Monday 29 November 2010

How To Deal With Milk-teeth

The first set of teeth that humans get are often called milk teeth. There are only twenty milk teeth and they usually appear in pairs, those on the lower, biting jaw usually coming out first. The first teeth usually appear in the sixth or seventh month and the complete dentition period can last from 18 to 30 months. However, there is a lot of latitude and many babies vary from this pattern in many ways.

The procedure of dentition for babies is often very painful, but it is also totally necessary, and there is very little that can be done to assist the child. However, if you keep in touch with your doctor or midwife, things should go well. One of the potential problems is infection. With the teeth breaking through the gums, bacteria can easily invade, so it is a period to watch what your baby puts into its mouth while teething.

There are two trends in teething: problem-free and problematic. We will look at them both. Most babies that have been breast fed, handle teething better than other babies, but not all. This does not mean that you should breast feed, it is only an observation - teething must still hurt.

The symptoms of teething are: swollen gums, increased saliva and reddened cheeks. In addition, teething babies chew on anything within reach and become more thirsty. Because the baby's gums are sore, it will not want to drink for long at a time, but being more thirsty, it will need to drink more often. It will also become more ill-tempered and cry a lot more than usual.

In order to alleviate these symptoms, exercise your baby as much as you can, especially in the fresh air. It will make it tired. Feed often, but not for long periods of time. Some kind of teething ring is fitting at this time because you can guarantee that it is clean and antiseptic. Chewing seems to alleviate the pain, but it could only be a distraction. No matter, anything that works is good.

Different countries have different customs. Some European countries (used to) give licorice root, honey or other sweet products to divert the baby during teething, but this practice has largely been discredited, because of evidence that a chubby child will become a chubby adult.

Your midwife will be able to give you plenty of advice, and there are new products and ideas appearing every year, so you would be wise to dedicate some of the little time that you now have left as a parent to joining a website or a blog on teething babies.

Tuesday 23 November 2010

Sensitive Teeth And How To Take Care Of Them

Many people have sensitive teeth. In fact, millions of people suffer discomfort or even pain from eating their favourite foods and drinking their favourite drinks. However, in the majority of cases, there is a lot that can be done to desensitize sensitive teeth.

Sensitive teeth most often trigger pain when people eat or drink something very cold like ice cream, iced lemonade or a cold beer. However, some people face the problem when they eat hot foods too. Some even get trouble when they breathe cold air. These examples of pain from sensitive teeth usually come from a partly exposed tooth nerve.

If this is due to cavities, then the pain is to a large extent, self-inflicted, because everybody should go to see a dentist twice a year for a check up and pre-emptive or corrective work.

Sometimes, however the trouble lies with the fact that the gums are retreating which occurs naturally as we get older. The receding gums expose the lower parts of the teeth and thus the roots too.

In this case, the pain essentially occurs because the exposed root has tubules which run to your nerves. Any pressure on these will be fed to the nerves resulting in pain.

Remedial action is difficult, pre-emptive action is not. Unfortunately, many people were instructed how to brush their teeth quite badly. For decades, children were taught to scrub at their teeth to get them clean, but a side effect of that harsh brush work, is to steadily push the gums back off your teeth. It may take decades, but it is almost certain to happen and this will result in sensitive teeth.

Current guidance is to brush gently and never towards your gums, always away from them. Modern tooth pastes are so much better than they were decades ago, so they do not need so much assistance to get your teeth clean.

If, however, you are in the sad position of already having sensitive teeth, there may still be something you can do about it. Potassium nitrite will help 'desensitivize' your teeth, so you should look for a tooth paste that contains this chemical. It can be found in several preparations for sensitive teeth including Sensodyne tooth paste, which is recommended by dentists for this task all over the world.

Another method you can try is using mouth wash containing fluoride. There are dozens of them in any pharmacy, so you will have to try a few until you find one that works for you. A couple of tips are to first try the brands of mouth wash that contain high levels of fluoride and brands that do not contain alcohol. Some seem to burn your mouth, but others do not.

If these suggestions have no effect, then you are incredibly unlucky, and there is nothing for it but to go to the dentist. A dentist deals with sensitive teeth every working day, and there are new products coming onto the market all the time, so go along to your dental surgery and let them sort out your sensitive teeth.

