Does Soda and Juice Affect Toddler’s Teeth

April 18, 2024 | by admin | Blog

Tooth decay is a dental health issue that affect children. One of the biggest culprits of tooth decay in young kids come from many of the drinks that we give them. Does soda and juice affect toddler’s teeth?

The World Health Organization (WHO) advises limiting sugar to only 10% of a toddler’s daily caloric intake. At three years old, daily caloric intake is roughly 1,100 calories. That equates to only 5.5 teaspoons of added sugar a day. Most sodas and juices contain nearly triple that amount in a single serving!

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Does Brushing Teeth After Drinking Soda Help Avoid Tooth Decay?

Brushing your toddler’s teeth after consuming soda or juice can help to rid the mouth of the acid causing bacteria. However, doctors recommend to wait at least 30 to 60 minutes after consuming sugary drinks. It is recommended to swish the mouth out with water. This can be done immediately after consuming a sugary drink.

How Does Sugar Decay Teeth?

Before you completely ditch all forms of sugar, it is important to understand how sugar affects tooth enamel. Sugar alone is not the issue. What does cause the damage is acid.

When bacteria in your toddler’s mouth use sugar as their food source to break down into energy, acids are released. This acid then begins to break down the enamel and remove important minerals from your toddler’s teeth. The end result… tooth decay, rot, cavities, toothaches, and tooth sensitivity.

How Can My Toddler Avoid Tooth Decay?

The obvious answer is to avoid sugary substances. However, the occasional sugary treat is okay. A fun way to get your toddler to drink more water is by adding fruit. Fruit infused water provides a delicious flavor without adding refined sugars and other harmful ingredients.

Why Children Need Cavities Filled

April 16, 2024 | by admin | Blog

Oral hygiene is important as soon as a baby’s teeth begin to come in, and teaching oral hygiene should begin at a young age. This is why children need cavities filled in Hoover Alabama.

Why Children Need Cavities Filled?

Though children are using a set of teeth they will eventually lose, that set of teeth needs to survive until the adult teeth guide them out of the gums, which helps ensure the adult teeth grow in correctly and with enough room.

Baby Teeth Get Fillings

To preserve your child’s oral health, your dentist will choose to drill out the cavities in baby teeth.

The primary teeth help the adult teeth to come in properly, so losing primary teeth before they’re ready to come out isn’t good for your child’s permanent teeth.

Filling for Tooth Decay

As with adult teeth, baby teeth fillings are made out of either white composite or metal. The other filling and crown materials, like gold and ceramic, are rarely as fillings for children.

Metal fillings are a popular choice because they take less time to put in. Also, because they’re less expensive than composite fillings.

Though your kid might not like the look of a metal filling, choosing a cost-effective option for a tooth that will eventually fall out is usually the smart move. Your dental insurance may also dictate what kind of fillings your child can get.

Your dentist will drill the tooth decay from your child’s baby teeth as necessary. Depending on how much damage the cavity has caused, the dentist will then fill the tooth or create a crown.

Kids should continue using good oral hygiene when caring for fillings or crowns.

Protecting Your Child’s Teeth With Mouthguards – Hoover AL Dentist

March 30, 2024 | by admin | Blog

One of the most common sports injuries in Hoover Alabama, and the one with the biggest bill, is damaged teeth. Protecting your child’s teeth with mouthguards during sports is one of the best investments a parent in Hoover AL could make.

Protecting Your Child’s Teeth With Mouthguards – Hoover AL Dentist

Mouthguards are a thick plastic protective devices shaped like a dental tray, that form to the shape of your child’s mouth.

A mouthguard creates a barrier between the upper and lower teeth to prevent them from crashing together during impact, as well as protecting the teeth from impact.

Your local Hoover Alabama dental clinic will recommend a mouthguard be worn during high impact sports. With the possibility of costly dental bills, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Mouthguards are specifically for playing sports, ranging in price, comfort level, and level of protection.

Custom-fit mouthguards (professionally made in your local Hoover, AL dental office)

Custom-fitted mouthguards are the best option for optimal comfort, protection, and durability. Your local Hoover Alabama dentist will professionally custom-fit a mouthguard for your child.

If you are considering a custom-fit mouthguard for your child, take into consideration their age. Mouthguards are not long-term investments. Your child may grow to quickly and require a replacement within a year or two.

