WHY DO DENTISTS always warn against chewing ice? It’s because it’s a habit that can do serious and permanent damage to the teeth and gums. Even when ice-chewers know this, they can still find it difficult to quit, so let’s take a closer look at what chewing ice can do to dental health and why people do it.

Pagophagia, or Compulsive Ice Eating

Compulsive ice eating is common enough that it has a scientific name: pagophagia. For some people, this problem goes beyond a simple bad habit and is actually a symptom of pica, a psychological disorder that results in compulsions to eat non-food items in large quantities, including dirt, clay, hair, or ice. It is sometimes caused by a gap in nutrition.

The Link Between Iron-Deficiency Anemia and Ice Chewing

Recent studies have indicated a link between iron deficiency anemia (a condition affecting 3% of men and 20% of women — unless they’re pregnant, at which point it jumps to 50%) and compulsively eating ice. Where does this link come from? Ice contains zero iron, so it shouldn’t be able to help with iron deficiency. The explanation is a fascinating one.

Our red blood cells use iron to carry oxygen throughout our bodies, so when we don’t have enough of it, our brains don’t get as much oxygen. Eating ice counteracts this problem by stimulating blood flow to the head (and the brain), providing a temporary boost to mental clarity and alertness. It isn’t solving the problem, but it is relieving some of the symptoms.

Ice Versus Our Teeth and Gums

Even if this is an effective workaround for iron deficiency, it’s better to actually get back to healthy levels of iron, because the consequences to oral health can be disastrous. Tooth enamel is very brittle. Ice isn’t a problem for it because it’s so hard, but because it’s so cold.

Crunching against ice cubes of any texture causes the enamel to expand and contract the same way pavement does in places that get a lot of snow in winter. Like the pavement, tooth enamel can develop cracks over time. As the enamel weakens, it leaves the rest of the tooth more vulnerable to sensitivity and decay.

Gums aren’t safe from ice either. Because of the cold temperature, the gums can grow numb while chewing ice, making it much harder to notice if the ice slips and slices the gums. Ice is also hard enough to chip or break teeth if it hits just right.

Breaking an Ice-Chewing Habit

The best way to treat a problem is to learn the cause. If the ice-chewing is linked to iron deficiency, taking iron supplements is likely to remove the ice cravings. The ice-chewing habit should go away on its own from there. If the problem is pica, there are a variety of interventions available. If you chew ice for the crunch, why not replace ice with apple slices or baby carrots? If you chew it for the ice, try letting it melt on your tongue instead of actually chewing it.

The Dentist Can Help!

A great person to go to with ice-chewing struggles is the dentist. Another is your general physician. We want to help discover the cause, treat existing damage, and help prevent future damage by finding a way to put the ice chewing in the past!

Let’s move forward without the dangers of ice chewing!

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The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

HOPEFULLY WE ALL know how crucial daily flossing and twice-daily brushing are to keeping a growing child’s smile healthy, but the foods they eat are also important for their oral health as they develop.

Vitamins Developing Teeth Need

Antioxidants like vitamin C help fight inflammation in the gums. Vitamin A helps with the production of saliva, the mouth’s first line of defense. A lot of the B vitamins play important roles in oral health too. Vitamin D makes it easier for the body to absorb all the other vitamins so they can do their jobs.

Minerals Are the Building Blocks of Teeth and Bones

Minerals are critical too. The most obvious is calcium, which builds strong teeth and bones, but we need magnesium before we can get the most out of calcium, zinc helps our immune systems, and iron is what allows our red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout our bodies.

A Healthy Diet Is Better Than a Vitamin Gummy

A multivitamin can help, but the best way for a child to get enough of all these important vitamins and minerals is to eat a varied diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, dairy, and fish. Don’t forget to keep the sugar to a minimum, because it’s the worst thing for healthy teeth and gums!

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The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

MOST OF US can remember the scraped knees and other bumps and bruises we got as we were growing up and discovering the world around us. As parents, we want our kids to get the most out of childhood while hopefully avoiding some of the downsides — especially preventable tooth injuries. Here are a few tips we recommend following to protect your child’s teeth from injury.

