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Emergency Dental Care for Children What You Need to Know

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Emergency Dental Care for Children What You Need to Know

In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of emergency dental care for children, outline common dental emergencies, provide guidance on handling such emergencies, and offer advice on preventing future incidents. By learning about emergency dental care, parents and guardians can be better prepared to address dental issues and ensure their children receive appropriate care.

Introduction:

Dental emergencies can happen to anyone, and children are no exception. Accidents, injuries, and infections can occur anytime, leading to pain, discomfort, or long-term damage if not treated promptly. As a parent or guardian, it’s crucial to understand the importance of emergency dental care for children, recognize the signs of common dental emergencies, and be prepared to take action when necessary. In this blog post, we will explore emergency dental care for children, providing valuable information and guidance to help you confidently handle these situations.

Common Dental Emergencies:

  1. Toothache: Toothaches are a common dental issue for children and can be a sign of a more severe problem, such as tooth decay, infection, or injury. If your child complains of a toothache, rinse their mouth with warm water, and use a cold compress to reduce swelling. Schedule an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible for proper diagnosis and treatment.
  2. Knocked-Out Tooth: A knocked-out tooth requires immediate attention to increase the chances of saving the tooth. Hold the tooth by the crown (the top part), rinse it gently with water (avoid scrubbing), and try to reinsert it in the socket (if your child is old enough to follow instructions). If this isn’t possible, place the tooth in a milk or saline solution container and head to the dentist immediately. Time is of the essence, so don’t delay!
  3. Broken, Chipped, or Fractured Tooth: If your child suffers a broken, chipped, or fractured tooth, rinse their mouth with warm water to clean the area. Apply a cold compress to reduce swelling, and contact your dentist immediately. Depending on the severity of the damage, the dentist may recommend various treatments, such as bonding, a crown, or even a root canal.
  4. Dental Abscess: An abscess is a severe bacterial infection that can develop around the root of a tooth or in the spaces between the teeth and gums. Symptoms include severe pain, swelling, fever, and a foul taste in the mouth. If you suspect your child has a dental abscess, contact your dentist immediately, as it may require antibiotics or drainage to prevent the infection from spreading.

Handling Dental Emergencies: 

When a dental emergency occurs, staying calm and taking appropriate action to prevent further complications is essential. Here are some general steps to follow:

  1. Assess the situation: Determine the severity of the emergency and act accordingly. In some cases, you may need to visit the dentist immediately, while in others, you may be able to schedule an appointment within a day or two.
  2. Provide comfort: Help your child manage pain and anxiety by offering reassurance, administering over-the-counter pain relievers (if age-appropriate), and applying cold compresses to reduce swelling.
  3. Preserve the tooth (if applicable): If a tooth has been knocked out or broken, preserve it for potential reattachment or repair. As mentioned earlier, gently rinse the tooth with water and, if possible, reinsert it into the socket. If this is not feasible, store the tooth in a milk or saline solution container.
  4. Contact your dentist: Reach out to your child’s dentist to explain the situation and receive further instructions. They may ask you to come in immediately, or they might schedule an appointment within a short timeframe, depending on the severity of the issue.
  5. Follow up with dental care: Ensure that your child receives the necessary dental treatment and follows the dentist’s recommendations for aftercare to promote proper healing and prevent complications.

Prevention and Education: 

While dental emergencies can’t always be avoided, there are steps you can take to minimize the risk of injury and protect your child’s oral health:

  1. Encourage good oral hygiene: Teach your child the importance of brushing their teeth at least twice daily, flossing daily, and maintaining a healthy diet to prevent tooth decay and other dental issues.
  2. Schedule regular dental checkups: Visit the dentist every six months for routine cleanings and exams to catch any potential problems before they escalate into emergencies.
  3. Use mouthguards: If your child participates in sports or other activities that pose a risk of dental injuries, consider having them wear a mouthguard to protect their teeth.
  4. Childproof your home: Reduce the risk of accidents by childproofing your home, especially for younger children. This includes covering sharp edges, securing heavy furniture, and using safety gates to limit access to potentially dangerous areas.

