Pediatric Dentistry of Redlands

 There are different types of substances that can be used in order to fill a cavity. Dr. Fuller will provide the substance that best fits the needs of your child and your family.    The purpose of a filling is to protect against further decay that can impact the root. Amalgam fillings are made up of mercury, copper, tin and silver. They have been around for a long time.   The other type of material that is often used is called a composite filling. Composite fillings are white in color and they require less preparation.   One of the main advantages of composite fillings is that they can be matched to your child’s other teeth color.   The material is less controversial in children.    Composite fillings are strong and can protect your children’s teeth from further decay. When you find out your child has a cavity and is in need of a filling the first time, it can be scary, but it does not have to be. There are a var...

While the tradition of your child dressing up on Halloween night can be fun and a great memory, the candy they eat can create long lasting damage.   " In order to protect your child from tooth decay you should limit the amount of sugar they eat and how long it stays on their teeth," suggests pediatric dentist Dr. Cameron Fuller . Bacteria turns into acid and the acid then attacks tooth enamel on the teeth.   Soon after candy is consumed provide an opportunity to brush and floss in order to wash away the substances stuck on their teeth. While millions of children run around the neighborhood gathering as much candy as they can, you as the parent can help develop healthy habits by having them brush and floss right after they consume any candy. "You can also limit the amount of overall sugar they eat on Halloween night and each day after," Dr. Fuller. Certain types of candy are worse for teeth than others. For example, avoid ...

Billions of children will dress up this Halloween and participate in running around the neighborhoods gathering as much candy as can fill their bags. The next day you might find your little ones breaking into that candy stash early in the morning. On average, 2.08 billion dollars will be spent on candy, while the average kid consumes over seven thousand calories on this special day and three cups of sugar. "This excessive amount of sugar consumed can lead to unhealthy habits later on," says Dr. Cameron Fuller.   How can you trade your child’s treat-or-treat habits into something more positive? Some families have their children trade in their treats for something else. For example, a toy at the store they have been wanting or a trip to a local favorite restaurant for a healthy food alternative.   Take your child to less houses. You can hit the few on your block and stick to a small radius.  Provide a smaller bag or container for your chi...

Recently, we were referred a patient to have an unerupted tooth exposed to expedite the placement of the orthodontic brackets (braces).   In the past, I would have to use a scalpel blade to make an incision and expose the hidden tooth . Yes, there would be a little bleeding, and healing time involved and slight discomfort for the patient.  But now, we have a laser!  The laser replaces the scalpel blade, reducing bleeding to none and decreases healing time.  After the laser treatment to expose the unerupted tooth, the patient was able to return to the orthodontist and have the brackets placed immediately. Maxillary Anterior Labial Frenum Lingual Frenum (aka tongue tied) What other treatment procedures can be done with a laser?   Frenectomies (Labial and Lingual)

            While bad breath can impact our children on a regular basis some of the reasons are simple with a simple fix, mentioned in Monday’s blog. However, sometimes there are more serious causes that parents should be aware of. Your child may have an infection, more serious disease or other mouth or throat condition, or their bad breath may be due to a medication they are currently taking.   No matter the cause, if bad breath persists and does not go away with increased brushing and flossing, or if your child already has good brushing and flossing habits, Dr. Cameron Fuller recommends making an appointment with a pediatric dentist to have them evaluated.             Certain medications cause a dry mouth.   Saliva helps clean and remove particles in the mouth. If your son or daughter’s mouth is really dry due to a medication the food p...

Bad breath or Halitosis as it is officially called, can impact children for a variety of reasons.   You may notice it when they first wake up in the morning or when they’ve been running around outside. There a numerous causes of bad breath and each one may need to be treated differently depending on the cause. However, one thing is for certain bad breath should not be ignored. A few of the reasons your child may have bad breath: Food is the number one contributor of bad breath. Onions, Doritos and other strong tasting food leave their smell behind because once the food is digested it enters your bloodstream and is carried to your lungs. “Food that is left in your mouth can increase the amount of bacteria that is in floating around stuck to your teeth and gums,” says Dr. Cameron Fuller. The increase of bacteria causes odor-smelling vapors to release when your child is talking. Don’t be discouraged there is an easy fix to this type of problem. Have your child br...

  Healthy habits begin at home and are modeled. If you have healthy habits your child will want to be like you and will mimic what you do. Have a toothbrush in a designated area in the bathroom that they can reach. Even if you are putting on your make up and they are close by, they can chew on the toothbrush getting used to the feel of it.             Dr. Fuller suggests, “Around six months, or when their first baby teeth come in, you will want to purchase a soft bristled toothbrush.” The head of the toothbrush should be small and it should have a handle that is easy for a child to hold. The toothpaste should have fluoride in it and be designed especially for kids.               When you first brush your child’s teeth you only need a small amount of toothpaste. It should be an amount no larger than the size of a grain of rice.   Pl...

Healthy habits start at an early age and begin with a routine. Before the teeth erupt you will want to begin by wiping down your child’s gums. You can start to do this around six weeks old to help your child get used to the process.  In order to wipe down the gums use gauze or a soft wet washcloth.   Begin by placing your baby on your lap facing you. Gently wipe the gums. You might want to play a relaxing song or sing while you are doing this. It will help them to relax and enjoy the process.   Rub each area for just a few seconds and then move on.             This process should be done twice a day, usually once in the morning after eating and once at night. This scheduled time will help later on when you transition them from just wiping down the gums to actually brushing their baby teeth. This should be a fun and relaxing time for you to spend with your child.       ...

It’s three a.m. and you wake with a start. Your baby is crying. You rush in and their fever is through the roof with some diarrhea to make your night even longer. You decide you’re in for a long night because it’s teething time. Dr. Fuller, pediatric dentist says, "usually baby’s teeth begin to come in around the age of seven months." During this time it may be very painful for them and they may have a variety of symptoms. However, there are some things that you can do at home to alleviate some of the pain. "First, don’t panic. It is normal for your child to experience a fever, drooling, gum swelling and biting behavior. Rest assured that this stage does not last long," says Dr. Cameron Fulle r.   For the pain you can get a cold washcloth from the freezer or refrigerator that you have put some water on and let them chew on that. There are also numerous, “chew toys” that you can purchase.   These symptoms may begin three to five days be...