Family Services

When you step into Dental Associates of Hoboken you’ll know you’ve found the perfect place for your family’s care.

Our team loves helping kids grow into healthy adults. At either end of the age spectrum, the bases are covered. Dr. Posner and Dr. Ali know that early experiences influence the value kid’s place on their oral health as adults. And they choose to seek or avoid future care by how they’re treated now. Rest assured, the bar sits high here.

The services offered at Dental Associates of Hoboken ensure that patients of all ages feel welcome. From the earliest check-ups to the management of orthodontic decisions, Dr. Posner and Dr. Ali will listen to your concerns and guide you through every stage.

Tooth decay often begins at an early age, making young children particularly susceptible. Nearly half of children between the ages of 2-11 have experienced tooth decay while 32% of kids between the ages of 9-11 develop cavities in their permanent teeth. Major contributing factors to this public health problem include baby formula with added sugar and heavily-sugared fruit juices. Even breast milk can cause cavities in baby teeth because of the natural sugars present.

Care for baby teeth should begin as soon as the first tooth appears. We recommend that you bring your child in for an exam no later than his or her first birthday. Regular six-month checkups will put kids on a schedule like most adults, establishing a routine that will last a lifetime.

The following early steps can help guard your child against tooth decay, even before their first dental visit:

• Your baby’s teeth should always be rinsed with water or wiped down with a damp cloth after feeding, especially before they fall asleep. Milk or formula residue left in the mouth can promote decay even in the youngest patients.

• Try to wean your child off bottle feeding by their first birthday. This helps avoid decay and minimizes the chance of jaw growth problems from excessive sucking.

• Begin brushing as soon as the first tooth appears. Even if it’s barely poking through the gum, a tooth can develop decay if not cleaned properly. Start by brushing with a soft bristled brush and water and ask your dentist when it’s ok to begin using a small amount of toothpaste.

• Help your child brush and remember that kids don’t have the dexterity to clean their teeth on their own until after they can tie their shoes.

• Don’t give bottles of sugary drinks or milk before bedtime.

• If you do choose to offer sugary beverages, have your child use a straw, so the teeth  have less contact with the liquid.

• Try to limit the overall sugary foods your child eats and drinks.

Dental health during the teen years offers another set of challenges. For most parents, this doesn’t come as a big surprise. A dizzying number of changes strike during these formative years, and parents often experience a few frustrations along the way.

Teens listen more than we realize, and pestering parents can make a tremendous difference in the dental future of your young adult. You might feel like you’re nagging, but teens are always listening and believe it or not, the constant reminders to brush, floss, and eat well will sink in. Don’t underestimate any encouragement given to help your teen avoid the long-term effects of cavities and gum inflammation.

Preventive visits every six months provide us with an opportunity to coach your teen and reinforce the efforts you’re making with them. Sometimes the rapport we establish in a professional, yet friendly, setting proves especially effective. Plus, we can share problems with them through visual aids while reinforcing any positive efforts they’re making.

TIPS FOR HOME EFFORTS THAT PROTECT YOUR TEEN’S DENTAL HEALTH:

• Limit sodas and energy drinks. Sugary carbonated drinks are the number one cause of tooth decay in adolescents. Many 20-ounce bottles of soda have 18 teaspoons of sugar in an extremely acidic liquid. The combination can be devastating for teeth as well as their overall health.

• Encourage brushing before bedtime. The hours spent sleeping can be especially harmful as the mouth dries out and bacterial plaque flourishes.

• Explain the dangers of sharing toothbrushes. Explain the dangers of sharing toothbrushes and that bacteria that cause gum disease and cavities can easily transfer from one person to another.

• Slip in dental floss or a toothpick with their lunch or backpack.

It’s easy to ignore, but a little bit of tooth decay or gum disease always leads to a little bit more. However, one thing is certain. If left untreated, it almost always results in pain, emergency treatment, and tooth loss. So why does this happen?

IT’S AN INFECTION.

Millions of bacteria swim around in our mouths. Many of them are harmless, and some are even beneficial. But a few love nothing more than to eat away at the hard and soft tissues of the mouth. Like all living creatures, they need an energy source. Sugars are their snack of choice, and they use simple carbohydrates from our diet to manufacture energy.

Like all living creatures making energy, they also produce waste. These acidic wastes deposited on the teeth erode the hard surfaces, weaken the enamel, and form holes known as cavities.

Some bacteria produce a toxic waste that causes bleeding gums, and the destruction of bone around the teeth, which is called periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is the leading reason people lose their teeth and end up with dentures.

Most infections can be treated with antibiotics, but mouth bacteria require a different approach. Regular checkups help us identify new cavities, and periodic cleanings remove plaque and tartar that harbor millions of harmful bacteria. High-risk patients benefit from a customized approach with our team, and we have many methods to strengthen weakened enamel that has not yet developed into decay.

The complex cycle of inflammation and infection extends beyond the gums and mouth. In fact, research continues to uncover the many ways that our oral health affects the overall health of our bodies including heart health, and can influence medical conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, and even some types of cancer. For example, mouth bacteria entering the bloodstream through inflamed and bleeding gums. Like a river, blood flow carries the bacteria to the small vessels of the heart and brain. Here they can damage the intricate vessel lining, leading to blockage of the vessel. Heart attacks or strokes can result because of bleeding gums.

A few tips for maintaining a healthy mouth:

• Brush for at least two minutes, twice a day and floss at least once a day: It sounds like a long time, but it makes a difference. If you don’t like to floss, consider toothpicks, proxabrushes or the magic of a Waterpik.

• Brush for at least two minutes each time: It sounds like a long time, but it makes a difference. Consider an electric toothbrush with a built-in timer, or setting a timer on your phone.

• Rinse your toothbrush thoroughly and replace every three months: Bacteria lingers on your toothbrush, finding their way back into the mouth at the next use.

• Drink sugary liquids through a straw: A straw helps keep sugar from bathing the teeth directly before swallowing.

• Drink water after eating a meal: Water helps clean larger deposits of food from your teeth. Plus, we could all use a little more hydration!

• Get cavities treated immediately: Cavities rarely hurt until they reach a critical stage. And don’t forget: a little bit of tooth decay eventually becomes a little bit more.

• See your hygienist every six months: The risk of critical dental problems diminishes significantly if you’re visiting us twice a year. Patients that fit preventive dentistry into their schedule and budget typically enjoy fewer dental visits and expenses over time than those who wait for emergencies to develop.

A variety of tooth and jaw issues can be resolved through orthodontics. Dr. Posner and Dr. Ali may point out that your child’s baby teeth appear crowded, or the relationship between the upper lower teeth isn’t ideal. While it’s not generally a time for treatment, it may help you prepare for the possibility of future corrective care. As permanent teeth start to appear, usually around age six, Dr. Posner and Dr. Ali will monitor the process further and help you decide if early orthodontic treatment makes sense.

Although many orthodontic wearers are teenagers, braces play a role for some children in their earlier years. Since permanent teeth are typically larger than baby teeth, space may need to be opened with the gentle force of braces or a device called a palatal expander. This allows adult teeth to move into place correctly, helping avoid more extensive treatment later.

A narrow jaw or a large overbite may create a similar dilemma. Gently guiding your child’s jaw growth while they are developing can make a tremendous difference down the road. Once the growth stops during teen years, the only corrective measure often involves surgery which is always a scenario to avoid when possible.

THE USUAL TRACK

Many youngsters benefit from orthodontics after the baby teeth have fallen out and the permanent teeth have moved into place. This classic case may start in the early teen years, leaving a nicely aligned and highly functional set of teeth as your teen enters adulthood. The length of time spent wired-up can vary, but average treatment time often falls around two years.

Orthodontic treatment can solve almost every possible bite issue, but success relies on good patient compliance. Wearing elastic bands consistently, keeping follow-up appointments for adjustments, and practicing outstanding home care can lead to a positive outcome. This commitment involves frequent preventive visits with your hygienist as well, a strategy that helps avoid permanent staining from weakened enamel and cavities around brackets. Dental Associates of Hoboken specializes in helping our orthodontic patients enjoy a successful outcome: a gorgeous, healthy smile.

Our goal is for our patients to require the least amount of dental treatment possible. Children who enter adulthood with the fewest restored teeth will enjoy the lowest risk of future problems.

Sealants can dramatically reduce the number of cavities a child might develop over the course of their childhood. On the chewing surface of molars, deep grooves run into the center of the teeth. Under a microscope, these crevices might look like a deep canyon. In fact, most of them are narrower than a single toothbrush bristle but wide enough for bacteria to hide. It’s easy to see how cavities can form in such a perfect hideout.

If the grooves in permanent molars are sealed at a young age, the risk of decay occurring on the chewing surfaces decreases dramatically. Fortunately, this procedure can be done quickly and without any discomfort or anesthetic. The sealant material creates a smooth surface, filling in the grooves, making the biting surface easier for little hands to keep clean. A resin material is flowed over the grooves and sealed quickly with a blue activating light. Within a few minutes, your child’s teeth are protected against cavities.

Sealants only last a few years and may need to be repaired or replaced periodically. But research confirms a 90% reduction in tooth decay along the chewing surface in sealed molars. This cost-effective, simple step may help your child enter adulthood with fewer fillings and less risk of significant dentistry in the future.