Today, at least 4 million preschoolers suffer from tooth decay. In fact, children now have much more sugar in their diets at an early age and bottled water — which usually doesn’t contain. Fluoride is important to maintain strong teeth.

How Does Tooth Decay Begin

Tooth decay begins with a group of germs that is related to streptococcus. Basically the bacteria feed on sugar and produce acid that eats away at the structure of teeth by depleting calcium. These bacteria also create plaque — a yellowish film that builds up on teeth and contains even more enamel-eroding acid. Once an area without calcium becomes big enough, the surface of the tooth collapses. The result is a cavity.

Interestingly enough, babies are born without any of these harmful bacteria in their mouth, and studies have proven that parents typically infect their children before age 2. It happens when you transfer your saliva into your child’s mouth — by repeatedly eating from the same spoon as your baby, for example, or letting your toddler brush his teeth with your toothbrush. And if you’ve frequently had cavities yourself, you’re particularly likely to pass the germs along.

There is no doubt about it. . . if you’ve had trouble with your teeth, you need to take responsibility for your child’s dental health — just like you’d be vigilant if you’ve had a family history of high cholesterol or skin cancer.

If you are looking for a family dentist, visit us at Wayzata Dental & SmileSpa. We are a Minnetonka family dentistry that can help you get your family’s teeth healthy and beautiful.

A mouthguard is a soft plastic appliance that fits over the teeth and protects it. When properly worn, a mouthguard protects the lips, cheek, tongue and jaws as well as the teeth. According to the American Dental Association estimates that mouthguards prevent 200,000 injuries each year in high-school and college sports alone.

Many schools and sports teams require students to wear mouthguards during contact sports, but they don’t realize is that the majority of mouth injuries occur in children between the ages of 7 and 14, while participating in everyday activities like skateboarding, rollerblading, sled riding or bike riding. In fact, the Academy for Sports Dentistry has identified close to 40 different sports including baseball, soccer, basketball, football, martial arts, skiing and gymnastics.

The most common accidents involving the mouth, include:

• Jaw dislocations
• Jaw and dental fractures
• Concussions and cerebral hemorrhage
• Head and neck
• Problems with the jaw joint

Types of Mouthguards
There are different types of mouthguards, and you can find them in just about any store that sells sports-related items. However, you can mouthguards custom made – which is far more comfortable. For children, comfort is the key to whether or not a mouthguard is actually used or left lying around the house or in a gym bag. Talk to you family dentist to see if a custom made mouthguards is the best choice for you. Although the cost is a bit higher, the results will be better and safer.

If you have questions about mouthguards or if you have a sports-related injury to your teeth, visit us at Wayzata Dental & SmileSpa. Our office is a Minnetonka cosmetic dentistry that can help you child or you get those chipped or broken teeth fixed.

Even though they are a few short years away from being an adult, Teens still lack the knowledge and discipline to understand what is hazardous to their bodies. Because oral hazards for Teens usually don’t take on the threat of an emergency — such as choking or poisoning — they’re more likely to occur under a parent’s radar. Nevertheless, they still cause serious damage.

Here are some potentially dangerous things Teens may participate in:

• Chewing on Nonedible Things:
  Teenagers and children are known for nervous habits like gnawing on pen caps, pencils, biting fingernails and anything else they have in their fingers. Most people do this because of boredom, anxiety or stress. This habit can result in infection and broken teeth and gums. Give your Teen sugar-free gum to chew.
• Unprotected Oral Sex:
  To avoid the risk of pregnancy, Teens may decide to participate in oral sex. This may lead to many issues including developing Herpes and STDs or Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Another health risk of unprotected oral sex is HPV, the Human Papillomavirus. HPV from oral sex has the potential to cause oral cancer.
• Abuse of Drugs:
  Drinking alcohol is popular with teens but there is another substance that is also on their “A” list — drugs. Among the drugs your Teen may use include prescription medications and easy-to-get illegal drugs like marijuana, ecstasy and meth. Any drug ingested orally can cause oral decay as well possible death from a reaction or overdose. One drug, in particular, will destroy a white smile — meth. This drug literally rots a person’s teeth.
• Sweets and Sodas:
  Teen indulges in candy and soda which will ultimately cause tooth decay. Teens, like young children, need to be reminded to brush their teeth, use dental floss, visit the dentist for dental check-ups and make wiser food (snack) choices.
• Piercings, Smoking and Tobacco:
  Although all popular among Teens, they need to understand the risk to their oral health when deciding to smoke, chew or get piercings in the mouth. Among the problems include cancer, infections and allergic reactions. Aside from this, smoking and tobacco can lead to chronic illnesses and Lung Cancer.

