Early Childhood Cavities:Causes, Effects and Prevention

Sometimes called Baby Bottle Tooth Decay, Early Childhood Cavities is a serious disease that can destroy your child's teeth – but it can be prevented.

What Causes Early Childhood Cavities?

• Letting your baby fall asleep with a bottle. When your baby is asleep, the liquids that contain sugar stay around the teeth and can cause decay. Even breast milk and formula contain sugar.
• Prolonged nursing with mother or allowing your baby to fall asleep while nursing.
• Allowing your infant to walk around with a bottle.

Put your child to bed without a bottle ...

Your child can fall asleep without a bottle! Here are five tips to try:

• Let your child take a "security" blanket, teddy bear, doll, or favorite toy to bed.
• Quietly sing or play restful music.
• Hold or rock your child.
• Give your child a back rub to help him or her to relax.
• Read or tell your child a story.

What are the Effects of Early Childhood Cavities?

• Tooth loss
• Ear and speech problems
• Crooked permanent teeth
• Severe pain
• Poor self-image
• Tooth decay

How can I prevent Early Childhood Cavities?

• Get into the habit of putting your baby to bed without a bottle.
• Never put the baby to bed with a bottle filled with formula, milk, juice, sugar water, or soda pop. If your baby must have a bottle to go to sleep, fill it with water.
• Do not let your infant walk around with a bottle.
• Start teaching your infant to use a cup between 6-12 months. Trade your baby's bottle for a training cup by age one.
• Check with your doctor or dentist to make sure your child is getting enough fluoride each day.

Your child's healthy teeth and brilliant smile depend on you!

To read the entire article visit colgate.com

Bridget Burris, DDS  
1748 South Triviz Drive
Las Cruces, NM 88001
(575) 522-1983
LasCrucesDentist.com

Choosing Wisely: 5 Things Every Family Should Know About Dental Health (Part 1 of 3)

Use toothpaste with fluoride for infants and children 












For children younger than 3 years, you should begin brushing a child’s teeth with fluoride toothpaste in an amount no larger than a grain of rice. For children 3 to 6 years of age, use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.

Consider sealants to prevent decay or treat beginning cavities on the back teeth 












Dental sealants act as a barrier to prevent cavities. They are a plastic material applied by a dentist to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth where decay occurs most often.

To read the entire article visit MouthHealthy.org.

Bridget Burris, DDS  
1748 South Triviz Drive
Las Cruces, NM 88001
(575) 522-1983
LasCrucesDentist.com

Ask the Dentist by the ADA: 'My Child Has a Toothache. Should I Call the Dentist?'

The American Dental Association has created informative videos called Ask the Dentist. Here is their video on: 'My Child Has a Toothache. Should I Call the Dentist?'

The above video is found on the American Dental Association YouTube Channel.

Bridget Burris, DDS  
1748 South Triviz Drive
Las Cruces, NM 88001
(575) 522-1983
LasCrucesDentist.com

Your Children's Dental Health

Your Children's Dentist Helps Them Stay Healthy

We believe in teaching children good dental hygiene to prevent oral health problems. The best dentistry is less dentistry by preventing whatever problems you possibly can.

Children's teeth are susceptible to cavities for several reasons:

• They often do not brush as thoroughly as they need to. We ask parents to be a part of their daily care until they learn to do a good job.
• Children tend to eat more often throughout the day, referred to as "grazing." Every time you eat, acid is produced in the mouth. The more your teeth are exposed to this acid, the greater chance of developing cavities.
• If teeth are not as clean as they need to be, additional acid is produced, causing cavities to develop more quickly.
• We recommend improved hygiene habits, better dietary choices, and one application of a mineralizing sealant to greatly reduce the occurrence of cavities for your children.

Bridget Burris, DDS   
Jared S. Wallis, DDS
1748 South Triviz Drive
Las Cruces, NM 88001
(575) 522-1983
LasCrucesDentist.com

Dental Sealants for Children & Adolescents

A Very Effective Preventive Treatment for Children and Adolescents

Any amount of decay, even the smallest cavity, will require a restoration. Is there a treatment that can help in the prevention of cavities? Yes! Dental sealants have been proven to be very effective in the fight against cavities. It is one quick and easy application to the back teeth that will help to preserve children's and adolescents' adult teeth for a lifetime.

The whole procedure takes just minutes! After the teeth are cleaned, one thin coating of a clear sealant is applied to the exposed surfaces. The dentist uses a curing light to bond the application to teeth. And that is all there is to it. No shots, drilling, or tooth removal are necessary. We highly recommend this treatment to reduce the occurrence of cavities. 

Bridget Burris, DDS   
Jared S. Wallis, DDS
1748 South Triviz Drive
Las Cruces, NM 88001
(575) 522-1983
LasCrucesDentist.com

Children's Dentistry

Your Children Will Enjoy Their Visits

Our doctors can put your children at ease for their treatments. Our thoughtfulness is reflected in the way we provide dental care in a gentle manner. We use the latest advancements that make visits easier with less time in the dental chair.

We teach our young patients how to care for their teeth on a daily basis and instill the concept that proper care will help them keep their natural teeth for a lifetime. We enjoy every visit, beginning with their first tooth, and seeing them change each year as they grow up.

It is our goal to have each generation of children grow up without fear of dentistry. Parents have told us they are very pleased that their children enjoy their visits to our office. We can help with an active or scared child to make them feel comfortable and relaxed. 

Bridget Burris, DDS  
Jared S. Wallis, DDS
1748 South Triviz Drive
Las Cruces, NM 88001
(575) 522-1983
LasCrucesDentist.com