So with the balance between safety and affordability on your mind, you might be hesitant to get one at all. And additionally, if your child is prone to, or has had concussions, a custom made mouthguard is vital to provide extra protection which may help to prevent further concussions.

In conclusion, there are many factors to consider when choosing a mouthguard for your child. These are; level of impact involved in the sport your child plays, the expense, comfort and best suited material for your child.

It is always best to have a conversation with your local Hoover Alabama dentist about your options. Sampson Dentistry can provide advice in regards to protective mouthguards tailored to you and your child’s specific needs.

Good Dental Hygiene For Kids In Hoover Alabama

March 23, 2024 | by admin | Blog

Tips to Help Your Kids Practice Good Dental Hygiene

Sampson Dentistry believe strongly in providing good dental hygiene for kids in Hoover Alabama. We believe strongly in providing good dental hygiene for kids in Hoover Alabama striving to be sure that kids in Hoover have healthy smiles.

Good Dental Hygiene For Kids In Hoover Alabama

We need help from parents and caregivers to continue the good habits our dentists recommend. Here are a few good dental hygiene tips for kids and easy ways you can help us help them:

Watch Those Drinks

While fruit juices and sports drinks can be a healthy alternative to soda and other artificial drinks, drinking too much can end up doing more harm than good in the long run.

The sugar in these drinks can quickly eat away the enamel on your child’s teeth, especially if he or she is consuming them all day long from a sippy cup or a refillable bottle. These drinks taste good and might be one of the only sources of sugar your kids have so weeding them out will not be easy, but it’s the best thing for their teeth in the long run.

Begin the balancing process by moving toward a 50/50 juice or sports drink to water ratio. The water will help wash out some of the sugar left over from the other drinks and help move your child’s palate away from sweet tastes. And, drinking more water is a great thing for all of us!

Lead by Example

When it comes to brushing and caring for your teeth, your children take more cues from you than you might think. This is one area where you really do need to practice what you preach.

Make brushing and flossing a family activity each morning and evening, or maybe only in the evening if your mornings are hectic. Either way, this will allow you to make sure that your child isn’t cutting corners and allow him or her to see that you are doing the same thing.

Brushing should last for at least two minutes and cover all surfaces of the teeth and tongue. Flossing should include every tooth every time, no matter how tempting it is to cut corners.

Remember that if your child is under age 2, then you should be brushing and flossing for them.

Again, this is an opportunity for you to establish a routine that your child will continue when it’s time for them to brush and floss on their own.

You can even make a game out of brushing and flossing each day. Create a chart to track progress and reward good behavior along the way. Eventually, the habits will become so routine that the rewards are no longer needed as an incentive.

Don’t Skip Dentist Visits

If you have anxiety about going to the dentist, you may be passing down those fears to your children without realizing it. Starting dental appointments as soon as the first teeth appear (around age 1) will help establish going to the dentist as a positive experience, rather than one that’s plagued with fear about cavities or other problems.

The more your child sees a dentist, the more we’ll be able to help reinforce the dental hygiene maintenance you are doing at home. We can catch problem areas before they become serious and create a plan for addressing them.

Establishing a partnership between parents and your local dentists ensures healthy teeth for kids. Visiting a dentist provides an opportunity to check in on that partnership.

Sampson Dentistry offers a wide range of pediatric dental services. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation for your child.

Hoover Alabama Dental Consultations

March 18, 2024 | by admin | Blog

Hoover Alabama dental consultations are a non-invasive visit with your dental care provider where you can discuss your issues, concerns, and treatment options. Many of our dentists offer free consultations, though others do ask for a small consultation fee to cover their time. If you’re considering any major dental procedure, a consultation is a good idea, and can be important for several reasons. Read on to learn more.

Understanding the Procedure

Some dental procedures are quite complex. Before you settle into the chair for the complete treatment, it’s important to know what’s ahead. Your consultation is the perfect time to ask all your questions and a get a detailed explanation of what will take place while you’re in the chair. In many cases, our dentists can offer a helpful visual, using tooth models and product samples to help you better understand each step of the procedure. If you’re nervous, this may also help to ease some of your tension or fear.

