Category: Pediatric Dentistry

Dental Options for Children with Sensory Issues

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Entering a pediatric dental office can feel like stepping into another world. Your child might note the colorful walls, the hum of dental instruments, and the air’s clean scent. Pediatric dental offices take a lot of care to create a welcoming space for their little patients. For many children, this purposefully designed environment helps ease dental anxiety and create a feeling of both safety and fun. 

Of course, for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or individual sensory issues, the sounds, smells, sights, and sensations can be overwhelming. Are you struggling to maintain a healthy oral health routine for your child? Read on to learn dental options, tips, and tricks for children with sensory issues.

What is Sensory Integration?

Sensory integration is how a person uses his or her five senses to process external stimuli. For those experiencing sensory processing disorders, this can impact daily routines and, thus, oral health. 

It’s important to differentiate between “sensory seekers” and “sensory avoiders.” Sensory seekers gravitate towards specific sensory input, which can make teeth brushing a soothing experience. Dental visits aren’t typically as challenging for sensory seekers. However, sensory avoiders tend to process certain external stimuli as either irritating or painful. This can make trips to the dentist very overwhelming and can result in such behaviors as crying, hitting, biting, or moving.

Preparing for a Trip to the Dentist

If you anticipate that your child might have some dental anxiety, schedule a tour of the dental office before his or her appointment. This provides your child with the opportunity to become a bit more familiarized with the environment.  

At this tour, feel free to speak with the dental team to let them know your concerns and your child’s specific needs. Let the staff know your child’s particular sensitivities and preferences, as well as past dental experiences. This information will help your dentist and hygienist better prepare and set your little one up for success. 

Another proactive approach is to read your child a social story or visual chart a week or so before his or her visit. These stories outline the steps of a dental appointment and allow time for your child to ask clarifying questions. 

At the Dentist 

Once at the dental appointment, ideally, there has been communication with the office team, so they are better prepared to make your child have a comfortable visit. This may include scheduling an extended time slot to allow your child extra time to acclimate. .  Private rooms are also an option if you would like an environment with less stimuli.

Some pediatric dental offices will take special care by providing accommodations. Such accommodations can include sunglasses, noise-canceling headphones, weighted blankets, sound machines, turning off overhead lights, and decluttering workspaces.

Teeth Brushing at Home 

For sensory seekers, tooth brushing might produce a calming effect. To ensure your child carefully brushes all teeth, consider using an electric toothbrush, and sing a song while they brush his or her teeth.  You want to take your time brushing over 2-3 minutes.

For sensory avoiders, teeth brushing might be a daily battle. The flavor of toothpaste may be overstimulating. It may be worth looking into unflavored toothpaste options—or even simply using water with no toothpaste.

Are you looking for a welcoming, caring dental office?

Children’s Dental Specialities in Worcester, Massachusetts, welcomes children with sensory issues. Dr. Dan and his staff work diligently to create an environment that is a safe space for all children. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to schedule a tour, consultation, or appointment today!

How A Pediatric Dentist May Help With Pediatric Sleep Apnea

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“Sweet dreams!” you whisper as you flip on the nightlight and gently close the door. As your little ones drift off and slip into a deep slumber, your house—finally—slips into a calm, stillness. 

But have you ever noticed that momentary peace is quickly disrupted by a loud snore? 

If so, your child might be among the 1 to 4 percent of children who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, is a sleep disorder in which a child’s upper airway is partially or fully blocked. Pediatric OSA prevents proper airflow by briefly and repeatedly stopping a child’s breathing as he or she sleeps. This, of course, prevents a restorative night’s sleep. 

The most common symptoms while your child is asleep may be limited to just teeth grinding or may also include snoring, tossing and turning, mouth breathing, long pauses between breaths, night sweats/terrors and bedwetting. Though daytime sleepiness is prevalent in adults who have sleep-disordered breathing, children can present with behavioral problems. In fact, in many cases, children are actually misdiagnosed with ADHD.

Read on to learn five reasons that can cause a child to suffer from pediatric sleep apnea. 

1. Family History of Sleep Apnea 

OSA is a genetic condition and thus can be passed down from either parent. This occurs because children tend to inherit the facial features of their parents. 

2. High Body Mass Index

Adult OSA typically afflicts those who are older and overweight. Similarly, child obesity has been associated with pediatric sleep apnea. In these cases, weight management, such as nutrition and exercise, can reduce sleep apnea’s impairments. 

3. Abnormal Oral Tissues

Abnormally restrictive oral tissues know a a frenum can effect a child’s sleep.  More commonly known as lip and tongue ties, these conditions can impair proper function of the lip and tongue.  The tongue is especially important for proper breathing.  Impaired tongue position can have an impact on upper jaw development which in turn has an effect on nasal vs mouth breathing.  

