Survey Reveals Poor Oral Hygiene Habits in US Children

Delta Dental has published the results of a new survey to raise awareness about the importance of oral health in children. The survey indicates relatively poor oral care behavior in under 12-year-olds that contributes to many American children having cavities

According to Delta Dental, only 28 percent of U.S. parents would give their children an A grade

Although it is recommended that children brush and see a dentist as soon as the first tooth erupts, 63 percent of the parents interviewed stated that they began brushing once there were a few teeth or even a full set of teeth. In addition, 46 percent of parents with children under the age of 3 said that they put their child to bed with a bottle or sippy cup containing milk or juice, two beverages containing considerable amounts of sugar, at least once a week.

These figures suggest that parents may be contributing to their children's poor oral health condition, which could cause serious dental diseases, such as tooth decay. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is the most common chronic disease of children aged 6–11 in the U.S.

The 2015 Delta Dental Children's Oral Health Survey was conducted by Kelton, a global insights firm. Interviews were conducted nationally via e-mail with 1,325 parents of children up to age 12 from December 2014 to January 2015.

National Children's Dental Health Month is celebrated each February. It is sponsored by the American Dental Association and aims to educate adults and children on good oral hygiene

habits at an early age and the importance of scheduling regular dental visits for children.
for oral health. About 86 percent stated that their children's oral health status is not as good as it could be. Although over 50 percent of the participants said that they think that oral care habits―rather than genetics or diet―contribute most to oral health, over 30 percent of the children did not brush twice a day and over 60 percent did not floss on a daily basis.


How would you grade your kids? Comment Below!

Reposted from: http://www.dental-tribune.com/articles/news/americas/22001_survey_reveals_poor_oral_hygiene_habits_in_us_children.html

Tooth Fairy is Posting Big Gains!

WASHINGTON — Business in booming for the tooth fairy, who left $225 million under pillows in 2014 — a 25 percent increase over her 2013 generosity, according to a poll from Delta Dental.
Delta Dental — a dental plan system — released its Original Tooth Fairy Poll that averages the monetary value of tooth fairy gifts and compares it to stock market activity. The poll found the tooth fairy bestowed $255 million in 2014 for teeth and averaged $4.36 per tooth.
Also, when considering the Standard & Poor’s 500 index, “both the average tooth fairy gift and the S & P 500 posted double-digit gains for the third year in a row, with 24.6 percent and 11.4 percent increases respectively,” the poll found.

The Original Tooth Fairy Poll tracks the monetary value of tooth fairy gifts and compares it to stock market activity. (Courtesy Delta Dental)

The fairy’s 2014 gift amounts were a bump up from the year earlier. The tooth fairy averaged $3.50 per lost tooth in 2013, the poll found.
First-time tooth losers can sink their teeth into gifts averaging $5.75 in 2014, according to the poll.
Delta Dental says the poll has generally been a good indicator of the economy’s overall direction.
“As leaders in the dental benefits industry, we keep our eye on all kinds of economic indicators, and the tooth fairy’s record giving tracks with big gains in the major stock indexes in 2014,” Jennifer Elliott, vice president of marketing at Delta Dental Plans Association, said in a news release.
The poll found that there were differences in the average gift for a tooth based on parents’ ages and geography.
Children with parents under the age of 35 received an average of $5.40 per tooth. Parents between 35 and 44 averaged $4.24 per tooth, and children with parents older than 45 received an average of $2.45 per tooth.

When it comes to geography, children in the South had a little bit more jingle in their pockets. The poll found that Southern children received an average of $5.16 per tooth. Children in the West received an average of $4.68; Northeast children averaged $4.16; and those in the Midwest averaged $2.83.
Delta Dental surveyed more than 1,000 primary caregivers via email to get the results for the poll. The sample was designed to capture a broad spectrum of the U.S. population, not just those with dental insurance, Delta Dental notes.

Reposted from: http://wtop.com/consumer-news/2015/02/poll-tooth-fairy-posting-big-gains-25-percent-increase-tooth-value/

FDA Updates Position on Amalgam Fillings

CHICAGO — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) denied three petitions to ban or consumer advisory on dental amalgam fillings Jan. 27 to more clearly reflect its position.
 In doing so, FDA strongly reaffirmed its position that amalgam is a safe and effective dental material.  As part of its response to the petitions, FDA thoroughly reviewed the current science and updated its
“The FDA continues to leave the decision about dental treatment right where it needs to be—between the dentist and the patient,” states ADA President Dr. Maxine Feinberg. “The ADA encourages dentists and patients to discuss treatment options to help patients make educated decisions regarding their dental care. I am very pleased that dentists and patients will continue to have access to the full range of safe and effective dental restorative materials and treatment options.
The FDA concluded in 2009 that dental amalgam was a safe and effective dental material and issued a final rule, which the ADA supported. The FDA categorizes encapsulated dental amalgam as a class II medical device, placing it in the same class as gold and tooth-colored composite fillings.  The ADA has supported a class II designation for dental amalgam since 2002 when first proposed by the FDA.

