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Smile Central Dental was created eighteen years ago
with the mission to bring dental care to
children in underserved communities. ?

This still holds true today. ?
It is with great pride ? that Smile Central Dental
announces the opening of its newest location in Dover, NJ.

We are grateful ? and appreciative of the opportunity
to continue to do what we love in yet another
city in Northern New Jersey. ?

Smile Central Dover would have not been possible
without the support of our amazing team ? of dentists,
hygienists, dental assistants, business/clerical team,
practice managers and administrative team.
Their selfless dedication to our patients is equal to none.

To the Dover community, we would like to thank you ?
for the pouring support and receiving Smile Central Dental with open arms.
We are looking forward to welcoming your children from
newborn until 21 years of age. Feel free to stop by to
say hello at 44 Orchard Street (entrance on Second street) Dover,
NJ or give us a call at 973-891-4015.

Stay tune for our grand opening date details!!! ?

Did you know that setting an appointment, addressing costs,
and using insurance is easier than you may think?

Looking for the best kids dentist near the Paterson, Passaic, and Union City areas?
We are here serving Paterson, Passaic, and Hudson NJ, and the surrounding communities, we offer comprehensive oral health services ranging from routine cleanings to emergency treatment. We are committed to creating a warm, welcoming environment to keep all members of the family comfortable in the office.
Paterson(973) 742-4200
Passaic ( 973) 574-1000
Union City(201) 325-8444
Dover (973) 891-4015

Find reviews and updates on Facebook, learn more about our practice online, or give us a call.

Signs of tooth decay: Quick check

You may find the following symptoms:
✅ Toothache, spontaneous pain or pain that occurs without any apparent cause
✅ Tooth sensitivity
✅ Mild to sharp pain when eating or drinking something sweet, hot or cold
✅ Visible holes or pits in your teeth
✅ Brown, black or white staining on any surface of a tooth
✅ Pain when you bite down

You may not be aware that a cavity is forming on your child’s teeth,
but it is important to schedule regularly scheduled dental visits.

The Following areas in your mouth could be at a higher risk of building up plaque:
? Between Teeth
? Bottom of the teeth
? Chewing Surfaces
? Crevices where particles can buildup

Foods that cling to teeth 
? Candy
? Chips
? Cookies
? Gummys
? Fruit Juice
? Dried Fruit

IS your lil one experiencing pain, soreness, or sensitivity to their teeth near the Paterson, Passaic, and Union City areas?
We are here serving Paterson, Passaic, and Hudson NJ, and the surrounding communities, we offer comprehensive oral health services ranging from routine cleanings to emergency treatment. We are committed to creating a warm, welcoming environment to keep all members of the family comfortable in the office.
Paterson  (973) 742-4200
Passaic  ( 973) 574-1000
Union City  (201) 325-8444

Find reviews and updates on Facebook, learn more about our practice online, or give us a call

Allergies in children

Children can develop allergies. Although it is impossible
to control what can trigger allergies in their children, parents
can monitor closely what they eat, what they are exposed to,
and symptoms.

Spring kicks off typically around March 20th, but allergies can
peak as early as February. Sometimes allergies stick around for long
periods of time.

It is important to know that allergies can sometimes feel like
a cold, a flu or even covid.

Monitor allergies vs covid:

Here are symptoms of covid:
Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus.
People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea

Childrens allergy symptoms include:

Skin rashes or hives (atopic dermatitis or eczema)
Difficulty breathing (asthma)
Sneezing, coughing, a runny nose or itchy eyes
Nasal Congestion
this happens.
Stomach upset
Fatigue
Headaches

Children's common allergy triggers:

Outdoors: tree pollen, plant pollen, insect bites or stings
Indoors: pet or animal hair or fur, dust mites, mold, spring cleaning
Irritants: cigarette smoke, perfume, car exhaust
Foods: peanuts, eggs, milk and milk products

How Allergies affect your oral health

- Dry Mouth
- Tooth Pain
- Bad Breath

Can a Sinus Infection Cause a Toothache?

Dental Sensitivity can arise from allergies due to sinus infections.
Sinus infections attack the tissues of the teeth.

It causes redness and swelling. This can lead to a toothache.
This infection becomes more severe when you are experiencing
dental sensitivity. There are different things you can do to help
with this condition. You can use dental care products that help
with the discomfort caused by dental sensitivity.

Typical Toothache vs Sinus Toothache

How can we tell which is which?
Sinus toothaches will radiate pain typically in the upper molars.
This can lead to multiple teeth hurting.
If your child is feeling swelling in the face surrounding the nose
just above the gums together with molars in pain, this can indicate
a sinus infection. Sometimes pain can be felt with body motion.

