Five Surprising Reasons for Bad Breath in Children

Having your kids brush their teeth before they go to bed each night helps them learn good oral hygiene practices. And while twice-daily toothbrushing is good for developing teeth, it always enough to stop bad breath from occurring. Bad breath isn't always solely an oral health issue, there can be other causes that need a different solution. Here are five surprising causes of bad breath in children and how to stop them.
Sinus Infection
Have any of your kids complained about a sore throat or stuffy nose lately? It might be a sinus infection. Sinus issues cause fluid to collect in the nasal passages and throat, making your child's throat the perfect place for bacteria to gather. The result? Stinky breath that can't be cured with toothbrushing and mouthwash alone. If you suspect a sinus infection (potential sore throat, burning nasal passages and post nasal drip), call your doctor for a visit and see if antibiotics will be prescribed.
Foreign Objects
It may not be your first thought, but your child's bad breath could be the result of something stuck in her nasal passages. Kids are curious, and their nostrils are just the right size for inserting small items such as beads, beans, toy accessories and food. Pediatrician Dr. William Sears explains that when an object gets lodged in a child's nasal passages it can create a nasty smell. If you suspect this is what is causing your child's bad breath, you'll need a doctor to help check your child's nasal passages and remove the object.

To read the entire article written by Jae Curtis , please visit Colgate.com

Advanced Dentistry of Spring   
Stephen D. Glass, DDS  
Joel C. Edgar, DDS
7000 Louetta Road, Suite A
Spring, TX 77379
(281) 376-1214 
WhiterSmiles.com

Like Parent, Like Child: Good Oral Health Starts at Home

Parents are a child's first teacher in life and play a significant role in maintaining his or her overall health. Providing oral health education to mothers and families is essential to teaching children healthy habits and preventing early childhood tooth decay, according to an article published in the May/June 2010 issue of General Dentistry, the peer-reviewed clinical journal of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD).

With all of the challenges that new parents face, they may not think much about the link between their child's oral health and overall health. In fact, an understanding of oral hygiene can help parents to prevent tooth decayóthe single most common chronic childhood disease in Americaóand to create a lifetime of healthy habits for their child.

"Ideally, the oral health education for any family will begin with prenatal education and the establishment of a dental home by the time the child is 12 to 18 months of age," says Tegwyn Brickhouse, DDS, author of the study. "Many people don't realize that the oral health of the mother affects both the infant's future oral health and the child's overall health. In fact, some studies show that periodontal disease has been linked to preterm labor. That's why pregnant women should be evaluated for cavities, poor oral hygiene, gingivitis, loose teeth and diet."

After the child is born, families should become familiar with their child's dental and oral health milestones, which will be determined by discussion with the family dentist or a pediatric dentist. Children should have their first dental visit at age 1 or within six months of the eruption of their first tooth. A dentist will be able to discuss when parents can expect to see a child's first tooth and the best technique for brushing his or her new teeth.

Diet is another factor that affects a child's oral health. Frequent and long-term exposure to liquids that contain sugars commonly results in tooth decay. In addition to eliminating sugary drinks altogether from a child's diet, parents can adopt other habits to prevent tooth decay due to beverage consumption.

"Parents should avoid giving their children milk, formula, juice or soda at naptime or nighttime," says Bruce DeGinder, DDS, MAGD, spokesperson for the AGD. "The sugars will linger on their teeth and gums for a prolonged period of time, promoting decay."

Parents are responsible for their child's oral hygiene practices and are advised to meet with a general dentist to determine the best way to establish and maintain their child's oral health. A general dentist also can provide families with oral health literature that is designed to educate both the parent and child. This education has multiple benefits; as Dr. Brickhouse notes, "Healthy teeth in early childhood can provide a positive self-image and improve the child's quality of life."

To read the entire article please visit KnowYourTeeth.com

Advanced Dentistry of Spring   
Stephen D. Glass, DDS  
Joel C. Edgar, DDS
7000 Louetta Road, Suite A
Spring, TX 77379
(281) 376-1214 
WhiterSmiles.com

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay: Causes & Prevention

Even though they are temporary, your child's baby teeth are important, and are still susceptible to cavities. Tooth decay in infants and toddlers is often referred to as Baby Bottle Tooth Decay, or Early Childhood Caries. Children need strong, healthy teeth to chew their food, speak and have a good-looking smile. Their first teeth also help make sure their adult teeth come in correctly. It’s important to start infants off with good oral care to help protect their teeth for decades to come. 

What Causes Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay most often occurs in the upper front teeth, but other teeth may also be affected.

There are many factors which can cause tooth decay. One common cause is the frequent, prolonged exposure of the baby’s teeth to drinks that contain sugar. Tooth decay can occur when the baby is put to bed with a bottle, or when a bottle is used as a pacifier for a fussy baby. 

