Dr. Timon's Pediatric Dental Blog

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Pregnant Women, Children and Dental Amalgam

Last week U.S. regulators for the first time said the mercury in dental fillings may have toxic effects on fetuses and young children.

The FDA agreed to post the statement about mercury used in dental fillings to settle a lawsuit. The EPA has labeled mercury a neurotoxin which crosses the placental barrier and poses serious health risks for fetuses, young children, people with kidney disease. It can interfere with brain growth and has been shown to affect cognitive and motor-skill development. In the settlement, the FDA agreed to conclude a regulatory review of mercury in fillings by July of 2009.

At issue is whether the amount of mercury released during placement, removal and while dental amalgams are in the mouth is sufficient to cause harm. While some countries (Austria, Denmark, Germany and Sweden) in the EU have set limitations no country has banned it's use.

Labels: amalgam, dental amalgam, dental fillings, mercury

posted by Neal Timon, DDS at 7:41 PM 0 comments

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Bisphenol-A and Dental Sealants

Recently media articles have contained reports of health concerns about Bisphenol-A and it's use in plastic bottles and other plastic consumer items. The general category of dental sealants has been incorrectly added to the items of concern.

The alarm over Bisphenol-A is not new and the manufacturer of the sealant material we use states that Bisphenol-A is not and has not been a component in the sealant material used in our office.

It is important to be aware that Bis-GMA, that is used in dental composites has a much different molecular structure than Bisphenol-A. Bis-GMA has not been implicated in any health concerns and has a long history of use going back to the sixties and seventies.

Neal Timon, DDS

Labels: Bis-GMA, Bisphenot-A, composites

posted by Neal Timon, DDS at 1:47 PM 0 comments

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Dental hygiene for young children

Many times dental hygiene for young children is a struggle for parents due to lack of cooperation and busy life of modern society. You can make home dental hygiene experience more agreeable by

- utilizing disaposable dental floss

- using only minimum/smear of fluoridated toothpaste (for young children)

- making the toothburshing as fun routine by introducing a short music while brushing

- considering the use of automatic toothbrush since it'd be easier for parents as long as the child tolerates the vibration. These good oral hygiene habits along with a good dietary habit will last your child's lifetime and save your child from having dental problems such as cavities and gum disease. For more tips on oral hygiene, please ask one of our staff. Thank you!

posted by Yongsok Do, DMD at 11:48 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Christine's farewell dinner

Christine And Tracie

Christine will leave us in May to return to the big island where she grew up. We all went out to dinner to say goodbye and also hello to Tracie who is joining us.

Tracie is from Rhode Island and lives here with her two sons Joshua and Jared and husband Kevin. Kevin is in the Navy and stationed on a submarine at Pearl Harbor.

posted by Neal Timon, DDS at 2:49 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Researching Dental information

I was listening to a TV program a couple of days ago about cancer and the physician participants were advising patients not to do too much searching on the internet. As a prostate cancer survivor (almost 10 years now) I remember how important it was for me to find out as much as I could about my disease. It didn't scare or confuse me as much as it helped me to learn about causes and what my treatment options were. I encourage you to go online to learn about your child's dental problems.

Try looking for information at the American Dental Association , American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry or Medline Plus. If I can be of help answering any of your questions give us a call or an email.

posted by Neal Timon, DDS at 2:04 PM 0 comments

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Age 1 Dental Visit

Experienced dentists can help your child to maintain good oral health and stay cavity free. The key is prevention. By establishing a dental home early (dental home is where your child go regularly for dental check ups and cleaning), you can save money. Studies show that children who establishs a dental home early (by age 1) saves more than 50% of their average dental expenses when compared to children without a dental home.

posted by Yongsok Do, DMD at 12:44 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Teething

You've probably received a ton of congratulations on the birth of your son or daughter, and even though your child may have been born awhile ago let me add my congratulations to the list.

By now, your child is probably teething and may be having a hard time of it. So, I thought that you might like to know a few of the "secrets" I've found to help your child through this difficult time (as well as help mommy and daddy get a decent night's sleep).

When your child starts acting irritably and drooling, carefully look and feel around the gums. If you feel a tooth starting to push through the gums that may be the source of the discomfort. Here's a few tips that will help"

Wipe your baby's face often to remove the drool. This will help prevent rashes from developing.
Give your baby something hard to chew on. Make sure it's big enough that they can't swallow it.
A damp, clean washcloth placed in the freezer for 30 minutes makes a handy teething aid.
Teething rings are also good, but avoid the ones with liquid inside. If they break the liquid may not be safe. Also, never tie a teething ring around baby's neck.
Rub baby's gums gently with your finger.
Give baby Tylenol drops.

If your baby develops a fever during the teething process it is due to something else. Call your baby's doctor if the fever is over 101 or 102 degrees.

I hope this helps but if it doesn't, feel free to give my office a call and we'll try to help you as much as we can over the phone.

By the way, did you know that your baby should have their first dental exam between six months and baby's first birthday.

posted by Neal Timon, DDS at 1:06 PM 0 comments

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