Cold Sores

Did you know that the virus responsible for cold sores is the Herpes Simplex Virus-1?  

HSV-1 stays hidden and inactive along peripheral sensory nerves for life with periodic outbreaks.  Most primary HSV-1 infections occur in infancy and childhood and are transmitted primarily by contact with infected saliva.   70% of people shed HSV-1 in their saliva at least once monthly.  So, if you have ever had a cold sore, don’t share your utensils, straws, etc with others, since you may be shedding the virus and possibly infect your children, family and friends.

Tooth Trivia

Did you know that a child can have premature teeth? 

Premature teetherupt prior to 3 months of age and although uncommon, premature teeth do occur.
Natal teeth are present at birth and are more common than neonatal teeth which erupt after birth and before age 1 month. 90% of premature teeth are true primary teeth and many are poorly formed.  These teeth can be associated with Riga-Fede’s disease, ventral tongue trauma from feeding, and cleft lip and palate. 
If premature teeth are an aspiration risk due to excessive mobility or interfere with feeding, they need to be removed.

Help for Parents

The KidsDoc Symptom Checker is available on HealthyChildren.org, the official American Academy of Pediatrics’ website for parents, at www.healthychildren.org/symptom-checker.

Parents can enter their child’s symptoms into the interactive tool and receive up-to-date advice about how to treat minor illnesses at home, or when to call the doctor immediately.

I am happy to see a “mouth and teeth” section including this advice for teething:
Caution: Blaming teething for fevers can lead to a delayed diagnosis of ear infections, urinary tract infections, meningitis and other infections.

New Fluoride Prescription Guidelines

In December, 2010, the ADA published new clinical recommendations on the prescription of dietary fluoride supplements.

Due to known increases in exposure to multiple fluoride sources, the panel now recommends the prescription of dietary fluoride supplements only for children who are at high risk for developing cavities and whose primary source of drinking water is deficient in fluoride. Our practice evaluates each patient for their unique cavity risk by using the American Academy of Pediatric Cavity-Risk Assessment Test.

You may access the full report and download the chair side guide at: http://ebd.ada.org/ClinicalRecommendations.aspx

The Dentist Isn’t Scary After All

Here is an impressive poem my 8 year old patient, Madison Kiesel, wrote for us during her ride to our office this morning:

I thought going to the dentist was going to be scary.

I thought Dr. Molly was tall and hairy.

I have been scared all night, awake with fright, nibbling my nails, thinking all the scary dentist tales.

Mom says “Get in the car, it’s time to go.”

I go to the car kicking and screaming, to and fro.

What did I see when I opened the door?

My jaw dropped to the floor, this very nice lady welcomed me with a smile and said come sit and play for awhile.

I heard my name called to sit in the chair.

I looked up and saw Dr. Molly there.

She was pretty and nice and didn’t have lice.

She said, “Open your mouth, I need to look South.”

“Ok”, she said.

I said, “Oh No, I don’t want to go.  I’ve had so much fun.  Can we do it again?”

“Come back in 3 months,” she said with a grin.

Safe Dental Care for Children

Isolation is critical when performing surgery in the mouth of anyone, but especially on a child with a small airway.  For this reason I decided to incorporate an Isolite, an isolation system for dentistry, into my practice.

To give you an idea of how well this new system has gone over in my practice let me give you a few examples: my Team has requested tee shirts that read “I heart Isolite” and a mother asked me if I would do her dentistry because it looked more comfortable than what her dentist uses.

We started using Isolite for all restorative procedures over a month ago and what a difference.  No more rubber dams, cheek pads or cotton rolls – all of which pose as aspiration risks and quite frankly don’t taste very good.  Most of our young patients happily accept Isolite and my Team and I are amazed by the compliments we get from our young patients and their parents. What is the most amazing thing to me, besides the fact that children accept it so well, is that I can now perform most procedures without a dental assistant and vice versa. The Isolite makes everything easier and safer and helps keep our costs down which benefit our patients.

Painless Dental Care for Children

After awaiting results of a recent randomized trial, my Team and I are happy to announce we are now offering a better solution to drilling and filling. In order to stop the progression of tooth decay we will now offer ICON, a filling delivered via a unique paint-on technique. ICON is simple and painless for the patient and gentle on the tooth just like a traditional sealant but with the advantage that it soaks into small cavities or areas that are starting to become cavities. ICON allows dentists to offer another tool against tooth decay. When preventive products like fluoride are not enough; we can now offer ICON to stop the cavity progression in the early stages, instead of waiting until a filling or another restorative material is required.

Why Does My Child Need Dental X-rays?

Children need X-rays more often than adults.

• Their mouths grow and change rapidly.
• They are more susceptible to tooth decay than adults.
• Children with a high risk of tooth decay require X-ray examinations every six months to detect cavities developing between the teeth according to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. 
• Children with a low risk of tooth decay require X-rays less frequently.

X-ray films detect much more than cavities that might not be seen in a clinical exam.

• X-rays are needed to survey erupting teeth, diagnose bone diseases, evaluate the results of an injury, and plan orthodontic treatment.
• X-rays allow dentists to diagnose and treat conditions that cannot be detected during a clinical examination.
• If dental problems are found and treated early, dental care is more comfortable and affordable.

Pediatricians and Baby Bottles

According to a recent story on CNN, (7/12/10) a simple five minute conversation between parents and their child’s pediatrician at the 9 month checkup can help to stop bottle-feeding.  It is an important step because prolonged use of the bottle can lead to tooth decay and nutritional deficiencies in young children.  Waiting until later can make the transition more difficult.

Dr. Jonathon Maguire of St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Canada says, “In five minutes we changed the health trajectory of a child.”  He is a pediatrician and lead author of the study which appeared in the Journal of Pediatrics.

The study authors said the 9-month checkup is a good time to schedule the consultation because no routine vaccinations are scheduled, allowing time to have conversation about nutrition in the 2nd and 3rd years of life.  Nine months to 1 year is a time when most babies should be getting most calories from solid foods to ensure proper nutrition.

Dental Home

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) and the American Dental Association (ADA) support the concept of a “Dental Home,” which is the ongoing relationship between the dentist who is the Primary Dental Care Provider and the patient, and includes comprehensive oral health care, beginning no later than age one.

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