Conclusion: 

Emergency dental care for children is important to maintaining your child’s overall health and well-being. Understanding common dental emergencies, knowing how to handle them, and taking preventative measures can help ensure that your child receives the appropriate care. Remember to remain calm and consult your child’s dentist for guidance and treatment. In doing so, you’ll be better prepared to protect your child’s smile and maintain oral health for years.

If you have a dental emergency, don’t hesitate to contact Apple Tree Dental Today.

Article compiled by Apple Tree Dental

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Fluoride – Nature’s Cavity Fighter

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Fluoride – Nature’s Cavity Fighter

Introduction:

One should be active and careful when it comes to oral hygiene. If you love fluoride, the details would be beneficial for you.

We’ve put together this content that explains Fluoride – Nature’s Cavity Fighter. Be aware and take care of your teeth.

[1]Are you a fan of fluoride? You should be! Fluoride is often called nature’s cavity fighter…and for good reason. It is a naturally-occurring mineral that helps prevent cavities in children and adults by making the outer surface of your teeth (enamel) more resistant to the acid attacks that cause tooth decay.

The benefits of fluoride reach both children and adults. Before teeth break through the gums, the fluoride taken in from foods, beverages, and dietary supplements makes tooth enamel stronger, making it easier to resist tooth decay. This provides what is called a systemic benefit. After teeth erupt, fluoride helps rebuild or remineralize weakened tooth enamel and reverses early signs of tooth decay. When you brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste or use other dental products with it in them, the fluoride is applied to the surface of your teeth. This provides a topical benefit. Also, the fluoride you take in from foods and beverages continues to provide a topical benefit because it becomes part of your saliva, constantly bathing the teeth with tiny amounts of fluoride that help rebuild weakened tooth enamel.

Fluoride is naturally found in almost all water sources, rivers, lakes, wells, and even oceans. For the past 70 years, fluoride has been added to public water supplies to bring levels up to the amount necessary to help prevent tooth decay.

Community water fluoridation is like drinking milk fortified with Vitamin D or eating bread and cereals enriched with folic acid. Before water fluoridation, children had about three times as many cavities. Because of the important role it has played in the reduction of tooth decay, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has proclaimed community water fluoridation one of the great public health achievements of the 20th century.

[2]How Exactly Does Fluoride Work?

Cavities are caused by bacteria that live in our mouths. They feed on leftover food they find there, including sugary foods and drinks. When these bacteria consume sugars, they release acids that attack tooth enamel. Over time, damage to this protective outer layer of our teeth sets the stage for tooth decay.

Fluoride helps fight cavities by repairing the damage these acids can do to our teeth. The repair process is called remineralization.

How Fluoride Protects A Child’s Teeth From The Very Start

When infants are born, their baby (primary) teeth are already present in their jaws. Even before teeth break through the gums, they benefit from fluoride in the food and drink a child takes in. These early doses of fluoride strengthen the enamel on baby teeth, making them more resistant to cavities. (This is known as a systemic benefit.)

As a child’s primary teeth come in, fluoride helps rebuild any damage that happens when cavity-causing bacteria release acids in the mouth. This is why it’s important for children to use fluoride toothpaste and drink plenty of tap water, which usually contains fluoride.

Using fluoride toothpaste or getting a special fluoride treatment at the dentist’s office puts fluoride on the surface of a child’s teeth, creating a topical benefit. Also, the fluoride children get from foods and drinks becomes part of their saliva, bathing their teeth in tiny amounts of fluoride that help keep enamel strong and healthy.

How Do We Know Fluoride Is Safe And Effective?

For more than 70 years, the best scientific evidence has shown that adding fluoride to community water supplies is safe and effective. More than 100 health organizations recognize the cavity-fighting benefits of fluoridated water, including the World Health Organization, the American Medical Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Dental Association.

Studies show that fluoride in water is especially helpful in fighting childhood cavities. In fact, one study revealed that children who live in communities without fluoridated water are three times more likely to end up in the hospital needing dental surgery.

Research also shows that fluoride in local water systems prevents at least 25% of tooth decay in people of all ages. Better dental health helps save money since when more people need treatment for cavities, we all pay in the form of higher insurance premiums and taxes. In fact, the average lifetime cost per person of adding fluoride to local water supplies adds up to less than the cost of a single dental filling.

Conclusion:

We hope the content lets you understand about oral health. All the possible ways are explained but never bound yourself. Keep looking for best suggestions for the use of Fluoride.

