Say Cheez Blog
Answers for parents, straight from our chair
First visits, cavities, emergencies, braces, and the questions we hear most — written by the team who treats your kids.
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezSports Drinks and Juice: The Hidden Cavity Risk Sports drinks and juice hit teeth with a double blow: sugar for the bacteria and acid that softens enamel directly — even sugar-free versions keep the acid. Worse, both are sipped for an hour, restarting the attack with every swallow. For nearly every kid activity under an hour, water wins outright. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezBraces and Aligners for Adults: Not Just for Kids Adults now make up roughly one in four orthodontic patients — teeth move at any age. Adult treatment differs in real ways: no growth to guide, sometimes longer timelines, more attention to gum health, and discreet options like clear aligners and low-profile braces that fit professional life. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezStraw, Sippy, or Open Cup: Which Is Best for Teeth? For teeth and oral development, the ranking is clear: open cup first, straw cup a close second, valved sippy cup last — it is essentially a bottle in costume. But the contents rule outranks the cup rule: milk with meals, water everywhere else, in any vessel. Read
-
Preparing for Your Child's First Dental Visit A first dental visit sets the tone for a lifetime of healthy smiles. Here's how to make it calm, quick, and even a little fun. Read - Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezDoes Xylitol Really Help Kids' Teeth? Yes, with honest caveats: xylitol is a plant-based sweetener cavity bacteria can't digest — regular exposure reduces the bacteria and their acid, and evidence supports it as a helpful add-on, not a replacement for fluoride and brushing. Frequency is the trick, and it's seriously toxic to dogs. Read
- Emergencies & Problems Say CheezCaring for a Knocked-Out Tooth After the ER The emergency is over; the marathon begins. A replanted permanent tooth is usually splinted for about two weeks and needs a soft diet, careful-but-real cleaning, and a scheduled series of dental follow-ups with x-rays — because the risks now are quiet ones the calendar catches, not the ER. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezAre Water Flossers Good for Kids? Water flossers are genuinely useful for kids — especially with braces, where they flush debris string can't easily reach — and they turn floss refusers into willing participants. The honest caveat: they don't scrape sticky plaque off tooth sides the way string floss does. Supplement, not substitute. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezWhat Age Should Kids Get an Electric Toothbrush? Around age three — once basic brushing habits exist and your child can handle the buzz — is the right time to introduce an electric toothbrush, always with adult supervision. Electric brushes remove plaque more effectively than manual ones and make a despised chore feel like a gadget. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezLiving With Braces: Foods, Cleaning, and Comfort Life with braces runs on three systems: food rules (nothing hard, sticky, or bitten head-on), a cleaning routine upgraded for hardware (brush after meals, water flosser at night), and comfort management for adjustment days. Master those and the months fly — and the reveal comes out spot-free. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezChoosing Your Baby's First Toothbrush and Toothpaste Before teeth: a damp washcloth or silicone finger brush once a day. From the first tooth: a soft, small-headed infant toothbrush and a rice-grain smear of fluoride toothpaste, twice daily. Lay baby back in your lap to brush — position, not product, is what makes infant brushing work. Read
- Emergencies & Problems Say CheezAfter a Baby Root Canal or Crown: What to Expect The big risks after a pulpotomy or crown are small ones: a numb lip that gets chewed, a too-crunchy first meal, and parental worry over normal one-to-three-day soreness. Guard the numb hours, keep foods soft today, brush the crown like a regular tooth, and know the few signs that warrant a call. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezMedicines That Raise a Child's Cavity Risk A medicine can raise cavity risk by reducing saliva, containing sugar, being acidic, sticking to teeth, or requiring frequent and nighttime doses. That does not mean the medicine should be stopped. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezLife After Braces: Retainers and Keeping Teeth Straight Teeth have memory: without retainers, they drift back — fastest in the first months after braces come off, and slowly forever. The trade is simple and worth it: nightly retainer wear, likely for the long haul, protects the years and effort your family just invested in that smile. Read
- Comfort, Anxiety & Special Needs Say CheezKidney Disease or Transplant and Dental Care Children with chronic kidney disease, dialysis, or a kidney transplant can receive dental care, but planning must account for kidney function, blood pressure, anemia, bleeding, infection risk, medicines, and dialysis or transplant timing. Read
- Comfort, Anxiety & Special Needs Say CheezJuvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and the Jaw Juvenile idiopathic arthritis can affect the temporomandibular joints—the jaw joints—even when a child reports little or no pain. Inflammation during growth may influence opening, chewing, bite, and lower-jaw development. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezHow to Choose a Toddler Toothpaste The formula is short: fluoride toothpaste from the very first tooth, a rice-grain smear until age three, then a pea. Pick a mild flavor your toddler tolerates, look for the ADA Seal of Acceptance, and ignore most of the rest of the label — amount and consistency matter far more than brand. Read
- First Visits & Babies Say CheezFrenectomy Aftercare: Healing and Stretches for Babies After a frenectomy, expect a white or yellow diamond-shaped patch at the release site — normal healing, not infection. Feed your baby right away, follow your provider's specific stretch protocol so the site heals with full mobility, and lean on your lactation consultant as feeding recalibrates. Read
- Comfort, Anxiety & Special Needs Say CheezChildhood Cancer Treatment and Oral Health Chemotherapy, radiation, stem-cell transplantation, and related medicines can affect infection risk, bleeding, mouth lining, saliva, taste, jaw growth, and developing teeth. Dental care should be coordinated with the oncology team before, during, and after treatment. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezAre Gummy Vitamins Bad for Teeth? Unfortunately, yes — gummy vitamins combine three cavity ingredients: sugar, stickiness that lodges in molar grooves, and often citric acid that softens enamel. Even sugar-free versions bring the acid. Give them with a meal rather than at bedtime, rinse after, or switch to chewable or liquid forms. Read
- Emergencies & Problems Say CheezWhite Crowns vs. Silver Caps for Baby Teeth Both do the same job — save a badly decayed or treated baby tooth until it falls out naturally. Stainless-steel crowns are the durable, forgiving classic; white zirconia crowns look like a natural tooth and spare kids the silver-smile self-consciousness. We offer both and match choice to child. Read
- Comfort, Anxiety & Special Needs Say CheezIV Sedation vs. General Anesthesia for Kids' Dentistry Both safely get extensive dental work done for a child who can't tolerate it awake. IV sedation keeps a child deeply relaxed but breathing on their own, often right in the office; general anesthesia means fully unconscious in a hospital or surgery center. The right choice depends on the child. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezFluoride-Free Toothpaste: Does Hydroxyapatite Work? Hydroxyapatite — the mineral teeth are made of — is the most credible fluoride-free ingredient, and there's real evidence it helps enamel reharden. But it does not protect teeth quite the way fluoride does. For fluoride-avoiding families, hydroxyapatite plus excellent habits is the strongest plan B. Read
- Comfort, Anxiety & Special Needs Say CheezEpilepsy and Dental Visits for Children Most children with epilepsy can receive routine dental care safely. The dental team needs the seizure type, frequency, triggers, last event, recovery pattern, medicines, rescue plan, and history of injuries. Read
- Comfort, Anxiety & Special Needs Say CheezCongenital Heart Disease and Dental Visits Most children with congenital heart disease can receive routine dental care, and excellent daily prevention is especially valuable. A small, clearly defined group may need antibiotics before certain procedures to reduce infective-endocarditis risk. Read
- Comfort, Anxiety & Special Needs Say CheezCeliac Disease: Dental Signs in Children Celiac disease can be associated with enamel defects, delayed tooth eruption, recurrent mouth ulcers, dry mouth, or other oral findings, but none is diagnostic by itself. A dentist may recognize a pattern worth discussing with your child's pediatrician or gastroenterologist. Read
- Comfort, Anxiety & Special Needs Say CheezBleeding Disorders and Pediatric Dental Care Children with hemophilia, von Willebrand disease, platelet disorders, or other bleeding conditions can receive dental care, but invasive treatment requires a written plan with the hematology team. Prevention is the safest strategy because healthy gums and early cavity treatment reduce procedures. Read
- Comfort, Anxiety & Special Needs Say CheezType 1 Diabetes and a Child's Oral Health Children with type 1 diabetes can receive routine dental and orthodontic care, but the team should know your child's glucose plan, medicines, devices, recent control, and history of low blood sugar. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezSmart Lunchbox Snacks for Healthy Teeth The lunchbox rules that protect teeth: cheese, nuts, crunchy produce, and plain yogurt are the all-stars; crackers, dried fruit, gummies, and juice are the cavity crew — even the organic ones. Pack water, keep sweets attached to lunch rather than scattered, and let crunchy foods do the cleanup. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezNicotine Pouches and Teen Oral Health Nicotine pouches sit between the lip and gum and can deliver addictive nicotine without tobacco leaf, smoke, or vapor. “Tobacco-free” does not mean harmless. Read
- Comfort, Anxiety & Special Needs Say CheezAsthma Inhalers and Children's Teeth Asthma inhalers are important medicines and should never be stopped because of dental concerns. Some inhaled medicines and asthma-related mouth breathing can reduce saliva, leave medication in the mouth, increase acid exposure, or contribute to oral thrush. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezAre BPA-Free Sealants Better for Kids? Sealants are one of dentistry's most proven cavity preventers, and standard sealants are considered safe — any BPA exposure is tiny and brief. Still, BPA-free formulas now match the protection without the question mark, which is why we use BPA-free sealants: same benefit, one less thing to weigh. Read
- Comfort, Anxiety & Special Needs Say CheezADHD and Your Child's Dental Care ADHD affects teeth indirectly but reliably: brushing gets rushed, stimulant medicines dry the mouth, snacking fills focus gaps, grinding is more common, and sitting still in the chair is hard. Each has a practical fix — systems at home, honesty with us, and visits built for movers. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezAcne Medications, Dry Mouth, and Teen Teeth Some acne treatments—especially systemic retinoids and medicines with drying effects—can leave a teen's lips, mouth, or eyes dry and tissues more sensitive. Dry mouth reduces saliva's protection against acid and cavities. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezVaping and Teen Oral Health Vaping is not harmless to a teen's mouth. Aerosols can deliver nicotine, flavoring chemicals, solvents, metals, and heat. Reported oral effects include dry mouth, irritation, altered healing, gum inflammation, plaque changes, and higher risk-taking around nicotine addiction. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezOral Piercings and Teeth: Risks for Teens Tongue, lip, and cheek piercings can chip or crack teeth, wear gums, damage fillings, collect plaque, swell, become infected, bleed, or interfere with speech, eating, braces, and dental imaging. Jewelry can also loosen and be swallowed or inhaled. Read
- Comfort, Anxiety & Special Needs Say CheezEating Disorders and Dental Health in Teens Eating disorders can affect a teen's mouth through frequent acid exposure, nutritional deficiency, dehydration, dry mouth, altered immunity, clenching, and changes in self-care. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezDry Winter Air and Your Child's Lips and Mouth Heated indoor air is desert-dry, and kids' mouths show it first: chapped lips, that red licked-raw ring, cracked corners, and waking up parched. The fixes are humble and effective — a bedroom humidifier, plain balm applied on schedule, constant water, and breaking the lip-licking loop. Read
- Comfort, Anxiety & Special Needs Say CheezDental Care for a Child With Cerebral Palsy Cerebral palsy affects movement, so daily oral care often falls to a caregiver, and cavities and gum inflammation follow when brushing is hard. Add seizure-medicine effects, grinding, reflux, and drooling, and the plan is clear: adapted home care, frequent cleanings, visits built around your child. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezCan Nail Biting Damage Teen Teeth or Braces? Frequent nail biting can create small enamel chips, uneven wear, sensitivity, gum injury, and jaw-muscle fatigue. With braces, it can loosen brackets or distort wires; with aligners, it can damage trays when they are used as a biting tool. Read
- Comfort, Anxiety & Special Needs Say CheezAutism and the Dentist: A Sensory Prep Guide Dental visits are a sensory gauntlet — lights, sounds, tastes, touch, new people. The playbook that works: prepare with pictures and rehearsal at home, tell the office everything about your child in advance, request the sensory supports that help, and let the first visit be small and winnable. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezTooth Gems for Teens: What Parents Should Know A tooth gem is a small decoration bonded to enamel. Even when no drilling is planned, the gem and adhesive can trap plaque, stain, irritate the lip, alter the bite, detach, or complicate cleaning and orthodontics. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezParamus Tap Water and Fluoride: What Parents Should Know The surprise: New Jersey has one of the lowest water-fluoridation rates in the country — most NJ residents do not get fluoridated tap water. Whether your Paramus-area home does depends on your specific water system. Checking takes two minutes, and the answer changes your child's prevention plan. Read
- First Visits & Babies Say CheezNewborn Feeding Red Flags: Is It a Tongue-Tie? Painful latch, clicking sounds, milk leaking from the mouth corners, marathon feeds, constant gas, and slow weight gain are the classic red flags. They don't prove a tongue-tie: the first step is a lactation consultant's full evaluation, then a function-focused dental exam if a tie is suspected. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezIs Whitening Toothpaste Safe for Kids and Teens? Most whitening toothpastes do not bleach teeth deeply; they use polishing agents or abrasives to remove surface stain. An age-appropriate fluoride toothpaste is usually the priority for children. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezIs Teeth Whitening Safe for Teens? Teeth whitening can be considered for some teens after a dental examination, but it is not appropriate for every age, tooth, or cause of discoloration. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezIs Charcoal Toothpaste Safe for Children? Charcoal toothpaste is not usually a first-choice product for children. Formulas vary, some are abrasive, some lack proven anticavity fluoride, and evidence for meaningful whitening or “detoxifying” is limited. Black particles can collect around gums, braces, sealants, or restorations. Read
- Comfort, Anxiety & Special Needs Say CheezDental Care for a Child With Down Syndrome Children with Down syndrome often have delayed eruption, smaller or missing teeth, a narrow upper jaw with an open bite from low muscle tone, and much higher gum-disease risk — yet notably low cavity rates. Care centers on gum protection, growth guidance, and patient, adapted visits. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezWhat Is Interproximal Reduction in Orthodontics? Interproximal reduction, or IPR, is the controlled removal of a small measured amount of enamel between selected teeth. Orthodontists may use it to create limited space, improve tooth-shape proportions, reduce dark triangular gaps, or coordinate the bite. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezWhat Are Power Chains on Braces? A power chain is a connected row of elastic loops stretched across orthodontic brackets. It can help close spaces, pull groups of teeth together, or provide continuous force within a planned wire system. The chain does not work independently of the braces. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezWhat Are Orthodontic Separators or Spacers? Orthodontic separators, often called spacers, are small elastic rings or metal springs placed between teeth to create enough room for a band at a later visit. They usually stay in for several days. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezWhat Are Bite Turbos or Bite Blocks? Bite turbos or bite blocks are small buildups placed on selected teeth—or incorporated into an appliance—to keep the full bite from closing temporarily. They can prevent teeth from hitting brackets, help unlock a crossbite, or assist vertical correction. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezMouth Breathing and Snoring in Kids: The Airway Guide An occasional snore with a cold is normal. Nightly snoring, gasping, restless sleep, or a mouth that hangs open all day is not — it can point to airway obstruction that affects sleep quality, daytime behavior, facial growth, and the bite. The fix starts with finding the cause. Read
- First Visits & Babies Say CheezHow to Wean Your Child Off the Bottle and Sippy Cup Aim to retire the bottle around the first birthday and treat the sippy cup as a brief bridge, not a lifestyle. The dental reason: valved cups and bottles bathe teeth in liquid all day. Swap one feeding at a time, move milk to mealtimes, and make water the between-meals drink. Read
- Emergencies & Problems Say CheezThe Holiday Travel Dental First-Aid Kit Dental trouble loves a holiday: hard candy meets a loose filling, a sledding face-plant meets a front tooth, all 400 miles from your dentist. A ten-item kit — gauze, salt packets, floss, wax, temporary filling material, and a small milk box among them — handles most of it until you're home. Read
- First Visits & Babies Say CheezWhy Does My Child Chew on Everything? Chewing is how young children explore, self-soothe, and focus — for most it is normal and fades with age. It deserves attention when it persists past the preschool years, damages teeth, centers on unsafe objects, or comes with other sensory signs worth discussing. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezWhy Do Teeth Feel Loose During Orthodontic Treatment? Teeth can feel slightly loose during braces or aligner treatment because the ligament and bone around them are remodeling to permit movement. Mild, generalized mobility without severe pain is often expected. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezWhat If a Teen Forgets to Wear Aligners? After a short lapse, a teen should usually resume the current prescribed aligner rather than skip ahead, but the orthodontist's instructions take priority. If the tray will not seat fully, causes significant pain, or several days or weeks were missed, contact the office. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezWhat Are Orthodontic Elastics and Why Do They Matter? Orthodontic elastics are small removable rubber bands worn between specific hooks on braces or aligners to influence how upper and lower teeth fit. Their direction and strength are prescribed for a particular bite goal. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezSummer Sports and Mouthguards: A Parent's Guide Summer is peak season for dental injuries — bikes, pools, trampolines, and travel-ball collisions outdo the school year. Any sport with contact, balls, or falls earns a mouthguard; a well-fitted one is the difference between a scare and a knocked-out tooth. Braces change which guard to buy. Read
- First Visits & Babies Say CheezOral Milestones: How Babies Learn to Eat and Speak Eating, swallowing, and speech all depend on one system: the coordinated muscles of the lips, tongue, cheeks, jaw, and palate. That oral sensory-motor system develops from birth to about age three — and knowing its milestones helps you spot when something deserves a closer look. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezCan Teens Play Musical Instruments With Braces? Most teens can continue playing brass, woodwind, string, percussion, and keyboard instruments during orthodontic treatment. Braces may temporarily affect lip comfort and embouchure; aligners may alter tongue space or need removal for some players. Adaptation often takes days to weeks. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezWhen Should Teens Have Wisdom Teeth Evaluated? Wisdom teeth are usually assessed during the teen years as they develop, but there is no single age when every patient needs removal. Evaluation considers symptoms, eruption space, angulation, gum health, cavity risk, root development, effects on second molars, and anatomy near nerves or sinuses. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezWhat Are Clear Aligner Attachments? Clear aligner attachments are small tooth-colored composite shapes bonded to selected teeth. They give the trays extra grip and create surfaces that help control rotation, root movement, extrusion, intrusion, or other planned changes. Their number, shape, and location are customized. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezWhat Are Aligner Refinements? Aligner refinements are additional trays created after the orthodontist reassesses progress and takes a new scan or impression. They may be needed when teeth do not track exactly as simulated, when bite contacts require adjustment, or when treatment goals change. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezThe Back-to-School Dental Checkup: Why August Wins A back-to-school checkup does four jobs at once: completes any school or camp dental forms, clears the fall sports season, times sealants to newly erupted molars, and fixes small problems before they interrupt the school year. August books up — schedule early and skip the missed-class scramble. Read
- First Visits & Babies Say CheezThe Fourth-Trimester Oral Health Checklist for New Parents In the fourth trimester, oral health fits on one card: wipe baby's gums daily, brush from the first tooth with a rice-grain smear of fluoride paste, no sweet liquids in bottles, keep your own cleaning appointment, and book baby's first dental visit by the first birthday. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezDo Wisdom Teeth Make Front Teeth Crooked? Wisdom teeth are not considered the sole or predictable cause of lower-front tooth crowding. Teeth can shift in the late teens and adulthood because of growth, aging, bite forces, gum and bone changes, and inconsistent retainer wear. Read
- First Visits & Babies Say CheezBreastfeeding and Teeth: Caring for Yours and Baby's Breast milk alone does not cause cavities — it even contains lactoferrin, a protein that fights cavity bacteria. Risk appears when solids begin and milk or food lingers on teeth overnight. Meanwhile, nursing moms need extra care too: hydration, calcium, and keeping their own checkups. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezWhy Might an Orthodontist Remove Permanent Teeth? An orthodontist may recommend removing selected permanent teeth when available arch space cannot support healthy alignment, when front teeth are substantially protrusive, when bite correction needs space, or when a tooth has poor prognosis. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezWhat Is Serial Extraction in Orthodontics? Serial extraction is a carefully timed sequence of removing selected baby teeth and later selected permanent teeth to guide eruption in a child with severe tooth-size-to-arch-size crowding. It is not routine early extraction and is unsuitable for many bite patterns. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezWhat Is Orthodontic Root Resorption? Orthodontic root resorption is loss of some tooth-root structure during or around tooth movement. Mild shortening is relatively common and often has little practical effect, while significant resorption is less common and can affect treatment decisions. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezWhat Are 2x4 Braces for Children? A 2x4 orthodontic appliance typically connects the two first permanent molars to brackets on the four upper or lower permanent incisors. It is a limited fixed-braces setup used during mixed dentition for selected front-tooth alignment, crossbite, spacing, or eruption problems. Read
- First Visits & Babies Say CheezIs Dental Work Safe During Pregnancy? Yes. Cleanings, exams, fillings, and local anesthesia are considered safe throughout pregnancy, and dental x-rays with proper shielding are low risk. Needed treatment should not wait — untreated infection is riskier for you and your baby than treating it. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezThe Halloween Candy Survival Guide for Parents Halloween doesn't have to be a dental disaster — the damage comes from grazing candy for weeks, not from one big night. The plan: enjoy freely on Halloween with dinner, then ration to dessert-time only, retire the stash within two weeks, and know that sticky and sour candies are the real villains. Read
- First Visits & Babies Say CheezCan a Mom's Cavities Pass to Her Baby? Not the cavities themselves — but the bacteria that cause them, yes. Babies are born without cavity-causing germs and usually acquire them from a parent or caregiver through shared spoons, licked pacifiers, and kisses. A parent with untreated decay passes more of them, earlier. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezWhat Is an Impacted Canine in a Teen? An impacted canine is a permanent canine that is blocked, displaced, or unable to erupt into its normal position. Upper canines are monitored carefully because they travel a long path and can overlap nearby incisor roots. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezWhat Is a Dental Midline Shift? A dental midline shift occurs when the center line between the upper or lower front teeth does not align with the facial center or with the opposite dental arch. Small differences are common. Read
- First Visits & Babies Say CheezMorning Sickness and Your Teeth: Protecting Enamel Stomach acid is hard on enamel, and morning sickness can expose teeth to it daily for weeks. The single most protective habit: rinse right away with water or a baking-soda rinse, then wait about thirty minutes before brushing so you never scrub acid-softened enamel. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezMissing Lateral Incisors in Teens: Treatment Options Some teens never develop one or both upper lateral incisors. Treatment usually follows one of two broad paths: close the spaces orthodontically and reshape canines to resemble lateral incisors, or open and maintain ideal spaces for future tooth replacement. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezIs a Gap Between a Child's Front Teeth Normal? A gap between the upper front teeth is often normal while permanent incisors and canines are erupting. Many spaces narrow as the canines come into position. Read
- First Visits & Babies Say CheezCan Pregnancy Really Hurt Your Teeth? Myths vs. Facts Yes — pregnancy genuinely changes your mouth. Hormone shifts make gums swell and bleed, morning sickness bathes enamel in acid, and cavity risk rises. But the biggest myth is that you should skip the dentist: dental care during pregnancy is safe, recommended, and protects your baby too. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezUnderbite in Children: Causes and Treatment Timing An underbite occurs when some or all lower front teeth close ahead of the upper front teeth. It may be caused by tooth position, upper-jaw deficiency, lower-jaw prominence, or a functional shift. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezOpen Bite in Children: Causes and Next Steps An open bite means upper and lower teeth do not meet in one area when the rest of the bite is closed. Front open bites are often associated with prolonged sucking habits, tongue posture, eruption patterns, or jaw growth; back open bites have other causes. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezCrowded Teeth vs. Spaced Teeth in Children Crowding occurs when teeth overlap, rotate, or lack enough room; spacing means gaps are present between teeth. In the baby dentition, some spacing is usually helpful because permanent teeth are larger. During mixed dentition, temporary crowding or gaps can change with eruption and jaw growth. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezCrossbite in Children: Front Teeth vs. Back Teeth A crossbite means one or more upper teeth bite inside the lower teeth instead of outside them. A front crossbite involves incisors and can resemble an underbite; a back crossbite involves premolars or molars and may reflect a narrow upper arch. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezWhat Happens at an Orthodontic Records Appointment? An orthodontic records appointment gathers the information needed to diagnose the bite and design a treatment plan. Records can include facial and dental photographs, an intraoral scan or impressions, bite measurements, and selected X-rays. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezOverbite vs. Overjet in Children Overbite is the vertical overlap of the upper and lower front teeth; overjet is the horizontal distance the upper front teeth project ahead of the lower teeth. A child can have one, both, or neither. Read
- First Visits & Babies Say CheezHow to Transfer Your Child's Dental Records To transfer a child's dental records, submit the prior office's authorization form or a written request identifying the patient, receiving practice, and records needed. Read
- Comfort, Anxiety & Special Needs Say CheezHow to Get a Second Opinion on a Child's Dental Plan Parents can seek a second opinion when a child's diagnosis, urgency, number of procedures, sedation plan, extraction, or orthodontic recommendation is unclear. Request the examination findings, tooth-specific treatment plan, relevant images, and clinical notes. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezWhen Is CBCT Imaging Used for Children and Teens? Cone-beam computed tomography, or CBCT, creates a three-dimensional view of teeth, roots, jaws, and nearby structures. It is not a routine image for every child. Read
- Emergencies & Problems Say CheezWhen Does a Child Need an Oral Surgeon? A pediatric dentist may refer a child or teen to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon when a procedure involves impacted or extra teeth, complex roots, jaw cysts or lesions, facial trauma, biopsy, corrective jaw planning, or anesthesia needs beyond the office's scope. Read
- Comfort, Anxiety & Special Needs Say CheezWhat Is Laser Dentistry for Children? Laser dentistry uses focused light energy for selected dental procedures. Depending on the laser and tissue, it may cut or reshape soft tissue, control bleeding, remove certain tooth structure, or support other treatments. A laser is not automatically painless, bloodless, or better for every child. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezDigital Dental Scans vs. Impressions for Kids An intraoral scanner captures many images to build a three-dimensional model of a child's teeth and bite, while a traditional impression records the same anatomy in set material held in a tray. Read
- Comfort, Anxiety & Special Needs Say CheezWhy Is Dental Treatment Split Into Several Visits? A child's dental treatment may be divided into several visits to prioritize urgent teeth, limit fatigue, use local anesthetic safely, maintain moisture control, support behavior, and complete each restoration well. One long appointment is not automatically better. Read
- Comfort, Anxiety & Special Needs Say CheezWhat Is Tell-Show-Do in Pediatric Dentistry? Tell-show-do is a pediatric dental communication technique: the team first explains a step in simple, honest words, then demonstrates the sensation or tool in a nonthreatening way, and finally performs the step as described. Read
- Comfort, Anxiety & Special Needs Say CheezShould Parents Stay in the Dental Treatment Room? There is no universal rule that parents must always stay in—or always leave—a child's dental treatment room. The best approach considers your child's age, preference, communication style, medical and trauma history, safety, the procedure, space, and whether the parent's presence helps regulation. Read
- Comfort, Anxiety & Special Needs Say CheezHow Positive Reinforcement Helps at Dental Visits Positive reinforcement means noticing and strengthening a child's helpful coping behavior during a dental visit. Effective praise is immediate and specific—“You opened when I asked” or “You used your hand signal”—rather than demanding perfect calm. Read
- Comfort, Anxiety & Special Needs Say CheezWhy Is My Child's Lip Still Numb After the Dentist? A child's lip, cheek, or tongue can remain numb for several hours after dental local anesthesia, depending on the medicine, dose, injection site, and individual response. The main short-term risk is accidental biting or sucking of the numb tissue. Read
- Comfort, Anxiety & Special Needs Say CheezWhat Is a Dental Dam and Why Is It Used for Kids? A dental dam is a thin sheet placed around one or more teeth to keep the treatment area dry and separate it from the tongue, cheeks, and saliva. It can improve visibility, protect the airway from small materials, and support reliable bonding. Read
- Comfort, Anxiety & Special Needs Say CheezWhat Happens During a Child's Dental Filling? During a filling, the dental team helps the child settle in, isolates the tooth, provides local anesthesia when needed, removes softened infected tooth structure, and seals the cleaned area with a restorative material. The exact steps depend on the tooth, cavity depth, material, and child's needs. Read
- Comfort, Anxiety & Special Needs Say CheezHow Local Anesthetic Works at a Pediatric Dental Visit Local anesthetic temporarily blocks pain signals from a tooth and nearby tissues while your child remains awake. It does not remove every sensation: pressure, vibration, water, and movement may still be noticeable. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezPuberty Gingivitis: Why Teen Gums Get Puffy During puberty, hormonal changes can make gum tissue respond more strongly to dental plaque. A teen may develop red, puffy, tender gums that bleed easily, especially around braces or crowded teeth. Read
- Teeth, Eruption & Oral Conditions Say CheezMucocele on a Child's Lip: What It Means A mucocele is a soft, usually painless bump that forms when saliva leaks from a minor salivary gland into nearby tissue. It often appears inside the lower lip after biting or trauma and may look clear, blue, or the same color as the surrounding tissue. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezJaw Clicking and Popping in Teens A painless jaw click in a teen is common and may reflect movement of the cushioning disc inside the temporomandibular joint. Clenching, muscle fatigue, wide opening, hypermobility, injury, arthritis, or bite changes can also contribute. Read
- Teeth, Eruption & Oral Conditions Say CheezBumps on the Back of a Child's Tongue A row of large round bumps near the back of a child's tongue is often normal circumvallate papillae—taste structures arranged in a V shape. Bumpy tissue farther back can also be lingual tonsil tissue. Normal structures are usually symmetrical and painless. Read
- First Visits & Babies Say CheezOral Thrush in Babies and Children Oral thrush is an overgrowth of Candida yeast that can create creamy white patches on the tongue, cheeks, palate, or gums. Unlike ordinary milk residue, the patches may not wipe away easily and can leave a red or tender surface. Read
- Teeth, Eruption & Oral Conditions Say CheezGeographic Tongue in Children: Is It Serious? Geographic tongue is a benign condition in which smooth red patches with pale or white borders appear on the tongue and change shape or location over time. The patches reflect temporary loss of tiny surface projections called papillae. Read
- Teeth, Eruption & Oral Conditions Say CheezFissured Tongue in Children: Care and Concerns A fissured tongue has one or more grooves running along its upper surface. It is usually a harmless variation and may become more noticeable with age. Food debris can collect in deeper grooves and cause irritation or odor, so gentle tongue cleaning may help. Read
- Teeth, Eruption & Oral Conditions Say CheezCold Sores vs. Canker Sores in Kids Cold sores are caused by herpes simplex virus and usually form clusters of blisters on or around the lip; they are contagious. Canker sores are noncontagious ulcers found inside the mouth, often with a white-yellow center and red border. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezShould You Replace a Toothbrush After Illness? A toothbrush does not need automatic replacement after every cold or routine viral illness. It should be replaced when bristles are worn, the brush was contaminated, another person used it, or a medical or dental clinician advises replacement for a specific infection or immune concern. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezDry Mouth in Children: Causes and Dental Effects Dry mouth in a child can result from dehydration, fever, medicines, mouth breathing, anxiety, salivary-gland problems, or medical treatment. Read
- Teeth, Eruption & Oral Conditions Say CheezCanker Sores in Children: Causes and Relief Canker sores are shallow, painful ulcers that form inside the lips, cheeks, tongue, soft palate, or gum tissue. They are not contagious and usually heal on their own within one to two weeks. Read
- Teeth, Eruption & Oral Conditions Say CheezBad Breath in Children Even After Brushing Bad breath that returns soon after brushing can come from plaque on the tongue or gums, trapped food, cavities, dry mouth, mouth breathing, tonsil stones, nasal drainage, reflux, or another medical issue. The odor itself is not a diagnosis. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezWhat Is Fluoride Varnish and How Long Does It Stay On? Fluoride varnish is a concentrated topical fluoride painted in a thin layer on teeth to support enamel and reduce cavity risk. It sets when it contacts saliva, so children do not need to keep the mouth perfectly dry. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezHow Often Should a Child Replace a Toothbrush? A child's manual toothbrush or electric brush head is commonly replaced about every three to four months, but visible wear matters more than the calendar. Replace it sooner when bristles spread, flatten, harden, become contaminated, or no longer reach effectively. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezDoes My Child Need Mouthwash? Many children do not need mouthwash when brushing with fluoride toothpaste and cleaning between teeth are effective. A fluoride rinse may add protection for selected older children or teens with higher cavity risk, braces, or difficult-to-clean areas. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezDo Plaque-Disclosing Tablets Help Kids Brush? Plaque-disclosing tablets or solutions temporarily stain dental plaque so a child can see where brushing missed. They can turn an abstract instruction into a visual game and help parents target the gumline, back molars, and crowded areas. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezWhy Does My Child Keep Getting Cavities? Brushing is essential, but cavities are influenced by more than whether a toothbrush is used twice a day. Risk also depends on how completely plaque is removed, how often teeth encounter sugars or acids, fluoride exposure, enamel strength, saliva, tooth shape, contacts between teeth, appliances, med Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezWhat Is a Dental Cavity-Risk Assessment for Kids? A cavity-risk assessment is a structured review of the factors that make tooth decay more or less likely for one child. It combines current and past cavities, plaque, diet frequency, fluoride, saliva, enamel, appliances, medicines, medical and social factors, and protective habits. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezCavities Between Children's Teeth: What Parents Miss Cavities between children's teeth can grow where a toothbrush cannot reach and may not be visible during a quick look at home. Tight contacts hold plaque and limit saliva's cleaning effect. Read
- Prevention & Everyday Care Say CheezCan an Early Cavity Be Reversed? An early cavity can sometimes be arrested or partially remineralized before the surface breaks. Saliva, fluoride, and improved plaque control can return minerals to a non-cavitated white-spot lesion. Read
- Emergencies & Problems Say CheezWhy Are My Child's Teeth Sensitive to Cold? Cold sensitivity in a child can come from a cavity, an enamel defect, an erupting or recently treated tooth, exposed root surface, a crack, grinding wear, or acid-related erosion. Brief sensitivity that stops when the cold is gone differs from lingering or spontaneous pain. Read
- Teeth, Eruption & Oral Conditions Say CheezWhat Causes Orange or Green Stains on Kids' Teeth? Orange or green discoloration on children's teeth is often an external stain held in plaque near the gumline, especially where brushing is difficult. Pigment-producing microorganisms, food or product color, and accumulated debris can contribute. Read
- Teeth, Eruption & Oral Conditions Say CheezWhat Causes Black Stains on Children's Teeth? Black marks on a child's teeth are not always cavities. They can be external stain, a dark line associated with certain plaque bacteria, tartar, iron-containing products, metal exposure, or decay. Read
- Emergencies & Problems Say CheezWhat Causes a Pink Baby Tooth? A pink baby tooth can appear after an injury causes bleeding inside the tooth, or when internal resorption removes dentin and allows reddish pulp tissue to show through. It is not a diagnosis by color alone. Read
- Teeth, Eruption & Oral Conditions Say CheezWhy Does My Child Have White Spots on Teeth? White spots on a child's teeth can come from early mineral loss around plaque, a difference that formed while enamel was developing, mild fluorosis, or temporary drying of the surface. Read
- Emergencies & Problems Say CheezWhy Did My Child's Tooth Turn Gray After a Bump? A tooth may turn gray after a bump because bleeding or tissue changes occurred inside it. In a baby tooth, color alone does not always mean immediate treatment is needed; symptoms and follow-up findings matter. Read
- Teeth, Eruption & Oral Conditions Say CheezMolar-Incisor Hypomineralization in Children Molar-incisor hypomineralization, or MIH, is a developmental enamel condition that most often affects one or more first permanent molars and sometimes permanent incisors. Read
- Teeth, Eruption & Oral Conditions Say CheezEnamel Hypoplasia in Children: A Parent Guide Enamel hypoplasia means part of a tooth formed with less enamel than normal. The surface may have pits, grooves, thin areas, rough edges, or a section where enamel is missing. Read
- Teeth, Eruption & Oral Conditions Say CheezWhy Do Permanent Teeth Look Yellower Than Baby Teeth? Permanent teeth usually look warmer or more yellow than baby teeth because they contain more naturally yellow dentin beneath a more translucent enamel layer. The contrast is strongest while very white baby teeth remain beside them. Read
- Teeth, Eruption & Oral Conditions Say CheezWhat Are Mamelons on New Permanent Teeth? Mamelons are three small rounded bumps that can appear along the biting edge of a newly erupted permanent front tooth. They are normal developmental features formed where sections of enamel joined while the tooth developed. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezTypes of Space Maintainers for Children Children's space maintainers include fixed one-tooth designs, appliances that span several teeth, and removable options. Common names include band-and-loop, crown-and-loop, distal shoe, lower lingual holding arch, Nance appliance, and removable acrylic maintainer. Read
- Teeth, Eruption & Oral Conditions Say CheezExtra Teeth in Children: What Are Supernumeraries? A supernumerary tooth is an extra tooth beyond the usual 20 baby teeth or 32 permanent teeth. It may erupt into the mouth or remain hidden in the jaw. Some cause no problem, while others delay eruption, close space, displace nearby teeth, or affect orthodontic planning. Read
- Teeth, Eruption & Oral Conditions Say CheezWhat Is an Eruption Cyst on a Child's Gum? An eruption cyst is a fluid-filled swelling in the gum over a tooth that is about to emerge. It can look clear, bluish, purple, or dark red if a little blood is present. Most are harmless and open on their own as the tooth erupts, but a dentist should confirm the diagnosis. Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezWhat Happens When a Baby Tooth Is Lost Too Early? When a baby tooth is lost before its permanent replacement is ready, neighboring teeth may drift into the open space. Whether that matters depends on which tooth was lost, your child's age, crowding, bite, and the successor's development. Read
- Teeth, Eruption & Oral Conditions Say CheezWhat Does an Ankylosed Baby Tooth Mean? An ankylosed baby tooth has become fused to the surrounding bone instead of remaining suspended by its normal ligament. As nearby teeth and the jaw continue to develop, it may look lower or “sunken.” Some ankylosed teeth can be monitored; others need treatment to protect space, eruption, or the deve Read
- Growth, Bite & Orthodontics Say CheezDoes My Child Need a Space Maintainer? A space maintainer may be recommended when a baby tooth is lost early and nearby teeth are likely to drift before the permanent replacement erupts. It is not needed after every extraction or injury. Read
- Teeth, Eruption & Oral Conditions Say CheezWhy Is My Child's Permanent Tooth Not Coming In? A permanent tooth may take longer to appear because of normal timing, lack of space, a retained or ankylosed baby tooth, an extra tooth, prior trauma, or an unusual eruption path. The most useful clue is often whether the matching tooth on the other side erupted months earlier. Read
- Teeth, Eruption & Oral Conditions Say CheezPermanent Teeth Eruption Chart: Ages 6 to 21 Permanent teeth usually begin appearing around age six with the first molars or lower front teeth. Incisors, canines, premolars, and second molars then emerge across childhood and early adolescence. Read
- First Visits & Babies Say CheezNatal and Neonatal Teeth: What Parents Should Know A tooth present at birth is called a natal tooth; one that erupts during the first 30 days is called a neonatal tooth. Many are early baby teeth rather than extras. Read
- Teeth, Eruption & Oral Conditions Say CheezBaby Teeth Eruption Chart: Order and Timing Most babies get their first tooth near the middle of the first year, but healthy timing varies widely. The lower front teeth often appear first, followed by the upper front teeth, side incisors, first molars, canines, and second molars. Most children have all 20 baby teeth by about age three. Read
-
Expertise Parents Trust. Care Kids Remember. Read -
Can’t remember when your kiddo’s last dental appointment was? Time to schedule! Read - Say Cheez Blog Say CheezWhen Is Facial Swelling a Dental Emergency in Kids? Read
- Say Cheez Blog Say CheezTongue Habit Appliance for Kids | Signs Your Child Needs One Read
- Say Cheez Blog Say CheezHow Fast Can a Tooth Infection Spread in Children? Must Know! Read
- Say Cheez Blog Say CheezSedation Dentistry for Kids in Paramus | Is Your Child a Candidate? Read
- Say Cheez Blog Say CheezDoes My Child Need a Baby Root Canal? Signs Parents Should Know Read
- Say Cheez Blog Say CheezChild Tooth Infection Signs | When to See a Dentist Read
- Say Cheez Blog Say CheezClear Aligner Therapy in Paramus | Say Cheez Dental Read
- Say Cheez Blog Say CheezPediatric Endodontics in Paramus, NJ: Gentle Root Canal Treatment Read
- Say Cheez Blog Say CheezSay Cheez Pediatric Dentist Paramus Read
- Say Cheez Blog Say CheezPediatric Dentist in Paramus NJ | Say Cheez Dentist for Children Read
- Say Cheez Blog Say CheezDr. Navreet Sidhu: Pediatric Dentist at Say Cheez Dentist in Paramus Read
- Say Cheez Blog Say CheezSwollen Gums or Face: When It’s a Dental Emergency Read
- Say Cheez Blog Say CheezSigns You Need to See a Dentist Immediately Read
- Say Cheez Blog Say CheezDentist Near Me in Paramus: How to Choose the Right Dentist Read
- Say Cheez Blog Say CheezHow Dental Health Affects Your Overall Health Read
- Say Cheez Blog Say CheezEmergency Dentist in Paramus: What Counts as a Dental Emergency? Read
- Say Cheez Blog Say CheezDental Anxiety: How We Help Nervous Patients Feel Comfortable Read
- Say Cheez Blog Say Cheez7 Dental Problems Paramus Residents Shouldn’t Ignore Read
- Say Cheez Blog Say Cheez7 Dental Myths That Could Be Harming Your Smile Read
- Say Cheez Blog Say CheezTop Dental Services Every Family Needs from a Dentist in Paramus Read
- Say Cheez Blog Say CheezWhen Should Your Child Visit a Pediatric Dentist? Read
- Say Cheez Blog Say CheezWhy Say Cheez Dental Is Your Top Choice for an Orthodontist in Paramus Read