A typical regular toothache can have severe pain and will most liklely
have a main single source.

Toothache treatments:

- Over the counter ibuprofen may help temporarily
- 30 second Saltwater rinses can help with inflammation.
- Cold and hot compresses for 15 minutes can help to alleviate pain

Types of allergies:

Food allergies:
Most common food allergies are peanuts and milk.
but this can include fish, eggs, wheat, soy, and shellfish.

Nasal congestion:
Your child may breath through the mouth when

Allergic rhinitis (hay fever): This includes runny and itchy noses.
In addition, it is common to see red teary eyes, ear problems and plenty
of sneezing.

Ear infections:
Allergies cause inflammation within the ear and should
cause fluid accumulation which will develop ear
infections and a decrease of hearing

Children at school and triggers:

Some of the triggers can include:
- School pets
- Dust irritation
- Blackboard dust

What can you do?

You can use over-the-counter prescription allergy treatments.
Have your child avoid irritants to the best of your ability
Work with the school to keep your child away from the blackboard dust
Be careful - keep children away from dust during spring cleaning

If you are visitng the dentist, tell your dentist that your child has
allergies.

In NJ, some students will continue to learn in a hybrid program or distance learning.
However, some students in Essex county are scheduled to
go back to school fully sometime in April.

It is said that most schools will have students back fully
by the fall of 2021.
ref: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/coronavirus/2021/03/01/nj-schools-should-back-business-fall-murphy-predicts/6869368002/

Districts will provide testing for any student
who has traveled.

Staying updated on school guidelines:

Are students with disabilities required to wear face coverings in
school buildings and school buses?
Yes. All children are required to wear their masks when going back
to school. If a child has a medical condition or disability, parents should
communicate to the school if it is not possible.
This includes all school buses and school grounds.
In NJ a school day may consist of 4 hours of learning.
This may vary from county to county.

To learn more about NJ re-opening details about hybrid learning,
distance learning, traditional learning, and guidelines
Visit: https://www.nj.gov/education/reopening/faqs/

Passaic schools Covid info visit: Passaic covid info

Bergen schools parents resources:  North Bergen

Tips:

1. In school, it is very likely that children will have space between each other.
The school are likely to have hand sanitizer available for children
to use throughout the day, however, a tip may be to pack
a mini hand sanitizer in their backpack.

2. This may be difficult but your child should avoid contact with
other children such as shaking hands or holding hands.

3.Children should cover their mouths when sneezing

4. Talk with your children about safety precautions.
such as wearing a mask, sticking with their group,
cleaning toys and surfaces, and frequent hand washing.

Why some teeth do not come in straight?

It’s quite common for children to get adult teeth that are not straight.
The most common factors include extra teeth, missing teeth, large teeth, wide spacing, or inadequate spacing/small jaws. Habits like thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, premature loss of baby teeth, or a poor breathing airway caused by enlarged
adenoids aggravate the problem, resulting in crowded teeth and/or an abnormal bite.

Regular visits to the dentist

The first primary/baby teeth start to come in at about 6 months of age. As soon as your child first gets their baby teeth, it’s important to get them on their first trip to the dentist. This allows the dentist to help ensure your child’s teeth stay clean,
and they can examine the inbound adult teeth.
Once the adult teeth start coming in, regular dental visits will allow your dentist to notice if some teeth are not coming in straight and they can refer you to an orthodontist or in our case, to our orthodontist department.

Habits

A children's general dentist can help you identify and correct bad habits that might cause teeth to not erupt straight. One of the most common examples is pacifiers. While it can be a great way to soothe a baby and even provide health benefits for infants, it can also
play a part in teeth erupting differently.
However, One should wean their child of the pacifier by the age of two, otherwise, it can cause teeth to grow incorrectly. Thumb sucking is another big instigator of crooked teeth.
A children's general dentist has extensive experience helping children change habits and they can work with you to create a plan for breaking them and know how to provide the right kind of motivation to cause change.

Keep an eye on growth

Sometimes when children start getting adult teeth, they erupt (break through the gums) in a crooked fashion.
While they might look quite crooked in the early stages of growth, they do most of the time end up aligned in a correct position by the time they’re fully grown.
So even if your child is getting teeth that are initially crooked, there’s no need to panic. Your active role during this period is to have regular visits to your child’s dentist so they can provide timely professional insights about any required treatments.

