FILLINGS

 

1) If your child has had an amalgam (silver) filling, it's important to avoid hard or crunchy foods for approximately 8 hours while the filling material sets

 

2) If your child has had a resin/composite filling (white or "tooth-colored"), it's important to avoid any food or drink with dyes or dark colors for 24-48 hours.  Here are some examples of things to stay away from:

 

• Spaghetti sauce

• Dark soda

• Soy sauce

• Red juice or sports drinks

 

 

STAINLESS STEEL CROWNS

 

1) Once the crown (or "cap") has been placed, it's very important that your child avoid any chewy or sticky foods until they lose that tooth.  Here are some examples of things to stay away from:

 

• Chewing gum (Freedent is acceptable)

• Taffy

• Caramel

• Tootsie Rolls

• Jolly Ranchers

• Starburst

 

2) The crowns must be kept clean, especially along the gum line or the gums will become very red and sore.  A thorough brushing by the child (or parent, if the child is under the age of 6) will prevent this from occurring. 

 

 

RESIN CROWNS ("TOOTH COLORED" CROWNS)

 

1) If your child receives a resin crown, please keep in mind that these are not natural teeth. They'll be more likely to fracture if not cared for properly.

 

• Avoid biting into hard foods like apples or carrots

• Refrain from using your teeth to open sports bottles or water bottles with a sippy top

• Avoid using your teeth to open wrappers

• As always, avoid sticky candy such as suckers, taffy, Starburst, Tootsie Rolls etc.

 

 

SPACE MAINTAINERS

 

1) The purpose of your child's space maintainer is to maintain the space needed for a permanent tooth that has yet to erupt.

 

2) It will remain in place up to the time when the permanent tooth can be seen erupting through the gum tissue.

 

3) It's important that, once a space maintainer has been placed, your child avoid sticky or chewy foods that could potentially pull the space maintainer out of place.

 

4) It's also important that your child avoid especially hard or crunchy foods that could put potentially bend or break their space maintainer.

 

5) Food/snacks to avoid:

 

• Chewing gum (Freedent is acceptable)

• Taffy

• Gummy bears

• Fruit snacks

• Nuts

• Ice

 

Checking your child's space maintainer periodically will ensure that it's still properly placed.  It if should happen to break or come loose, please call our office immediately so that the doctor can determine whether or not the space maintainer needs to be re-cemented or remade.

 

 

LOCAL ANESTHETIC

 

• A local anesthetic is given for almost all procedures so that the area being treated is numb and your child feels no pain.

 

• It's very common for your child to feel nervous or scared because the sensation of being numb is unfamiliar.  They may become upset or complain of pain, but very often it's the sensation of numbness that they confuse with pain.

 

• Because the anesthetic will make your child's lip and cheek numb, it's very important that they avoid biting or chewing on their lip or cheek. 

 

• If your child does chew or bite the inside of their mouth or lip, it can result in a laceration which will cause redness and swelling.

• After 24-48 hours you may see a dark scab form over the area, this is nothing to be alarmed about. 

• The area should heal completely within 7-10 days.

 

• To avoid injury, please keep a watchful eye on your child for approximately 90 minutes after the procedure. 

 

• If your child is hungry, we recommend something that can be swallowed through a straw or taken by spoon.  For example:

 

• Smoothie or milkshake

• Pudding

• Yogurt

• Applesauce

 

If injury does result despite having taken all the necessary precautions, swelling, soreness or redness may persist for 3-4 days before reducing. 

 

Tylenol or Ibuprofen, along with cold packs, will provide relief for the discomfort and swelling.

 

 

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WHAT TO DO IF YOUR CHILD HAS A TOOTH KNOCKED OUT:

 

If your child has an avulsed (knocked out) permanent tooth, this is considered a dental emergency.  When a permanent tooth gets knocked out of a child's mouth, the sooner you can replace it into the socket the better your child's prognosis.  There are a few things you should do immediately following the avulsion.

 

• Find the knocked out tooth and pick it up by the crown, not the root. 

• Rinse the tooth with milk.

• If possible, insert the tooth back into your child's mouth and go to your child's dentist

• If you are unable to insert the tooth back into your child's mouth, place the tooth in milk and get to your dentist as soon as possible so it can be re-implanted.