What is a Pediatric Dentist?

The very young, pre-teens and teenagers all need different approaches in dealing with their behavior, quiding their dental growth and development, and helping them avoid future dental problems.  The pediatric dentist is best qualified to meet these needs.

Your child's first visit

The American Association of Pediatric Dentists recommends that children visit their dentist by his or her first birthday.  However we have found that unless there is specific  problem we have more success by making the first visit between 2.5 and 3 years of age.  Tell your child of the visit and that the dentist will explain all procedures  and answer any questions.  Avoid using words that cause unnecessary fear, such as shots, needles, drill or hurt.  Pediatric offices make a practice of using words that convey the same message, but are pleasant and non-frightenng to the child.

Why are primary teeth so important?

It is very important to maintain the health of the primary teeth.  Neglected cavities can and frequently do lead to problems which affect developing permanent teeth.  Primary or baby teeth are important for: proper chewing and eating, providing space for the permanent teeth and guiding them into the proper position, and permitting normal development of the jaw bones and muscles.  Primary teeth also affect the development of speech and add to an attractive appearance.  While the front teeth last until 6 or 7 years of age, the back teeth aren't replaced until 10 to 13 years of age.

Care of your child's teeth

Begin brushing as soon as the child's first tooth erupts.  A pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste can be used after the child is old enough not to swallow it.  By the age of 4 or 5 children should be able to brush their teeth twice a day with supervision until about the age 7 to make sure they are doing a through job.  However, each child is different.

Good diet equals healthy teeth

Heathly eating habits lead to healthy teeth.  Like all parts of the body, the teeth, bones and tissues of the mouth need a well-balanced diet.  Most snacks that children eat can lead to cavity formation.  The more frequently a child snacks, the greater chance for tooth decay.  How long food remains in the mouth also plays a role.  For example, foods with sugars that stay in the mouth cause longer acid attacks on tooth enamel.

Regular dental care

Bi-yearly dental check-ups in a pediatric dental office are vital to maintaining good oral health in children.  It allows the dentist to dectect defaults at their earlies stages, lets him monitor the growth and development of the teeth and jaws and most importanly lets him monitor the child's home care and re-enforce the proper home care techiniques taught at previous visits.  We find that those patients who do not follow a bi-yearly program of dental care are the ones who develop dental problems. 

DID YOU KNOW

*  Children get 20 teeth by the age of 2 years;  8 of these teeth are kept until the age of 6 and the remaining 12 teeth are kept until the age of 11-12.

*  The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has named dental decay as the #1 disease in children.

* 50% of children never visit a dentist.

*  Millions of days are missed from school by chidren due to dental discomfort

Because of the hard economic times we have extended our reduced fee special through  the month of March.  For those patients without insurance we have  reduced our fees from $145.00 to $110.00, a savings of $35.00 for a dental exam, cleaning, x-rays, fluoride treatment and consultation.  Now would be a good time to get your child back into regular  dental  care at a reduced rate.