Maintaining Your Child’s Teeth throughout their Life

Pediatric dental care in Houston is one of the best methods for preparing your child for a healthy life. Pediatric dentists focus on preventative measures that reduce the likelihood of developing oral diseases such as periodontal disease and they also keep teeth healthy and strong.

Children the world over tend to develop a sweet tooth early on in life and this can have a negative effect on their oral health.

When combined with poor oral hygiene, it can make them a candidate for gum disease and decay.

Taking Care of Your Child’s Teeth

The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that children visit the dentist for the first time as soon as their first tooth comes in, but no later than 12 months old.

●     This first visit should just be a preliminary examination to check on the development of the teeth as well as to introduce the child to the dental staff.

By avoiding an invasive first visit, such as if a child’s first visit is due to a mouth injury or cavity, it helps the child to build trust with their dentist.

●     The ADA also recommends that children and adults have regular checkups every six months and x-rays once per year.

These checkups and x-rays are also non-invasive, helping to continue building trust, but also monitor teeth development and perform cleanings.

●     After the child’s molars have come in, they should have them sealed.

Sealing the molars is completely painless and helps prevent cavities by smoothing out the grooves of the back teeth, making them easier to brush.

●     Children entering sports programs should visit the dentist to have a custom mouth guard constructed to protect their teeth from injury.

Recreational activities like after school sports programs can be dangerous to partake in. Sudden impacts to the mouth from collisions or being hit by a ball or puck can damage teeth, causing them to be chipped or knocked out.

●     Once they reach their late teens, they should have their wisdom teeth checked to see if there is enough space to accommodate them. If not, they may need to be extracted.

Wisdom teeth erupt from the gums between the ages of 17 and 23, but if there isn’t enough space for them, they can press on other teeth, causing pain or damaging them.

Treating Children with Sedation Dentistry

Sedation dentistry can be used to calm children who are hesitant or fearful about visiting the dentist.

For everything from root canals to fillings, sedation dentistry reduces pain sensation and calms the patient, allowing the dentist to accomplish a lot in a shorter amount of time.

This method can be especially helpful for children who are fidgety as well.

Sedation dentistry for kids requires extensive training and certification, so you can rest assured that your child is in good hands with this safe method of dentistry.

The level of sedation is continually monitored to ensure the patient is right on the cusp of consciousness, so nothing more than a gentle nudge is needed to awaken them.

For procedures that are less invasive, not even that much sedation is needed. The amount is regulated to give them just enough for the dentist to complete all their necessary tasks, and nothing more.