Quality Dental Care for Children

• The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends a child's first dental visit to be as soon as they get their first tooth (as early as 6 months of age) and no later than their first birthday (age 1 year).
• Children will start teething around 6 months until 2-3 years.
• Before teeth erupt, wipe your child's mouth and gums with a soft towel.
• After teeth erupt, you can start brushing with a soft toothbrush! Use no more than a smear of fluoridated toothpaste (size is no larger than a grain of rice).
• If your child has pain with teething, avoid medicaments such as Oragel and hard toys which can be a choking hazard. A soft rubber chewing toy or a wet cold towel that's placed in the freezer will help relieve your child's symptoms the best!
• After your child starts eating solid foods, breastfeeding can cause cavities. Try to wean your child off nursing or bottle feeding at night, or wipe down your child's teeth after each meal to prevent cavities.
• Watch those finger and pacifier habits! It is important to stop these habits by age 3 - these habits may have long term effects on your child's smile and jaw development.
• Once your child starts walking, be aware of sharp corners and hard surfaces that may cause trauma to their mouth and teeth.

• Help your child brush at least 2 times a day for at least 2 minutes each time. Remember the rules of 2's!
• Use a "pea-sized" amount of fluoridated toothpaste.
• Start flossing when your child's teeth start touching.
• Create a routine with your child - brush, book, bed. Brush your teeth, read a bedtime story, and go to sleep.
• Remember to have regular 6 month visits to the dentist to keep your child's mouth healthy.
• Limit sugary snacks and beverages for not only a healthy diet, but also a healthy smile!

• Parents are recommended to help their child brush until at least 7-8 years old - usually when they are able to tie their own shoelaces, this is when they have the ability to brush well on their own!
• Permanent or adult teeth start to erupt around age 6, starting with the lower front teeth and the big teeth all the way in the back.
• As one of the first adult teeth to erupt, the big permanent molars in the back have a high chance of getting cavities - ask us about sealants to help protect those teeth!
• As your child becomes more active in activities such as sports, ask us about mouthguards to help prevent any trauma that may happen to your child's mouth and teeth.

• Teenagers need a lot of encouragement to continue brushing twice a day and floss regularly - remind them the importance of keeping their permanent teeth healthy, they will have these teeth for the rest of their life!
• Encourage healthier snack and drink options - many teenagers consume high amounts of junk food, sodas, sports and energy drinks.
• The second set of permanent molars erupt around age 12 - ask us about sealants to help protect those teeth!
• Many teenagers are interested in orthodontic treatment at this age - ask us for a consultation!
• As your teenager is getting ready to finish high school, this may be the time to evaluate for possible wisdom teeth extraction.
• When your child is finally ready to go to college, ask us how to transition to an adult general dentist!

When it comes to eating healthy, we know it is impossible to avoid all sugars. Here are a few tips to keep your body and teeth healthy!
• Avoid frequent snacking - the longer food stick on teeth, the longer the sugars stay in the mouth and can cause cavities.
• Choose snacks that do not stick to teeth - the sugars stay there longer and can cause cavities. For example, choose whole fruits over dried raisins that can linger on your child's teeth for hours.
• Great snacks for your teeth include: plain yogurt, cheese, whole fruits and vegetables! Snacks such as crackers, goldfish, chocolate milk or fruit juice are not as healthy for your child's teeth.
• For a sweet treat, choose chocolate over sticky sweets like gummy bears.
• Promote drinking water over juice or other carbonated drinks.

If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please dial 911. If you experience a dental emergency, please call our practice as soon as possible. We are here to help you, any time, any day - we will do everything we can to make sure you are treated as soon as possible.
Common dental emergencies include:
• Broken or cracked tooth/teeth
• Permanent tooth knocked out
• Object caught between the teeth
• Severe toothache
• Broken jaw

Our goal is to create the best environment for your child. We have options to make the dentist a more comfortable and safe space by using sedation. Patients who may benefit from sedation have:
• A fear or anxiety of being at the dentist
• A hard time sitting still for long periods of time
• A hard time getting and staying numb from anesthetics

We offer both nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and general anesthesia options at our office. Please contact us for more information.

Pediatric dentists are specially trained to treat any child with special health care needs. A dental home is important to make sure that your child has someone to maintain your child's oral health. Our office wants to create an environment where your child feels safe, welcomed, and comfortable.
Please let us know when you make an appointment if your child has special needs. This will allow us to better prepare for your child's visit.
We also offer a complimentary site visit for your first appointment to allow the opportunity for your family and child to become familiar with our office and staff before coming in for any dental examination. We look forward to having you be a part of our family!