nuisance is flossing really?   Maybe it’s easier invest in some gum surgery, a few implants, and crowns….. And don’t forget CAVITIES! I tell parents and kids all the time that cavities between the teeth often result in a “2-for-1″ deal.  Each “tight spot” can lead to 2 cavities!  Flossing is probably the most  effective way to help minimize the risk of cavities between teeth.

Step into your local pharmacy, supermarket, or one-stop-shop and you’ll be deluged with toothbrush options in the personal health care section.  With so many options, one can’t help but to ask, “Is one toothbrush better than another?”   This one has rubber bristles on the side, that one has multi-color and multi texture bristles, another has a spinning head, yet another has a spinning and jiggling head.  Oh- that one lights up!  And wait…does this play music as I brush???

The truth is, there are some very strong evidence based studies that have been done on a VERY SMALL number of toothbrushes.  Beyond that, all the “NEW AND IMPROVED” or special function doo-dads are more bells and whistles than true benefit. 

Keep it simple.  A manual toothbrush is only as good as the hand that uses it, and the mouth it is used in.  In other words, if your child does not brush properly, even the Cadillac of toothbrushes will not save his/her teeth from tooth decay.  And if the toothbrush is too bulky for your child’s mouth, it’s really not doing much good.   So make sure the toothbrush you choose is age-appropriate.  Choose a brush that will allow you or your child to adequately brush around EVERY tooth - that means behind and around the very last ones in the back!

As for electric toothbrushes, I will say this much.  The studies I am aware of that demonstrate that “electric” toothbrushes are more effective than manual brushing relate to the professional models of the Oral-B and Sonicare lines.   The less expensive battery operated spin brushes are NOT THE SAME.  That said, these electric brushes can serve some good.  They have been shown to make the chore of brushing “MORE FUN”.  When it’s more fun, kids tend to do it more.  More brushing means (hopefully) cleaner teeth.  And that’s a good thing.