Exploring Payment Options

Some dental procedures come with a high price tag. At your consultation, our dentists will be happy to discuss payment options and our administrative staff will be happy to contact your insurance provider, if you have one, to determine what portion of the bill you’re responsible for. Most of our offices will typically provide one, but if not, you should request a written estimate for the procedure. If you don’t feel that you can pay the sum in one visit, ask about payment plans. Many of our offices will separate the bill into several smaller payments to ease the strain on your budget.

Hoover Alabama Dental Consultations

A dental consultation gives you a better idea of what’s ahead and how to proceed. You can consult with several dentists to get a well-rounded view of the issue and available treatments, or move forward and schedule your procedure if you feel confident after the first meeting. But either way, a consultation visit should give you all the information you need.

Smoking’s Impact on Your Oral Health

March 3, 2024 | by admin | Blog

By now, you’re likely aware of smoking’s impact on your oral health. However, you might not realize the serious effects smoking has on your overall dental care. Since your mouth is the starting point for all cigarette damage, you’ll deal with significant oral health issues when smoking.

Smoking’s Impact on Your Oral Health

Since the nicotine found in cigarettes immediately hit your teeth as you are smoking, this is the worst side effect. These chemicals can lead to yellow stains on your teeth that are difficult to remove. Smoking also weakens the protective enamel on your teeth. This can leave your teeth more susceptible to bacteria that cause tooth rot and weakened enamel. Overall, leading your teeth to become more sensitive.

Additionally, this build up of bacteria can lead to gum disease, which causes your gums to recede and compromises the stability of your teeth. Finally, perhaps the most major impact smoking has on your oral health is oral cancer.

Regular Dental Visits Are Important for Smokers

You’ll find a variety of mouthwashes and toothpastes marketed to smokers with claims that they can help repair damage caused by smoking. This includes toothpastes made to remove yellow nicotine stains and products used to mask cigarette odour in your mouth.

However, no product on the market is as effective at treating oral problems brought on by smoking as actually quitting smoking. Additionally, many of these products use abrasive and harsh chemicals to attack bacteria that thrive in a smoker’s mouth. Yet these products can do nothing to restore enamel, prevent gum and tooth rot, or stop any type of oral cancer.

If you’re a smoker, it’s important you regularly visit your dentist to monitor your oral health, and visit your local Hoover Alabama dentist Sampson Dentistry.

Healthy Eating Is Good For Your Dental Hygiene

February 16, 2024 | by admin | Blog

Providing a nutritious lunch for your kids during the Hoover Alabama school year is essential. Healthy eating is good for your Dental Hygiene. Fruits, Vegetables, and Protein are a good starting point.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are always best. Apples, snap peas, celery, carrots, radishes, cucumbers, and asian pears are great for the health of your teeth.

Hard and crunchy fruits and vegetables help to clean in the crevices of teeth when chewed. They contain lots of water which helps to wash away oral bacteria. Including fruits and vegetables will provide additional vitamins and minerals not found in carbohydrates and proteins.

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Healthy Eating Is Good For Your Dental Hygiene

Adding additional protein through dairy products help to curb hunger. Some options may be yogurt, cheese, or yogurt based dips such as tzatziki which they can dip vegetables into.

The calcium typically associated with dairy is abundant in other things like beans, green veggies, almonds, and seeds. As far as non-dairy beverages go, alternatives such as soy milk boxes, edamame beans, or tofu are great sources of calcium and protein.

Keeping Hydrated

What your child drinks throughout the day is extremely important as it will ideally keep them hydrated which will help them to stay focused and alert. Remember that if your child’s drinks contain sugars, these will stay in their mouths until they are removed and can cause teeth and gum decay over time.

Large influxes of sugar will also give your child a rapid burst of energy followed by a drop that can make them tired and less focused for long periods. Sugars that absorb more slowly over time will help to avoid that problem, and will limit the potential hazards surrounding sugar highs.

The best beverage for your child to have throughout the day is water. You’ll never get tired of water.

The sooner you start, the easier it will become routine.

Choosing A Pediatric Dentist In Hoover AL

December 31, 2023 | by admin | Blog

Nothing is more important than your children’s dental care. Choosing a pediatric dentist in Hoover, AL to provide quality dental care is a big decision. You can rest assure that our staff will earn your trust when it comes to taking care of your child’s teeth with a caring and nurturing dentist. At Sampson Dentistry we try to make a visit more enjoyable for kids. We will provide tremendous dental care while calming your child. Our dental staff strives to eliminate the negative stigma of a trip to the dentist office.

