How to Brush a Toddler's Teeth

With National Children's Dental Health Month approaching in February, All Coast Dental wants to remind you about the importance of brushing your toddler’s baby teeth. Baby teeth act as placeholders for adult teeth, and if they are not cleaned properly decay forms and your toddler will have trouble chewing and speaking properly.

The toothbrush you use should have a soft brush and a small head. Using only water, brush the inside and outside of their teeth and gums in gentle circles and the surface of the teeth. We encourage our patients to brush their toddler’s teeth twice a day to prevent plaque buildup. Once your child turns three, you should begin to add fluoride toothpaste.

Don’t forget to change your toddler’s toothbrush every three to four months to avoid bacteria and germs. If your toddler was sick with a cold or flu, we advise our patients to change the toothbrush to prevent the virus from reinfection.

Drs. Julie and Joseph Boulos operate All Coast Dental at 2180 Garnet Ave, Suite 1-K, Pacific Beach, California, 92109. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors please call us at 858-270-4904 or visit All Coast Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

Bite Checks

We provide comfortable, comprehensive care to patients of all ages at All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach. Regular pediatric check-ups aren’t just a chance to provide a professional cleaning and sealants; they’re also a chance to do a bite check. This part of the examination helps us to determine whether a child will need orthodontic work.

Malocclusions, or dental misalignments, are often related to issues such as temporomandibular joint disorder and bruxism. If someone clenches or grinds their teeth in their sleep, they may not be aware of it. But dental hygienists are trained to look for distinctive signs of erosion in enamel that could indicate bruxism, and they’ll ask children whether they’ve experienced soreness in their jaws or necks. In addition to using x-rays to inspect children’s bites, we’ll ask them to demonstrate how they close their teeth together.

A child’s first orthodontic assessment may take place when they are about seven years old, but orthodontic therapy doesn’t usually start until a few years later. By that time, more permanent teeth will have grown in and the jaw bones will be more solidified. If bruxism is a problem, it may be relievable with custom-fitted night guards that can be professionally adjusted as a child grows and their teeth change positions.

Drs. Julie and Joseph Boulos operate All Coast Dental at 2180 Garnet Ave, Suite 1-K, Pacific Beach, California, 92109. To schedule an appointment, call 858-270-4904 or visit All Coast Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Water Flossing with Orthodontics

A little floss goes a long way when it comes to oral health. Flossing is an important step to remove food particles that have been left behind after brushing. Flossing can significantly reduce periodontal disease and cavity-causing causing bacteria that leads to tooth decay but sometimes the act of flossing is difficult for a patient with orthodontics. Doctors at All Coast Dental may suggest using a water flosser for those hard to reach places!

A safe, easy, and effective way to remove plaque around dental braces is to use a water flosser. A water flosser is a handheld device that sprays streams of water in steady pulses. Not only is this beneficial to patients with traditional braces, water flossers are also an option for people who have trouble flossing by hand. You should never get by on flossing alone. It’s important to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss at least once a day to reap the maximum benefits of a healthy mouth.

To learn more about oral health and all the services we offer, visit www.allcoastdental.net for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach, CA, call 858-270-4904.  

A Whiter Smile This Year!

Everyone likes to make a great impression with a nice bright smile.  All Coast Dental provides an at-home whitening system to patients that you can use to whiten and brighten your smile gradually at home.  Patients with serious and minor stains can both see great results from this whitening treatment.  A consultation can help you determine how severe your stains are and what kind of results you can expect from a whitening treatment.  Come visit us about teeth whitening and start the New Year with your best smile!

To whiten your teeth at home, we outfit patients with whitening gel and a set of custom trays for application.  A dentist takes an impression of your teeth, and from this impression two custom trays are made for your top and bottom teeth.  The trays are made for you to take home and use by applying gel to the trays and then fitting them over your teeth. The dentist’s recommendation of how often to treat and how long each treatment should last may vary.  When following the dentist’s recommendations, most patients see results of teeth whitening 4-8 shades.

To learn more about teeth whitening and all the services provided at our practice, visit www.allcoastdental.net for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach, CA, call 858-270-4904.