Welcome to our "Frequestly Asked Questions" series.

People often have questions about their teeth and we hope to answer some of those questions with this new series. If you have a dental related question, please post a comment or send an email through our Contact Us form. Our first question comes from one of our FaceBook friends.

When should my child first see a dentist?

The timing of the first visit to the dentist is a little controversial. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry states that children should see a dentist when they get their first tooth and not later than 1 year of age. In contrast, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, unless your child has risk factors for having problems with his teeth, such as sleeping with a cup or bottle, teeth staining, thumb sucking, etc., the first visit to the dentist should be by around the third birthday.

However, an early visit to the dentist is a good way for parents to learn proper oral hygiene for their children including avoiding nighttime bottles or cups of formula or juice, proper tooth brushing, and a diet that promotes good dental health. We recommend seeing children as soon as they are old enough to sit in the dental chair and hold their mouth open. However, even children younger then that are welcome to sit on their parents lap, for a short time, in the room at their parent's teeth cleaning appoinment. This helps your child become used to Dr. Zimmerman and our hygienists, as well as, help make thier first dental appoinment feel familiar.

The initial appointment in our office will include different things depending on the reason your child is seeing us and if it is their very first dental appointment. It is our desire to that your child's first dental appointment is fun, and bringing your child to us BEFORE they have trouble with their teeth makes this possible.

In our office, the initial "check-up" appointment will include an introduction to the dental chair, which will give your child a "ride" up and down, Mr. Squirt, who squirts water, Mr. Vacuum who slurps up the water Mr. Squirt squirts, our spinning rubber toothbrush which polishes each of your child's teeth, and our special camera that can take pictures of teeth. After the introductions are done, we will paint clear but yummy flavored fluoride on each of the teeth and your child will meet Dr. Zimmerman who will "count" their teeth, and make sure there are no cavity bugs on them. When we are all finished, your child will get to pick out a little prize and get an awesome cookie coupon for the local cookie shop here in Woodland. If your child's teeth are cavity free, they will become a member of our "No Cavity Club" and have a chance to win another prize in our monthly drawing for that month. If they win they will receive a free $10.00 video rental gift card and get their picture in the local newspaper.

All of us, at Dr. Zimmerman's, understand how important it is for you to find the knowledge and care that helps you keep your child healthy. Send us a message or give us a call with any questions you may have.

Why do I need dental x-rays?

Radiographic, or X-ray, examinations provide Dr. Zimmerman with an important tool that shows the condition of your teeth, its roots, jaw placement and the overall composition of your facial bones. X-rays can help Dr. Zimmerman determine the presence or degree of periodontal (gum) disease, abscesses and many abnormal growths, such as cysts and tumors. X-rays also can show the exact location of impacted and unerupted teeth. They can pinpoint the location of cavities and other signs of disease that may not be possible to detect through a visual examination.

What is my schedule?

Your radiographic schedule is based on Dr. Zimmerman's assessment of your individual needs, including , whether you're a new patient or a follow-up patient, adult or child, as well as the ADA's recommendation. In most cases, new patients require a full set of mouth X-rays to evaluate oral health status, including any underlying signs of gum disease, and for future comparison. Follow-up patients may require X-rays to monitor their gum condition or their chance of tooth decay.

Concerned about radiation exposure?

Dental X-rays require exposure to very low levels of radiation, which makes the risk of potentially harmful effects very small. We are all sensitive to our patients' concerns about exposure to radiation. Dr. Zimmerman has been trained to prescribe X-rays when they are appropriate and and each of his staff assigned to take X-rays has been trained and licensed to do so. By using state-of-the-art technology and by staying knowledgeable about recent advances, Dr. Zimmerman and his staff know which techniques, procedures and X-ray films can minimize your exposure to radiation.

Need more information?

If you have further questions on how Dr. Zimmerman determines the need for X-rays, just give our office a call at (530) 661-1155.

^{Source: Academy of General Denitistry Know your teeth Oct 2008}

Health care reform decisions include many new rules for comprehensive major medical insurance that do not apply to separately contracted benefits such as dental and vision. These are classified as "excepted benefits" under the provisions of the Public Health Service Act.

