Author: PeTaLUmA_ADmEEN

If your child uses sucking to relieve boredom, keep his hands busy or distract him with things he finds fun.

Praise or reward your child when he does not suck his thumb or use the pacifier. Star charts, daily rewards, and gentle reminders, especially during the day, can be very helpful.

Apply a bandage on the thumb or finger, or wear a glove at nightSucking is a natural instinct for infants. Sucking thumbs, fingers or pacifiers canmake children feel secure and happy, and it helps them learn about their world. When does pacifier use and thumb, or finger sucking become a problem? If your child sucks aggressively on a pacifier, his thumb or fingers beyond 2 to 4 years of age, it may affect the shape of his mouth or how his teeth are lining up. It can also cause changes in the roof of the mouth. Breaking the habit often occurs on its own. But if your child’s habit continues beyond age 4, there are several thing you can try:to act as a reminder. No matter what method you try, be sure to explain things to your child. Never use harsh words, teasing or punishment. Upsetting your child is not an effective way of getting rid of the habit.

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month

There’s nothing we, as parents, want more for our children than a healthy life! We teach our kids to wash their hands, eat nutritious food, and take care of themselves. It’s also important to set the foundation for a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums. Great dental health now will provide overall health benefits well into adulthood.

The ADA and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that a child have their first dental visit between the ages of six months and one year. Though this may sound early, it’s important to establish a comfortable routine with dental visits, watch for developmental issues, and provide parents the tools they’ll need to help their children remain cavity-free.

Tooth decay is the most common chronic infectious disease of childhood. It’s also one that can be prevented! Here are some basic helpful guidelines provided by the ADA.

When teeth erupt, clean your child’s teeth at least twice a day with a xylitol toothpaste. Xylitol is an important prevention tool against tooth decay.

Take your child to the dentist by the baby’s first birthday. The earlier the visit, the better.

If you put your child to bed with a bottle, use nothing but water. When a child is given a bottle containing sugary liquids such as milk, formula or fruit juice, the teeth are under attack by bacterial acid for extended periods.

Breast-feeding has been shown to be beneficial for a baby’s health and development. However, after teeth appear, breast feeding often or for long periods can put your child at risk for severe tooth decay. Clean the baby’s mouth with a wet washcloth after breast-feeding, and encourage a bottle with plain water during the nighttime.

Switch from a bottle to a cup by age one.

With the right care, your child can grow up to have healthy teeth for a lifetime of smiles.

Spring is here, and along with it comes baseball season. While we all love baseball, there is a dark cloud that hangs over the sport…the overwhelming use of chewing tobacco. Well, the tide is beginning to turn.

Chewing or smokeless

tobacco, which has been stuffed in the cheeks of major league baseball players for decades, is being banned at a growing number of ballparks. So far, four ballparks have passed bans on smokeless tobacco, including San Francisco. It’s important that children not be exposed to smokeless tobacco or see it being used by their on-field sports heroes.

Did you know that almost 42,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral and throat cancers this year? The good news is that when cancer is detected and treated early, there is a high survival rate!

Besides environmental factors; tobacco, sun, age, diet and alcohol, HPV (human papillomavirus) has a strong link to oral cancer. Petaluma Dental Group can do a screening to test you for HPV and will be able to tell you more about your susceptibility to oral cancer. Regular visits to your dentist can also improve the chances that any suspicious changes in your oral health will be caught early, when cancer can be treated more easily.

In between visits, it’s important to know the following signs and symptoms of oral cancer. Contact Petaluma Dental Group if you have any of these symptoms and they do not disappear after two weeks.

The symptoms of mouth or throat cancer can include:

• a sore or irritation that doesn’t go away
• red or white patches
• pain, tenderness or numbness in mouth or lips
• a lump, thickening, rough spot, crust or small eroded area
• difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking or moving your tongue or jaw
• a change in the way your teeth fit together when you close your mouth

So enjoy our beautiful Sonoma County spring, take the kids to baseball games, picnic on our beautiful hills and don’t forget to ask your dentist to do your oral cancer screening and HPV testing on your next visit.

Bad breath, also known as halitosis, can be embarrassing and tough on those around you. Don’t feel bad though. Nearly 1 in 3 people have bad breath.

Fortunately, this problem is often easy to fix. What helps? Good oral hygiene, regular visits to your dentist, and ruling out any other factors, such as some medications, diets, and foods, that could make your breath less than pleasant.

What causes Bad Breath?

Bad breath is often caused by a buildup of bacteria in your mouth that causes inflammation and gives off noxious odors or gases that smell bad. Everybody has nasty breath at some point, like when you get out of bed in the morning.

If you’re not sure if you have bad breath, ask a trusted friend. Sometimes it’s really hard to tell on your own. There is also another way to know. It may seem a bit gross, but look at and smell your dental floss after you use it. If your floss smells or there is blood on it, then there are probably foul odors in your mouth.

