Do not let your child suffer the lifelong complications of having a poor oral health. Help your child achieve the best oral health care he or she deserves from a pediatric dentist.One of the common mistakes we commit when it comes to the oral health of our child is to bring them to the same family dentist we go to. It is not entirely a bad thing to bring your child to a dentist, however, in order for your child to achieve optimum oral health, the pediatric dentist will be the best person to seek professional help from.A pediatric dentist is the one who is qualified and has the experience when it comes to providing professional care for your child’s teeth and gums from birth up to adolescence. If your child does not receive the proper dental care that he or she needs, he or she will be at risk of many oral health conditions.It is important to be aware of the preventive care that your children need in order to protect their oral health, and pediatric dentists can help them with that. They can receive education and proper guidance from their pediatric dentists on good oral hygiene so they can develop good oral habits from the early years and be able to bring it through adulthood. Pediatric dentists also give focus on the basic habits or brushing and flossing, as well as proper nutrition in order to maintain a smile that can last a lifetime.
The following are some of the most important services that a pediatric dentist provides:
- Cleaning and fluoride treatments. In order to reduce the risk of cavities, fluoride can be very useful and it can be taken from fluoridated water, toothpaste, mouth rinse and certain types of food. A pediatric dentist can also perform a fluoride treatment for a child that is low in fluoride.
- Dental sealants. Sealant can also be an added protection for teeth against cavities. It can be applied on the areas that are more susceptible for decay such as chewing surfaces of your back teeth because these are the areas that are more difficult to clean. Sealing these grooves and crevices will protect your teeth from cavity causing bacteria.
- Preventive care programs and education on proper oral hygiene
- Parental education on the oral health care of infants and toddlers
- Mouth guards to protect your child’s teeth from injuries
- Orthodontics –diagnosis and treatment
- Root canal treatment. Root canal treatment is usually performed to save a badly damaged or decayed tooth. Even children also need root canal in order to save a tooth from premature loss
- It is normal for children to have minor fractures or chips on their front teeth to minor trauma and other factors, but these can be addressed by bonding. Bonding uses composite resins that look like the natural teeth and are used to mask certain teeth imperfections
If your child gets the proper dental care with good oral hygiene, and the guidance and care from a pediatric dentist, the child can avoid the following oral health conditions.
- Tooth decay - Tooth decay occurs when there is a loss of bacteria in the teeth due to bacterial buildup. The growth and spread of bacteria in a child’s mouth can be because of poor oral hygiene or it can be because of the food intake. Regardless of the source of bacteria, it is important to get rid of them by proper brushing and flossing or they will be a reason for plaque buildup. The plaque, if not addressed, can eventually lead to tooth decay.
- Sensitivity - refers to the sharp pain that you feel when you eat or drink something that is too hot or too cold. Sensitivity is primarily because the enamel of your teeth has already been damaged. The only time your enamel gets damaged is when there is too much bacteria in your mouth that increases the acid production, and it is the acid that eats away and weakens the tooth enamel.
- Gum disease -. Even children can suffer from gum disease and this can be prevented by maintaining good oral hygiene so as to avoid bacterial infection from spreading around the mouth and in a child’s teeth and gums.
For more information on pediatric dentistry, call Greenfield Family Dentistry at (480) 420-3930, or visit us at 875 N. Greenfield Road, Suite 114 Gilbert, AZ 85234.
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