Pediatric Dentistry Archives | Dental Care at Flint's Crossing

Thumb Sucking

July 31, 2020 by writeradmin

My five-year-old is still sucking her thumb. I am growing very worried she’s going to need braces if this keeps up. Plus she is starting school soon. What can I do to stop this?

Lydia

Dear Lydia,

We worry about everything when it comes to our children, don’t we? Here’s the good news. While she is still with baby teeth there will be no permanent damage to her bite. When children end up needing braces is when they suck their thumb well into their older childhood years and their permanent teeth are in.

As a dentist who has treated children for years, I’ve noticed that most of the time if parents don’t make a big deal out of the child needing to stop sucking their thumb, they usually do it on their own. For those who don’t, going to school and experiencing some mild peer pressure usually does the trick.

Occasionally, you’ll get a child who has the habit so engrained they have a hard time quitting even when they want to. If that is something you run into with your daughter, you can try something called Thum. It is a liquid you can put on her thumb that tastes quite nasty. If a child is ready to quit, this will help.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn Family Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Can a Tooth Infection Cause a Fever?

May 21, 2020 by writeradmin

I’m confused by something. My son’s dentist said that a tooth infection cannot cause a fever, but isn’t fever a sign of an infection. He’s been getting in a lot of teeth and now he has a fever. I’m wondering if one of those teeth has somehow gotten infected.

Missy

Dear Missy,

I’m hoping your dentist didn’t understand your question. It’s possible he meant that not every tooth infection develops a fever. In the early stages, especially, an infection is confined inside the tooth. Often that will not contribute to a fever. However, if it is left unrecognized and untreated it will begin to leak out of the tooth, often in the form of an abscess, which looks like a pimple on the gums.

Your bodies defenses kick in and one of those defenses is a fever. Any infection can present with a fever. Though some dentists say it isn’t true, most parents will say that some children develop a low-grade fever while they are teething. That doesn’t mean there is an infection. It’s just his body’s response to his pain.

If he’s teething and the fever is minor, I would start with some Orajel on his gums and children’s Tylenol for the pain.

That being said, if his fever is higher and there is reasons to suspect decay, you will need to see a pediatric dentist or a general dentist who treats children. Even during the COVID-19 quarantine, he can be seen for urgent dental needs.

Tooth infections are considered dental emergencies. This is because if they are left untreated, they will spread into the bone, which in your son’s case can damage his adult teeth, or they can spread to the heart, lungs, or brain.

Don’t panic over that. It would be an obvious infection to get that far. You are not in that stage, nor have you any indication of decay. He’s likely just teething or teething and fighting off something else.

Treat his pain and keep an eye on him.
This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Daughter broke off a tooth

May 8, 2020 by writeradmin

My daughter fell and broke off an adult tooth. I took her to see the pediatric dentist for an urgent appointment and he scheduled us to come in three weeks from now for the repair. When I told him I really wanted it done sooner he told me the nerves needed that long to desensitize. I don’t want to cause my daughter any unnecessary pain, but I also feel like this needs to be fixed sooner. Would it be better to wait?

Kendra

Dear Kendra,

I’m not sure why your pediatric dentist is saying to wait. I doubt it is because he’s too busy, especially with most practices being shut down. You will not be causing your daughter any pain by getting it done right away.

If you have the piece which broke off a decent cosmetic dentist can put that back on for her. As she gets older and the pulp in her tooth gets smaller that tooth may need a dental crown, but for now, a repair will be all she needs.

I’m a tad concerned that your pediatric dentist is putting you off. You’ll want a dentist who has enough time to attend to your child’s needs. If he doesn’t, it may be time to find another one. You can take her to a general dentist who treats children. They are qualified to treat children.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Can’t Afford the Work My Children Need

March 31, 2020 by writeradmin

I took my son to the dentist for the first time a few weeks ago. I hadn’t previously because we didn’t have dental insurance. Now we do. Cleanings and x-rays are covered. Unfortunately, the pediatric dentist is telling us he needs six cavities filled. The price to have that done was unbelievable! I asked if we could have the work done and pay it off incrementally and they said that all work had to be paid for up front. I don’t have that kind of money. What do you recommend?

