You have to love the age when our children start losing teeth!  Seeing their little faces when they discover that they have their first loose tooth is priceless.

Sometimes, the permanent teeth get a little ahead of themselves and start to erupt even if the baby teeth are still in place.  Most of the time, this is actually very normal.  If the baby tooth is loose and it looks as if a bit of wiggling is all it needs to come out, then this does not constitute a dental emergency.  Once the baby tooth is lost, the tongue will act as an orthodontic appliance and move the new tooth into place.

There are times when this is not normal and the dentist should be contacted.  If the baby tooth is not very loose and the permanent tooth is erupting, you should call the office as soon as you can so that the dentist can evaluate the area to rule out the need for extraction.

Editor’s Note: One of our missions at the office of Dr. Cajulis is to keep our patients up to speed on the latest information in regards to dental health.  We are constantly scouring industry resources to provide the most current news and information as it applies to better patient oral health and well-being.  Following is some information as cited on the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry website on some facts and statistics on tooth decay.

Did you know?

1. Tooth decay is the single most common chronic childhood disease.  It is 5x more common than asthma and 7x more common than hay fever.
2. Over 40%-50% of children will be affected by tooth decay before age 5.
3. According to the May 2000 Surgeon General’s report, Oral Health in America, more than 51 million school hours are lost each year to dental related conditions.

Sources: American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, Office of the Surgeon General

It is easy for most of us to overlook all of the ways that our teeth have an impact upon our daily lives from birth to old age – from affecting the overall look of our face and enjoying foods, to the important role they play in helping to prevent health problems in other parts of our body, including our heart. Teeth are a wonderfully complex part of the human body.

You may not realize it, but your baby is born with a complete set of teeth; small as they are, hidden in the deep recesses of the jawbone.

From birth to about the age of 3, you will witness in your child the gradual eruption of 20 primary teeth, also called “baby teeth.” Primary teeth are important because they are essential in the development and location of what they will eventually be replaced by: a full set of 32 permanent teeth (16 each on top and bottom) in the adolescent and young adult.

Primary teeth maintain the spaces where permanent teeth will later erupt, and also help in speech development and aesthetics. Take good care of your child`s primary teeth. Even though primary teeth last only a few years, decay, cavities and infection can take their toll, and may require expensive treatment.

Your child will generally have all his or her primary teeth by the age of 3, and will keep all of them until age 5 or 6, when they begin to loosen and fall out. The first primary teeth to shed are typically the front teeth on the bottom. The process of shedding primary teeth usually lasts until the child is 12 or 13. It is common for your child to retain some primary teeth to the age of 12 or 13; this is usually the case with molars and canines.

It is important to properly care for your child’s primary teeth because they ultimately affect the development of your child’s permanent teeth. Primary teeth serve many purposes, including:

• Chewing and eating
• Paving the way for permanent teeth
• Development of the jaw bone and muscles
• Speech and appearance

If your child loses a primary tooth too soon (either from injury or disease), the permanent tooth may not be ready to erupt. Consequently, surrounding teeth may “hog” the space left by the lost primary tooth, leading to problems later on when the permanent tooth begins to erupt. When primary teeth erupt out of their proper positions, this may lead to “malocclusion,” which causes teeth to become misaligned, crowded, or crooked. Consult our office if you think your child loses a primary tooth too soon. In many cases, future problems can be avoided by space maintainers, which are appliances that hold surrounding teeth at bay. Once the permanent tooth is ready to erupt, the appliance may be removed.

The first permanent molars (which are not preceded by primary teeth) begin erupting around the age of 6. Extra care should be given to this first set of molars; they have a significant impact on the structure and position of future erupting teeth and, consequently, the shape of your child’s lower face in later years.

Throughout your child’s formative years (up and through the age of 21), the bones and muscles the face are constantly growing, shifting and changing. Most important (and visible to no one because it happens so gradually) is the fact that a child’s jaw expands over a period of time, making way for an increase of 12 additional teeth. By about age 14, your child should have a full set of 28 permanent teeth, plus four additional teeth, called wisdom teeth, that grow behind the permanent teeth in late adolescence.

