Produced to improve your dental health and awareness Spring 2008

Ask us about the great dental products we sell in the offi ce

forShari C. Kohn DDS, PA

Everyday Information…For everyday use Children should never sleep with a

bottle or sippy cup containing formula, milk or juice or nurse or breast feed at will during the night. This can cause severe decay. At night – plain water only. Provide toothbrushes with soft

bristles, use fl uoride toothpaste when advised by our doctors. Fluoride toothpaste should always be supervised. Teach your child as you brush their teeth – oral hygiene (brushing & fl ossing) is a parent’s responsibility! Children should wear mouthguards

when playing sports or learning to ride a bike, scooter, roller blades, etc. Store bought for baby teeth or mixed baby and permanent teeth. For kids/teens with permanent teeth and for serious athletes – ask about custom-fi tted mouthguards! Braces need special oral hygiene

care and instruction. Many orthodontic patients are seen more often than twice yearly for cleanings. Poor oral hygiene during orthodontic treatment can cause irreversible discolorations to the teeth – if you need convincing we have the pictures to show you and your child.

Sincerely,

Dr. Shari C. Kohn, Dr. Lauren K. Ballinger

Does your little one have a front tooth that is dark or discolored? So does my 2½ year old son, Jack. Does it break your heart when he/she smiles at you? It does mine! Approximately 30% of young children experience dental trauma. The peak period for trauma to primary “ baby” teeth is 18-40 months of age. This is a time of increased mobility for toddlers who are just learning to walk or run and when most early dental injuries occur.

When a tooth gets “bumped” it may turn dark 2-3 weeks after the injury. The discoloration depends on the severity of damage to the blood supply that nourishes the tooth. The discolored or dark tooth can be compared to a “tooth bruise.” Some discolored teeth will lighten up several months after the injury - some will not.

The most important thing parents should do is to contact a Pediatric Dentist. We will take a base-line x-ray of the tooth/teeth injured. This allows us to diagnose a tooth fracture, boney fracture or tooth displacement from its normal position. Most importantly, this x-ray will show the position of the permanent tooth and allows us to compare how the body responds to the injury over time with future x-rays.

The outcomes of dark tooth trauma vary widely. Consequently, so does the treatment needed. We may simply put your child on the appropriate observation schedule to closely monitor the tooth’s healing or we may have to remove the tooth immediately. If a tooth was severely damaged it may develop an abscess and need to be extracted – (a “bubble” or “pimple” above the injured tooth would indicate an abscess/infection). We do not want the abscess spreading and affecting the development of the permanent tooth or even worse spreading throughout the body. or even worse spreading throughout the body. or even worseExtraction is recommended because baby front teeth are: (1) usually lost at an early age; (2) young children cannot cooperate well enough for root canal therapy; and (3) space maintenance is not necessary in the front.

If the tooth does not lighten and is not causing pain problems, or infection, there is nothing dentally or medically that we need to do. In very young children, a cosmetic “fi x” is not a practical or viable option since the baby teeth will eventually fall out and be replaced by the permanent teeth. So, as parents, we will just have to look at that dark tooth when our child smiles and “deal” with it. I personally fi nd it a little heartbreaking to see my beautiful son with a dark tooth, but I often remind myself it could have been a lot worse. His tooth has lightened up a bit. I have been monitoring him closely with several x-rays and I keep a “look out” for an abscess above his dark tooth. I will keep you all informed of his progress.

SPECIAL NOTE – Please realize that this treatment for baby teeth is not the same treatment for permanent teeth.

Primary (Baby) Dark Tooth TraumaBy Dr. Lauren Ballinger

fromthedentists

weeks after the injury. The discoloration depends on the severity of damage

Jack Ballinger

Match the staff

member with their petBuddy

Penny

Gunther

Stephanie

Dr. Kohn

Danielle

Laurie

CheebaStuart Little

Do Pets Really Look Like Their Owners?Do Pets Really Look Like Their Owners?

2

Sarah

Dr. Ballinger

Smokey

BertJennifer

Annie

Thomas

Chris

Courtney

See answers on page 3.

2827

3-40

183

CU

STO

M IN

SID

E

Three staff members from Dentistry for Kids recently participated in a charitable dental mission to Ecuador with Ecuadent. Danielle Bisesi and Laurie Josell (dental hygienists) and Sarah Mulnick (dental assistant) traveled to Esmeraldas, Ecuador as part of a 23 member dental team. The entire mission group actually consisted of both a medical team and a dental team, and all those involved worked to provide needed medical and dental services to the underserved children of Ecuador.

Studies have shown that more than 50% of kids’ cavities develop on the groovy chewing surfaces of the teeth. We now have a way to cover these surfaces with a protective material called a sealant so that decay does not occur on these areas. The sealant creates an impenetrable barrier to plaque and bacteria. There’s no discomfort in the application of sealants and the results can be no decay for up to fi fteen years.

Sealants are designed for the back or molar teeth. Sealants are typically placed on permanent teeth. The main reason for this is that while sealants are a simple procedure, it is often diffi cult for very young kids to sit still and follow the directions needed in order to place the sealants. Sealants are typically applied to the 6 year and 12 year molars and premolar teeth. In just a matter of minutes this bonded tooth-colored material can be applied directly to the cavity-prone biting surfaces. We just need kids that can sit still for a few minutes – if the teeth get wet during the application process, the sealants won’t stick!