The Most Common Ways Kids Injure Their Teeth

There are a few simple things we can do to minimize the risk of unnecessary oral injuries, whether our kids are playing in the backyard or running around a playground with friends. The simplest is to know the most common culprits of these injuries.

For babies and toddlers, the biggest villain is the bathtub. It’s very easy for them to slip on wet porcelain. Keep a close eye on them during bathtime and use non-slip mats so they’re less likely to lose their footing.

Any kind of projectile can easily cause a tooth injury, including balls and frisbees. Have a conversation with your kids about safety and make a hard rule that they should never aim for each other’s heads.

Playground equipment like monkey bars, jungle gyms, and swings can result in mouth injuries too. A child could easily knock out a tooth if they fall on their face at the playground. Talk to your kids about playground safety.

Be Prepared With Your Emergency Plan

No matter how careful we are, accidents can still happen, so it’s a good idea to be ready with a plan for what you’ll do in the event of a tooth injury. The first step should be not to panic. Calmly assess the situation. Is the injured tooth a baby tooth or an adult tooth? Try to put it back in place if it was either an adult tooth or a baby tooth that wasn’t loose. If you can’t do that, store it in cold milk until you can get to the dentist. Make sure you know how to find the dentist’s office!

The faster you get to the dentist, the better the chances are that the tooth can be replanted (i.e. reattached). The goal until you reach us is to keep the root of the tooth alive. Do not touch the root or try to clean it, and don’t store it in ice or water. Any of those things will kill it and make the tooth impossible to replant.

A mouth injury might do damage to more than just the teeth. If this happens, take your child to the emergency room first. Some hospitals even have dentists on staff who can help with dental injuries within the context of a broader medical emergency.

Keeping Teeth Healthy Will Help Protect Them Too

We can also help protect our kids’ teeth from injury by keeping them healthy and strong through good oral hygiene habits. Kids should be brushing for two minutes twice a day and flossing once a day (and if they’re too young, parents should be doing it for them and setting a good example) and coming to see the dentist regularly. Healthy teeth are better at resisting injuries!

There’s nothing better than a child’s healthy smile!

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The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

THE NEXT TIME you need an ice-breaker, why not toss out a few weird mouth facts? We’re confident you’ll be able to impress your friends.

Fact #1: We Need our Spit to Taste Our Food

Our saliva plays a crucial role in facilitating our sense of taste. Without it, the ten thousand taste buds on our tongues would be useless for tasting any dry food, because food molecules need to be dissolved in liquid before they can be detected by the receptors on our taste buds.

Fact #2: Taste Buds Are Complicated

Contrary to popular belief, the visible bumps on our tongues are not taste buds, which are too small to be seen by the naked eye. The bumps are actually called lingual papillae, which house many taste buds each. Lingual papillae come in four different types: filiform, fungiform, foliate, and vallate. Although they serve slightly different purposes, all types except for fungiform ones contain taste buds.

From an oral hygiene perspective, the issue with lingual papillae is that they create a rough texture that can harbor bacteria. When bacteria accumulate into plaque, it can cause a persistent bad taste in the mouth and leave the breath sour. Additionally, it can dull the sense of taste. This is why cleaning our tongues every day is crucial, and using a tongue scraper is the best tool for the job (as opposed to a quick scrub with a toothbrush).

Fact #3: The Strength and Stamina of the Tongue

You may have heard that the tongue is the strongest muscle in the body. This isn’t technically true, but the tongue does have remarkable stamina. This is because it is made up of eight different muscles working together (four intrinsic muscles that form the tongue itself and four extrinsic ones that attach to the throat and mouth), giving it many built-in redundancy systems so it can’t get tired after a workout.

Fact #4: Besides the Heart, Which Muscle Group Doesn’t Need Bones to Move?

It’s the tongue. For not relying on the skeleton to move, it has an amazing range of motion, able to curl, uncurl, lengthen, shorten, and sometimes even roll. We’d have trouble eating and speaking if it couldn’t do all of this.

Fact #5: We Begin Growing Our Adult Teeth in Utero

The formation of our teeth begins as early as six weeks into fetal development. At this stage, the baby teeth start to develop, and it only takes another six weeks before the adult teeth start to form. It takes many more months for the baby teeth to finish forming under the gums and years for the adult teeth to fully develop.

Fact #6: Name the Bumps on New Adult Teeth

Maybe you remember that when you first got your adult front teeth, their chewing surfaces were covered in little bumps. Maybe you’ve seen those bumps on your child’s new adult teeth. These are totally normal portions of a new tooth called mamelons. They possibly exist to aid the teeth in breaking through the gums. In most instances, they will naturally wear down as a result of regular chewing.

Let’s break through the fog of a few dental myths:

Let’s Hear Your Weird Mouth Trivia!

If you know any obscure mouth facts, we’d love to hear them. As dental health professionals, it’s our favorite topic, and we can’t wait to chat about it with you the next time we see you. Make sure you keep scheduling your regular dental exams!

One last fact: our patients are the best!

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The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

LOSING BABY TEETH is a perfectly normal part of growing up, but it can still be a scary new experience for little kids, particularly the first time. Parents can make it easier by encouraging the right mindset. Emphasize that losing a tooth is part of being a big kid! Help them focus on what an achievement it is to lose a baby tooth instead of dwelling on how it might hurt. This can be exciting!

Technique Matters!

Technique is as important as a good mindset. We would discourage parents from chasing their kids down with a pair of pliers or tricking them with that old “I just want to feel it!” ruse to get close enough to pull the tooth. Encourage them instead to gently wiggle the tooth on their own with their tongue, a tissue, or a clean finger. Let them set the pace and only intervene if they ask for help pulling the tooth.

Use The Right Incentives

A creative reward can also help. The standard way of giving a child a good incentive to brave the pain of losing a tooth is the Tooth Fairy, but why not make things a little more unique? Some kids might be more motivated by a promise of a trip to the ice cream shop or a new toy. Tailor the prize to their personality as much as you can.

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The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

AS DENTAL HEALTH professionals, our favorite figure in the magic of childhood has to be the Tooth Fairy. We all remember what it was like to leave a baby tooth under the pillow and find a shiny quarter in its place the next morning. It’s fascinating to see how the traditions around baby teeth differ across the world and even in the past.

What Came Before the Tooth Fairy?

Medieval Europeans didn’t leave baby teeth under pillows for the tooth fairy; instead, they buried them in the ground. They believed a witch could control people if she got access to their teeth, so they had to hide them where she couldn’t find them.

Another tradition they had was to burn baby teeth to help ensure a peaceful afterlife because they believed that they might end up stuck as ghosts searching for their teeth for eternity if they weren’t destroyed. That’s a little more intense than a tooth fairy.

A little farther north, the Vikings took a very different view. They considered baby teeth to be good luck in battle — to such an extent that they would buy them in order to make necklaces out of children’s teeth. Would that be strange-looking or intimidating to go up against on the battlefield?

How About a Tooth Mouse?

Not every culture has a magical tooth collector who looks like Tinkerbell. Many European and Latin-American countries instead have a Tooth Mouse! In France, she’s called La Petit Souris (“the little mouse”), and she swaps out teeth hidden under pillows for small gifts or money just like the Tooth Fairy. Spanish-speaking countries typically call their Tooth Mouse “Raton Perez.”

Who Came Up With the Tooth Fairy?

Our modern Tooth Fairy traditions have their roots in European folklore, like many of our other traditions. The version we recognize began in the early 1900s with the help of fairy characters popularized by Walt Disney. They gave the idea enough traction to help it grow into what it became.

What’s the going rate for a baby tooth these days?

Is There Any Real Value in the Tooth Fairy?

