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Starting with early and regular dental care is an important step in establishing your child’s overall health. Our team of professionals is dedicated to making dentistry a positive part of each child’s life experience. The foundation of our approach is recognizing that each child is special and unique.
Your Baby’s Teeth
Your child’s first set of teeth (baby teeth) begin to erupt when your baby is about 6-8 months old. The first teeth that come into the mouth are the two bottom front teeth. The remainder of your baby’s teeth will appear periodically. By age three, most children have a full set of 20 primary teeth.
Visiting the Dentist
Your child’s first visit to the dentist should be a well-baby check-up for the teeth and gums. It is recommended to be scheduled by the first birthday. In addition to checking for baby bottle tooth decay and other adverse habits like thumb sucking, your dentist will teach you how to properly clean and care for your child’s teeth.
Prior to age 3, children should have their first “regular” dental visit. This visit is usually short and involves a gentle examination of your child’s teeth and gums. In addition, we will clean your child’s teeth and apply topical fluoride to protect against decay. X-rays may be taken to reveal decay and check on the progress of permanent tooth development. Your dentist will teach your child about cleaning the teeth and gums and review with you a suggested schedule for regular dental visits. Starting visits at an early age, you will help your child build a lifetime of good habits.
To prepare your child for the first visit, speak positively about your own dental experiences and discuss with your child what the dentist will be doing during the visit. To ensure a positive experience, in some instances we may ask a parent to sit in the dental chair and hold the child. Other instances the parent may be asked to wait in the reception area during part of the visit so that a relationship can be built between your child and your dentist.
Children’s Preventative Care
Most of the time cavities are due to a diet high in sugary food and a lack of brushing.
Preventing decay starts with good oral hygiene practices, regular dental visits and adequate fluoride at home. Your dentist may also recommend sealants (plastics bonded to the chewing surfaces of decay-prone back teeth). For more on sealant technology, click here
Tips for Cavity Prevention
- Limit the frequency of meals, snacks and sugary drinks
- Encourage brushing, flossing and rinsing
- Avoid sticky foods
- Choose nutritious snacks
The Connection Between Frequent Snacks and Tooth Decay
We recommend limiting the frequency of your child’s meals, snacks and sugary drinks because of a simple fact. Every time someone eats, an acid reaction occurs in side the mouth as the bacteria digest the sugars. This reaction lasts approximately 20 minutes. During this time the acid environment can destroy the tooth structure and eventually lead to cavities.
Southern Heights Dental Group is here to care for your child’s oral health and development, handle emergencies and to answer any questions you may have. We look forward to establishing a dental home for your child.
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