Now is an excellent time to start brushing. Baby teeth can decay and when they first come in they are more vulnerable to decay causing bacterial plaque. Brush twice a day with a small smear of fluoride toothpaste.

We recommend rinsing the child's mouth with warm salt water. You may place a cold washcloth on their face if it is swollen. Children may be given Children's Tylenol or Children's Motrin for tooth pain. (Never give aspirin to children) If your child is currently experiencing pain, contact our office to schedule an appointment immediately. » Return to Top

The most important thing to do is to remain calm. If you have the tooth, you should attempt to insert it back into its socket and then contact us immediately. If you have difficulty re-inserting the tooth, place it in a glass of milk and contact us immediately. » Return to Top

It is wonderful that your child is learning to brush her own teeth, but she is not able to do a good job on her own until 7 or 8 years of age. Encourage her efforts but make sure that you also brush for her every day in order to remove all the plaque and prevent decay.

Teeth should be cleaned thoroughly every day. For most children, twice a day, morning and at night before bedtime works well. Some children may need more frequent cleaning, for example after every dose of sweet medication. If brushing is more frequent, limit toothpaste use to just twice a day, morning and night.

Put a small pea-sized dab of fluoride toothpaste across the brush of a childs toothbrush. Apply the toothpaste across the width of the brush, instead of the length. Yes, but currently only 30% of Californians have it. Click here to see if you have it. The map is a general guide and does not include areas that receive fluoride naturally. Call the local water supplier for more specific information.

Studies have shown that as people age, their teeth may shift. This variable pattern of gradual shifting, called maturational change, usually slows down after the early 20s, but subtle changes continue. Even children whose teeth developed into ideal alignment and bite without treatment may develop orthodontic problems as adults. The most common maturational change is crowding of the lower front teeth. Wearing retainers as instructed after orthodontic treatment will stabilize the correction.

The most important thing to do is to remain calm. Then find the tooth. Hold it by the crown rather than the root and try to reinsert it in the socket. If that is not possible, put the tooth in a glass of milk and take your child and the glass immediately to the pediatric dentist.

Some children can be comforted by chewing on a teething biscuit, a piece of toast, or a frozen teething ring. Teething medications can also be applied to the gums to reduce discomfort and are available at your pharmacy. A child may also benefit from occasional use of infant Tylenol or another pain reliever. » Return to Top

We recommend that parents brush their children's teeth for the first five to seven years of life, since young children lack the manual dexterity of proper tooth brushing. The toothbrush should be a child's size, with soft nylon rounded bristles. Toothpaste should not be used until the child is able to spit (three to four years of age) to avoid swallowing it. A pea-sized drop should be dispensed by the parent for young children. Flossing should be performed by the parent prior to brushing.

A little detective work to narrow down the reason why! Some children may need motivational assistance whereas others may actually dislike the taste/texture of their toothpaste, toothbrush, etc. If you have a child that needs to be coaxed and reminded to brush, you may find that books about teeth, sticker rewards, a snazzy toothbrush, a timer or automated toothbrush that makes brushing fun, etc., are ways to encourage better hygiene habits.

Have your pediatric dentist evaluate the fluoride level of your child's primary source of drinking water. If your child is not getting enough fluoride internally through water (especially if the fluoride level is deficient or if your child drinks bottled water without fluoride), then your pediatric dentist may prescribe fluoride supplements.

Re-infection is the least likely reason for head lice returning in a week's time. If eggs do not die, or were not removed during the original treatment they may hatch and the lifecycle occurs all over again. To break this lifecycle you must re-treat (regardless of treatment method) seven days after the first treatment and continue with weekly checking.

My son age 17 was referred fro braces, when we went to be fittedand cast taken we were told his jaw was large, still growing and would need to be cut so that the braces fit properly. is this wise just to have straight teeth or should he wait until until he ages more and then fit fot braces.. I had a very timy amount of decay on the back rough surface of two of my frontteeth. I asked my dentist to take care of this and he said no lets just watch it for a while.

If the tooth is a permanent tooth, time is extremely crucial. Immediately stick the tooth back in the socket. Don't worry about getting it in straight or having it turned backwards, just get it in the socket and immediately call your dentist. If you are uncomfortable placing the tooth in the socket, put it in a glass of milk and get your child to the dentist as quickly as possible. If the tooth is a baby tooth, do not put it in the socket because damage to the permanent tooth can occur.

Find the tooth and rinse it gently in cool water. (Do not scrub it or clean it with soap -- use just water!) If possible, replace the tooth in the socket and hold it there with clean gauze or a wash cloth. If you can't put the tooth back in the socket, place the tooth in a clean container with milk, saliva, or water. Get to the pediatric dental office immediately. (Call the emergency number if it's after hours.) The faster you act, the better your chances of saving the tooth.

If the baby teeth are moderately to very loose, there is no immediate treatment. Patience is recommended. This is a normal process. The tongue will push the permanent lower front teeth forward. If the teeth are not very loose, your child should be seen to take an x-ray and evaluate the situation. Most children stop sucking their fingers between the ages of three to five. Sucking of a finger can have a significant effect on the bite.

Your child is ready for the dentist as soon as the first teeth start to come in. That's usually between the ages of 18 to 24 months.

Primary, or "baby," teeth are important for many reasons. Not only do they help children speak clearly and chew naturally, they also aid in forming a path that permanent teeth can follow when they are ready to erupt. Some of them are necessary until a child is 12 years old or longer. Pain, infection of the gums and jaws, impairment of general health and premature loss of teeth are just a few of the problems that can happen when baby teeth are neglected.

Possibly nothing. However, it may abscess and cause damage to the permanent tooth growing above it if left untreated. This would also cause the primary tooth to be lost before its proper time. We generally recommend that these teeth be treated to avoid potential problems.

If your child's permanent tooth is knocked out, the tooth should be held by the crown and not the roots and gently rinsed with either contact lense solution, milk or water (no scrubbing.) The tooth should be replaced in the socket as quickly as possible. If you can not place the tooth back in its socket, it can be transported to the dentist in the liquid that you cleaned it in. Ideally, the child should be seen within 30 minutes by a dentist.