1. When should I bring my child in for their first dental visit?

We say that around the age of 3. Before the age of 3, it is great if you can bring them with you to your appointments so that they can watch. We offer chair rides to the little ones and try to make the visit fun.

2. When should I start having my child use fluoridated toothpaste?

We suggest starting with a non- fluoridated “training” toothpaste. Parents can start brushing those little teeth as soon as they come in with a dry tooth brush. At the age of 1, there is no harm in trying the training paste. Use no more than a pea-sized amount. As they learn to spit, you can switch to the kids toothpaste which has a smaller amount of fluoride than adult toothpaste.

3. What can I expect from my child’s first dental visit?

The first visit at our office tends to be experimental. We let them touch everything…. the mirror, the suction straw, the air water sprayer and polisher. We have special names for all these things and we try to make it fun. No Pressure. We start with a chair ride and go from there. What we don’t accomplish this first visit we can do at the next one. We just try to make sure we take a good look inside the mouth; checking for any cavities or underlying issues.

4. Why is it a fight to get my child to brush? What can I do?

In this case we suggest trying new toothpaste flavors. Some kids don’t like the fake bubble gum flavor or have an aversion to fruity flavors. Maybe, they want to be like mom and dad and try the minty toothpaste. Let them pick out their own toothbrush. If this doesn’t work, wait for them to yell at you and then sneak the brush in for a 15-30 second brushing.

5. How many baby teeth does a child have?

The answer is 20, all which they will eventually lose and gain permanent teeth in their place.

6. How do I know if my child will need braces?

This is different for every child. If you have questions about how your child’s teeth are coming in, make sure to ask us. It is not until the child is losing the baby teeth and getting adult teeth in that we can really assess how the alignment will be. In some cases, kids will need orthodontics in phases. In other cases, the orthodontist will wait until most or all of the baby teeth are out and the adult teeth are in place before starting with braces.

7. What are the leading causes decay in baby teeth?

There are many causes of tooth decay. It is important to remember to reduce the exposure to sugary beverages. Even milk has a fair amount of sugar and babies and kids that go to bed with a bottle or sippy cup of milk or juice increase their risk of decay exponentially. Switch to water!

Sticky, sugary foods such as fruit snacks also increase your child’s risk of tooth decay. Keeping these sweet treats at a minimum will make a big difference.

8. What are dental sealants?

Sealants provide added protection to the biting surface to help prevent decay. Our teeth naturally have grooves and pits. We paint a clear plastic (resin) coating on the tooth. It is quick and easy to do.

1. We are conveniently located in the City of Lakes. Our South Minneapolis location is easy to find and not far from downtown.

2. There is a focus on esthetics and cosmetic dentistry.

3. We are gentle and focused on dentistry for the entire family.

4.  We offer services such as CEREC crowns and veneers done in one easy appointment. Dau Dental is also certified in Invisalign and ZOOM! whitening.

5. You are not just a number to us! We are a small office that strives to provide customized care to fit your needs. Being a small office allows us to spend more quality time with each individual patient.

6. At Dau Dental we take most dental insurance plans and offer treatment estimates before any work is done.

7. Tell us about your concerns! We are here to listen and focus on you.

8. Our office has been around for years. Our team members have experience on their side. Dr. Dau is a graduate of the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry and each of his team members have been working in the dental field for more than 10 years.

9. We offer rewards for referrals. Come visit the office and refer a friend to receive a $40 Target gift card. Our best referrals come from our current patients that appreciate our practice.

10. We have immediate openings.  Come check us out.

1.  Brushing at least 2-3 times a day, the most important being at night.  Whatever we have consumed during the day will sit on our teeth for  6-8 hours of sleep.  This is a tremendous amount of time for damage to occur.

2.  Flossing daily, flossing allows us to remove the bacteria(plaque) in between the teeth where our toothbrush cannot reach.

3.  Saying “no” to in between meal snacking.  The bacteria in our mouth feeds off the food/sugar that we consume and the byproduct of that bacteria is acid. Acid slowly but surely breaks down the enamel causing the cavities.

4.  Adding a fluoride rinse like “ACT” to your nightly routine.  Fluoride helps strengthen the enamel, thus helping reduce the risk of enamel breakdown (cavity).

5.  All pop, diet included,  has acid that contributes to the breakdown of enamel.  Our suggestion is you limit pop to drink in a short period of time rather than sipping all day.

6.  Chewing a sugarless gum with “xylitol” helps fight off the bacteria that causes cavities.  However, chronic gum chewing can lead to TMJ issues.

7.  Regular visits to the dentist.  Getting your teeth cleaned and removing the buildup that is found on our teeth allows you to brush and floss much more effectively.

