children’s dentistry – Best Dentist News

Pediatric Dental Care 101: Teach Your Children to Love Their Teeth!

Teeth need love too! Especially your child’s teeth. The healthy development and maintenance of your child’s first teeth are vitally important to their future health and well being. Primary teeth help children learn to speak clearly and chew naturally. Primary teeth also forge the path that adult teeth follow when they’re ready to erupt. Healthy dental care foundations laid early in life will lead your child to positive dental outcomes in the future. You should choose a family or pediatric dentistry with a friendly environment that focuses on your child’s growth, development, and oral health education. Prevention, in the form of regular dental checkups, will help you take charge of and protect your child’s dental health.

When Should Your Child Start Seeing a Pediatric Dentist?

Children should start having comprehensive dental exams twice a year, beginning around their first birthday. Their very first visit will establish a positive outlook towards dental care and dental practitioners.

Does your child have a fear of the dentist?

To help a fearful child visit the dentist, talk with them about the visit. Discuss the positive aspects of good dental care, and remind them that going to the dentist is a privilege for big boys and girls. Try not to use words such as fear, needle, pull, drill, or pain. There are many online resources to help you find dental language that is pleasant and non-frightening to children. Try to reassure your child that dentists and dental office helpers will always be gentle and friendly.

Choose Pediatric Dental Care for a Lifetime of Healthy Smiles

Remember, regular pediatric dental visits give children a solid foundation for a healthy life, through adolescence and adulthood. You should look for an experienced and gentle pediatric dental practice in your area. Pediatric dentists have at least two extra years of specialty training following dental school to treat the special dental needs of children. Pediatric dentists can be the primary or specialty dental care providers for infants, children, and teens. Show your love this season, and make a dental checkup appointment for your child with a qualified pediatric dentist today.

Prepare Little Smiles for Trick-or-Treating with Preventive Dentistry

Halloween is undeniably a favorite holiday for millions of children from across America, offering the perfect opportunity to dress up in creative costumes and bring home tons of sweet treats. While we’d never discourage any of the festivities and fun of trick-or-treating, we do want to emphasize the importance of keeping those precious pearly whites healthy this holiday season. With preventive dentistry solutions like dental sealants and fluoride supplements, we can help ensure your child’s continued oral health all year round.

Preventing Cavities this Holiday Season

The two most common childhood dental concerns are tooth decay and periodontal disease. Because prevention is always the best medicine when it comes to your child’s oral health, routine dental exams and cleanings are integral to a future of healthy smiles. Particularly around the holidays, it is important to consider the effects of sugary treats – including Halloween candies like lollipops, chocolate, and candy corn – on a child’s vulnerable teeth. Your child’s tooth enamel isn’t as resistant to plaque buildup, so twice yearly cleanings are vital.

During your child’s dental visit, ask about dental sealants and fluoride supplements. Dental sealants effectively protect teeth from cavities, especially in hard-to-reach places like the first and second molars. Fluoride supplements can actually fortify tooth enamel, remineralizing the surfaces of the teeth to further ward off attacks from cavity-causing bacteria. After your child is done divvying up all of his or her favorite treats from Halloween, consider donating the excess to a Halloween buyback program. This will help keep those cavity-causing temptations out of reach, further protecting your child’s smile.

Keep Your Child’s Smile Shining Brightly!

Your child’s dentist is your ongoing partner in building a strong foundation for oral health in the future. If you have questions about preventive dentistry services, including fluoride and dental sealants, contact your local dentist’s office for more information.

Four Tips for Helping Your Child Have a Better Dental Visit

As a parent, helping your child create positive associations with the dentist is an important step in helping them build healthy habits. By creating positive associations at a young age, your child will be more likely to make daily care and regular checkups a priority. In today’s post, we want to offer four steps that will help your child have a better dental visit, in addition to helping him or her create healthy habits.

Encourage Regular Brushing and Flossing

Your first step should be to help your child learn the importance of daily care. One way you can do this is by demonstrating healthy habits yourself. Why not make brushing and flossing a family activity? There are even specially made toothbrushes that play music to make the experience more fun. Brushing and flossing every day will help your little one have healthy teeth, which will help him or her enjoy better checkups.

Talk to Your Child about What to Expect

If your child is visiting a dentist for the first time, talk to him or her about what to expect. Children are sometimes frightened by new places, sounds, or people. Bringing your child with on you on one of your own appointments can help dispel anxiety and get them accustomed them to the atmosphere of a dental office.

Avoid Scary Words or a Scary Tone

Whether or not your child needs extra care, avoid using words like “pain” or “shot,” and be careful about using your own dental history to relate to your child. Instead, think of ways you can encourage your little one before an appointment. Talk about the positives of having a healthy smile and the ways that dentists can help them improve oral health.

