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If you’re a new parent and your toddler has swollen gums, you may be concerned. Is this normal? Do you need to call a dentist? How can you help them with the pain and discomfort of gum swelling? In this blog from Enamel Dentistry, we’ll answer all of your questions about toddlers and swollen gums.

Should I Be Worried About My Toddler’s Swollen Gums? 

In most cases, the answer is no. Gum health issues like gingivitis are very rare in toddlers. If your toddler’s gums are swollen and tender, this is likely due to the natural teething process.

As the teeth begin to move beneath the surface of the gums, the gums may look swollen or red, and seem inflamed. Your toddler may also be cranky or complain of pain in their mouth if they’re old enough to do so. 

However, this is completely normal. As their tooth erupts, their gums will stop swelling and will become less inflamed. Once the tooth has fully erupted, you will no longer notice any serious inflammation or swelling around the area. 

Throughout the teething process, make sure to follow proper pediatric oral care precautions to keep your child’s mouth healthy. Brush their teeth with a blob of fluoride toothpaste no larger than a grain of rice (until the age of 3), and make sure you see your dentist at Enamel Dentistry every six months for a consultation.

Tips To Mitigate Teething Pain At Home

Teething can cause your child a lot of discomfort, but there are a few easy ways you can mitigate teething pain at home. 

• Rub your child’s gums with wet gauze or a clean finger. The pressure helps reduce discomfort.
• Use a cold spoon or teething ring to soothe your child’s gums. Cooling down the gums can help with pain.
• Try over-the-counter medicine like Tylenol or Motrin for kids. The analgesic (pain-relieving) and anti-inflammatory properties of these NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) will provide your child with relief from teething discomfort.

When Should I Call My Dentist? 

While this is rare in toddlers who are receiving proper oral care, it’s possible for toddlers to be affected by gingivitis or gum infections. If your toddler’s gums are very swollen, discolored, and bleed easily, they may have gingivitis.

Other potential signs of an issue include a high fever, pus draining from any area of their gums, or red streaks leading from a particular area of their gums. If you notice any of these issues, you should call your pediatric dentist for an emergency consultation immediately. 

Get The Dental Care You Need For Your Toddler At Enamel Dentistry

At Enamel Dentistry, we serve all of Austin with expert preventive and pediatric dental care. If your child is teething and you want to make sure their mouth is healthy, don’t wait. Contact us online to visit us at our South Lamar, Parmer Park, Lantana Place, or Saltillo location, and get your little one the care they need. 

Do you snore when you sleep? Wake up in the middle of the night out of breath? Feel tired all the time? If you answered yes to these questions, you may have sleep apnea.

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that affects an estimated 18 million adults in the United States. With sleep apnea, your breathing stops while you’re sleeping, then starts up again. The pause in between breaths can be 10 seconds or longer, and it can happen as often as 30 times or more each hour you sleep. Unsurprisingly, this can wreak havoc on getting a good night’s sleep. It’s not uncommon for patients with sleep apnea to wake up many times throughout the night.

There are three types of sleep apnea; the most common type is called obstructive sleep apnea. With obstructive sleep apnea, the tissues of the throat and palate relax while you sleep, which causes the tissues to sag and obstruct the airway. Although the daytime fatigue that comes with sleep apnea can make it difficult to go about your daily tasks, sleep apnea can have more serious consequences. It’s been linked to numerous health conditions, including:

• High blood pressure and heart problems
• Type 2 diabetes
• Metabolic syndrome
• Complications with certain medications or general anesthesia
• Liver issues

In addition, a lack of sleep can affect your overall well-being. You may find you have memory issues, moodiness, and difficulty concentrating. Fortunately, your dentist can help diagnose and treat sleep apnea!

How’s Your Sleep Quality?

This might not be a question you expect to hear from your dentist, but believe it or not, we have ways of spotting patients who might have sleep apnea. One of the first signs is bruxism, more commonly known as teeth grinding. Teeth grinding causes worn surfaces on your teeth, as well as cracks, broken teeth, and inflamed or receding gums. A sudden increase in cavities can also be a sign of teeth grinding because the force of grinding your teeth can cause damage that makes them more vulnerable to cavity-causing bacteria.

TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorders are often closely associated with sleep apnea, although the relationship between the two isn’t completely understood. A study published in the Journal of Dental Research found that people with obstructive sleep apnea are twice as likely to have TMJ disorders than people without sleep apnea. Other signs of sleep apnea are a tongue with “scalloped” edges, a small jaw, redness in the throat, or unusually large throat tissues.

Dentistry to the Rescue!

There are several ways to treat sleep apnea; in the case of obstructive sleep apnea, you may only need to make some lifestyle changes. These include:

• Losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight
• Avoiding alcohol or drugs that relax your central nervous system
• Quitting smoking
• Taking antihistamines or other medications that help with nasal allergies

One of the most common ways to treat sleep apnea is with a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine. CPAP machines provide a gentle flow of air through a small mask that you wear at night, which helps prevent your tissues from obstructing your airway. Although they’re very effective, they can be bulky, and some patients have trouble sleeping with them.

Nightguards or other oral appliances can also be very effective for patients with mild-to-moderate cases of obstructive sleep apnea. They work by moving your jaw and throat into a position that prevents tissue obstruction while you sleep. Although rare, surgery is also an option for severe sleep apnea.

Get the Quality Sleep You Deserve

It might be easy to push aside sleep apnea symptoms as “just a snore” but poor sleep quality can have a serious impact on your well-being and ability to function throughout the day. However, the long-term effects are more concerning. Since sleep apnea affects the oxygenation of your blood and the way your heart and lungs function, it can increase your risk of heart attacks, stroke, and other serious health problems. Sleep is also very important for the body’s immune system and ability to heal!

If you have signs of sleep apnea, don’t ignore them! Schedule an appointment at Enamel Dentistry so we can evaluate your symptoms and create a custom treatment plan.

National Wine Day falls on Saturday, May 25th this year and is a great time to celebrate with a glass of wine (or two, we won’t tell)! But wine is also one of the most common causes of tooth staining, along with tea and coffee.

How to Keep Your Smile Bright When Drinking Wine

Drinking wine won’t hurt your teeth, but it can stain them and make you feel self-conscious about your smile. Here are a few tips to keep your smile bright and avoid purple tinted teeth:

See your dentist regularly for teeth cleanings

Seeing a dentist for six-month oral exams and teeth cleanings will ensure that your teeth are free of plaque and tartar. Your teeth will be buffed and polished, which can help remove minor stains and discoloration.

Consider a white wine

White wine is free of the tannins and pigments that can stain your teeth, so think about switching to Riesling or pinot grigio

Brush before you drink wine

Since wine is acidic, it’s actually not a great idea to brush right after drinking it. Brushing immediately after drinking wine can cause premature wear to the teeth. Instead, brush your teeth before you drink. This will help remove plaque and prevent stains.

Rinse your mouth after drinking wine

Drinking a glass of water or gargling with a bit of mouthwash can help prevent wine from lingering on your teeth.

Have a salad with your wine

High-fiber foods help your mouth produce more saliva and “scrub” wine away from your teeth. Pair your wine with a salad and minimize your risk of a stained smile!
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Treating Stains – Teeth Whitening And Veneers

If your teeth have become stained due to a wine habit, don’t despair! You have options. Teeth whitening from Enamel Dentistry is an ideal way to reverse and remove wine stains. We offer both in-office and take-home kits. When the powerful peroxide is applied to your teeth, it breaks up the chemical bonds that hold the stains onto your enamel and bleaches them away.

If you have very dark or severe wine stains, or your teeth are stained due to tobacco use, veneers may be a better option. Porcelain veneers can be used to cover up the front surfaces of your teeth and replace them with a bright, white, completely non-stainable surface that permanently restores your smile!

Contact Us to Learn More About Cosmetic Dentistry in Austin!

If you’re interested in cosmetic dentistry in Austin, Enamel Dentistry is where you want to be. Our dentists have years of experience treating teeth stains with whitening and veneers. Come in for a consultation today and see what treatment may be right for you. We hope to see you soon!