Thomas D. Hall, D.M.D.

Sara Rauen Dardis, D.D.S.

Pediatric Dental Specialists

adolescent dentistry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tongue Piercing - Is It Really Cool?

You might not be surprised anymore to see people with pierced tongues, lips or cheeks, but you might be surprised to know just how dangerous these piercings can be.

 

There are many risks involved with oral piercings, including chipped or cracked teeth, blood clots, blood poisoning, heart infections, brain abscess, nerve disorders (trigeminal neuralgia), receding gums or scar tissue. Your mouth contains millions of bacteria, and infection is a common complication of oral piercing. Your tongue could swell large enough to close off your airway!

 

Common symptoms after piercing include pain, swelling, infection, an increased flow of saliva and injuries to gum tissue. Difficult-to-control bleeding or nerve damage can result if a blood vessel or nerve bundle is in the path of the needle.

 

So follow the advice of the American Dental Association and give your mouth a break – skip the mouth jewelry.

 

Tobacco - Bad News In Any Form

Tobacco in any form can jeopardize your child’s health and cause incurable damage. Teach your child about the dangers of tobacco.

 

Smokeless tobacco, also called spit, chew or snuff, is often used by teens who believe that it is a safe alternative to smoking cigarettes. This is an unfortunate misconception. Studies show that spit tobacco may be more addictive than smoking cigarettes and may be more difficult to quit. Teens who use it may be interested to know that one can of snuff per day delivers as much nicotine as 60 cigarettes. In as little as three to four months, smokeless tobacco use can cause periodontal disease and produce pre-cancerous lesions called leukoplakias.

 

If your child is a tobacco user you should watch for the following that could be early signs of oral cancer:

 

•A sore that won’t heal.

•White or red leathery patches on the lips, and on or under the tongue.

•Pain, tenderness or numbness anywhere in the mouth or lips.

•Difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking or moving the jaw or tongue; or a change in the way the teeth fit together.

•Because the early signs of oral cancer usually are not painful, people often ignore them. If it’s not caught in the early stages, oral cancer can require extensive, sometimes disfiguring, surgery. Even worse, it can kill.

 

Help your child avoid tobacco in any form. By doing so, they will avoid bringing cancer-causing chemicals in direct contact with their tongue, gums and cheek.

meet our doctors

Thomas D. Hall, D.M.D.

Learn more

about Dr. Hall

Sara Rauen Dardis, D.D.S.

Learn more

about Dr. Sara

 

We love what we do.

 

Treating children with kindness and compassion while promoting a lifetime of healthy dental habits is our mission.

 

From the time your child grows their first tooth until they are ready to move on to an adult dentist, our doctors  and their team will help care for and protect your child’s smile. Because children are so different from adults, we take a unique approach to every patient. We treat our patients as if they were our own and we want each visit to be a fun, educational visit.

We make visits fun, easy and memorable.

 

Our office was built with your child in mind.

We can’t wait to see you at your next visit!

a peek at our services

Preventive

Dentistry

This includes proper brushing, flossing and eating habits, ideal fluoride levels and the use of pit and fissure sealants. We strive to provide a fun, educational environment where children learn about the importance of good dental hygiene.

Restorative

Dentistry

This includes children’s sealants, fillings, and crowns including treatment of devastating early childhood caries. We are committed to discussing all options before these procedures and answering all questions you may have. Always working for the goal of a healthy smile is our first priority.

Emergency

Treatment

 We understand that the need for urgent dental care is sometimes necessary.

We strive to handle dental emergencies promptly and with compassion. We are always on call and you can reach our practice any day, at any time.

Seeing your child’s smile is the best part of our day.

 

Our friendly team is available to answer any questions about your next visit.

Ways to reach our office...

Come Smile With Us!

We treat your child as if they were our own.

Schedule your child's next visit. We can't wait to see you.

Thomas D. Hall, D.M.D.

Sara Rauen Dardis, D.D.S.

Pediatric Dental Specialists

 

Tongue Piercing - Is It Really Cool?

You might not be surprised anymore to see people with pierced tongues, lips or cheeks, but you might be surprised to know just how dangerous these piercings can be.

 

There are many risks involved with oral piercings, including chipped or cracked teeth, blood clots, blood poisoning, heart infections, brain abscess, nerve disorders (trigeminal neuralgia), receding gums or scar tissue. Your mouth contains millions of bacteria, and infection is a common complication of oral piercing. Your tongue could swell large enough to close off your airway!

 

Common symptoms after piercing include pain, swelling, infection, an increased flow of saliva and injuries to gum tissue. Difficult-to-control bleeding or nerve damage can result if a blood vessel or nerve bundle is in the path of the needle.

 

So follow the advice of the American Dental Association and give your mouth a break – skip the mouth jewelry.

 

Tobacco - Bad News In Any Form

Tobacco in any form can jeopardize your child’s health and cause incurable damage. Teach your child about the dangers of tobacco.

 

Smokeless tobacco, also called spit, chew or snuff, is often used by teens who believe that it is a safe alternative to smoking cigarettes. This is an unfortunate misconception. Studies show that spit tobacco may be more addictive than smoking cigarettes and may be more difficult to quit. Teens who use it may be interested to know that one can of snuff per day delivers as much nicotine as 60 cigarettes. In as little as three to four months, smokeless tobacco use can cause periodontal disease and produce pre-cancerous lesions called leukoplakias.

 

If your child is a tobacco user you should watch for the following that could be early signs of oral cancer:

 

•A sore that won’t heal.

•White or red leathery patches on the lips, and on or under the tongue.

•Pain, tenderness or numbness anywhere in the mouth or lips.

•Difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking or moving the jaw or tongue; or a change in the way the teeth fit together.

•Because the early signs of oral cancer usually are not painful, people often ignore them. If it’s not caught in the early stages, oral cancer can require extensive, sometimes disfiguring, surgery. Even worse, it can kill.

 

Help your child avoid tobacco in any form. By doing so, they will avoid bringing cancer-causing chemicals in direct contact with their tongue, gums and cheek.

Thomas D. Hall, D.M.D.

Sara Rauen Dardis, D.D.S.

Pediatric Dental Specialists