4. Narrow Anatomy of Mouth, Jaw, or Throat

As a child falls asleep, all of his or her muscles relax. The mouth, jaw, and throat are no exception. If your child already has a narrow airway as well as a relatively large tongue, when relaxed, the airway can be easily obstructed.

5. Enlarged Tonsils and Adenoids

Enlarged tonsils and adenoids can play a role in preventing proper airflow during the night. Like an anatomically narrow airway, the larger anatomy of these structures can become an issue when your child sleeps.  Allergies to environmental irritants such as dust or pollen can further enlarge the tonsils and adenoids affecting breathing and sleep. 

What if your child is exhibiting symptoms? 

There are various treatments for those who experience pediatric OSA. Such treatments include allergy medications, weight management, inhalers, and in some cases tonsil and adenoidectomy.  Oral appliance therapy, such as palate expanders, is another treatment in which a child wears an oral device that gently helps the upper jaw grow wider.  This opens the airway by increasing both upper jaw size and airflow through the nose.  The inside of the nose after all is the other side of the palate.  

Are you lying awake at night because you’re worried your little one is snoring loudly, isn’t getting a restful night’s sleep, or maybe they are not behaving like the child you know they could be?  Every child is different, and the most crucial first step is a proper diagnosis. Rest easy by seeking out the best care for your child. Dr. Daniel Moheban has completed advanced training in pediatric dental sleep medicine and has helped many children breathe more easily and grow into the best version of themselves.  Contact Children’s Dental Specialities in Worcester, Massachusetts, to schedule an airway evaluation and sleep disorder screening with Dr. Moheban!

Help Your Kids’ Smile: The Key Benefits of Pediatric Dentistry in 2020

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As a parent, you always want the best for your children. Their oral health is no exception! Having a healthy, radiant smile offers innumerable benefits, and it all begins with your child’s pediatric dental experience. 

Create Lifelong, Healthy Habits 

Robust oral health is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s a lifelong commitment that requires a solid foundation. Studies show that regular check-ups to a dentist in childhood pave the way for sustained lifelong, healthy habits. 

To children, actions speak louder than words. Simply telling your child the importance of brushing and flossing is less effective than showing them. Bringing your child to the dentist sends the message, “your oral health matters.” If you want your children to prioritize their oral health, you must first show them what it means to invest in their smiles. 

Keep Mouths Healthy

Some adults believe that baby teeth aren’t important as “they’ll eventually fall out.” On the contrary, baby teeth are needed for proper growth and development.  They provide dentists with crucial insight about your child’s future dental needs. Pediatric dentists analyze your child’s dental and jaw development and use it to create a long-term plan. 

If you choose to wait to invest in your child’s smile only after his or her adult teeth appear, it may be too late. A cornerstone of pediatric dentistry is preventative dentistry. Having your child regularly visit the dentist is a proactive—rather than a reactive—method of care. Just as you wouldn’t skip your child’s doctor’s check-ups, you won’t want to miss his or her dental check-ups either!

Offer Professional Feedback 

How often have you reminded your child about the benefits of brushing and flossing? Children are inundated by verbal “shoulds” and “shouldn’ts” from their parents, so it’s challenging to know which lessons will stick. 

Strengthen this particular message with the help of your child’s pediatric dentist and dental hygienists! Not only will he or she provide fun lessons about brushing and flossing, but he or she also stands out as an authoritative figure. When an expert looks your child in the eye and gives them the feedback that lack of brushing will lead to cavities or gum disease, your child is more likely to listen. Your children are also more susceptible to an expert’s positive reinforcement when their dentist exclaims, “No cavities! You must be brushing and flossing every day. Keep up the good work!” 

Minimize Dental Anxiety 

Even as an adult, you might feel some latent anxiety when you hear the word “dentist.” Other adults feel neutral or even excited at the thought of a dental check-up. Your childhood dental experience heavily influences how you think about the dentist today. 

Introducing your child to the world of dentistry within their first year of life normalizes the experience. Pediatric dental offices are intentionally designed to be a welcoming place for children. Colorful walls, fun photos, kid-friendly books, and prizes help your child feel at home in a new environment. The staff is trained to work with children and are often characterized as reassuring, patient, understanding, and kind. Choosing the right pediatric dental office can have significant effects on your child’s lifelong relationship with his or her oral health. 

What Now? 

This overwhelming desire to give your children the best of everything can be daunting. You’re well aware that regular visits to the dentist for your child are crucial in achieving lifelong oral health. Rest assured that once you choose the right pediatric dentist, you can sit back and relax. Give your child the best dental care possible and contact Children’s Dental Specialities in Worcester, Massachusetts, to make an appointment today!

