Kid’s Oral Health Education Starts in The Home

A lot of children get cavities, or what is known also as caries or tooth decay. In fact, cavities are one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood in the US. When cavities go untreated, children experience toothache leading to other infections. The experience interrupts their eating, speaking, including playing and learning. Compared to kids with better oral health, they are the ones who often miss school, are less attentive or participative in class, and get lower grades.

Let’s look at some statistics. About 1 of 5 children aged 5-11 years and 1 of 7 adolescents aged 12-19 years have at least one untreated decayed tooth each. About one-fourth of children aged 5-19 years from low-income families are twice as likely (25%) to have cavities, compared with children from higher-income households (11%).

However, cavities are preventable. There are many ways children can prevent or delay cavities on their teeth. Notable are: application of fluoride varnish that can prevent 33% of cavities in the primary teeth; application of dental sealants that prevents 80% of cavities; drinking community fluoridated tap water that can lead to fewer cavities; brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste.
For babies, parents, guardians, and caregivers can (a) wipe gums twice a day with a soft, clean cloth in the morning after the first feeding and right before bed to wipe away bacteria and sugars that can cause cavities, (b) start brushing twice a day with a soft, small‑bristled toothbrush and plain water when teeth start to erupt, (c) visit the dentist by your baby’s first birthday to spot early problems, and (d) see about putting fluoride varnish on your child’s teeth by your dentist as soon as the first tooth appears.

For children, no longer babies, parents, guardians, and caregivers can (a) teach kids how to brush their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, (b) encourage drinking tap water with fluoride, and (c) ask your child’s dentist to apply dental sealants when appropriate.

Other tips: Teach the child younger than 6 years to use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and always spit it out rather than swallow. Check out your community water supply if it is fluoridated, and if not, ask your dentist or family doctor if your child needs oral fluoride supplements (drops, tablets, or lozenges).

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Child’s Dentist Appointments at Overlake Dental in Bellevue

Learn more about your children’s oral health status by regular dentist visits. While dental health education starts in the home, it’s always best to seek professional assistance.

Toothbrush Care Guidelines

You know that your mouth is one of the dirtiest places in the human body. Your mouth could be teeming with hundreds of different bacteria at any given time. Certainly, they can easily transfer onto your toothbrush. Also, you may not want your toothbrush to be attracting germs from outside the mouth. So does it make sense to cover your toothbrush for its own protection?

According to the American Dental Association, even though bacteria accumulates on your toothbrush, there is no indication they can negatively affect your oral or general health. The body fights off infections by its own natural defense mechanisms. Your skin and mucous membranes keep germs out of the body, and If they have been compromised, your circulation uses antibodies, and your digestive system has digestive acids and enzymes. Otherwise healthy people may not have to worry about bacteria in their toothbrush. However, if a person is immuno-compromised or has a disease that is transferable by blood or saliva, taking extra precautions to reduce bacterial contamination on their toothbrush may be considered.

You can sanitize or sterilize your toothbrush in different ways.

To sanitize or disinfect your toothbrush with solutions like antimicrobial mouthwash or hydrogen peroxide is commendable, though that does not mean your brush is entirely germ-free. Sterilizing your toothbrush is different and provides that all bacteria are eliminated. However, it’s important to not put your toothbrush in the dishwasher or microwave which will likely damage your brush. The ADA says that there isn’t conclusive data on the effectiveness of disinfecting your toothbrush.

Can using a toothbrush cover reduce the amount of bacteria on your brush?

It’s a good option, however closed containers create a moist environment that actually promotes the growth of bacteria. Just be careful where you store your brush.

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Cone beam CT is not the same as conventional CT. It has the advantage of lower radiation exposure compared to conventional CT. Total radiation doses from 3D dental CBCT exams are 96% lower than conventional CT exams, but deliver more radiation than standard dental 2D x-ray. It provides detailed images of the bone and is performed to evaluate diseases of the jaw, teeth, bony structures of the face, nasal cavity and sinuses. It does not provide the full diagnostic information available with conventional CT, particularly in evaluation of soft tissue structures such as muscles, lymph nodes, glands and nerves.

Patients should wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing to the exam. Metal objects, including jewelry, eyeglasses, dentures, hairpins, and piercings, including women’s wired bras, may affect the CT images and should be removed prior to your exam; also includes hearing aids and removable dental work.

CT scanning is painless, noninvasive and accurate. It’s major advantage is its ability to image bone and soft tissue at the same time. No radiation remains in a patient’s body after a CT examination. X-rays used in CT scans should have no immediate side effects. Today, CBCT has been described as the gold standard for the imagining oral and maxillofacial area, a dentist real best friend.

Dental Technology at Bellevue Overlake Dental

At Overlake Dental, the CBCT is integral to the practice of modern dentistry here. Your Bellevue dentist uses state-of-the-art technology to bring the benefits of his expertise and knowledge in oral care management to a wider community in Bellevue.

Why the CBCT Can be a Dentist’s Best Friend

Dental cone beam computed tomography (CT) is a special type of x-ray equipment used when regular dental or facial x-rays are not sufficient. The dentist may use this technology to produce 3D images of your teeth, soft tissues, nerve pathways and bone in a single scan.

Cone Beam Computed Tomography

CBCT has become increasingly important in treatment planning and diagnosis in implant dentistry, but also in other fields – ENT, orthopedics, and interventional radiology, among others. Due to increased access to such technology, CBCT scanners are finding many uses in dentistry, such as in oral surgery, endodontics and orthodontics. Cone beam CT images allow for more precise treatment planning.

During dental/orthodontic imaging, the CBCT scanner rotates around the patient’s head, obtaining up to nearly 600 distinct images. CT scans and cone beam CT both produce high-quality images. Dental cone beam CT was developed as a means of producing similar types of images but with a much smaller and less expensive machine that fits in an outpatient office.