When Can Babies Start Teething - In Your Local Santa Cruz, CA Area

Your Child's First Trip To The Pediatric Dentist

Healthy baby teeth are important. They are the placeholders for the permanent teeth that follow. Studies show that 50% of two-year olds have one or more decayed baby teeth. So visiting a pediatric dentist can ensure that those baby teeth are getting the attention they deserve.

How can you make that first visit to the pediatric dentist easier for your child?

Keep it low key. Going to the pediatric dentist should be treated as a routine event. Discuss it with your child no more than a day or two ahead of the visit. Your child will have less time to become anxious and hear horror stories from friends.

Stay upbeat. Say a pediatric dentist is a doctor who makes sure our teeth are okay. Don't make promises (such as, it won't hurt) you may not be able to keep.

Use your pediatric dentist's name. Hearing the pediatric dentist's and other staff members' names brings the visit to a more personal level.

Make the appointment early in the day so your child won't have all day to think about the visit. And, usually young children behave better in the morning.

A positive first visit can benefit your child's dental health for many years to come and can actually affect how your child views the pediatric dentist for the rest of his or her life. Do what you can to make the first impression positive.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

Dental Disease And Children's Gums

If your child complains that his or her young gums are sore, tender, or bleed after brushing or flossing, these might be warning signs of gingivitis, an early stage of periodontal disease. The word "periodontal" comes from the Greek meaning "around the tooth." Healthy gum tissue and bone support each tooth.

Young gum disease threatens the support system that healthy teeth need. If not treated, it can lead to serious problems including tooth loss.

What Causes Children's Gum Disease?

Certain types of bacteria found in plaque (that sticky film in the mouth) create toxins. This irritates the gums, causing tenderness and bleeding. As gums loosen around teeth, little pockets form and fill with plaque. If left untreated, the toxins destroy the tissues surrounding the teeth. This can lead to further complications, so it's important to treat young gum disease promptly.

What Can Be Done to Prevent Children's Gum Disease?

Good daily pediatric dental care is essential. If plaque isn't removed completely every 24 to 48 hours, it hardens into tartar, that can only be removed by pediatric dental care professionals.

Brushing twice a day and cleaning between teeth helps to remove plaque. If children are too young to brush themselves, they will need your help. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste.

Clean between teeth with dental floss or interdental cleaners (special picks, brushes, or sticks) to remove food particles trapped between teeth and plaque. Anytime two teeth touch, they must be cleaned in between. Tooth decay and young gum disease often starts in these areas, so flossing is very important! Teach children how to floss and help them until they're old enough to do it themselves.

Teens, ages 12 or older, can use an anti-microbial mouth rinse approved by the American Dental Association. This helps in controlling the plaque that forms above the gum line. These rinses are available only by prescription from your pediatric dentist.

Regular pediatric dental care check-ups and cleanings, usually about twice a year, help to remove the plaque that hardens into tartar under the gum line. Tartar can only be removed professionally.

How Is Gingivitis Treated in Children?

In the early stages, proper pediatric dental care helps restore gum tissue along with plaque and tartar removal around the teeth. Your dentist will design a pediatric dental care program for your child's specific needs. Doing so will help prevent young gum disease.

By Brian J. Gray, DDS, MAGD, FICO

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.