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Pediatric dentists are the pediatricians of dentistry. Following dental school, a pediatric dentist has two to three additional years of specialty training in the unique needs of young people, including those with special health needs. We limit our practice to the treatment of children only.

Non nutritive sucking behaviors are considered normal in infants and young children. Prolonged habits (usually after 36 months of age) may result in adverse orthodontic complications (i.e. crowded, crooked teeth or bite problems). If your child is still sucking thumbs or fingers when the permanent teeth arrive, a mouth appliance may be recommended by your pediatric dentist. Most children stop these habits on their own.

A “smear” of fluoridated toothpaste for children less than 2 years of age decreases the risk of any adverse effects of too much fluoride (fluorosis). A “pea-sized amount” is appropriate for children aged 2-5 years. Parents should always dispense the toothpaste onto a soft age-appropriate brush and assist with brushing in pre-school aged children. To maximize the effects of fluoride in the toothpaste, rinsing after brushing should be minimal or eliminated.

Start to floss when the adjacent tooth surfaces cannot be cleansed with a toothbrush.

“First visit by first birthday” is the rule. Oral health is integral to general health. To prevent problems early on, your child should see a pediatric dentist between 6 and 12 months of age.

Bruxism is the habitual, nonfunctional contact between chewing surfaces of the teeth. Approximately 1 in 4 or 5 children “grind” their teeth at night. Preliminary evidence suggests that juvenile bruxism is a self-limiting condition that does not progress to adult bruxism.

The AAPD and the AAP encourage the use of fluoride to prevent and control cavities. It is documented to be safe and highly effective to re-mineralize enamel and alter the bacterial metabolism of the microbes that cause cavities.

A toothbrush will remove plaque bacteria that can lead to decay. Any soft-bristled toothbrush with a small head, preferably one designed specifically for infants, should be used twice a day, most importantly at bedtime.

BBTD (previously called “nursing bottle caries”) is now known as early childhood caries. It is a pattern of rapid decay often associated with prolonged nursing, bottle-feeding, or frequent use of no-spill training cups containing milk or juice. Follow these tips to help prevent early childhood caries:

• Avoid putting infants to bed with a bottle containing fermentable carbohydrates (i.e., milk, formula, juices).
• Ad lib breastfeeding should be avoided after the first baby tooth erupts.
• Encourage drinking from a cup by infant’s first birthday. Infants should be weaned from the bottle by 12-14 months of age.
• Between meal snacks and excessive exposures to food or juice or other liquids containing sugars should be avoided.

Rinse your child’s mouth with warm salt water and apply a cold compress of ice wrapped in a cloth to your child’s face if it is swollen. Do not put heat or aspirin on the sore area. You may give your child acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) for pain. Do not give children aspirin and closely follow the dosage based on your child’s weight as listed on the bottle. Call our office as soon as possible.

With contemporary safeguards, such as lead aprons and digital x-rays, the amount of radiation received in a dental x-ray is extremely small. Even though there is very little risk, pediatric dentists are particularly careful to minimize the exposure of child patients to radiation. In fact dental x-rays represent a far smaller risk than an undetected and treated dental problem.

A mouth guard should be a top priority on your child’s list of sports equipment. Athletic mouth guards are made of soft plastic and fit to the shape of your child’s upper teeth. They protect a child’s teeth, lips, cheeks and gums from sports-related injuries. Any guard is better than no guard at all, but a custom-fit mouth guard made in our office is your child’s best protection.

First of all, remain calm! If possible, find the tooth and hold it by the crown, not the root. Replace the tooth in the socket and have your child bite on a moist washcloth or gauze. If you cannot replace the tooth in the socket, place the tooth in a container of COLD MILK and take it and your child to us immediately! The faster you act, the better chance we will be able to save the tooth.

Sore gums when teeth erupt are a normal part of the eruption process. The discomfort may be eased with teething biscuits, toast, or cool teething rings.

Primary or “baby teeth” are important for many reasons. Not only do they help children speak clearly and chew naturally, they also aid in forming a path that permanent teeth follow when they are ready to erupt. Some of them are necessary until a child is 12 years old or longer. Pain, infection of the gums and jaws, impairment of general health, and orthodontic concerns are just a few of the problems that can happen when baby teeth are neglected. Also, because tooth decay is really an infection and will spread, decay on baby teeth can cause decay on permanent teeth. Proper care of baby teeth is instrumental for the overall health of your child.

Four things are necessary for cavities to form – a tooth, bacteria, sugar or other carbohydrates, and time. Dental plaque is a thin, sticky deposit of bacteria that constantly forms on everyone’s teeth. When you eat, the sugars in your food cause the bacteria in plaque to produce acid that attacks the tooth enamel. With time and repeated acid attacks, the enamel breaks down and a cavity forms.

We welcome parents to remain with their child throughout their visit to our practice, with the exception of general anesthesia appointments. Parents are not allowed into hospital operating rooms or surgery center anesthesia suites.

Make sure your child has a balanced daily diet, including one serving each of: fruits and vegetables, breads and cereals, milk and dairy products, and meat, fish, and eggs. Limiting the servings of sugars and starches will also aid in protecting your child’s teeth from decay. You can also ask your pediatric dentist to help you select foods that protect your children’s teeth.

Sealants work by filling in the crevices on the chewing surfaces of the teeth. This shuts out food particles that could get caught in the teeth, causing cavities. The application is fast and comfortable and can effectively protect teeth for many years.