Parents who desire their children to have healthy teeth and beautiful smiles must ensure they see a pediatric dentist early enough. The professionals are trained to offer dental care services for children while providing a pleasant dentist experience. This post provides critical insights into pediatric dental care services.
Who Is a Pediatric Dentist?
Pediatric dentists are specialist doctors who focus on managing oral health issues affecting infants, babies, and teenagers. The dentists have the expertise to deal with any condition affecting the mouth, gums, and teeth throughout the different stages of childhood.
The following are the primary pediatric dental care services:
- Diagnosis for oral conditions
- Habit counseling, including finger sucking and teeth grinding
- Managing gum disease
- Oral hygiene education
- Orthodontic care
- Placing fissure sealants, space maintainers, and maxillary dental apparatus
- Preventive dental care like tooth cleaning and fluoride treatment
What Are the Benefits of Pediatric Dentistry?
The primary benefit of seeing pediatric dentists is their specialized training. Thus, they understand oral health issues that affect children better. Then, they have experience dealing with dental procedures for children, making their service effective and safe. For instance, pediatric dentists have a way of reducing the stress of visiting a dental office. Thus, the children are calmer during the visit, making them look forward to routine check-ups.
Pediatric dentists provide a sense of continuity by delivering dental care until the children become teenagers. Therefore, they understand the child's changing dental needs throughout their development. Again, the doctors help children overcome negative habits like thumb sucking and adopt good oral hygiene practices.
When to Schedule a Visit to a Pediatric Dentist
According to the American Association of Pediatric Dentistry, parents should take their children for their first dental visit by the age of one. The pediatric dentist conducts a full exam on the teeth, gums, and jaws during the first visit. This check-up helps to identify any oral health issues and assess teeth development. In some cases, such as jammed teeth, the dentist may order an X-rays diagnosis. Also, the dentist may conduct soft teeth cleaning to remove plaque and tartar. After the first visit, the dentist recommends oral check-ups every six months. Regular dental visits help build good habits and monitor any oral health issues.
Children have unique oral health issues and need specialized pediatric dental care services. You can find a pediatric dentist in various medical facilities or get a referral from your pediatrician and other parents.
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