Cosmetic Dentistry Blog

Do you have a hard time getting your children to brush their teeth? Is it a battle every time? This task may seem simple enough, until you have to pry open your sweet toddler's mouth on the day he has determined that he no longer wants you to brush his teeth! If you, like most parents, have experienced some difficulty getting your child to cooperate, then try these helpful, affordable dental hints.

Using the child's interests to your advantage works wonders. There are many affordable dental products available that are attractive to children -- you can find an affordable dental toothbrush and affordable dental toothpaste with almost any character that your child loves to watch on TV. If your child has an emotional bond to Minnie Mouse, then buy her an affordable dental toothbrush shaped like Minnie, and when it is time to brush her teeth, let her know that Minnie Mouse wants to help her get her teeth clean!

Try to make your child's brushing experience as fun as possible. If your children like to sing, then create a special song to sing to them for the duration of the brushing. A brushing song also gives them a time frame for how long they should be brushing. Many children want to briskly swipe the toothbrush across their teeth once and call it good -- having a song or chant ready will help them to be a little more thorough.

Letting your kids know that plaque causes cavities that hurt and make it hard to eat might encourage them to be preventive with their dental care for a healthier, more affordable dental future. Contact us today should you need to set up your next dental appointment and be sure to check our out pediatric dental page for more information on children and dental care.

Are you absolutely certain that you do not retain baby teeth? How about a young-adult friend or relative without a solid history of dental care?  Although adults retaining baby teeth is a rare occurrence,  there are serious health risks that we think you will want to know about.
 
Adults with baby teeth suffer from a genetic defect.  A story is a great way to make a point.  Here’s the story of a 28-year old English woman who only recently shed her baby teeth.  After 28 years, Emily Cheesman, an English woman from Kent discovered she still retained baby teeth. Unfortunate for her,  she was late in attaining the diagnosis of  Hypodontia, the disease  associated with baby teeth  in adults.  that defines this condition. Hypodontia can occur for several reasons including genetic, hormonal, environmental, and infectious causes.

Ms. Cheeseman  had to undergo extensive dental work to remove her baby teeth. Vanity was not her biggest concern regarding the smile she had; she was concerned about the future health and well-being of her mouth. The process was time consuming and involved several different dental treatments. After a dental examination, Cheeseman first had to undergo tooth extraction. After the teeth were removed, her gums were worked on to help prepare her mouth for permanent dental implants. Additionally, she had to undergo orthodontic treatment to get her teeth perfectly aligned in preparation of her new smile.

Although the condition at the surface may seem totally cosmetic in nature, medical research  is proving otherwise. A study conducted by the University of Kentucky has found that the condition is linked to cases of ovarian cancer. The research results, published in the Journal of the American Dental Association found that 20 in 100 ovarian cancer patients were afflicted with the disease.

This is a call for any of you with the acquaintance of a young adult who you suspect of having little to no pediatric dental care to be seen by a dentist as soon as possible.  Although this condition is easily diagnosed by routine dental x-rays, there are young-adult Americans throughout our land who have never been dentally x-rayed.  If  there is someone like that in your life, Hypodontia risk is just one of many reasons to get them to a dentist.

When it comes to dental health, setting a good example for children not only helps them to have healthier gums and teeth throughout their lifetime, but can also help them prevent more serious medical issues as they get older. Parents can also learn while teaching their children good habits.

Dentists Evetta Shwartzman and Konstantin Ronkin of Dream Smile Dental recommend parents start  kids early with good oral hygiene: regular checkups at one year old, or 6 months after the first tooth appears. “Children learn best when following their parents’ example,” says Dr. Shwartzman. “At the same time, parents learn the direct correlation between poor oral health and serious, life-threatening diseases.”

“People are surprised to learn the connection between poor oral hygiene and heart disease, stroke, diabetes, respiratory disease, possibly even cancer,” says Dr. Shwartzman who with Dr. Ronkin opened Dream Smile Dental 12 years ago. “The mouth can provide early clues to your overall health,” she says. “Symptoms of many diseases appear first in the mouth. “An oral exam can uncover early signs of osteoporosis, low bone mass, eating disorders (such as anorexia and bulimia), even HIV. An informed patient is a more healthy one.”

The dentists hope to dispel common misconceptions about children’s oral health. Dr. Ronkin says, “A child’s untreated decaying teeth can cause pain and make it difficult to chew and eat. Baby teeth serve as "space savers" for adult teeth, guiding permanent teeth into their proper position. Otherwise, permanent teeth may come in crowded or crooked. Decayed baby teeth can lead to an abscess and infection can spread elsewhere.”