We don’t strictly “need” something like the Tooth Fairy, but the idea is a really nice one for little kids. Losing a tooth can be a scary experience, so having something magical to look forward to like a reward from the Tooth Fairy can help a lot. Just keep in mind that you don’t have to rely on fantasy characters alone when it comes to loose tooth concerns. The dentist can help too!

We love our patients!

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The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

A CANKER SORE, a shallow ulcer that can develop on the inside of the cheeks or lips, can mean days of discomfort. Different things can trigger a canker sore. The most common are a bitten lip or cheek (which only becomes easier to bite again when it swells), long periods of stress and the strain that puts on the immune system, illness, poking braces wires or ill-fitting dentures, and highly acidic foods like lemons, strawberries, tomatoes, and pineapple.

Avoiding Triggers

Anyone who frequently develops canker sores should identify the triggers and try to avoid them, because an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This could mean cutting back on acidic foods, using dental wax during orthodontic treatment, and reducing stress levels.

Tips for Managing a Canker Sore

Here are a few tips to help with canker sores when they appear:

1. Rinse with warm salt water to help the healing process.

2. Use painkillers or topical medication to reduce discomfort.

3. Find a toothpaste that doesn’t contain sodium laurel sulfate (it should still contain fluoride though).

4. Brush with a soft-bristled toothbrush.

5. Eat a diet rich in vitamin B12, iron, and folate (good sources include carrots, salmon, parsley, spinach, kale, and yogurt).

6. Maintain good oral hygiene habits. It’s easier to maintain good oral health when plaque is under control.

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The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

THROUGHOUT HISTORY, WOMEN have faced numerous challenges in pursuing their careers. Dentistry is no exception. It has taken significant determination and persistence for women to establish themselves in the field of dentistry. In this blog post, we will be discussing three pioneers of women in dentistry: Ida Gray, Lucy Hobbs Taylor, and Emeline Roberts Jones.

Ida Gray

Ida Gray was the first African-American woman to become a licensed dentist in the United States. Born in Tennessee in 1867, she became an orphan when her mother died in her early teens, after which she went to live with her aunt in Cincinnati. While Gray attended segregated public schools alongside her aunt’s three children and worked as a seamstress, she found time to work in the dental offices of Jonathan Taft, an early advocate of training women as dentists.

Despite facing racial and gender discrimination, Gray was determined to pursue a career in dentistry. She graduated from the University of Michigan Dental School in 1890, making her one of the first African-American women to earn a degree in dentistry. After graduation, Gray established her practice in Chicago, where she treated both black and white patients. Gray’s dedication to dentistry and her community paved the way for future generations of female dentists.

Lucy Hobbs Taylor

Lucy Hobbs Taylor was the first woman to graduate from a dental school in the world. Born in New York in 1833, Taylor was a teacher before deciding to pursue a career in dentistry. She faced significant opposition from the male-dominated field of dentistry, with many dental schools refusing to admit her because of her gender. However, Taylor’s perseverance paid off when she was finally admitted to the Ohio College of Dental Surgery in 1861.

She graduated in 1866, becoming the first woman to earn a degree in dentistry. After graduation, Taylor married a Civil War veteran who she trained to be a dentist too! They established a successful practice together in Lawrence, Kansas, where she provided dental care to women and children. She also became an advocate for women’s rights and education.

Emeline Roberts Jones

Emeline Roberts Jones was the first woman to practice dentistry in the United States. Born in New York in 1836, Jones was a schoolteacher before deciding to pursue a career in dentistry. Like Taylor, Jones faced significant opposition from the male-dominated field. However, she was determined to succeed and eventually became an apprentice to her brother-in-law, a practicing dentist.

After completing her apprenticeship, Jones established her practice in Connecticut in 1855. She treated both men and women and was known for her gentle touch and compassionate care. Jones also became an advocate for women’s rights and education and was a member of several women’s suffrage organizations.

