Give Your Baby A Head Start On Oral Hygiene

IT’S IMPORTANT TO HAVE healthy teeth and gums at any age, but how early should you start to think about your child's oral health? It may be sooner than you think!

Proper Oral Health Care Starts At The Beginning

Infants usually begin teething between six and twelve months old, and caring for your child’s teeth should begin immediately when their pearly whites become visible. Even baby teeth can develop early childhood caries (cavities), and treatment can often be an uncomfortable experience.

This is why it’s important to get your child started on a good oral health regimen before their teeth fully erupt.

No Teeth Doesn’t Mean No Bacteria

Even as his or her first little teeth begin to sprout, oral bacteria begins to settle around their teeth and gums. An infant’s currently erupting teeth do not need a toothbrush, but they do still need to be cleaned. This can be done simply by wiping their gums with a wet washcloth or moistened gauze. Wiping the gums is enough to knock off stubborn plaque and keep their incoming teeth clean.

Choose The Right Toothbrush When The Time Is Right

Once your baby’s first teeth have erupted completely, it is time to introduce an appropriate toothbrush. When choosing your child’s first toothbrush, you should be sure it’s…

• soft,
• small-headed,
• and wide handled.

Children younger than three should use only a smear of fluoride toothpaste. Once they are a little older, a pea-sized amount may be introduced. If your child has trouble spitting out their toothpaste after brushing or if you’re concerned with them swallowing too much, there are plenty of fluoride-free options you can use until they are ready for fluoridated toothpaste.

We’re Here To Help!

Whether you’re wiping their gums or helping them use their first toothbrush, cleaning your child’s teeth should still take place twice per day—especially after eating and before bed. This will help them develop good dental hygiene habits that will help support a lifetime of good oral health.

If you have questions about when to get your baby started with their first toothbrush, feel free to schedule an appointment! We’d love to talk with your about your child’s particular dental needs and help them on their way to a lifetime of excellent oral health.

Thanks for being a part of our practice family!



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-3a-r5yBhM?rel=0
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.

Today is a special day, a day when we celebrate our 1st awesome year in business taking care of the dental needs of our amazing patients. Congrats to us and congrats to our patients, we appreciate all of you!

40 under 40

You would be proud to know that your dentist is awarded and highlighted in the Incisal Edge magazine for 40 under 40... check it out!!!

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/9975d83d#/9975d83d/32

Wisdom Teeth: Why Do We Have Them?

WHEN DENTISTS SEE emerging wisdom teeth are going to cause dental problems, wisdom tooth removal is likely in the cards.

Wisdom teeth–also known as the third molars–received their nickname because they emerge during young adulthood, when a person has a little more wisdom. But why do we wait until the late teenage years to address the issue? In fact, if wisdom teeth so often cause complications, why has nature given them to us at all?

Wisdom Teeth Have Ancient Roots

The most widely accepted theory behind wisdom teeth suggests we look to our ancestors in the distant past for answers. Early humans had a much different diet than we do today: roots, raw meat, tough plants—foods that would have required a lot of grinding. Big, wide molars were the perfect teeth for the job, and that third set of molars would have helped them immensely! They also had larger jaws to accommodate these extra teeth.

Today, we have smaller jaws and eat much softer foods, but our genes still produce third molars! When they don’t have enough room to emerge properly, wisdom teeth can begin erupting at angles of 45 degrees or more—even horizontally! When teeth grow where there isn’t space for them, they cause a lot of problems.

When Is Removal The Right Decision?

Wisdom teeth emerging at bad angles or crowding other teeth can damage oral health. They might not even emerge at all, becoming impacted below the gum surface. In either case, they can cause constant pain and infection, weaken bone structure, and undo orthodontic work.

You might ask why wisdom teeth aren’t addressed in early childhood. It’s because they actually don’t begin forming until around age 10! All teeth (adult teeth included) begin forming in the jaws during fetal development—except for wisdom teeth.

We Treat Each Wisdom Teeth Case Individually

There are the lucky few that have no problems with their wisdom teeth. It is possible for them to emerge at the right angle, with enough space, and not have to be removed.

Each case is unique, and by getting to know your unique dental profile, we will prescribe the best dental health solution—without any unnecessary treatment. From diagnosis to wisdom teeth removal recovery, we’ll be there every step of the way to provide the best in advice and care.

Thank you for choosing us as your family’s lifelong dental health partners. We treasure the trust you place in our practice!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wbwz9hG6Ac?rel=0

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.

WHNZ 1250: Jamie Meloni interviews Dr Amir Daoud

Jamie Meloni from 'That Business Show' interviews Dr Amir Daoud about his dental practice Feather Sound Smiles.