If you have questions about your Teens dental health, consult a family dentist, like Wayzata Dental & SmileSpa. Our office, a Minnetonka family dentistry, is specially designed for youth – with an interactive dental office waiting room including an Xbox. You can even see our office design online and make an appointment via our website.

Here are some common reasons why this may be happening.

• Although it may appear that your child is brushing her own teeth, most likely she is not doing a good enough job. Most parents do not realize that children cannot and will not brush all their teeth on their own until they are much older! The child should brush first and then the parent should follow.

• If your child drinks sugary beverages like juice or soda often, he is highly prone to cavities and they will make a visit regularly to his teeth. These beverages contain lots of sugar. If your child is thirsty in between meals, make sure they drink water. Water, with fluoride, is healthy for your body and your teeth.

• Flossing is often a forgotten step in the dental routine of children, especially young children. Although it seems like a pain, flossing between tight teeth can greatly reduce cavities in between teeth. It also teaches your child a good habit.

Helping your child make good choices and teaching them the importance of taking care of their teeth is so important for their overall health during their entire life. A good family dentist, such as Wayzata Dental & SmileSpa, works well with children and can help you and your child adopt healthy dental routines that will last a lifetime.

Experts aren’t sure what causes teeth grinding, but they point fingers at tension or anxiety, pain such as from earaches or teething. Family dentists also think that grinding in young children may be a result of malocclusion, when the teeth are misaligned. Still, some research is showing that allergies and pinworms are sometimes the culprit.

The chances that your child grinds his teeth is higher if you do. If he is a drooler or talks in his sleep, you may also find him grinding at night.

Grinding is more common than you may think. In fact, about 38 percent of children grind their teeth according to a 2005 study from the Journal of Dentistry for Children. Most grinding occurs at night and children will grow out of it around the age of six.

Is Teeth Grinding Bad?

In most cases, teeth grinding isn’t harmful. It’s very unlikely that your pre-schooler’s doing any damage to his teeth, and it’s very likely that he’ll soon outgrow the habit. Mention it to the dentist at the next dental check-up, though, so she can check the teeth for wear and any problems such as cavities.

Although the noise can be quite unnerving, most likely you’ll just have to wait for your preschooler to grow out of it. But you can make nighttime routines easier and help your child ease into sleep. It may help.

Wayzata Dental & SmileSpa is a Plymouth family dentist that can talk with you more about childhood teeth grinding.

The research suggests that the bottle should be taken away from the baby at the age of 12-14 months. Actually, as soon as the child can drink from a cup, the bottle should be taken away.

Many mothers and caretakers of toddlers will tell you that it’s tough to wean a toddler. It’s easy to give in to an angry one-year-old who screams for their bottle, and they can scream much longer than we think they can. But there are other ways to soothe the child ahead of time, so they aren’t caught off-guard.

Baby bottle tooth decay occurs when a child’s teeth are exposed to sugary liquids, such as formula, fruit juices, and other sweetened liquids for a continuous, extended period of time. 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 American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry has developed the following guidelines for preventing baby bottle tooth decay:

• Don’t allow a child to fall asleep with a bottle containing milk, formula, fruit juices, or other sweet liquids. Never let a child walk with a bottle in her mouth.
• Comfort a child who wants a bottle between regular feedings or during naps with a bottle filled with cool water.
• Always make sure a child’s pacifier is clean and never dip a pacifier in a sweet liquid.
• Introduce children to a cup as they approach 1 year of age. Children should stop drinking from a bottle soon after their first birthday.

So there does seem to be some correlation between obesity, poor dental health and prolonged bottle usage. Talk with your family dentist, such as Wayzata Dental and SmileSpa. We are a Plymouth family dentistry and also specialize in other dental needs such as teeth whitening. Contact us for advice or to set up an appointment.

Dental visits for children in low-income families are low, and they tend to have higher rates of tooth decay and have greater difficulty getting the proper dental care required to stay healthy.

Here are hard facts on just how severe this problem is across our nation:

• Over 40 percent of children will be affected by tooth decay before reaching age 5.
• There are about 4 million children born each year, and more than half of these children will experience tooth decay by the time they are about the age 7.
• Over 23 million children do not have dental insurance. This is twice the number of children without health insurance.
• Poverty and minorities far more than other groups are affected by poor dental health and no dental insurance.