Dental amalgam is a cavity-filling material made by combining mercury with other metals such as silver, copper and tin. Numerous scientific studies conducted over the past several decades, including two large clinical trials published in the April 2006 Journal of the American Medical Association, indicate dental amalgam is a safe, effective cavity-filling material. And, in its 2009 review of the scientific literature on amalgam safety, the ADA’s Council on Scientific Affairs reaffirmed that the scientific evidence continues to support amalgam as a valuable, viable and safe choice for dental patients.


Reposted from: http://www.ada.org/en/press-room/news-releases/2015-archive/january/fda-updates-consumer-advisory

Why should I find a 'dental home' for my child?

As parents and caregivers resolve to develop new healthy habits for their families in 2015, finding a dental home – the home base for your child’s oral health needs – should be at the top of your list. If you are among those parents striving to fulfill a checklist of healthy promises for your family, remember that good oral health is a vital part of overall health and well-being, and finding a dental home will ensure the best care for little teeth.
What is a dental home?
A dental home is the ongoing relationship between the dentist and the patient, inclusive of all aspects of oral health care delivered in a comprehensive, continuously accessible and family-centered way. While it’s ideal to establish a dental home by age 1, it is never too late! In addition to the regular cleaning and care provided at twice yearly check-ups, your pediatric dentist will provide parents and caregivers personalized guidance and tips to help children establish healthy habits at home.

Why is this important?

Finding a pediatric dentist to establish a dental home is vital to keeping little teeth healthy - here are some important reasons why:

• Prevention keeps kids cavity-free. Tooth decay is a significant problem with young children in the U.S. – nearly 60 percent of children have it by age 5. The good news that it is nearly 100 percent preventable. A dental home ensures that you have the knowledge and tools you need to help your kids maintain healthy teeth and prevent cavities.
• Help when an accident happens. As all parents know, it’s always good to expect the unexpected! Do you know who to call if your child chips or knocks a tooth out? The answer should be your pediatric dentist.
• Specialized training. Pediatric dentists receive two to three years of training beyond dental school on child psychology, growth and development, and special health care needs.
• A welcoming environment. Pediatric dental offices are kid-friendly and family-oriented because making kids feel relaxed and comfortable is a priority. After all – what kid would not look forward to an office with cartoons on TV, their favorite books, stickers and goody bags all tailored to make them smile!

So how do I find a dental home?

Whether it’s through a pediatrician, school nurse or other parents, it’s common to find a pediatric dentist by word of mouth through a trusted contact. Since pediatricians and school nurses have good working relationships with pediatric dentists in the area, they can make recommendations for your family. You can also use a pediatric dentist finder on mychildrensteeth.org to find a pediatric dentist near you.

By finding a dental home, you will have a trusted partner to help keep your children’teeth healthy. Check out this story about one mom’s perspective on why she is happy that she found a dental home for her son.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/healthy_kids/Why-should-I-find-a-dental-home-for-my-child.html#TIWJWEJCpQshc8wk.99

Kolibree ‘gamifies’ its smart electric toothbrush

Some kids don’t like brushing their teeth. So France’s Kolibree came up with a connected smart electric toothbrush that trains them how to do it properly.

It announced the toothbrush last year, and now it has a couple of apps that “gamify” brushing, or use game mechanics to motivate people to do something they wouldn’t ordinarily do. It’s another sign of how the so-called “Internet of Things” — turning everyday objects into connected devices — continues to march into our homes.

Kolibree isn’t the first company to do this. GamesBeat covered Grush: The Gaming Toothbrush for Kids back in April.

Kolibree’s toothbrush can use connectivity and 3D motion sensors to figure out where the brush is in your mouth when you are using it.

“It is like GPS [global positioning system] for your mouth,” said Kolibree chief executive Thomas Serval in an interview with VentureBeat at the 2015 International CES, one of the world’s biggest tech trade shows.

While you’re brushing, you can use the mobile app to run a game, like an endless runner with a pirate theme. If you have the toothbrush in the right position, your character will run and pick up gold coins. If you miss some areas, you won’t get the coins. The feedback works via Bluetooth in real time.

