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The wisdom teeth are the last of the permanent molars to emerge from the gums. This can occur as early as age 17 or as late as 21. Though some teens and young adults experience a completely normal tooth eruption with ideally aligned molars that pose no health threat, this is not the case for everyone.

According to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS), wisdom teeth must meet specific criteria to avoid a required extraction. These guidelines include:

• Completely erupted and non-impacted
• Completely functional
• Painless
• Free of decay
• Disease-free
• Capable of being properly cleaned

If one or more of your child’s wisdom teeth do not meet these conditions, we recommend scheduling an appointment with us; an extraction may be necessary.

Impacted wisdom teeth

One of the most common reasons for extracting a wisdom tooth is due to impaction. An impacted wisdom tooth is one that has not erupted and will not fully erupt from the gums. Usually this occurs because there is not enough room for the tooth to emerge. Impaction can be painful and can also lead to infection if left untreated. According to the AAOMS, roughly 90 percent of the teen and adult population has at least one impacted tooth. Extracting an impacted wisdom tooth early can help prevent future complications, such as periodontal disease, infections, and damage to neighboring teeth.

Extracting fully erupted wisdom teeth

Even if your child’s wisdom teeth are fully erupted, our team may recommend removing them as a preventive measure. Fully-erupted third molars often interfere with a healthy bite. This can lead to problems with tooth and jaw alignment and may also contribute to the development of headaches. Your child’s wisdom teeth may also be more prone to tooth decay and gum disease, because their location in the back of the mouth makes them more difficult to reach for brushing and flossing.

To learn more about wisdom teeth, or to schedule an appointment with us, please give us a call!

Grind, grind, grind… if your little one happens to be a teeth grinder, you may be familiar with this unpleasant sound. Teeth grinding, or what our team also calls bruxism, is common in children. In fact, three out of ten kids grind or clench their teeth, usually in response to stress, jaw growth, malocclusion, losing teeth, or other discomforts, such as allergies. Kids typically outgrow teeth grinding by the time they reach their teenage years.

Many kids who grind their teeth in their sleep have no idea they’re doing it. In fact, when they wake up in the morning they feel no jaw, facial, neck, or shoulder pain. In most cases, if it hadn’t been for a parent or sibling telling them about it, the teeth grinding would have gone unnoticed.

There are children, however, who wake up with jaw pain, shoulder pain, neck pain, and headaches. Teeth grinding can cause a host of dental complications, from cracked teeth and receding gums to a misaligned jaw. Our team will tell you that teeth grinding is not something to take lightly. Teeth grinding can have serious consequences that, if left untreated, can lead to tooth fractures and damage to the temporomandibular joint, also known as TMJ.

The first step in helping your child recover from teeth grinding is noticing and diagnosing the problem. Symptoms of teeth grinding typically include:

• Grinding noises when your child is sleeping
• Complaints of tightness or pain in the jaw
• Complaints of headaches, earaches, or facial pain
• Complaints of pain when chewing
• Tooth sensitivity
• Chipped, worn down, or loose teeth

If you suspect your child is a teeth grinder, our team will be able to help. Please give us a call at our office! We look forward to treating your child!

When it comes to taking care of our teeth, striving for perfection is unrealistic. Rather than completely cutting out foods that may harm your smile, try swapping them for less damaging alternatives. 

Below are 5 easy food swaps you can make for clean, shiny teeth!

1. Swap sticky candies or dried fruit for the fresh stuff. It’s no surprise that sour gummies and caramel are not dentist approved snacks, but did you know that dried fruits are also concentrated with sugars that get stuck in your teeth? Curb that sugar craving with fresh fruits instead. Because the fruit fibers are less likely to stick to your teeth, they are also less likely to invite bacteria to sit in your mouth. Really craving candy? Choose chocolate instead, which easily melts or washes away.

2. Drink carbonated water instead of soda. Soda and sports drinks are loaded with sugar and often contain phosphoric and citric acids that wear away tooth enamel. If you can’t give up carbonated beverages or sweet drinks, opt for fresh fruit juice (with as few ingredients as possible) or sparkling waters with natural flavoring!

3. Cut back on citrus fruits. - You may be thinking, “What? I thought fruits were good for me?”They are in moderation, but the acid in citrus fruits like lemons and oranges can wear down tooth enamel over time, so be careful how much you eat and drink. Keep in mind, also, that all citrus is not created equal. Grapefruit for example tends to cause more damage, while orange causes the least.

4. Chew sugar-free gum. When chewing gum, saliva spreads sugars around your teeth and gums and bacteria can build up. However, sugar-free gum can actually help to clean your teeth. The saliva it produces can naturally wash away bacteria.  Plus, many sugarless gum brands are sweetened with xylitol, an alcohol that reduces bacteria. Double whammy!

5. Eat anything but white bread! You know the feeling: you take a bite of a sandwich and the bread sticks to the roof of your mouth or between your molars. When this happens, sugar (and cavity causing bacteria) are sticking too. All bread contains sugars that can be harmful to teeth, but white bread has the highest sugar content of all breads. We suggest choosing whole grain bread instead. The tougher consistency makes it less likely for sticking to occur.

Your child’s oral hygiene habits are being created right now! Making small changes like those suggested above can have a big effect on their long term oral health.

When it comes to taking care of our teeth, striving for perfection is unrealistic. Rather than completely cutting out foods that may harm your smile, try swapping them for less damaging alternatives. 

Below are 5 easy food swaps you can make for clean, shiny teeth!

1. Swap sticky candies or dried fruit for the fresh stuff. It’s no surprise that sour gummies and caramel are not dentist approved snacks, but did you know that dried fruits are also concentrated with sugars that get stuck in your teeth? Curb that sugar craving with fresh fruits instead. Because the fruit fibers are less likely to stick to your teeth, they are also less likely to invite bacteria to sit in your mouth. Really craving candy? Choose chocolate instead, which easily melts or washes away.

2. Drink carbonated water instead of soda. Soda and sports drinks are loaded with sugar and often contain phosphoric and citric acids that wear away tooth enamel. If you can’t give up carbonated beverages or sweet drinks, opt for fresh fruit juice (with as few ingredients as possible) or sparkling waters with natural flavoring!

3. Cut back on citrus fruits. - You may be thinking, “What? I thought fruits were good for me?”They are in moderation, but the acid in citrus fruits like lemons and oranges can wear down tooth enamel over time, so be careful how much you eat and drink. Keep in mind, also, that all citrus is not created equal. Grapefruit for example tends to cause more damage, while orange causes the least.

4. Chew sugar-free gum. When chewing gum, saliva spreads sugars around your teeth and gums and bacteria can build up. However, sugar-free gum can actually help to clean your teeth. The saliva it produces can naturally wash away bacteria.  Plus, many sugarless gum brands are sweetened with xylitol, an alcohol that reduces bacteria. Double whammy!

5. Eat anything but white bread! You know the feeling: you take a bite of a sandwich and the bread sticks to the roof of your mouth or between your molars. When this happens, sugar (and cavity causing bacteria) are sticking too. All bread contains sugars that can be harmful to teeth, but white bread has the highest sugar content of all breads. We suggest choosing whole grain bread instead. The tougher consistency makes it less likely for sticking to occur.

Your child’s oral hygiene habits are being created right now! Making small changes like those suggested above can have a big effect on their long term oral health.