Welcome to Jungle of Smiles: Sarah I Mathias, DDS, MS

We recommend that all children see their pediatric dentist by their first birthday. This policy is endorsed by both the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. At this initial visit, a caries risk assessment is performed so that appropriate preventive strategies can be implemented for each child and reduce each child’s risk of preventable dental disease.

Decay is caused by plaque — a thin, sticky, colorless deposit of bacteria that constantly forms on everyone’s teeth. When sugar is eaten, the bacteria in plaque produce acids that attack the tooth enamel. After repeated acid attacks, the enamel breaks down and a cavity or hole is formed in the tooth.

Any fluoridated toothpaste that is recognized by the American Dental Association is recommended. Children who are unable to spit out the toothpaste after brushing should use non-fluoridated or “training” toothpaste, or a wet toothbrush.

Fluoride has been shown to dramatically decrease the chance of getting cavities. Many of our adult patients who grew up with regular dental care and fluoride supplementation have few or no dental problems!

Each child’s intake can vary greatly. We recommend discussing this during your child’s exam. If your child’s fluoride intake is insufficient, we will often prescribe fluoride supplementation As of 2007, Orange County began fluoridating the public water supply, thus eliminating the need for fluoride supplementation for most patients.

The most important thing to do is to remain calm. If you have the tooth, you should attempt to insert it back into its socket and then contact us immediately. If you have difficulty re-inserting the tooth, place it in a glass of milk and contact us immediately.

Yes! We generally recommend that a soft plastic mouth guard should be used to protect a child’s teeth, lips and cheeks from injuries. If your child plays contact sports, we can create a custom fitted mouth guard for this purpose.

There is very little risk from receiving dental X-rays. Our state-of-the-art technology utilizes a fraction of the radiation used in the past. X-rays are highly valuable to find hidden decay, tumors and determine growth patterns. In fact, you are exposed to more radiation walking through an airport than from routine dental X-rays.

Permanent teeth are normally more yellow than primary teeth. This situation is accentuated when adult teeth are next to baby teeth in the mouth.

Generally, the health of your child’s permanent teeth will be affected by the same conditions that affected the baby teeth. This is another reason why it is important for your child to visit our office on a regular basis.

Usually there is no need for concern, and the space will close during the next few years as the other front teeth erupt. We will monitor progress during exams and help you determine if orthodontics may be recommended.

Regular visits help a child get comfortable with the dentists and our staff. These visits also allow us to consistently evaluate your child’s growth and take early corrective measures if needed. Also, regular exams and cleanings help prevent decay and avoid costly problems. Regular dental visits are part of leading a healthy and normal life for your child!

It is unwise to leave any amount of decay on baby teeth. Decay can easily move to other baby teeth or even to permanent teeth. It can also cause pain, infection and expensive orthodontic problems that could have been avoided. We recommend carefully restoring all decayed teeth to optimal health!

This is a very common problem, especially in the front lower incisors. If the teeth are loose, they may come out on their own within a few weeks. If the baby teeth are not loose, your dentist may need to extract the baby teeth. In either case, it is best to make an appointment with your dentist so that the situation can be analyzed and the best course of action taken for your child!