Olivia

Dear Olivia,

I’m sorry to hear your pediatric dentist isn’t willing to work with you. That makes it tough. It’s expensive enough raising children. One thing I would do first, is get the x-rays and bring them to a pediatric dentist who offers free second opinions. Maybe some of
those cavities can just be watched and if your son notches up his oral health care a bit the teeth will remineralize. That could save you money by just having the urgent ones dealt with.

This is called staged treatment and something most dentists should offer. As yours doesn’t, you can do a search using the term affordable dentist. They’re usually more willing to work with patients on things like this. However, don’t confuse affordable dental care with cheap dental care. You want someone who is willing to work with you on treatments and payments who still provides quality care— not someone who cuts corners to draw in patients with their low prices.

Another option is to go through Care Credit. This is a medical loan service. They’ll pay for your medical or dental care and then you make payments to them. Depending on your credit, you can get low or even no interest payment plans.

Start there. If you’re still having trouble after that, write me back and we’ll see if there isn’t some other way to get your son the care he needs. What you don’t want to do is let it turn into a tooth infection. So, get the most urgent cavities dealt with first.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Is the Pediatric Dentist Ripping Us Off?

February 11, 2020 by writeradmin

I took my six-year-old son to the dentist for the first time today. First, they took a whole bunch of x-rays. Then they told me he had two cavities which really surprised me because he is only six. They said they had time to fill them and mentioned it would be easier on him if we used nitrous oxide. I agreed and felt I would be too nervous to stay in the operatory so I left for the waiting room. After a period of time, they told me one of the cavities was pretty extensive and they will need to do a pulpotomy and place a stainless steel crown. I didn’t feel I had much of a choice so agreed, but shouldn’t he have seen that on the extensive x-rays? Once they finished that, they suggested I come back in a couple of weeks for their sealing clinic to get the remainder of his molars sealed. I feel like maybe some of this is unnecessary. Am I being ripped off?

Katie

Dear Katie,

I’ll take these things one at a time. Let’s start with the cavities. It is not uncommon for a six-year-old who has never been to the dentist to have a cavity or two. In fact, toddlers can end up with cavities. Both genetics and lifestyle choices can factor into whether or not your children deal with decay.

Often when we see excessive cavities in toddlers, it turns out they go to bed with a bottle filled with either formula or juice. This is disastrous for teeth. At six, it can be sticky candy they have trouble getting off or frequent snacking and juice drinking.

Nitrous Oxide for Children

Generally, we want a child’s first appointment to only entail a cleaning and checkup. This way their first impression of the dentist is a positive one. However, sometimes other issues crop up. When this happens, it is better to do everything possible to keep the child comfortable and anxiety-free. Nitrous oxide is a very safe way to do that.

Should the Pediatric Dentist Have Seen it On the X-Rays?

While x-rays are a very useful diagnostic tool and now allow us to catch things much earlier than we otherwise would have been able to, they are still just 2-Dimensional images. Our teeth are 3-Dimensional. Because of that, it isn’t always possible to see the depth of the decay involved.

Because the extensive decay was on a back tooth, it needed to be saved rather than just extracted. Those baby molars need to stay in place until they are around 12-years-old. A pulpotomy, which is a child’s version of a root canal treatment, allowed him to do just that.

Dental Sealings will Save You Money

Believe it or not, the dentist would make MORE money if he didn’t recommend the sealings. Those back teeth have lots are tiny crevices that food and bacteria can get trapped it and are almost impossible for a child to get completely brushed.

Placing sealants on those teeth will protect them from developing decay in the future. The sealants cost significantly less than a filling.

