Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

You’ve probably noticed how concerned dentists are about childhood cavities. While Dr. Shah and her team strive to educate children about how to care for their oral hygiene, very young children depend on their caretakers to keep their teeth clean. Therefore, it is important for parents of babies to know about a pattern we call Baby Bottle Tooth Decay.

Tooth decay increases with the amount of time teeth are exposed to sugar. While baby formula and milk are not as high in sugar content as juice, for example, they contain enough to cause a problem if they remain stuck to babies’ teeth for hours. Too often, this is the case, because babies are given bottles to suck from throughout the day, keeping their teeth coated and causing decay to set in on the fronts of the incisors.

There are several important steps parents can take to combat Baby Bottle Tooth Decay: limit the amount of time babies have bottles for, and supply them with water to wash their teeth. Start brushing their teeth as soon as the first one begins to emerge, and teach them to drink from cups as soon as possible (usually around their first birthday). And, of course, hold off on juice and anything else with lots of sugar until then.

Dr. Dipika Shah, Master in the Academy of General Dentistry, operates at 723 N Beers St, Suite 2F, Holmdel, New Jersey, 07733-1512. To schedule an appointment, call 732-264-8180 or visit DentistNJ.com and fill out a contact form.

 

How Thumb Sucking Affects Teeth

We care for entire families at Dr. Dipika Shah’s Holmdel office, including those who have just had their first child. Many parents probably know that thumb sucking isn’t a desirable trait in children as they get older, but may not be aware of the consequences or when they should be concerned, so we made that the topic of this week’s post.

Babies and toddlers normally suck their thumbs (or pacifiers) as a way of soothing anxiety, but they also usually stop in between the ages of two and four. If they stop at this age, they will probably not experience any problems, but if they continue sucking after they begin losing their baby teeth, they may suffer from malocclusions such as overbites, misaligned jaws, and misshapen mouth cavities which could inhibit speech and eating. Some children stop thumb sucking only to develop a habit of pushing their tongues against their front teeth, which causes similar problems.

When breaking children of their bad habits, it is best to try to make them understand the reason their habit is harmful and include them in plans and rewards for how to stop. But when thumb sucking is a response to deep-seated anxiety, it may be necessary to seek help from a counselor and dentist. 

Dr. Dipika Shah, Master in the Academy of General Dentistry, operates at 723 N Beers St, Suite 2F, Holmdel, New Jersey, 07733-1512. To schedule an appointment, call 732-264-8180 or visit DentistNJ.com and fill out a contact form.

 

Mouth Care Basics for Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes can affect your whole body, including your mouth. Type 2 diabetes is a dangerous disease because, if uncontrolled, it can lead to complications throughout the body from the heart to the kidneys to the eyes. When diabetes begins to affect the mouth, it can cause gum disease and tooth decay.  If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, it’s important to tell Dr. Dipika Shah, DDS that you have this condition during your next visit and what medications you take to treat it.

Diabetes prompts an inflammatory response in the body. In the mouth, this leads to swollen gums. If left unchecked, your gums will begin to pull away from your teeth. As your gums retreat, deep pockets form between teeth and gums. Those pockets become home to bacterial and fungal infections, filling with germs and pus. Diabetes creates high levels of sugar in your saliva, a condition that spurs on these infections. To protect teeth and gums, people with type 2 diabetes must practice diligent oral hygiene and mouth care as well as manage their diabetes.

If you are diagnosed with diabetes and have questions about your oral health, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.dentistnj.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Dipika Shah, DDS, here in our Holmdel, NJ office, call 732-264-8180. 

Nausea and Teeth

If a sick feeling occurs before you ever step foot in the dental office, letting Dr. Dipika Shah, DDS know about any negative past experiences in the chair may give them a chance to make adjustments and keep you calm and comfortable. On the other hand, if you’ve experienced an upset stomach during or after a trip to the dentist, taking a look at what happens may help prevent the queasy feeling next time.

Visiting the dentist on an empty stomach or too full of a stomach may lead to queasiness or indigestion simply from the positioning of the chair and the smells in the office. Allergies and pre-existing conditions such as infections also can make the stomach hurt during dental work. In addition, individuals with latex or rubber allergies can get sick from exposure to gloves or dental implements made with rubber, and people with gum disease or tooth abscesses can also get ill from drainage of bacteria into the stomach. Others may have bugs or viruses prior to their appointments that are aggravated by having to lie in a reclined position on their backs.

If you have experienced some sort of nausea after receiving dental work, please notify us the next time you make an appointment. To learn more about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.dentistnj.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Dipika Shah, DDS, here in our Holmdel, NJ office, call 732-264-8180.