Posts by Jin Lin, DMD

Did you know that the hardest substance in your child’s body is the outer coating of his or her teeth? This outer coating, known as dental enamel, protects the sensitive, nerve-filled centers of your child’s teeth. But as hard as it is, your child’s dental enamel is not indestructible. Repeated exposure to acid, for example,…

Does your child feel like his or her mouth is always dry? Does your child wake up every morning with cracked lips and complaining that his/her mouth and throat feel like sandpaper? What could be causing your child to have such a dry mouth? Is a dry mouth a sign of something serious? Will the…

Sucking on a thumb or finger is a natural way for infants to comfort themselves. But will it harm your child’s teeth? In this article, we will address the following questions: Will Thumb Sucking Affect Your Teeth? It might. A long-term sucking habit can eventually lead to crooked teeth and bite problems, meaning that your…

Canker sores are common in children. Although they are usually nothing to worry about, if you’ve ever had one, you likely know that they can cause a lot of discomfort. In this article, we will address the following commonly asked questions: What Are Canker Sores? Canker sores – also known as aphthous ulcers – are…

With so many different types of children’s toothpaste available, choosing the best toothpaste for your kids can seem overwhelming. What are all of those mysterious ingredients in children’s toothpastes? How do you know which ingredients you want and which you should avoid? This article is not intended to recommend any specific toothpaste as the “best…

Your toddler falls and hits her mouth. When you pick her up, you notice that her gums are bleeding and one of her front teeth feels slightly loose. What should you do? First, stay calm. Second, call a pediatric dentist. Your toddler might have a subluxated tooth, a dental injury that should be examined promptly…

You know you need to begin brushing your baby’s teeth with a toothbrush and toothpaste as soon as that very first tooth emerges, but what kind of toothbrush should you be using? Should your baby be using the same kind of toothbrush as a seven-year-old child? When should children switch over to adult toothbrushes? And…

You’re expecting your child to get a new tooth soon. But when you look in your child’s mouth, instead of an emerging new tooth, you see…a bluish lump in its place? This can sometimes be a disconcerting experience for parents, but it is not necessarily cause for concern. That bluish lump might be a harmless…

Does your kid have an extra tooth growing? In this article, we will cover the following topics: What Is A Supernumerary Tooth? A supernumerary tooth is an extra tooth. Typically, humans have sets of 20 baby teeth and 32 permanent teeth (assuming all four wisdom teeth develop), as shown in the diagrams below. If a…

If your child is experiencing a severe toothache, you should contact your child’s dentist right away. Toothaches can be a sign of various potentially serious dental issues, including dental abscesses. In this article, we will cover the following topics related to tooth abscesses in children: What Is A Tooth Abscess? An abscess is a pocket…

Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. The CDC estimates that there were approximately 43 million Americans infected with HPV in 2018, many of whom were in their late teens or early twenties. Most people infected with HPV will never develop symptoms. But in some people, HPV…

Did you know that something as simple as drinking plenty of water can actually help reduce your children’s chances of getting cavities? In this article, we will discuss the four primary ways in which serving your children water can benefit their oral health: Staying hydrated helps your child maintain a healthy level of saliva. Saliva…