A recent University of Washington study showed that up to 20 percent of the United States population avoids the dentist due to dental fears or phobias. This means that as many as 64 million people are afraid to go to a routine dental visit! But neglecting the kind of routine care that prevents problems creates the worst kind of vicious cycle in patients. For anxious parents, this is a pattern we want to break in our kids. There are a few important ways to make this happen, and most important of all are overcoming your own fears and building a comfortable and trusting relationship with your pediatric dentist. What Are The Most Common Causes of Dental Anxiety? Here are some of the main … [Read more...]

Yes! Braces are for adults too! In fact, more and more grown up smiles are improving every day thanks to adult orthodontics. According to the American Association of Orthodontists, one in five patients starting orthodontic treatment  is over the age of 18; this means more than 1 million adults are currently in orthodontic treatment. So if you’re thinking about orthodontics as an adult, you’re definitely not alone. Why is Adult Orthodontic Treatment More Popular Than Ever? There are a number of reasons more and more adults are getting orthodontic treatment. One is that it’s more socially acceptable; many of us have friends who are saying yes to braces, maybe even for the second time. … [Read more...]

With spring and summer sports upon us, and with summer camps approaching, we’d like to talk about the importance of your child wearing a mouth guard while playing sports. Many people think that mouth guards are only for high contact sports, or for high school athletes. However, the American Dental Association recommends that they be used at whatever age your child begins to play sports where they are at risk of contact with another person, or a sport with high risk of head injury. The sports for which the ADA recommends mouth guards be worn are: acrobats, basketball, boxing, field hockey, football, gymnastics, handball, ice hockey, lacrosse, martial arts, racquetball, roller hockey, … [Read more...]

Many parents make it a rule to only offer their kids healthy snacks. But once your children start going to preschool, things can change. As peers begin to have more influence, it’s not always possible for your kids to say no to sugar. And with that in mind, parents don’t always have to say no either. While sugar does feed the bacteria that cause cavities, sweet treats can be an important part of childhood. There’s no need to ban treats altogether, as long as we have information to help us take care of our teeth after enjoying something sweet! What Are the Worst Foods For My Teeth? The American Dental Association (ADA) has a great target list of foods that are tough on teeth. Here are a … [Read more...]

Thumb sucking and pacifier use is one of the most common concerns we hear in our practice, so we thought we’d take some time to put the parents of Ashburn’s minds at ease. Thumb sucking and using a pacifier is totally normal up to a certain age, and usually goes away by itself as your child begins to eat solid foods. Let’s discuss why children suck their thumbs and use pacifiers, and when it becomes a cause for concern. When babies are breast or bottle feeding, their tongue moves forward between the space in their upper and lower jaw as they swallow so that a seal is created with their mouth, and milk comes out of the nipple. Thumb sucking and using a pacifier can be soothing to babies … [Read more...]

With so many advances in dental technology and so many new prevention tools available, you’d think that cavities in children would be on the wane. But cavities – especially in little kids – are actually on the rise. Here’s a crash course in Cavities 101 to help parents understand what cavities are and how to prevent and treat them. What Is a Cavity? A cavity is a tiny hole in the tooth that forms when acids attack your tooth enamel. To treat cavities, your dentist usually needs to drill away the decay and fill in the area with a metal or composite material to protect the healthy tooth. However, there are some new treatments for cavities in very young children that don’t involve drilling … [Read more...]

So you’re playing with your kids at the playground and BOOM!...they fall face first and there’s blood. First, rule out that an emergency room visit isn’t needed, and that the oops has only impacted their teeth. Keep calm, assess the situation, and call us at (703) 729-7005 Here is some information on the most common types of dental injuries, and how they’re handled. Knocked Out Tooth If your child has completely knocked out a permanent tooth, it’s important to get to a dentist as soon as possible. The sooner we can see your child, the better the chances of a full recovery. Do your best to retrieve the tooth by touching it by the crown only, not the roots. If it has been on the ground, … [Read more...]

Baby teeth are only temporary, so they don’t need a lot of attention, right? Wrong! Baby teeth used to be considered disposable since they do eventually fall out. But research shows that taking care of baby teeth is incredibly important – for children’s development, oral and overall health. With tooth decay in toddlers on the rise, the dental community is underscoring that healthy baby teeth are crucial, and they most certainly need special care. Why Do Baby Teeth Matter? A 2014 report by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) found that tooth decay in young children is at “epidemic” proportions. With long-term sippy cup use and sugary drinks on the rise, dentists and families … [Read more...]

In addition to brushing and flossing twice a day, you can also take extra steps to protecting your children’s teeth. The molars are the most susceptible to cavities for two reasons. First, their chewing surface has more pits and fissures than the rest of the teeth. This can make it more difficult for toothbrush bristles to clean the chewing surface. Second, the majority of chewing is done with your molars, increasing the chances of food and bacteria getting stuck and causing decay. To protect your children’s molars, NOVA Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics can apply sealants when they come in; usually around 6 years old and 12 years old. A Sealant is a BPA free plastic material that is … [Read more...]

News flash! Flossing is not just for grown-ups. Flossing is important because it removes plaque and food that is between teeth. Brushing can only go so far, and flossing does the rest of the job. It’s not only good for your mouth, but helps prevent bad breath too, which makes morning cuddles with your kiddos much more enjoyable. Even if your kids’ teeth aren’t touching, you can still work on forming the habit from a young age. To help your children understand why flossing is important, we suggest doing the following: put the pads of your two index (pointer) fingers together. Show them that you can brush all around the tops of those pointer fingers, but no matter how well you brush, the … [Read more...]