For Assistance, Visit https://appletreedental.ca/

Article compiled by https://appletreedental.ca/

Article Reference Links:

  1. https://www.sunshinesmilesfl.com/blog/fluoride-natures-cavity-fighter/ ↑

  2. https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/fluoride/ ↑

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Should I Use A Mouthwash

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Should I Use A Mouthwash

 

Introduction:

We have compiled this article on “Should I Use A Mouthwash” The reference links are at the bottom of the article.

[1]Mouthwash, also called oral rinse, is a liquid product used to rinse your teeth, gums, and mouth. It usually contains an antiseptic to kill harmful bacteria that can live between your teeth and on your tongue.

Some people use mouthwash to fight against bad breath, while others use it to try to prevent tooth decay.

Mouthwash doesn’t replace brushing your teeth or flossing in terms of oral hygiene, and it’s only effective when used correctly. It’s also important to understand that different product formulas contain different ingredients, and not all mouthwashes can strengthen your teeth.

Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about using mouthwash.

When to use mouthwash

Some people use mouthwash as part of their daily teeth-cleaning routine. But you can also use mouthwash in a pinch to banish bad breath.

There’s really no hard and fast guideline for when to use mouthwash for bad breath. But it isn’t going to work to strengthen tooth enamel or fight gum disease unless you use it right after brushing and flossing.

For best results, teeth should be freshly cleaned before using use mouthwash.

How often should you use mouthwash?

It bears repeating that mouthwash isn’t a replacement for brushing and flossing. It’s also not necessary to use mouthwash in order to keep your mouth clean. Most mouthwash products recommend that you use them twice per day, after brushing and flossing.

[2]Do I Need to Rinse?

Mouthwash is not a substitute for brushing and flossing. But if you have trouble doing those correctly, rinsing can help protect you from cavities or gum disease. Fluoride rinses help prevent tooth decay.

“Mouthwashes, when added to a good home care regimen of brushing and flossing, can target a condition that you are facing,” Wolff says. “You don’t swish for 2 minutes with a whitening mouthwash and suddenly have white teeth. But if you brush well and keep the plaque off of them and use that mouthwash as part of the package, you do get whiter teeth.”

A mouth rinse won’t cure serious problems, though. If you have regular bleeding of your gums or consistently bad breath, for example, see your dentist. They might prescribe a mouthwash that’s stronger than the kind you buy over the counter.

Mouthwash Ingredients

Read the labels carefully on over-the-counter types. Ingredients — and the benefits they provide — vary by brand.

They usually include one or more of these:

  1. Fluoride. It helps reduce tooth decay and prevent cavities.
  2. Antimicrobials. They kill the bacteria that cause bad breath, plaque, and gingivitis, an inflammation of the gums at the early stages of gum disease.
  3. Astringent salt. It’s a type of deodorizer that can temporarily cover up bad breath.
  4. Odor neutralizers. They can attack the cause of bad breath.
  5. Whiteners, such as peroxide. They can help against stains on your teeth.

How Do I Choose a Mouthwash?

It’s sometimes hard to find one product that ticks all the boxes. “Select a mouthwash based on the largest condition that you need to treat,” Wolff says.

Look for products with an American Dental Association (ADA) seal on the label. The group awards it to companies that show scientific proof that their products work.

If you prefer organic or natural products, the ADA recognizes some of those mouth rinses, too. You can also find the ADA seal on some generic and store brands.

[3]How to use mouthwash

Each brand of mouthwash has its own set of instructions on how to use their mouthwash on a bottle, so if you are in doubt, you should always aim to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines or you can follow the following steps:

  1. Start by pouring the mouthwash out of the bottle. Manufacturer advice on how much often varies, by we recommend that you use 15ml.
  2. You then rinse the mouthwash continuously around your mouth, making sure the liquid is comes into contact with all areas of your teeth.
  3. Gargle for at least 30-60 seconds. This helps to ensure that the mouthwash can reach the back of your tongue and fight the bacteria there.
  4. Spit out the mouthwash.

Conclusion:

Thank you for reading this article, and check back frequently for other dental health articles. Should you have any questions, please contact Apple Tree Dental today!

