Other symptoms of GERD include:

• Frequent heartburn
• Frequent burping
• Painful swallowing
• Uncontrollable coughing
• Laryngitis

GERD is treatable, but leaving it untreated can lead to even more serious problems, including cancer. With children, because they might not be able to communicate their symptoms, tooth erosion is the biggest red flag for GERD and makes children’s teeth more prone to cavities and more sensitive.

Raised fillings also indicate that tooth erosion is happening. This is when the fillings are decaying more slowly than the tooth itself.

It is also possible that tooth erosion is related to something other than GERD. For instance, acidic drinks and certain candies can cause early tooth erosion, especially in children.

If you think that your child might have GERD, consult a physician who can prescribe medication to stop the acid reflux.

For everything tooth-related, consult the best Utah pediatric dentist!

-Kassandra Konecny

Well, the answer is that sealants are one of the most effective methods of keeping your child’s teeth healthy and free from decay.  With that said, they certainly aren’t a replacement for other forms of preventive care—brushing, flossing, and regular visits to a pediatric dentist—nor do they mean that your child can eat whatever he or she wants without worry.  But, when used in addition to normal child dental care procedures, sealants work as an extra strong level of protection.

How do they work?

A sealant is a plastic “shield” that is applied to the areas of your child’s tooth that are most vulnerable to cavities.  This helps prevent food and other harmful particles that cause cavities from lodging in the tooth.

So why should you get sealants for your children?

1. Even if your child is very careful to brush and floss thoroughly, there are some areas of his or her mouth that are especially hard to clean.  Sealants protect the areas of your child’s teeth that are hardest to clean.
2. Sealants are quite cheap, and can help prevent much more expensive treatments for tooth decay and cavities later on.
3. Putting sealants on your child’s teeth is a quick and painless process, and the benefits of sealants can last up to five years.

There are many advantages to getting sealants for your child’s teeth, and no drawbacks.  So why wait?  If you are interested in giving your child’s teeth extra protection with sealants, or if you have any other questions about child dental care, contact your Utah pediatric dentists!

1. Avoid at-will breastfeeding once your child’s first teeth have erupted.
2. Drink the right stuff. Your child shouldn’t fall asleep with a bottle of anything but water. Avoid drinking juice out of a bottle: juice should only be given from a cup at mealtimes.
3. Aim towards weaning your child from bottle-feeding at 12-14 months.
4. Start teeth-cleaning early. Starting at birth, clean your child’s gums with a cloth and water or a soft infant toothbrush. Until your child is two years old, use a tiny smear of toothpaste to clean their teeth.
5. Visit a Utah pediatric dentist. Your child should see the dentist as soon as his or her first tooth comes in, which usually happens in the first 6-12 months.

For more information and to get your child’s dental regimen started, contact your Sandy, UT pediatric dentist today!

While some babies teeth totally painlessly, symptoms of teething can include: tender, swollen gums, disrupted sleeping and eating patterns, unusually voluminous drooling, and crying jags. It is possible for teething to cause fever or diarrhea, but this is rare. In case of either of these symptoms, be sure to contact your pediatrician.

So What Can I Do to Help?

There’s a lot that you can do to help ease the teething process for your child. Here are just a few tips to get you started on your way:

1. Remove drool by wiping your baby’s face with a cloth to avoid a rash.
2. Give your child something to chew on. It needs to be solid enough that it won’t break into small pieces and large enough that it can’t be swallowed.
3. Rub your baby’s gums with a clean finger.
4. Start daily dental care even before your child’s first tooth comes in. Wipe their gums with a clean, damp washcloth, or brush gently with an infant-sized toothbrush and water – but don’t use toothpaste!

With just a little effort, your child will be able to make it through teething happily and have you to thank for a happy, healthy mouth! For more information, contact your Utah pediatric dentist.

Did you know that your child is under great risk of caries and tooth decay?

A child’s serious dental problems can easily slip beneath his or her parents’ notice, but a Utah pediatric dentist quickly determine what kinds of issues the child may be facing.

According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research:

• 21% of children aged 6-11 have had dental caries in their permanent teeth.
• 23% of children aged 2-11 have untreated dental caries.
• 8% of children aged 6-11 have untreated decay.

Does your child love sugar and hate cleaning his or her teeth?

There’s a strong chance she will experience dental issues at some point in her life. The most common dental problems in children are:

1. Caries – the most prevalent tooth disease in kids. While levels of infection vary, caries of any kind are a serious problem. It’s well known that love of sugar and a lack of cleaning can cause caries, but breast-feeding and bottle-feeding can cause caries as well!
2. Periodontal Issues – periodontal problems are inherited, meaning a child can be left vulnerable to the disease unless treated by a Utah pediatric dentist. Different levels of periodontal disease exist, including gingivitis, a gentler version of periodontal disease.
3. Malocclusion, or disarrangement of the teeth.

This is why you need Utah pediatric dentists, who have the best knowledge and technology to treat your child’s dental problems.

