We’re Celebrating Children’s Dental Health Month

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, a national health observance that brings us together with fellow dental professionals, healthcare providers, and educators to promote the benefits of good oral health!

The theme this year is “Choose Tap Water for a Sparkling Smile.” Did you know that drinking water in the United States is generally among the safest in the world? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that tap water delivers fluoride to reduce the potential for tooth decay. Many bottled waters now have the fluoride additive as well. In addition, per the American Dental Association, water drinking has other benefits:

• It helps rinse away food debris, acid, and sugar that can wear away teeth enamel.
• It dilutes the acids produced by bacteria in the mouth.
• It prevents dry mouth, which can put teeth at risk for decay.

Combine all this with the many benefits that drinking water has on your health and now is a perfect time to encourage your children or adolescents to get hydrated!

A few quick notes about our youngest patients

This month, it seems timely to address the topic of pediatric oral surgery. Here are a few reasons your child or adolescent might need to work with one of our surgeons at Bergen Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery:

• In conjunction with your orthodontist for various surgical needs to attain the perfect smile and bite.
• To treat the child for injuries from a car or other accident (to the face, neck, or jaw).
• To assess and treat infections that started in the oral cavity.
• To perform a biopsy on any abnormal growth in the mouth.
• To have wisdom teeth removed.
• To remove an extra tooth discovered during a dental x-ray.

When should you bring your child or adolescent in for oral surgery?

There is truly no one-size-fits-all answer on when is best to treat a pediatric patient. The important thing is to schedule a consultation and let us assess your child or adolescent. Many times, we will monitor a situation until the timing is ideal to schedule oral surgery. For example, an extra tooth that is not causing problems might not need removal until it erupts on its own and we can extract it.

This month and always, we are dedicated to the health of our young patients! If you have any questions about your child or adolescent’s oral health or would like to schedule a visit, please call us at one of our offices: Hackensack: 201.343.8297, Westwood: 201.664.5656, or Ridgewood: 201.444.4137.