A common question about pediatric teeth that I often receive is, “When should my child stop using a pacifier?” Pacifiers have been recognized by the Academy of Pediatrics as a key factor in reducing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), so dentists are aware that pacifier use is beneficial, but it should also wrap up before negatively affecting a child’s permanent teeth. We recommend pacifiers should be discontinued by the age of five.

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Baby teeth. Deciduous teeth. Milk teeth. Your child’s first set of teeth will, in most cases, fall out. But while they are not permanent, they are very important.

Baby teeth maintain space for their permanent counterparts. They are essential in function and phonetics and jaw development. So we need to take care of them.

The first step in insuring that your children have healthy mouths is to take them to visit a dentist.

When should you take your child to the dentist?

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As a dentist, the most important thing a patient can do to prevent cavities is use good oral hygiene. This means flossing and brushing twice a day. Literature shows that using an ADA approved toothpaste with fluoride can significantly reduce the amount of cavities in your mouth. But what if you were stranded on a desert island, with no drug-store in sight to purchase toothpaste and floss? What then?

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“I want whiter teeth!” My patients tell me this at least 10 times a day! Whitening your teeth is a simple and effective way to make your smile more aesthetic. So how do I do it? Whitening products may be administered by dentists or purchased over-the-counter (OTC), and can be in the form of peroxide-containing gels or toothpaste.

Carbamide peroxide, used in many bleaching products, breaks down into hydrogen peroxide and urea, with hydrogen peroxide being the active bleaching agent. This is a safe method of whitening your teeth but it does not come with out some minor side-effects. The most commonly observed side effects with these peroxide-based bleaching agents are tooth sensitivity and occasional irritation of soft tissues in the mouth (oral mucosa), particularly the gums. Both tooth sensitivity and tissue irritation are usually temporary and stop after the treatment.

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