Avoid Bribery

It might be tempting to promise your child a special treat if they make it through their appointment, but this tactic can send the wrong message. Put the focus on good oral hygiene and the importance of a healthy smile instead. Teach them that healthy teeth are a reward in and of themselves.

Do you want to schedule an appointment for your child? Give your local family dentist a call today.

Before-school Children’s Dentistry Visits!

kid flossing You may be ready to send your kids back to school, but don’t forget to schedule their dental appointments! It’s easier to bring your children to the dentist when they don’t have to miss class, and it will be less of a hassle for you. Although kids undoubtedly would like to get out of school for their dental visit, protect their wellbeing and education with an earlier trip to the dentist!
Regular children’s dentistry appointments are a vital part of their dental health. It’s recommended by the American Dental Association that kids should see a dentist at least twice a year for routine checkups. If your child has never seen the dentist, then don’t wait! Examinations are an opportunity for your dentist to check for any decay or growth problems, and to stop them before complications arise.
A children’s dentistry exam is also great for reminding your child of the importance of proper dental hygiene. The gentle team at your dental office will explain different, easy-to-remember techniques for daily care. They can also offer handy tips about flossing, a practice that most children won’t perfect until well into adulthood. It’s never too late early to begin instructing excellent dental care! Dentists want to help your child improve their oral health any way that they can.
Remember, the more regularly your child sees the dentist, the less likely they will be to develop serious dental problems later in life. Great dental hygiene will save your child time in the dental chair receiving restorative treatment, which they will be happy about. Just give your dentist a call today to schedule a children’s dentistry appointment.

How to Help Your Child Overcome Their Fear of the Dentist’s Office

dental fear Children are known for being incredibly stubborn over some issues, and the dentist’s office is one of the most dreaded places for someone with a smile that’s still developing. It’s not that hard to understand – after all, most adults dislike visiting the dentist as well. Still, when a child becomes frightened or anxious about their regular check-ups, it can make it very difficult for them to sit still long enough to receive the crucial care they need to maintain their teeth. Here are some helpful tips for helping your loved one learn to feel comfortable at the dentist’s office:

Take Them Sooner Rather Than Later

Children are often frightened by unfamiliar places, sounds, or people; avoid this problem by taking them with to your own dental appointment when they’re around one year old. This, coupled with very gentle, quick check-ups for them too once they’re old enough, will help them become accustomed to their surroundings gradually instead of being forced to take it all in at once. Once they’re ready to start attending regular check-ups, they should feel comfortable enough to avoid any tearful scenes in the waiting room.

Try To Avoid Scary Words

Even if your little one does develop dental problems early on, do your best to avoid potentially scary words such as “pain” or “shot.” In fact, do your best to avoid discussing their dental care with a negative tone. Your dentist and their staff will be sure to talk to them in a reassuring way about the work they’ll do.

Don’t Try and Relate To Their Fear

As we’ve already said, many adults also feel fear when it comes to dental visits. However, please don’t share those thoughts with your child or tell them any horror stories from previous visits you’ve had. While this may seem like a good idea to lower yourself to their level, it will only prove to your son or daughter that there is something to be scared of and make them worry unnecessarily.

Do Your Best to Avoid Bribery

Promising your child a special treat if they make it through their appointment often sends the wrong message about what is truly important to your little one; plus, it could make them feel even more anxious and pressured. Instead, focus on how important good oral hygiene is and help them practice at home. Teach them that strong, healthy teeth are their own reward!

National Children’s Dental Health Month

A Healthy Smile? It’s Easy to Find! Remember to Brush & Floss Every Day!

February marks National Children’s Dental Health Month, a time which the girl brushing American Dental Association has set aside to encourage dentists, parents, and other adults to educate children on how to take care of their little smiles. And even though that’s more than a week away, it never hurts to get a head start! Now’s the time to help kids brush up on good oral health!

Here are some ways your children can maintain strong, healthy smiles that last a lifetime: Continue reading National Children’s Dental Health Month

All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth!

99322812 For a kid, losing baby teeth is the ultimate sign of growing up. They compare notes with their friends on how many teeth they’ve lost and who lost them first. And while your little one is just excited to show off the space where a tooth used to be, you may be wondering exactly what to expect about the departure of those deciduous teeth.

Get Lost!
Baby teeth are usually lost in the order they arrive: the bottom two incisors first, followed by the top two. Your child will probably begin losing his or her baby teeth around age five or six, though it can happen as young as four years old. Essentially, the root will dissolve as the adult tooth pushes out. Though baby teeth generally fall out by themselves, they can also become stuck in food when your child is eating and may accidentally be swallowed (totally harmless, we promise). Continue reading All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth!