Children at Leary Family Dentistry
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Children MATTER to the Leary Family Dentistry team. They’re your little bundles of joy that represent the future of our world, and we want to give them a head-start on their dental health. We’ve compiled a variety of resources to assist you, the parent, in helping us ensure that the development and health of your child’s smile is protected and well cared for. Click any of the links below for our resources and helpful tips made specially for your children!
Dental Emergencies
We understand that dental emergencies can be alarming, particularly when you feel unsure of what measures to take.
For your peace of mind, below are several common dental emergencies and the first steps to take to mitigate any lasting damage. During normal business hours, one of our team members would be happy to take any questions you may have; just call us. If you're calling after business hours, we will return your call within the following 24 hours. Charlotte Emergency Dental Clinic, at (704) 525-3939 or www.charlotteemergencydental.com, can also assist you.
Toothache
Rinsing the mouth with warm water can help cleanse the bothersome tooth and soothe the neighboring area. Impacted food is sometimes the cause of an ache, so use floss to dislodge any bits of food that may be causing the pain.
Taking an over-the-counter pain medicine may help reduce discomfort, but do not place aspirin directly on the aching tooth. Call our office if the toothache continues. If your face begins to swell, administer a cold compress and call us immediately.
Cut or Bitten Tongue, Lip, or Cheek
To minimize inflammation, place ice on the area around the wound. Apply sterile cloth or gauze with steady pressure to minimize any bleeding. If the bleeding continues, contact Dr. Leary or the local hospital emergency room.
Permanent Tooth Knocked Out
If possible, locate the tooth. Holding it by the crown, never the root, clean it with water if necessary. Do not clean the tooth with anything except water, and do not scrub or unnecessarily handle the tooth.
Try to reinsert the tooth into its socket, and then steady the tooth by biting on gauze, a napkin, or a towel. If the tooth cannot be reinserted into the socket, place it in a cup of milk for transport. If milk is unavailable, spit in a cup and transport the tooth in the saliva.
Time is crucial in these situations, and so it's essential to see the dentist as soon as possible. Time makes all the difference in whether the tooth can be saved. Make sure you bring the tooth!
Baby Tooth Knocked Out
Most of the time, these conditions are not severe and do not require treatment. However, if your child knocks out a baby tooth, contact us to discuss the situation.
Chipped or Fractured Permanent Tooth
Time is of the essence, so contact us immediately. Quick treatment can save the tooth, prevent infection, and limit the need for additional dental treatment. If you can, locate any tooth fragments and bring them to the dentist. Apply a cold compress to reduce swelling and rinse your mouth with warm water to cleanse.
Chipped or Fractured Baby Tooth
Contact Dr. Leary to decide if there is a need for urgent treatment and to discuss appropriate care options.
Head trauma
Immediately visit the nearest hospital emergency room.
Broken or Fractured Jaw
Do not allow the jaw to move, and visit the nearest hospital emergency room as soon as possible.
DIET & SNACKING GUIDE
Helpful Tips to Get Kids on Board with Healthy Snacks:
It’s easier to get kids on the right track with healthy eating habits started early on, but by getting creative and mixing up snacks, older kids can still get on board as well. Avoiding processed sugar and limiting times for sweets should be the main goal, and it is up to you to make this part of your everyday routine.
Tips to Try
Introduce new treats gradually and don’t push it. With food in general, your kids are still sorting out what they like and don’t like, so if they don’t like the first healthy alternative (or fifth, or sixth!), keep trying until you find healthy snacks everyone enjoys.
Think about healthy snacks that you like already. You can incorporate these now, since your kids are familiar with these and won’t think you're trying to drastically change things. That being said, treats aren’t completely off of the menu. Dessert after dinner is the best time for a treat since teeth brushing and flossing — part of the bedtime routine — will follow!
Setting an Example
As a parent, you're a guide and teacher. Instilling healthy eating habits is a part of this. Get buy-in from older children first. If you have your older child or children already on board, then younger ones will be more likely to try and like new healthy snacks. If you have an only child, remember that he or she looks up to you, and the healthier everyone in your home eats, the more acceptance you'll get.
Try to prepare more meals at home if you have an on-the-go family. Take-out, delivery and restaurant options may have more sugar or processed content then you realize. You’ll have better luck if you can control over what comes into your kitchen. At the store, you can pick up healthy options of the foods your kids already enjoy, like juices and frozen yogurt.
Foods to Try/Foods to Avoid
Some of these might seem obvious while others might not. Fruits and veggies are a must. Incorporate these into everyday meals so that they're simply a part of mealtime.
If snacks look fun, kids are more apt to give it a try. Mixing fruit in with yogurt and oatmeal is a great way to sweeten foods naturally. Smoothies you make at home are easier to control sugar content, and you can use real fruits.
Processed juices sound healthy but should be avoided. Many foods in chain restaurants and locations might sounds healthy but can have hidden sugars. Be careful with smoothies, frozen yogurt, and any processed fruit-based options. These may not be as healthy as you think, so do your research.
Snacks for healthy teeth should go hand-in-hand with the overall healthy diet of your child. The habits they learn now can last a lifetime!
With proper snacking habits and regular dental check-ups, your children can more easily maintain a healthy, beautiful smile. Visit our online form to schedule an appointment today or simply call us at (704) 394-3109.
X-Ray Use and Safety
At Leary Family Dentistry, we're dedicated to doing everything we can to enhance your oral health. To do so, we employ a variety of techniques and procedures, including x-rays. X-ray machines are powerful devices that help us to uncover the mysteries of your mouth. Some serious conditions can only be detected via x-ray, and x-ray machines can also help us track the development of your child’s oral health.
Our use of radiography complies with the recommendations of the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, so you can rest assured that we operate with the utmost care. Both organizations recommend that parents bring their children in for complete dental exams and x-rays every six months. Children typically have a higher risk of tooth decay, and regular x-rays can help us monitor potential problems. These images are also helpful in terms of tracking how your child’s new teeth are coming in.
We know that some parents have concerns about x-rays, and as a staff dedicated to upholding your children’s best interests, we understand the concern. At Leary Family Dentistry, we follow all proper safety and operating procedures to ensure everything goes smoothly. Our facility employs high-quality, advanced machinery designed to be very effective with a high degree of safety. In addition, our staff is fully trained on how to ensure minimal risk of exposure to radiation during x-rays.
At Leary Family Dentistry, we provide lead body aprons and shields to provide full-body protection to your children during these localized x-rays. In fact, the risk of radiation exposure from these procedures is likely to be much lower than the risk of the dental condition our examination may uncover. Our highly focused x-rays concentrate the radiation only in areas necessary for the procedure, with minimal extraneous exposure.
To provide your family with high-quality dental care, we may take any of three kinds of x-rays: panoramic x-rays, bitewing x-rays, and periapical x-rays. Panoramic x-rays provide us with a broad view of your child’s entire mouth, including the jaw bones. Meanwhile, bitewing x-rays allow us to look for cavities between your child’s teeth, and periapical x-rays concentrate on the structure of individual teeth, showing the surrounding bone and roots. Each type of x-ray offers different insights so we can provide your children with comprehensive care and foster good oral health habits.
If you have any questions about any of our procedures at Leary Family Dentistry, don’t hesitate to ask — we’re here to provide dental care and peace of mind.