Toothspot - All About Teeth

First Visit To The Dentist Your child's first visit to the dentist should be before their first birthday . Bringing your child early to the dentist can lead to a lifetime of good oral care habits by properly acclimating your child to the dental office. There’s alot you can do to ensure your child’s first visit to the dentist will be a pleasurable one. Children are often full of questions on their first visit to the dentist. Entertain their curiosity by talking about the upcoming visit. Whatever you do, Don’t mention ‘needles’ or ‘that it won’t hurt’ - this may frighten your child. Instead, tell them that the dentist will count their teeth to see how many there are and maybe take some pictures of their  teeth as well. Your dental office or local library may have a book or two which you can read to your child about their first visit to the  dentist. Meeting the Dentist: Allow your child to accompany you when you visit the dentist. The dentist may have time to offer yo

Dental Emergencies Avulsed (knocked-out) Teeth: Deciduous (Baby) Teeth. If a deciduous tooth is avulsed, do not place it back in the socket. Deciduous teeth which have been replaced tend to fuse to the bony socket and present with difficulties when it's time for the tooth to exfoliate (fall-out). Also, there's a risk of damaging the permanent tooth underneath when the deciduous tooth is replaced. Permanent Teeth. If knocked-out, a permanent tooth can be replaced in the socket by your dentist; most have a fair chance of surviving. Every minute the tooth is out of the socket decreases the chance of its survival. First Aid Procedures: 1. Find the tooth. 2. Don't touch the tooth's roots. Handle the tooth only by its crown. 3. Don't attempt to clean the tooth. 4. Wrap the tooth lightly in glad wrap or store it in milk or in your mouth (just don't swallow it!) 5. Seek dental help immediately , it's essential that the tooth be replaced within

Dental Conditions Abscess An abscess is an infection around the root of a tooth. An abscess on a deciduous (baby) tooth can affect the development of the permanent tooth. It is often referred to as a gum boil. An abscess generally appears as a pimple on the gum around the affected tooth. When pressed there may be a discharge of pus. The child should be taken to a dentist to have the tooth treated. Aphthous Ulcers Aphthous ulcers occur in approximately 20 per cent of the population and are characterized by painful, recurrent solitary or multiple lesions or ulcerations. They are usually a few millimeters in size. There is no preference for age, sex or race. Aphthous ulcers usually heal spontaneously in two to three weeks. If multiple lesions resembling aphthous ulcers occur, accompanied by a fever, an infection with the herpes simplex virus should be considered. This is often seen in babies and small children. Treatment for apthous ulcers is limited and confined to restric

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay Baby Bottle Tooth Decay or Baby Bottle Syndrome describe a condition involving the rapid decay of many or all of the baby teeth. It’s the leading dental problem for children under 3 years of age. Baby bottle tooth decay is caused by the prolonged exposure of a child’s teeth to sugar-containing liquids.  The practice of putting a baby to bed with a bottle, which the baby can suck on for hours, is the major cause of this dental condition. The upper front teeth are the ones most often affected; they're usually some of the first teeth to erupt into the mouth and thus have the longest exposure time to sugars. The lower front teeth are usually not as at risk because they're protected by the tongue as the child sucks on the bottle. Causes Of Baby Bottle Tooth Decay: Falling Asleep... With A Bottle Containing Formula, Juice, Or Milk With A Pacifier Dipped In Honey While Breast Feeding When children fall asleep with the above, liquids pool around th

 Children - Thumb and Finger Sucking   Questions often arise concerning infants and non-nutritive sucking, that is sucking thumbs, fingers, pacifiers and other objects. Numerous studies indicate that most children spontaneously discontinue sucking their thumbs and fingers between the ages of 2 and 4. Children often combine a sucking habit with another repetitive activity such as carrying a personal blanket or toy while sucking their thumb or playing with their hair. Tired, stressed or hungry children are more likely to suck their thumbs. Generally, sucking on fingers, thumbs and toys is healthy and normal through infancy . Effects Of Thumb Sucking: The effects of thumb sucking on deciduous teeth are usually totally reversible up until the age of 6 to 7 years when the permanent teeth start to erupt. Beyond the age of 7, dental problems may occur due to changes in bone structure. Extensive sucking of fingers or thumbs has a tendency to push the front teeth out of alignment causing tee

Teething Teething refers to the eruption of the deciduous (baby teeth) and permanent teeth. It's a natural occurrence and usually happens without any problems. However, some children may feel discomfort before their first tooth erupts (at about 6 months); some may feel discomfort with the eruption of each of their 20 baby teeth. Teething occurs between 6 months and 24 months of age although it can occur earlier. Normally the bottom two incisors (lower front teeth) will come in first, followed by the top four incisors (upper front teeth). When teething, children may be irritable and may place objects or fingers in their mouth and bite on them. Drooling may increase and the child may be very choosy about foods or even refuse foods altogether. Their gums may appear tender and swollen; often the cheeks near the affected gums will become red. For some children, their teeth appear without much fuss at all. But all toddlers are not so lucky. Some may become extremely irritable. So

Dental Dictionary Watch your dentist hit the floor by dropping in some 'dental lingo' the next time you go in for a visit! ABSCESS -  a local infection. A  Severe decay, periodontal disease, or trauma are causative  factors. It is characterized by swelling and pain. If an abscess ruptures, it  will be accompanied by sudden relief from pain due to a reduction in pressure. A  foul taste may also be noticed. ABUTMENT - a term used to denote  the teeth on either side of a missing tooth. ACRYLIC RESIN - the  plastic widely used in dentistry to make dentures. ACTIVE ERUPTION - the emergence of the tooth from its position in the jaw. ADHESION - the sticking together of unlike substances ADJUSTMENT - a modification made upon a dental prosthesis after  it has been completed and inserted into the mouth. AEROBIC BACTERIA - bacteria which grow in oxygen rich environments; in the oral cavity the  bacteria are found outside the sulcus. AFFERENT - nerves that  carry sensory me