Pediatric Dentistry of Redlands

Your children losing their baby teeth is a milestone that children and parents alike look forward to. Your child may be jumping for joy when that baby tooth falls out and they know the tooth fairy is going to leave something special under their pillow, however, what happens when their baby tooth doesn’t fall out and their adult tooth is beginning to come in behind the baby tooth? This is not a typical situation, but sometimes this occurs in kids and should be addressed. The adult tooth usually dissolves the baby tooth’s root in order for it to fall out. Sometimes this does not occur and it requires dental care, this is sometimes referred to as, “shark teeth.” Once you notice the situation, contact your dentist and schedule an appointment for your child. It will be important for the dentist to remove the baby tooth in order for the permanent tooth to have the space it needs to grow in.   This procedure is relatively painless and is a simple pro...

The heat is on the way and the sun is shining. Your children may be staying up later because the sun is out later. While all of this outside playing is awesome, be careful they are drinking enough water. Children who experience dry mouth are more likely to have dental problems. A dry mouth leads to bacteria being able to attack the enamel of their teeth causing more opportunities for cavities. Not only does saliva help keep bacteria from becoming a problem, it also helps remove the food from their teeth in between brushing. Warm weather is the perfect time for barbecues, carb’s and sweet treats. All of these foods can latch onto your child’s teeth causing cavities, especially when they do not have enough saliva to rinse the food from their teeth in between brushing. Once they feel the effects of having a dry mouth, the bacteria have already begun to do the damage. Keeping them hydrated with water, fruits and vegetables can keep their smile healthy.   Have your children...

When your son or daughter visits the dentist it can be scary for them, especially if they are in pain and require a more extensive dental procedure. While the pain and procedure may be scary to your child, the cost may be making you sweat. Prior to having your child get a pulpotomy or root canal read this article to know if they really need one. Here are 3 reasons why your child may need a pulpotomy. When first presented with the problem, you may think your child’s tooth is going to fall out anyway. If they are going to lose the tooth, do they really need a root canal? Removing a child’s tooth can cause problems with speech and eating later on. This procedure can save the tooth and allow your child to resume normal eating patterns. If the cavity in the tooth is large and the decay is causing pain, the root needs to be cleaned out in order to remove the problem. Decay left in the tooth will continue to create pain and problems for your child. Decay le...

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 ...

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...

Gums help protect your child's teeth from moving around their mouth. Gums have the important job of protecting the root of the tooth from damage as well as providing security from decay and cavities. The unfortunate part is that gums have one of the most important jobs in the mouth, but children around the world take this important part of their smile for granted. “The only way to ensure your child does not have cavities between their teeth is by regularly flossing,” says Pediatric dentist, Dr. CameronFuller. Without completing this task, gums become swollen, bleed and can eventually suffer from gingivitis. Flossing is the single most important task to save the gums, because brushing alone will never remove food from the tight surfaces between teeth. If gums are not in top shape, they can begin to pull away from the tooth. Teeth fit in between the gums and are held in place. As bacteria moves below the gum line, a pocket forms, this pocket can create ...

 Bottle rot can impact your child’s baby teeth and have critical long-term effects on their adult teeth as well. When putting your child down for a nap,” Dr. Cameron Fuller suggests, “never putting them down with a bottle.” The milk they drink sits on their teeth and stays. The longer milk is on the teeth the better chance is has of producing bacteria that turn into acid, which then attacks the enamel of your son’s or daughter’s sensitive baby teeth.   Also, saliva amount decreases when your child is sleeping and therefore, there is a decrease in the amount of liquid that can help rinse the milk off their teeth.   Never dip the tip of the bottle in sugar or syrup. While, this may seem like a great idea if your baby is fussy and refusing a bottle, it actually increases the amount of bacteria producing acid.   Dr. Fuller of Pediatric Dentistry of Redlands and Associates recommends that parents not fill the bottle with sugary drinks or juice.   W...