How Often Should I Take My Child To The Dentist?

October 13, 2024 | by James Sampson | Blog

How Often should I take my child to the dentist? If you are asking this question then first know that you are not alone. Most parents are not sure exactly when is the perfect time to schedule their child’s first dentist appointment.

Should your child wait and go after the first tooth comes in or maybe after all their teeth come in? According to the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, your child’s first scheduled dental visit should occur within six months of the first tooth erupting, but no later than by age two.

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Your Child’s first dental appointment generally is more about learning their teeth and the importance of taking care of them versus an actual examination. Typically your dentist will not do an actual exam. They may peek inside your child’s mouth so they can make sure the teeth are coming in properly and there is no bottle rot, but generally, this visit is more about building trust and awareness. Your child’s dentist will often explain all of their tools, what they are for, and why they are important. Establishing trust and building a relationship with the dentist often helps the child overcome dental fears later on as they grow and have actual appointments, or even avoid dental anxieties all together.

What Happens After a Child’s First Dental Visit?

After your child’s first visit, it is highly recommended they visit the dentist every six months, unless there is a health concern. Common concerns that call for a visit early include a lisp, teeth grinding, and mouth breathing. Once your child is ready for their second visit, this is where your dentist will begin to work on your child’s teeth. Typically, the second dentist visit will include counting the child’s teeth and brushing them with cleaning paste. Dentists often introduce treatments in stages for two reasons, one, they may not have all of their teeth and be quite ready for advanced treatments, and two, to slowly build trust and ease fears. It generally isn’t until the third visit, or after the age of three were they start receiving more advanced treatments, such as fluoride treatments.

A great way to minimize the fears of going to the dentist, is when you bring your child to one of your dental exams. When they see the dentist working on your teeth, it can help ease fears. Remember, it is never too early to begin proper oral care.

Schedule an appointment with Sampson Dentistry!

Do You Have A Chipped Tooth

March 10, 2024 | by admin | Blog

chipped tooth-hoover alabama dental clinic

A chipped tooth is common with individuals. It’s actually quite easy to chip a tooth despite the fact that enamel is the hardest, most mineralized tissue of the body. It’s important to know about potential problems. Do you have a chipped tooth.

Problems From a Chipped Tooth

What Happens if You Don’t Repair a Chipped Tooth?

A little chip on a tooth may not seem like a big deal, especially if it is a molar that no one can see. Smaller chips are usually not problematic unless they are sharp, then they could possibly cut your mouth. However, if your chip is significant enough, it could lead to more serious problems such as pain, hot/cold sensitivity, bad breath, swollen glands, and even infected roots.

Sharp edges from your broken tooth can cut your cheek, tongue, and gums
Deep chips can impact the root of the tooth, leading to potential infections or tooth aches
Deep chips can cause tooth decay resulting in sensitivity and bad breath
Chips of all sizes can grow bigger and cause larger issues resulting in the need for root canals or extractions

When do you need to repair a Chipped tooth?

You should always visit the dentist when you chip a tooth. For minor chips, you typically won’t need a major repair. More often than not, your Hoover Alabama dental clinic can just file the chipped tooth or fill it with a dermal bond so it looks normal again. However, more significant cracks can require more extensive dental work.

How Does Your Hoover Alabama Dentist Fix a Damaged Tooth?

For minor chips, the dentist may only need to smooth the rough edges or fill with a dermal filling that matches your tooth. Severe chips that do not damage the root or pulp may require a cap or crown to protect the tooth from future infections. In situations where the pulp or root is damaged, you may first need a root canal before a crown or cap is placed over the tooth.

How to Prevent a Chipped Tooth?

Maintaining good oral hygiene is the first step in preventing a chipped tooth. Making sure you have no cavities or tooth decay can help keep your tooth enamel strong.

Your Hoover Alabama dentist can also help fit you for a mouthguard if you play sports. Athletes are prone to injury, especially in the face. Protective gear can help save teeth from sustaining injury.

If you have nervous habits like biting your nails or chewing on your pen cap, you may want to switch to something a little less prone to accidents, like squeezing a stress ball.

Finally, you should try to avoid hard candies and chewing ice. We understand a hard candy here and there is a nice treat. If you cannot resist the sweet tooth, avoid the temptation to bite and break the candy.

If you have a chipped tooth and need an evaluation of the damage, Sampson Dentistry will gladly evaluate your tooth and recommend treatment options.

Smoking’s Impact on Your Oral Health

March 3, 2024 | by admin | Blog

By now, you’re likely aware of smoking’s impact on your oral health. However, you might not realize the serious effects smoking has on your overall dental care. Since your mouth is the starting point for all cigarette damage, you’ll deal with significant oral health issues when smoking.

Smoking’s Impact on Your Oral Health

Since the nicotine found in cigarettes immediately hit your teeth as you are smoking, this is the worst side effect. These chemicals can lead to yellow stains on your teeth that are difficult to remove. Smoking also weakens the protective enamel on your teeth. This can leave your teeth more susceptible to bacteria that cause tooth rot and weakened enamel. Overall, leading your teeth to become more sensitive.

