Pediatric Dentistry of Redlands

Mouth injuries can happen quickly and sometimes bleed. If your child has fallen and has a cut or laceration on their tongue and there is excessive bleeding or the cut does not stop bleeding, here are 4 tips for taking care of the problem.              Apply pressure to the cut and attempt to stop the bleeding. "A cold wash-cloth can help to decrease the bleeding and reduce the swelling," says Dr. Fulle r. 2.               Rinse the blood from the mouth by tilting their head forward and pouring some water over the tongue. This will wash the blood from their mouth.  This may need to be done once they are calm. 3.              Reduce swelling and pain by wrapping an ice cube in a towel and placing it on the wound. 4.              Insure you look in their mouth for broken teeth or other parts ...

Two year olds are at that fantastic and fun age of exploring, moving and walking around, but accidents happen and this can be a scary time as well. They may have been walking for a while, but they can also be wobbly on their feet as they learn to go from carpet to hard wood floors, or begin traversing the stairs. Dental emergencies, bumps and falls can cause chipped or broken teeth. No need to worry however, you have choices. If your child is not in pain, it may be a minor chip and you can schedule an appointment with your pediatric dentist in order to have him take a look at the tooth. Once the dentist has a chance to evaluate the tooth they can determine the best course of action. In the event that the chip is small, there may be no action needed. If there is a large chip in the tooth, if your child is experiencing pain or have a cut on their tongue from the chip contact your child’s dentist in order to be able to evaluate what needs to be done. Dr.  Cameron Fuller may ...

Your little one can be impacted by the stress around them. While decreasing the stress in their life is critical to helping them be successful and decreasing problems later on.   Stress not only impacts their bodies, but it can also impact their smile. Here are five ways stress can damage their smile permanently. When your child grinds their teeth in response to stress, it can cause broken or cracked teeth. The constant grinding of teeth against teeth can wear down the enamel on the teeth and cause them to eventually break. “Grinding of the teeth in response to stress puts extra pressure on the jaw,” says Dr. Fuller.   The pressure on the jaw can cause your child trouble eating and chewing food.   In order to decrease the problem, it is important to find out why your child is feeling stressed and then helping them to deal with the stress. Stress not only impacts your child’s jaw, teeth, and smile, but it can damage their overall health. The longer ...

Your child’s dental health starts long before their adult teeth erupt. Great oral habits start when your child is just a baby, and should continue through adulthood in order to make sure they have the long lasting and healthy smile they deserve. Here are 4 bad dental habits that can impact your children’s smile for a lifetime. 1.      Don’t wait until a minor problem becomes a larger problem. Decay that is left untreated can become a problem that ends up needing a pulpotomy or root canal before all is said and done. “Root canals and pulpotomies can be expensive and very painful,” says pediatric dentist, Dr.Cameron Fuller, “and generally require a crown when completed to protect the tooth.” 2.      Drinking from a bottle at night is one of the most damaging problems for your child. It can become a very difficult habit for your child to break, as they become used to the comfort they get from having that nighttime...

You may think that periodontal disease can only impact adults, but unfortunately this is not the case. Your child, if they do not have proper and healthy brushing and flossing habits, may experience multiple negative side effects including periodontal disease. And sometimes, even with the best home care, periodontal disease rears its ugly head due to genetics. Dr. Fuller recommends that your child brush and floss after consuming foods.   Foods that stick to the gums and stay provide more opportunity for bacteria to cause havoc in the mouth. Bacteria turns to plaque, which gets below the gum line to cause periodontal disease. Once your child’s gums are inflamed and bleeding when they brush or floss, an examination by your child’s pediatric dentist is the only way to determine what level of care is needed to get their oral health back on track. Left untreated periodontal disease can begin to not only impact their smile, but also impact their e...

When you hear the word dental bridge you may think of the metal piece with fake teeth that someone older has been wearing. Unfortunately, children who have lost or are missing teeth due to dental accident or decay may be in need of a dental bridge as well. Dr. Cameron Fuller may recommend a bridge when a child has had permanent damage and is missing a permanent tooth in order to negate the possible negative impact of having a missing tooth. Bridges help to replace a missing tooth. Our permanent teeth are in place in order to provide the proper alignment in the mouth. When the jaw moves up and down, if there is not a tooth in that place, other teeth may move to replace where the missing tooth is. A bridge can replace that tooth in order to keep the jaw in the correct position. Missing teeth can cause speech problems in developing children. During the ages of 1-4, kids are learning to babble and then talk. The teeth need to be in the correct position in order for c...

Now that the New Year is here and family is gone, it may be time to schedule that necessary dental appointment for your children and get their smile back on track.   Dr. Fuller recommends not waiting until a problem becomes a major dental repair. 1.      Have all cavities filled. If your child has a small cavity and you have been putting it off, don’t wait any longer. This can become a major dental problem that requires a pulpotomy or a large filling in order to get rid of the decay that is in the tooth. 2.      Have them fitted for a mouth guard if they are in sports. Most sporting activities can create danger for your child’s smile. A custom fitted mouth guard can make all the difference in keeping their smile healthy. 3.      Does your teen have a broken or cracked tooth that need to be fixed? There are several options to improve and fix broken or cracked teeth. 4.      Fluo...

In today’s world it can be difficult for your teen to wait in order to get his or her teeth as white as he or she wants. "But rushing into whitening at home kit can cause more problems then it solves,” says Dr. Cameron Fuller. Here are 3 reasons why it’s best to wait. 1.      At home whitening procedures can damage the enamel. The enamel is the hard coating that protects the teeth. If the whitening gel is too strong it can cause damage to the enamel, which can in turn cause more cavities and decay. 2.      Prior to the age of fourteen, your child’s pulp is not fully formed. If they complete an at-home whitening kit, it can cause an increase in sensitivity. With an increase in sensitivity there can be additional problems eating certain foods and it can in turn decrease the overall nutrition they consume. 3.      At home whitening kits do not provide a custom fit tray. This can cause problems with whitening...

The enamel is the hard part of the tooth that protects against decay. When your child takes care of the enamel on their teeth, it is less likely they will have cavities or other painful and expensive dental problems. Dr. Cameron Fuller recommends you follow these four rules to protect your child’s teeth for a lifetime.  Avoid acidic foods. While there are several reports that lemons are a great addition to water, the acidic nature of lemons, grapefruits and oranges can damage the enamel. If your child is going to consume foods that are more acidic, they should brush their teeth immediately after. Use fluoride. Fluoride is proven, in small doses, to strengthen tooth enamel. Fluoride can be found in multiple products such as water and toothpaste. Have your child brush & floss their teeth after eating a meal that is sugary or high in carbohydrates. “Food left on the teeth creates a breeding ground,” says ...