1. Medications such as decongestants, antihistamines, and diuretics are just a few examples of  medications that contribute to dry mouth.

2. Medical Treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation can injure salivary glands leading to a dry mouth.  Head and neck surgery can also be a contributing factor.

3.  Dehydration can leave a mouth dry.  Make sure to drink plenty of water on hot days, exercising or when running a fever.

4.  Open Mouth Breathing is common for many sleeping individuals.  This significantly dries out the mouth, especially during the dry, winter months.

5. Tobacco Use of any kind will cause saliva flow to decrease.

6.  Aging can cause decreased salivary gland function.

A dry mouth can have devastating effects on the oral cavity.  Saliva’s function is to lubricate the soft tissues, such as the gums, tongue and insides of cheeks.  When the oral cavity dries out all of these tissues can become red and irritated causing pain and discomfort.  Taste can become altered.  Saliva contains chemicals to help fight bacteria.  Without it gum disease can set in and/or worsen.  The saliva also helps to buffer or neutralize acid.  When acids are left unchecked an increase in tooth decay occurs.

What can you do about dry mouth?

1.  Chewing sugar-free gum or using sugar-free mints help to stimulate saliva flow.

2.  Talk to your physician about alternative medications that do not cause dry mouth.

3.  Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.  Pop tends to contribute  dry mouth and is highly acidic causing tooth decay.

4.  Use a fluoridated toothpaste and mouth rinse to help protect teeth from cavities.

5.  Ask your dentist, physician or pharmacist about saliva replacement products such as Biotene.

6.  If you use a C-Pap machine for sleep apnea be sure to use the humidifier option to assist in reducing dry mouth symptoms.

1.  All cavities start small and get larger with time.  A smaller filling is always better for the tooth in the long run.

2.  Few cavities are sensitive.

3.  Once decay approaches the nerve, the tooth tends to hurt.  At this point, root canal therapy is often necessary.

4.  A tooth that needs root canal therapy typically needs a crown.  Teeth are weak and brittle after root canal therapy.  They can fracture and need to be extracted/pulled.

5.  Costs can rapidly increase by hundreds or even thousands of dollars when treatment is delayed.

6.  Pain knows no schedule.  Murphy’s Law states the tooth will get worse right before or during the holidays or that long awaited vacation.

7.  Periodontal or gum disease is often painless.

8.  Damage caused by periodontal disease such as bone loss is not reversible but its progression can be virtually stopped.

Many of the dental problems we encounter tend to be painless in the early stages.  It is important that you understand we attempt to diagnose these problems early so we can save you from unnecessary pain.  This pain can be both in your mouth and your bank account.

1. Regular visits to your dentist- You should be seeing your dentist at minimum of two times a year. This is important to check the health of your gum tissue and regular x-rays to catch active decay while it’s small.
2. Brushing- Brushing should be done at least two times a day. Aid of electric toothbrush can be helpful in preventing gum disease and decay. Manual toothbrushes should be replaced every 3-4 months as the bristles can wear down and become weak.
3. Flossing- Flossing should be done once a day not only is this the hardest habit to keep but the most important. Flossing stimulates our gum tissue keeping gums strong and healthy but also removes decay causing bacteria in between the teeth that can lead to decay and gum disease.
4. Using a mouth rinse- Using a mouth rinse on a daily basis can help with killing bacteria from your mouth that can cause decay and gum disease. You may also choose a rinse with fluoride that helps in strengthening the enamel.
5. Eat healthy- Your diet can affect how high of decay rate you have, eating foods that are starchy or have high sugar content can cause decay. Be sure to eat lots of fruit and vegetables and try to brush after every meal or at least rinse your mouth with water until you can brush.
6. Avoid Pop/Soda- Many pops/sodas even carbonated waters and diet drinks have many acids such as phosphoric acid, organic acid and citric acid. These acids can over a period of time, cause loss of tooth calcium making the enamel weak and more acceptable to decay.
7. Quitting tobacco habits- The major reason to quit these habits is the increased risk of oral cancers. Be sure to talk to your dentist about tips or info on quitting smoking and oral cancer awareness and prevention. Smoking/Chewing habits can also have negative effects on your teeth like discoloring your teeth and bad breath.
8. Chewing sugar free gum or Xylitol- Using sugar free gums can help in removing Plaque (bacteria) from your teeth. Using these products are proven to help in decay prevention
9. Not eating between meals- Eating between meals can be harmful if brushing is not done after having something to eat/drink.
10. Updating your dentist about medical conditions- Updating your dental health professional regarding your medical history is important in giving you the right care. Having a list of current medications is also important because of the possible effects that it can have on your teeth.