If the phrase “we’re going to the dentist” has your kids jumping for joy, then read no further. You’re an alien allstar parent only here to make the rest of us feel bad.

If you aren’t so lucky, grab a pen and paper…

Dental care, just like regular visits to the doctor, is a vital part of your child’s healthy development. This means that we all face the intimidating process of picking the right dentist for our child and then suffer through actually getting said child to and from the appointment without an all out brawl.

The good news is that there are dentists out there who know that teeth cleanings are not your six year old’s favorite afternoon activity, and they’ve actually gone through years of school to learn the best ways to care for our kids’ teeth. Members of this fantastic breed of dental care providers are called pediatric dentists.

Pediatric dentists provide all the same care for your child as general dentists, but they do so with a specific expertise in caring for children in an environment designed to make your child comfortable. This requires a more thorough understand of a child’s teeth, jaw, facial structure, and general development. Pediatric dentists also typically create a child-centered office atmosphere that differentiates them from a general doctor’s office.

Educational Differences

Pediatric dentists go through the normally required four years of dental school plus two more years of training focused on the specific dental needs of the following groups:

• infants
• children
• teens
• children with special needs

Services Provided

Pediatric dentists perform a wide range of services including but not limited to:

• Routine cleanings
• Cavity and tooth repair

• Infant oral exams
• Nutrition and dietary advice for young teeth
• Habit counseling (regarding the impacts of pacifiers and thumb sucking)
• Identification of oral conditions related to internal diseases
• Early advice for correcting bites (orthodontics)

Should I choose a general dentist or a pediatric dentist?

At the end of the day, that is your decision as a parent. All general, family practice dentists are trained in pediatric dentistry in dental school, but only pediatric dentists go through the extra training to specialize in children’s needs and often go the extra mile to make kids feel at ease with oral care. You’ll often find that pediatric dental offices are designed with kids in mind like in the images below.  

If your child is a little antsy about their routine teeth cleaning, or if you feel that they might need some extra care, consider looking into a pediatric dentist. It could make those yearly checkups more bearable for the person who looks forward to them the least – and that just might be you.

E-cigarettes made their American debut in 2006 – much to the gleeful delight of smokers looking for a healthier alternative to the classic cigarette. Now, instead of inhaling tar and other harmful byproducts of burning tobacco, smokers can take in nicotine through a nifty looking battery powered life saver commonly referred to as a “vape”.

What is vaping?

Vapes have three parts:

1. Cartridge (for holding liquid nicotine, flavors, and mystery chemicals)
2. Vaporizer (to heat the liquid to make the “vapor”)
3. Power source

The good news is that e-cigarettes aren’t directly tied to cancer and heart disease like cigarettes are.

The bad news is that we don’t know what the bad news is.

In 2014, the Food and Drug Administration alerted the public that “e-cigarettes have not been fully studied, so consumers currently don’t know the potential risks of e-cigarettes when used as intended, how much nicotine or other potentially harmful chemicals are being inhaled during use, or whether there are any benefits associated with using these products.”

E-cigarettes are just too new for us to be able to know all their impacts, but we know one thing is still true…

E-cigs contain nicotine. And nicotine is bad for you.

Why?

Nicotine causes gum recession

Smokers often have bad circulation, and this is due to the fact that nicotine is a “vasoconstrictor” and makes it harder for the body to circulate blood. Without an adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients from blood, gums tissue begins to decay. You will notice this decay as the gum line deepens on the tooth and exposure increases.

Nicotine can cover up signs of gum disease

Gum disease is an infection of the gum tissue, and it is often signaled to your dentist by the side effects of increased blood flow. These include gum irritation and bleeding during brushing and flossing. Because nicotine constricts blood flow, the tell tale signs of gum disease are hidden, making it harder for you and your dentist to notice a problem.

Nicotine gives you bad breath

If you weren’t convinced before, maybe this one will do the trick. Nicotine makes it harder for your body to produce saliva, leaving your mouth vulnerable to a buildup of bacteria, dry mouth, and tooth decay. All of that can lead to intense dragon breath.

While e-cigarettes might be a healthier option than cigarettes in terms of known damage, they are certainly not risk free, especially for your teeth. We know the damage that nicotine can do, so take this information into consideration if you are considering using e-cigarettes.

Have you ever woken up in the morning feeling pain in your jaw and the furthest thing from refreshed? These are signs that you could be suffering from bruxism, or chronic teeth grinding that can lead to serious dental issues if not addressed and treated correctly.

Teeth grinding is often thought to occur due to excessive stress levels, but that’s not the only trigger. Some common causes include:

• Stress or anxiety
• An abnormal bite
• Missing or crooked teeth

But you’ve probably never heard that grinding your teeth is a survival method.

