Pediatric Dentistry Questions
Common Pediatric Dentistry Questions
Common Dental Questions Parents Have About Their Baby’s Smile
Our South Huntington dentist has taken some time to answer some common pediatric dentistry questions parents ask during their children’s appointment. Whether it is your child’s first dental visit or you are looking for a new pediatric dentist, our team cares for each child’s needs with comfort and care to ensure a positive dental experience.
At What Age Will My Baby’s First Tooth Appear?
A baby’s first teeth appear in the 6 to 12-month range. Typically, the two lower front teeth appear first. Baby teeth develop from the front of the mouth to the back. Most children will get all their baby teeth by age three.
How Do I Brush My Baby’s Teeth?
Our Dentistry By Design PC team recommends using an infant toothbrush or washcloth for new emerging teeth. As your baby grows and more teeth appear, we recommend an age-appropriate soft-bristled brush and a tiny dab of toothpaste. One word of caution; be careful that your child does not swallow the dab of toothpaste. When your child ages, we will teach them more about self-care and oral hygiene responsibilities.
How Do I Care For My Baby Teething
While getting teeth is an important milestone in a baby’s development, it’s essential to be aware that teething can irritate a baby. A baby may act fussy, have trouble sleeping, avoid eating, and drool quite a bit when teething. There are a few things that you can do to soothe your baby as they are teething. Common approaches to helping your baby feel more comfortable getting their new teeth include safe teething rings, a cold spoon, or a moist gauze rubbed over their gums. Remember, you can always call our office if you have any concerns.
Importance of Baby Teeth
Baby teeth allow your baby to eat, speak, and smile. They are also placeholders for permanent teeth and therefore if a baby loses its teeth too early, your child’s smile may become a misaligned smile.
Do Babies Get Tooth Decay?
When caring for your child’s smile, it’s important to remember that baby teeth are just as susceptible as permanent teeth to decay. More than half of children develop cavities before the age of five. Tooth decay may pose a risk to new baby teeth and if left untreated, cavities could affect their overall well-being and the permanent teeth yet to come..
What Is Baby Bottle Syndrome?
Baby bottle syndrome, or nursing bottle syndrome, is the rampant tooth decay resulting from babies sleeping with a bottle containing milk or juice. While the damage is most prevalent in the front teeth of the upper jaw, extensive dental work is typically required to restore the toddler’s oral health and prevent infections. New parents are advised not to let their baby sleep with a bottle or at least swap the juice or milk for water.
Will Thumb Sucking Affect My Child’s Smile?
Some children persist in sucking their thumbs or fingers beyond their preschool years. For these children, the activity provides comfort, relaxation, and security. It may even help them fall asleep at night. However, it’s essential to be aware that a finger-sucking habit is not healthy in the long term.
If your child is still thumb or finger-sucking by the age of five or six years, it’s time to help them stop the habit constructively. If it has caused any alterations to the alignment of the teeth or jaws, or if it is affecting your child’s speech or swallowing patterns, your child likely requires orthodontic care.
Common Pediatric Dentistry Questions Parents Have As Their Child Grows
How Often Should I Schedule A Dental Check-up For My Child?
It is advised for parents to bring their kids in for a dental checkup and teeth cleaning once every six months. Our South Huntington dentist will examine your child’s teeth, gums, and jaws to assess the overall dental health and development. Our dental team will discuss best oral hygiene at home practices. If any dental issues are detected, our dentist, Dr. Joseph Ayoub will provide a treatment plan to address these problems.
What If My Child Is Anxious And Has Difficulty Sitting For Treatment?
At the office of Dentistry By Design, PC in South Huntington we take pride in providing gentle, compassionate care in an environment designed with comfort in mind. If your child is apprehensive, has a medical condition or special needs, or has difficulty sitting in a dental chair, we can discuss the best choices for providing care and options in dental sedation.
Are Back-To-School Teeth Cleanings and Dental Check-up Important?