I hope this helps you feel more at ease about your pediatric dentist. Never hesitate to ask your son’s dentist why a certain procedure is necessary. If he has a hard time with that, he will not be the best dentist for you.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Dental Flipper for a Toddler

January 23, 2020 by writeradmin

I have a three-year-old who lost his two front teeth due to some trauma. I wanted to get him a dental flipper to replace them but his dentist just acted like I was a moron. I tried to find one online but they only sell them for adults. I am so worried that his teeth will shift. Is there a way to get one for a toddler? Should I try another dentist?

Mary

Dear Mary,

Your child’s dentist could have handled it better. A lot better. A good pediatric dentist knows that when you are dealing with someone’s child, parents both deserve and need real answers. They don’t need to be talked down to.

A dental flipper doesn’t really work for a young child like your son. First, his jaw is continually changing and developing. You will need to replace it often. That is even if he can cooperate with getting it prepared, which at that age is unlikely.

On top of that is the risk of losing it, which he will. Plus, it is a removable appliance which could end up a choking hazard for him.

Shifting Teeth in Pediatric Patients

The good news is the only time you have to worry about his teeth shifting is with his back molars. Those have to stay in until he is around twelve years old. If those teeth have to be removed, you will need to make sure the dentist places space maintainers.

His front teeth will be fine. There isn’t the same risk there.

I don’t think the current dentist you have is a good fit for you. It’s important you have the confidence and comfort to ask your dentist as many questions as you need to understand and feel right about any treatment plan for your son.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

My Six Year Old has Dental Problems

December 26, 2019 by writeradmin

I’m not sure what to do for my son. He’s got molars which are about a 1/3 of the way decayed, as well as some cavities on other teeth. I do take him to the dentist but he’s not very cooperative with getting any work done. We’ve tried it with me in the room and without me there. It doesn’t seem to matter. What do you recommend I do?

Carol

Dear Carol,

Let’s start with why your son is getting this much decay. It’s obvious you care about him and are not neglecting his care. This level of decay, at that age, however, is usually linked to frequent snacking throughout the day. You may need to do some tough love and not allow him many snacks. It will be good for him to be hungry by the time meal time comes along.

As for what to do with his rotting teeth, you’ll obviously want to fill the cavities. Make sure you pediatric dentist is using composite fillings on him. Some pediatric dentists say children can’t have them, but that is not true. It’s more a matter of it being difficult to do on children because of their wiggly natures. Fortunately, there is a way around that which we’ll discuss in a moment.

The benefits to composite fillings are significant. The most comforting to parents being that the fillings are 100% mercury-free, as opposed to the silver amalgam fillings whose main ingredient is mercury.

The molars are 1/3 of the way decayed. This is too large for a filling to work. They will need to be crowned. You can get a pre-fabricated stainless steel crown which won’t cost as much as the custom made ones.

His molars need to stay in place until he’s around twelve and his adult molars begin to come in. Otherwise, his teeth will shift into the open space, leading to crowding.

Dealing with Uncooperative Children

I know you said your son won’t cooperate with the dentist, so by now you’re probably like “Yes, but how do I get him to allow the dentist to do the work?”

The simplest solution would be to find a pediatric dentist who offers dental sedation. This is safe to use on children and will completely relax your son so he can get the care he needs. In fact, most children are so relaxed they sleep completely through their dental work.

If you don’t have a pediatric dentist in your area which offers sedation, you can see a general dentist who treats children. They are more than qualified. The important thing now is that you get this decay under control or you could end up with a dental emergency on your hands.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Family Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

What is a Pulpotomy?

November 16, 2019 by writeradmin

Our pediatric dentist said my son needs a pulpotomy because his tooth is infected. What is it and why can’t we just take out the tooth if it is a baby tooth anyway?

Mark

Dear Mark,

Essentially, a pulpotomy is the child’s version of a root canal treatment. When your son gets his treatment, your pediatric dentist will remove most of the pulp in his tooth. This should be done down to the roots. Then, the tissue inside is daubed with a disinfectant, sealed, then protected with a dental crown. Most children get a stainless steel crown.

You asked an important question as to why you’d need to preserve a baby tooth. In most cases, you don’t. The big exception is when it is a molar. These need to stay in your son’s mouth until he is around twelve years of age. If they come out prematurely, the remaining teeth will shift which leads to crowding as the adult teeth come in. This will cost you a fortune in orthodontics.

