Dental hygienebegins when a child is born. Every feeing should be followed by a gentle cleanse inside the mouth with a warm washcloth. 

Constant sucking on a pacifier, bottle, or being breast fed can cause a fungal infection of the mouth called Candida, also known as yeast. Tiny tears in the mouth remain moist and  if not manually removed , the yeast may cause the painful condition thrush.

 Signs of thrush include:

• White patches that appear to coat the tongue, inside  of the cheek, and gums
• Pain when feeding or using a pacifier

If left untreated, a nursing mother may develop thrush on her breast

A child starts teething  at about 6 to 7 months old but can begin around 3 months old.

Some Signs of teething may include:

• Drooling (excessively)
• Irritability
• Gumming
• Biting
• Decrease in appetite
• Crying (excessively)
• Feverish

A  cool washcloth,  teething ring, or  a teething biscuit, can help ease the pain of teething by using it to gently massage the gums. Before using over-the-counter pain reducers, talk to  your doctor or dentist .

First teeth-usually the lower incisors (two front teeth)

By the age of three, children should have their complete set of 20teeth.

 A toothbrush designed for your  age should be used  when the first teeth start to appear. Toothpaste shouldn’t be introduced until about 18 months old, tooth cleansing paste is safe to swallow and does not contain fluoride.

Most children will have stopped sucking their thumb by the time they are  4 or 5 years old. Children that continue to suck their thumb by the age of 6 and older will  likely cause damage to their permanent teeth.

For Infants, the sucking process achieves considerable self-satisfaction  and  should not be discouraged under the age of two.

 Primary teeth may be affected such as an open bite or cross bite,  if  thumb sucking persists after the age of 2. If the habit is not resolved by the time the child is 4-5 years of age then the child most likely need orthodontic management.

 All of us grind our teeth on occasion ,when we are angry, anxious,  or when our sleep is disturbed for instance.  Some people grind there teeth on a regular basis, this condition is called bruxism. this can have a negative effect on tooth enamel, bone, gums and the jaw. Teeth are supposed to  smoothly glide together, touching only when we are chewing food.  Grinding or clenching can cause the teeth to wear and crack, as well as serious jaw impairment.

While there is no cure for bruxism, it can be managed through treatment. If you suspect that you clench or grind your teeth, consult one of our dentists at Dentalville to undergo a bruxism evaluation. Your dentist will be best to evaluate the extent of wear on your teeth, gums and jaw.

There are many disadvantages of keeping wisdom teeth, some of which include surrounding teeth to shift,  jaw pain and interruptions with sinuses .

If you are in pain it is obvious that the tooth has to be distracted because a position it is in can be affecting nerves and the rest of the teeth.

The decision is actually up to the dentist, with careful visual examination and  the use of technology such as digital and panoramic x-rays a dentist will arrive to the position of whether or not to extract a structure.

 Never wait until it is absolutely necessary to go to the dentist  when it comes to your wisdom teeth.  The longer a person waits to have the wisdom teeth removed the bigger the chances are of complications.

The complication risks associated with extraction mostly for people over 50 are at a greater risk of complications because the bone fuses to the teeth as we age.

Dentists usually recommend removing potentially problematic wisdom teeth by age 18

Studies have shown that a correlation  between sinus infections and cavities exist, impacted wisdom teeth, incomplete dental work and tooth  fracture.

A sinus infection might be caused by an allergic reaction but it can also be caused by many other factors  and this is  where tooth pain comes in to play.  A person experiencing pain in some or all the teeth may have a sinus infection. The face and neck may also contain cutaneous sinus tracts that are sometimes dental in origin.  Sinus infections may be the culprit in cases of  halitosis.

 Oral pseudomembranous candidiasis  is also known as oral thrush.  This is fungal infection of the mouth that is  common among people with weakened immune systems.  It appears as slightly raised removable plaques  on the tongue or inner cheek. Thrush can also affect the roof of the mouth, gums, tonsils or back of the throat.

 Overgrowth of Candida albicans  which is a yeast that is normally present in the mouth but in small quantities.  Prolonged use of certain antibiotics or corticosteroid therapy can upset the body’s natural balance of friendly bacteria that would otherwise fight off a yeast infection. This allows overgrowth of Candida and leads to oral thrush.

Dental plaque  is like wearing a sweater on your teeth but sticky and colorless.  It constantly forms on and in between your teeth. Dental plaque  is made up of bacteria that can also develop  above the gum line, below the gum line and along the gum line. If dental plaque  is not removed, it  hardens and is then called tartar.

An acid is released from the bacteria in plaque after eating  and attacks  the enamel  of  the teeth. This  eventually causes tooth decay and cavities.Plaque also accumulates beneath the gum line and can lead  to the development of gingivitis .

Herpes  labialis,  known as herpes symplex 1 is  also known as cold sores or fever blisters.  Herpes is a common  viral condition that produces  painful and  unsightly sores on the lips or adjacent skin.

Up to 60 percent of children are exposed to the herpes virus by late puberty and nearly 90 percent of adults carry the virus by age sixty in the United States population.

 If  left untreated, oral herpes  runs its course in about 7 to 14 days if generally healthy. The condition can be dangerous among infants, elderly and those with such conditions such as HIV/AIDS.

The virus is likely to be shed into saliva, in the presence of active sores. Infection is spread by oral contact,  so it is important to avoid  kissing, other forms of skin contact with people,  sharing of  food, drink or dining and kitchen implements and definitely no sharing of dental implements such as toothbrushes and dental floss.

 By the time your child’s first tooth appears or is a year old is when a visit  to the dentist should be made. Then regular dental visits should begin when the child is 3 years of age. By this time  the  dentist can expect some co-operative behavior in the dental office.

The initial dental visit  will be mostly an educational session to establish  preventative dental practices for the child,  discuss any fears or concerns you may  have, and provide  you with an understanding of  future expectations.

The way a  child takes care of his or her teeth effects their development. Their dental habits as children usually  follow them into adulthood and is therefor so  important to set the right tone at an early age.