Back to School Check-Up

Patients of all ages should come in for cleanings twice a year, and if your children are due, there’s no better time than early in the school year. Caries, or cavities, are most common in children. If they are not treated, these little holes can become big problems.

The most recent information from the Centers for Disease Control says that as many as 20% of preteens and 13% of teenagers have untreated tooth decay.  This spells big trouble for kids’ academic performance and overall health. Tooth decay progresses, meaning that what’s just a small cavity today could become infected pulp or a cracked tooth months from now. Such a problem would necessitate a root canal. In the meantime, the child will be in pain, which will interrupt their sleep, diet, and concentration, and could cause them to be irritable. The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research estimates that 42% of children have caries (including treated ones) in their baby teeth and 23% of children have caries in their permanent teeth, indicating that tooth decay is quite common. Given the likelihood of some kind of decay, it is better for children to get treated near the start of the year, so problems can be discovered before they’ve had a major impact and when they’re simple to treat.

Dr. Dennis Morehart, Master of the Academy of General Dentistry, operates Enid Dental Care at 2411 Heritage Trail, Ste #4, Enid, Oklahoma, 73703. To schedule an appointment, call 580-237-2213 or visit EnidDentalCare.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Childhood Halitosis

At Enid Dental Care, Dr. Morehart and his dedicated staff provide assistance to patients of all ages suffering from halitosis. Children commonly have bad breath because they haven’t yet learned to maintain vigorous oral hygiene, but there may be another problem, or they may have been taught incorrectly.

The most common reason for halitosis is a build-up of bacteria. These can happen on the teeth, as well as the gums and the tonsils. Mouth sores and sinus infections also provide environments for bacteria to thrive in, particularly as the nasal drip from a sinus infection provides bacteria with plenty to feed on. A foreign object stuck in a child’s nose can also trigger nasal drip. Brushing the tongue is the surest way to prevent bacteria build-up at its most common location.

Another common cause of bad breath is dry mouth. Children who breathe through their mouths and who engage in physical play without staying hydrated are at high risk of developing dry mouth, but the condition can also result from certain medications. Anxiety and ADHD are common childhood ailments for which medications often cause dry mouth or directly create bad breath.

Dr. Dennis Morehart, Master of the Academy of General Dentistry, operates Enid Dental Care at 2411 Heritage Trail, Ste #4, Enid, Oklahoma, 73703. To schedule an appointment, call 580-237-2213 or visit EnidDentalCare.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Effects of Thumb Sucking

As providers of pediatric dentistry, we at Dr. Dennis Morehart’s Enid office often advise parents on how to care for their children’s oral health. One of the most common questions we get is at what point a child should break the habit of thumb sucking. That depends on how intense the habit is, but it should end by the time they start losing baby teeth at the latest.

Thumb sucking is a common behavior among babies and toddlers and is usually harmless. However, once the child’s permanent teeth start coming in at around the age of five, the skull bones will fuse together and not be able to spring back from the pressure put on them by thumb or pacifier sucking. This can result in misaligned teeth (especially overbites), misaligned jaws, and deformed oral cavities and bone ridges.

If the child is old enough to understand reason, it is best to include them in efforts to change their behavior. This is because thumb sucking is sometimes motivated by anxiety, and often when the psychological issue is not dealt with, children will substitute thumb sucking with pushing their tongues against their front teeth. This can cause many of the same problems.

Dr. Dennis Morehart, Master of the Academy of General Dentistry, operates Enid Dental Care at 2411 Heritage Trail, Ste #4, Enid, Oklahoma, 73703. To schedule an appointment, call 580-237-2213 or visit EnidDentalCare.com and fill out a contact sheet.