Children who have had previous radiation therapy such as for childhood tumors and radiation therapy had increased chances of getting oral cancer.

Oral cancer may cause any of the following signs and symptoms. If you suspect you or your children have any of these symptoms, check with your doctor and family dentist.

• A sore in the mouth that does not heal.
• A lump or thickening in the oral cavity.
• A white or red patch on the gums, tongue, tonsils, or lining of the mouth.
• Bleeding, pain, or numbness in the mouth.

You dentist or doctor may order several test to diagnose and stage oral cancer. They may include:

• Physical exam and history.
• X-ray.
• MRI of the head and neck.
• CT scan.
• PET scan.

Treatment of oral cancer in children usually include surgery for most benign tumors as well as chemotherapy, and radiation therapy for malignant tumors.

Although oral cancer is not seed in children, it is still important to understand the symptoms of this terrible disease. If you would like to talk with a Plymouth family dentistry, visit us at Wayzata Dental & SmileSpa. We work with a variety of preventative and restorative treatments and offer an oral cancer screening. Our office is child-friendly. Check us out online, where you can also make an appointment.

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.

Today, tooth decay affects children in the United States more than any other chronic infectious disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention even states that tooth decay, if left untreated, can cause pain and infections that hinder eating, speaking, playing and learning. Because of this, the controlled addition of a fluoride compound to public water supplies is considered to be the best and most cost effective way to prevent cavities and fight tooth decay. But are you getting it? If you or your family are drinking water in bottles that does not contain fluoride, then most likely not

How does fluoride work?
Fluoride makes the entire tooth structure resistant to decay and promotes remineralization, which helps in repairing early decay before damage sets in. In fact, close to 150 million United States residents in more than 10,000 communities drink fluoridated tap water. This “benefit” provides an automatic defense against the harmful matter that causes oral health problems.

No one likes to get their tooth drilled to fix cavities and simply drinking more water that is fluoridated either in the store bottle or or a reusable water bottle or glass is a great way to make sure you get this extra cavity fighting power.

But, if you can’t get the fluoride in the water, what can you do? You may want to ask your dentist about varnish. Varnish, applied quickly and easily by a dentist, is one of the most concentrated products available commercially. Varnishes that contain sodium fluoride adhere to tooth surfaces when saliva is present, providing an excellent fluoride treatment.

If you suspect that you have a cavity, don’t wait. You should visit a general dentist, such as our office — Wayzata Dental & SmileSpa. Also, tell you family dentist if you don’t know whether your water is fluoridated. It will help your dentist determine if you are not getting enough fluoride to fight cavities and treatments that may remedy this.

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.

Fluoride treatments are an important part of healthy teeth for everyone. Family dentists not only stress regular fluoride treatments, but many public schools offer fluoride treatments for all school-aged children.
Many adults use and encourage their children to use a fluoride rinse, but many children may not be getting all that they need from the rinses.

How do you really know if your child is getting enough fluoride?

Here is an easy checklist to determine if your child is getting enough fluoride as part of their dental hygiene.

• What is the source of your water? Not only does your child need topical fluoride, but he also needs to ingest fluoride to help in the development of strong, healthy adult teeth. Some cities treat tap water with extra fluoride, as do some bottled water companies. There are many children only drinking from bottled water that does not contain fluoride. Parents are thinking they are helping children stay away from harmful bacteria, but instead, they are creating a dental nightmare.
• When using a fluoride rinse, does your child follow the directions? You child needs to swish vigorously for the length of time suggested by the fluoride rinse manufacturer. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions carefully each time your child uses a fluoride rinse. You can use an egg timer or have them count in their head.
• Does your child know not to eat or drink after using a fluoride rinse? Remember what the hygienist tells you after the office fluoride treatments? There is to be no eating or drinking within 30-60 minutes of a fluoride application. Why? Eating or drinking can interfere with the effectiveness of the product.
• Are regular dental cleanings and exams in your child’s schedule? Your child should visit the dentist every six months for a cleaning and fluoride treatment.
• How often does your child use a fluoride treatment on a regular basis? One of the best ways to teach your kids about the importance of fluoride treatments and good dental care is to show them how adopt good hygiene by brushing, flossing, using a fluoride rinse, and visiting the dentist on a regular basis.

Fluoride treatments are an essential part of staying healthy. It is important for children to visit their family dentist every six months for a professional fluoride treatment. If they complain, remember to tell them about the yummy fluoride flavors they can pick from.

Visit us at Wayzata Dental & SmileSpa. We offer a comfortable office environment for all our young dental patients.

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.

It can sometime be a challenge to keep your teeth for a lifetime. Adults experience missing teeth due to several reasons: teeth lost or extracted due to dental problems, teeth that are knocked out by trauma or injury, or teeth that never formed or descended after primary teeth fall out. Although a missing tooth might look cute on a six-year-old trying to whistle, it’s no laughing matter once you are an adult. Lost tooth on a grown-up make them appear unintelligent and undesirable. It’s not cute anymore.

It’s More Than Just About Having A Pretty Smile

If you ever knew someone with missing teeth, you may recall that they never smile. Going toothless isn’t exactly aesthetically pleasing. Even people with gaps and open spaces may not smile with an open mouth for fear of showing off their lack of pearly whites. People have suffered from depression from a lack of self-esteem over their lost teeth.

Affects Your Diet – You may have seen older adults do this – “gumming” their food. A patient with significant gaps between teeth, broken teeth or missing teeth may have trouble chewing food such as an apple. Missing teeth may lead to a change in a diet –to softer foods.

Trouble Speaking – Missing teeth may also cause speech problems. Based on the position of the missing tooth or teeth, the patient may experience the inability to pronounce words they may be able to say before clearly.

Missing teeth require the attention of your family dentist. Wayzata Dental is a Minnetonka family dentist that provides cosmetic dentistry in-office. We can help restore a smile that you will be proud about.

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.