SEPTEMBER CONTEST: CLICK LINK ABOVE

Snoring Among Children

12% of children snore habitually. Studies have shown that 1% to 3% of preschool children who snore have ‘obstructive sleep apnea’ (OSA).   OSA can be found in children of all ages but is most common in two to six year olds.  The airway obstruction in OSA can disrupt sleep and cause oxygen deprivation.  

The consequences of the affected children laboring and compensating to increase the airflow are many.  The facial development and tooth alignment may be affected.  The concomitant mouth breathing can predispose the children to a dry mouth, tooth decay, and gum irritation.  The children may also exhibit poor school performance due to excessive daytime sleepiness, hyperactivity, aggressive behavior, and social withdrawal. Whereas adults with OSA are prone to sleep arousal without complete awakening, children may suffer from hours of partial airway obstruction without sleep arousal. Children that snore often do not get enough sleep.

Some leading causative factors for OSA in children are enlarged tonsils and adenoids, craniofacial anomalies, and obesity.  Children with Down’s Syndrome are at high risk.  However, not all children with enlarged tonsils or adenoids, or craniofacial anomalies, or obesity, or Down’s Syndrome, are necessarily affected.

Parents describe OSA episodes as labored breathing with no airflow followed by gasping or choking.  Breathing is usually normal while the child is awake.  A special test called a polysomnograph can help diagnose OSA.  Treatments include the removal of the tonsils and adenoids; continuous positive airway pressure treatment; weight loss for obese patients; special mouth devices to reposition the tongue and/or the lower jaw (adults mostly); and surgery on the uvula, tonsils, palate, and pharynx (adults mostly).

Early diagnosis and treatment can avoid needless suffering.  Parents who are unsure if their children are affected by this problem should speak to their pediatrician.  

Post credits: http://www.pittsfordpediatricdentistry.com/dental_topics.htm#Beyond_Snoring

Vending Machines in Schools

Have you ever checked to see if your child's school has a vending machine? And, if so, what it's stocked with? The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recognizes that targeted marketing (towards kids) and easy access to sweetened foods and beverages by children and young adults may increase the amount and frequency of their consumption, which, in turn, may contribute to an increase in cavities risk and a negative influence on overall nutrition and health.

If kids drink a lot of sweetened and/or carbonated beverages, and consume refined carbs, that are at a much higher risk for the initiation and progression of tooth decay and cavities.

Why are vending machines the problem?

• They provide ready access to highly-refined carbs, especially soft drinks (sodas, fruit juices, and sports drinks)
• Vending machine items with limited nutritional value are "competitive foods", resulting in snack options that are considered to be of poor nutritional quality - often times, sugar, sugar, sugar!
• A significant increase in number of cavities has been reported for kids who attended schools that had vending machines.
• 13% of children ages 2-10 had diets high in consumption of carbonated soft-drinks, and these children had a significantly higher dental cavity experience

Many soft-drinks in vending machines have significant amounts of caffeine which, if consumed regularly, may lead to increased or habitual use (meaning more acid and sugar on the teeth!). 

What we suggest:

• Check your child's school out and see if they have a vending machine and what kinds of snacks and drinks are in it.
• How are kids able to purchase from the vending machines? Some schools have ID cards that parents can put money on, others are the standard cash-only. If re-loadable ID cards apply to you, set a strict limit on your child's card, limiting the number refined carbs and soft drinks they can have a week. 
• Talk to your kids about the negative effects these foods and drinks can have not only just on their teeth, but their overall health, too! The types of foods and drinks in vending machines have also had an effect on childhood obesity.

The good news?

The AAPD is supporting an ongoing effort  to increase the healthy choices available in vending machines by replacing sugar-sweetened drinks with bottled water, candy bars with nutrition bars, and potato chips with dried fruits and nuts!

Gotta Grinder? 6 Q + As on Little Grinders

1. Why do kids grind their teeth? Does the answer change depending on the age of the child?

Children exhibit teeth grinding very commonly. We see it in children younger than 7-8 years old often.  A lot of children will stop grinding once their six-year permanent molars erupt. Their permanent teeth bite begins to establish itself once those molars erupt. 

Prior to this, children's bites are very flexible and subject to changes as they grow. Occasionally, children will exhibit an abnormal bite causing them to grind because of the placement of their teeth.

2. Could it be stress-related? Do children grind their teeth for some of the same reasons adults might grind their teeth? 
More common is stress related grinding in students of middle school age and high school when (final exams and other) major testing occurs. This is the stress more common to this age group.