Visit the Orthodontist

If your child gets a reference for an orthodontist, then you should definitely get a consultation. The sooner they can visit the earlier they can begin treatment. Earlier treatment means it's easier and cheaper to fix the teeth and bite,
by correcting minor issues instead of waiting until they become major issues.
Around the age of 7, adult teeth can start to come in, and that is a good time for a visit to the orthodontist, who can assess if early treatments are necessary to prevent major treatments in the future.
Do you feel that your child's teeth seem to be not straight?
Do you feel they may need braces? Contact one of our offices near you.

To schedule a first consultation or visit, please contact us at
one of our locations:

1. 140 Market St, Paterson, NJ 07505
Children's Dentistry - 3rd Floor
Orthodontics Center - 2nd Floor
Treatment Center - 4th Floor
(973) 742-4200

2. 625 Main Ave
Passaic, NJ 07055
Children's Dentistry - 3rd Floor
(973) 574-1000

3. 3196 John Fitzgerald Kennedy Blvd
3rd Floor
Union City, NJ 07087
(201) 325-8444

What is  "Baby bottle syndrome?"

Baby bottle syndrome, now known as Early childhood caries ( ECC ),
is defined as the presence of 1 or more decayed teeth or missing teeth
This results in dental caries or (cavities) or filled tooth surfaces in
any primary tooth between birth and 71 months of age.

Below we will explore how to prevent baby bottle syndrome.

1. Giving them unlimited access to beverages overnight can harm their oral health.
Let's explore some reasons why and what we can do.

Issues associated with a bottle overnight:
- The nipple of a bottle prevents saliva from washing away the sugars from the incisors.
bottom front teeth may also be affected
- Milk, juice, and formula all contain simple carbohydrates. Bacterias just love sugars and cause plaque.
- As the bacteria break down fluids, it produces acids that may harm baby's tooth enamel.

What can we do?:
- A bottle or a sippy cup with water overnight is better than milk or juice.
however, babies should breastfeed or drink for the first 6 months before giving them more water.
The formula itself should not be too diluted with water. Giving babies too much water can affect appetite.
- If your child falls asleep while feeding, remove the bottle as soon as you notice your baby is no longer sucking.

- Teach your child to drink from a cup rather than a bottle by about six months. Children should be weaned from the bottle by about one-year-old.
- Changing a child's diet may help prevent baby bottle tooth decay. More about this below.

2. Keep them Hydrated during the day
Adequate hydration is essential for growing babies. They are more prone to dehydration than adults are.

Here are some signs of dehydration to watch out for:
Sleepiness.
Irritability.
Thirst.
Less elasticity in the skin.
Eyes and fontanel (or soft spot on the head) appear sunken.
Decrease or absence of tears.
Dry mouth.
more than 6 hours without a wet diaper.
Decrease the number of wet diapers.
urine looks or smells stronger.
rapid breathing
High heart rate

3. Changing a child's diet may help prevent baby bottle tooth decay.

Employing the following changes can help:

a. Gradually dilute the bottle contents with water over a period of two to three weeks.
b. Once that period is over, if you give a child a bottle, fill it with water or give the child a clean pacifier recommended by a dentist. The only safe liquid to put in a bottle to prevent baby bottle tooth decay is water.
c. Decrease consumption of sugar, especially between meals.
d. Children should be weaned from the bottle as soon as they can drink from a cup, but the bottle should not be taken away too soon, since the sucking motion aids in the development of facial muscles, as well as the tongue.

4. Clean their teeth

Cleaning baby's teeth can begin as soon as the first tooth pokes through the gums.
however, even though the teeth have not fully come out, doctors recommend brushing the gums to rid particles and bacteria. Use a clean, damp washcloth, gauze pad or a finger brush to gently wipe clean the first teeth and front of the tongue. Massage the gums and gingival tissues\
once a day until they turn 12 months old.

As for the toothbrush, it should be soft and have no more than three rows of bristles.
A pea-sized amount of toothpaste should be applied. Toss out any toothbrushes that have become rough or after using 2-4 months. This is because nasty mouth bacteria can begin to build up.

For babys toothbrushing time:

* Nice and gentle
* Sing a song for distraction
* Let baby examine the toothbrush a little bit.
* Colorful silicone finger brushes with nubs are a great way to move to the next level
from a washcloth and then to a brush.

When baby is ready to brush on their own, they will start grabbing for the brush.

5. Bring your baby to their first dental visit after the first tooth erupts. (Typically before age one)
Your baby needs to be healthy, be able to chew and speak, have strong teeth, and a strong jaw.
Medical and Dental professionals recommend that baby's first visit should be
within 6 months of the first tooth coming in (erupting), or by about 12 months at the latest.

This article is intended to provide an understanding and knowledge about baby bottle syndrome and babies' dental health. Always seek the advice of a professional dentist
with any questions, you may have regarding your child and medical conditions or treatments.