Dentistry - Darce's Blog - SacMomsClub.com

Dentistry - Darce's Blog - SacMomsClub.com http://www.sacmomsclub.com/home/Blog/Darce Preventative dentistry for you and your child. Preventative dentistry for you and your child. en-us Sippy Cup: Friend or Foe? http://www.sacmomsclub.com/home/Blog/Darce/10190 http://www.sacmomsclub.com/home/Blog/Darce/10190 <div class="em_style2" style="padding-top: 4px; padding-bottom: 8px;"> <div align="center"> <font size="4"><strong><span id="ctl00_ContentNewsletterTitle_ArticleTitle">Sippy Cup: Friend Or Foe?</span></strong></font></div> </div> <div class="em_style1" style="padding-bottom: 6px;"> <span id="ctl00_ContentNewsletterContent_ArticleContent"> <p>The sippy cup is a spill proof, lid-covered drinking cup designed to help parents teach their toddlers how to drink without spilling. Children can toss it, drop it and turn it upside down, but they can't spill its contents. That's thanks to a valve in the top that releases liquid only when a child puts his lips around the tip and sucks. Day after day countless parents reach for that sippy cup their toddlers love so well, proud that the bottle is a thing of the past, and thrilled that their car seats and living room carpets will be spared! These parents though, should think twice before resorting to extended use of the sippy cup.</p> <p>Many parents operate under the mistaken impression that the sippy cup is better than allowing the child to sleep with a bottle. The damage done by the bedtime bottle is fueled by the fact that no saliva flows during sleep to clear liquids from the mouth or dilute them. Liquids bathe the teeth all night. The sippy cup filled with sweetened liquids can cause the same damaging effects. The child's teeth are immersed in the liquid during drinking and many parents allow unlimited access to the sippy cup.</p> <p>The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that children be weaned from the bottle by 12-14 months of age and be encouraged to drink from a cup. Parents are cautioned however that the repetitive consumption of liquids that contain fermentable carbohydrates (milk, juice, soft drinks etc.) from a bottle or sippy cup should be avoided.</p> <div style="padding-left: 20px;"> <p><strong class="em_style4">•</strong> Be very selective about the liquids that you give your child from the sippy cup. Avoid milk, juice, and soft drinks. Try water or sugar free beverages instead.</p> <p><strong class="em_style4">•</strong> Use the sippy cup only as a transition to a regular cup or adult drinking glass with no lid.</p> <p><strong class="em_style4">•</strong> Consider cup design carefully. A pop-up straw reduces the amount of time the liquid is in contact with the teeth.</p> <p><strong class="em_style4">•</strong> Some speech pathologists have expressed concern about over use of the sippy cup and liken its use to a thumb-sucking habit, the effects of which are well documented.</p> </div> <p> </p> </span> </div> <div class="em_style1"> <div class="em_style3" style="padding-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 10px;"> <span id="ctl00_PracticeDetails">Pure Dentistry<br /> 6512 Lonetree blvd.<br /> Rocklin, CA 95765<br /> (916) 780-1000<br /> puredentistry@gmail.com<br /> http://www.puredentistry.com</span> </div> </div> Are You Thumbing Your Mouth At Me? http://www.sacmomsclub.com/home/Blog/Darce/9610 http://www.sacmomsclub.com/home/Blog/Darce/9610 <strong><span id="ctl00_ArticleTitle">Are You Thumbing Your Mouth At Me?</span></strong> <span id="ctl00_ArticleContent"> <p>Infants have a natural instinct to suck as a way of nourishing and soothing themselves. Often, this leads to the child sucking on their fingers, a blanket, a stuffed animal or their thumb. Usually, this habit is given up by age 4. If it continues, it can be extremely detrimental to the development of their teeth and jaws causing crooked teeth, an incorrect bite, speech problems and/or open-mouth breathing. This habit may result in psychological trauma if it continues into school age when the other children tease them.</p> <p>What should a parent do? If possible, try to switch them to a properly designed pacifier that fits the shape of the mouth. Pacifiers are less likely to create the same developmental problems [by distributing forces over greater area], are usually discarded by the child at an earlier age and are easier to hide than a thumb. If the thumb sucking is during the day, discuss the problem with them to discourage the habit. Placing a band-aid on their thumb as a reminder may help. Be positive and praise them when they remember. And reward them for their success.</p> <p>It is more difficult to control thumb sucking when the child is asleep, because the child is unaware of this involuntary action. So, try this habit-breaking technique that is usually successful within two weeks. Before your child goes to bed, wrap a 2-inch wide ace bandage lightly around their fully extended arm [straight]. Start about 3 inches from their armpit and continue down past the elbow. This will not prevent your child from putting their thumb into their mouth. However, as soon as they fall asleep, the tension created by bending the elbow will pull the thumb from their mouth.</p> <p>If your child is still sucking on their thumb or anything else by the time their permanent teeth erupt [around age 6], please call it to the attention of our office.</p> </span>

