Tag: kidsdentist

As the weather warms up, it’s common to treat your children with ice cream, snow cones, and other ice-cold refreshments. While it may be common to get a brain freeze after eating their favorite frozen treat, it is alarming if your child complains about sharp dental pain due to sensitive teeth.

Generally, hot, cold, sweet, and sour food and drink (and sometimes even cool air) can trigger tooth sensitivity. This can happen when your tooth’s outer layer thins out, or gums recede, exposing the underlying dentin and dental nerves. Ouch!

Although this is generally a problem for adults, children can also suffer from tooth sensitivity. Because up to 52% of Americans struggle with sensitive teeth, we’ve unpacked six reasons your child might have sensitive teeth.

1. Tooth Decay

If ignored, dental decay eventually exposes the underlying dental tissue and nerve. Thankfully, tooth decay is largely preventable by eating a balanced diet, practicing good oral hygiene, and regularly visiting your child’s dentist.

2. Over-Brushing

Ideally, your child should brush their teeth in gentle circles with a soft brush. However, their gums can begin to pull away from tooth roots if you brush too hard or don’t use a soft toothbrush. Over time, over-brushing can wear away their enamel and expose the underlying dentin and dental nerves.

3. Acidic Foods and Beverages

Does your child have an insatiable appetite for citrus, fruit juice, or other acid-rich treats? Overeating acidic foods and drinks can erode the surface of your child’s teeth. If your child isn’t ready to part with their tart favorites, cut the acid with a calcium-rich treat (such as milk or cheese) after eating.

4. Chronic Teeth Grinding

Sleep bruxism is the involuntary clenching and grinding of the teeth during sleep. Although prevalence numbers vary from study to study, you might be surprised that sleep bruxism may affect anywhere from 13 to 49% of children. Furthermore, you might be even more surprised to discover that some researchers have linked sleep bruxism with excessive screen time and sugar consumption.

Regardless, bruxism will eventually wear down the enamel of your children’s teeth if ignored. Thus, leading to sensitivity. The good news is that your pediatric dentist can help your child manage their sleep bruxism habits through a prescribed nightguard.

5. Cracked or Chipped Teeth

Kids constantly gain life lessons through experiences. Sometimes, life lessons can permanently damage their teeth. If your kid learned the hard way that biting into hard candies, excessively munching on ice, or using their teeth as tools can leave teeth cracked or chipped, they might be experiencing teeth sensitivity. After a tooth is deeply cracked or chipped, the nerve-rich pulp may become irritated when chewing. Also, a cracked tooth can fill up with germs, leading to more irritation, inflammation, and discomfort.

6. Silver Fillings

Occasionally, some children need dental fillings to protect and restore function to a tooth. Some pediatric dentists select silver fillings for baby teeth since silver is cost-effective and durable. However, silver fillings are sensitive to thermal fluctuations—making your child’s teeth more sensitive than usual.

Contact Your Local Pediatric Dentist If Your Child Has Sensitive Teeth

If your child is battling dental sensitivity, you don’t have to tackle this common oral health issue alone. At his pediatric dental practice in Overland Park, KS, Dr. Matt guides parents through dental care to restrengthen their children’s pearly whites. Schedule a children’s dentist appointment by calling (913) 685-9990 or messaging us online.

Got Milk? Because of these two simple words, many Americans associate milk with an everyday product that can help build healthy teeth and bones. But is there truth in this claim, or is it just a clever marketing gimmick? Dr. Matt of Overland Park, KS, breaks down some insightful information about the benefits of milk and answers the most frequently asked questions about dairy and dental health.

How is milk beneficial for teeth and bones?

Yes, it’s true. Milk contains a natural sugar called lactose. Some parents worry that the sugar in milk impairs oral health the same way that processed white sugar does. Fortunately, studies prove otherwise, and science supports that milk can positively affect developing teeth and bones.

First of all, dairy milk is considered a whole food, and a single glass provides 18 out of 22 essential nutrients. Milk delivers what your body craves, with more calcium, zinc, phosphorus, potassium, and protein than just about any other food.

Comprehensively, studies suggest that milk and dairy products may help prevent cavities in children and adolescents. Famously, milk is an excellent source of calcium. One cup of milk offers nearly one-third of the recommended daily amount (RDA). Also, dairy products contain unique proteins called caseins. When casein combines with calcium and phosphorus, a protective film forms over the enamel. This lowers the possibility of tooth decay.

Why is milk vital for human development?

The demand for milk starts early. During a person’s first few days of life, a newborn requires 1 to 2 ounces of baby formula or breastmilk every 2 to 3 hours (or more). Drinking milk at a young age helps protect against bone loss later in life.

