by Richard Baxter DMD, MS | Feb 11, 2015 | Dental Health, Parent Questions, Uncategorized
FAQ: Does My Child Need Braces?
Braces Shelby Pediatric Dentistry
We hear this question daily too! Sometimes, parents ask if their two year old will need braces… and often it is too early to tell. Typically we can spot major problems early (severe crowding, jaw growth problems) around age 4-5. Once the permanent teeth start to erupt, we can see problems more easily. The permanent teeth are almost twice the size of the baby teeth, so if you see no spacing between the baby teeth, you will most likely have problems with too little space, and your child will need braces. The jaw growth in children all happens in the back of the jaw after their baby teeth erupt, so if there is a tooth out of alignment, or one that is “blocked out” and looks like it doesn’t have enough room to fit into line with the other teeth, then your child will likely need to have braces.
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends to get an orthodontic check no later than 7 years of age. Most children don’t need braces until most of their permanent teeth are erupted, around age 12 or 13, but there are some problems like cross bite, jaw growth problems, or severe crowding so that teeth cannot erupt that need to be treated earlier. We will check your child’s orthodontic needs, dental growth and facial development at each check up visit and give you a referral to an orthodontist if your child would benefit from an early check up. The good news is that most first orthodontic visits are at no cost, and your child can have an evaluation with a couple of different orthodontists to make sure you are comfortable with the treatment and with the financial arrangements. The bad news is that (as you know) braces can be really expensive! Thankfully, almost all orthodontists offer payment plans to work with your budget. It’s not a bad idea to start saving early though, especially if you know that your child has some orthodontic problems – like cross bite, they had a thumb sucking habit, or they have severe crowding.
Like always, if you have any concerns about your child’s dental growth or facial development, please call our office at 205-419-7444, or ask us during your dental health visit!
by Richard Baxter DMD, MS | Feb 4, 2015 | Dental Health, Parent Questions, Pediatric Dentistry
FAQ: Should my child use a fluoride toothpaste?
Shelby Pediatric Dentistry Birmingham AL Fluoride
We have parents ask this question daily as well. The answer may surprise you! We follow the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and American Dental Association recommendations of starting a fluoride toothpaste as soon as you start brushing the teeth.
Wait! I thought fluoride is dangerous if you swallow it! Yes, you are correct; it can be dangerous, just like any other substance or medication. If you drink too little water, you will die. If you drink too much water, you can die too. If you have too much fluoride (eat tubes and tubes) you can get very sick, but for most people this is not the concern.
When people are concerned about children swallowing toothpaste, it is more likely that they are worried about the child getting fluorosis on their teeth. Most fluorosis is very mild to mild and is small white dots or lines on the teeth. Many studies have found that people actually find the teeth with mild fluorosis more attractive than the normal teeth without it! In more severe fluorosis, this can be yellow to brown stains on the teeth which many people would find unattractive (see chart below).
This only truly occurs in places where there is unmonitored well water, out in the countryside, and the amount of fluoride in the water is extremely high (this is very rare). Most water that is fluoridated is around 0.7ppm, but can range from 0.7ppm – 1.2ppm, which is enough to get a dental benefit, but would not cause fluorosis even if a large amount of water is consumed.
This brings us to the question of whether we should use fluoride toothpaste in your children. For most people, the answer is YES; start using fluoride as soon as the first tooth comes in. This is a new recommendation, so don’t feel bad if you haven’t done so yet! The AMOUNT is critical. For children age 2 and under, a smear is recommended to prevent cavities and also be a safe amount if they swallowed the whole thing.
If they are age 2-5, then a pea-size amount is recommended. If your child has had cavities in the past, then having them spit out the extra toothpaste, but NOT rinsing with water afterward will allow the toothpaste to remain on the teeth, and allow the teeth to take up the fluoride for a longer period of time. This habit of not rinsing will strengthen the teeth against the bacteria in your mouth that produce cavities. This will save you money (in dental bills), and time! Dentistry is one of the only professions trying to work ourselves out of a job!
Fluoride facts
- Every $1 invested in water fluoridation saves approximately $38 in dental treatment costs.
- The cost of oral health care for children can be reduced as much as 50% if you drink fluoridated water.
- None of fluoride’s supposed risks (government plot, mass medication, causes AIDS, cancer, heart disease, etc.) have ever been established in scientifically valid studies.
- Fluoride has been in 70% of water supplies, and has been around since the 1940s, so if there was a major concern, it would have surfaced by now!
- Fluoride mainly acts topically, so taking fluoride supplements don’t do much good unless you chew them first.
