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Understanding pediatric dental care is pivotal for every parent and guardian. Children’s teeth are not just miniature versions of adult teeth; they have unique needs and challenges.
By gaining insight into pediatric dental care, you’re not only ensuring your child’s radiant smile today but also laying the foundation for a lifetime of optimal oral health. Knowledge empowers you to make informed decisions, prevent common dental issues, and instill good oral hygiene habits from the start.
Pediatric dentists are not just dentists for children – they’re superheroes in white coats! With an additional 2-3 years of specialized training beyond dental school, they’re experts in caring for your child’s teeth, gums, and mouth from infancy through their teenage years. Each age group – from toddlers to teens – requires a unique approach to support their dental development, manage their behavior, and steer them away from future dental issues. Our pediatric dentists are perfectly equipped to cater to these diverse needs.
Think of primary teeth, or baby teeth, as the foundation for a lifetime of healthy smiles. They’re essential for several reasons:
While the front teeth bid farewell around age 6-7, the back teeth (cuspids and molars) stick around until 10-13.
Teeth start forming even before birth and make their grand entrance around 4 months. By age 3, most kids have all 20 primary teeth. The transformation to permanent teeth begins around age 6 and goes on until about age 21, ending with a grand total of 28-32 teeth, wisdom teeth included!
Call your pediatric dentist. Don’t replant it to avoid harm to the upcoming permanent tooth.
Contact your pediatric dentist right away. Rinse the mouth and use a cold compress for swelling. Bring any broken pieces if found.
Call 911 or head to the nearest hospital.
Prevent jaw movement and go to the hospital emergency room.
Radiographs (X-Rays) are a vital and necessary part of your child’s dental diagnostic process. Without them, certain dental conditions can and will be missed.
Radiographs detect much more than cavities. For example, radiographs may be needed to survey erupting teeth, diagnose bone diseases, evaluate the results of an injury, or plan orthodontic treatment. Radiographs allow dentists to diagnose and treat health conditions that cannot be detected during a clinical examination. If dental problems are found and treated early, dental care is more comfortable for your child and more affordable for you.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends radiographs and examinations every six months for children with a high risk of tooth decay. On average, most pediatric dentists request radiographs approximately once a year. Approximately every 3 years, it is a good idea to obtain a complete set of radiographs, either a panoramic and bitewings or periapicals and bitewings.
Pediatric dentists are particularly careful to minimize the exposure of their patients to radiation. With contemporary safeguards, the amount of radiation received in a dental X-ray examination is extremely small. The risk is negligible. In fact, the dental radiographs represent a far smaller risk than an undetected and untreated dental problem. Lead body aprons and shields will protect your child. Today’s equipment filters out unnecessary x-rays and restricts the x-ray beam to the area of interest. High-speed film and proper shielding assure that your child receives a minimal amount of radiation exposure.
Brushing teeth is crucial for maintaining good oral health, especially in children. However, be cautious when selecting toothpaste for your child. Many varieties contain abrasive substances that could harm the delicate enamel of young teeth. It’s best to choose a toothpaste endorsed by the American Dental Association (ADA), as indicated on its packaging. ADA-approved toothpastes are rigorously tested to ensure they’re safe for children’s use.
For children under 3 years old, a tiny amount of toothpaste, about the size of a rice grain, is sufficient for brushing. For kids between 3 and 6 years, a pea-sized dab of toothpaste is appropriate. At this age, children often need help or supervision while brushing, as they may not yet have the skill to brush effectively on their own. It’s important to teach children to spit out toothpaste rather than swallowing it, to avoid ingesting excess fluoride.
Many parents become aware of their child’s teeth grinding, or bruxism, when they hear it during the child’s sleep or notice their teeth getting shorter from wear. There are various theories behind why children grind their teeth. One suggests a psychological cause, such as stress from life changes like moving, parental divorce, or school transitions. Another theory links bruxism to inner ear pressure changes similar to what people experience during an airplane’s take-off and landing, leading children to move their jaws to relieve this pressure.
In most pediatric bruxism cases, treatment isn’t necessary. However, if there’s significant tooth wear (attrition), a mouth guard might be recommended for nighttime use. While mouth guards are effective in preventing further wear to the primary teeth, they come with downsides, like the risk of choking if the guard comes loose, and potential interference with jaw growth.
Fortunately, bruxism is typically a phase that children outgrow. The frequency of grinding often diminishes between ages 6-9, and most children stop grinding altogether by ages 9-12. If you’re concerned about your child’s teeth grinding, it’s a good idea to talk to your pediatrician or pediatric dentist for advice and guidance.
Sucking on thumbs, fingers, or pacifiers is a natural and comforting reflex for infants and young children. It often provides a sense of security, especially during challenging times or when they are seeking relaxation and sleep.
However, persistent thumb sucking, especially beyond the emergence of permanent teeth, can lead to issues with mouth development and tooth alignment. The intensity of the sucking is key: passive thumb suckers, who simply rest their thumbs in their mouth, are less likely to experience dental issues compared to children who suck their thumbs vigorously.
Ideally, children should stop thumb sucking by the time their permanent front teeth start to appear, typically between the ages of two and four. Often, peer pressure in school-aged children naturally leads to a cessation of the habit.
