Child Dental Clinic

As a parent, you might agree that teething can be an extremely difficult time for everyone in your home. Not only is your baby unhappy and uncomfortable because of the pain, but you are likely lacking the necessary sleep in an attempt to soothe and calm your little one. Because this time frame can last anywhere from 6 months to 3 years, you may be desperate for effective solutions. Fortunately, your child’s pediatric dentist is here to offer beneficial tips that will help your baby achieve relief from the pain and better sleep.

Best child dentist in Jabalpur – Dr.Shilpi Dadarya -Dentist for kids

Apply Gentle Pressure to Their Gums

When teeth begin to push through your baby’s soft oral tissues, it can be uncomfortable, to say the least. As a parent, you hate to see and hear your little one cry, but what can you do? An effective way to temporarily relieve pain and help your baby sleep is to thoroughly clean your hands and use one finger to gently rub their gums before bed. By applying a gentle amount of pressure, this will help to create a soothing sensation, allowing them to wind down. Just make sure you keep your nails cut short, as you don’t want to accidentally scrape your baby’s gums.

Try Cold Teethers and Other Teething Toys

Applying anything cold to your baby’s gums will help to create a numbing effect, effectively reducing pain and allowing them to more easily drift off to sleep. Whether it is chewing on a clean, damp, wet washcloth or offering sugar-free applesauce (if they’re old enough), the cold will be a welcome relief. If opting to give your little one a washcloth, simply place it in the freezer for 30 minutes or one hour beforehand. If you prefer to use teething rings, it’s best to avoid those that contain liquid, as they can become damaged and begin to leak. If your child is a bit older, you can also give them frozen fruit but be sure to clean their teeth before helping them to bed.

Don’t Be Afraid to Use Pain Medication

Sometimes, even after using teethers, cold washcloths, and gentle pressure, the discomfort can still be too much for your little one. Should this be your situation, don’t be afraid to ask your child’s pediatrician or pediatric dentist about the use of an over-the-counter pain reliever. As long as your little one is at least 6 months of age, you can give them infant Tylenol or Ibuprofen. Just make sure to provide the correct dosage. Also, avoid any products that contain benzocaine (i.e., Baby Orejel), as they can be dangerous for children under the age of 2.

Best child dentist in Jabalpur – Dr.Shilpi Dadarya -Dentist for kids

Maintain Your Child’s Normal Bedtime Routine

It may be tempting to hold your baby a bit longer before bed or wake them throughout the night to give them another dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen, but this well-intentioned act of love might actually be more problematic for your little one. It’s important to keep your baby on a regular sleep schedule. By sticking to their routine and giving yourself plenty of time to make them comfortable, it will help them to not only self-cope but also more easily adjust to the expectations you set when it comes to bedtime.

Teething is not an easy time in your child’s life, but it can be far more manageable by incorporating these simple tips into their daily life. By reaching for the appropriate products and seeking the help of your child’s pediatric dentist, this difficult phase can become at least a little bit easier.

If your little one is like most kids, they can’t wait to reach that next big milestone. They want to grow up and feel like a big kid as soon as possible. So it’s no surprise when your child wants to start losing teeth like their classmates. But does that mean you should pull their tooth right when it becomes loose? How long should you wait? Is there a safe way to remove a baby tooth? Read on to find out!

Best child dentist in Jabalpur – Dr.Shilpi Dadarya -Dentist for kids

Why You Shouldn’t Pull Primary Teeth Early

Does it really matter when your little one loses their baby teeth? Although their permanent ones will eventually grow in, the first round of teeth serve an important role. Their teeth allow your child to bite and chew food, obviously, but they also maintain space so that the permanent teeth can erupt properly. When baby teeth are lost prematurely due to decay or trauma, it can lead to alignment problems and alter how their jaw develops. Your child may be eager to lose them, but it’s best to wait until the teeth are naturally ready to be wiggled out by your child.

Best child dentist in Jabalpur – Dr.Shilpi Dadarya -Dentist for kids

Take a “Hands Off” Approach

If your child is complaining about a primary tooth, and it is already pretty loose, you can certainly try to remove it. However, you need to do it carefully so that you don’t damage the permanent tooth underneath, cause excessive bleeding, or hurt your child.

It may be tempting to simply take the loose tooth with your fingers and pull it out yourself. However, your hand or your child’s hand is covered in bacteria that could only introduce potential problems. Although stopping your child from putting their hands into their mouth seems impossible, encourage them to wiggle their loose tooth using their tongue instead their fingers to reduce their smile’s exposure to germs. Immediately after the tooth comes out, the gum tissue is vulnerable, and harmful bacteria from hands could cause an infection. If your child experiences bleeding, which should be minor, have them bite down on clean gauze.

