Look Mom...No Cavities! / How To Raise A Cavity-Free Child - Softcover

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Gregory F. George, D.D.S. grew up on Long Island, New York. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State University of New York College at Potsdam followed by a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at the School of Dental Medicine at Buffalo. He also completed a two-year residency in Pediatric Dentistry at the Children's Hospital of Buffalo. Dr. George has a private practice in pediatric dentistry in Williamsville, N.Y. and has taught at the State University of N.Y. at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine for more than ten years in the Pediatric Dental Department. He has also been awarded the Pediatric Dental Award through the School of Dental Medicine at Buffalo. He is on staff at the Children's Hospital of Buffalo, where he performs dental surgeries. He is a member of the American Society of Dentistry for Children, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentists, the American Dental Association, the New York State Dental Association, the Erie County Dental Association and the Western New York Pediatric Dental Society. He is married to a physician and is the proud parent of cavity-free children.

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Raising cavity-free children can be an attainable, realistic goal for all parents. All that is required is a little extra care and use of an easy-to-follow program that requires less than ten minutes a day.

It used to be accepted that losing teeth was a normal part of the aging process. Denture creams and cleansers were a common sight in household medicine cabinets, as was the image of gleaming teeth sitting in a glass by the bedside.

But technology and attitudes have changed. Now we know that most of us can keep our teeth for a lifetime. And keeping our teeth offers many positive benefits.

We can maintain healthier, more diverse diets. Because our teeth naturally support facial muscles, we can maintain a younger appearance. We will save time and money avoiding denture fittings and cleanings. Let's face it -- it's much more convenient to use the teeth already in our mouth, rather than put them in and take them out each day.

Fillings -- A Second Best Solution It's true that the current choices for repairs are many and growing. But as far as we've come with technology, it is still much better to avoid getting a cavity in the first place.

We're still waiting for the perfect filling material to be invented. Some fillings wear faster than real teeth. Others expand, shrink or are sensitive to hot or cold temperatures. Some will fall out as the sealer or glue dissolves away over time. Still others crack after excessive, repeated chewing.

We also want to avoid cavities, because once the decayed part of the tooth is removed, the remaining tooth is structurally weaker. A restored tooth will have a seam where the filling and tooth join. And this region will be more prone to future breakdown than a natural tooth.

Even though most fillings today are totally painless, the reality is, that your child will never confuse a cavity-filling session with a trip to the amusement park. Fillings today may be quick and easy, but they often involve a local anesthetic such as Novocaine, or a relaxing gas such as nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas. And let's not forget the inconvenience for children who miss school or extracurricular activities, and for the parents who often miss work while their children's teeth are being restored. Appearances Count From a very early age, children become conscious of their appearance. Healthy teeth play an important role in every child's self-image and self-confidence levels. A healthy smile immediately attracts positive attention from neighbors, teachers, peers and other family members.

In our society, impressions count. Children who have a clean, white smile are more likely to feel good about themselves and be welcomed by others. They will feel comfortable in social settings and speak with fewer inhibitions than children who have black decay marks, bad breath or teeth growing in the wrong direction.

As parents, we want to help our children to be their best, inside and out. Achieving a beautiful smile is a relatively simple accomplishment. With less than ten minutes a day, we can help our children build self-esteem and learn healthy dental habits.

In the following chapters we will discuss why teeth are attacked by dental decay. I will explain how dental and oral bacteria work, which bacteria are bad, how we can reduce the amount of bad bacteria, and how we can minimize the damage caused by the bacteria.

I will show you how you can maximize the tooth's resistance to make your children's teeth stronger, using easy techniques at home. And I will offer suggestions for treatments which your dentist can provide that are proven, sure-fire ways of stopping decay.

There is no reason why your child can't have great looking teeth that function well, enhance good speech development and aid in the process of optimum nutrition. Let's go on to discuss what we can do to prevent decay and set the groundwork for maintaining a lifetime of healthy smiles.