​ Many parents don't think about the importance of maintaining their kids' baby teeth. And even if they do, they might not know how to properly care for those little teeth. Many parents just don't know where to begin. "Some parent might be struggling to care for their child's teeth," said Dr. Alexandra George, DDS. "Also, many new parents could be ...

Dentists do their best to treat children experiencing dental decay, but preventing decay from happening in the first place is truly the best option. According to a three-year study conducted by several universities, with core findings published in the Journal of Dental Research, preventing tooth decay altogether for children is best for oral care. ...

​ Have you ever had a small black dot on one of your teeth that you haven't been able to scrape off? You might want to get that checked out. It could be a cavity. Cavities are damaged parts of your teeth that develop into holes. If left untreated, cavities can grow and affect more of your teeth and mouth. Cavities are caused by bacteria in your mou...

A recent study conducted by the Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Turku in Turku, Finland, has found that children who experience oral infections or who have bad oral hygiene may experience atherosclerosis as adults. Atherosclerosis is defined as fatty plaque deposits that clog the arteries and thicken the walls of the blood vessels. This in turn restricts the blood flow through the arteries and reduces the amount of oxygen and nutrients that are absorbed by the body. Arthrosclerosis can be a precursor to numerous dangerous and deadly conditions like heart disease, angina, kidney disease and carotid artery disease. As if those risks weren’t bad enough, the plaque coating the arteries can even break free of the artery walls and become trapped, causing a heart attack or stroke. If the plaque blocks an artery leading to a limb, it can cause tissue death or gangrene - and in extreme cases it can even lead to amputation or death. Until recently, researchers have believed that arthrosclerosis is caused by lifestyle choices such as smoking and by medical conditions like high blood pressure and high cholesterol or triglycerides. However, according to the Finnish study, it may be at least in part caused by poor oral hygiene early in life. "Most of the studies conducted that link poor oral health to medical conditions are looking at adults, not children," says Wexford, Pennsylvania, dentist Dr. Alexandra George. "This study is quite groundbreaking in that it’s examining the oral hygiene of children and following them to adulthood." According to George, it is also the first study that links poor oral hygiene in children to cardiovascular disease. But the good news is now that we know there’s a possible link, there is time to curb it. "Yes, there does appear to be a connection between poor oral hygiene in kids and adult cardiovascular disease," says George, "but the good news is that with children, there’s time to turn things around." For example, according to George, two of the conditions that were noted in the study were childhood gum disease and childhood dental caries (also known as cavities). George says despite the grim outlook, if parents and dental professionals can manage to prevent these conditions early in life, they can in theory reduce a child’s risk of developing conditions like arthrosclerosis later in life - and it's easier than you may think! "Preventing oral health conditions like dental caries and periodontal disease is as easy as brushing twice a day and flossing once a day," says George. "It’s literally as simple as that to protect your child’s teeth and gums today and their overall health tomorrow. What could be easier?"

Do you or a loved one suffer from the debilitating joint condition known as temporomandibular joint disorder (or TMJ disorder for short)? Do you have young children with either crooked adult teeth or seemingly straight baby teeth? It may be time for an orthodontic evaluation. While it may seem a tad premature to be worrying about realigning the teeth of a child, dentists and orthodontists recommend that children be evaluated for orthodontics as young as age 7. This is because at age 7, the bones of the roof of the mouth are still not completely fused together, making it much easier to treat common orthodontic problems and ward off a potential pain: temporomandibular joint disorder. Temporomandibular joint disorder is a condition of the temporomandibular joint wherein a misaligned bite stemming from the jawbone or surrounding muscles can cause severe pain. It is categorized by a clicking or popping sound while opening and closing the jaw; jaw pain and stiffness; tinnitus; muscle aches in the back, neck and face; and even headaches. But getting to the root cause of TMJ disorder is not so simple. While we don’t know for sure if temporomandibular joint disorder is genetic, we do know there are some genetic predispositions to the condition. Thus, if a parent or someone in the family has TMJ disorder, others in the family – including children - may also be genetically predisposed, even if they currently exhibit no signs of the condition. But helping to diagnose TMJ disorder is not all an early orthodontic evaluation can do for your child. Orthodontic visits can help predict the growth pattern of adult teeth and either begin a treatment plan or develop a future treatment plan for your child. This enables you to get a head start on warding off any orthodontic trouble, and it may even make your child’s orthodontic treatment less painful and much shorter than it might be at a more advanced age - namely after the jawbones fuse around age 9. Remember, orthodontic intervention can prevent more than just cosmetic issues like crooked teeth. It can prevent problems like TMJ disorder, sleep apnea, snoring and more. To schedule an orthodontic evaluation for your child, call Dr. George’s office at 724-220-2347.

With another National Children’s Dental Health Month upon us, it’s time to spotlight some better ways to help your children care for their teeth. This year’s theme is "Brush and Clean in Between to Build a Healthy Smile."

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 17 percent of American children are considered obese, a number that has more than tripled since the 1970s. In fact, not only are more children becoming overweight and obese, but, according to The Obesity Society, they are also becoming heavier than obese children in years past, a fact that puts them at a five-times-higher risk of being overweight or obese as adults. As a result, childhood obesity has now become the nation's most prevalent nutritional disorder among children and teens.