Please click on the link below to listen to the recorded show.

https://soundcloud.com/jamie-meloni/that-business-show-with-jamie-meloni-03-31-2015

Enhancing the Patient Experience with Laser Dentistry

The word lasers alone conjures up images of precision, speed, and accuracy. When applied to contemporary dentistry procedures, lasers can truly benefit the patient in terms of safety, health, and comfort. This reliable, multi-faceted technology can tackle any number of dental issues – tooth decay, gum disease, biopsies, lesion removals and even teeth whitening. And, it decreases the need for patients to endure the dental drill, which is great news for kids and adults, alike.

Laser-assisted dentistry also offers other advantages:

• Procedures may not require stitches.
• Aids in clotting and minimizes bleeding  
• Lasers sterilizes infected soft tissue
• May not require anesthesia
• Precision minimizes damage to neighboring soft tissue.

A dental laser heats, cuts, and vaporizes, making it a safe and useful tool for multiple applications.

Tooth Decay and Gum Disease: Through laser-assisted periodontal treatments, decaying, infected material can be cut and removed, minimizing the need for anesthesia and the drill. This technique can reduce a lot of discomfort and anxiety for all patients.

Root Canal Treatment: Lasers reshape gums, and remove bacteria in root canal therapies. The treatment provides a thorough and effective cleaning.

Laser-Assisted Tooth Extraction: The laser is used to cut away the bone around the affected tooth, allowing for a gentler extraction, which proves less stressful for the patient.

Biopsy: Laser-assisted biopsies involve removing a minute sample of tissue in order for a lab to examine for cancer; they can also remove lesions and help cauterize canker sores.

Teeth Whitening: The heat of a laser can be used to activate the active ingredients of a peroxide-based teeth whitening solution, which speeds up the bleaching process.

Efficiency and Precision

Laser-assisted dentistry reaps the rewards of decades of dedicated research – its flexibility, accuracy, and reliability make it an ideal solution for so many dental issues. For instance, specific laser technology, such as the built-in scanner-ready technology of the Fotana LightWalker Laser, can now be applied to dental fields such as dental implantology. The same laser is capable of procedures involving both hard and soft tissue, making it good for periodontic surgery, and endodontics.

If you are interested in laser dentistry for your next dental appointment, be sure to ask our Clearwater, FL dental office about the advantages of laser-assisted dentistry.

TMJ Disorder – Causes and Side Effects

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is composed of ligaments and cartilage and connects the skull and jawbone. The TMJ allows the jaw to perform functions including talking, chewing, and swallowing motions.

For most people, the TMJ functions as it should, but some people experience issues like consistent joint pain, that makes every-day oral function difficult. TMJ pain can be controlled with medication, but to solve your TMJ problems permanently, your dentist is the person to see.

What Causes TMJ Pain?

TMJ problems don't always stem from the same cause. For example, in older patients, a bone disease like osteoarthritis or osteoporosis might be a contributing factor.

However, TMJ pain can also be caused by improper jaw alignment. When the jaw is misaligned, it is unable to properly support normal biting, chewing, and even the ability to open your mouth wide, which produces discomfort.

There are also stress-related factors that can influence TMJ pain and contribute to involuntary jaw clenching and teeth grinding, which often increase while sleeping.

Side Effects of TMJ Dysfunction

When jaw muscles and ligaments become overworked because they're not supported, as is the case for TMD sufferers, this leads to symptoms such as pain and tenderness, difficulty chewing and talking, and chronic headaches.

Muscle spasms related to TMD cause patients to clench and grind their teeth. These involuntary actions create other side effects of TMJ, including significant wearing down of teeth's biting surfaces of teeth. This frequent pressure on teeth can even cause cracking and other structural damage.

When the problem is caused by improper jaw alignment, the solution is a customized orthodontic device, called a splint, which is worn to support the jaw. In the case of teeth-grinding and jaw-clenching, the solution is a device called an occlusal guard. It's similar in appearance to a mouth guard, and while it doesn't actually prevent grinding or clenching, it does prevent the tooth damage that these stress-related behaviors cause.

Seek Treatment for Your TMJ Dysfunction

If you're experiencing TMJ pain, it's important to get treatment. Without care, TMJ problems can cause excessive wear and tear on the teeth and chronic pain. If you think you might be experiencing problems related to your TMJ, please call our Clearwater dental office to schedule an appointment with Dr. Daoud. TMJ problems shouldn't be ignored, so make a commitment to getting treatment, ASAP.