The number of American children with cavities has begun to decrease. It's estimated that around 43% of children in the United States have cavities, and while this is a smaller percentage than in previous years, it's still a substantial number of kids. This percentage isn't equal across all children either, and it has been found that some ethnic groups and children from lower-income are disproportionately affected by tooth decay. New parents will want to do everything they can to prevent their baby from becoming part of that 43%, and caring for a child's teeth should begin before the very first tooth has even grown.

If you have an upcoming dentist appointment, you may want to consider sedation dentistry. During your treatment, you will receive safe tranquilizing medicine that is intended to put your body and mind into a calmer state while the dentist works to improve your teeth. Here are some good reasons why sedation dentistry may be your best option. Less Anxiety One of the worst parts of going to the dentist for many people is the intense anxiety that they feel when receiving dental treatments.

If you are missing a couple of teeth, a fixed dental appliance like a bridge can be a good option to fill in the gap. Bridges are made up of two basic components: the abutment teeth and the pontic. The abutments act as a framework and anchor to your natural teeth (e.g. with a crown) or to a dental implant. The pontic is the false tooth that fills in the gap of missing teeth and is placed between abutment teeth.

If you have a tooth extraction planned, chances are the procedure itself is what's on your mind right now. But what about what comes after? Here's what you need to know about your recovery time after you've had a tooth pulled. Immediately After When your dentist is done pulling your tooth, you can go home immediately. However, how you go about going home is ultimately up to the way that your dentist performs the procedure.

Dental and medical procedures are all likely to have better end results when patients have a good understanding of the process, including any potential problems they might experience. This is particularly true for those who have already had an implant or those who are planning to undergo the procedure to replace one or more missing or damaged teeth.  Peri-implantitis is an example of one of the serious problems that dental implant patients may experience.

It's important to teach your kid about the importance or maintaining good oral health, and it starts when they are young. Even before their first tooth comes in, you should be cleaning their gums before bed so that all of the sugars from milk are washed away. As they get older and more baby teeth come in, you'll want to ensure that you're doing the right things to set them on a path for success with caring for their teeth.

After losing several teeth to decay, you may have lost some of your self-confidence, too. When you are missing a few teeth from your mouth, you might not want to open your mouth wide enough when talking or smiling because you do not want anyone else to know that you are missing some of your teeth. A good smile can make you feel confident and give people a better impression of you, but you might feel like your smile no longer looks good because of those missing teeth.

Some parents are surprised to find out that their toddlers need dental care just like the rest of the family do. Making an early start when it comes to your child will instill healthy habits that will benefit them throughout their lives. To find out more about helping your childcare for their teeth at an early age, read on. Why Start Early? For a long time, parents believed in the myth that baby teeth were not prone to cavities.

If you or anyone you care about has ever had braces before, chances are that you've seen or heard of retainers. These valuable tools are used to help with the process of straightening teeth and are sometimes made out of clear plastic that wraps around the teeth. They look a lot like invisible braces, in fact. If you've ever wondered if invisible braces are just retainers rebranded, here's what you should know.

If you suffer from a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, you may believe that you cannot have dental implants inserted. Because you constantly grind your teeth and clench your jaw, you may believe that getting the implants is not an option for you. However, you may still be able to benefit from the implants. Below are a couple of answers to questions you may have about getting dental implants when you have TMJ.