Pediatric Dentistry

Good oral health is important for good overall health. The number one benefit of taking your child to a pediatric dentist is the development of good dental hygiene habits that will last throughout life. Pediatric dentistry is a specialized field that requires specific training, treatments, tools and medical knowledge beyond general dentistry training. They also learn how to engage young children to help make their visits to the dentist’s office enjoyable and as stress-free as possible for the parents as well as their children.

When a child regularly visits a pediatric dentist twice a year from the age of one, he or she starts to become comfortable in the dental office and consider these visits as a normal part of life.

From the moment their first teeth appear, a pediatric dentist may be able to foresee problems that could develop. It is an inaccurate myth that baby teeth don’t matter because they will just fall
out and only the adult teeth need good dental care. Baby teeth are place holders for the adult teeth. If they become decayed, it can go deep in the gums and affect the developing adult tooth. Regular visits to a pediatric dentist will help keep the baby teeth from decaying and, later, allow the dentist to make sure the adult teeth are growing in the right place. In some cases, our pediatric dentist can even see whether braces may be in the child’s future.

When dental issues are caught early or foreseen, it can save the parents a lot on oral care costs. When dental issues such as decay become big and reach the bone, the treatment may be long-term, painful and expensive. This may be easily avoided when children visit a pediatric dentist from the very beginning. As the child grows, the dentist may also be able to detect early bite problems and prescribe interventional treatment. This could also reduce future orthodontic costs.

Parents may also get a lot of help from our pediatric dentist.
Parents may get advice on how to deal with thumb or finger sucking, pacifier use and how to avoid decay and stains in baby teeth. For example, it is not recommended to allow infants to go to sleep after nursing or drinking milk or juice from a bottle. The sugars in the milk or juice adhere to the teeth and form acid, which is the main food of the bacteria that is already present in the mouth. When the bacteria multiply, it will form plaque and eventually tartar that is very difficult to remove. Parents may also learn how to clean their child’s first teeth with a clean soft cloth.

As your children grow, you may do your best to provide healthy food, enough exercise and a good education. Why ignore dental health that can have a big effect on your child’s overall health? The haphazard brushing of baby teeth is not enough to ensure your child has good oral health for years to come. The haphazard brushing of baby teeth is not enough to ensure your child has good oral health for years to
come.