If all dental problems existed above the gum line, there would be no need for dental X-rays; however, this is simply not the case. Too often, decay, damage, and infections occur in areas that cannot be seen by the naked eye. To see a complete view of a child’s oral cavity, special imaging equipment must be used. But is it safe? Will a child be exposed to high levels of radiation? Read on to hear from a pediatric dentist who explains why the dental X-rays used today are much safer when it comes to capturing your little one’s smile.

Why Does a Child Need Dental X-Rays?

It might seem as if dental X-rays are only necessary for more mature teeth, but the truth is that young smiles are going through many unique changes. As a result, a dentist must be able to see how the teeth, gums, and bite develop over time. While everything might look fine on the surface (above the gum line), there can be problems occurring underneath that are only detectable when using high-resolution imaging.

A dentist can use dental X-rays to identify the following problems:

• An infection that is inside a tooth or its root
• Wisdom teeth that are impacted and angled incorrectly, pushing against healthy teeth
• Whether there is enough space for permanent teeth to erupt
• If baby teeth are falling out correctly
• If cysts or abnormal lesions are forming
• If a cavity is forming between two teeth

But Are Dental X-Rays Safe?

Yes, the dental X-rays used by most dental professionals today are completely safe for children. Because they are now digital, they use up to 90% less radiation than traditional film. Also, this form of digital radiography produces higher quality images, allowing dentists to easily view the entire oral cavity and create a more accurate treatment plan. Not to mention, the digital component allows images to be stored electronically, making it easier to refer to in the future if necessary.

Should your child’s pediatric dentist recommend X-rays for your child, you can trust that the process will be quick, easy, and comfortable for your little one. While wearing a lead apron and thyroid collar to shield their body, your child will remain still while a small sensor quickly captures the necessary images. Each X-ray takes only one-tenth of a second, allowing for a much shorter experience and minimal radiation exposure.

Depending on your child’s needs, they may or may not require dental X-rays as often as another patient. This will be up to the discretion of your child’s pediatric dentist. But even if they do require more frequent imaging, you can feel more comfortable and confident knowing the right precautions are being used to keep your child safe at the dentist’s office.

It’s that time of year again when trick-or-treaters are preparing to come door-to-door to fill their buckets with sugary sweets. While plenty of bowls will be full of every kind of candy imaginable, you may be thinking about other options that offer fun and excitement without the potential for cavities. Here are 10 Halloween candy alternatives you don’t have to feel guilty about handing out and young costume-wearers will love.

Why It’s Best Not to Contribute to the Sugar Rush

It’s natural for kids to crave candy at Halloween, especially if it’s not a normal treat within the home. In moderation, a few pieces are fine, but proper oral hygiene habits should always be practiced after consumption. However, too much sugar is a recipe for disaster. Because trick-or-treating usually leads to an evening of binge-eating sugary sweets, kids may crash into bed without brushing or flossing to remove harmful particles and other “sugar bugs.” Since most parents won’t let their children eat their entire bucket in one sitting, the candy continues to sit around until every last piece is eaten.

So, what happens? The more sugar a child consumes, the greater their risk for tooth decay and cavities. As it sits on their teeth, bacteria and harmful acids begin to break down tooth enamel, causing dental caries to form. What is left is a small hole that requires a pediatric dentist to recommend a dental filling or dental crown depending on its severity.

10 Halloween Candy Alternatives Kids Will Love

The grocery aisles full of chocolate, sour, gummy, and peanut candies may be flying off the shelves this Halloween, but if you’d prefer to avoid contributing to the potential cavity-induced sugar rush, here are some alternatives to consider:

• Bookmarks: Promote a love for reading with festive holiday bookmarks.
• Glow bracelets: Kids can add these to their costume ensemble while out trick-or-treating.
• Stickers: What kid doesn’t love stickers? With so many characters to choose from, they’re cheap and a fan favorite.
• Bottles of water: Help keep kids hydrated while they’re out trick-or-treating by providing miniature bottles of water!
• Temporary tattoos: Kids will love showing off their favorite Halloween-themed tattoos to their friends at school.
• Activity pads: These fun-filled games, puzzles, and coloring pages can keep kids occupied much longer than a few pieces of candy can!
• Play-doh: Let kids mold and sculpt their favorite characters with colorful Play-Doh!
• Mini snacks: Instead of sugary candy, pass out small snack bags. Whether it’s pretzels, cheesy crackers, or raisins, these are better alternatives.
• Vampire teeth: Kids will enjoy putting these in their mouths to scare their parents and friends this Halloween.
• Slime: This one is sure to be a favorite among trick-or-treaters, as they can spend hours playing with this goopy, colorful toy.

Make Halloween less about the candy and more about the fun this year! With so many great alternatives to choose from, you’re guaranteed to make young witches and werewolves smile.