Part of keeping your kids healthy is to make sure they visit a dentist regularly. The right dentist can address the oral needs of your children from infancy through high school. Here is a guide to help you pick the right dentist for your family's needs.
Pediatric care
You want to choose a dentist who specializes in pediatric care. A pediatric dentist is best able to detect and treat issues that are common to very young children, such as teeth deformities from thumb sucking and cavities or enamel erosion from excessive bottle use. They are also skilled in diagnosing mouth deformities, such as a curved or soft palette or maxillary frenum (the flap of skin present above the top front teeth) abnormalities.
Variety of preventative care
Your children will need fluoride treatments to prevent cavities. Sealants are also placed on back teeth to prevent cavities and decay in the deep crevices of forming teeth. You want to choose a dentist that offers a variety of preventative care treatments to keep your children's teeth healthy, including education for you as the parent on the best ways to brush your young ones' teeth and the best type of toothbrushes to purchase. Choose a dentist that offers an extensive preventative care program to help keep your kids' oral health on the right track. Some dentists even provide oral care kits that parents can take home to help care for their children's teeth in between checkups.
Treatment for common issues
Finally, you want to choose a dentist who is skilled in treating ailments that are common to young children. A dentist should be able to diagnose and repair chipped or broken teeth, treat a torn maxillary frenum, and be able to detect when a child may need braces. While all dentists are able to perform basic dental procedures such as filling cavities and providing teeth cleaning, you want to choose a dental clinic where you can have dental emergencies addressed as well without having to be referred to someone else.
If you don't know what dentist you should choose for your children, your children's doctor can help you pick a dental clinic that will fit your needs best. You can also call pediatric dentists in your area to see what kinds of services they provide to help you make a decision on which one to choose for your family's needs. The right dentist should be able to take care of your children's oral health from infancy on into their teen years.
Share22 October 2015
Being born with naturally soft teeth, I've spent a lot of time in and out of the dentist's office. Not only have I learned a lot about basic dental care, I've also discovered many tips for dealing with broken teeth, extractions, implants, and more. I decided that I wanted to make the most of my experience by sharing what I've learned with others. True first-hand experience is a great teacher, and I knew that my story could help. I created this site to do just that, and I hope that the information here helps you to understand what to expect from your dental problems.