Title:
Caption:
Credit:

Title:
Caption:
Credit:

Title:
Caption:
Credit:

Title:
Caption:
Credit:

Laughing Gas-Not just for kids! http://www.sacmomsclub.com/home/Blog/Darce/9474 http://www.sacmomsclub.com/home/Blog/Darce/9474 <link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:DOCUME~1dslateLOCALS~1Tempmsohtmlclip1�1clip_filelist.xml" /> <link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:DOCUME~1dslateLOCALS~1Tempmsohtmlclip1�1clip_themedata.thmx" /> <link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:DOCUME~1dslateLOCALS~1Tempmsohtmlclip1�1clip_colorschememapping.xml" /><style type="text/css"></style> <p class="Publishwithline">Laughing Gas-Not just for kids!</p> <div style="border-style: none none solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color rgb(79, 129, 189); border-width: medium medium 1pt; padding: 0in 0in 2pt;"> <p class="underline"><o:p> </o:p></p> </div> <p class="PadderBetweenControlandBody"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4">The purpose of this article is to get the word out to all adults. “Laughing Gas is not just for Kids”</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><em style=""><span style="font-size: 14pt;">“In today’s modern dental offices laughing gas is akin to deciding whether to fly first-class or economy!”<o:p></o:p></span></em></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">How does it make you feel? </span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong style=""><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: black;">Nitrous Oxide</span></u></strong><strong style=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: black;"> <span style="">  </span></span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: black;">kills pain - and it induces a pleasurable feeling. After 5 minutes or so of breathing in the gas, you should feel a euphoric feeling spread throughout your body. It really kind of feels like a 'happy drunk' feeling. Some people find that there are auditory or visual effects as well. You will feel a bit light headed and often people get 'the giggles' (hence the name laughing gas!).<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">What are the advantages? </span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: black;">* Happy gas works very rapidly - it reaches the brain within 20 seconds, and relaxation and pain-killing properties develop after 2 or 3 minutes. <br /> <br /> * The depth of sedation can be altered from moment to moment, allowing the person who administers the gas to increase or decrease the depth of sedation. Other sedation techniques don't allow for this. For example, with IV sedation, it's easy to deepen the level of sedation, but difficult to lessen it. Whereas with gas, the effects are almost instant. <br /> <br /> * Other sedation techniques have a fixed duration of action (because the effects of pills or intravenous drugs last for a specific time span), whereas gas can be given for the exact time span it's needed for. It can also be switched off when not needed and then switched on again (though to avoid a roller-coaster effect, you shouldn't do this too abruptly). <br /> <br /> * There's no "hangover" effect - the gas is eliminated from the body within 3 to 5 minutes after the gas supply is stopped. You can safely drive home and don't need an escort. <br /> <br /> * With nitrous oxide, it's easy to give incremental doses until the desired action is obtained (this is called "titration"). So the administrator has virtually absolute control over the action of the drug, preventing the possibility of accidental overdoses. While giving incremental doses is possible with IV sedation, it's not possible with oral sedation (as a result, oral sedation can be a bit of a hit-and-miss affair). <br /> <br /> * Unlike IV sedation, no injection is required. In cases of very severe needle phobia, getting laughing gas first can help you feel relaxed enough to allow the needle required for IV sedation to be inserted in your arm or hand. The very deep state of sedation achievable through IV sedation may then allow you to accept local anaesthetic. <br /> <br /> * Inhalation sedation is very safe. It has very few side effects and the drugs used have no ill effects on the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, or brain. <br /> <br /> * For certain procedures, especially those involving soft tissues (e. g. deep cleaning), inhalation sedation may be used instead of local anaesthesia. N2O acts as a painkiller; however, its pain-relieving effects vary a lot from person to person and can't be relied upon. So if you're determined to give the needle a miss, you and your dentist will have to try and see what happens... <br /> <br /> * Inhalation sedation has been found to be very effective in eliminating or at least minimizing severe gagging.