Your Child’s First Lost Tooth

How to make it a positive experience

Losing that first tooth is an important experience for any child. It’s a sign that they’re growing up. And it’s also a sign that they need to take better care of their oral health because adult teeth don’t grow back if they’re lost. However, losing that first tooth isn’t always a positive experience. It can be painful, involve some blood, and even traumatise children, which can affect how they feel about their overall oral health. If you want to make this experience a positive one for your child, there are a number of things you can do.

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The Impact of a Lost Tooth

For children, life is full of new experiences both positive and negative. And every experience influences their emotional development and how they feel about related events in the future. This is particularly true when it comes to their first lost tooth. According to research, about one in five children experience negative emotions like fear or pain with the loss of a tooth. This event is often paired with a trip to the dentist as well, which can negatively influence how they feel about dentists as well as how they feel about their oral health.

This combination of experiences can result in dental fear or a reluctance to visit the dentist that can last well into adulthood. And this is a problem because having regular dental check-ups is essential if you want good oral health over the long term. That’s why it’s so important that you make this important experience as positive as possible for your children.

Making a Tooth Loss Positive

There are a number of strategies that you can try to make the loss of a tooth a positive experience for children. Some of the most effective are as follows:

Build the anticipation

Research indicates that the longer children anticipate the loss of a tooth, the more exciting it is for them. So as soon as your child’s tooth starts to wiggle, start building their excitement about the day when it finally comes loose. This will give them a sense of pride and accomplishment.

Focus on the rite of passage

Most children want to grow up and be a ‘big kid’, and nothing proves how big they’re growing like a lost baby tooth. So help them focus on how grown up they’ll be once the baby tooth falls out rather than on the more negative aspects of the event.  

Don’t use tools.

Never use tools like pliers to remove your child’s tooth. Baby teeth fall out when they’re ready and if you try to pull them out more quickly it will cause dental pain and bleeding.

Let your child take the lead.

Encourage your child to wiggle the tooth with a clean finger or with their tongue, but don’t make them do it. Let them lead the way and do as much as they’re comfortable with. This puts the control in their hands and will really help them feel the importance of this rite of passage.

Talk about the Tooth Fairy

The Tooth Fairy was created to remove the fear of losing baby teeth and for good reason. Promising a reward, monetary or otherwise, for every lost tooth is a great way to make the whole experience a positive one.

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Emergency Dentist Sydney Says:

If you have any concerns about your child’s lost or loose teeth, contact our Emergency Dentist in Sydney. Our caring and expert staff are available 24 hours a day to help you with all your emergency dental needs.

Protect Your Teeth From Injuries

The Importance of Wearing a Mouth Guard

Taking care of your teeth is very important but it doesn’t mean just brushing your teeth and eating healthy – it means always protecting them, especially when participating in sports and activities that can result in an injury to the face. Mouth guards provide the protection your teeth and gums need during play and practice. To help you decide if you or your child needs this protection, have a read below for a quick guide on mouth guards.

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Why Buy a Mouth Guard?

Mouth guards help protect the teeth, gums, tongue and the mouth in general from impact or injury. It minimises the risk of teeth getting chipped or knocked out and helps cushion a blow to the face. Because some sports are extremely physical, you never know what can happen. Rather than losing a tooth or damaging the sensitive tissues of the mouth, it is a good idea to invest in a mouth guard. In the end, you will be saving money and more importantly protecting your mouth.

When Should Kids Wear a Mouth Guard?

Some kids love sport because they can run around with teammates and have a lot of fun. However, some sports can be dangerous and so it is essential to protect every part of their body. Mouth guards should be part of their sport gear from an early age just like knee pads and helmets. If your child plays AFL, any other type of football, hockey, or does boxing, they definitely need a mouth guard.
 

Why Buy a Custom Made Mouth Guard?

You can buy cheap mouth guards over the counter these days but custom made mouth guards are the way to go. Even though they are quite expensive, treating sport related dental injuries cause a bigger hole in your pocket. Custom mouth guards are a worthwhile investment. They are designed to fit perfectly to the unique shape of you or your child’s mouth and teeth.  This means that they’re more comfortable to wear and provide the best protection. A bonus is that you won’t have to argue with your kid about using them if they get to choose a mouth guard to come in their favourite colour.
 

How Your Dentist Makes the Mouth Guard

Your dentist will make an impression of the mouth and teeth during a visit. The mouth guard will be ready after a week or so. Your dentist will make sure the mouth guard is the right fit and five you tips on how to care and maintain the mouth guard. So simple!

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Emergency Dentist Sydney Says:

A custom made mouthguard is the best option if you or your child plays sport. With our custom-made mouth guards, we’ll help you protect your teeth.

First Impressions Count

And Remember To Smile

Nelson Mandela once famously said, “Appearances matter, and remember to smile”. As dentists we have adopted the latter part of that quote, #RememberToSmile. In context, Mandela was talking to Time Magazine about some important lessons he had learnt during his 90 years and we can see why.

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Before an interview, a big presentation and certainly before a date or a night out you take great care to make sure your clothes are on point, your hair looks good and everything smells good. In fact, you no doubt spend more than a bit of time and money on these efforts to make the best possible first impression. But here's a question for you, how much did you spend on your smile? 

“Appearances matter, and remember to smile”

— Nelson Mandela

You've heard the expression 'million-dollar smile' right? It's more than just a jaded saying though. Your smile has a far bigger impact on that great first impression than you might realise. According to a psychologist from the States, Dr Paul Ekman, professor of psychology at the University of California and a man known as 'Professor Smiles', as he has devoted his career to studying them, people respond to a great smile from up to 30 meters away. And a smile, he says, lets people they are likely to get a good reception, making it hard not to reciprocate. In other words a smile is a great way to set up a good interaction before you ever say a word, a real plus when you are on that big interview or first date. 