Watch Your Mouth!: A Guide to Tongue Tie and Lip Tie

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Tongue tie and lip tie are conditions that restrict the tongue or lip’s range of motion. Most commonly found in infants and young children, these anatomical abnormalities usually occur in tandem. They are also often easy to diagnose and treat by trained professionals. 

Tongue Tie

Overview

Tongue tie, or ankyloglossia, occurs when tight, connective tissue tethers the tongue to the floor of the mouth. With roughly three million cases in the U.S. per year, this condition is often genetic and is more prevalent in boys than girls. The duration can last anywhere from years to a lifetime. 

Symptoms 

  • It can impair an infant’s ability to latch during breastfeeding and can thus impact his or her ability to gain weight. 

  • In young children, it can continue to affect their ability to eat correctly.

  • It may impact a child’s speech.

  • It can have a negative effect on the normal growth and development of the jaws and face.

  • It can contribute to problems such as mouth breathing, snoring, poor sleep and attention.

Diagnosis 

If your infant or child exhibits any of the signs listed above, you may be able to assess whether or not they may have tongue or lip ties simply by looking into their mouth.  What is the range of motion when they move their tongue side to side, up and down, or in and out? If you suspect your little one might have a tongue tie, be sure to set up an appointment with their pediatric dentist for a professional assessment.  Once they determine whether this abnormality is present, they will assess the severity and suggest treatment options. 

Treatment

In some cases, as a baby gets older, a tongue tie may resolve itself. However, depending on the severity of your child’s condition, there is a surgical option. Tongue tie surgery, called a frenectomy, usually does not require anesthesia, and can often be performed in a matter of minutes!

Lip Tie

Overview 

Similar to tongue tie, lip tie is a condition in which an infant or child exhibits a difference in the anatomy of his or her mouth. Lip tie occurs when the upper lip is connected to the upper gums by a tight and sometimes wide band of tissue. 

Symptoms 

  • Newborns exhibit trouble latching during breastfeeding, subsequently impacting weight gain. 

  • The infant either becomes visibly tired or, in some cases, falls asleep while feeding. 

  • The mother experiences discomfort from breastfeeding her child. This can include pain, breast swelling, and blocked milk ducts.

  • There may be abnormally large spaces between the front teeth.

  • Cavities may form either from milk pooling under the lip or from difficulty in brushing the teeth.

Diagnosis 

If your infant is experiencing trouble breastfeeding, you can contact a lactation consultant and a pediatric dentist. Upon assessment, a professional will categorize your child’s lip tie based on severity and advise you if treatment is necessary. 

Treatment

Just like tongue tie surgery, lip tie can be release can be performed by a surgical laser or scissor and is often quick and painless. 

Not all doctors are able to offer this service. However, due to Dr. Dan’s educational background and experience, Children’s Dental Specialities proudly provides tongue tie and lip tie assessments as well as treatment options. If your infant or child exhibits any of the symptoms listed above, make an appointment today!

Picking The Perfect Dental Home for Your Child

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Dental-Homes-Featured
Choosing a primary doctor or dentist for your child can be a hard and confusing process. So, how can you choose the right dentist for your children? We’ve outlined a few reasons why pediatric dentists are the absolute best choice to be your kids’ dental home.

Pediatric Dentists Make Office Visits Fun

Pediatric dental offices seek to foster a fun and inviting environment that is specifically designed for children. The comfort of your child is one of the most important factors in creating a positive association with visiting the dentist, so we recommend reviewing our practice’s photos to see if they will enjoy their visit. You can also check out our social media channels to get a feel for how fun we are! Facebook is a great place to look for news about our practice, and it’s also a good spot to read some of our patient reviews.

Trained to Care for Children

Pediatric dentists have had 2-3 years of special training to care for young children and adolescents. Check out the “about us” section of our website to learn more about our dentist’s degrees, professional associations and affiliations, as well as distinguishes and honors. You can rest easy knowing that we have had extensive training which has equipped us to care for your child.

Sensitive to Special Healthcare Needs

Does your child need any special attention or procedures? Before coming in for a visit, scan our website to see if we offer any specific procedures your child requires. We are specifically trained to treat children with specific healthcare needs. Call us to speak with an office administrator about the different care options that we provide.

Stress-Free First Visit

Introducing children to a dentist can be a difficult task for any parent. Kids are usually very nervous to visit the doctor or dentist for the first time for a variety of reasons. Pediatric dentists know this, which is why we offer relaxed “meet and greets” for their first office visit. The first visit is a great way for you to speak with us about our practice, and it gives you a chance to gauge how your child responds to the new surroundings. Before you arrive, be sure to tell them that their first visit won’t involve any procedures or “chair time.” Remind them that you are there to meet some new people who want to help them get a healthy smile!

