Children's Dentistry Cary, NC
As a parent, your child’s health is the most important thing in the world. It’s so important that your child grows up healthy and strong. This includes their oral health. It’s so important that your child’s teeth emerge properly, their teeth and gums stay healthy, and they avoid major oral health concerns. In order to do so, it’s best to find a dentist who is able to provide outstanding pediatric dentistry services.
What Is Pediatric Children’s Dentistry?
Pediatric dentistry (also known as children’s dentistry) is a field of dentistry that focuses entirely on the teeth of children. This often includes children between the ages of 1 and 11 years old.
While it may feel a little early, it’s actually important to get your child into the dentist around their one-year mark. Even if they are still teething, it is extremely important for your dentist to have a look at their teeth and the development of their teeth.
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Cavity Repair
While you may be diligent about your child’s at-home oral hygiene, cavities are still pretty common amongst children. Keep in mind that your child’s baby teeth aren’t as strong as their adult teeth, so they are more susceptible to cavities. Just like with adults, cavities require fillings. These may be made with silver, amalgam, or composite fillings.
Checkups and Cleanings
Just like with adults, children need to visit their dentist for routine children’s dentistry services, such as checkups and cleanings. These cleanings should be done every six months. These children’s dentistry services will help to ensure that your child avoids cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease. Just like with adults, your dentist will remove plaque and debris from your child’s teeth. They will also give your child an oral exam to ensure their teeth are coming in properly. Once your child is older, they will make sure that their adult teeth are coming in properly.
Oral exams are an extremely important part of children’s dentistry, so it’s extremely important to make sure that they don’t miss any cleanings. What may have been a small cavity may end up requiring more severe repairs, which is an aspect of children’s dentistry that can be difficult for
children to undergo.
Tips for Avoiding Tooth Decay
As a parent, taking some early steps can help to guard your child against tooth decay, even before their first dental visit:
- Your baby's teeth should always be flushed with water or wiped down with a damp cloth after feeding, especially before they fall asleep. Milk or formula residue left in the mouth can promote decay even in the youngest patients. Untreated cavities can eventually lead to pain and infection.
- Try to wean your child off breastfeeding or bottled milk by the age of one year. This effort helps avoid decay and minimizes the chance of jaw growth problems from excessive sucking.
- Begin brushing as soon as the first tooth appears. Even a small piece of tooth showing can develop a cavity. Start by brushing with a soft-bristle brush and water, and ask your dentist when it's ok to begin using a small amount of toothpaste.
- Once your child is old enough to begin brushing on his or her own, continue to monitor their brushing, going back to clean any areas they may have missed.
- Don't give bottles of sugary drinks or milk before bedtime.
- Use a straw with sugary beverages to allow the teeth to have less contact with the liquid.
- Try to limit the overall sugary foods your child eats and drinks.
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Finding a Pediatric Dentist
A major aspect of children’s dentistry is finding the right dentist. You’ll want to make sure that you find a dentist who is not only qualified to perform children’s dentistry but also does so regularly. You’ll also want to make sure the pediatric dentist that you choose is good with children and is friendly. Going to the dentist for children’s dentistry services is already difficult for children, so it’s important to find a dentist who is able to ensure the child’s comfort throughout the experience.
While you may decide to go with a purely pediatric dentist for the child’s dentistry services, another option is a family dentist. Family dentists are able to treat patients from childhood to well into adulthood. One of the advantages of having a family dentist is your child’s ability to keep the same dentist past their childhood and into their teen and adult years. They can continue to visit a dentist that they know and trust.
Finding a pediatric dentist for children’s dentistry services can feel like a daunting task, but it’s actually pretty simple. You’ll want to start by searching online for pediatric or family dentists in your area. From there, you can start looking at different practices. If they are available, take a look at the ratings and reviews for different practices. While there may be a negative review here and there, it’s important to find a dentist with primarily positive reviews.
Once you find a dentist that you like, check to see whether or not they are in your insurance network (if you have dental insurance). If you find a dentist that is not in network but still seems like an excellent choice, speak with the dentist’s office about prices and options.
If you choose a family dentist, you may want to set an appointment with the dentist for yourself before you set one for your child. This will give you a feel for how the office operates, the quality of the services that the dentist provides, and the dentist’s overall demeanor. You’ll want to make sure that you find a dentist who is perfect for your child.
Once you find the right dentist, it’s time to set up an appointment! Speak with your dentist’s office about availability, and make sure that you have your child’s next checkup and cleaning in the books.
Finding the right children’s dentist is important. Wake Dental Care will provide high-quality dental services for your child, all with a friendly smile.
Dentists You Can Trust
We take the time to explain treatment and use the latest in dental technology to ensure a conservative approach to your dental care. We have specialized eyepieces and special decay-detecting dye to be sure we can see the smallest amount of decay and remove only the diseased portions of the tooth. Our iTero scanner allows us to scan your teeth and create restorations with world-class accuracy.
Dr. Jim Bohn
Dr. Bohn is a native of Pennsylvania. He earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology at Penn State University and a Doctorate of Medical Dentistry from Temple University School of Dentistry.
Dr. Jerry Allen
Dr. Jerry Allen was born and raised in Eastern North Carolina. He received his Doctorate of Dental Surgery (D.D.S) with Honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.