That having been said a great smile is about a lot more than the ability to get those facial muscles into the right place. The focus is on the mouth when you smile, which means your teeth. A bright white smile and a set of healthy, well-cared for teeth and gums can say an awful lot about you, mainly that you take pride in your appearance and that your health is important to you. It is also a confidence booster for you, as people with teeth that are stained, cracked, discoloured or otherwise imperfect smile a lot less than people with 'good teeth', whether they realise it or not, and people who avoid smiling often come across as self-conscious, nervous or even rather rude. 

The Keys to a Confident Smile

These 'smile problems' are far from unusual of course, lots of people have problems with more than just the colour of their teeth, their teeth might also be broken, cracked and/or crooked. And they may think there is not too much they can do about those latter problems other than keep their mouth closed as much as possible. However, that really isn't the case anymore. Modern dentistry has a 'fix' for pretty much all of them. 

A good smile really starts in the most mundane of ways; with a simple check up at the dentist. Regular checkups and basic cleanings really are the foundations of a great smile and they are also the way that more serious issues can be examined, addressed, and yes, fixed, so that you can begin your journey to that 'million dollar smile. 

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Emergency Dentist Sydney Says:

Regular dental checkups and good oral hygiene are the first steps to a healthy smile. And remember, a smile comes from the inside out.

Don’t Fear The X-Ray

Dental X-Rays Explained

For years now, x-rays have been a standard part of dental care and most of us are used to the idea and have been since we were little kids. Being used to something does not always mean being OK with it though, and it's fair to say that more than a few people are a little nervous and scared about dental x-rays and some even avoid them, fearing that an x-ray may in some way be harmful to their health. 

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The fact is that dental x-rays are very safe, and in the 21st century they are safer than ever before. Yes, a very low level of radiation is produced when an x-ray is taken - that is, after all, how they do their 'job' - but you are actually exposed to more radiation during an hour's flight on a plane than you are during a routine four image bite wing x-ray session!

However, if you are still a little wary it might help for us to explain dental x-rays, why we need them and what they really involve in a little more detail:
 

Who Needs Dental X-Rays?

Our Dentists. Dr Amrinder Oberoi & Dr David Graham

Dental x-rays are used by dentists to help them get a clear look at oral health issues that may be hard - or even impossible - for them to see with the naked eye, even the very trained eye of a dentist. Making use of these images your dentist can: 

• Decay, including areas of decay that are often 'hiding' between the teeth or underneath an old filling or crown. 

• Abscesses, which are basically areas of infection that sit at the root of a tooth or between a tooth and the gum. 

• Bone loss caused by gum disease 

• Changes or abnormalities in the root canal of a tooth

If an x-ray is not performed some of these issues may be missed and go untreated until the condition is more serious and painful than it needed have been. In addition a dental x-ray can also help a dentist when they are preparing fillings, crowns and braces. 

Kids and Dental X-Rays

Some parents are especially concerned that dental x-rays may be harmful to their kids, as they are younger and smaller and their bodies are still growing and developing. However, the very low levels of radiation are so low that they are safe for kids of all ages and a dental x-ray can be especially useful to a dentist when he or she is treating a child. Why? Because thanks to an x-ray a dentists can: 

• Ensure the child's mouth is big enough to properly accommodate incoming teeth.

• Determine whether or not primary teeth are loosening properly to allow secondary teeth to erupt properly. 

• Monitor the growth of wisdom teeth. 

• Identify gum disease and decay at an earlier stage. 

It is especially important that children visit the dentist regularly - at least every six months - and that get x-rays when their dentists recommends them. Childhood is a crucial time in terms of oral health and a lack of dental care when you are a kid can have serious lasting effects well into adulthood. 

Dental X-Rays and Pregnancy 

As a general rule pregnant women are advised to avoid x-rays while pregnant, not because there is any real proven danger to them or their unborn child but as a matter of simple and sensible precaution. 

Dental care is very important during pregnancy though and there are certain situations in which a very carefully administered x-ray may still be necessary. For example, it is an accepted fact that periodontal disease in pregnant women can have adverse effects on their pregnancy, and so in some cases a patient's dentist and OB may agree that an x-ray presents far less of a risk than the damage that can be caused by gum disease, as several bodies of research have found that women suffering from gum disease during pregnancy are at an increased risk for giving birth to a pre-term or low birth weight baby. 

If an x-ray is called for during pregnancy a dentist consults with a patient's OB first and extra protections like having the patient wear a lead lined apron and thyroid collar and keeping the number of images taken to an absolute minimum.

Every dental professional does understand that there are lots of things that many people find scary and daunting about a visit to the dentist's office and are more than happy to discuss concerns they have before any procedure, including dental x-rays, is started. If you have concerns about x-rays and whether or not they are really needed, ask and any dentists will be more than willing to address - and allay - your fears, even if they seem a bit silly to you. 

One inexpensive alternative to standard floss in a box are floss sticks, or floss picks as they are also known. Lots of people do prefer these to standard floss as a lot of the measuring and guesswork is taken out of the equation and although you can only really use each pick once for hygiene reasons, making it a bit pricier to use them, the potential oral health benefits of actually flossing make the investment worth it.

There are also several different kinds of 'mechanical flossers' on the market. Some make use of water, some make use of air and they are priced anywhere between $10 and about $75, depending on the model you choose. Some do work well, and a water flosser can be an especially good choice for those with braces or bridges, as they can remove food particles that brushes and flosses often miss. Should you make the larger investment in one of these gadgets? If you struggle to floss now but think they might change that, by all means go ahead.

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Emergency Dentist Sydney Says:

Dental x-rays are safe and the images they produce are the key to making sure we receive the correct information to treat you appropriately.