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Great question! Yes, in fact, tooth decay is preventable! Decay, which is caused by sugars left in your child’s mouth, can turn into an acid, which in turn can break down his or her teeth. Children are at high risk for tooth decay for a simple reason: many children and adolescents tend to be lax in their oral hygiene habits.

So, how can your child prevent tooth decay?

• Start early. After the age of two, brush your child’s teeth with fluoride toothpaste twice a day. And, if possible, clean between the teeth with dental floss at least once a day, preferably before they go to bed.
• Don’t allow your little ones to eat after cleaning teeth at bedtime, as salivary flow decreases while they sleep and their teeth become vulnerable to cavities.
• Do not allow your little ones to nibble food or sip drinks continuously, and keep in mind that a low-sugar diet also helps keep tooth decay at bay. Allow time between meals for saliva to neutralize acids and repair the teeth.
• Drinking water frequently throughout the day can also reduce the possibility of new cavities forming.
• Dental sealants can also protect your children’s teeth from cavities. Sealants, which are applied to the chewing surfaces of molars, act as a shield between the tooth and harmful bacteria.

Finally, make sure your child visits Rector Pediatric Dental approximately every six months for a checkup and routine cleaning! Please give us a call at our Ocean Springs office.

Having your teeth cleaned is part of most dental checkups. It’s a great feeling to know your teeth look clean and bright, but there’s more to feel great about! Cleanings help your teeth stay healthy. Let’s talk about why a cleaning at our Ocean Springs pediatric dental office is a bright idea.

• Brushing and Flossing at Home Isn’t Always Enough

Even when you brush and floss every day, sometimes you don’t get rid of all the plaque sticking to your teeth. Plaque, after all, starts forming within hours after you brush, and this can be a problem.

• The Problem with Plaque

Plaque is a sticky film that’s mostly made up of bacteria. These tiny germs use food we eat to make acids, and these acids can make our tooth enamel weaker. Over time, a weak spot in tooth enamel gets bigger and deeper until it becomes—a cavity.

And that’s not all. Plaque near our gums irritates them, and our gum tissue reacts to this irritation. Our gums might turn darker pink, or bleed, or get puffy. We could have bad breath that brushing won’t get rid of. These are signs of gum disease. Clearly, we don’t want plaque sticking around!

• The Trouble with Tartar

Especially because, after only a day or two of letting plaque build up, it starts to turn into tartar. Tartar is hardened plaque, and it can’t be brushed away at home. Tartar can only be removed by an expert at Rector Pediatric Dental.

It can build up anywhere we might not be brushing as often and as well as we should—especially behind our teeth and between them. Tartar can build up above and below the gum line, where it causes even more gum irritation.

You want your teeth to have the best protection against cavities and gum disease, and that means making sure that plaque and tartar aren’t making themselves at home on your teeth. And that means a visit to your pediatric dentist’s office for an expert cleaning.

What goes on during a cleaning?

• First, a Look at Your Teeth and Gums

Once you’re settled in the comfortable dental chair, Dr. Jason Rector will examine your teeth and gums to see if they need any attention before starting the cleaning.

• Scaling

Your hygienist usually begins by carefully scraping away any plaque and tartar with tools called scalers. Scalers can be hand tools or use ultrasonic vibration. Your hygienist will also clean the area around your gums, gently getting rid of any plaque and tartar on your tooth enamel above and below the gum line.

If you’ve been missing any spots in your daily brushing, your hygienist will point out these out so you can brush better.

• Polishing

Sometimes your teeth might be polished to take away stains on the tooth surfaces. This can be done with a special toothpaste applied with a spinning brush or rounded cup. Or your hygienist might use an air polisher, which uses powder, water, and air to clean teeth. Often, scaling on its own will remove any small stains.

• Flossing

Sometimes even adults have a hard time flossing the right way! But it’s a skill you should learn because it’s really important for healthy teeth and gums. Brushes can’t get in the tight spaces between our teeth—but plaque can. Flossing fits in between those tiny spaces to gently scrape away plaque as you move the floss up and down.

Your hygienist will floss between your teeth to remove any plaque, and can show you the right way to floss your teeth and the best kind of floss to use.

• Rinsing

After cleaning your teeth, your hygienist will make sure you rinse well for a shining smile. And that’s it!

Your teeth will look and feel cleaner once any harmful plaque and tartar are gone. You’ll find out if you’ve been missing any areas when you brush. You’ll learn the right way to brush and floss for healthy teeth and gums. And you’ll be helping to prevent cavities and gum disease! No wonder a cleaning at your dentist’s office is always a bright idea.

What better way for children to spend their time than cuddled up by the fireplace or out in the yard with a book in hand? Dr. Jason Rector and our team encourage you to inspire your child’s mind with a few great books. Sure it may be easy to put off reading when balancing a busy schedule, but reading is vital to kids’ brain development. Plus, reading is always fun!

This week, we thought we’d ask: What are you or your child reading? Do you have any suggestions for must-read books? Out of ideas for great reads? Ask us during your next visit, and Dr. Jason Rector and our team would be happy to provide a few suggestions. You may also ask a local librarian here in Ocean Springs for some ideas.

Happy reading! Be sure to share your book picks or your all-time favorites with us below or on our Facebook page!

If your idea of camping is a quiet walk through the woods before returning to your rustic hotel, your regular brushing habits will be perfect for your trip. But if you are hiking into the mountains with your tent, backpack, and camp food, Dr. Jason Rector and our team have some suggestions to adapt your dental routine to the great outdoors.

Water

If you wouldn’t drink it, don’t brush with it! Use bottled water if you have brought it, or make sure the local water is safe by using a testing kit. Boiling, filters and purification tablets are all ways to make sure the water tests clean and safe.

Toothpaste

You aren’t the only one in the woods who finds your toothpaste tasty. Bears, raccoons, and other animals are attracted to the scent of your toothpaste, so keep it safe with the same kind of tightly sealed, odor-proof container that you keep your food in. And if you want to discourage unwanted visitors, don’t spit your toothpaste out at your campground! It’s better to go some distance from your site and bury any paste, and best of all to spit used toothpaste into a container that can be tightly closed and removed from the campsite when you head for home. This practice protects you and the environment as well, since toothpaste can be harmful to small animals and plants.

Toothbrush

While there are disposable and camping toothbrushes available, a regular toothbrush will work as well. Normally, air-drying is the healthiest option for drying your toothbrush, but camping is an exception. Just as animals are attracted to toothpaste, they are also attracted to your toothpaste-scented toothbrush. Keep it in a sealed container that is odor-proof.

Floss

There are websites devoted to the many ingenious ways to use dental floss while camping, but we recommend the original use. Don’t forget to floss regularly, keep it in a sealed container, and do be sure to take used floss out of the area with you.

Even though you are roughing it, stick with your home routine as much as possible. If you are unable to brush as usual, rinse your mouth well with clean water and brush when you can. Have a great trip, and just one more thought—maybe go easy on the s’mores. Let us know all about your trip during your next visit to our Ocean Springs office!