Pediatric Dentistry of Redlands

When your child brushed their teeth and went to bed the night before you may not have noticed the little black spot that has now taken residence on the enamel of their tooth. This morning when you look, it is clearly there. What do you do? Is this critical? Should it be fixed as soon as possible? Or wait until their next dental appointment? Those small black spots can be an early sign of a small problem that sits on their tooth and becomes a larger problem if not taken care of.   “Even if the cavity is in a baby tooth, it is important,” says Dr. Cameron Fuller , “that you do not wait. Instead it’s important to get the problem take care of as quickly as possible. Cavities that wait can become larger problems causing pain, and may mean missed school and a need for more in-depth dental procedures. Instead getting the cavity taken care of quickly can prevent your child from needing a root canal or other major dental procedure. A cavity that does not get fixed can also le...

There is no reason for toddlers to chew gum. While your toddler’s body is growing it is important to provide lots of opportunities for them to eat nutritious foods. Pediatric dentist, Dr. Cameron Fuller suggests, “Fruits, vegetables and healthy snacks are a better alternative to a stick of gum loaded with sugar.” Fruits and vegetables help remove food that may become stuck to the teeth, by creating extra saliva to rinse away food.  Also gum is a choking hazard for young toddlers. Young children who are unable to understand the concept of gum may swallow it, and it can become lodged in their throat depending on the size of the piece. They may not know or understand what purpose gum serves, leading them to repeatedly swallow gum, which can cause stomach issues, gas or jaw problems.  The part of gum that makes it sticky is not digestible. If a child is chewing gum and swallows too much of it, it will remain in the digestive tract and can cause childr...