Social media fueled magazine for Washington D.C. Suburbs

Question:  My son started getting teeth when he was 6 months old. But, one of his front teeth never came down. It has been more than a year now and almost all of his other teeth have come in, but still this one is missing. He had an 2 x-rays recently, 3 months apart, which showed that the only change was that the root of that tooth is more fully formed. Our dentist said that the gum would have to be cut to let the tooth come in. My own dentist said to just ignore it, until his adult teeth start to come in. The oral surgeon we visited said that he\'d never seen this and didn\'t know what the right answer was. Except that he wanted an pediatric anethesiologist to be there (i.e.-at the hospital). So, what should I do? Treat it while the window of opportunity is still open for the root of the tooth? Ignore it and hope that it comes in, or at least doesn\'t cause a problem when his adult teeth come?

Pediatric Dentist Guru: Without examining your son and reviewing the radiographs, I cannot make an appropriate recommendation. It looks like you have received a few consultations from different specialties.  You need to fully understand your treatment options before making a decision.  I think that careful monitoring of the tooth is necessary. I wish I could be more helpful.  You are more than welcome to schedule an appointment at our practice so that I can provide you with a recommendation.

Question: My daughter lost her 2 top front teeth in late April early May and it is almost January now and the 2nd tooth still has not come in and the 1st one stopped growing in a long time ago and it is not all the way out yet itself. Is there something wrong or is this normal?

Pediatric Dentist Guru: It sounds like she lost the teeth naturally (not due to trauma) and the teeth are taking their time coming in.  Often if the space available for the new teeth is too small for how large the permanent teeth are the teeth take a longer time to erupt.  If you want to be certain, you should have your child’s dentist examine her and review past radiographs or take a new radiograph to ensure that she does not have the permanent tooth missing or have an extra tooth in that area that could be preventing the tooth from erupting.

QUESTION: I am doing this as a project for school and I believe you could be very helpful in answering these questions:
1) Their description of a job role
2) Their perception of career future (promotions, advances in pay, etc)
3) What aspects of this job do they like the most? the least?
4) What suggestions could they offer for someone entering into this career

Q: Hello Dr. Woo! My friends have raved about your services and we are excited to switch to your practice this spring when my kids are ready for their next appointment! My 4 year old had a bad knock to her tooth (it went partially through her lip) when she banged into a wall. A week later her tooth began to turn gray. It is not loose and is not painful. . My research on this matter seems to be that this is normal and should resolve on it''s own, but I just wanted to double check that. Thanks! Looking forward to meeting you this spring

Q: My 5 year old daughter (a patient of yours) just lost her first tooth - completely by surprise to us..... should we be concerned?
A: Your daughter is at the average age of losing her first tooth. If there was a history of trauma to that tooth when she lost it, an x-ray may be needed to ensure that the entire tooth has been removed. You can bring her in to see me, along with the tooth (unless the tooth fairy has it now J), just to be on the safe side. I hope that helps!
Dr. Val

As another school year begins, parents across the country are thinking again about all the things they can do for their children to ensure a safe and healthy future. An oft en overlooked or underemphasized aspect of a child’s health is their dental health.

FACT 1: Tooth decay is the number one- leading chronic disease. It’s fi ve times more common than asthma, according to the 2000 U.S. Surgeon General’s Report.
FACT 2: Half of U.S. school children have decay in permanent teeth.
FACT 3: 90% of all cavities are preventable.*

The solution to this sweeping problem is simple and can be found in fi ve easy steps.

1.Good home care with parental supervision: Supervise your children’s brushing and fl ossing and encourage at least twice daily cleaning – aft er breakfast and before bed are the best times.

2.Regular dental check-ups: Th e American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends children see a dentist by the age of one.

3.Appropriate use of fluoride to strengthen tooth enamel: Water fl uoridation is one of the best sources of fl uoride. Parents should speak to their child’s dentist to discuss appropriate fl uoride options if your water is not fl uoridated.

4.Protect your teeth: Wear a mouth guard for all sports where physical contact occurs, even if your league does not require it.