As a family dental practice, we see a lot of children. Children typically have a total of twenty baby (deciduous) teeth. Many patients wonder why these are important to keep healthy if they are going to be lost shortly down the road. Since all of the baby teeth are usually lost by ages 10-12 it would appear that it wouldn’t be critical if any were lost before this time. However, this is not the case. The baby teeth are important in helping maintain correct spacing for the permanent teeth, speech development and eating, which contributes to overall development. In some cases, when a baby tooth is lost prematurely it becomes necessary to make something called a space maintainer in order to hold room for the permanent teeth. Consequently, we encourage our young patients to practice good oral hygiene and to keep their baby teeth cavity free in order to have great oral health for their upcoming permanent teeth. Dr. Carson Kutsch Albany Oregon Dentist www.drkutsch.com
Posts Tagged ‘dental cavity’
Why are baby teeth important?
Monday, July 19th, 2010Don’t be embarrassed about your mouth
Tuesday, June 1st, 2010It is never too late to do something positive for your oral health. Our dental team is very competent in working with patients who are just looking to get back into an oral health routine or who haven’t been to the dentist in a very long time. Having dental problems can be embarrassing and they always seem to happen at the most inopportune time. We are here to help anyone who is interested in taking a step in the direction of better oral health. Whether you just want an exam or have problems with things like gum disease (periodontitis), dental cavities (caries), missing teeth, cosmetics, or simply want a cleaning, we are here to help. Your oral health plays a crucial role in your overall health, especially your cardiovascular system. Dr. Carson Kutsch DDS Albany Oregon Dentist www.drkutsch.com
Why do we get dental cavities?
Wednesday, April 28th, 2010Cavities in the teeth are a sypmtom of a disease called Caries. Caries can be exhibited with mild symptoms such as white spots on the teeth all the way up to large brown holes in the teeth that lead to eventual tooth loss. Caries is caused by a wide variety of bacteria and even fungus. The bacteria responsible for this disease prefer to live in an acidic environment. Patients who are at high risk for dental caries often suffer tom things such as several medications that dry out the mouth (xerostomia), acid reflux, (GERD), and high frequency carbohydrate diets. The bottom line is that your saliva is very critical in buffering acid in the mouth and diet can play a large role in supporting the bacteria that cause caries. In order to correct this problem we test the oral bacteria on an annual basis and use a variety of treatments to help patients to quit getting cavities completely. Dr Carson Kutsch Albany Oregon Dentist www.drkutsch.com
When should I get my wisdom teeth taken out?
Tuesday, March 16th, 2010Wisdom teeth (third molars) are seldom a benefit to patients and often create problems with tooth crowding, gum disease (periodontal disease) and dental cavities (caries). Most patients do not have enough room in their mouth for wisdom teeth, however, there are a few individuals that will never have a problem with retaining their wisdom teeth. The best time to have wisdom teeth taken (extracted) out is typically when they are the smallest and patients are younger in order to make the procedure easier and the healing faster. Most patients have their wisdom teeth taken out between the ages of 15 and 25. We recommend that patients select a time that is convenient with their schedule since it may require a couple of days to heal. Getting wisdom teeth removed can be a very simple procedure with minimal healing and can prevent a variety of future problems. Carson Kutsch Dentist Albany Oregon www.drkutsch.com