Child Dentistry

Regular dentist visits for your child should start shortly after his or her first birthday. This is usually a short visit and acts as an introduction to both the dentist and oral health care in general. No major treatment is involved during this initial visit and you are encouraged to hold your child’s hand while his mouth is being examined. The object of the visit is to check your child’s teeth to make sure that there are no problems and to show the young one that a trip to a dentist’s office can be a stress-free experience.

What to expect

As they get older, we will examine your child’s gums and teeth and may suggest x-rays that will both indicate the development of the permanent teeth below the gum line and reveal any hidden decay. We may also clean the teeth gently and apply a fluoride treatment to help prevent the onset of decay. We will also show your child how to floss and clean properly and let him know why it’s so important to care for his teeth at such a young age.

Prepare in advance

It’s always a good idea to prepare your child in advance for the visit and if you have any fears or hesitation about going to the dentist, do your best to avoid relaying this to your child. You can read books about visiting a dentist with your child, talk about your own positive dental experiences and let him know what to expect at his first visit.

Sealants

Preventive care is always a top priority at our office and we use high-quality dental sealants to protect the teeth. The sealants are bonded to the surface of the back teeth since this is where decay is likely to first begin in our young patients. These sealants lay the proper foundation for a lifetime of healthy teeth.

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Preventing Cavities

Dental decay usually traces back to a high amounts of sugar in the diet and improper brushing habits. By teaching your child to brush regularly and limiting his intake of sugar, cavities can become a thing of the past. When sugar is consumed it causes an acidic reaction in the mouth which lasts for about 20 minutes. This acidic environment quickly attacks the tooth and can lead to the formation of a cavity. If your child is going to be eating sweets, make sure that he rinses his mouth as soon as possible before the acids can cause any damage.

A high amount of sugar in the diet also creates thicker saliva, which is unable to wash away and break up the food as quickly as a thinner saliva. This means that the bacteria that is producing the acid remains in the mouth longer.

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Cavity Prevention Tips

Here are a few tips you can use right away to help prevent the development of childhood tooth decay:
1. Encourage regular rinsing, flossing and brushing
2. Serve treats directly after meals
3. Regularly observe what your child is drinking and eating
4. Provide nutritious snacks
5. Avoid serving sticky foods
6. Limit the number of snack times

Teeth Development

The 2 front bottom teeth are the first to appear in your child’s mouth and they can be noticed when your baby is approximately 6 to 8 months old. The 4 front upper teeth appear next and the following teeth to arrive will peek through the gums in pairs. These baby teeth will continue to appear until the child is approximately 2 1/2 years old. By that time, the youngster should have all of his 20 baby teeth and will start losing them at the age of 5 or 6.

All children will develop their teeth in a different manner and some will have their teeth appear a few months late or early. The baby teeth are an important factor in your child’s overall appearance and influence his speech, biting and chewing abilities. They also hold the space for the permanent teeth that will appear later. This is why it’s so important to make sure that your child practices good oral hygiene, eats a healthy diet and has his teeth professionally evaluated while she/he still has his baby teeth.