Tooth decay is a disease that can begin with cavity-causing bacteria being passed from the mother (or primary caregiver) to the infant. These bacteria are passed through the saliva. When the mother puts the baby’s feeding spoon in her mouth, or cleans a pacifier in her mouth, the bacteria can be passed to the baby. 

If your infant or toddler does not receive an adequate amount of fluoride, they may also have an increased risk for tooth decay. The good news is that decay is preventable. 

Preventing Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

• Try not to share saliva with the baby through common use of feeding spoons or licking pacifiers. After each feeding, wipe your child’s gums with a clean, damp gauze pad or washcloth. 
• When your child’s teeth come in, brush them gently with a child-size toothbrush and a smear (or grain of rice sized amount) of fluoride toothpaste until the age of 3. 
• Brush the teeth with a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste from the ages of 3 to 6.
• Supervise brushing until your child can be counted on to spit and not swallow toothpaste—usually not before he or she is 6 or 7. 
• Place only formula, milk or breast milk in bottles. Avoid filling the bottle with liquids such as sugar water, juice or soft drinks. 
• Infants should finish their bedtime and nap time bottles before going to bed. 
• If your child uses a pacifier, provide one that is clean—don’t dip it in sugar or honey. 
• Encourage your child to drink from a cup by his/her first birthday. 
• Encourage healthy eating habits. 

When your child’s first tooth appears, talk to your dentist about scheduling the first dental visit. Treat the first dental visit as you would a well-baby checkup with the child’s physician. Remember: starting early is the key to a lifetime of good dental health. For more information about nutrition and your baby, visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

To read the entire article visit mouthhealthy.org

Advanced Dentistry of Spring   
Stephen D. Glass, DDS  
Joel C. Edgar, DDS
7000 Louetta Road, Suite A
Spring, TX 77379
(281) 376-1214 
WhiterSmiles.com

Baby Teeth: When Do They Come in & Fall Out? (Part 2 of 2)

When Do Baby Teeth Fall Out

Once all the baby teeth have fully come in, it is very important to keep up with twice daily brushing to keep them clean and strong. It is recommended that parents brush their kids' teeth until the age of eight. During that time, those new baby teeth will begin to wiggle and fall out.

Baby teeth usually begin falling out in order of appearance. The lower center teeth go first, followed by the top center pair, and so on. This usually starts happening by age six, but some kids can start losing teeth as early as age four. Most children get excited when they feel their teeth start to wiggle (and the Tooth Fairy’s inevitable visit is also a big help), while some kids worry that losing a tooth will hurt when it falls out. If your child is worried, you can reassure him or her that they probably won't feel anything. A baby tooth typically won’t loosen until the permanent tooth below begins pushing it up to take its place. But it is possible for kids to lose a baby tooth before the permanent tooth is ready to erupt.

The Emergence Of Permanent Teeth

Once permanent teeth start coming in, you may notice that these new teeth look bigger, and you are correct. Adult teeth are not only bigger, but they also tend to be less white than baby teeth and have pronounced ridges because they haven't been used yet for biting and chewing.

To read the entire article visit crest.com

Advanced Dentistry of Spring   
Stephen D. Glass, DDS  
Joel C. Edgar, DDS
7000 Louetta Road, Suite A
Spring, TX 77379
(281) 376-1214 
WhiterSmiles.com

Baby Teeth: When Do They Come in & Fall Out? (Part 1 of 2)

Your child’s first set of teeth is as much of a milestone coming in as they are when they are wiggling loose. With the anticipation and anxiety associated with both events, it is understandable that parents want to know when to expect their baby’s first teeth to come in and when those baby teeth will fall out.

When Do Baby Teeth Come In

So, how many baby teeth are there? There are 20 primary baby teeth that are already present in a child’s jaw at birth, and they usually start appearing – or erupting– between six months and one year. You can expect your child’s full set of teeth to come in by age three. You can also refer to a baby teeth chart for this. Just remember that every child is different, so no exact dates should be expected, but below is an approximate order of when you can expect baby teeth to come in:

1. Lower center teeth (or lower center incisors) arrive between approximately six to ten months.
2. Top center teeth (or top center incisors) arrive around eight to 12 months.
3. Lateral incisors—just to the side of the center ones—come next between nine and 13 months.
4. Canines between 16 and 23 months.
5. Molars are next, with the first molars arriving between 13 to 19 months and the second molars arriving between 23 and 33 months./li>

When baby teeth begin pushing their way up through your baby’s gums, it can prove to be a very stressful time for both you and your child. Common baby teeth eruption symptoms are inflamed gums, excessive drooling, chewing on things, and irritability. It’s important to bear with your child during this time and maintain proper infant oral hygiene.

