Five Ways To Fight Enamel Demineralization And Keep Your Kids’ Teeth Healthy

As a parent, you spend a fair amount of time thinking about your kids’ teeth. Are they brushing right or are they just chewing toothpaste? When they do brush, is it long enough? All these concerns can be addressed once they get them into the habit of good dental hygiene. You can try to keep them from eating too much candy and sweets, but chances are they will go out of their way to satisfy those cravings.

Despite your best efforts, your kids’ teeth can develop stains due to what’s known as enamel demineralization.  How then, is it possible to keep those little teeth healthy and clean without turning into a drill sergeant? There are some simple steps you can take to keep those teeth strong and white for as long as possible.

What Causes Enamel Demineralization?

Demineralization happens when acid attacks the tooth enamel, which causes it to erode and eventually leads to staining and cavities. As the enamel breaks down, the teeth begin to discolor and turn yellow. Your kids may also complain of sensitivity when chewing or you may notice white spots on your kids teeth. The most popular culprits of erosion-causing acids are found in the foods and drinks we consume, especially sodas and fruit juices.

Limit Fruity Drink Intake

Keep your kids away from sugary drinks as much as possible. Help them become more accustomed to drinking water and low sugar alternatives. If they must have a soda or juice here and there, steer them towards those that do not include citric acid. Insist upon rinsing as best you can.

Increase Water Intake

Besides the fact that it doesn’t contain citric acid, another benefit to your kids drinking plenty of water is that it increases saliva production. Saliva helps to clear debris away from the teeth and restore a normal pH balance in the mouth.

Brush and Floss

You may not be able to watch everything your kids consume but making sure they brush and floss regularly is critical. Brushing with a fluoride toothpaste for two minutes at least twice a day can help stop them from developing white spots on baby teeth and dealing with demineralization.

Calcium is known as an enamel protector and is a great neutralizer of erosion-causing foods. You can also add more dairy, almonds or kale to your kids’ diet to increase calcium intake.

Pediatric Dentist Office Check-ups

Whether it’s preventing erosion before it starts or treating white spots on teeth, your pediatric dental group can certainly help protect your kids’ smile. Regular check-up appointments every six months are usually the recommended check-up schedule.

Laser Frenectomy May Ease Breastfeeding Frustrations for Tongue-tied Babies

New mothers know that breastfeeding is often not as easy or natural as it looks; it takes a while to figure out positioning and how to properly latch the baby onto the breast. Once you figure it out though, breastfeeding can be a wonderful way to bond with your baby. But for some newborns, that proper “latching-on” just never happens, leaving moms and infants frustrated. There can be many reasons, but for four to 10 percent of newborns, this improper latch is due to tongue-tie, a condition that can now be quickly and easily resolved with a laser frenectomy procedure.

What is Tongue-Tie?

Ankyloglossia, or tongue-tie, is a condition where the frenulum, the soft tissue connecting the underside of the infant’s tongue to the bottom of the mouth, is too short or thick, limiting movement. For about half of the babies with this condition, this makes it difficult for the infant to latch properly and breastfeeding becomes complicated.

How Does Tongue-Tie Affect Breastfeeding?

Without a proper seal babies aren’t able to nurse efficiently and this leads to slow growth and improper nutrition. For mothers, this uneven latching means that the milk ducts aren’t being emptied properly, causing a decrease in milk production, sore nipples and often mastitis (breast infection). Though sometimes the frenulum stretches and some infants are able to breastfeed even though they have this tongue-tie condition, more severe cases often require a laser frenectomy procedure to correct the problem, allowing a better latch and proper suction.

How Can Laser Frenectomy Help?

In the past, ankyloglossia surgery involved anesthesia, scalpels and stitches, but with the advancement of laser technology, trained professionals within a pediatric dental group can now use a laser to loosen the frenulum with little pain in a matter of minutes. There are a few side effects to a laser frenectomy procedure and recovery is very fast. Infants who undergo this procedure are usually able to breastfeed immediately afterward. Professionals debate about how soon ankyloglossia surgery should be done. Some think it should be done even before the newborn leaves the hospital, while others prefer to see how much the condition will affect breastfeeding.

The benefits of breastfeeding abound. For babies, breastmilk provides the perfect nutrition, bonding time with mom and an added dose of antibodies. For mothers, breastfeeding increases bone mass, decreases cancer risks, releases oxytocin and saves money. With all these benefits, it may be worth the effort to consult with professionals about a laser frenectomy procedures on babies to see this may help your tongue-tied infant.