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Did you know that 50% of Americans are diagnosed with bad halitosis (bad breath) each year? Bad breath isn’t limited to adults, either. Children can suffer from halitosis that stems from a variety of causes, but there’s usually a way to conquer each cause of children’s halitosis. 

Food Debris 

Food sometimes sticks around long after mealtime, and it can cause really stinky breath. If left unchecked, food debris left in the mouth can give cavities the fuel they need to flourish. 

Solution: Rinse after Meals 

Have your child swish cool water in their mouth vigorously for 30 seconds after they finish their meal. This will help remove any food debris left in the cracks and crevices of teeth.

Dry Mouth 

A dry mouth can lead to recurring bad breath. Usually, dry mouth is caused by poor saliva flow, which stems from a lack of water, or inadequate hydration. Luckily, that’s incredibly easy to fix!

Solution: Improve Saliva Production 

Dry mouth can usually be fixed by eating foods that increase saliva production like cheese, apples or carrots. Make sure your child gets enough water – 8 to 10 cups per day. If this doesn’t fix your child’s bad breath, then schedule an appointment with our office. 

Poor Oral Care Routine 

The number one cause of halitosis in children is poor oral hygiene. But, a proper oral care routine is incredibly easy to achieve, it just takes a little work, and a clear schedule.

Solution: Develop a Good Oral Health Routine 

Make sure your child brushes twice per day for two minutes at a time, and flosses once per day. When flossing, stress the importance of hitting both sides of the tooth, and beneath the gum line so that they clean their entire tooth. Be sure to clearly communicate when they are to brush and floss, and be sure that they adhere to a consistent schedule. Gentle parental reminders can go a long way in keeping children into a healthy oral care routine. 

We can Beat Dragon’s Breath Together! 

Children’s halitosis stinks – but it can be beaten. If your child’s breath is consistently smelly, then schedule a visit with our office. We can help you get to the bottom of their bad breath, and help them beat halitosis together.

Baby teeth play an important role in helping children develop healthy smiles that grow with them. Here’s five important facts about baby teeth that parents need to know to help their children keep their baby teeth healthy and strong.

1 – Baby Tooth Enamel is Hard, but Vulnerable 

Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, yet it is always under constant attack by sugar, acid and external forces. You can help keep your child’s tooth enamel strong by giving them more water, which helps rinse teeth clean of harmful bacteria and acids. Additionally, limit sugar and sugary beverages in their diet to help give their enamel a break. Make sure to brush twice a day for two minutes and floss at least once a day. 

2 - Baby Teeth help Set up a Healthy Bite 

Baby teeth play a critical role in developing a healthy and aligned adolescent and adult bite. If a baby tooth is lost too soon, it can lead to teeth crowding the vacant spot, which can cause bite alignment problems. 

3 - Baby Teeth Need Proper Nutrition 

The proper diet can go a long way in helping your child maintain a health smile. When shopping for food, try to add more fruits and vegetables that are rich in nutrients and fiber. High fiber foods scrub teeth and keep them clean of food debris and damaging sugar, which can lead to tooth decay and cavities. Adding more magnesium and calcium to your child’s diet can strengthen their tooth enamel, and help prevent cavities. 

4 - Baby Teeth CAN be Lost Too Early 

Usually, natural tooth loss begins around age 6, and concludes around age 12. If your child loses a tooth before then, schedule a visit with our office so that we can take the appropriate actions for the health of their smile.

Does Your Family have a Dental Home? 

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that you establish a dental home for your children by their first birthday. This helps you get a dental health plan that works for their smile, and helps them get more comfortable with oral healthcare at an early age.

Sports can be incredibly fun for children, but they also put them at risk for injury. Did you know that your child is 60 times more likely to sustain damage to their teeth when they aren’t wearing a mouth guard? Here’s what your child risks when they play sports without a mouth guard.

