It is important that your child has positive, non-traumatic experience a their dental visits. Parents can help their child enjoy going to the dentist and to stay positive. Here are some helpful tips in what you can do before your child dental visit. Never making going to the dentist a scary thing. BE POSITIVE and keep things light. Do not talk in front of your young child about bad dental experiences you may have had. Be properly prepared for your child dental visit.

There are many dentist that do not take children that are under the age of five to six years old. If you are finding that is the case in your area you may need to go to a pediatric dentist. There are many printable photographs available online which shows how children are treated by the dentist. A good Idea is showing this photos to your child so that they can have an understanding of what to expect at their dental appointment.

For parents that have children who have dental anxieties here are some helpful tips that you may want to try when taking your child to see the dentist. Ask the dentist if they will allow you to stay with your child while they are having their dental treatment performed. Make sure you keep the experience positive and non traumatic  Ask the dentist how they manage a child’s anxiety. There are a few dentist who may answer that they manage the child’s anxiety by strapping the child with the help of the papoose board. However, this measure is not the best approach to deal with the child’s anxiety. Treating a child by implementing this method, may only increase his or her anxiety when future dentist visits are needed.

Question: I thinking about using baking soda to help whiten my teeth, but not sure if there is a problem with doing so.

Reply: Baking powder/soda may to help whiten your teeth. However, it is an abrasive that may ware down your enamel on your teeth. This may cause more damage to your over all dental health. Before using baking powder or any home remedies you should consult your local dentist to make sure that you will not be doing more harm than good.

Going to the dentist can be quite a traumatic experience for any autistic child. A simple trip to the dentist can be perceived totally differently to an autistic child. A strange person is going to put his hands in their mouth, the entire environment is strange, there will be bright lights and interesting smells and sensations. That is why it is very important for an autistic child to be properly prepared for such a dental visit. Parents should understand that not all the dentists accept working with children with special needs. So a good choice would be to take your child to a pediatric dentist.

Question: I have a slight crooked teeth issue I like to get fixed. I am wondering how long would it take if I got braces.  I really would not want to be in braces for too long of a time.

Reply: Ask the orthodontic dentist that you are seeing. He/She can normally tell how long they think it would take. If you have not yet seen an orthodontic then I would suggest looking for one that can give you a free consul

Getting a second opinion is advise whenever you feel unsure of the dental services/treatment plan provided to you. However try and keep in mind that no two dentist are alike, they will both suggest what they feel to be the very best treatment plan for any given patient. The differences between the suggested treatment plan by one dentist and that of another reflects that dentists preferences based on his/her experience. Thus differing treatment plans do not necessarily reflect any deficiency in either dentist’s judgment.

In the March 9th 2010 issue of the British Dental Journal Scientists in Sweden have discovered that some of the most important factors in managing stress during a visit to the dentist include optimism on the part of the patient and an atmosphere of humor in the interaction with dental staff. ‘Psychological barriers can be broken down by humor, both as a result of the patient and the dentist coming together more as equals, and as a result of humor reducing stress, increasing well-being and creating a pleasant atmosphere,’ said Dr Bernson.

With people striving for that perfect smile more and more people are having cosmetic dentistry services. Tooth friendly cosmetic dentistry services normally does nothing irreversible to ones teeth. The basic goal of tooth friendly cosmetic dentistry is to aim for big improvements but not true perfection.

Teens and pre-teens can sometimes not take as good as care as they should when it comes to their oral and dental health care.  That why developing good oral and dental habits why they are young is very important as they get older.

Here are some basic dental care tips that you can check and make sure they are following.

1) They should be brushing their teeth at least twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste.
2) Flossing their teeth at least once a day.
3) They should not be smoking or chewing tobacco, which can stain their teeth, give them bad    breath as well as cause cancer.
4) Make sure your teen or pre-teens wears the right protective headgear while playing contact    sports.
5) Have them see their dentist for regular check-ups and cleanings

There are pros and cons to replacing existing amalgam filling with white fillings.

Some of the pros to removing amalgam fillings is to achieve a more natural look. Some cosmetic dentist state that it also reduces the change of undetectable tooth decay. Some of the cons to this issue. Conservative dentist agree that every time you remove a filling you are also removing a bit more of the tooth. Also each time you remove a filling to replace it with a new filling you are running the risk of killing the nerve of the tooth which can lead to more expensive and complex dental treatment. There for a filling should not be replaced unless it is damaged, broken or there is new tooth decay around the edges or underneath the current filling.