Now let’s fast-forward to what the dental field looks like for women today:

The Legacy of These Dental Pioneers

Today, women make up a significant portion of the dental profession, and their contributions to the field are invaluable. Women have brought new perspectives and approaches to dentistry, resulting in better patient care and outcomes. The legacy of Ida Gray, Lucy Hobbs Taylor, and Emeline Roberts Jones continues to inspire and empower women in dentistry and beyond.

We’re lucky to stand on the shoulders of these giants!

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The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

HERE’S A HANDY GUIDE that can help parents navigate the toothbrush aisle the next time they need to replace a child’s toothbrush (which should be every few months — certainly by the time the bristles look bent). Start out by choosing from toothbrushes with the ADA’s Seal of Acceptance.

Manual or Electric Toothbrush?

Next, electric or manual? While both types of toothbrushes have the same capacity to clean teeth, electric toothbrushes might be a better choice for some kids. A child with a tendency to brush too hard, who has limited dexterity, who needs help getting to their molars, or who has special needs and difficulties may do better with an electric toothbrush, but one who is great at brushing is just fine with a manual brush.

Soft Bristles Are Better

What about bristle hardness? We recommend soft-bristled brushes to our patients, especially for young children. Soft bristles are gentle on gums but still effective against plaque and food debris.

One Size Does NOT Fit All

Size is also important. A child’s toothbrush should fit their hand and mouth, or they won’t be able to use it effectively. A non-slip grip might also be a good idea if they have a tendency to drop their toothbrush.

Their Favorite Toothbrush Is the One They Choose

We are happy to give specific toothbrush recommendations. A child can also pick their favorite from a selection that meets the other requirements. They’re more likely to enjoy brushing with a toothbrush that’s their favorite color or has their favorite character on the handle. In the end, the best toothbrush is the one they use!

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The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

AS PARENTS, THERE ARE so many things we must teach our children so that they are ready to go out into the world as adults. One lesson we prioritize as dentists is teaching them how to floss properly. We’re happy to give parents everywhere our best tips on how to train a great flosser.

Why Make Flossing a Priority?

Even if it is already a challenge to get your child to brush their teeth, we strongly encourage adding daily flossing to the routine. ​​While brushing can remove plaque and food particles from the surface of the teeth, flossing is the only way to remove plaque and debris from the places a toothbrush cannot reach, such as between the teeth and under the gumline. When plaque and debris are left to accumulate, they can lead to gum disease, cavities, and even tooth loss.

What Is the Right Age to Begin Flossing?

Children should start flossing as soon as two teeth touch each other, which is usually around age two or three. Until they have enough dexterity to floss for themselves, parents should be flossing their teeth for them each day, both to make it a routine and to give them an example of how to floss.

Tips for Parents

Teaching a small child how to floss is a very different task than flossing your own teeth, so here are a few tips to help you know where to start:

• Establish the routine early. Begin flossing their teeth while they’re toddlers so they will be used to it and possibly eager to take over their own flossing when they’re old enough.
• Explain the importance of flossing. A child is more likely to tolerate or even look forward to flossing if they understand how much it matters for keeping their smile healthy.
• Flossing is for big kids. Encourage them by explaining that big kids floss their teeth. They’ll want to prove their maturity by mastering this skill.
• Use flossers or floss picks if you need them to help make flossing easier.

The Steps of Flossing

When your child is ready to try flossing, follow these steps with them:

• Show them how to pull out the right amount of floss (about a foot and a half) and how to wrap it loosely around their middle fingers, with an inch or two of floss left in the middle to slip between the teeth.
• Show them how to curve the floss around each tooth in a C-shape and gently work down to the gums so the floss doesn’t snap their gums.
• Show them how to rotate the strand of floss so they’re always using clean floss between each pair of teeth. Using dirty floss only moves plaque around instead of getting rid of it!

We Are Happy to Demonstrate Great Flossing Technique

Children shouldn’t merely be learning to floss; they should be learning how to do it right. Talk to us about having a team member at our practice demonstrate how all of these tips we’ve discussed work in practice. We’re here to help you make flossing correctly a part of your child’s daily routine.

Let’s start training the next generation of flossers!

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The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.