What are tonsils?

Tonsils are lumps of lymphoid tissue at the back of the throat one each side and they help filter and protect the body from infection. The size of the tonsils varies, though children generally have much larger tonsils than adults. After the age of about three years the tonsils become less important in fighting germs and usually shrink. Your body can still fight infections without them.

Tonsillitis occurs when the tonsils become infected themselves. They become red and swollen and this can make swallowing, and therefore eating and drinking, difficult and painful. The infection can be viral or bacterial. Viral tonsillitis is the most common and will not respond to treatment with antibiotics.

Do you know that it is very normal and safe for your child to suck on their thumb - sometimes even before birth-, depending on their age and the intensity of their habit? As your child is growing, putting objects and fingers in their mouth is a natural way to explore, integrate, and understand their world. Additionally, some children use thumb sucking as a comfort source, how some may use stuffed animals or a blanket.

According to the American Dental Association, children often stop this behavior on their own between the ages of two and four, or by the time, the permanent front teeth are ready to erupt. If you notice changes in your child's primary teeth, or are concerned about your child's thumb sucking, consult your dentist. 

While no condition comes exclusively from thumb sucking, it is important to monitor this habit as it can leads to dental issues down the line if the behavior is severe or continues for too long. Oral problems for your child associated with chronic thumb sucking past a healthy age may include:

•Open Bite. The most serious permanent side effects of thumb sucking are types of dental malocclusion. ...

•Overbite. ...

•Skin Problems. ...

•Speech Impediment. ...

•Social Issues. 

Pacifiers can affect the teeth essentially the same ways as sucking fingers and thumbs, but it is often an easier habit to break.

How can you help your child stop thumb sucking?

•Praise your child for not sucking.

•Children often suck their thumbs when feeling insecure or needing comfort. Focus on correcting the cause of the anxiety and provide comfort to your child.

•For an older child, involve him or her in choosing the method of stopping.

•Your dentist can offer encouragement to your child and explain what could happen to their teeth if they do not stop sucking.

If these tips do not work, remind the child of their habit by bandaging the thumb or putting a sock on the hand at night. Your dentist may prescribe a bitter medication to coat the thumb or the use of a mouth appliance.

Dr Sawsan Nasreddine is working with the health promotion team at Elite

Pediatric Dentist

Call 44960960 for appointments or book on the website or app https://bit.ly/3mA3sWA

Black Stains in Primary Teeth

Black tooth stain is a characteristic extrinsic discoloration, which occurs along the third cervical line of the buccal and/or lingual surfaces of teeth, particularly in the primary dentition. However, the permanent teeth may be also concerned. They appear early on the tooth enamel, at the age of 2 or 3. Its negative effect on the dental aesthetic perception causes concerns in parents and can have significant effects on the personality and self-confidence of the child.

Factors That Cause Stained Teeth in Children

Tooth Decay:  Poor brushing habits can contribute to a dingy smile. Early signs of dental decay involve the presence plaque formation and yellowing. If plaque isn’t removed every day, it hardens into a thick substance call tartar. Tartar is generally yellow or brown in color and can only be removed at your child’s dentist’s office.

Soda: If you allow your child to drink soda, tooth discoloration may result. Over time, the soda’s acids can erode the enamel, allowing the yellow dentin layer to show through. When the soda is dark colored, the staining can be even more evident.

Sugary Drinks: You may feel good about giving your child fruit juice as a source of hydration throughout the day. While this is certainly a better choice than soda, most dark fruit juices have strong pigments and loads of sugar that can contribute to a dingy smile

Medications: Certain medications or supplements can also cause tooth discoloration in children. Vitamin supplements or prescriptions containing iron can contribute to the formation of dark stains, as can certain antibiotics and antihistamines, which can cause gray or yellow stains to form. Pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers who take tetracycline, a type of antibiotic, increase their child’s chances of developing stained baby teeth.

Tooth Injury: When a tooth injury occurs, it is possible for the blood vessels deep within the tooth to break. If your child suffers a tooth injury, the affected tooth might be brown, black, yellow, gray, or brown in color. A clear indication of a tooth injury in children is having a tooth that is much darker in color when compared to the surrounding teeth. See a dentist for a proper diagnosis and treatment.

Too Much Fluoride: When your child’s smile is plagued with brown spots or white streaking, this could be a sign of too much fluoride, a condition known as fluorosis.

Genetics: children born with weaker enamel have teeth that are more easily stained.

Tips for preventing tooth stains

Encourage good oral hygiene at home: Brushing and flossing every day is one of the most effective ways to prevent tooth stains, and it can remove light tooth stains over time. Encourage your child to brush twice a day for at least two minutes each session and floss their teeth at least once a day. Getting your child in the habit of brushing and flossing at an early age makes it more likely for them to engage in this healthy practice throughout their lives.

You can also encourage children to brush their teeth shortly after eating, especially after they’ve eaten anything that high in sugar or has a lot of acidity. Brushing or rinsing their mouth with water after eating can help your child lower their risk of tooth decay and prevent enamel erosion.

Prioritize a healthy diet: Encourage your child to focus on eating vegetables and fruits that have a hard, crunchy texture. This includes carrots, apples, pears, and celery, which help to clean the surface of teeth while eating. Candy, juices, soda, and dried fruits should be consumed in moderation.

Treatment

The black stain particularly poses an aesthetic problem. Daily Tooth brushing is not enough to remove this external stain. The professional cleaning is necessary to remove stains and resolve this aesthetic problem. Although a simple scaling and tooth brushing with pumice powder are usually sufficient, frequently black stain is recurrent.

Prepared by Dr Sawsan Nasreddine

Pediatric Dentist

Call 44960960 for an appointment 

The Elite App is now available on the app stores. 

App Store

https://apps.apple.com/qa/app/elite-medical-center-qatar/id1624960228

Anroid Link

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aura.eliteapp

The most common complaint of patients today is discolored teeth.

Discoloration could be caused due to intrinsic or extrinsic factors

Extrinsic factors are related to the different kinds of food we eat, consumption of cold drinks, tea, coffee, smoking, etc.

Intrinsic factors are related to discoloration caused by trauma or certain stains caused by medicines for example tetracycline stains.

Teeth can be whitened temporarily or permanently. Good oral prophylaxis (scaling and polishing) is a must for all individuals every 6 months to maintain good oral health.

Teeth whitening can be done in the clinic or at home.

In our clinic, we use the Philips Zoom Teeth Whitening machine for bleaching. Home whitening kits are also available to whiten your teeth if they are too sensitive or can be used for maintenance post the zoom whitening.

Teeth whitening is not permanent. There are some restrictions on food and drinks post-whitening. One needs to avoid food with color, berries, tea, coffee, colored beverages, smoking, etc.  at least for a week.

For a more permanent type of whitening, veneers are the best option. They are of two types.

Direct and indirect.

Direct veneers are composite veneers in which a tooth-facing material is used to improve the color of your existing teeth and is done by the dentist in the clinic itself in one appointment.

Indirect veneers are porcelain veneers that are made in the lab once the dentist takes your impressions and designs your smile. Porcelain veneers help improve the shape, color, contour, size, and overall appearance of one’s teeth and smile. This is a more permanent solution and lasts for many years if maintained well.

So what are you waiting for? Do call in and book an appointment to see what treatment option is best suited for you.

Dr. Betsy John

For appointments call 44960960

The Elite App is now available on the app stores. 

App Store

https://apps.apple.com/qa/app/elite-medical-center-qatar/id1624960228

Anroid Link

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aura.eliteapp