The games gets kids to brush for the right amount of time, and then it produces analytics with a picture of your teeth. If your teeth are gold, you have hit the right spots. If they are red, you need to do a better job brushing, Serval said.

Kolibree has provided an open application programming interface (API) for developers to create more games, like The Pirates Game. Another is Kolibree Coach, which is still fun but it is for older brushers.

The $200 device ships later this month in the U.S. and sometime in the first quarter in Europe. A dental insurance company, Dentegra, has teamed up with Kolibree to give the toothbrush to members for a discount.
 

Takahashi, D. (2015, January 7). Kolibree 'gamifies' its smart electric toothbrush. Retrieved January 21, 2015, from http://venturebeat.com/2015/01/07/kolibree-gamifies-its-smart-electric-toothbrush-video/

Pediatric Dentists Take a Different Approach in Their Practices

At our office, Dr. Leaf and staff are trained to take care of
your youngest and oldest children.

CEDAR RAPIDS — When you set foot into a pediatric dentistry office here in the Corridor, it’s not hard to gather they are child-friendly spaces.

While the offices and equipment are noticeably different from those in a general dentistry office, the pediatric dentists themselves are uniquely skilled as well.

To become a pediatric dentist, one must go through at least two years of additional training after completing dental school to specialize in the field of pediatric dentistry — the second oldest specialty in dentistry, just behind orthodontics.

“Most programs are two to three years and are often based out of a university or hospital setting,” said Dr. Sarah Swenson, who completed her dental schooling and specialty training at the University of Iowa before beginning her practice at Cedar Rapids Pediatric Dentistry two and a half years ago.

“That two years of training is really about helping us understand how to meet the psychological and behavioral needs of children,” she said. “Every child’s mouth is different, and a lot goes into helping manage their growth and development.”

Dr. Kaaren Vargas, a board-certified pediatric dentist with Corridor Kids Pediatric Dentistry in North Liberty, agreed that those additional years of training make pediatric dentists especially qualified to serve children.

“Some general dentists could have only nine weeks of training in working with children,” she noted. “As pediatric dentists we go through at least an additional two years to be able to work with children.

“There are things we can offer that a general dentist couldn’t offer children just as there are some things a pediatric dentist can’t offer adults. That is why we don’t overstep those bounds.”

Vargas, who is from South America, did her dental studies in Peru and her residency in New York. She obtained her master’s degree at the UI where she taught before opening her practice in 2008. She now works in an office of 15, along with another pediatric dentist.

“In today’s world, you have to be very customer-oriented,” Vargas said. “What our patients remember is how they were treated when they come in for a visit.”

Dr. Don Peterson Jr. — who operates Iowa Pediatric Dental Center, with offices in Coralville, Cedar Rapids and Muscatine — also went to dental school at the UI before heading to New York for his pediatric dentistry residency. He started his practice in Coralville 10 years ago, opened an office in Muscatine seven years ago and opened an office in Cedar Rapids last year.

Peterson, along with this pediatric dentistry associate, Dr. Mark Moeller, work with 11 staff members to split their time between patients in all three offices throughout the week.

“It is interesting work because you are dealing with smaller mouths and smaller teeth, along with all sorts of big personalities,” he said.

“Our office in Cedar Rapids ... features a large, colorful mural of Herky and a toothbrush, which we call the Tooth Hawk,” he said. “ ...Everything about the office is geared toward kids because that is what we do all day long.”

“We run similar to general dental office as we do see patients throughout the day,” said Swenson of Cedar Rapids Pediatric Dentistry. “But we take into account that kids are fresh in the morning so we do a lot of appointments then and mornings tend to be busier.”

How young is too young?

“I’ve seen babies that are just a few days old that may be having a nursing problem related to a small mouth or a baby that may have been born with a tooth, which does happen,” Peterson noted.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommend that children are seen for the first time by a dentist within six months of their first tooth coming through or about age one.

“Many people take their children to see a pediatrician,” Peterson said. “Taking your child to see a pediatric dentist is not much different.”

Mills Giorgio, K. (2015, January 17). Careers: These dentists say you’re never too young. Retrieved January 20, 2015, from http://thegazette.com/subject/news/careers-these-dentists-say-youre-never-too-young-20150117

Ryder's Ready for Christmas!

Hey Everybody, 

      I hope you all are getting ready for Christmas - I know I can't wait! Christmas is my favorite time of year! I get to see all of my family and eat so many yummy leftovers. This year I asked Santa Clause if he would make it a white Christmas. I love playing in the snow. Check out this video of me playing in last year's snow.

 What did you ask Santa for this year? We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Love,

Ryder