Even though these rules may not apply to dental insurance companies, we have heard from Delta Dental that there is a possibility that they will extend dependent coverage to the age of 26 if their clients decide that's what they want.

The new mandated extension of dependent child eligibility to age 26 under The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) will be implemented for group Delta Dental plans when requested by clients who decide to extend coverage for dependent children in a manner similar to what they are required to do for their major medical coverage.

Federal mandates do not require Delta Dental to automatically increase the dependent age limit for dental plans. However, at the client's request, they will implement changes to dependent eligibility with a revised dental benefits contract.

To be sure, we suggest you contact your benefits person and/or your dental insurance company.

_{Source: Delta Dental fyi 2010 fall}

^{Disclaimer: This information was provided to us from Delta Dental of California. We have not separately verified it's legality.}

A canker sore is a common form of mouth ulcer, which appears as a painful white or yellow ulcer surrounded by a bright red area. Canker sores usually heal without treatment within two weeks, and, unfortunately, we have no idea what causes them.

The medical term is apthous ulcers and they're round or oval painful ulcers that appear on the tongue, inner lips, inside of cheeks, or palate of the mouth. Up to 40 percent of people have experienced canker sores. So why have the remaining 60 percent never had them? We don't know.

Canker sores are more common in young people and occur more frequently in white people, non-smokers, women and people with high socioeconomic status. Why? We don't know. What we do know is that they aren't contagious and aren't caused by the herpes virus. (For a summery about the difference between canker sores and cold sores go to our Online Dental Education Library by clicking here.)

Some diseases cause canker sores to grow together and form larger ulcerations. People with AIDS, Bechets disease and even ulcerative colitis can experience large canker sores that can respond to immune suppressive drugs.

Other things that may contribute to canker sores are:

• Injuries to the mouth, as seen frequently by contact sports players. Accidentally biting the inside of the cheek/lip may also result in a canker sore.
• Spicy and/or acidic foods often produce a canker sore as a response to the irritation these spices and acids create in the mouth.
• The use of chewing (smokeless) tobacco will often cause a canker sore to develop in the area of the mouth where the tobacco is held, due to the irritating chemicals found in the addictive product.
• Poor-fitting, complete or partial dentures may cause canker sores in the area of the mouth where the denture may rubbing on the tissue. The development of a canker sore is often one of the first signs that indicate the need for a denture reline or adjustment by your dentist.
• Orthodontic brackets, bands, and various other orthodontic attachments will often cause canker sores to develop in area of the mouth where there is constant friction on the oral tissues. This is common when orthodontic treatment first begins and may occur after each subsequent adjustments, throughout each stage of treatment.
• Allergies to metals such as nickel may become evident in the mouth of a person wearing orthodontic devices necessary to move the teeth. Canker sores may begin to appear adjacent to the metal attachments. This is often referred to as contact dermatitis.
• Emotional stress has been identified as a possible trigger that may cause the development of canker sores.
• Bacteria responsible for peptic ulcers known as Helicobacter pylori, has been linked to canker sore occurrence.
• Vitamin deficiencies, specifically vitamin B12, foliate (folic acid), and iron, may trigger canker sore development.
• Hormonal changes, notably during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause, have been linked to canker sores.
• Canker sores often run in families. Genetics may be a factor for many canker sore sufferers.
• Allergic reactions and sensitivities to certain foods may cause a canker sore to develop.

See a doctor immediately if your canker sores:

1. Become unusually larger than normal.
2. Are extremely painful, interfering with eating, drinking, and talking.
3. Begin to appear more frequently than normal.
4. Do not heal after 14 days.
5. Are accompanied by a high fever.
6. Appear to become infected.

For information on a variety of dental health topics go to our Online Dental Education Library .

^{Sources:
A.D.A.M.: "Canker Sores"
Beyond Allergy: "Allergies to Metal in the Mouth" May 8, 2007.
Toni Brayer, MD: "Everything Health" Sept 6, 2010
About.com: "Dental Care"}