Tag Archives: pediatric dentist

Will an Affordable Dentist Help a Minor?

I have a problem. I’m a teenager (13) and still suck my thumb. I’m really embarrassed about it. I don’t want my parents to know but it is making my teeth stick out. The kids at school make fun of me about my teeth. Is there a dentist that won’t charge me too much and would let me come without my parents knowing? I need to find out what to do about my thumb sucking and my teeth. I can pay some. I’ve got a little business I do knitting scarves for people.

Olivia

Dear Olivia,

Child with Pediatric Dentist

I’m so sorry the kids at school are giving you a hard time. I’m even more sorry you feel like you have to deal with this on your own. I wish you felt like you could talk to your parents. I don’t know your situation. Hopefully, there is some trusted adult in your life you feel safe with.

If you don’t feel safe, please tell a teacher or police officer. I also want to commend you on having a business at your age. You sound like a gal who’s going to change the world and I’m very proud of you.

Finding a dentist who’ll work with you financially isn’t a problem. Most would be happy to work with you. The biggest issue is the fact that you’re a minor. Legally, dentists cannot treat you without your parents there. They could lose their license. But, don’t get discouraged yet. I may have a way to help.

Affordable Ways to Stop Thumb Sucking

About any general pharmacy will have a type of clear nail polish designed to help people stop sucking your thumb. It’s not very expensive. You essentially just paint it on your thumb and the taste is so foul that it prevents you from sucking y our thumb.

This will deal with your thumb sucking problem but not your teeth. I’m guessing your parents don’t take you to the dentist regularly. I’d tell them your teeth are bothering you. When your teeth are out of alignment it can lead to migraines and even TMJ problems.

You may do some up front research ahead of time to look for affordable dentists in your area. At your age, you could go to either a pediatric dentist or a general dentist. Many work with Care Credit which is a medical card that can allow you to may payment plans for low and even no-interest.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Kevin Peck.

Is teeth grinding normal in children?

Is it normal for a three year old to grind their teeth?

May L- Jackson, MS

May,

You don’t need to worry. It is completely normal for young children to grind there teeth. Nearly 40% of children grind their teeth in their early years. They generally grow out of it by the time their permanent teeth are in.

Don’t panic if he or she starts losing tooth structure. Those teeth are going to fall out  anyway. If he or she is in any pain, you can bring your child in to the pediatric dentist.

Most teeth grinding is done at night.  Try to make sure your child gets as much soothing as possible before bed as possible to see if that helps eliminate the grinding, but don’t stress.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentist Dr. Kevin Peck.

Bad Brushing Habits in My Son

My nine year old son has horrible teeth brushing skills.  He does brush his teeth before going to bed, but even I can tell that he still has a lot of gunk on his teeth.  He isn’t in the habit of brushing in the morning. What can I do to help him develop better habits? We honestly can’t afford a dentist right now.

Sandy M.- Aberdeen, MS

Sandy,

I can tell you are a good mother and you want the best for your son. Here are some things that can help with his teeth brushing skills and habits. First, children often like charts. It helps them show they’ve accomplished something.  You don’t want him to feel you are babying him about his teeth. Because you said he is good about brushing in the evening, let’s just focus on the morning brushing. Make him a morning chart that includes everything he needs to accomplish before school. Include his morning brushing on that.

Next, we’ll focus on his brushing habits. There are plaque “revealers”, such as Cool Agent Blue, that will help. They’re liquids that your son can switch around your mouth and it will show your son where he still has plaque left.  These products have mixed reviews, but you could see if your son thinks it is fun.  The second thing is the amount of time he brushes. Tell him it means to be a minium of two minutes. Cell phones have timers on them. You can have him set the timer, which will be more fun for him.

Make sure he has the right sized toothbrush for his mouth. You don’t want anything too big for him.  Also, make sure they are soft bristles.

Now, I know you cannot afford a dentist at this time.  Don’t feel guilty about that. Lots of families are going through tough times right now. However, check ups are very important to help prevent more serious issues. Were you aware that dental schools and dental hygiene schools do check up and cleanings? They have incredibly reasonable fees and do a great job.  A friend in Arkansas takes her four children to the local dental school. They only charge $25 for the service.

This might be an option for you until you can save up for a pediatric dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentists Drs. Kevin and Hillary Peck.

Teeth extraction in babies

My 17 month old needs two front teeth extracted. Is this normal?

A concerned mom

I can understand your concern. It is not unknown for toddlers to have tooth decay. However, generally there are some common factors involved. One is a family history of decay and two is being allowed to feed throughout the night.

A seventeen month old is able to sleep through the night without bottle or breastfeeding. Though, if they are not used to that it will take some training. In the meantime, whenever you feed your baby at night, make sure you don’t let him or her sleep with a bottle or sleep while breastfeeding.

When that happens, the liquid stays on their teeth. Our saliva production is down at night, so there isn’t as much protection for their teeth.

Also, make sure as soon as that first tooth is erupted you need to begin formal dental hygiene, both at home and in a year or so with a dentist. When they’re young it is best to see a pediatric dentist who enjoys treating children so they’ll have a positive first experience.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentist Dr. Hillary Peck.