Dentistry focuses on prevention of disease more than any other profession. We're trying to put ourselves out of business! Through fluoride and sealants, we've virtually eliminated decay in children. 95% of the children in our practice do not have any decay. How wonderful! We also want your child to have a positive experience in our office. If a child is happy going to the dentist, chances are good that he or she will grow up without any fear of dentistry. The arcade-sized video game in our office has captivated children since we first introduced it in 1984. It makes them look forward to coming to our office.

The kids also like seeing their photo on the wall next to our hygiene room. And occasionally we do fillings, but not very often. Sometimes we refer a child to a pediatric dentist if the procedure is very difficult. We always refer to an orthodontist if your child needs braces. The following are services we provide to our favorite patients - the children in our practice.

• Sealants
  
  
• Prevention
  
  
• When do Teeth Come In?
  
  
• Questions Parents Ask
  
  
• Stars of the Month
  
  

Sealants are clear plastic coatings that can prevent decay in the pits and grooves of teeth by creating a firm, tight seal. They were developed in the 1960s and have been tested and used for many years with growing success each year.

Why do we use them? Pits and fissures are usually prominent in molar and bicuspid teeth. Often the enamel does not fuse completely and this pit becomes a trap for bacterial plaque that causes a cavity to form. These pits are virtually impossible to clean because the toothbrush bristles are too large to fit all the way to the bottom of the pit.

How long does a sealant last? If the patient does not have a habit of chewing hard foods, such as ice or hard candy, a sealant should last five years or longer. Sealants are far less costly than fillings and they preserve the integrity of the tooth.

Does it hurt? No, the tooth is rinsed with a mild solution and the sealant is applied and bonded into place with a special light. Minor drilling is done (no pain!) to adjust the bite, if necessary.

When should my child have sealants? We do not seal the baby teeth, unless they have unusually deep grooves. Normally your child will get their first permanent molars between ages 6 to 8. As long as the child can tolerate the procedure, we apply sealants as soon as these molars erupt.

• We strongly advise that you bring your child to the dentist on a regular basis. That will enable us to teach him or her good dental habits that will last a lifetime. We've seen many patients who, hurt as children, hate to visit a dentist in their adulthood. Others seldom visited the dentist as children and, now regretting this, and must suffer the consequences of years of neglect.
• At their check-ups, kids learn to floss, probably the best preventive habit they can learn. The dental hygienist will show them how to reach difficult areas and will make each visit fun. She'll also give them an office fluoride treatment that helps to strengthen the enamel. In addition, they'll get a toothbrush, some floss, and a toy for being cooperative.
• At home, you probably have fluoridated water. In Cincinnati, the public water first had fluoride in 1977. We are now seeing young adults, who were born around 1977, reaping the benefits of fluoride in the water supply. They have few, if any, cavities.
• Today many adults drink bottled water. Typically there is no fluoride in this water. If your child drinks only bottled water and you don't want your child to drink from the tap, you should consider fluoride supplements, available through a prescription.
• If your child has 'soft' enamel, consider the use of a home fluoride rinse. There are several brands: ACT rinse is one. Have your child brush, floss, and then swish with the rinse before bedtime.
• The next topic in prevention is DIET. Let's face it. Kids like candy and sugar-laden soft drinks. Dr. Bob's son recently completed a science project that tested for the effects of acids on teeth. He also tested Coke, which contains phosphoric acid. It was interesting to see how the acids ate away at the teeth (extracted ones, not in somebody's mouth) and how the Coke not only stained but seemed to damage the enamel. I know it's tough, but try to keep sweets, especially sugar drinks, away from your children. Have them drink plenty of milk and take their sugary snacks with a meal so that they can brush afterwards to clean the sugar off the teeth.

Your baby's first teeth may appear within the first few months after birth. By age two, your child should have all the baby teeth. At this point, you should be cleaning the teeth, at first with a wash cloth and then with a brush. Some children resist, but the teeth must be cleaned or decay will attack the teeth. If at this early age, you notice anything unusual, please bring your child in for an evaluation. By age three, your child should be cooperative enough to sit in the dental chair. Between ages six and eight, your child will get his or her first permanent tooth, the incisors, followed by the molars. Please refer to the tooth development diagram for eruption schedules.

When should I bring my child to the dentist? Between two and three years of age is a good time to start. By that time, the first set of teeth should be fully erupted. In our office, we use a 'happy visit' system where the hygienist will allow the child to watch a sibling or parent having their teeth cleaned. Then the hygienist or dentist will take a look at your child's teeth to screen for anything abnormal. This visit allows your child to associate the dental visit with pleasant memories.

What is baby-bottle decay? Be careful to put your child to sleep with only water in the bottle. Putting milk or fruit juice in the bottle usually causes extensive decay throughout the baby's mouth. Likewise, if your baby likes to take a bottle throughout the day for 'snacks', keep it filled with water. Clean your baby's teeth with a cloth or brush after each feeding.

What if my child plays sports? Kids' sports are bigger than ever. Some children go from one team to another, season after season. Do they ever just have fun? For contact sports (basketball, football, soccer), children usually do pretty well with over-the-counter mouthguards. Dr. Bob has seen many teeth chipped and knocked out when children did not wear mouthguards. During high school years, children who have a full set of adult teeth will benefit from a custom-fitted mouthguard, made in a dental office. Heavy contact sports, such as high school basketball or hockey, demand a highly-reinforced mouthguard. Children doing other activities, such as roller blading or skateboarding, can also benefit from mouthguards.

My child sucks his thumb. What can I do? This habit can damage a child's mouth severely. If your baby has a strong sucking tendency, give him or her a pacifier. NUK is a good brand. Around age two to three, you can suddenly 'lose' the pacifier. Usually the child will not suck the thumb when the pacifier is gone. For thumbsuckers, you can try a gel for this purpose available in pharmacies. Rub the gel on the thumb or finger and it will not taste good. If this doesn't work, tie a sock around the offending hand. If that fails, we can make an appliance to discourage thumbsucking. This is cemented on the teeth and is removed in about six months.

What do I do if my child's tooth is knocked out? Contact the dentist as soon as possible. Do not touch the root of the tooth. Put the tooth in water or milk and have the child bite cotton or a cloth to stop the bleeding. If replaced in the socket within 30 minutes, the tooth has a good chance of not being rejected.

When should my child be brushing his/her own teeth? By age two, children should be brushing their own teeth ... but they may miss spots. If little ones ingest fluoride, they may get sick. Use a non-fluoride toothpaste until age seven. Parents should supervise so that a thorough job is done daily. Kids don't gain enough coordination to floss until the teenaged years, although they should be encouraged to start young and have fun at it.

These faces and smiles were nominated because the owners are outstanding, superlative, creative, industrious, polite, respectful, charming, and utterly delightful human beings. Their parents told us that they never argue, always clean up their room without being asked, and never get into any trouble. These kids are great!! They always get their homework done on time and, in their free time, instead of playing video games or watching television (heck, any average kid can do those things), they ask their mom and dad what they can do to help out around the house.

Oh, yes, did I remember to mention that they just happened to be in our office on the same day that Dr. Bob's camera was working. Just kidding. These are some of our patients who have come in for their check-ups. We are proud of them for taking good care of their teeth. They promised to floss every time they looked at our site. Don't you remember? Stop in and we'll put your picture here, too. (These photos are changed periodically)

Michael	Greg	Bridget
Anne	Kristin	Abby