I work as a clerical assistant in a pediatric dental office, and I am commonly surprised by the number of children who are scared of the dentist. Many kids think that cleanings will be painful, and they believe they will be scolded for eating sugary foods. Children are also extremely frightful of the noises made by the water spraying tools and the suction devices. As adults, we know that dental cleanings are easy and free of pain. We need to impart this knowledge to our children so they know not to fear the dentist. I have provided blogs that will help you speak with your child about dental care. Good communication, trips to your own dentist, and online videos can assist you. So will good brushing techniques that will make your child proud to see the dentist. Enjoy my articles so you can help your child build oral care confidence.
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Teaching Your Children About the Dentist
Do You Struggle With Stained Teeth? 3 Tips to Identify and Treat Fluorosis
Alfred Kelley
A set of perfectly white teeth is associated with good oral hygiene as well as a youthful appearance. While teeth come in varying shades of white, the color should be fairly uniform throughout the surface of the enamel. Unfortunately, too much exposure to fluoride during the early childhood years is associated with problems such as staining, white spots and pitting that can all detract from your smile. These discolorations will also not come off with whitening products due to their intrinsic nature. Fortunately, you do have options to treat fluorosis, and you can use this information to spark a conversation up with your dentist about how to improve the color of your smile.
Make Sure It's Actually Fluorosis
The first thing that you need to do is make sure that you are actually dealing with fluorosis. Most likely, you do have fluorosis if your permanent teeth grew in with white spots or if you have known risk factors such as using fluoride treatments or swallowing a lot of toothpaste as a child. However, your dentist will need to conduct a thorough exam since white spots can also indicate early areas of decay.
Consider the Different Types of Treatment Options
Fluorosis does not usually need to be treated unless the condition causes you embarrassment, which is common with severe discolorations and stains. Resin bonding is one option that you may explore that is used to coat your teeth with a uniformly colored material. While this is effective, the bonding material does tend to chip off over time. Porcelain dental veneers are a more permanent option that consist of a thin shell that is adhered to the surface of your teeth. These are often preferable because they give a more uniform look to your smile and require minimal maintenance.
Understand How Veneers Work
Dental veneers are also typically preferred when only the front surface of your tooth needs corrective treatment. This is because veneers only require a small amount of tooth enamel to be removed compared to the larger amount of tooth shaping that occurs with crowns. To get veneers, you should anticipate having one to two visits to the dentist after your initial consultation. At your first visit, impressions are made of your teeth that are then used to make the veneers. The veneers are then applied at your second visit. Once placed, you can proceed with your normal eating and oral hygiene habits. However, you may need to avoid things such as chewing on hard objects that could damage the porcelain veneers.
You deserve a beautiful smile, and you cannot help being exposed to too much fluoride during your childhood. However, you do have the choice to take control over how your teeth look now. By exploring your options, you can eliminate the embarrassment that you feel about white spots and stains on your teeth so that you always feel like smiling.
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