There is an alternative if you don’t want to save the tooth. You could have it extracted, but then you would need to place a space maintainer to keep the spot reserved.

Whatever you decide, it will likely make things more comfortable for your son if your dentist uses something like nitrous oxide to put him at ease during the procedure.

What you don’t want to do is put this off and allow this to turn into a dental emergency. Even in the 21st century, people still die from tooth infections. It is much better to get this taken care of as soon as possible.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Do Adults Need Fluoride?

September 19, 2019 by writeradmin

I’m a little concerned about the costs of my dental care. I have just started going back to the dentist after years of avoiding it. I have dental insurance now, but my dentist is doing procedures the insurance doesn’t cover. Two things which are making the affordability a challenge is his doing x-rays every six months. My insurance only covers it once a year. The second thing is the fluoride. He’s doing fluoride treatments on me but my insurance is saying that is only for children.

Paul

Dear Paul,

family: Mom, day, daughter, and son with the children on the parent's backs. All smiling

Pediatric and adult teeth need different types of care.

Let’s start with the x-rays. Typically, patients are given bitewing x-rays once a year and panoramic x-rays once every five years. While these are the standard recommendations, there are exceptions.

One exception would be if you are monitoring decay or other dental problems that have cropped up. Some patients are more susceptible to decay than others. It is not always a hygiene or lifestyle issue. Sometimes they’ve just been handed bad dental genetics.

That being said, some dentists just require x-rays at every appointment. If it is a financial hardship for you, I recommend speaking to the dentist about that. A compassionate dentist will want to provide quality care their patients can afford. If they refuse to work with you on the issue, then it is time to switch practices.

Fluoride: Adults versus Children

Fluoride is usually a pediatric dental treatment. It’s not given to adults because once the teeth are fully formed, the benefits to the enamel are not that useful.

Another reason it is not generally given to adults is because they often have porcelain work in their mouths, such as dental crowns. Most dental offices use acidulated fluoride which will etch the porcelain crowns and cause them to pick up stains.

There are exceptions as with anything else. If an adult is undergoing a treatment which can damage their teeth, such as radiation or chemotherapy, fluoride will help prevent decay.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Saturday Dentist, Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Baby’s Front Teeth Haven’t Erupted

June 27, 2019 by writeradmin

I’m a little worried because my daughter’s two front teeth haven’t come in yet. She’s almost ten months old. The weird thing is the teeth that would be next to them have come in, so she looks like a baby vampire. Is this okay or is something wrong?

Nervous Mama

Dear Nervous Mama,

Take a deep breath. There’s no need to grab some garlic yet. While there is a general schedule, teeth don’t always follow that schedule. It is not unheard of for the lateral incisors to erupt before their central incisors do.

Here’s a loose schedule of when teeth come in:

Lower Central Incisors – 6 to 10 months

Upper Central incisors – 8 to 12 months

Lower Lateral Incisors – 10 to 16 months

Upper Lateral Incisors – 9 to 13 months

Lower Cuspid (Canine) – 17 to 23 months

Upper Cuspid (Canine) – 16 to 22 months

Lower First Molar – 14 to 18 months

Upper First Molar – 13 to 19 months

Lower Second Molar – 23 to 31 months

Upper Second Molar – 25 to 33 months

When Should I Child First See a Pediatric Dentist?

It’s recommended you first take your child to the pediatric dentist or a general dentist who treats children when their teeth first start erupting. This is usually a simple appointment where the child is just introduced to the dentist and staff and shown what the different tools are. Its intention is to allow the child to get familiar with the dentist in a non-threatening environment. In your sweet babe’s case, they will likely do an x-ray as well just to see if the central incisors are actually there.

Sometimes, a person will have congenitally missing teeth. This is okay too and there are many solutions. Either way, your child will not go toothless throughout their life. Even if they are missing both baby and adult teeth there are fantastic tooth replacement options these days.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.