To read the entire article visit crest.com

Advanced Dentistry of Spring   
Stephen D. Glass, DDS  
Joel C. Edgar, DDS
7000 Louetta Road, Suite A
Spring, TX 77379
(281) 376-1214 
WhiterSmiles.com

6 Ways to Reduce Your Child's Sugary Snacking (Part 1 of 3)

When working with her young patients, pediatric dentist and ADA spokesperson Dr. Mary Hayes teaches them this simple, but important, saying: “Sugar is fun to eat, but not good for your teeth!”

That’s because your child might love sweet treats, but the bacteria in his or her mouth loves them even more. “Sucrose (sugar) is the ‘food’ for the bacteria that cause tooth decay,” Dr. Hayes says. “Those bacteria produce acid that etches away the teeth.”

Limiting the amount of sugar your entire family eats is good for your teeth and key to your overall health. Here are some dentist-recommended ways to start saying good-bye to unnecessary sugar throughout the day.

Know the Limits
When choosing a snack, keep an eye on added sugar (sweeteners like corn syrup or white sugar that are added to prepared foods). Naturally occurring sugars are less worrisome, as they are found in healthy choices like milk and fruit.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends that people age 3 and older should consume no more than 12.5 tsp. each day of added sugar. (The same as one can of soda.) The World Health Organization states that adults should consume no more than 6 tsp. of added sugar, and children should have no more than 3 tsp. 

When reading labels, you’ll see sugar is listed in grams. Since 1 tsp. of sugar equals 4 grams, aim to make sure the foods you are feeding your child fall between 12 to 50 grams a day.

The Truth About Juice
Because juice is high in sugar and calories, water and milk are always the best options for your little one. In fact, if your child is under 1 years old, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests completely removing juice from his or her diet. 

Older children can occasionally drink juice, but if they do, there are two things to remember:

• Children ages 1-6 should have no more than 4-6 oz. of juice each day, according to pediatric guidelines. Children ages 7 to 18 should drink no more than 8-12 oz. (Many juice boxes are about 6 oz., so younger children should have no more than one per day, and older children no more than two.)
• Allowing your child to sip on juice throughout the day puts him or her at higher risk for tooth decay because you’re giving that cavity-causing bacteria more opportunities to eat and produce the acid that eats away at teeth. This can also happen with juice that is watered down. “Even though the volume of sugar has decreased, you’ve added the time that it takes to drink it,” says ADA spokesperson Dr. Jonathan Shenkin.

So what’s a parent to do? Limit the amount of juice your children drink, and always offer water or milk first. If your child does drink juice, serve the recommended, age-appropriate limits at mealtimes only. When your family is done eating, clean up any leftover juice instead of letting your children leave the table with it.

To read the entire article visit MouthHealthy.org.

Advanced Dentistry of Spring   
Stephen D. Glass, DDS  
Joel C. Edgar, DDS
7000 Louetta Road, Suite A
Spring, TX 77379
(281) 376-1214 
WhiterSmiles.com

When Should My Child First See a Dentist?

Your child's first visit to the dentist should happen before his or her first birthday. The general rule is six months after eruption of the first tooth. Taking your child to the dentist at a young age is the best way to prevent problems such as tooth decay, and can help parents learn how to clean their child's teeth and identify his or her fluoride needs. After all, decay can occur as soon as teeth appear. Bringing your child to the dentist early often leads to a lifetime of good oral care habits and acclimates your child to the dental office, thereby reducing anxiety and fear, which will make for plenty of stress-free visits in the future. 

To read the entire article, visit: KnowYourTeeth.com

Advanced Dentistry of Spring   
Stephen D. Glass, DDS  
Joel C. Edgar, DDS
7000 Louetta Road, Suite A
Spring, TX 77379
(281) 376-1214 
WhiterSmiles.com

Choosing Wisely: 5 Things Every Family Should Know About Dental Health (Part 2 of 3)

Ask about all the options for calming your child during dental procedures 












Dental work can be scary for some kids. Talk with your dentist about ways to help your child stay calm. Tips for a successful dental visit can include making sure your child is not hungry before their dental appointment and scheduling an appointment at the proper time of day.

For jaw pain, try conservative treatments first 












Jaw pain can be caused by stress, arthritis or an injury. A treatment plan for jaw pain should first consist of actions like exercises and anti-inflammatory drugs.

To read the entire article visit MouthHealthy.org.

