7 Health Issues that Can Be Detected During Your Dental Exam

Pediatric dentists in Sugar Land Texas are not just looking for oral health issues during your routine check ups. Here are 7 other health issues that can be detected just by taking a deeper look inside your mouth.

1.    Diabetes. Those having a hard time managing their blood sugar levels often suffer from abscess or inflamed roots.

2.    Lupus. Indicative of an immune disorder, sore white spots in the mouth can lead to more serious problems. The sores should be treated before they turn into ulcers.

3.    Anemia. When the gums appear to be pink or even white, it is a sign of an iron deficiency.

4.    Depression. Those who take prescription antidepressants can suffer from dry mouth and increased risk of cavities.

5.    Heart Problems. Periodontic issues that appear frequently are often related to heart problems.

6.    Stress. During stressful times, high levels of cortisol are released into the body causing the gums to be inflamed. Inflammation makes it harder for the body to fight off infection and can lead to gum disease and tooth loss.

7.    Pregnancy. a small percentage of women experience increased sensitivity in the mouth due to small growths between teeth. Even though they are commonly referred to as pregnancy tumors, they are not harmful to the body and will go away in time.

While not all of these health issues are seen at a Sugar Land dental practice for children, they are common health issues that dentists are trained to look for and treat when possible. For more information on what pediatric dentists in Sugar Land, Texas are looking for during your exam, visit http://yoursugarlanddentist.com/

5 Things Your Pediatric Dentist is Looking for on X-Rays

Have you ever wondered what the purpose of an X-ray is? Here are the top five things your pediatric dentist in Sugar Land Texas is looking for on your x-rays.

1.    Determining if the patient is a candidate for a specific procedure. These may include braces, implants, extractions and wisdom teeth removal. An X-ray gives the dentist a clear picture of what he is looking at before proceeding.

2.    Infections on the root. Infections of this nature can only be seen in an x-ray, as they occur at the tip of the root close to the bone.

3.    Gum disease leading to bone loss. Though gum disease can be diagnosed during a routine exam, through an x-ray, the dentist can also tell you how advanced the disease is.

4.    Tooth decay not seen by the eye alone. Sometimes tooth decay occurs between the teeth and is only visible through an x-ray.

5.    Decay under a filling. This is an uncommon occurrence, but is another type of decay only seen through an x-ray.

Dentistry has come a long way over the years, and Sugar Land dentists for kids are keeping up with the best technologies available. We provide digital x-rays for our little friends that expose them to less radiation and are a smaller instrument size for little mouths. The benefits that come from proper oral care and x-rays is critical to developing smiles. For questions about x-rays or other dental health care issues, contact your pediatric dentist in Sugar Land, Texas! http://yoursugarlanddentist.com/

How Much do you Know About Teething Babies?

When it comes to babies and teeth parents have a lot of questions. Here are the top questions asked at our Sugar Land pediatric dentist office.

1.    When will baby get her first tooth? Age will vary with each child, but teeth typically begin to come in anywhere from 4-6 months. Teeth will come in pairs starting with the bottom front and ending with the molars.

2.    What are the symptoms baby experiences when teething? Our Sugar Land dentist for kids tells parents to watch out for increased fussiness, gnawing instead of sucking on a bottle, restlessness, swollen gums, mild fever and occasional bouts of diarrhea. Make baby more comfortable by offering frozen teething toys or cold wet washcloths that help satisfy the urge to gnaw.

3.    What is the best way to care for baby’s teeth? Our Sugar Land pediatric dentist recommends a soft infant toothbrush once teeth have popped through the gums. Before that milestone, using a wet washrag to wipe the gums off will prepare baby for the feeling of the toothbrush.

4.    Bottles at Bedtime: Good or Bad? Most Sugar Land dentists for kids will tell you this is a no. Allowing fluids to pool around the teeth for extended periods of time causes early tooth decay.

5.    When should baby see the dentist? Our Sugar Land pediatric dentist recommends bring baby for a check up either when the first tooth arrives or by his first birthday.

For more tips on baby’s dental care, visit our website:  http://yoursugarlanddentist.com/

Pediatric Dentists Recommend Favorite Books to Cure Dental Anxiety

One of our best tips for helping children overcome dental anxiety is helping them understand what to expect at their visit. Our favorite way to do this is by reading children a story about their favorite character going to the dentist for the first time, or any other book that teaches about dental check ups. Here are some of our Sugar Land pediatric dentist favorites:

●     Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist

●     Show Me Your Smile!: A Visit to the Dentists (Dora the Explorer)

●     Sid the Science Kid: A Cavity is a Hole in your Tooth

●     Elmo Visits the Dentist

●     Curious George Goes to the Dentist

●     The Magic School Bus and the Missing Tooth

●     Clifford’s Loose Tooth

●     Maisy, Charley & the Wobbly Tooth

●     The Tooth Book (Dr. Seuss)

●     The Crocodile & the Dentist

●     Just Going to the Dentist

●     Brush Your Teeth, Please

This list is a good start to helping your child learn the importance of oral hygiene and regular dental check ups. The most important thing for a child to understand is that a pediatric dentistin Sugar Land Texas is not going to hurt them, but instead wants to help them take the best care of his or her mouth. For more ideas on helping your child overcome their dental anxiety, visit our website:  http://yoursugarlanddentist.com/

Does Your Child Suffer From Dental Anxiety?

Dental anxiety is a common thing among our little patients, though the reason behind each case varies. Studies have shown that parents who fear the dentists may hand those fears down to their children without realizing. Sugar Land pediatric dentists are not new to anxiety in patients, but have rounded up our favorite tips for helping children overcome their fears.

●     Read stories about their favorite character and a trip to the dentist. Knowing that other people get scared too, and learning how to overcome that fear can help the child during his or her appointment. This also gives the child a sense of what to expect while in the dentists office.

●     Role play. Grab a mirror and a toothbrush and show your child how the dentist may examine his or her mouth. Allow the child to practice the same way on a doll or stuffed animal.

●     Take a tour led by your Sugar Land dentist for kids. This will give the child a chance to get familiar with the office and the tools used during a routine visit. They may even get to take a ‘ride’ in the dental chair.

●     Simple explanations do the trick. Simply telling your child the dentist is checking his ir her smile or counting teeth is all the child needs to hear. Avoid detailed explanations of fillings, cavities, or other detailed procedures.

Following these tips will help ease your child’s dental anxiety and ensure a smooth first visit and every time after. For more information on how to soothe dental anxiety, contact our Sugar Land dentist for kids http://yoursugarlanddentist.com/