Three things I learned from working in Dentistry

Before becoming a receptionist at South Valley Pediatric Dentistry, I knew very little about dental health. Working with our wonderful dentists, assistants and patients has taught me a lot about dental care that I might never have learned otherwise. I now know more about teeth than I ever thought I would! Here are a few of the helpful realizations I’ve had while working at SVPD.

1. Insurance is not just important, it’s absolutely vital: Dental work is expensive. I had no idea that a mouthful of cavities could cost upwards of thousands of dollars, but we genuinely see cases that costly every day. Brushing, flossing and getting regular check-ups can help prevent some expensive procedures from being necessary, but sometimes accidents and trauma can damage teeth, sometimes people just have weak enamel, or sometimes kids refuse to brush. Any number of things can cause serious dental problems and when they come, dental insurance becomes a life saver. Not to mention all the money it saves you on routine and preventive procedures, like cleanings and exams. I never want to be without it.

2. Bottle rot is a thing: As a single gal with no kids I had no idea you couldn’t send kids to bed with bottles of milk at night before working here. After all, parents do it on television all the time! I’ve learned that many parents aren’t aware of this either. Some of the most severe cases of tooth decay we see come from having milk during bed time. In order to prevent this, make sure that water is always the last thing in your child’s mouth at night. Water washes away potentially harmful sugars and other contaminants which cause decay.

3. Shark tooth is totally normal: Sometimes baby teeth won’t come out on their own. When this happens the adult tooth will sometimes grow in above or below the baby tooth giving you two teeth in one spot. We see several of these a month. Parents are often confused when a shark tooth pops up in their child’s mouth, but we’re totally used to scheduling routine extractions to correct this common dental problem. While it does need to be addressed early on to prevent future orthodontic issues, parents need not panic if they see a shark tooth or two in their child’s mouth.

Though I learned these facts by working at South Valley Pediatric Dentistry, you don’t need to work in a dental office to know how to protect your dental health and pocketbook. At South Valley Pediatric Dentistry, we get questions about everything from teething to dentures and are always happy to help people get the best information possible. Our highly trained and friendly staff are excited to answer questions regarding Dental Insurance, bottle rot, shark tooth and so much more. Call our office at 801-489-1301 for more information!