Healthy eating habits lead to healthy teeth. Like the rest of the body, the teeth, bones and the soft tissues of the mouth need a well-balanced diet. Children should eat a variety of foods from the five major food groups. Most snacks that children eat can lead to cavity formation. The more frequently a child snacks, the greater the chance for tooth decay. How long food remains in the mouth also plays a role. For example, hard candy and breath mints stay in the mouth a long time, which cause longer acid attacks on tooth enamel. If your child must snack, choose nutritious foods such as vegetables, low-fat yogurt, and low-fat cheese which are healthier and better for children’s teeth.

Toothache: Clean the area of the affected tooth thoroughly. Rinse the mouth vigorously with warm water or use dental floss to dislodge impacted food or debris. If the pain still exists, contact your child’s dentist. DO NOT place aspirin on the gum or on the aching tooth. If the face is swollen apply a cold compresses and contact your dentist immediately.

Cut or Bitten Tongue, Lip or Cheek: Apply ice to bruised areas. If there is bleeding apply firm but gentle pressure with a gauze or cloth. If bleeding does not stop after 15 minutes or it cannot be controlled by simple pressure, take the child to a hospital emergency room.

Knocked Out Permanent Tooth: Find the tooth. Handle the tooth by the crown, not the root portion. You may rinse the tooth but DO NOT clean or handle the tooth unnecessarily. Inspect the tooth for fractures. If it is sound, try to reinsert it in the socket. Have the patient hold the tooth in place by biting on a gauze. If you cannot reinsert the tooth, transport the tooth in a cup containing the patient’s saliva or milk. If the patient is old enough, the tooth may also be carried in the patient’s mouth. The patient must see a dentist IMMEDIATELY! Time is a critical factor in saving the tooth.

Some children are given nitrous oxide, also known as “laughing gas”, to help them relax for dental treatment. Nitrous oxide is a blend of two gases, oxygen and nitrogen, and it is given through a small breathing mask placed over the child’s nose. The gas is mild, easily taken, and quickly eliminated from the body. The relaxed state it produces in the patient allows them to respond more favorably to treatment. Nitrous Oxide is very safe. Your child will remain fully awake and alert.

What is Monitored Anesthesia Care?

MAC is a general description for a variety of anesthetic techniques designed to help patients relax and be totally comfortable for the procedure being performed.  After a preoperative  interview and a brief physical evaluation, a fully trained and licensed anesthesiologist administers anesthetic medications which eliminate pain, reduce stress, and maintain the patient in a pleasant state of relaxation as the dental team performs the necessary dental procedures.

With MAC, none of the sensations typically associated with dentistry are experienced.  The patient will not even remember the dental procedures being performed.

The dentist anesthesiologist continuously monitors the patient and maintains patient safety throughout the dental procedure.  During the entire appointment, the patient receives the undivided attention of the anesthesiologist.  Following the completion of the dental work, the patient is carefully attended by the anesthesiologist until awake, stable and ready to go home accompanied by a responsible adult.

Who Can Benefit from IV Sedation?

• Special Needs Children
•  Infants or young children with an extensive treatment plan
• Children who have a history of being uncooperative during dental treatment

The dentist anesthesiologist brings hospital dentistry technology to the dental office.

Welcome to the office of Dr. Trilla Cajulis, a leading pediatric dental care practice in the Eastlake community of Chula Vista, California. We understand the importance of good dental hygiene and oral care and are committed to providing your family with the best care in a relaxing, pleasant atmosphere.

Our goal at Cajulis Pediatric Dentistry is to maximize and maintain the highest level of dental and oral health possible in each and every patient. We wish to improve our patients’ health, self-image, well being and quality of life while helping parents establish a ‘dental home’ for their children. We strive to make each patient feel individually important and give them the best care possible.

Good oral hygiene removes bacteria and the left over food particles that combine to create cavities. For infants, use a wet gauze or clean washcloth to wipe the plaque from teeth and gums. Avoid putting your child to bed with a bottle filled with anything other than water. See “Baby Bottle Tooth Decay” for more information.

For older children, brush their teeth at least twice a day. Also, watch the number of snacks containing sugar that you give your children.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends six month visits to the pediatric dentist beginning at your child’s first birthday. Routine visits will start your child on a lifetime of good dental health.

Your pediatric dentist may also recommend protective sealants or home fluoride treatments for your child. Sealants can be applied to your child’s molars to prevent decay on hard to clean surfaces.