Child Dentistry

Your Child’s First Visit

When your child turns three, they should have their first “regular” dental checkup. The initial dental checkup is typically brief and requires very little care. During the examination, we could ask you to hold your child while sitting on the dentist’s chair. In order to foster a relationship between your child and your dentist, you can also be asked to wait in the reception area for the duration of the appointment.

We will carefully check the teeth and gums of your child. To identify damage and monitor the development of your child’s permanent teeth behind the gums, X-rays could be obtained. To help shield your child’s teeth from disease, we might give them a dental cleaning and apply oral fluoride. We’ll see to it that your child gets enough fluoride at home. Above all, we will go over with you the proper methods for cleaning and taking care of your child’s teeth.

What Should I Tell My Child About The First Dental Visit?

This is a commonly asked question to us. We advise you to get your child ready in the same manner as you would before their first haircut or shoe purchase. You might be surprised by your child’s response to his first dental checkup.

During your first visit the dentist will:

Examine your mouth, teeth and gums.
Evaluate adverse habits like thumb sucking.
Check to see if you need fluoride.
Teach you about cleaning your teeth and gums.
Suggest a schedule for regular dental visits.

Here Are Some “First Visit” Tips:

Take your child for a “preview” of the office.
Read books with them about going to the dentist.
Review with them what the dentist will be doing at the time of the first visit.
Speak positively about your own dental experiences.

What About Preventative Care?

Children and tooth decay do not have to go hand in hand anymore. Every aspect of preventive care is our top priority at the office. We protect your child’s teeth with the most modern innovations in dental sealant technology. Modern polymers called dental sealants are attached to the chewing surfaces of back teeth that are susceptible to decay. This is just one of the ways we’ll lay the basis for your kid to have healthy teeth for the rest of their lives.

Cavity Prevention

The majority of the time, eating a lot of sweet food and not brushing your teeth might cause cavities. Of course, brushing regularly and limiting sugar intake can help. Your child’s risk of obtaining cavities increases with the amount of time they spend eating their meal and the length of time food residue remains on their teeth.

Every time someone eats, bacteria in their mouths break down the carbohydrates, causing an acid reaction. The duration of this reaction is around 20 minutes. The acidic environment during this period could damage the tooth’s structure and eventually result in cavities.

Tips For Cavity Prevention

Limit frequency of meals and snacks.
Encourage brushing, flossing and rinsing.
Watch what your child drinks.
Avoid giving your child sticky foods.
Make treats part of meals.
Choose nutritious snacks.

The pair of bottom front teeth are the first baby teeth that come into the mouth. When your child is between six and eight months old, you will notice this. The four upper front teeth will come in next, and the other teeth in the child’s mouth will irregularly break after that. Until the child is around two and a half years old, they will typically appear in pairs along the sides of the jaw.

By when your child is 2 1/2 years old, they should have all 20 teeth. The first permanent teeth come in between the ages of 5 and 6. While some permanent teeth do not replace baby teeth, others do. Since every child is unique, it’s okay if some teeth erupt a few months early or later than others.

In addition to providing space for permanent teeth, baby teeth are crucial for speech, eating, biting, and looks. Because of this, it’s critical to keep up regular hygiene and eat well.