From Toddler to Teen

Pediatric dentists care for children of all ages. From first tooth to adolescence, we help your child develop a healthy smile until they’re ready to move on to a general dentist. We work with you to teach your kids healthy brushing habits, inform them about the importance of flossing, and give them dietary tips that will keep their mouth clean for years to come.

Give Us a Call

We would love to speak with you about your child and their dental needs. Establishing a dental home early is very important, so we suggest that you bring your toddler in right after their first tooth emerges. We see children of all ages, so call us and schedule an office tour! We want to make visiting the dentist fun, so stop by and see why pediatric dentistry is the way to go for your children!

Caffeine and Your Kid’s Teeth

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caffeine and kids oral health
 

 

Kids are drinking less soda.  This fantastic news should also mean that they’re consuming less caffeine, but in fact, the amount of caffeine that kids are getting on a daily basis is on the rise.  Recent studies have shown that 73% of American children consume at least some caffeine every day.  This can be attributed to “sports” drinks and energy drinks as well as increased coffee consumption among children and teens.  But is caffeine good for kids and their oral health?  Here are several caffeine facts you may not know.

Caffeine creates an addiction cycle.

There’s no doubt that caffeine is addictive.  In fact, it’s been suggested that caffeine is one of the most addictive drugs in the world and therefore one of the hardest habits to stop.  Because of this, parents attempting to limit the amount of caffeine their child consumes may find this task difficult.  The more caffeine you take in, the more of it you crave.

Caffeine can steal calcium from growing bodies.

Caffeine acts a diuretic, increasing the production of urine in the body.  When more urine is produced, greater calcium loss occurs.  In fact, caffeine itself has been shown to leach calcium from bones and teeth.  6 mg of calcium are lost from the body for every 100 mg of caffeine consumed.

Caffeinated drinks tend to be acidic.

Most drinks that contain caffeine are also highly acidic.  Even though tooth enamel is the strongest material in the human body, it’s still no match for a constant bathing in acids.  Children’s teeth are naturally more sensitive than that of adults because it can take several years for the enamel on newly emerged teeth to harden after baby teeth have been lost.  Children who drink sodas and sports drinks are at a greater risk for cavities and enamel loss than those who do not.

The best way to protect your kids from the effects of caffeine is simply to not have them in the house.  When kids get early exposure to sugary, caffeinated drinks they tend to keep that habit the rest of their lives.  Start today by making choosing water and low-sugar, non-caffeinated beverages for your whole family!

 

sources:

http://www.aapd.org/assets/1/25/Majewski-23-03.pdf
http://www.livestrong.com/article/496998-why-is-it-bad-for-kids-to-drink-coffee/
http://consumer.healthday.com/kids-health-information-23/child-development-news-124/energy-drinks-coffee-increasing-sources-of-caffeine-for-kids-cdc-says-684690.html

Your Infant’s Teeth: When Should Care Begin?

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When to start caring for infant teeth
Establishing a healthy starting point for your child’s oral care start earlier than you may realize.  It’s amazing how quickly time passes and how fast children grow up.  We’ve put together a few guidelines to encourage you to make good dental habits a priority and to begin caring for your child’s teeth as soon as possible.

Start before teeth arrive.

First teeth generally appear around 6 months. (Don’t worry if your child is sooner or later than this.  All children are different.) Gently wiping the inside of your baby’s mouth with a soft cloth after meals or during bath time will help to reduce bacteria and give emerging teeth a great start.  It will also get you in the habit of caring for your child’s teeth until they are ready to take over themselves.

Begin brushing as soon as the first tooth appears.

Once the first tooth emerges, it’s time to begin brushing.  We recommend a tiny smear of toothpaste on a toothbrush that’s specifically designed for infants.  These usually have small brush heads and a special shape or handle that fits easily in your hand.  Stick to brushing twice a day and be sure to brush both the inside and outside of each tooth surface.  Flossing shouldn’t be a concern until tooth surfaces touch.

Establish a dental home early.

We encourage you to make the first visit to our practice more of a “meet and greet”.  We can give you and your child a mini-tour, and introduce you to our team.  It is our belief that a comfortable, caring environment is essential for a lifetime of healthy smiles.  We would love to see your child when their first tooth arrives or by age one.

Keep a routine for the whole family.

Children imitate what they see their parents do.  Chances are, if caring for your own teeth is a priority then you will pass those health habits along to your children.  Try making brushing and flossing something that everyone in your family does as part of your regular routine.

If you haven’t been following these guidelines, it’s not too late to start!  The best time to begin a lifetime of great dental habits is today.  We encourage you to share this blog post with your friends and family who have young children or may be expecting.  And don’t forget to call us if it’s time for a check-up!

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