WHY DO MY CHILD'S TEETH LOOK STAINED?

If your child's teeth look yellow or orange, it's most likely because they aren't being cleaned thoroughly and have developed a build-up of plaque that is stained with food debris. You can usually remove these stains by brushing the teeth with a little bit of adult toothpaste (which contains more scrubbing power than children's) or a little bit of baking soda and water. If this doesn't work, your dentist can remove the stains with a professional scrubbing. These stains are not necessarily an indication of tooth decay, but letting plaque accumulate on the teeth can cause gum disease (even in youngsters) and it's not a good habit to get into. If you're seeing dark stains on your toddler's teeth, it may be due to the iron in his multivitamin. If your child is the one in a thousand who is susceptible to this kind of stain, you'll have to be even more vigilant about brushing regularly and thoroughly to stay on top of it. Once these stains have taken root, they're very difficult to get off, even with a professional scrubbing from your dentist. However, they won't affect the health of your child's teeth even though you might not like the way they look. Baby teeth (usually one or two) can also become discolored if they're injured in a fall. This kind of stain is on the inside of the teeth and cannot be cleaned off. If your child has a chronic illness or recurrent high fevers or is exposed to certain medications or to excess fluoride over long periods during their infant or toddler years, it will probably not affect his baby teeth but can cause his adult teeth to grow in discolored.

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Nutriton Information

Basic Nutrition Information important for you and your pearly whites! Everyone knows that a balanced, nutritious diet is essential to healthy living. But did you know that eating patterns and food choices play an important role in preventing tooth decay and gum disease, too? You may eat with your eyes first, but your mouth, teeth, and gums are more than just tools for eating. They’re essential for chewing and swallowing—the first steps in the digestion process. Your mouth is your body’s initial point of contact with the nutrients you consume. So what you put in your mouth impacts not only your general health but also that of your teeth and gums. In fact, if your nutrition is poor, the first signs often show up in your oral health. Your individual nutrition and calorie needs depend on your age, gender, level of physical activity and other health factors, but according to MyPlate, a website from the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, an agency of U.S. Departmen...

Here are a few ways to help prevent tooth decay...

You can help prevent tooth decay by following these tips: Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste. Clean between your teeth daily with floss or inter dental cleaner. Eat nutritious and balanced meals and limit snacking. Check with your dentist about the use of supplemental fluoride, which strengthens your teeth, and about use of dental sealants (a plastic protective coating) applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth (where decay often starts) to protect them from decay. Visit your dentist regularly for professional cleanings and oral examination.

How much toothpaste are you using?

The bristles do most of the cleaning, so we’re actually overdoing it when it comes to toothpaste. All you need is a pea-size amount of fluoride toothpaste to get the job done. Kids younger than 6 should use even less—about the size of a grain of rice.

Bluffdale Dental

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