Pediatric Dentistry FAQs
At Dental Arts SPB, we want your child to have the best pediatric dental treatment available. And, we know you may have concerns and a lot of questions about the best way of caring for your child’s teeth and the type of dental services. Here are some of the common pediatric dentistry.
1. Why Choose a Pediatric Dentist Over a Family One?
Having a family dentist is commendable because they handle all your family’s dental needs. However, if you have young children, it is recommended to have a pediatric dentist.
Apart from basic dental education, a dentist for children goes through two years of post-training. During this time, the dentists learn about the different dental conditions that affect them from infancy to teen years. They are also trained on the developmental milestones and psychological needs of children. This means they can deal with different children’s personalities and also keep them calm.
Furthermore, our pediatric dental section kid-friendly and designed to keep the children entertained.
2. When and How Frequent Should My Child Visit a Pediatric Dentist?
We recommend visiting our kid’s dentist as soon as the first tooth erupts or right before their first birthday. It is easy for our dentist to detect any dental abnormalities when the first teeth begin to come out.
After that, you should make a point of visiting the dentist every six months for assessment and professional dental cleaning.
3. What to Expect During the First Pediatric Dental Visit?
The first pediatric dental visit is short, lasting about 30 minutes, but it is important. During this initial visit, our pediatric dentist will examine the dental structure and gums. Next, the dentist will clean the gums using a wet, soft cloth to remove plaque buildup.
4. Why Are Baby Teeth Important?
Primary teeth begin to come out at six or seven months. Some children may have them coming out as early as four months or as late as 15 months. The late eruption of teeth is normal and not a cause of concern. However, if the teeth do not come out after 15 months, then it is time to visit the dentist.
Baby teeth are crucial to a child’s dental structure as they hold the place for the permanent ones. Also, they guide the permanent teeth on how they come out. Any premature loss of the baby teeth will affect how the teeth come out.
Therefore, it is important to maintain proper hygiene, starting from when the child is an infant. Wipe the gums every day and also after breast or bottle feeding to keep plaques from accumulating. Also, do not let the child sleep while bottle-feeding to prevent decay.
5. What Pediatric Dental Services Do You Offer?
We strive to offer holistic dental services and focus more on preventive dental services instead of curative. Some of the pediatric dental services that you can take advantage of include:
- Dental sealants. These are plastic coatings that are applied to the permanent teeth, especially the molars and premolars. These sealants act as a barrier for protecting the teeth from dental decay. You may talk to the dentist about getting pediatric dental crowns. They work similarly to the sealants, but instead of the permanent teeth, the crowns are fixed on the primary ones and fall off when they do.
- Fluoride treatments. Fluoride strengthens the enamel and is found in the toothpaste and mouth rinses. The dentist can recommend fluoride treatment if your child is at risk of developing dental cavities and is above six years.
- Dental cleaning and checkups. We recommend coming for an assessment and cleaning every six months or as advised by the dentist.
- Nutrition education. Our dentist will share information on proper nutrition and how to maintain your child’s dental health. Other topics that we discuss include teething, developmental milestones, and fluoride treatments.
Make an Appointment
Having a kid’s dentist as part of your child’s health team is beneficial. Visit Dental Arts St. Pete Beach, FL, for more on our pediatric dentistry for kids’ services and how we can improve your child’s oral health.