The Sooner the Better

It is always made clear to a parent how often they have to bring their children to the doctor, but what parents are often not aware of is when exactly they should bring their child to the dentist. Many parents don't even think about the dentist for their children until they are going to school and are required to have a check-up. What they don't realize is that oral health is also a part of their child's overall health and has to be prioritized right up there with pediatrician visits.  

It is recommended that children see the dentist before their first birthday. There are many things happening in your child's mouth around this time that parents may not know or see. Children acquire their first tooth around the age of six months. It is important for the pediatric dentist to measure the development of the child's teeth, check for and implement ways to prevent tooth decay, enforce good oral health habits, and build a comfortable anxiety free relationship with the child. 

When you bring your child to a pediatric dentist in Chicago a great way for you to learn more about their oral health is to ask questions. The dentist can tell you what you should be doing at home to prevent problems and can give you information to keep your child in good health; preventing future problems such as cavities and tooth decay. 

Seeing a Chicago pediatric dentist early on makes this visit seem more normal to your child. It takes away the stress and fear that many children develop of the dentist office. By doing this, your child will be more willing to tell you when their teeth hurt or if they have a problem with anything in their mouth before it gets bad. Any Chicago pediatric dentist will say that this good relationship between dentist and child helps the child have better oral hygiene down the road. 

Besides just that relationship and trust that is important to develop early on, there is also a great deal developing in the child's mouth that should be monitored by a dentist. A Chicago pediatric dentist can help prevent problems that years of braces and complicated procedures would be needed to fix in the future. The best rule of thumb when trying to decide when is the right time for your child to see a pediatric dentist is "the sooner the better". A pediatric dentist in Chicago can help your child love the dentist. 

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Thumb Sucking

Children can pick up many habits. The one that seems harmless at first can soon grow into a huge issue says pediatric dentist Chicago, Dr. Kevin Boyd, D.D.S. The habit is thumb sucking of course. When children are really young it is cute, but at what age does it stop being cute and is beginning to be a problem?

First lets take a look at why they might be doing this. There is something about sucking your thumb that is very comforting says the pediatric dentist Chicago. It makes the child feel secure, especially at nighttime. Let's not forget that they always have it on hand.

Children who suck their fingers and or thumb are at a much greater risk of altering their teeth. The reason being that children’s teeth, up to age 5, are very movable and are not set in says the pediatric dentist Chicago. You might be wondering why it even matters. Their teeth are just going to fall out, so what is the big deal. Well, people don’t realize this, but your permanent teeth actually follow the lead of your baby teeth. If they are pushed forward from thumb sucking, then your permanent teeth will follow.

This problem with thumb sucking can be very costly as well. If you don’t have dental insurance it can really be expensive.. There are ways to get your child off this disruptive habit. There are several ways to stop this says the pediatric dentist Chicago. There is nail polish that has a bitter unsatisfying taste that will make this comforting urge less appealing. And that is an understatement; the polish is gross and will deter your child from practicing.

If you can get your child to stop before age 4, there is a good chance their teeth will realign and get back in working order. If they continue, there will almost always be a negative result. The so-called “buckteeth” are the most common issue involved with thumb sucking. Not only does this effect your child’s bite, it could also give them self esteem issues that could impact them for the rest of their lives.

Dr. Kevin Boyd, D.D.S.

Pediatric Dentist Chicago

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Is Bleeding of the Gums Normal?

Pediatric Dentist Chicago

You may have asked yourself, “why do gums bleed?” Pediatric Dentist Chicago, Dr. Boyd, says that it is not healthy for gums to be bleeding. He states that this is an immediate indication of infection. He goes on to say that if the gums are healthy, they should not be bleeding! This can lead to gum disease, or in the long run, tooth loss. If your gums are bleeding, you should schedule an immediate appointment with the pediatric dentist Chicago. Simple brushing and flossing can prevent gum disease, and in return, prevent your gums from bleeding!

Pediatric Dentist Chicago

Chicago Pediatric Dentist

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Dental Care for Infants

Pediatric Dentist Chicago

Caring for your babie’s teeth, depending on how many they have, is critical. Pediatric dentist Chicago says that it is recommended that you should turn your infant onto dental basics before their first birthday. This helps establish the basics of brushing, and getting used to how the brush feels in the child’s mouth, says the Chicago pediatric dentist.

This is also a great way to benefit your infant from dental problems that may occur in early stages. Tooth decay is among the most common dental problems that occurs in infants. Just by doing this simple task, Pediatric dentist Chicago states that you are not only reducing the risk for your baby to have dental problems, but you are also giving yourself peace of mind.

Pediatric Dentist Chicago

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Healthy Habits for Better Teeth

Pediatric Dentist Chicago

Many Americans do not make the right eating choices. Children are even more likely to make bad eating decisions. This may affect the way your teeth look due to different sugars and acids. Here are some easy ways to improve your eating habits and also improve your teeth says pediatric dentist in Chicago, Dr. Boyd.

Dr. Boyd, Pediatric Dentist Chicago, of Dentistry 4 Children specializes with working with children and dental problems. He states that eating foods such as nuts, apples or cheese after eating a heavy carb  meal may help prevent cavities. The Pediatric Dentist Chicago says that the texture on those kinds of food break up the plaque that is stuck to your teeth. This is especially important for children to eat these kinds of foods, rather than going to grab a sugary snack or soda.  