3. What should parents do if their child is grinding his or her teeth?
If the child is still very young with baby teeth still present, nothing needs to be done as we do not want to affect their growth. If the child is older, intervention may be necessary. The plan is to protect the permanent teeth while not negatively affecting their normal growth.

4. What should they look out for? When should parents worry?
Their dentist will notice and track wear patterns and recommend treatment when appropriate.

5. How common is teeth-grinding?

It is very common in children less than 7 years of age. There are adults that do this so not all children outgrow grinding. According to some studies, there is also a correlation between children grinding their teeth and those children that have sleeping disorders.

6. Any other tips for parents who are concerned about their children's teeth-grinding issue?

Our major concern is that permanent teeth are not affected and normal growth is allowed to occur. Many children do this and this does  not mean that they are stressed, rather sometimes this is a natural expression of frustration until their vocabulary increases and they can verbally express their frustrations. In most cases this is a subconscious response and will change with age and growth.

Post credits: Link from AAPD.com

 

Is it TEETHING TIME?

Your baby is teething when his or her first set of teeth, called primary teeth, break through the gums.

PRIMARY TEETH

An infant's first teeth are called baby teeth or primary teeth. They usually start to come in (erupt) between 6 months and 12 months of age. A total of 20 primary teeth erupt by about 3 years of age. Children begin to lose their primary teeth between the ages of 6 and 11 years. They are replaced by secondary, or permanent teeth.

When Does Teething Typically Start?

• Usually beings around 6 months of age.
• It's normal for teething to start at any time between 3- 12 months.
• By the time your child is about 3, he/she will have all 20 primary teeth.
• The lower front teeth usually come in first.
• Upper front teeth usually come in 1 to 2 months after the lower front teeth.

Symptoms of Teething

• Soreness and swelling in the gums will make for a fussy baby
• These symptoms will begin about 3-5 days before the tooth shows, and they disappear as soon as the tooth breaks the skin.
• Babies may bite on their fingers or toys to help relieve the pressure
• May refuse to eat and drink because their mouths hurt
• Excessive drooling, which can cause a rash on the chin, face, or chest.

Keeping Your Little One Comfortable While Teething

• Give your baby a mild pain reliever that is labeled for his or her specific age. For example, acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) or ibuprofen (such as Advil) may help relieve your baby's discomfort. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 20, because it has been linked to Reye syndrome, a rare but serious disease.
• Use a clean finger (or cold teething ring) to gently rub your baby's gum for about 2 minutes at a time. Many babies find this soothing, although they may protest at first.
• Provide safe objects for your baby to chew on, such as teething rings.

Post Credits: WebMD

The Brushing Battle

 The Brushing Battle

Is it a constant battle between you and your little one to brush their teeth? Nobody wants to have this battle in the morning OR right before bed, so these little tools may help. As a parent, the brushing battle is a battle that you have to win.Think of it this way, if you get your children to care for their teeth as they should, they will have a healthy mouth and that means no money out of your pocket! Healthy mouth = money saver! Using poetry and songs is, perhaps, a little unconventional, but sometimes, you have to be. Whatever works, right? Print them out in large font and attach to the bathroom mirror. Hopefully, you'll soon have a professional brusher and a battle-free toothbrush time!

Brushing

(to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star")

Here's my toothpaste
Here's my brush
I won't hurry, I won't rush.
Working hard to keep teeth clean
Front and back and in between
When I brush for quite a while
I will have a happy smile. 

The Toothbrush Song

(to the tune of "Row,Row, Row Your Boat")

Brush, brush, brush your teeth
Brush them everyday.
We put toothpaste on our brush
To help stop tooth decay.

Floss, floss, floss your teeth.
Floss them every day!
Using the string to clean between
Keeps the plaque away!

Clean, clean, clean your teeth.
Clean them every day!
Your teeth will sparkle for years to come
In the most beautiful way!

Brush, brush, brush your teeth.
Brush them every day!
Happy, healthy teeth you'll have
If it's done this way.

Can you see my teeth? Poem

Can you see my teeth?
I use them to chew.
I chew things like carrots
so my teeth stay like new!

Can you see my teeth?
I use them to bite.
I bite things like apples
so my teeth will stay white!

Can you see my teeth?
I use them to speak.
I say “t” and “f”
every day of the week!

Can you see my teeth?
I use them to smile.
I brush until my grin
is as wide as a mile!

We hope these come in handy! We want your little one to have the happiest mouth and most beautiful smile! It's worth the extra push! :) Have a wonderful weekend!

post credits: www.canteach.ca & www.moderndentalmarketing.com