Children, even very young children, need dental care just like you do. When the need arises, it's only natural that you make an appointment with your own family dentist, but some parents use specially trained pediatric dentists. Read on to find out what sets pediatric dentists apart and make the right decision for your family.
The Need for Early Care
Setting up good oral hygiene habits are best done early. Baby teeth are not immune to cavities and the problem of permanent teeth trying to emerge before the loss of baby teeth is a fairly common one. Making the pediatric dentist decision means looking the training and differences between a regular dentist and a pediatric dentist.
Pediatric Dentist Training
Just like your regular dentist, pediatric dentists have to go through four years at a dental college. In addition to this, however, those who can call themselves pediatric dentists have two more years of training under their belts. This training prepares them for dealing with the special needs of babies, toddlers, children, and teenagers.
Special Areas of Concern
If your child falls into any of the categories below, it might be best to speak to a pediatric dentist about their dental care:
1. Cavities – Tooth decay can occur early, and even baby teeth can have cavities. Dealing with this issue means using the same basic filling techniques as any dentist, but pediatric dentists often have more relaxation and pain control methods at their disposal. Using sedation with children may necessary due to the need to keep a child from moving about during intricate procedure. In many cases, pediatric dentists call on those trained in administering pain control to children. A child who is traumatized by an early dental experience is probably not as likely to follow up with good dental care when they are older.
2. Habits – Thumb-sucking and the use of pacifiers can affect the bite of a child.
3. Injuries – Active children can end up having teeth cracked or knocked out.
4. Childhood diseases and conditions that affect oral health – Diabetes, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, heart conditions, and more.
Finding a Pediatric Dentist
Ask at any school function, and you are sure to be provided with numerous recommendations. Parents have strong opinions on professionals who deal with their children and most look for a dentist with the training, experience, and expertise needed. The other major factor to look for in a dentist is personality. Your child may actually look forward to going to the dentist who has a good rapport with children. Additionally, big screens to watch and video games to play while waiting and during procedures are a big plus with kids. To find a pediatric dentist, visit the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
For more information, check out a website like http://www.childrensdent.com.
Share31 May 2019
My son was outside playing with some friends when he accidentally fell down and hit his mouth on the sidewalk. The fall knocked out his front tooth, so I immediately placed the tooth in a small jar and added some milk. I rushed my son to the dental clinic and the dentist immediately took us into the examination room. The dentist placed the tooth back into the socket and saved it. My name is Beverly Tillman and thanks to the quick work of the dentist, my son didn't lose his tooth. Since this was a scary time for me and my son, I wanted to write this blog as a source of information for other parents who are facing a dental emergency. First of all, don't panic and get to your dentist as soon as possible. I hope this blog will help to answer your questions about dental emergencies.