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The importance of pediatric dentistry
Children undergo amazing physical and emotional changes. Teeth also go through stages of development with children. When it comes to pediatric dentistry, your child’s smile is affected by many factors, both genetic and environmental.
While some issues are unavoidable, there are many things you can do to help your child achieve optimal oral health and a beautiful, functional smile. Our team will educate your children on proper oral hygiene, a healthy diet, and which oral habits and activities are harmful to their teeth and overall health.
It Starts with Good Oral Care
Early oral care, including routine dental checkups, allows our office to closely monitor your child’s oral development and health. Preventive dental care and timely treatment of emerging dental issues not only promote oral health but also overall health and a positive self-image.
You can trust our office with your child’s smile! We provide gentle, precise care in a warm and inviting setting. Piney Orchard Dental provides a wide range of dental services for children of all ages. Whether it’s your child’s first dental visit, a routine checkup, or treatment for a dental emergency – we’re ready to help.
We emphasize dental prevention as the key to good oral health. We help you and your child establish a good brushing and flossing routine and advise on nutrition and bad oral habits. Our entire team works hard to make each visit with your child fun, educational, and beneficial.
The Value of Routine Checkups
Dental issues cause a loss of 51 million school hours per year for kids and teens. We recommend twice-yearly dental checkups and cleanings for your child’s oral health and smile.
We are skilled and compassionate caregivers who understand the unique needs of children. During each visit, a member of our professional team will review your child’s medical and dental history before assessing the teeth, gums, jaws, and oral tissues. A bite, jaw alignment, and function will be evaluated.
We’ll take digital radiographs as needed to check for cavities, and infection, and to assess the position of your child’s developing teeth and the health of the jawbone. We’ll also perform a professional dental cleaning to remove plaque and debris from between the teeth and other hard-to-reach areas.
The Most Common Chronic Child Disease Is Tooth Decay
We’ll discuss the foods, beverages, and oral habits that can cause problems at every stage of your child’s development. While it’s not always easy to get kids to brush and floss regularly, we’ll help you make it a fun daily activity. Piney Orchard Dental is your trusted partner in monitoring your child’s oral health and development and pediatric dentistry all-around.
To help your child maintain good oral health and develop a positive attitude toward dental care, follow these guidelines:
- Create a dental partnership for your child.
- Do not let your child sleep with milk or juice.
- Take your child to the dentist for regular checkups.
- Exemplify the recommended tooth brushing and flossing routine.
- Promote healthy eating habits, such as drinking water instead of sugary drinks and sweets.
- Encourage your child to put away their pacifier and stop thumb or finger sucking when the time comes.
- Secure a mouthguard for your child during specific sports.
Your Child’s Smile
Your child’s first set of teeth begins to form even before birth. By the time your baby is a year old, some of the front teeth will have emerged. Determining a routine for oral care at a young age is critical. The American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry advise parents to take their baby to the dentist around their first birthday.
Assessing Facial and Dental Growth
We monitor your child’s facial growth, jaw development, and smile alignment in addition to checking for dental disease. If orthodontic treatment is required, we will advise you accordingly. Because many kids and teens have braces, it’s vital to pay extra attention to what they eat and how they brush their teeth.
Healthy Smiles Require Good Nutrition
A balanced, nutritious diet is essential for a growing child’s healthy smile. An excess of sticky, sugary foods and drinks are bad for kids’ oral health as well as overall health. A nutrient-dense diet is essential for healthy teeth and gums.
Piney Orchard Dental is Your Pediatric Dental Partner
The health and development of your child’s smile are our top priorities at Piney Orchard Dental and our pediatric dentistry program. We want to help children develop a lifetime of good oral health habits and enjoy the benefits of a healthy, beautiful smile.
Give us a call (443) 406-6884 and let’s talk about your next pediatric dental visit.