Studies show that about 80% of bad breath comes from an oral source. For instance, cavities or gum disease can lead to bad breath, as can tonsils that have trapped food particles, cracked fillings, and less-than-clean dentures.

Several internal medical conditions can also cause your breath to turn bad. They include diabetes, liver disease, respiratory tract infections, and chronic bronchitis. You’ll want to see your doctor to rule out things like acid reflux, postnasal drip, and other causes of chronic dry mouth.

What can help Bad Breath?

If your bad breath is not cause by a medical condition, then the best thing that you can do is be sure to visit your dentist at least every six months and take good care of your teeth and gums at home. Ideally, you should brush and floss after every meal to help reduce the odor-causing bacteria in your mouth. While a regular toothbrush works just fine, we recommend using an electric toothbrush with a timer. This encourages most to brush their teeth for a full two minutes! Electric toothbrushes also have a uniform motion that helps remove plaque more efficiently than manual brushes.

What you eat affects breath. That’s because as food is digested, it’s absorbed into your bloodstream and then is released by your lungs when you breathe. Eat a healthy, balanced diet and regular meals. Snacking on raw carrots, celery, or apple slices can help clear your mouth of food particles.

Avoid breath busters such as garlic, onions, and some other spicy foods. Stay hydrated. Drinking lots of water can help speed up the process of cleaning harmful bacteria and debris from between your teeth. Avoid sugary drinks and don’t drink too much coffee. It may be tasty, but coffee is a tough smell to get off the back of your tongue. Consider switching to an herbal or green tea.

Don’t smoke or use other tobacco products. Cigarettes, pipes, and snuff can give people foul breath. Cut back on alcohol. Alcohol can lead to a dry mouth. Too much beer, wine, and hard liquor can make your breath reek for up to 10 hours after you finish drinking.

Chew sugarless gum. Doing so 20 minutes after a meal can help with saliva flow. Gum that’s 100% xylitol-sweetened can help reduce cavities while freshening breath.

Jaw muscles can contract with a force as great as 200 pounds of pressure on back molars and 55 pounds of pressure on anterior incisors.

The average human produces 25,000 quarts of saliva in a lifetime. That is enough spit to fill 2 swimming pools!

The Statue of Liberty’s mouth is 3 feet wide.

George Washington had several dentures made of hippopotamus, cow, & walrus teeth, as well as elephant tusk.

A sneeze leaves your mouth at over 600 mph!

If you don’t floss, you miss cleaning 35% of your tooth surfaces.

100 years ago 50% of adults in North America were toothless. Today less than 10% of adults over age 65 have lost teeth.

Teeth are the hardest substance in the human body.

Ancient cultures chewed on twigs or roots to clean their teeth.

The first nylon bristled toothbrush with a plastic handle was invented in 1938.

Egyptians used a form of toothpaste over 5000 years ago.

Colgate introduced aromatic toothpaste in a jar in 1873.

90% of systemic diseases have oral manifestations.

Regular dental cleanings can help prevent heart attacks.

Tooth Decay is the 2nd most common disease in the U.S. after the common cold.

Over 40% of North Americans have at least one tooth that could benefit from some type of treatment.

Most tooth loss in people under 35 years of age is caused by athletic truma, fights or accidents. Periodontal disease (gun disease) is the most common cause of tooth loss in people over 35 years.

The first set of false teeth were discovered in the 8th century BC.

Certain cheeses including Aged Cheddar, Swiss and Monterey Jack, have been found to protect teeth from decay.In ancient Egyptian times, you were more likely to suffer from a toothache if you were well-to-do. This was because those who could afford to, ate sweets.

Athletes are 60 times more likely to damage their teeth when not wearing a mouth guard during athletic activities.

The earliest record of tooth decay was described by the Sumarians as “tooth worms”. There is also historical evidence that around 2700 BC, Chinese acupuncture was used to treat tooth pain.

Over three million miles of dental floss is purchased in North America each year.

Did you know that up to 50% of Americans grind or clench their teeth while sleeping? Do you wake up with a headache, sore jaw, or sluggishness? Perhaps you don’t even know you grind your teeth. Maybe a spouse or loved one woke you up in the middle of the night and made you aware of what was happening.

Teeth grinding, known in the dental community as bruxism, is a serious concern. Bruxism stems from a variety of issues, but is most commonly a result of stress, misaligned bite, or irregular sleep patterns. For some people, it’s a habit they acquired when they were a child and never grew out of. And while it may only be headaches and a sore jaw at first, chronic grinding can cause cracked teeth, receding gums, misaligned jaw, and can wear your teeth down.

What Can You Do?

1. Have your bite evaluated

Have a dental checkup to help identify potential dental-related causes. We can check for signs of wear and misalignment that can be at the root of your habit, as well as suggesting other types of evaluations such as sleep studies to check for apnea.

