Procedures

Importance

The child’s first visit is important for several reasons: It is the child’s first experience with dentistry; a proper examination of your child’s mouth (including teeth and gums) will be done, checking the growth and development of the head.
This appointment is also important because a thorough explanation will be given about the most effective oral hygiene care.
The child will receive a thorough cleaning, topical fluoride treatment and, if needed, x-ray films will be taken. This first visit should be easy and enjoyable, helping to overcome many of the fears which the child has acquired, and the child becomes acquainted with dentistry in a pleasant manner.

When should it be?

It should be scheduled when the first tooth appears in the mouth, but no later than the first year.
If a baby starts visiting the dentist at an early age, this will allow him/her to bond with the specialist, trust him and, have more relaxing future visits.

What Should I Tell my Child before the First Visit?

You can explain to your child that the dentist wants to be a friend and help care for his or her teeth. Explain that the dentist will count his/her teeth and clean them with a special toothbrush.
Avoid using words that might cause unnecessary fear like “needle”, “hurt”, or “drill”. Pediatric dentists use words that send the same message but are non-frightening.

Visit your dentist at least every 6 months to help prevent cavities. But, depending on your child needs, your pediatric dentist will tell you how often your kid’s appointment should be.

Brushing

The Pediatric Dentist will show you how to brush your kid’s teeth properly, advising you to begin daily brushing as soon as the child’s first tooth erupts. As your child gets older, your dentist can help you determine whether the child has the skill level to brush properly.

Flossing

Flossing should start when any two teeth touch, removing the plaque between the teeth where the toothbrush can’t reach.

Eating habits

Healthy eating habits lead to healthy teeth.
Some of the snacks that children eat can lead to cavity formation.
The more adhesive the food is (candy, gums, cookies) and the longer it stays in the mouth, the more prone your kid’s teeth will be to form cavities.
Choose nutritious foods for your kid’s snacks like yogurt, cheese or vegetables.

Sealants

Sealants can be applied to your child’s molars to prevent decay on hard to clean surfaces. A sealant is a clear plastic material that is applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. It acts as a barrier to food and plaque in these areas of the teeth.

If your child has dental cavities, these should be treated accordingly to their extent and position.

Small cavities can be restored with resin (a white restoration material also used in adults).

Since temporal teeth are small, cavities can grow really fast and affect the inner core, where the vital part of the teeth is (known as the pulp). The pulp contains nerves and vessels (among other structures). In these cases, a pulp therapy might be needed in order to maintain the tooth in the mouth. Two common forms of pulp therapy in children's teeth are the pulpotomy and pulpectomy, but they are usually referred to as ¨nerve treatment¨. A pulpotomy removes the diseased pulp tissue within the crown portion of the tooth. A pulpectomy is required when the entire pulp is involved (pulp in the crown and root canals).

After a pulp therapy (since without the pulp the teeth dehydrates and is more prone to fractures), in cases where big cavities are formed and the teeth looses strength or, after some dental traumas occur, the tooth might need to be restored with a stainless steel crown. The dentist will prepare your child’s tooth so that this type of restoration can be cemented and therefore give more strength to the tooth.

It is a serious form of decay among young children. It is caused by frequent and long exposures of an infant’s teeth to liquids that contain sugar, like milk, juice, formula, sweetened drinks or breast milk.

Putting a baby to bed with a bottle other than water can cause serious and rapid tooth decay. Sweet liquid pools around the child’s teeth giving e bacteria an opportunity to produce acids that attack tooth enamel and form cavities.

After each feeding, wipe the baby’s gums and teeth with a damp washcloth to remove plaque.