When you sleep, your body goes through light and heavy cycles of consciousness. During the deepest parts of sleep, your body engages in processes to repair damage that results in you feeling refreshed the following day, but it also can result in some breathing issues. When you reach the deepest point of sleep, the entire body relaxes, including the heavy jaw which falls back towards the neck. Second, the tongue expands to almost twice its size, further inhibiting the airway. This is called “obstructive sleep apnea,” and the brain responds to this blockage by engaging the jaw to open the airways and to allow you to continue breathing.

The upside is that you can breathe. The downside is that you sleep terribly.

Though teeth grinding is life-saving in some circumstances, it does have negative effects such as:

• Dull headache after sleeping
• Tooth damage from wear (fractures, loosening, loss)
• TMD/TMJ complications
• Facial changes
• Severe pain
• Exhaustion due to never reaching deep sleep

In order to address teeth grinding, it’s important to visit your dentist to see if your bite or missing teeth can be corrected to avoid further grinding. If you do not have missing teeth or an incorrect bite, your grinding might be a result of non-dental problems related to a blocked airway which can be treated with mild lifestyle changes like losing weight or quitting smoking. More aggressive treatment includes visiting a doctor to inquire about Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). No matter the cause, teeth grinding is a problem that can lead to serious dental problems and should be addressed as soon as the symptoms persist.

“Tem-puh-roe-mun-DIB-u-lur”

Say that five times fast.

This tongue twister refers to the pair of joints on the sides of the face that hinge the jaw to the skull, but it’s typically known better by its more manageable acronym: TMJ.

When people talk about TMJ, they’re often referring to pain in the face and jaw caused by temporomandibular disorders (problems with the joint and the facial muscles which control it).

These joint issues have multiple possible sources:

• Grinding of teeth at night
• Clenching of jaw from stress
• Arthritis in the joint
• Injury to the jaw, the joint, or the neck

Any of these causes can lead to a host of symptoms, including:

• Pain when opening mouth wide
• “Stuck” or “locked” jaw in open or closed position
• Clicking or popping noises during opening and closing
• Swelling
• Tired feeling in face

Though TMD can be incredibly uncomfortable for those experiencing it, treatment options are vast and non-invasive. Easing the pain can be as simple as treating the joint as a muscle injury giving the jaw a rest. Try eating softer foods, limiting opening the mouth widely, or wearing a mouthguard at night if you grind your teeth.

If you believe your case of TMD is severe enough to require further treatment, consider visiting Dr. Chauvin to explore your relief options.

Activated charcoal is a most commonly used as a treatment for overdose or poisoning. It’s an oral treatment that binds to toxins and drugs that have been ingested. It will absorb many different things, and can be even used on dogs. Some people use it to treat hangovers, alleviate bloating and gas, filtering water, cleaning mold, and tooth whitening. But charcoal is black!

How does activated charcoal whiten teeth?

Activated charcoal whitens teeth the same way it treats toxins – it’s absorbent! When activated charcoal is applied to the teeth, it absorbs plaque and all of the microscopic stain causing bits. It even alters the pH balance of the mouth, which assists in preventing cavities, gum disease, and bad breath. If you have crowns, veneers, or caps that are porcelain, the charcoal can stain them, so use with caution.

Using activated charcoal to whiten teeth:

If you look anywhere online, you’ll read something like: It’s very easy to do, simply wet a toothbrush, dip it into powdered charcoal, and brush away! After 2-4 minutes, rinse your mouth thoroughly. It’s that easy! Charcoal doesn’t taste great, but to be fair, most tooth whitening options don’t. You don’t have to do it every day, 2 or 3 times a week is sufficient.

Activated charcoal sounds great, but until we know more about it, best to use teeth whitening measures that have been rigorously tested, and approved by dentists. If you do choose to use activated charcoal to whiten your teeth, there are some things you should keep in mind:

• Everyone’s teeth are different. What works for one person may not work for another due to genetics and overall dental health.
• Charcoal may be abrasive. Medical professionals are not yet certain of the effect the charcoal has on teeth, but it could lead to deterioration of the enamel and tooth erosion – which opens the door to decay.
• If use of activated charcoal hurts at all – stop immediately, you may be causing damage to your teeth.
• Dentists don’t know how effective the charcoal is, so it may leave your teeth looking blotchy (especially if it’s not applied evenly).

Teeth are alive. They have soft tissue (called dentin) and roots, that are protected by enamel. And enamel does not grow back. If the enamel becomes too damaged, it can no longer safely protect the dentin inside, and the tooth will need to be covered up with restoration. If you are looking for a whiter smile, discuss safer options with your dentist.