There are links between poor dental hygiene and health problems, including issues relating to the heart. Visiting a family dentist for checkups and follow-up care is just as important as getting regular physicals. Families need to be proactive and talk with their family dentists about their child’s dental care and how to get low-cost dental insurance.

Wayzata Dental and SmileSpa is a Plymouth family dentistry that focuses on the dental needs of children. Our office and staff are equipped to work with children of all ages. We also can consult with you on your dental needs. Our business is making sure that your teeth and smile are not only beautiful but healthy.

Going To Bed With A Bottle
The result of sending a child to bed with a bottle of anything (except water) can result in severe tooth decay. The sugar from the liquid in the bottle stays on the teeth for long periods of time causing the bacteria on the child’s teeth and the sugar to mix turn into the dreaded “C” word – cavities.

You may have heard the phrase “bottle mouth” to describe the mouth of a child who has been sent to bed repeatedly with a bottle. This is not an easy habit to break, but it can be done. To break this habit, try diluting the liquid down each night and then turn it into just water.

Thumb Sucking

Thumb sucking could cause the child to have buck teeth, which is costly to fix requiring serious orthodontic treatment. Most children will stop sucking their fingers between ages 2 and 4, but some will continue on into grade school. It is easier to stop this habit when it first starts.

Swallowing Toothpaste or Flouride Rinses

This is one not many parents realized is happening and doesn’t seem to grab their attention. Getting your child to brush their teeth everyday is a great habit but using too much toothpaste and swallowing a lot of it is not good for the stomach. This can cause a condition known as Fluorosis, where white or brown spots can form on the teeth in severe cases.

Try teaching your child to use just a small spot of toothpaste and make it apparent that spitting it out and rinsing is just as important.

Your family dentist is your best defense in helping your child break bad habits. They can talk with your child and help explain why their habits are bad. Helping your child break bad habits will put you and your child on the right path to good dental health and hygiene.

If a primary tooth is lost too early, the permanent tooth basically loses its guide and can drift or erupt incorrectly into the mouth. Not only that, the teeth surrounding the tooth can also move or tilt into the space. If this happens, the permanent tooth cannot come in properly.

If your child loses a primary tooth before the permanent is ready to erupt, or if the permanent one is missing, your child’s dentist may decide to use something called a space maintainer. The job of the space maintainer is to keep the space open until the permanent is come through.

A space maintainer is a simple tool. It is usually made of stainless steel but can be plastic too. Spacers are removable but the dentist will decide whether it is necessary to cement it in your child’s mouth, making it fixed.

There are cases where some children are missing several baby molars without permanent teeth ready to come in. In these situations, the dentist may use a partial denture instead of a space maintainer.

As always, it is important for your child to brush to keep the gum tissue healthy. It is recommended for children with spacers to avoid one chewy candy and gum, which can loosen the band or even get stuck in the wire.

To determine when the spacer can be removed, the dentist will follow the progress of the incoming tooth, by taking X-rays regularly. Once the permanent tooth is ready to come through, the spacer will be removed.

If you think you child may need a spacer, you should talk with your dentist right away. Call Wayzata Dental and SmileSpa. We have an office equipped for the youngest of patients and can talk with you on the right options for your child. You child’s dental health is our business.

But, most family dentists will tell you to let you children go trick or treating and celebrate this fun-filled day. Aside from reminding kids about how overindulging on candy is harmful to the teeth and body, you can teach them about which types of candies to avoid.

Yes, there are actually candies that rate the worst and best when it comes to dental health.

• The worst may actually surprise you. Lollipops and anything that stays in your mouth for a long time like hard candies are big “no-nos.” The longer sugar sits in your mouth, the worst it will be for teeth.
• Next in line is candy that sticks to your teeth like taffy or gummy candy that have fillings or chewy centers.
• Chocolate is not the best or worst. Better than hard candy but still can cause problems.
• Powder candy is ok. It tends to dissolves quickly and can be poured right onto the tongue versus the teeth.
• Lastly, sugar free gum or candy. Some of this type of candy can actually protect your teeth. (But who gives out this type of stuff on Halloween?)

The rule of thumb basically is that any type of non-sticky candy that clears the mouth quickly is generally OK. It’s not so much the total amount of sugar in the candy that causes tooth decay but the frequency that the sugar is being consumed. The fewer times you snack on any type of candy is better.

Calling or talking with your family dentist will help you get a better understanding about sugary foods and your child’s dental health. Wayzata Dental and SmileSpa can give your child a better idea about the importance of taking care of their teeth. Call us to day to set up an appointment.