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| When should a child schedule a dental visit? |
| Dentists are a great resource for children's oral health at any age. When children begin erupting their first teeth, parents should gently wipe the teeth with a soft cloth after eating. It is advisable that children begin routine visits at two years of age to reinforce proper hygiene habits. Some children face excessive caries due to over using a bottle, open bites and excessive crowding issues at very young ages. Children require proper dental appointment compliance (dental visits every six months) and excellent home care for better oral hygiene. |
| Does my child need a mouthguard? |
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Mouthguards are a way to protect children from harming their teeth. From an early age of 5-7 years old, patient's adult teeth begin to erupt and permanent damage to teeth can easily occur. It is recommended that all patients have a mouthguard and proper headgear if they are active in sports or playing. Mouthguards can be customized to a patient's teeth under a dentist's supervision. As a child grows older, new mouthguard may be required due to newly erupted teeth. Presently, Dr. Durgam presents a "Mouthguard to Save Smiles" program for all kids at her office. All children receive free mouthguards after exam, x-rays, and cleaning. We believe strongly in keeping your kids' teeth safe.
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| What causes discoloration of newly erupted teeth? |
| Permanent teeth become discolored when a child has trauma to teeth, fluorosis, antibiotics/medicationsm, and fever as teeth are formed. |
| What are sealants? |
| Sealants are a microfill bonding material placed too prevent cavities from forming in the small grooves on teeth. Sealants are clinically proven to prevent cavities and recommended for most children. |
| Should my child eat sugary snacks? |
| Children should eat a nutritional diet. Parents should reinforce vegetable and fruit snacks over sugary snacks. It is recommended that if children eat sugar, to eat at one time during the day/week. Eating sugar over the course of a day leads to high incidence of caries. After eating, it is always beneficial to have the child brush their teeth with adult supervision. |
| What is the proper home care for children? |
| Children need to brush their teeth with a soft-bristle brush and a pea sized amount of toothpaste. Children should be asked to put their toothbrush at a 45 degree angle and move in a circular motion being sure to cover all the surfaces of the teeth. Children should be brushing their teeth from a young age under adult supervision. Disclosing tablets may be used to highlight the plaque areas to the child. The child swishes water and expectorates. The patient chews one tablet, moving the tablet throughout the mouth without swallowing it then the tablet is expectorated. Water is swished around the mouth and expectorated. The areas that are dark red are areas containing plaque. |
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