When it comes to preserving your child's smile for a lifetime,

Green Dental Medicine is there to deliver on that promise. Our GDM Jr experience has been tailored to give your child a sense of confidence and fun with their oral health.  We have a focus of building good oral hygiene habits both with parents and their children which graduates to the child's independence and mastery of their oral health.  From their first dental exam and into adolescence, GDM Jr's team will strive to provide fun and positivity. Dr. Green and his staff focus their knowledge to act as educators for the family during the child's growth and development.  Our practice philosophy involves a medical approach to maintaining oral health.  By ensuring not only a stable oral environment, Dr Green will monitor the potency of your child's airway as grown occurs, dental arch development,  proper dental tooth spacing, stable occlusion (bite), and working to decrease cavity risk. 

Services include pediatric cleanings, fluoride, sealants, Nitrous Oxide "Laughing Gas," and restorative dentistry.  To enhance the dental experience for your child, Dr. Green has developed a close relationship with a number of Orthodontists in the area.

Sippy Cup Tips

To help parents reduce the risk of cavities in children, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry offers parents the following guidelines on using sippy cups properly:

• The sippy cup is a training tool to help children transition from a bottle to a cup. It shouldn’t be used for a long period of time - it’s not a bottle and it’s not a pacifier.

• Unless being used at mealtime, the sippy cup should only be filled with water. Frequent drinking of any other liquid, even if diluted, from a bottle or no-spill training cup should be avoided.

• Sippy cups should not be used at naptime or bedtime unless they only have water in them.

Adolescence Tips

Are sealants really needed for my kids?

Researchers have shown that dental sealants are highly effective in preventing dental caries (cavities).  They have been shown to reduce pit and fissure (grooves) cavities by 60% from 2-5 years after placement.  (American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2002)

Where do most cavities occur?

Roughly 90% of carious lesion (cavities) are found in the pits and fissures (grooves) of permanent back teeth, especially molars. (Journal of Public Health Dentistry, Mar 2003).

How do I get decay (cavities)?

Bacteria alter the oral environment when you eat by breaking down your food into simple sugars, which they use to produce an acid.  This leads to demineralization (loss of minerals) form your outer protective enamel surface.  (Journal of the American Dental Association, Sept 2008)

How does Fluoride protect my teeth?

Fluoride permeates into your enamel and reacts with it to create a less soluble (less able to be dissolved) substance that can better resist the acid produced by the bacteria in your mouth.  

What are 2 primary forms of getting Fluoride?

Tap water (most cities fluoridate their water) and toothpaste are the two primary sources one gets fluoride externally.  Internally, your saliva continues to provide fluoride assuming you have enough in your body.  

Why is sipping a drink or eating little snacks all day bad for my teeth?

After you eat, the bacteria produce an acid, which alters your oral environment making it more prone to dissolving of your teeth.  After about 20 minutes, your saliva restores the oral environment to a safe setting. However, if exposure to acid is prolonged, by continuously sipping drinks (including diet drinks) or eating snacks, the saliva is not able to reverse the acidic environment.   This can lead to extended demineralization (loss of minerals) from your teeth and decay (cavities).

What type of tooth brush should I use?

Any type of toothbrush is good for cleaning your teeth.  Some, however, have additionally benefits that can better effectively help clean your teeth.  It has been shown that powered brushing can project fluid and bubbles in a turbulent jet beyond the bristles to remove plaque.  Additionally, sonic brushing increases the fluoride delivery to these remote areas.  (Oral Health Preventive Dentistry. Feb 2004)

Does bottled water have fluoride in it?

Yes.  Most bottled water has fluoride in it, however, the majority of bottled waters do not contain the ideal range of fluoride (0.7-1.2 ppm) for the prevention of dental caries (cavities).  As a result, people who substitute bottled water for tap water may not receive enough of the anti-caries benefits from fluoridate tap water.  (Journal of the Academy of Genral Dentistry, Jan/Feb 2009)

Avulsed Tooth Decision Tree

Baby Teeth Basics

Why Are Baby Cavities on the Rise?