Dairy products (including breastmilk and formula) are a rich, assessable source of calcium. Furthermore, calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body, and your body stores almost all of it in your teeth and bones. Aside from constructing the bones and teeth, less than 1% of your body’s calcium is ionized and can be found in the circulatory system, extracellular fluid, and various tissues.

Calcium helps the body function by providing structural support and allowing normal bodily movement. Also, calcium is responsible for helping the heart, muscles, nerves, and other bodily systems function their best.

How long should a person drink milk?

Generally, pediatricians allow babies to drink cow’s milk instead of breast milk or formula after celebrating their first birthday. Even though there is an age limit to start drinking milk, there’s not one to stop. Most recent scientific evidence suggests that milk can be a healthy dietary staple throughout life that may protect against prevalent chronic diseases, such as childhood obesity.

What are some alternative sources of calcium?

We understand that milk and other dairy products may not be a part of a child’s diet because of lactose intolerance, preferences, and lifestyles. If you’re worried about your child being calcium deficient, please don’t! 

You don’t have to limit your family to milk, cheeses, and yogurts to gain the positive effects of calcium. There are plenty of dairy-free sources of calcium, including almonds, chia and sesame seeds, green vegetables, and fortified tofu.

Call Smiles Dentistry for Kids to Keep Your Child’s Teeth Healthy

Above all, our Smiles Dentistry for Kids team is passionate about helping your child achieve the smile they deserve while gently guiding parents through childhood health and development hurdles. Schedule a pediatric dental appointment in Overland Park, KS, by calling (913) 685-9990 or messaging us online.

Although sports are a beneficial tool that helps children develop physical, social, and emotional skills, you may be surprised to discover that athletes tend to have more dental-related issues than their peers. 

However, the purpose of this blog is not to discourage children from avoiding staying active. Instead, we want to shed light on the connections between athletes and poor oral health. So, young athletes and their families can have foresight in saving their children’s teeth from potential cavities, gum disease, and other damage.

Cavities and Inflamed Gums Among Athletes

Despite brushing and flossing their teeth more frequently than the general population, professional athletes have higher rates of oral disease. The athletes surveyed still suffered from higher rates of gingivitis and untreated tooth decay in defiance of good oral health-related habits, such as: 

• Eating a balanced diet
• Brushing teeth regularly
• Visiting the general dentist

While this may sound surprising, the suspected culprit is not: regular use of sports drinks, energy bars, and energy gels. Commonly consumed during training and competition, these products are laden with sugar and are highly acidic. Therefore, higher levels of tooth decay and acid erosion are likely to occur.

Thankfully, the solution to avoiding these problems is simple. We encourage children to reduce their sugary sports drink intake. Instead, opt for replenishing with the tide and true beverage at practices, games, and tournaments: water.

Protect Against Traumatic Accidents with a Mouthguard

Does your young athlete need a mouthguard? Because all sports pose a risk of injury, we recommend kids to wear mouthguards for any activities that endanger their smiles. For example, wearing a mouthguard would be wise if your child plays a contact sport with a higher chance of impact incidents involving the head or face.

When mouthguards are not worn, the overall risk of an orofacial injury is up to 1.9 times higher than when a mouthguard is not worn. Also, mouthguards can provide additional protection during sports and dramatically reduce dental injury rates by:

• Preventing fractures in the teeth and jaws
• Providing soft tissue protection
• Giving support by filling in missing teeth spaces
• Potentially reducing the incidence and severity of concussion

Avoid Demineralization by Addressing Dry Mouth (Correctly)

Whatever the sport, most athletes complain about dry mouth. Physiologically, saliva secretion decreases or interrupts due to a combination of factors, including:

• The stress of sports
• Thermogenesis (heat formation)
• Buccal respiration (gulping air through the mouth)

Although young athletes can expect dry mouth during a game, dry mouth tends to increase the rate of demineralization. Otherwise known as decalcification, demineralization occurs when the teeth lose calcium and phosphate. Without adequate saliva, a dry mouth remains acidic for a long time and causes the enamel to break down over time. Generally, this is the first sign of tooth decay and can showcase as white spots on the enamel.

Thankfully, we can recommend dental products, and home care routines to reverse the signs of demineralization white spots. However, it’s best to avoid decalcification altogether by frequently rehydrating with water.

Protect Your Young Athlete’s Oral Health with Dr. Matt

At Smiles Dentistry for Kids, Dr. Matt encourages children and their parents to be proactive about oral health choices so that everyone can smile more on and off the field. Book a children’s dental appointment in Overland Park, KS, to learn how to optimize your child’s oral health. Call (913) 685-9990 or message us online today.