1. Monitor Sugar Intake. While we’ve had many wonderful scientific advances in the area of dentistry, we eat far more sugar and processed foods than people in any other period of history. By encouraging your children to eat healthy, whole foods, you’ll take a proactive step toward ensuring their dental health.
2. Brush. Hopefully, most adults have developed a habit of brushing to the point that they’d never consider skipping a day. None of this is natural to children, though: create a consistent pattern of brushing so that – by the time they reach a certain age – they know to brush their teeth morning and night without even thinking about it.
3. Floss. Unfortunately, this is the step which parents neglect most. Plaque will gather, bacteria will attack, and cavities will develop in the space between your child’s teeth unless she knows to floss each day.

To learn more about making brushing fun or for that important bi-yearly check-up, contact a Utah pediatric dentist!

Little Bacteria Houses

Your child’s mouth is full of all kinds of bacteria. Some of these bacteria are great – they aid in your child’s digestion. Others aren’t so nice.

These not-so-nice bacteria only love your child for one reason. To them, your child’s mouth provides the perfect home! The mouth is dark, warm, and moist – a great place to survive and thrive. What’s more, bacteria like to build little houses inside your child’s mouth. These little houses are called “plaque.” Bacteria hide in the plaque to stay safe and to feed. While they feed, they produce waste that is highly acidic. And they love carbohydrates – such as white sugar – most of all. The more they eat, the more they cover your child’s teeth in acidic waste, which eats away at your child’s mouth until unsightly and painful cavities are formed. Better take care of those bacteria now!

The Floss Wrecking Team

How should you take care of them? It’s easy! Just brush and floss! Every time your child brushes or flosses, it’s like a wrecking ball is swinging around destroying all of those little houses that the bacteria have constructed. With no place to stay, the bacteria won’t deposit that nasty acid all over your child’s teeth – essentially, your child will have a happier, healthier mouth.

First, we need to understand that plaque – that filmy substance we hear so much about – is always forming in, on, and around our teeth. This happens regardless of how much we eat or how much we brush. Plaque contains many different types of bacteria, and these bacteria are hungry! And what are they hungry for? Carbohydrates! Sugar is the carbohydrate they love the most. Whenever your child eats a candy bar, those bacteria start eating whatever of that candy bar is left over on your child’s teeth. The real problem comes afterward.

After these bacteria are done eating, they excrete acid that eats away at the hard enamel covering your child’s teeth. The acid usually starts in one of the grooves on the surface of the teeth, then spreads. If the cavity is allowed to continue growing, it eventually invades the dentin, the core of your child’s tooth. If this occurs, it can be very painful.

That’s why proper dental care is so important. Brushing your child’s teeth removes plaque, eliminating the bacteria that would produce harmful acid in her mouth. With a little daily attention and regular visits to your Utah pediatric dentist, she can grow up cavity-free with the healthy, beautiful smile you know she deserves!

1. Pediatric dentists have specific training, experience, and qualifications for children’s and infant’s teeth, gums and mouth.
2. Requirements state that pediatric dentists must complete four years of dental school, and two additional years of residency training in dentistry for infants, children, teens and children with special needs.
3. Pediatric dentists are aware of the risk of poor oral health facing young people today and the lifelong complications that can follow. These professionals are committed to helping prevent poor dental habits that lead to tooth decay and to provide the proper care to children experiencing dental problems.
4. Pediatric dentistry treatments include infant oral health exams, preventative dental care, including cleaning and fluoride treatments, cavity and tooth defect repair, management of gum diseases and other mouth conditionsHabit counseling regarding issues such as thumb-sucking, pacifier use, or bottle rotEarly assessment and treatment of orthodontics, and care for dental emergencies such as fractured teeth.
5. A pediatric dentist knows how to examine and treat kids in ways that make kids feel comfortable and less fearful. Usually pediatric offices are decorated with children in mind and equipped with kid-friendly entertainment options and rewards. It’s also less intimidating for children to be surrounded by other kids in the office.

To experience the care of one of Salt Lake and Utah Valley’s top pediatric physicians, call Stevenson Pediatrics today and set up an appointment. We are your #1 Utah pediatric dentist! Call 801-938-7870.

What should you do if your child’s tooth get is knocked out completely? Follow these simple guidelines for the best possible outcome:

Dental emergency checklist:

• Relax and take a deep breath. Losing a tooth is a traumatic experience for both the child and the parents.  Panic only worsens the situation worse.  So, first and foremost take a deep breath so you can better handle the tasks ahead.
• Verify that there are no other injuries. Despite a knocked out tooth your child could have a more serious injury in their mouth or on their head.  So, do a thorough investigation of the painful areas.  Call 911 for assistance if needed.
• Call your pediatric dentist right away. A pediatric dentist can provide the best possible advice and may be able to schedule an emergency visit.
• Try to stop the bleeding. Clean the injured area very carefully with a clean, moist towel and then apply direct pressure to the tooth socket with a new clean, wet towel.
• PRESERVE THE TOOTH. In order to replant a tooth (yes, it can be replanted in most cases), it must be done by a pediatric dentist in less than an hour after it was knocked out.  Put the tooth in milk and get it to a dentist (along with your child) ASAP.

We Want To Be Your Utah Pediatric Dentist

If you are looking for a comprehensive pediatric dentist in Salt Lake or Utah Valley, we welcome you to our practice. At Stevenson Pediatric, we treat your children as our own and do everything possible to provide your family with the latest and best dental practices available.