1 - Broken Teeth 

Teeth are hard, but they are also brittle. Playing sports without a mouth guard puts teeth at risk of taking a hard blow without any cushioning, which can cause them to crack or break all together. A mouth guard helps cushion the teeth from potential blows, and decreases their risk of cracking. 

2 - Jaw Damage

Jaw injuries are one of the most common injuries in sports, and mouth guards can help prevent them, or greatly reduce their severity. Mouth guards help cushion and reduces the amount of shock the upperjaw and lower jaw can take during a hit to the jaw.

3 – Concussion 

Wearing a mouth guard can actually greatly reduce the risk of sustaining a concussion while playing sports. One study found that mouth guards can reduce overall cranial impact by 50% when sustaining a blow to the chin or jaw. 

4 - Lacerated Lips and Cheeks 

Teeth are designed to chew and process food for our systems to absorb. It’s no surprise, then, that teeth can do real damage to cheeks and lips if left uncovered. Mouth guards help protect cheeks and jaws from accidental bites that can puncture or lacerate the skin. 

How do Mouth Guards Work?

Mouth guards – sometimes called mouth protectors – work by helping cushion a blow to the face, and minimizing the risk of breaking teeth, or lacerating a lip, tongue or cheek. The CDC estimates that more than 3 million teeth are knocked out at youth sporting events. Mouth guards work to prevent tooth loss and other facial injuries. 

Which Sports Require Mouth Guards?

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends wearing mouth guards for these popular sports: basketball, boxing, field hockey, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, martial arts, racquetball, roller hockey, rugby, skateboarding, skiing, soccer, volleyball, water polo and wrestling, among others.  If you’re unsure about whether or not your child is required to wear a mouth guard, consult our office. 

Ask Us about Mouth Guards

As our office about a mouth guard for yoru child. We want to help you keep your child safe while they’re playing sports. Call our office today and ask us about the types of mouth guards that we provide. Together, we can help them enjoy the sport they love and keep their teeth safe from injury.

A healthy diet plays a pivotal role in getting healthy teeth and gums, but what is the best snack food for a healthy mouth? We looked all over, and present to you the supreme healthy food for teeth – apples.

Full of Fiber 

Apples are packed with fiber, and that’s great news for teeth. Fiber is an excellent nutrient for mouth-health, and supports a healthy digestive system. Fibrous fruits and vegetables actually scrub teeth as they are being consumed, which helps remove bad mouth bacteria that lead to cavities and tooth decay. Apples contain about 4 grams of fiber, which is around 15% of the daily-recommended amount, depending upon age. 

Be sure to thoroughly rinse apples before eating them, and leave the skin on – which is a fantastic texture for scrubbing teeth. 

Almost Completely Made of Water 

Did you know that apples are nearly 86% water? Water is vital for a healthy mouth because it stimulates saliva production. Saliva naturally cleans teeth of food debris and damaging acids that attack enamel and cause cavities. Saliva also keeps the mouth’s ph level balanced and healthy.

Packed with Vitamin C 

Apples are a good source of vitamin C – which is a fantastic vitamin for healthy gums! Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant that helps heal gums, and fight gum inflammation. It does this by helping the body produce more collagen, which aids in cell repair and expedites the healing process. Apples are less acidic than other vegetables that contain vitamin C like oranges, grapefruits and kiwi, which makes them a truly fantastic option for healthy teeth!

Vitamin A for Apple! 

Apples are also a source of vitamin A, which is one of the absolute best vitamins for overall oral health. That’s because it helps keep saliva flowing, which naturally cleans teeth of damaging acids and prevents dry mouth. Vitamin A also promotes the healthy mucous in the mouth that coats cheeks and gums, which makes them less susceptible to infection and disease. 

Visit Our Office 

Apples are just one of many healthy, flavorful foods that help keep teeth clean, and promotes overall oral health. A well-rounded healthy diet is important to you’re your family's teeth, and bodies health. Schedule an appointment with our office today and we can discuss some mouth-healthy options that your family will love.