Preteens and Dental Health

For Your Preteens

Congratulations, you're almost a teenager! That means you're on the road to taking care of your own smile. Cavities aren’t just for little kids—you can get them at any age. When you consume sugary foods, soda, juice and energy drinks, you put yourself at risk for tooth decay and gum disease. Be smart. Always brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes and floss once a day.

The bottom line for smiles that are healthy on the inside and out:

• Always brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste for two minutes.
• Floss between your teeth daily.
• Avoid sugary and starchy snacks such as soda, potato chips, and candy.
• Wear a mouth guard when you’re playing sports or other recreational activities.
• Stay away from tobacco. Cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco all increase your risk for tobacco-related health problems. They also give you bad breath!
• Don’t pierce your lips or any part of your mouth since you could crack a tooth or worse if part of the jewelry breaks off in your mouth.
• See your dentist. Regular dental visits will help set you up to be Mouth Healthy for Life.

Nutrition

Did you know that what you eat and when you eat it affects not only your overall health but your dental health too? Eating healthy foods help keep your teeth and body healthy. That's why you should try to keep the amount of sweets you eat or drink to a minimum. If you have something sweet, try to eat or drink it with a meal to limit the exposure time to your teeth.

What to Eat:

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which encourages healthy eating, a healthy diet should include:

• Fruits and vegetables. Combined these should be half of what you eat every day.
• Grains. Make sure at least half of the grains you eat are whole grains, such as oatmeal, whole wheat bread and brown rice.
• Dairy. Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy foods.
• Lean proteins. Make lean protein choices, such as lean beef, skinless poultry and fish. Try and vary your protein choices to include eggs, beans, peas and legumes, too. Eat at least 8 oz. of seafood a week.

Snacking tips:

• Snacking is hard to resist but you can do your mouth a favor by watching the amount of soda, juice or other sweetened beverages you drink.
• If you want a snack, try and choose something like fruit, low-fat cheese, yogurt or raw vegetables.
• If you chew gum, make sure it’s sugarless. Certain sugarless gums have earned the ADA Seal of Acceptance for helping prevent cavities by strengthening teeth. Look for the ADA Seal on the package.

If you have braces: Good oral hygiene habits such as brushing and flossing are especially important for people wearing braces. Your dentist may recommend avoiding certain foods that could interfere with braces or accidentally bend the wires. These foods may include nuts, popcorn, hard candy, ice and sticky foods like chewing gum, caramel or other chewy candy. If you have trouble with certain foods, try cutting them into smaller pieces first. For instance, slicing apples or carrots before eating them.
You may also experience problems eating after your braces are tightened–teeth may feel sore. The first few days are the worst, so try eating softer foods such as scrambled eggs, oatmeal, pasta, smoothies, and soups until your mouth feels better.

Cosmetic dentist Dr. Isidoros  Mereos enjoys bettering the lives of his patients through the practice of cosmetic dentistry at Precious Smiles in the Miami Beach area. Our team looks forward to meeting with you and developing a plan tailored to meet your individual needs. You can make an appointment with our cosmetic dentist by calling our friendly staff at (305) 532-9114 or by visiting www.precioussmiles.com. Please don't hesitate to contact Precious Smiles if you have any questions about cosmetic dentistry.

America's Preschoolers Plagued with Cavities

Preschoolers Plagued With Cavities

For years the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that cavities in preschoolers was the number one chronic (yet preventable) condition impacting the nation's youth. A recent study of the matter has indicated the truth behind this statement. Dentists across the nation have reported an increase of preschoolers of all income levels sporting multiple cavities and tooth decay on baby teeth and have been relying on the powers of general anesthesia to help deliver the essential dental treatments to improve the conditions.

The practice has gotten many medical experts concerned. The dentists performing the work deem the application of anesthesia for these cases as a necessity as getting a child to set still for the dental treatments associated with cleaning up the mess is nearly impossible. Despite the reasons concern is a reality there are risks associated with using general anesthesia on the young including vomiting and nausea and even brain damage or death

Past research into the topic had indicated that the rise of cavities in children were linked to conditions such as poverty, asthma and lack of access to professional dental care. But the latest news shows that parents and caregivers such as nannies are causing the dental health scenarios and ignorance is often to blame. Some caregivers erroneously believe baby teeth are less important than permanent teeth as they will   eventually fall out or are scared of causing emotional harm to children as the new oral hygiene behaviors may cause tantrums. Whatever the reason behind the faulty logic, it must be altered to help reverse the trend of preschoolers being plagued with dental problems.

Dental Neglect

Kids sure grow up fast and the eruption of a first tooth is often the first indicator of the fact. While newborns may look like little toothless bundles of joy, primary tooth development occurs in the womb. By a time a child is born, milk teeth are almost completely formed, but hidden under the gums with first tooth typically erupting between ages six and twelve months. That is why parents must start by implementing dental care on day one, but the ignorance surrounding this matter is believed to be contributing to the sad state of dental health for preschoolers.

Taking care of baby teeth starts prior to the first eruption; parents are encouraged to gently wipe down gums with gauze and water after every feeding to prevent dental plaque (the cause of tooth decay) from feasting on sugar deposits. Then once the first tooth erupts parents the practice of gently wiping down juniors' gums to prevent and cavities and tooth  decay should continue until tooth two as that is the perfect time to start brushing and flossing junior's teeth in order to get a kid acclimated for life.

Poor Nutrition

The world is filled with countless natural food choices to promote dental health including whole grains, fruits, vegetables and plant based protein sources. Despite the availability of these foods and the low price point parents and caregivers are feeding their kids an excess of processed junk food with empty calories at an early age and let their children graze all day long so that there is never a complaint about hunger. That has also prompted the slew of cavities and dental problems in preschoolers.

In regards to children and their diet, every bite counts. Parents need to accept the fact that it is there job to deliver proper nutrition to their children and that means water not soda in the sippy cups, pureed apples instead of candy and reducing the overall frequency of snacking as that causes oral pH level to decline sharply, coating the teeth in acid (putting tooth enamel at risk) until saliva production amps up and washes away the coating.

Professional Dental Care

Having a child is filled with mysteries, but knowing when to bring a child to a dentist for a visit should not be one of them. As previously mentioned, wiping gums can begin soon after first feeding and regular dental check ups need to start at the sign of a first tooth eruption. That visit will help junior get familiar with dental clinics (reducing chances of dental anxiety during their lifetime), provide a pediatric dentist with the ability to educate parents on how they can manage their children's oral health better and give dentists the opportunity to deliver preventative dentistry in order to stave off tooth decay from becoming an issue.

Repairing the damage done by dental neglect in all its form can prove to be costly (the restorative treatments can cost thousands of dollars even the smallest of mouths), stressful (crying kids+dental treatments=anxiety) and can be a life altering experience. Caregivers who make a commitment to their child's oral health can help reverse the trend of preschoolers and cavities. Bringing your child to a kids' dentist can be the first step.

Cosmetic dentist Dr. Isidoros  Mereos enjoys bettering the lives of his patients through the practice of cosmetic dentistry at Precious Smiles in the Miami Beach area. Our team looks forward to meeting with you and developing a plan tailored to meet your individual needs. You can make an appointment with our cosmetic dentist by calling our friendly staff at (305) 532-9114 or by visiting www.precioussmiles.com. Please don't hesitate to contact Precious Smiles if you have any questions about cosmetic dentistry.