Pacifiers may seem like a good alternative to thumb sucking, but they can cause similar dental problems. The advantage of pacifiers is that their use can be more easily controlled and modified compared to thumb or finger habits.
If you’re concerned about your child’s thumb sucking or pacifier use, it’s advisable to consult a pediatric dentist.
The key to healthy teeth is a balanced diet, just as it is for the rest of the body. Teeth, bones, and the soft tissues in the mouth all require a range of nutrients for optimal health. Encouraging children to eat a variety of foods from all five major food groups is essential.
Frequent snacking, especially on certain types of foods, can increase the risk of cavities. The duration that food stays in the mouth also matters. Foods like hard candies and breath mints linger in the mouth, prolonging the time teeth are exposed to acids that can erode enamel.
If snacking is necessary, opt for healthier options that are kind to teeth. These include vegetables, low-fat yogurt, and low-fat cheese, which not only provide essential nutrients but also are less likely to contribute to tooth decay.
Sports drinks, while popular among athletes, pose a risk to dental health due to their high sugar content and acidity. These elements have the potential to erode even fluoride-enriched enamel, increasing the likelihood of cavity formation.
To safeguard dental health, it’s advisable for children to primarily rely on water for hydration before, during, and after sports activities. Consult your pediatric dentist for advice on using sports drinks.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) acknowledges xylitol’s positive impact on the oral health of infants, children, adolescents, and individuals with special health care needs.
Research indicates that when mothers chew xylitol gum 2-3 times daily starting three months postpartum and continuing until the child reaches two years old, there can be up to a 70% reduction in cavities by the time the child turns five.
Studies have shown that using xylitol as a sugar alternative or a small part of the diet can significantly reduce new dental cavities and even reverse some existing ones. Xylitol not only complements existing dental care methods but also offers long-lasting, potentially permanent benefits. Decay rates remain low years after the completion of these studies.
Xylitol is naturally found in modest amounts in various sources like fruits, berries, mushrooms, lettuce, hardwoods, and corn cobs. For instance, a cup of raspberries contains less than one gram of xylitol.
Studies suggest an effective daily intake of xylitol ranges from 4-20 grams, distributed over 3-7 times throughout the day. Higher intakes don’t necessarily lead to better results and may even have diminishing returns. Furthermore, consuming it less than three times a day doesn’t seem to be effective.
To purchase xylitol products such as gum, look in local health food stores or search online for products containing 100% xylitol.
You might not be surprised anymore to see people with pierced tongues, lips or cheeks, but you might be surprised to know just how dangerous these piercings can be.
There are many risks involved with oral piercings, including chipped or cracked teeth, blood clots, blood poisoning, heart infections, brain abscess, nerve disorders (trigeminal neuralgia), receding gums or scar tissue. Your mouth contains millions of bacteria, and infection is a common complication of oral piercing. Your tongue could swell large enough to close off your airway!
Common symptoms after piercing include pain, swelling, infection, an increased flow of saliva and injuries to gum tissue. Difficult-to-control bleeding or nerve damage can result if a blood vessel or nerve bundle is in the path of the needle.
So follow the advice of the American Dental Association and give your mouth a break – skip the mouth jewelry.
Tobacco in any form can jeopardize your child’s health and cause incurable damage. Teach your child about the dangers of tobacco.
Smokeless tobacco, also called spit, chew or snuff, is often used by teens who believe that it is a safe alternative to smoking cigarettes. This is an unfortunate misconception. Studies show that spit tobacco may be more addictive than smoking cigarettes and may be more difficult to quit. Teens who use it may be interested to know that one can of snuff per day delivers as much nicotine as 60 cigarettes. In as little as three to four months, smokeless tobacco use can cause periodontal disease and produce pre-cancerous lesions called leukoplakias.
If your child is a tobacco user you should watch for the following that could be early signs of oral cancer:
Because the early signs of oral cancer usually are not painful, people often ignore them. If it’s not caught in the early stages, oral cancer can require extensive, sometimes disfiguring, surgery. Even worse, it can kill.
Help your child avoid tobacco in any form. By doing so, they will avoid bringing cancer-causing chemicals in direct contact with their tongue, gums and cheek.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) advises that oral health care and counseling are important for pregnant women. Studies indicate that periodontal disease can elevate the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight. Pregnant women should consult with their healthcare providers about preventing periodontal disease.
Mothers with poor oral health might have a higher likelihood of transmitting bacteria that cause cavities to their children. To reduce this risk, mothers should:
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Dental Association (ADA), and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommend establishing a “Dental Home” for your child by their first birthday. Children with a dental home are more likely to receive consistent preventive and routine dental care.
The concept of a Dental Home offers a go-to place for parents, other than the Emergency Room, for their child’s dental needs.
Making the first dental visit a positive experience is important. If the child is old enough, explain the purpose of the visit and assure them that the dental team will guide them through the process and answer any questions.
A calm approach to the visit is often most effective.
Avoid using words that might scare your child, like needle, pull, drill, or hurt. Pediatric dental practices use friendly, non-threatening language to explain procedures to children.
At Peachtree, every little smile is a big deal. We’re not just any dental office; we’re where childhood memories are made, and dental health is celebrated
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