Tag Archives: children's dental care

Why Do My Children Keep Getting Decay?

August 16, 2023 writeradmin

I am at my wit’s end. I do everything for my children possible, including taking care of their teeth. We brush twice, sometimes three times a day. We floss. I take them to the dentist every year. I also limit their sugar and still they are getting cavities. I want them to grow up with healthy teeth and do not know what I am doing wrong. At our last appointment, my four year old had four new cavities and my seven year old had two new cavities. What can I do differently?

Libby

Dear Libby,

It sounds like you are a loving and conscientious mother. That is fantastic and will only benefit your children. You have checked off some important items in caring for your childrens teeth. These include regularly brushing and flossing. You mentioned that you take them to the dentist every year. If at all possible, I would increase that to twice a year. Dental plans generally give you two full cleanings a year.

One thing you did not mention was the duration of their eating. Do they snack a lot or drink lots of juices? Believe it or not duration of eating, not what you eat, is one of the leading factors of tooth decay.

Our saliva contains bacteria fighting minerals, but it can’t properly do its job if they are frequent snackers. While limiting sugars can be helpful, it would be better to have a sugary snack once in a while than to have pasta or snacks a few times throughout the day. Most people are not aware that pasta and other carbohydrates break down into sugar. Many foods do, in fact.

Brushing constantly won’t even help. However, they only prevent decay on smooth surfaces. All those pits and fissures in your children’s back teeth are at a much greater risk of decay. If you have a good pediatric dentist, then they should have recommended you get sealing done on your children’s back teeth. This is a liquid that is “painted” over your children’s back teeth, the ones with all those pits. This dries then seals them up so that food and other debris cannot get trapped there. This should be done after a thorough cleaning by the dentist so that the teeth are healthy and clean when they are sealed.

They should also be getting regular fluoride treatements, which will help strengthen their teeth. We are fortunate to live in a country that fluorinates the water. However, that extra bit at the dentist makes a difference.

You are doing a great job, mamma. Check their snacking frequency and give yourself some grace.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Sedation Dentist

Sedation Dentistry for Severely Autistic Child

April 15, 2023 writeradmin

I have a non-verbal, severely autistic child. Most of the time he is a perfect angel. But, when he has an episode it can be a bit nightmarish. He has a dental appointment coming up. I’ve opted for using a sedation dentist. I know he’ll be fine once the sedation takes affect, but how do I prepare him for the appointment leading up to the sedation? I want it to go as smoothly as possible so he will not dread dental care.

Sherri

Dear Sherri,

I can tell right away that you are a great mother. This alone will help your son with every obstacle he will face. I also feel that sedation dentistry is a great choice for your child, so way to go with that decision. Here are some things you can do to help with your son’s appointment.

Communication is Key

This is true of almost everything. However, with any medical procedure, it is even more important. The first thing I would do is make sure your sedation dentist has a complete medical history on your son. Let them know of any special considerations, such as mobility issues, etc. Is he able to swallow pills or will he need a liquid sedation? Will he need a caregiver with him? You can even tell them about his likes and dislikes.

Get to Know the Place

Some dentists are willing to let patients, especially children, make a visit to the office before their appointment. They can see the rooms, meet the staff, and just have fun without anyone trying to do any treatment for them. If your dentist doesn’t do that, then you can show them pictures of the office from their website. These usually have images of happy patients in them.

Bring Security Items

Are there things that help your son feel more comfortable, such as a special blanket, or stuffed animal? If so, bring them. Does he like music? Let him listen to music. As you know, autistic children do better with routine. If there is a certain part of the day he does better with “errands”, then see if they can schedule you during that time, so it is more natural for him.

I’m sure things will go smoothly.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Pediatric Dentist

Will a Pediatric Dentist Cost Me More Money?

January 9, 2023 writeradmin

I have been taking my son to my dentist. He’s four years old and isn’t doing well with them. They are not doing anything wrong, but seem to not be used to children. I’ve never really seen other children at their office either. I noticed that they get frustrated when he fidgets, but it is not excessive, just normal kid fidgeting. It takes everything I have to be able to afford the dentist as it is. I feel like my son may need a pediatric dentist, but I don’t know if they are more expensive. I’m not sure I can afford it if it is.

Miranda

Dear Miranda,

Dental prices vary and are set by the dentists themselves. That being said, there are some general “rules of thumb” that could be helpful to you.

Pediatric Dentists are Specialists

Pediatric dentists have to spend a bit more time in school in order to specialize in children. As a result, their fees are often at least a little higher. That being said, location often has a greater impact on their fees than whether or not they specialize. If you go to a pediatric dentist in a wealthy area of town, their prices will be a bit higher. However, if you go to one just a few miles away from that area, you may see a drop in the fees.

Leverage Dental Insurance

If you have dental insurance, going in-network will often save you a lot of money. In many cases, regular checkups are completely covered or only have a small fee attached to them. In many cases, the insurance companies dictate the fees, which is why they will be lower than if you go out of network.

There are General Dentists Who are Great with Children

Though your dentist may not be great with children, there are many general dentists who are and love treating them as well. One way to know how good they are with children is to ask them which age they prefer to start treating them. If they say 2 years old (or around there) you can know they enjoy treating children. If they prefer to wait until they are around 5-8 years old, they don’t really enjoy treating children. They tolerate it.

Also, to put your mind at ease regarding qualifications, every general dentist has done a pediatric rotation so they are perfectly qualified to treat children. If anything tricky comes up, they will then refer you to a specialist.

I hope this helps.
This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Camellia DDS Blog