Frequently Asked Child Dentist Questions

If you have children, you may not know when is the best time to first visit a pediatric dentist or when to expect their first teeth to erupt. But you can't afford to ignore these dental health issues, because the decisions you make now for your children, can ensure them good oral health when they grow up, or consign them to years of attempting to fix tooth and gum issues. So to help you out, here are some frequently asked questions that parents have about pediatric dentistry.

When Should I Take My Child To A Dentist For the First Time? -- Many adults think that they should wait until their child or children have a full set of teeth before visiting a pediatric dentist—like those at The Caring Dental Team—for the first time, but that's not true. Most child dentists advise that you book a visit six months to a year after your child's first tooth grows. The reason is that a pediatric dentist is best equipped to diagnose signs of future problems by examining your child's mouth as early as possible. Remember that child dentists can detect issues such as the improper spacing of teeth without needing to see the actual teeth erupt.

When Do Most Children Lose Their First Teeth? -- There's no exact age when your child will start losing his first set of teeth, but in general, you will see this process begin by the time your child is four years old. Baby teeth will continue to fall out until your child enters the early part of his teenage years.

If Baby Teeth Will Fall Out, Why Should a Dentist Fix Them? -- While it's true that your child's first set of teeth will fall out and be replaced by permanent ones, leaving baby teeth untended can cause future problems. If your child's baby tooth decays over time without you having that tooth treated by a dentist, you run the risk of that decay passing into the root of the tooth, which can affect the growth of the permanent tooth. Think of baby teeth as place holders for permanent teeth, and you'll understand how important it is for a child dentist to see your children as early as possible.

How Can I Help My Child Maintain Good Oral Hygiene? -- In addition to twice-a-day brushing and flossing, you should get in the habit of teaching your kids to rinse with water after every meal, especially meals that included the consumption of sweets, soda or fruit juice, as sugar forms on the enamel, and can lead to decay if it isn't flushed away on a regular basis. In addition, provide straws for your kids when they drink sugary drinks, which helps limit the amount of sugar that touches their teeth.