Monday 15 November 2010

Your Baby's First Molar Tooth

At about the thirtieth month of a child's life, it has its full quota of twenty temporary teeth. The first, or six year molars, the initial teeth of the permanent set, make their appearance when the child is approximately years old. There are four of these, one for each side, above and below. In front and behind these four teeth the remaining twenty-eight permanent teeth will take their positions. Therefore, it is most important that these teeth, known the keystones of the dental arch, preserved.

The first molar is larger than any tooth in the temporary set and chewing surface has five cusps which grind the food. These cusps are separated from each other by grooves wherein small, sticky particles of food may be caught and held if sufficient care is not taken free the teeth of such particles after meals. The bits of food offer favorable environment for bacteria causing dental decay. The bacteria enter the grooves, multiply, and penetrate the enamel or covering of the tooth to begin destruction.

Their destructive action is evidenced by a small cavity. The size increases, and the child complains of toothache. If at this time the tooth is still neglected and a dentist's services are not employed, the extent of the destruction will reach proportions beyond the possibility of repair and the only remedy will be removal.

Its loss is most serious, for not only is the molar tooth essential for complete mastication of food, but if it is removed from the jaw before all the remaining permanent teeth have appeared, these other teeth may take improper positions in the gums and thus develop unsightly irregularities of the mouth.

The parent must watch for the appearance of the first molars in the child's mouth; must see that these teeth are kept scrupulously clean; and as a final check the careful parent should permit a dentist to examine these teeth and the temporary teeth, as well, at regular intervals.

Saturday 6 November 2010

Kids' Dentists

A parent wants the best for their children and selecting kids' dentists may be a smart option. Good oral health should begin in babyhood in order to instill lifelong habits and longevity of the teeth. With proper attention, each tooth that erupts in an infant's mouth can be stronger and less susceptible to decay. Here are some things parents should consider:

- Even before the choppers begin to emerge, an infant should have his or her gums cleaned after feedings. Cleaning can be done with a damp soft washrag.

- Babies should not be put to bed with their bottle. Falling asleep with sweet liquid dribbling into their mouths is an invitation to tooth decay and a condition called "bottle mouth."

- Even formula and breast milk contain sugars. Juices and sodas are definite no-no's in bedtime bottles. Water is the only acceptable fluid for them to sip while falling asleep.

- Pacifiers should never be dipped in sugar or honey to quiet down a fussy child. Anything sweet will transform into bacteria and acidic deposits which will damage the enamel of sprouting teeth.

- Thumb sucking and pacifier dependence should be discontinued by the fourth or fifth birthday. Once permanent choppers begin to arrive, misalignment may occur due to the sucking.

- According to most dentists, children should begin drinking from a sippy cup by their first birthday. After some months of practice with the sippy cup, a regular drinking glass should be introduced.

- Teething timetables vary depending on the individual genetic predisposition. The two central bottom incisors are often the first to arrive, followed by the two central uppers.

- Teaching kids how to brush and floss should begin in early childhood. They may need help from their parents until they are in their elementary school years, however.

- Toothpastes containing fluoride are a good idea in moderation. Adults will need to monitor the amounts initially, as large dollops of the substance can make the youngsters sick. Fluoride can help increase strength of the enamel and cut down on decay.

- Earlier orthodontia: Back some years ago, orthodontists didn't start their work of straightening till the kids were adolescents. This has changed to early preventative intervention which can eliminate the need for braces or cut the timeframe of straightening down substantially. Even elementary school youngsters should consult an orthodontist if it's apparent that they will end up with a crooked grin.

- Braces can be cool: So many children end up wearing braces in order to straighten their smiles. The dental industry has taken note of that and beautified the apparatuses. Clear, multicolored or fancily bejeweled - braces have become hip.

- They are what they eat: Not only is a growing human body formed by the nutrients which are ingested, by each tooth is affected as well. The healthier the menu, the healthier the kid. Sugary or starchy items break down into acidic residues which erode the enamel. When sweets are eaten, brushing and flossing should follow as soon as possible.

Your kids' dentists can keep their mouths healthy. The practitioners can be the beginning of a lifetime regime of strong dental habits.

 
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