Helping your child start the school year on the right foot means getting the correct school supplies and ensuring your child is in the best health. One key to a great school year is ensuring your child has a healthy smile! At the office of Dentistry By Design, PC we specialize in addressing the dental needs of children as well as helping them establish a strong foundation for a lifetime of optimal oral health.
Cavities In Children
Cavities develop when plaque gathers and holds around the teeth and gums. Due to inadequate oral hygiene practices and dietary habits, children are especially prone to developing cavities. As a preventative measure to children tooth decay, our dental practice typically recommends periodic fluoride treatments and dental sealants.
What Is A Space Maintainer?
Sometimes, due to tooth decay or a traumatic injury, a child may lose a primary tooth early before the permanent one underneath is ready to come into place. When this happens, our dentist in South Huntington will consider the best way to hold the space left by the baby tooth to maintain a clear path for the succeeding adult tooth. At times this includes a small dental appliance, known as a space maintainer. A space maintainer ensures the permanent tooth will be correctly spaced inside the arch or become impact by shifting adjacent teeth.
When Is It Best To Begin Orthodontic Treatment For A Child?
In addition to checking for dental disease, harmful oral habits, and other unhealthy activities or conditions, our office will monitor your child’s facial growth, jaw development, and smile alignment. We’ll advise you of our dental care recommendations if they require orthodontic treatment. Most problems involving teeth alignment and jaw growth can be identified when a child is in the first or second grade. For this reason, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that all children have a dental checkup with an orthodontic specialist no later than age 7.
How Can I Protect My Child’s Smile When Playing Sports?
A sports mouthguard is the best preventative measure to protect teeth if your child or teen plays sports. A custom fitted mouthguard is known to reduce trauma to the teeth, tongue, lips, and jaws. Based on your child’s involvement in a particular sport, our dental team will advise you on the most appropriate custom mouthguard to protect their smile.
Are Dental Sealants Recommended For Children?
Once permanent molars and premolars come into place, a child may get dental sealant to protect the teeth. Dental sealant is an ultra-thin, clear coating that Dr. Ayoub applies to the biting surfaces and grooves on the back teeth to protect the teeth from bacteria and acids that cause tooth decay.
Will My Child’s Wisdom Teeth Require Extraction?
Wisdom teeth, the third molars, are the last permanent teeth to develop in the oral cavity and the final ones to come into place. Oftentimes, wisdom teeth do not have sufficient room and therefore teeth become crowded. For most people, wisdom teeth grow in between the ages of 17 and 21. At every dental checkup and teeth cleaning at Dentistry By Design PC in South Huntington, our dental team will monitor the development and position of your child’s wisdom teeth and recommend if and when they need any tooth extractions.
What Happens In The Case Of A Dental Emergency?
There is always a chance that an accident involving the teeth and mouth happens with a childs active lifestyle and sports. These traumatic injuries can happen at home, in the playground, or playing field. Common teeth and oral cavity injuries seen in a pediatric dental office include soft tissue lacerations of the lips, cheeks, or tongue to chipped, fractured, dislodged, or “knocked out” teeth.
Our dentist, Dr. Joe Ayoub often treats children for urgent dental care with painful toothaches, dental infections, or mouth ulcerations. Whatever the dental emergency, you can rely on our South Huntington dental office to provide skilled, compassionate, and reliable care. We aim to get your child back on the road to oral health while alleviating any associated discomfort and preventing more severe consequences to their dental health and overall well-being.
Contact Dentistry By Design, PC in South Huntington
At the office of Dentistry By Design, PC, we welcome patients of all ages for care and provide a comprehensive range of services designed to address the needs of every member of your family. We’re passionate about what we do and maintain a position at the forefront of advances in dentistry to offer our patients the best options in care. You can depend on our office to help you and your children enjoy good oral health.
To schedule an appointment, or to learn more about some common pediatric dentistry questions, give us a call at 631-823-1004 today. Parents bring their children to our office for pediatric dentistry treatments from South Huntington, Huntington, Melville, Dix Hills, Huntington Station, and throughout Long Island NY.