Just because your child's pearly whites will wind up with the Tooth Fairy one day doesn't mean you should treat them like temps. Healthy baby teeth are essential for helping kids learn to chew, speak clearly, and smile with confidence, and for ensuring that their permanent teeth come in properly. Although parents pay close attention to a toddler's every sniffle, they often overlook their oral health. Bad idea. Dental disease is the single most common childhood illness, and a 2007 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that cavities among young kids are on the rise; 28 percent of them have cavities in their baby teeth. For your child, that could mean a trip to the dentist for scary drilling. The good news: Tooth decay is almost totally preventable -- as long as you take good care of your child's choppers.

When to Book the First Dentist Visit

If your 1-year-old hasn't been to the dentist, book an appointment now. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend having a first checkup by the time your child turns 1. At this visit, Dr. Green will spend more time discussing your child's oral health and addressing your concerns (such as sore gums or the rate at which teeth are coming in). If your child uses a pacifier, Dr. Green will probably encourage you to wean your child by age 2 to prevent potential bite or airway problems.

What If My Kid's Afraid?

Don't count on your child being a willing patient. "Most toddlers get upset, so the dentist has to sneak a look while they're screaming," says Jamie Johnson, DDS, creator of Smiles for a Lifetime, a DVD designed to calm young kids' fears about visiting the dentist. Here at GDM Jr. we believe in building trust and using patience to put your child at ease. Practicing at home how to open wide before an exam may ease your child's fears, and things should get a bit easier at the next visit.

How to Brush Their Teeth

Get into the routine of cleaning your child's teeth twice a day -- once after breakfast and again before she goes to bed. If your child doesn't have teeth yet (some kids get their first one as late as 17 months), wrap a wet washcloth around your finger and gently wipe her gums. This removes plaque and helps children adjust to the idea of having something inside of their mouth. Once your child’s teeth poke through, switch to an infant toothbrush. Dip it in water or toothpaste, but hold the fluoride toothpaste until he/she turns 4-6. Need ideas for getting your child to cooperate? Be creative. Let her pick out a toothbrush at the drugstore. Sing a song to distract her from the task. Or ask if she wants to "brush" by herself first. "Letting children play with a brush for a while makes it seem like a game, so they are more willing to let you take over," says Philip Hunke, DDS, president of the AAPD. Aim to spend a full minute cleaning the inside and outside surfaces of your child’s teeth and gums. Believe it or not, you should start flossing your child's teeth too. Start as soon as two of her teeth touch each other. Back molars are the hardest to reach -- and at the greatest risk for decay. 

Caries Risk Assessment

Indicate 0, 1 or 10 in the last column for each risk factor. If the risk factor was not determined or is not applicable, enter a 0 in the patient risk factor column. Total the factor values and record the score at the top of the page.

A score of 0 indicates a patient has a low risk for the development of caries. A single high risk factor, or score of 10, places the patient at high risk for development of caries. Scores between 1 and 10 place the patient at a moderate risk for the development of caries. Subsequent scores should decrease with reduction of risks and therapeutic intervention.

The clinical judgment of the dentist may justify a change of the patient’s risk level (increased or decreased) based on review of this form and other pertinent information. For example, missing teeth may not be regarded as high risk for a follow up patient; or other risk factors not listed may be present.

The assessment cannot address every aspect of a patient’s health, and should not be used as a replacement for the dentist’s inquiry and judgment. Additional or more focused assessment may be appropriate for patients with specific health concerns. As with other forms, this assessment may be only a starting point for evaluating the patient’s health status.

This is a tool provided for the use of ADA members. It is based on the opinion of experts who utilized the most up-to-date scientific information available. The ADA plans to periodically update this tool based on: 1) member feedback regarding its usefulness, and; 2) advances in science. ADA member-users are encouraged to share their opinions regarding this tool with the Council on Dental Practice.