Like toothbrushes there are many different types of dental floss so choosing the best one for you is important in meeting your oral health care need. When choosing floss you will want to choose one that meets the needs of your teeth. Such as if you have very tight contacts between your teeth and the floss snags or breaks while trying to maneuver it through the contact, look for one that is specifically designed for that situation. Like wise if you have limited dexterity, try using one of the many flossing aides designed to eliminate the need to use both hands while flossing. If you are not sure what is best talk to your dentist.

Like Parent, Like Child

Parents are a child’s first teacher in life and play a significant role in maintaining his or her overall health. Providing oral health education to mothers and families is essential to teaching children healthy habits and preventing early childhood tooth decay, according to an article published in the May/June 2010 issue of General Dentistry, the peer-reviewed clinical journal

Oral thrush is a treatable fungal infection caused by yeast, it often appears in areas of the mouth that may have torn tissue, which is caused by the constant sucking on a pacifier, bottle, or during breastfeeding. The tiny tears remain moist and, if not removed manually, the yeast may cause the painful condition. Some of the signs of thrush include:

1) White patches that appear to coat the tongue, inside tissue of the cheek, and gums
2) Irregular-shaped patches that are not able to be wiped away, sticking to the tissue
3) Pain when feeding or using a pacifier

If oral thrush is left untreated, a nursing mother may develop thrush on her breast, although is not typically considered contagious. See your doctor or dentist and he may prescribe a medication to clear up the infection.

With an estimated 20 million people that have diabetes only two-thirds of this individuals are diagnosed. According to studies done diabetics are susceptible to the development of oral infections and periodontal (gum) disease than those who do not have diabetes. Also oral infections tend to be more severe in diabetic patients than non-diabetic patients. Diabetics who do not have good control over their blood sugar levels tend to have more oral health problems. These infections occur more often after puberty and in aging patients.

For parents that have children who have dental anxieties here are some helpful tips that you may want to try when taking your child to see the dentist.   Ask the dentist if they will allow you to stay with your child while they are having their dental treatment performed.

Make sure you keep the experience positive and non traumatic  Ask the dentist how they manage a child’s anxiety.  There are a few dentist who may answer that they manage the child’s anxiety by strapping the child with the help of the papoose board. However, this measure is not the best approach to deal with the child’s anxiety.  Treating a child by implementing this method, may only increase his or her anxiety when future dentist visits are needed.

According to the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) your dentist can tell something’s wrong by just looking in your mouth. In a 2005 study found that emotional factors played a significant role in the development of adult gum disease. Researchers discovered that the severity of gum disease increased with the number of negative life events experienced in a patient’s previous 12-month period. A life event was defined as a negative incident that caused a change in the individual’s usual activities.

Although heart disease will claim more than half a million lives this year a consumer survey reveals that 60 percent of people surveyed don’t know that a sore or painful jaw is one warning sign that may indicate an impending heart attack. It is important to know the links between oral and overall health which include warning signs in the mouth that may indicate a larger health problems

Question: I have not brushed my teeth regularly in over 10 years. I do brush but only when I think about it. Is it bad that I do not brush my teeth regularly? They do not hurt and they seem fine.  I just get so busy that I forget about them.

Answer: It is advise that a person should brush their teeth twice a day for two minutes.  That is only four minutes out of your day brushing. So lets just say that it takes five minute and that adds up to 10 minutes a day.  You need to make the time. By not taking proper care of your teeth you have a much higher risk of dental decay, gum disease and lost of teeth.  In addition, studies show a link between poor oral health care and over all health care.  So please give more thought to your oral and dental health care habits.

CHF (Congestive heart failure) affects over three million people with approximately 400,000 new cases each year in the US. CHF is a condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to the body’s organs. People with a histor of poorly managed or untreated CHF can be at a higher risk during dental treatment for infection, cardiac arrest, stroke and heart attack. This according to the lead author of a new study that appears in the May/June 2002 issue of General Dentistry.

Ten million are affected by Osteoporosis which is a disease that decreases bone density and weakens bones. In addition, more than one-third of females over age 65 display signs and symptoms of the disease. Many individuals inflicted with osteoporosis are not diagnosed until a fracture occurs. In addition, they are unaware that oral-health problems, such as tooth loss and gum disease, are early signs that help their dentist to suspect osteoporosis. This according to a report published in the May/June 2004 issue of General Dentistry