Additionally, this build up of bacteria can lead to gum disease, which causes your gums to recede and compromises the stability of your teeth. Finally, perhaps the most major impact smoking has on your oral health is oral cancer.

Regular Dental Visits Are Important for Smokers

You’ll find a variety of mouthwashes and toothpastes marketed to smokers with claims that they can help repair damage caused by smoking. This includes toothpastes made to remove yellow nicotine stains and products used to mask cigarette odour in your mouth.

However, no product on the market is as effective at treating oral problems brought on by smoking as actually quitting smoking. Additionally, many of these products use abrasive and harsh chemicals to attack bacteria that thrive in a smoker’s mouth. Yet these products can do nothing to restore enamel, prevent gum and tooth rot, or stop any type of oral cancer.

If you’re a smoker, it’s important you regularly visit your dentist to monitor your oral health, and visit your local Hoover Alabama dentist Sampson Dentistry.

Hoover Alabama Parent’s Want To Know If Fluoride Is Bad For Toddlers

December 18, 2023 | by admin | Blog

Hoover Alabama parent’s want to Know if Fluoride is bad for toddlers? The question whether fluoride toothpaste is safe for young children continues to circulate among parents and dentists.

The organization said parents can begin using a “smear” of fluoride toothpaste as soon as teeth begin to show. Why would the ADA change its mind after decades of a standard policy?

What does it mean for your children?

Hoover Alabama parent’s want to Know if Fluoride is bad for toddlers?

A Little Background on Fluoride

Fluoride is an effective way to prevent and even reverse the early signs of tooth decay. It makes the tooth structure stronger, so teeth are more resistant to acid attacks.

Many of us take in fluoride naturally through the water we drink. However, not all parts of the country require that fluoride be part of the drinking water. In addition, more families are choosing bottled water. Bootle water in most cases does not contain fluoride like tap water does.

Groups like ADA have long recommended brushing teeth and seeing a dentist as early as age 1. But parents tend to be undereducated in this area or they give in to toddlers who do not like brushing their teeth.

New Research on Fluoride

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, has long suggested the use of fluoride toothpaste as soon as teeth begin to show.

The change came after research showed an increase in cavities among preschool age children. This was noted by the Centers for Disease Control. In some cases, the problem was so bad that children needed to be placed under general anesthesia. These children had to have cavities filled in half of their baby teeth or more.

The hope is that introducing fluoride toothpaste into the equation earlier will help reduce the number of cavities in young children. The ADA recommends that children spit out the toothpaste after it’s applied to avoid developing fluorosis. This is a condition that results in a tooth’s enamel changing color due to too much fluoride exposure. Of course, this is easier said than done with a small child. Starting early and reinforcing good habits will help put them on a path toward success.

In some cases fluoride exposure has also been linked to ADHD and other neurological conditions when too much of it is ingested. Swallowing toothpaste here and there is not a big deal, but over time it could lead to more serious problems if the habit is not corrected.

What’s Best for Your Child

As far as fluoride, the key is finding the right balance between getting your child enough of it to prevent tooth decay and using so much that it puts him or her at risk for other issues.

Before deciding on whether to start using fluoride toothpaste, you should understand how much fluoride your child is already getting. Do you have it in your drinking water? If you don’t know the answer to that question, a water test or call to your local water authority can help you find it.

Diet is another factor to consider. If your child enjoys soda or other sugary snacks, a little extra fluoride may be necessary to combat the effects sugar can have on young teeth.

If you are still in doubt, be sure to ask your dentist at your next checkup. Your dentist will examine your child’s teeth and take into consideration environmental factors before making an informed decision about whether you should begin using fluoride toothpaste with your toddler.

Choosing The Right Dentist In Hoover Alabama

November 25, 2023 | by admin | Blog

It is vital that the patient and family members feel comfortable with choosing the right dentist in Hoover Alabama. This will greatly help in following the oral care advice from a dentist you respect. It doesn’t hurt to help you keep appointments from a dentist who you prefer and respect.

A Thing to Remember

When looking for the right dentist, bear in mind that dental care is quite personal. It is not advisable to choose a dentist just because he/she is recommended by a friend, or neighbor. It is important to do some careful research and choose the right dentist from the beginning.

Factors to Consider when Choosing the Right Dentist

Observe if the office is welcoming and friendly. Consider if the dentist clearly discusses the treatments and procedures in a manner that the patient can fully understand.
It is better if the dentist’s clinic or office is located nearby the patient’s place or work office. It is also essential for a patient to take into consideration if the dentist’s office hours can accommodate his/her schedule.
Choose a dentist who is a certified member of the ADA (American Dental Association).
Consider if the dentist takes dental insurance. Obtain information with regards to costs and payment plans prior dental procedures and treatments being scheduled and performed.

What a Patient Must Know

Make a careful assessment after a dentist appointment. At the time of initial visit, observe the dentist office to ensure it’s orderly, neat and clean. Observe if the dental staff members are friendly and helpful. Consider if these people handle the patient’s dental and medical history with much care and if the office is child-friendly.