Studies have shown that sealants are one of the main contributing factors to the decline in cavities in children. During your child’s check-ups, we will evaluate to see if your child is ready to have them applied. It is not just simply the tooth that will determine whether or not a child is ready for sealants. Eruption – how much the tooth has grown into position, saliva fl ow, medical history, special needs, and behavior, including attention span, are just some of the criteria

evaluated and needed for successful sealants. Not every child that would benefi t from a sealant is able to receive them.

Sealants are small bonded wonders! An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

Ounce of prevention … pound of cure!

Staff Members Go To

Ecuador

The dental team left on February 14th and returned on The dental team left on February 14th and returned on February 24th. During their time in Ecuador, they treated hundreds of children who needed dental care and more than half of the patients were orphans. In addition to working in their makeshift “dental clinic” at the Esmeraldas Naval Hospital, the team also took time one evening to visit a local orphanage to play and dance with the children, as well as deliver gifts and toys.

The entire experience was truly amazing for Danielle, Laurie and Sarah. All three appreciate the support and donations from Dentistry for Kids - Drs. Kohn & Ballinger, and all the staff members.

As teeth develop, deep grooves called fissures naturally occur and where these grooves cross is called pits. These areas account for more than 50% of cavities among children.

Seal Out Tooth Decay

Tooth fissureSealant

3

Courtney & Cheeba, Laurie & Gunther, Stephanie & Buddy, Dr. Kohn & Penny, Danielle & Stuart Little, Sarah & Bert, Dr. Ballinger & Thomas, Jennifer & Smokey, Chris & Annie

Staff & Pet Answer Key

Information included is not dental or medical advice. For your specifi c information be sure to consult our offi ce. If you do not wish to receive this newsletter, please contact us directly.

Contents may not be reproduced without permission from the publisher. © PATIENT NEWS PUBLISHING (800) 667-0268

28273-P84-40183 CUSTOM

Shari C. Kohn DDS, PALauren K. Ballinger, DDSChristine Bartholomey - Office Manager100 Sparks Valley Road, Suite CHunt Valley, MD 21152-9234

Office HoursMon-Fri 8:00 am – 5:00 pm*Saturday 8:00 am – 1:00 pm** by appointment

Contact InformationOffice (410) 771-8200Fax (410) 771-8201Email thedentist4kids@comcast.netWeb site www.toothfairy2.com

for

Your child: from six weeks to six years

Your child’s dental development begins six weeks into pregnancy – a little early for brushing and fl ossing! Around 6-8 months after birth, teeth break through the gums, usually lower teeth fi rst, upper teeth later. These teeth hold space for the future permanent teeth, which begin forming at birth and begin to erupt or “grow in” between the ages of 5 and 7. By the time a child is 2½ -3 years old they should have 20 teeth. We prefer spaces between these baby teeth which means more room for the developing permanent teeth which are usually much larger. This can reduce the likelihood of orthodontic treatment later. More space also means less food and plaque getting stuck between the teeth making them

HO

W D

O T

HE

Y G

RO

W?

Dental Nutrition TipsTraditional wisdom

holds that sweets and snacks are the biggest culprits when it comes to cavities. But certain carbohydrates found in breads, cakes, pizzas, and even rice can be just as damaging as a piece of candy. How we eat and drink can even be more important to good dental health. Research shows that the cavity-causing power of a food depends on many factors: frequency of consumption, texture (stickiness), and how long the food remains in your mouth before being swallowed, rinsed or brushed off.

A balanced, nutritious diet is also preferable because your body’s total health is directly related to your dental health. Some foods with high fi ber content, like apples or carrots, can be helpful at the end of a meal, increasing

easier to clean and may even result in less cavities.Between ages 5 and 7, permanent teeth begin to

erupt – every child is different - so don’t worry if other kids your child’s age have lost more or fewer teeth. Sometimes the permanent teeth appear behind the baby teeth before the baby teeth fall out - this can look like two rows of teeth. If the baby teeth are not loose, contact our offi ce - sometimes these teeth may need help coming out.

Please schedule your child’s fi rst visit to our offi ce 6 months after the fi rst tooth erupts or at age one. We can get to know each other, and make sure their dental development and oral health is on the right track.

even be more important to good dental

SODA ==

There are 11 teaspoons

in one soda ... make the healthy choice!

Healthy Choices

• It isn’t just about sugar •salivary fl ow which decreases salivary fl ow which decreases the time the “bad” sugars the time the “bad” sugars and starches remain in your and starches remain in your mouth. A soft drink or juice mouth. A soft drink or juice sipped slowly is far more sipped slowly is far more harmful to the teeth than if harmful to the teeth than if consumed quickly. Drinking consumed quickly. Drinking it with a meal lessens risk it with a meal lessens risk further because other foods further because other foods reduce the drink’s potential to reduce the drink’s potential to cause cavities. The number of cause cavities. The number of

meals or snacks consumed during a day meals or snacks consumed during a day is also an important factor. Our body’s natural decay-fi ghting mechanisms need some “down time” between food and drink consumption to do their job – not enough recovery time weakens their effectiveness. Choices like raw vegetables or fresh fruits are smart snack options. Avoid sticky or gummy snacks such as fruit snacks and raisins. Make sure you brush and fl oss your child’s teeth well every day – especially at bedtime - with a small amount of fl uoride toothpaste!

Th i s c l ea r p las t i c model shows the tooth development of an average six year old. From back to front (L to R) you can see the twelve year molars are unerupted, six year molars have just erupted, the primary molars are present with the permanent premolars developing above and below them, and the canine or cuspid teeth with their developing permanent teeth above and below them.