2. Learn to manage your stress

Some people can handle stress naturally. For others, stress can cause significant health issues and habits, including teeth grinding. Consider yoga or meditation to calm yourself and relieve anxiety so you don’t subconsciously turn to grinding. If you grind during your sleep, try taking a relaxing bath before bed. regular exercise is also a great stress reliever.

3. Be aware

This tip may sound obvious, but try to pay attention to when and why you grind your teeth during the day. For instance, there may be a time of day or an event that triggers grinding. Once you identify the trigger, you can make a conscious effort to avoid grinding.

4. Rest your jaw muscles

If you have jaw discomfort or headaches, try massaging your jaw muscles or applying a warm compress to the jaw area to relax muscles and relieve pain. Taking an over-the-counter pain reliever can also help relieve pain and reduce inflammation.

5. Wear a night guard

One of the best preventive measures for teeth grinding is wearing a night guard. PDG offers a couple of different styles of mouth guards to fit your individual needs. Each guard is custom designed so they fit comfortably based on each patient’s bite pattern. Worn at night, a mouth guard for teeth grinding can prevent the habit even when you aren’t aware it’s happening.

Preventive measures are the key to combating bruxism, and a visit to Petaluma Dental Group can set you on the right path to a healthy and restful night sleep.

Calcium is the most common mineral found in the body and is essential for maintaining a healthy body. Not only is it needed to help build strong bones and teeth, but it is also vital for bodily functions like muscle contractions and blood clotting. Almost all the calcium in our bodies is stored in the bones and teeth. While bones feel rock hard, they’re actually living tissue that is constantly changing. If you don’t get enough calcium, the body will “steal” calcium that’s stored in bones and teeth to make sure it has enough to meet the body’s needs.

The recommended daily intake of calcium is 1,000 to 1,300 milligrams per day for people ages 10 and up. Children over the age of one should have 800 mg per day, while babies only require 400-600 mg.

Dairy products have a relatively high concentration of Calcium. One cup of skim milk has about 302 mg of calcium, 8 ounces of yogurt has between 250 and 400 mg, and 1.5 ounces of cheddar cheese has 306 mg. But for those who can’t, or choose not to eat dairy, there are other foods that are high in calcium such as dark green leafy vegetables (kale, spinach, collard greens, and turnips), canned fish (salmon, sardines), soy products, and almonds. You can also look for foods fortified with calcium like orange juice and cereal.

You will also need vitamin D to help absorb the calcium. Vitamin D is obtained from fluid milk, fortified soy and rice beverages, fatty fish such as salmon, and moderate exposure to the sun.

If you choose to take vitamin supplements, it is recommended that you take calcium supplements that includes Vitamin D in two doses of 500 to 650 mg, for a total of 1,000 to 1,300 mg daily. It’s difficult for the body to absorb more than that at one time.

Everyone would love to have a brighter smile, but not everyone knows there are other benefit beyond the obvious ones, to having whiter teeth. Not only do whiter teeth help a person feel more confident, but your bright grin can make others feel more instantly attracted and connected to you.

Your smile is the first thing a person notices about you, and if your teeth are yellow and stained they are likely to be turned off. A bright, shiny smile projects good health and a youthful appearance. It can also open you up to more relationship opportunities, and increase your chances of getting hired, or closing a business deal.

Studies have shown that individuals with whiter teeth are more outgoing and engaging.
 When you know your teeth look brighter and healthier you may smile wider and talk more. This could have a lasting social, business, and even financial impact.

With the confidence gained by a brighter smile, you may find yourself working up the nerve to ask for that date or that promotion. Brighter teeth may also give you the motivation to take better care of your overall oral health, avoid behaviors that may stain your teeth, as well as brush and floss more often.

Petaluma Dental Group offers a variety of in-house whitening treatments, including Zoom! Whitening, and our new Endless Whitening Program. Give us a call today to find out more, (707) 762-0067. In under an hour we will have you on your way with increased confidence and a shiny, white smile that will light up any room!

If you are like most people, you love to save money! And we all know that health care can be expensive. But, skipping the dentist’s chair, like skipping the doctor’s office when you’re sick, to save money can have major repercussions on both your health and your wallet.

Even if you have dental insurance, your copayments and deductibles can quickly add up. But putting off dental care can lead to bigger problems. Left untreated, a small cavity can eventually lead to tooth loss, an abscess to a major infection. Finding ways to get affordable dental care now will save your mouth and your money in the future.

Our patients often ask us how they can receive the highest quality care in the most cost-efficient manner. Here are some suggestions for you.

Dental Insurance:If you are fortunate enough to have dental insurance, be sure to thank your employer! However, unlike medical insurance, most dental plans are designed to assist in paying for dental treatment, not cover most or all of it.