If children, and adults, follow these simple steps, they can reduce the risk of gingivitis or other tooth related diseases. Pediatric Dentist Chicago

7 Very Helpful Tips For Children and Brushing Teeth

Children, as everyone knows can be a handful. They can be easily distracted, especially when they have to brush their teeth. Dr. Kevin Boyd, Pediatric Dentist Chicago, understands that it takes time to get children used to brushing. Here are 7 helpful tips that the pediatric dentist Chicago recommends.

1. Use a brush that has gentle bristles because it may irritate the child’s teeth if the bristles are too rough, therefore making them lose interest in brushing.

2. Pediatric dentist Chicago says to use only a small amount of toothpaste while brushing. 

3. Make sure to brush in a comfortable position so that the child feels safe.

4. Using a time is one of the best ways to make the child feel that brushing can be fun says the pediatric dentist Chicago.

5. Be sure to brush the teeth in back! This is a very common mistake for children.

6. Make sure that you rinse!               

7. Floss Floss Floss! This is the most important tip says pediatric dentist Chicago

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Breastfeeding Vs Bottle Feeding

From Dr. Kevin Boyd,  Pediatric Dentist Chicago
in response to a patient's inquiry about breastfeeding and bottle feeding for children.
Pediatric Dentist Chicago

Breastfeeding will be best for your new baby and I encourage you to do this if you are able; if not, please consider minimizing the transition from the bottle, to cup feeding....you can do this very early....and dad can help.

 If you plan to use a bottle, then certainly the Medela Calma seems to be the least harmful to normal growth and development of your baby's teeth jaws and face.  Please also consider pumping your own breastmilk in lieu of commercial formulas for as long as possible...none of them even come close to the superior quality of your own milk.

And finally, Dr.'s Carrie Gosch and Deanna Monroe are 2 of the finest pediatricians in Chicago and many of my patients, and my own daughters, see them or one of their associates; please call our Pediatric Dental Office  to get their number to schedule a pre-delivery appointment with them if you feel it necessary.

Also contact our pediatric dentist office to schedule a pre-natal visit with me if you'd like to ask more questions regarding infant/early childhood feeding, the Calma bottle, etc.; as I was aspiring to be an pediatric dietitian before entering dental school and have a master's degree in nutrition and dietetics, I enjoy diet counseling as a component of my dental practice.

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Pediatric Dentist Chicago

Pediatric Dentist
Pediatric Dentist Chicago
A real story from a patient's second visit to Dentistry For Children, to see Dr. Boyd, the Chicago Pediatric Dentist.

Yesterday we took both girls back in for their first of many dental devices. You may remember our first visit back in November which was completely unpleasant for Lucy. This time I asked the hygienist if she could take off her mask and with that, Lucy was calm. Len sat in the chair this time and we let Kate go first so Lucy could watch and see what was going to happen. It made a world of difference because, as has been demonstrated in nearly every video I've taken of them, Lucy insists on doing whatever Kate is doing even if it's unpleasant. Fortunately, the visit was not unpleasant at all. They were both fitted for infant trainers to help align their jaws correctly. True to form, they remain opposite in every way, even in jaw structure. Lucy needs her upper jaw to move forward and Kate needs her lower jaw to move forward.

Kate had it down pat last night but I could only get Lucy to keep it in her mouth if I distracted her with Yo Gabba Gabba. Pick your battles, right?

As for what else is going on in their mouths, here's what I can recall from trying to listen to the dentist while keeping 2 toddlers from destroying his office:

In order to explain, here's a visual to help in case you aren't familiar with tooth development: Kate has 16 teeth and is working on cutting the last 4--the 2nd molars. That's pretty much it. Normal.

Lucy has 13 teeth. She is missing both lateral incisors on her lower jaw and one lateral incisor on her right upper jaw where her cleft was located. She still needs to cut her 2nd molars as well. Since her bottom lateral incisors never came in that means she will not get them as an adult either. As for the top lateral incisor, it could be there in a stunted form or it may not be there at all. It could still come out through her gums or her palate (really hope that doesn't happen as that will cause nasty problems) or it might not ever come out. This all means that she may or may not have this tooth as an adult either.
For now, we wait are taking a wait-and-see approach. We'll work on jaw alignment with the infant trainer and continue that process with different appliances as they get older, shaping the jaw and keeping the canines where they are supposed to be so her face will keep the proper shape. In the past, dentists would just move all the teeth over to fill the gap where teeth are missing. Now, as they have realized that the canines are kind of like the cornerstones or framing of your face, it is best to keep those in their proper location.

The goal with the infant trainers now is for them to wear them 5-10 minutes a few times a day and then to work up to sleeping with them at night. This will also help them continue to breathe through their noses at night which is optimal for good health.

Pediatric Dentist

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Pediatric Dentist Chicago

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Dentist

Thank you for visiting our blog! We specialize in providing all kinds of dental care for children and patients with special needs (including orthodontics).

Our main goal is to educate children and their parents about the best ways to take care of teeth and gums to ensure optimal dental health and prevent the onset of dental disease. 

Good dental health begins with proper nutrition, regular brushing and flossing, the right amount of fluoride, and regular professional exams and cleanings.

Blog Maintained by: Identity Dental Marketing