Our Blog

We are celebrating some birthdays this month. Our own Dr. Azadpur as well as our financial/insurance coordinator and all-around guru, Jill, both have birthdays this month! Happy birthday to both of you!  

We are also celebrating National Fresh Breath Day this month. Did you know that bad breath is caused by odor-producing bacteria that remain in your mouth after eating? When food particles are left in your mouth, bacteria can grow. That is why it is vital that you brush and floss daily to get rid of these particles, so bacteria won't grow and linger. 

We recommend that you brush at least twice a day and floss daily to remove food particles that get trapped on and between your teeth. But don’t forget to change your brush every few months. 

Another tip we suggest is chewing xylitol gum to help remove bacteria in between brushing and drinking plenty of water to help wash away food particles. 

In terms of your diet, we suggest staying away from sticky foods and limiting sugary drinks as much as possible and cutting down on sugar consumption overall. Choose healthy options for lunch and snacks. School lunch menus often include veggies, fruit, and salads so pick from them whenever possible. Bringing a toothbrush and toothpaste to school (in a waterproof container) is a great idea. Don't forget to clean it out often! 

And when you can, stick to drinking water as much as possible and save the sweet and sticky treat for when you’re home where you have easy access to your toothbrush and toothpaste.  

To ensure your visits are as smooth as possible, keep up with daily oral hygiene, eat healthy foods and snacks, drink lots of water, and try not to cancel dental appointments. It may be up to 2 months before we can see you again! 

We are also super stoked to say our patients LOVE our new Solea laser and are reporting no pain or discomfort at all. "It feels like ice cream melting in my mouth," according to one little patient. Truly a game changer. Visit our website to learn more about our new laser.

Have you ever watched to see if your child is breathing through his or her mouth? Breathing through the mouth instead of the nose may lead to trouble for youngsters. Kids who typically breathe through their mouth—most often children who suffer from allergies—experience problems getting enough oxygen into their blood, a condition that affects their weight, size, sleep, and even their performance in the classroom and daily life.

Mouth breathing as a child can also lead to sleep apnea, behavior and learning problems, delayed speech, dental and facial abnormalities, and even breathing problems as your child grows. There are a multitude of reasons for an individual to mouth breathe, such as enlarged tonsils, adenoids, and deviated nasal septum, but the cause is usually allergies.

As bad as the condition sounds, we want you to know mouth breathing is a treatable condition. Doing so, though, requires early diagnosis and treatment. Since our team at Simsbury Pediatric & Adolescent Dentistry sees our patients every six months, we may be in a position to identify the symptoms of mouth breathing.

If you suspect your child is a chronic mouth breather, please give us a call at our convenient Simsbury, CT office to schedule an appointment with Dr. Maryam Azadpur.

You want to check all the boxes when you consider your child’s dental health. You make sure your child brushes twice daily to avoid cavities. You’ve made a plan for an orthodontic checkup just in case braces are needed. You insist on a mouthguard for dental protection during sports. One thing you might not have considered? Protecting your child from gum disease.

We often think about gum disease, or periodontitis, as an adult problem. In fact, children and teens can suffer from gingivitis and other gum disease as well. There are several possible reasons your child might develop gum disease:

• Poor dental hygiene

Two minutes of brushing twice a day is the recommended amount of time to remove the bacteria and plaque that cause gingivitis (early gum disease). Flossing is also essential for removing bacteria and plaque from hard-to-reach areas around the teeth.

• Puberty

The hormones that cause puberty can also lead to gums that become irritated more easily when exposed to plaque. This is a time to be especially proactive with dental health.

• Medical conditions

Medical conditions such as diabetes can bring an increased risk of gum disease. Be sure to give us a complete picture of your child’s health, and we will let you know if there are potential complications for your child’s gums and teeth and how we can respond to and prevent them.

• Periodontal diseases

More serious periodontal diseases, while relatively uncommon, can affect children and teens as well as adults. Aggressive periodontitis, for example, results in connective and bone tissue loss around the affected teeth, leading to loose teeth and even tooth loss. Let Dr. Maryam Azadpur know if you have a family history of gum disease, as that might be a factor in your child’s dental health, and tell us if you have noticed any symptoms of gum disease.

How can we help our children prevent gum disease? Here are some symptoms you should never ignore:

• Bleeding gums
• Redness or puffiness in the gums
• Gums that are pulling away, or receding, from the teeth
• Bad breath even after brushing

The best treatment for childhood gum disease is prevention. Careful brushing and flossing and regular visits to our Simsbury, CT office for a professional cleaning will stop gingivitis from developing and from becoming a more serious form of gum disease. We will take care to look for any signs of gum problems, and have suggestions for you if your child is at greater risk for periodontitis. Together, we can encourage gentle and proactive gum care, and check off one more goal accomplished on your child’s path to lifelong dental health!

The wisdom teeth are the last of the permanent molars to emerge from the gums. This can occur as early as age 17 or as late as 21. Though some teens and young adults experience a completely normal tooth eruption with ideally aligned molars that pose no health threat, this is not the case for everyone.

According to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS), wisdom teeth must meet specific criteria to avoid a required extraction. These guidelines include:

• Completely erupted and non-impacted
• Completely functional
• Painless
• Free of decay
• Disease-free
• Capable of being properly cleaned

If one or more of your child’s wisdom teeth do not meet these conditions, we recommend scheduling an appointment with Dr. Maryam Azadpur; an extraction may be necessary.

Impacted wisdom teeth

One of the most common reasons for extracting a wisdom tooth is due to impaction. An impacted wisdom tooth is one that has not erupted and will not fully erupt from the gums. Usually this occurs because there is not enough room for the tooth to emerge. Impaction can be painful and can also lead to infection if left untreated. According to the AAOMS, roughly 90 percent of the teen and adult population has at least one impacted tooth. Extracting an impacted wisdom tooth early can help prevent future complications, such as periodontal disease, infections, and damage to neighboring teeth.

Extracting fully erupted wisdom teeth

Even if your child’s wisdom teeth are fully erupted, Dr. Maryam Azadpur and our team at Simsbury Pediatric & Adolescent Dentistry may recommend removing them as a preventive measure. Fully-erupted third molars often interfere with a healthy bite. This can lead to problems with tooth and jaw alignment and may also contribute to the development of headaches. Your child’s wisdom teeth may also be more prone to tooth decay and gum disease, because their location in the back of the mouth makes them more difficult to reach for brushing and flossing.

To learn more about wisdom teeth, or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Maryam Azadpur, please give us a call at our convenient Simsbury, CT office!