Why Choose Sampson Dentistry To Provide Dental Treatment To Your Child?

Sampson Dentistry has over 2 decades in treating children for dental work. Our staff will handle basic dental care for children from infancy until they’re adults. We consider ourselves as experts in teaching parents about how to help kids break bad habits like thumb-sucking and pacifier dependency.

Basic tasks include teeth cleanings and fluoride treatments. At Sampson Dentistry, we provide recommendations about diet and nutrition, pointing out foods that are likeliest to strip the enamel off of teeth. That’s a dangerous practice that impairs the long-term development of permanent teeth.

Choosing A Pediatric Dentist In Hoover, AL

Choose Sampson Dentistry in Hoover Alabama when it comes to providing quality dental work for your children.

Are All Toothpastes Good

December 5, 2023 | by admin | Blog

You want to take care of your teeth, just like anyone. So, are all toothpaste good? One of the basic decisions you’ll face in safeguarding your teeth is which toothpaste to use.

Each day, the toothpaste you pick will clean your teeth and will have ramifications for years to come. Here’s a guide on which one you should use.

The Importance of Fluoride

Any good toothpaste will include other components to make it more effective. Fluoride is the most important one. In fact, it’s the primary reason tooth decay and cavities have declined dramatically over the past 50 years.

Fluoride counters this problem in two ways. It strengthens tooth enamel, the protective layer on the outside of your teeth, and that added strength makes your teeth less susceptible to chipping and cracking.

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Other Toothpaste Components

Many toothpastes will also include artificial sweeteners. The minty taste that you associate with toothpaste isn’t a natural flavor. Manufacturers add saccharin and other ingredients to make the taste of toothpaste better.

Without it, the process of brushing your teeth wouldn’t feel as pleasant. If brushing your teeth left you with a bad taste in your mouth, it might reduce your desire to brush regularly. Toothpaste now comes in flavors as diverse as lemon, grape, and bubblegum to make them more appealing – not just for adults, but for children too.

Are All Toothpaste Good?

Now that you know the key components of toothpaste, you can pick the brand that’s right for you. If you’re a smoker or coffee drinker, you should choose a product with the highest amount of fluoride. Without a prescription, you’re looking for a brand that’s at least 1,000 parts per million (PPM). A product with the CDA Seal has received independent review and validation of its product claims.

If you’re someone with yellow teeth, you’ll want a brand with a higher number of silicates. A product that includes whitening will gradually alter the shade from yellow back to white. If cavities are a big issue, you want a product with special cavity-fighting power.

If you have a plaque problem, you can prevent tartar buildup with toothpastes that are specifically formulated to fight tartar. Finally, if you have sensitive gums and/or teeth, the best product is one that treats the underlying problem of sensitivity.

No matter the problem, simply consider your needs and choose the correct toothpaste.

When Do You Take Out Wisdom Teeth

December 1, 2023 | by admin | Blog

Wisdom teeth are our third set of molars that usually come in during your late teens to early twenties. Over time our jaws have shrunk, leaving little room for the extra row of teeth, which is why they can cause pain and need to be extracted. So, when do you take out wisdom teeth?

Signs You Need Your Wisdom Teeth Taken Out:

Not every patient experiences pain associated with their wisdom teeth. Sometimes a dentist will recommend pulling them based on your x-rays if the wisdom teeth will cause overcrowding or put excess pressure on the other teeth as they move.

When overcrowding occurs, teeth that were once straight begin to shift. Shifted teeth can cause problems such as one tooth moving in front of another, gum issues, and even result in infections caused by trapped food.

Pain is usually the first sign that your wisdom teeth are causing problems and will need to be pulled (extracted). The pain is typically a dull, aching pain in the jaw. Certain foods that require more chewing like meats and root vegetables can make the pain worse when chewing.

Hot/cold sensitivity can be another indicator.

Impacted teeth is another common issue from wisdom teeth coming in crooked. When there isn’t enough room in the mouth the teeth will commonly grow in on an angle and sometimes not in the same direction as the rest of your teeth. This usually results in tenderness, swelling, gum infections, and damage to surrounding teeth. When wisdom teeth are impacted, it is highly recommended to remove them as soon as possible. Impacted teeth are more likely to cause jaw issues and can cause other serious problems.