Article compiled by Apple Tree Dental

Article reference links

  1. https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-use-mouthwash ↑

  2. https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/features/mouth-rinse-rules ↑

  3. https://theneemtree.co.uk/blog/health-tips/mouthwash-dos-and-donts/ ↑

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Tips on How to Avoid Cavities

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Tips on How to Avoid Cavities

Introduction:

We at Apple Tree Dental want our clients to have a healthy smile. Therefore, we have compiled this article on how to avoid cavities. The article provides tips to save your teeth and prompt a healthy smile.

Make A Commitment To Your Oral Hygiene Routine

For optimal teeth and gum health, you’re supposed to brush your teeth a minimum of twice per day, with floss and mouthwash integrated into this routine. Ideally, you’ll want to brush your teeth with the best possible products for the best results – if possible, try to avoid off-brand products when it comes to your oral health!

It’s also recommended that you brush your teeth thoroughly before going to sleep. This is because saliva production decreases at night, so your mouth isn’t clean until morning. In addition, saliva helps eliminate any remaining food particles, allowing bacteria to build up quickly. So it’s best to take care of your mouth before retiring for the day!

In short, make sure you’re not brushing less than twice daily and that you’re incorporating dental floss at least once per day! Mouthwash or, if it’s unavailable, drinking lots of water in between meals before you can access a toothbrush can also work wonders for your oral health.

Improve Or Make Upgrades To Your Diet

Believe it or not, some foods and beverages have direct oral health benefits! Sometimes it isn’t just about how often you brush or how long you brush for, but what interacts with your teeth before the toothbrush does!

Some foods that are great for tooth and gum health are as follows:

  • Sugar-Free Gum
  • Cheese
  • Fresh Vegetables and Fruits

Incorporating more of these items into your diet will help keep your teeth clean, lowering the likelihood of you getting hard build-up on your teeth.

Visit Your Dentist for Regular Cleanings

The best thing you can do to prevent cavities and maintain your oral health is to see the dentist twice yearly!

Sometimes, cavities and tooth decay have no symptoms. You may think that you’re able to skip out on the dentist because of this, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Despite having a lack of symptoms, your dentist will be able to tell if there’s any decay or cavities that are living in your mouth undetected. During their semiannual exam, they’ll be able to perform a complete examination of your teeth, gums, and jaw, diagnose any current issues, and check for the warning signs of any that may come.

Your dentist is also the only one that can genuinely remove that stubborn build-up on your teeth. Hardened plaque can’t be removed with a toothbrush and floss. To prevent decay or periodontal disease, your dentist will have to remove any top layer of the build-up to ensure it doesn’t develop into a more severe problem.

Regular cleanings will help you maintain your oral health and catch and treat any decay or cavities that need to be addressed.

Swish With Or Drink Tap Water

If you’d prefer not to consume tap water, try simply swishing with it a few times a week, as you would with your favourite mouthwash.

[1]Cut Back On Sugary And Acidic Drinks — And Drink More Water.

Need that morning latte, a daily cup of coffee, or a hot cup of tea? Prolonged exposure to teeth of acidic coffee or tea, compounded by added sugar or even just added milk, can increase your risk for new cavities. So go ahead, enjoy your coffee! But try to keep it to 20 minutes or less, and rinse your mouth with water after.

The problem with sipping coffee with cavity-causing additives such as sugar, syrups and cream is that the harmful sugars stay in your saliva over a long period. To counter this, drink some water and other drinks to rinse your mouth and keep saliva from becoming too sugary and eating away at your teeth. Also, try sipping coffee from a straw. This helps keep those sugary liquids off your teeth.

[2]Preventing Cavities

Special sealants and varnishes can also be applied to prevent cavities from forming.

If you have any of the following symptoms, you may have a cavity:

  • Unusual sensitivity to hot and cold water or foods.
  • A localized pain in your tooth or near the gum line.
  • Teeth that change colour.

Conclusion:

We hope that this article has been helpful. Check back frequently for other oral health tips here at Apple Tree Dental.

Article compiled by AppleTreeDental.ca

Article Reference links:

  1. https://dentistry.uic.edu/news-stories/5-amazingly-simple-things-you-can-do-to-prevent-cavities/ ↑
  2. https://www.northattleborodental.com/articles/general/502377-cavities-and-tooth-decay ↑

 

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