Caring For Your Infant's Teeth

My six month old baby boy had his first teeth come in a few weeks ago, making me very aware of the possible problems with an infant’s oral hygiene. Here are a few pointers to keep your child smiling for a lifetime.

1. Get early and regular examination by a dental professional:
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends your child visit a dentist between the time their first tooth comes in, and their first birthday. This visit establishes a dental home, and acclimates them to the sights and sounds of the dental office. Early examination and preventive care will protect your child’s smile now and in the future.

2. Watch your infant/child's diet closely:
Many things in an infant's diet have the potential to cause tooth decay. It is important to remember that tooth decay is more a matter of frequency than quantity. Children who go to bed with a bottle of anything other than water are at risk for Early Childhood tooth decay. Like all tooth decay it is caused by bacteria fueled by sugar, so even the natural sugars in breast milk can cause them.

Part of a child’s diet should include fluoride. In parts of the country where the water supply is fluoridated, your child should be getting plenty of fluoride as long as they drink formula or water from the tap. Bottled water does not have fluoride, and it’s important for you child to have early exposure to it for the best protection from future cavities.

3. Brush your infant/child's teeth:
This is perhaps the most obvious but it is also so important. Brushing with water should be sufficient until your child is old enough to understand to spit the tooth paste out and not eat it. Brushing twice a day as soon as the first teeth erupt establishes good hygiene practices for a lifetime.

Follow these tips, and your child will have a lifelong healthy smile.

- Submitted by Dr. Mark Mortenson
Mortenson Family Dental Jefferson Mall
4801 Outer Loop
Louisville, KY 40219
Phone: (502) 966-8638
Fax: (502) 964-7309
www.mortensonfamilydental.com

They're Just Baby Teeth, Right?

"They're just baby teeth." This is something that most dentists hear often. Yes, they are just baby teeth, but baby (primary) teeth play a very important role in your child's growth and health. Primary teeth help your child chew and speak, help support the muscles in their face, and serve as important place-holders for the big (permanent) teeth that will replace them. Cavities in primary teeth need to be taken care of so that we can keep that space filled and keep your child out of pain.

Many general dentists treat children. Our goal is to help your child have a great experience at the dentist. There are many things that we can do to keep your child comfortable- from silly jokes to nitrous oxide (laughing gas). Many of us are parents ourselves and we understand that you may have lots of questions and we are happy to answer each one of them. We want to make sure that your child is comfortable each time so that we can start a great relationship with dentists early so that it will continue throughout the rest of their lives!

By Dr. Heather Walker
Mortenson Family Dental Valley Station
10640 Dixie Highway
Louisville, KY 40272
502-933-4427
www.mortensonfamilydental.com

Oral Hygiene For Children

One of the most challenging aspects of the dental profession is educating patients. To merely treat cavities or gum disease is not to address the root cause of these problems. Individuals who understand their own role in the prevention of cavities and gum disease generally speaking have a much lower incidence of these diseases. These same individuals are often responsible for the care of young children. Therefore, it stands to reason that parents, who understand the importance of good oral hygiene, brushing and flossing, will instill this education in their own children. It is of the utmost importance then to both educate adults in oral hygiene and preventive measures, and then to educate them on how to aid their children in these practices.

Most parents if asked by a dental professional will respond that of course their children brush their teeth. Indeed this is probably true, however, another pertinent question might be; do you help them do it correctly? To properly clean teeth it is recommend that one brushes for 2 minutes twice daily. The skill required to properly angle the tooth brush at the gums at 45 degrees while ensuring that all surfaces are cleaned on all teeth is often beyond a young child. Flossing between the teeth correctly such that the inner surfaces of both teeth involved are cleansed is at times difficult for adults let alone children. The supervision or performance of oral hygiene for a child by a parent during the daily routine is a must.

For children under the age of four parents will need to do the majority of the actual cleaning themselves, however it is extremely important to have the child involved. Allowing the child to attempt to brush first, and then following up to ensure the teeth are clean is a good practice. It is crucial to remember that children do not always want to have their teeth brushed but this should not prevent the practice from occurring. As the primary care giver to a young child a parent has the responsibility to ensure the oral hygiene of their children. For older children, ages 4-11, an increasing amount of the actual cleaning will be done by the child. Supervision by a parent to ensure both occurrence and proper technique is still important.

Through patient education directed towards parents, children will learn proper oral hygiene techniques along with the importance of taking personal responsibility for preventing cavities and gum disease.


By Dr. Blair Brown
Mortenson Family Dental Dixie Highway
5222 Dixie Highway
Louisville, KY 40216
502-449-7995
www.mortensonfamilydental.com

Share Your Love Story With Us And WIN!

What Is Your Love Story?

With Valentine's Day only weeks away, Mortenson Family Dental is celebrating the love in the air the whole month of February and we are searching for the best love story in the city.

The lucky couple whose tale of romance wins our hearts will win a dinner for two at The Bristol Bar & Grill and a beautiful Godiva chocolate gift basket that includes a 15 pc. True Love Heart Gift Box of assorted Godiva dark, milk, and white chocolates; a 14 pc. Heart of Hearts collection of foil-wrapped milk chocolate hearts; and a 6 pc. Miniature Heart Box of foil-wrapped milk chocolate hearts. (9.45 oz.) to share with the one that you love.

If you have a wonderful love story to share, send us your love story how you met, your first kiss, your wedding day, your diamond anniversary, any love story you want to tell (keep it clean, of course) and please enter it on our "Contest" page on our Facebook Fan Page. Or, if you aren't on Facebook post it in a comment on our blog under this "Share Your Love Story With Us And WIN!" post. You can also email it to bgreen@mfdc.net with LOVE STORY in the subject line. We'd love a photo too if possible. The deadline to enter is Friday, February 26, 2011.

The winning entry will be announced in a special story right here on our blog and Facebook Fan Page on Monday, February 28, 2011.

Need more details or have additional questions? Email Beth Green at bgreen@mfdc.net.