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">What are the disadvantages?<o:p></o:p></span></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: black;">* Some people are not comfortable with the effects of laughing gas (either because they're afraid they might lose control or because it makes them feel nauseous - this is quite rare, though, and usually due to oversedation). If you're prone to nausea, it's a good idea to have a meal (not a huge one) about 4 hours before your appointment.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: black;">* You can't be allergic to N2O. It's also safe to use if you suffer from epilepsy, liver disease, heart disease, diabetes, or cerebrovascular disease. It is also used quite successfully in many people with respiratory disease - but it depends on the exact nature of the disease, so check with your dentist! <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">How do I know if it's for me?</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; color: black;">* Why not ask if you can have a 5 minute 'sample' so that you know what to expect on the day of your procedure? Some dentists offer that service to patients to help them with the decision of what to do. Your dentist may not like the idea of doing this (costs, time, etc.), but there is no harm in asking!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> Cosmetic Dentistry http://www.sacmomsclub.com/home/Blog/Darce/9419 http://www.sacmomsclub.com/home/Blog/Darce/9419 <p class="txtbody">A smile can be the most eye-catching feature of a face. With dentistry's many advances, you no longer have to settle for stained, chipped, or misshapen teeth. You now have choices that can help you smile with confidence. </p> <p>Even the most subtle change in your smile can make a dramatic difference in the way you look and feel about yourself. Talk to your dentist about the options most suitable for you, what your expectations are and the dental fees involved. Some options are: </p> <ul> <li><strong>Tooth whitening</strong> ( bleaching) brightens teeth that are discolored or stained. Bleaching may be done completely in the dental office or the dentist may dispense a system for you to use at home. <br /> <br /> </li> <li><strong>Bonding</strong> can improve the appearance of teeth that are chipped, broken, cracked, stained, or have spaces between them. With bonding, tooth-colored materials are applied, or bonded, to the tooth surface. <br /> <br /> </li> <li><strong>Enamel shaping</strong> involves modifying teeth to improve their appearance by removing or contouring enamel. The process, which often is combined with bonding, usually is quick and comfortable and the results can be seen immediately. <br /> <br /> </li> <li><strong>Veneers</strong> are thin custom-made shells designed to cover the front side of teeth. Made of tooth-colored materials, veneers are used to treat spaces between teeth and teeth that are chipped or worn, permanently stained, poorly shaped or slightly crooked.<br /> <br /> </li> <li> <strong> Braces</strong> are not just for kids. Orthodontics may be needed if teeth are crooked, crowded or do not meet properly. If your dentist thinks you should see a specialist for treatment, he or she will refer you to an orthodontist. </li> </ul> Going to the Dentist doesn't have to feel like going to the dentist http://www.sacmomsclub.com/home/Blog/Darce/9276 http://www.sacmomsclub.com/home/Blog/Darce/9276 Often when we think of preventing tooth problems our focus is only on the children. In 2008, with all Dentistry has  to offer: sealants, fluoride and nutritional advise; children AND their parents are still seeing an ever increase in the amount of dental decay.<br /> <br /> Some simple tips:<br /> <ol> <li>See your dentist regularly. Even you parents. (Little known fact...dental problems do not get better with time)</li> <li>Make sure you and your children are drinking lots of water. Fluoridated or not, water neutralizes the pH balance in the mouth. (Cavity bugs don't like neutral environments)</li> <li>Sugar free gum: The sweetener especially Xylatol, has been scientifically proven to KILL cavity bugs. Keep a drawer at home filled with sugar free gum. Your kids will love you for it.</li> </ol>

Title:
Caption:
Credit:

Title:
Caption:
Credit: