The new school year is just around the corner! In a few weeks, children’s schedules will start to fill with various school and after-school activities. Between rushed breakfasts to catch the school bus, vending machine snacks at lunch, and quick dinners between soccer practice and homework time, it’s easy for kids to forget about brushing and flossing their teeth. This leaves plenty of opportunities for dental bacteria to develop. It is well known that caries and premature tooth loss negatively affect the child’s learning, development, and self-esteem. As children go back to school, it is crucial for them to feel confident and ready to learn; healthy teeth and gums help young students achieve their full potential. The good news is that with the right prevention protocol, you can ensure your pediatric patients maintain a healthy smile not only now but throughout their lifetime!

Teething can begin as early as 3 months and by the time the child is about 3 years old, they should have all 20 baby teeth. The importance of baby teeth can sometimes be underappreciated by parents who assume they shouldn’t be too concerned since baby teeth ultimately will fall out. Dental professionals know this assumption can lead to inadequate dental care which, in turn, can cause various issues including decay, tooth loss, pain, difficulty chewing or speaking and even low self-esteem. No child should have to suffer due to preventable dental problems. We strongly encourage all dental professionals to participate in our Prevention for Life^® program which is designed to help get patients through each stage of life with a beautiful, healthy simile, and maintain oral health that will last throughout their lifetime!

Our Prevention for Life^® program is about getting patients through every stage of life with a healthy smile. To achieve this goal, we remind dental professionals that preventative procedures should start with the first baby tooth. Although many believe children don’t need to see a dentist until toddlerhood, the first dental visit should happen much sooner as even very young children can experience dental disease that, if left untreated, can cause major damage in childhood years and beyond. 1 of 5 children aged 5 to 11 years have at least one untreated, decayed tooth. The good news is that caries is preventable and can be managed with the help and care of a dental professional. Therefore, parents should be encouraged to visit the dentist with their babies as soon as they see the first baby tooth erupt.
 
Donna Brogan, RDH, BS, discusses the importance of first teeth and what impact first dental visits can have on the oral health of a child:

A true smile is a pure emotional reaction that we can’t control. It’s the first thing people see when you meet them, and it can make a lasting impression. Today, many researchers think that smiles can also show a person’s true nature. Read more in this interesting blog post by Robin Koontz.

During Oral Health Month, we would like to remind you that prevention is crucial to keeping your patients' smiles healthy throughout their lifetime. One of the ways to ensure your patients maintain optimal oral health are regular fluoride treatments. For many years, the only formulations available were gel or foam applied with trays, for a grueling application time of four minutes. The process was messy and even hazardous if gel was ingested by the patient in volume. One-minute fluoride gel application foam products appeared on the market; however, according to the ADA, they are not effective and should not be used. Thankfully, today there are better options available. Fluoride varnish is the latest approved standard of care from the ADA for fluoride treatments. Fluoride varnish is effective, efficient, and approved for patients of all ages, even as young as 6 months old.

Given the effectiveness of fluoride varnish, it isn’t particularly surprising that one of Centrix’s best-selling products is FluoroDose®! Our fluoride varnish has been ranked as the TOP in its category for 6 straight years by THE DENTAL ADVISOR. We’re proud to also announce that we’ve recently updated our packaging to an enclosed LolliTray™ with 4 patented features to make varnish applications easier for you and your patients. Learn more here!
 
Carly Cammarano, RDH, describes why she recommends fluoride varnish and FluoroDose in particular for her patients:

Poor sleep stresses the body causing inflammation and immune system disruption. These factors lead to an increased risk of gum disease. The tissue-damaging inflammation contributes to destructive periodontal disease, and as it is well known, periodontitis can ultimately lead to tooth loss if left untreated. This inflammatory disease cannot be reversed if it progresses too far, so it is crucial to take action as soon as possible. Maintaining good oral health through proper hygiene and regular dental checkups will help your patients combat periodontal disease.

As 2021 comes to a close, we look back at the whirlwind year we’ve had and can proudly say that Centrix had a lot of bright spots, success, and triumphs. Definitely fitting for a 50th year celebration we think!

Centrix has been making waves in the field of dentistry for over 50 years. It started with the original C-R Syringe in 1970 and continued with the release of many innovative products that have been making dentistry easier, ever since.

Centrix takes pride in our efforts of Making Dentistry Easier and Onyx™, 40% phosphoric acid etchant, is no different. It has a higher acid content than competitors making it the strongest and most effective etchant. The gel stays where it is placed, without running, for a cleaner application.