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Categories:
My Dentistry Blog
Posts for: February, 2015
As a parent you’re concerned with a number of issues involving your child’s health, not the least of which involves their teeth. One of the most common is thumb-sucking.
While later thumb-sucking is a cause for concern, it’s quite normal and not viewed as harmful in infant’s and very young children. This universal habit is rooted in an infant swallowing pattern: all babies tend to push the tongue forward against the back of the teeth when they swallow, which allows them to form a seal while breast or bottle feeding. Infants and young children take comfort or experience a sense of security from sucking their thumb, which simulates infant feeding.
Soon after their primary teeth begin to erupt, the swallowing pattern changes and they begin to rest the tongue on the roof of the mouth just behind the front teeth when swallowing. For most children thumb sucking begins to fade as their swallowing pattern changes.
Some children, though, continue the habit longer even as their permanent teeth are beginning to come in. As they suck their thumb the tongue constantly rests between the front teeth, which over time may interfere with how they develop. This can cause an “open bite” in which the upper and lower teeth don’t meet properly, a problem that usually requires orthodontic treatment to correct it.
For this reason, dentists typically recommend encouraging children to stop thumb-sucking by age 3 (18-24 months to stop using a pacifier). The best approach is positive reinforcement — giving appropriate rewards over time for appropriate behavior: for example, praising them as a “big” boy or girl when they have gone a certain length of time without sucking their thumb or a pacifier. You should also use training or “Sippy” cups to help them transition from a bottle to a regular cup, which will further diminish the infant swallowing pattern and need for thumb-sucking.
Habits like thumb-sucking in young children should be kept in perspective: the habit really isn’t a problem unless it goes on too long. Gentle persuasion, along with other techniques we can help you with, is the best way to help your child eventually stop.
If you would like more information on thumb sucking, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Thumb Sucking in Children” and “How Thumb Sucking Affects the Bite.”
Singer Olivia Newton-John's daughter Chloe is now a lovely, grown woman, but Olivia recently recounted to Dear Doctor magazine a rather creative method she found to sooth Chloe's teething troubles many years ago.
“When Chloe was a baby and teething I remember using a frozen bagel for her sore gums,” Olivia said. “She loved it!”
Cold is often very soothing to a teething child's gums. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends using a clean, chilled, rubber teething ring, or cold wet washcloth. Chilled pacifiers can also be helpful. Be sure not to freeze teething rings or pacifiers as ice can actually burn sensitive mouth tissues.
Older teethers can sometimes find relieve from cold foods such as popsicles (or bagels!) but make sure your child eats these sugar-containing foods only at mealtimes so as not to promote tooth decay.
If your baby has not yet begun the teething (or tooth-eruption) process, you can expect it to begin usually between six and nine months. It may, however, start as early as three months or as late as twelve months.
Teething symptoms vary among children, as does the length of time it takes for a tooth to make its appearance. But many parents notice the following signs:
- Irritability
- Biting and gnawing
- Gum swelling
- Chin (facial) rash
- Disrupted sleeping patterns
- Ear rubbing
- Drooling
- Decreased appetite
These symptoms are usually most bothersome during the week that the tooth is breaking (erupting) through the gums, starting about four days before and lasting about three days after the tooth appears.
Occasionally, teething discomfort can be considerable. If that is the case with your baby, you can give her or him acetaminophen or ibuprofen in the appropriate dose (check with your pharmacist if you're not sure what that is). The medicine should be swallowed — not massaged into the gums, as this can also burn. Numbing agents should not be used for children under 2, except under the advice and supervision of a healthcare professional.
If you would like to learn more about teething or any other child-related oral health issue, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. If you would like to read Dear Doctor's entire interview with Olivia Newton-John, please see “Olivia Newton-John.” Dear Doctor also has more on “Teething Troubles.”
Dr. James Lewis is a general dentist with over 15 years of experience serving the New Port Richey area. Veneers are a top-requested cosmetic service at his practice for patients who want a smile makeover. Learn how veneers can transform your smile from average 
to amazing in just a few appointments.
Understanding Veneers
It’s definitely best to understand the dental service that you’re interested in before you have it done. Veneers are wafer-thin tooth coverings that can be shaped to perfectly fit into your smile. The veneer is commonly made of a very attractive, polished porcelain material that resembles the look of a tooth, so no one is the wiser. The veneer is supported by your existing tooth—your New Port Richey dentist must first do some work to the tooth to ensure that it will maintain its bond with the porcelain material.
How Veneers Transform Your Smile
Patients who are good candidates for veneers usually have some type of flaw that can’t be corrected with just orthodontics or a cleaning. For instance, as a person ages the teeth sometimes become discolored in deeper layers that can’t be affected with tooth whitening gel. Some patients have crooked or misshapen teeth that don’t fit in with the rest of the teeth. A veneer transforms the smile by providing a quick fix that covers these imperfections and makes the teeth look whiter, straighter and more even all at once.
Having Veneers Created
After modifying the existing tooth (or teeth), the dentist will take an impression of your smile and send it in to a lab for processing. A perfectly shaped veneer is created for each tooth in the treatment plan. After bonding them in place, the dentist may do some additional shaping and contouring before revealing your brand new “Hollywood” quality smile.
Get a New Smile this Year
If you’ve always wanted to improve your smile, why not make today the day to find out if veneers can help? Call (727) 372-7887 to schedule an appointment with Dr. James Lewis, a New Port Richey dentist who prides himself on providing patients with top-of-the-line dental services.