Advanced Dentistry of Spring   
Stephen D. Glass, DDS  
Joel C. Edgar, DDS
7000 Louetta Road, Suite A
Spring, TX 77379
(281) 376-1214 
WhiterSmiles.com

Choosing Wisely: 5 Things Every Family Should Know About Dental Health (Part 1 of 3)

Use toothpaste with fluoride for infants and children 












For children younger than 3 years, you should begin brushing a child’s teeth with fluoride toothpaste in an amount no larger than a grain of rice. For children 3 to 6 years of age, use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.

Consider sealants to prevent decay or treat beginning cavities on the back teeth 












Dental sealants act as a barrier to prevent cavities. They are a plastic material applied by a dentist to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth where decay occurs most often.

To read the entire article visit MouthHealthy.org.

Advanced Dentistry of Spring   
Stephen D. Glass, DDS  
Joel C. Edgar, DDS
7000 Louetta Road, Suite A
Spring, TX 77379
(281) 376-1214 
WhiterSmiles.com

Dental Sealants for Children

Learn more about what the American Dental Association has to say about the importance of dental sealants as a preventive dental treatment for your children!

The above video is found on the American Dental Association YouTube Channel.

Advanced Dentistry of Spring   
Stephen D. Glass, DDS  
Joel C. Edgar, DDS
7000 Louetta Road, Suite A
Spring, TX 77379
(281) 376-1214 
WhiterSmiles.com

Children's Dental Sealants

Preventing Child Tooth Decay – the Easy Way!

We know that children (and adults) often don't do the best job of brushing their teeth. And in truth, even meticulous brushing may not always reach the deep grooves in the back teeth. This allows the development of bacteria, acids, and plaque, which will lead to decay. And once the tooth has decay, it is damaged forever and will need a filling or a crown. Fortunately, the application of dental sealants can help. The tooth (or teeth) is cleaned and sterilized. A thin white or clear plastic coating is applied. Then, a curing light is directed at the sealant to bond it into place. The whole procedure takes just a few minutes. There are no shots, drills, or removal of any tooth structure. Applying dental sealants is one of the best preventive items that both children and adolescents can have done to preserve their natural teeth!

Advanced Dentistry of Spring   
Stephen D. Glass, DDS  
Joel C. Edgar, DDS
7000 Louetta Road, Suite A
Spring, TX 77379
(281) 376-1214 
WhiterSmiles.com

Ask the Dentist by the ADA: 'My Child Lost a Tooth! Now What?'

The American Dental Association has created informative videos called Ask the Dentist. Here is their video on: 'My Child Lost a Tooth! Now What?'

The above video is found on the American Dental Association YouTube Channel.

Advanced Dentistry of Spring   
Stephen D. Glass, DDS  
Joel C. Edgar, DDS
7000 Louetta Road, Suite A
Spring, TX 77379
(281) 376-1214 
WhiterSmiles.com

Ask the Dentist by the ADA: 'Should I Pull Out My Child’s Loose Tooth?'

The American Dental Association has created informative videos called Ask the Dentist. Here is their video on: 'Should I Pull Out My Childís Loose Tooth?'

The above video is found on the American Dental Association YouTube Channel.

Advanced Dentistry of Spring   
Stephen D. Glass, DDS  
Thomas C. Miller, DDS
7000 Louetta Road, Suite A
Spring, TX 77379
(281) 376-1214 
WhiterSmiles.com

Brushing Your Kid's Teeth

It’s never too early to get children in the habit of good oral care. Of course, it’s up to parents to take the “first steps.” Finding new ways to model good dental habits and practice them with your kids is key. The sooner kids begin to take charge of their own teeth, the happier and healthier they (and you) will be. And the payoffs over a lifetime are immeasurable.

Don’t Worry-You’re Not Alone 
If you think it’s a challenge to teach your kids good oral care, you’re in good company. Tooth decay is one of the most common childhood diseases. And studies show that almost 50% of kids between six and eight have had at least one cavity.1 These are just a couple of reasons why it’s so important to help kids understand right from the start that proper dental habits are a smart idea.

To read the entire article visit OralB.com.

Advanced Dentistry of Spring   
Stephen D. Glass, DDS  
Joel C. Edgar, DDS
7000 Louetta Road, Suite A
Spring, TX 77379
(281) 376-1214 
WhiterSmiles.com

Children's Dentistry

We Care About Kids!

We aim to make children of all ages feel at ease and enjoy themselves, so bring the whole family along! You can know that your child will receive the newest advancements in modern children's dentistry, delivered with caring, thoughtfulness, and empathy. We encourage proper dental care habits in children and delight in teaching them how to keep their teeth healthy for a lifetime. We hope to see them for their first dental visit when they're three years old and aspire to watch them grow year after year.

Advanced Dentistry of Spring  
Stephen D. Glass, DDS 
Thomas C. Miller, DDS
7000 Louetta Road, Suite A
Spring, TX 77379
(281) 376-1214
WhiterSmiles.com