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The #1 most common childhood disease is tooth decay.
After your child is introduced to our dentist and team, a dental hygienist will gently clean your child’s teeth and gums, removing plaque and bacteria, polishing each tooth, and then giving them a thorough floss.
X-rays may be recommended if your child has never had them before, if it’s been a few years since their last set of x-rays, or if the dentist suspects oral development issues or a hidden oral health problem. As the parent or guardian, you will be asked to approve x-rays before they are taken.
The dentist will examine your child’s mouth, teeth and x-rays to ensure your kid is free of cavities and that their smile is developing properly. If the parent did not sit in with the child during their exam, the dentist will bring parents into the room at this point to discuss their findings.
Next, the dentist will provide a recommendation for further treatment if needed. Some treatments, like fluoride treatments or dental sealants, can usually be applied at the first appointment and may be recommended during regular cleanings. Other treatments, like filling cavities, may require a second appointment.
If additional treatment is needed to keep your child’s smile healthy, we’re happy to schedule follow-up appointments before you head out. We also recommend that you schedule your child’s next oral exam and teeth cleaning at this time.
Nutrition counseling from your child's dentist can help keep their teeth strong and healthy while establishing good habits that last a lifetime. Here are a few tips to get you started:
Food that’s good for your child’s body is usually good for their teeth, too. Fibrous vegetables like broccoli, whole grains, milk, yogurt, lean meats, and fresh fruits are all great for growing teeth.
Children should avoid overly-processed and sugary or starchy foods like chips, cookies, gummy candies, fruit juice, and soda. The bacteria that cause decay love to feed on simple starches and sugar, so these can contribute to the risk of cavities.
Pediatric cleanings and oral exams are just like cleanings and oral exams for adults. A dental hygienist will clean your child’s teeth, then a dentist will examine their mouth and x-rays to look for potential oral health and oral development issues.
During this appointment, you’ll have an opportunity to speak with the dentist about what to expect at different stages of your child’s oral development, such as erupting baby teeth, losing baby teeth, and growing adult teeth. We’ll go over proper at-home oral care and hygiene for different age groups, and discuss nutritional information and how diet is related to oral health.
Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) is an alternative to fillings for minor-to-moderate tooth decay in baby teeth. It consists of a blend of silver, fluoride, ammonia, and water. When applied to a decayed tooth, this mixture kills the bacteria that cause decay, and halts the progression of the cavity.
This treatment is most commonly used on baby teeth because it discolors the tooth permanently, turning it black. It’s a good option for baby teeth that will fall out naturally in time, or for kids who are uncooperative or too young to get a filling.
Composite restorations, like crowns and fillings, are great for kids. They effectively protect primary teeth and can maintain their beautiful little smiles while doing so.
Composite restorations are durable without using any metals or amalgam. They can also be color matched to your child's teeth so they are an ideal choice for both baby and permanent teeth.
A space maintainer may be required if your child loses a baby tooth early. This dental prosthetic is made to sit between your child’s healthy teeth, resting in the gap where their missing tooth used to be.
By doing so, the space maintainer prevents the surrounding teeth from shifting toward the now-empty socket, which is common after tooth loss. This ensures that your child’s permanent tooth will erupt properly when it’s ready. Without a space maintainer after premature tooth loss, your child may experience oral development issues that may require orthodontic intervention.
Cavities can be caused by the transmission of bacteria from a mother to her infant.
The answer may surprise you. It’s typically recommended by the AAPD (American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry) that children start seeing the dentist when they’re 1 year old, or whenever their first tooth erupts.
Is your child a little older? You should bring them to the dentist for an appointment as soon as you can to ensure their teeth and mouth are healthy and strong.
Going to the dentist early and regularly helps your child become more familiar with the process of regular dental visits, making them less likely to be anxious about going to the dentist as they grow up. Seeing the same dentist regularly throughout your child’s early years will also allow the doctor to become more familiar with your child’s teeth. They’ll be able to identify any potential oral development issues early, and take the proper action to ensure their teeth stay strong and healthy. These regular appointments also encourage children to build better life-long oral health habits.
The most important thing you can do to prepare your child to see the dentist is to speak about it positively. They don’t have any experiences with the dentist yet, so this is an opportunity to help the doctor make a good first impression.
Drinking a bottle of milk or breastfeeding right before bed puts your child at a higher risk for tooth decay.
Monday: 10am-6pm
Tuesday: 7am-3pm
Wednesday: 7am-3pm
Thursday: 7am-3pm
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