{"id":203974,"date":"2020-09-16T11:01:56","date_gmt":"2020-09-16T11:01:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wemakekidssmile.net\/?p=203974"},"modified":"2020-10-03T17:47:39","modified_gmt":"2020-10-03T17:47:39","slug":"10-wonderful-things-a-pediatric-dentist-can-do-for-your-child","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wemakekidssmile.net\/10-wonderful-things-a-pediatric-dentist-can-do-for-your-child\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Wonderful Things a Pediatric Dentist Can Do for Your Child"},"content":{"rendered":"

Safeguarding your child\u2019s oral health as they grow.<\/h1>\n

Taking your child to the dentist can feel like an ordeal; there are often a lot of factors involved in scheduling the appointment and keeping your child calm through it. Many parents have to work around a busy schedule and worry about arriving on time or how their child will behave once they get there. While the very idea might be stressful, it\u2019s unavoidable because taking your child to the dentist is an essential part of keeping them healthy. Thankfully, however, it doesn\u2019t have to be stressful\u2014a truly great pediatric dentist will help you and your child by making the appointment more enjoyable for both of you. Whether you\u2019re just starting your search for a \u201cchildren\u2019s dentist near me\u201d or you\u2019re already a regular at our Frederick pediatric dentistry or Waldorf, MD, office, here are 10 ways a pediatric dentist can help your child.<\/p>\n

1. Treat tongue-tie in nursing babies.<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re having trouble getting your infant to breastfeed, tongue-tie could be the culprit. Tongue-tie is when the band of tissue that tethers the bottom of your child\u2019s tongue to the floor of their mouth, called the frenulum, is unusually short, thick, or tight. In addition to problems with breastfeeding, tongue-tie can impact the way your child speaks or swallows. Your pediatric dentist can identify if your child has a tongue-tie that may be causing problems and can resolve the issue by using a dental laser to cut the frenulum, freeing the tongue. It\u2019s a quick, painless procedure that can be done with or without anesthesia. Plus, the laser sterilizes and cauterizes as it cuts, so there\u2019s minimal bleeding and a reduced risk of infection; your baby will be able to resume breastfeeding as soon as the procedure is over.<\/p>\n

2. Keep little mouths healthy.<\/h2>\n

Taking your child to the dentist for a regular appointment<\/a> is essential for protecting their oral health because it gives their pediatric dentist the opportunity to check their teeth for signs of cavities while making sure their gums are healthy. If your child is teething, their dentist will also be able to make sure that their teeth are developing normally.<\/p>\n

Additionally, they\u2019ll perform a preventive cleaning to remove plaque and tartar from your child\u2019s teeth. Tartar is hardened plaque that bonds to tooth enamel, making it impossible for you to get off at home when you brush your child\u2019s teeth. Since tartar contains bacteria, a pediatric dentist must remove it during a regular appointment to prevent it from causing oral health issues in your child\u2019s mouth.<\/p>\n

3. Prevent cavities.<\/h2>\n

Pediatric dentists have a wide range of tools at their disposal to help prevent your child from getting cavities in the first place. In addition to giving your child a preventive dental cleaning every six months to remove plaque and hardened tartar from their teeth, pediatric dentists can help protect your child\u2019s teeth from cavities by applying a sealant or a fluoride varnish.<\/p>\n

4. Help you through the teething process.<\/h2>\n

The teething process can be difficult for you and your child\u2014especially if you\u2019re a first-time parent. It can be difficult to see your little one in pain or to know how to help relieve their discomfort. Your child\u2019s pediatric dentist can help you know what to expect from the teething process, including when your baby should start and finish teething, which baby teeth are likely to erupt first, and how you can manage your child\u2019s discomfort. Plus, if you run into a specific question at home, your child\u2019s pediatric dentist is always a reliable source of information.<\/p>\n

5. Offer advice on breaking habits like thumb-sucking or using a pacifier.<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s completely normal for babies and toddlers to suck their thumb or a pacifier\u2014in fact, it\u2019s a healthy, self-soothing technique that does a lot of good when they\u2019re little. As they grow up and their teeth begin to come in, however, it can cause problems by impacting the angle of their teeth or the shape of their palate. Many children will stop the habit on their own, but if they haven\u2019t stopped around the age of two, it might be a good idea to start thinking about weaning them off. Thankfully, your child\u2019s dentist has lots of experience helping parents through this stage of their child\u2019s life, so they can give you plenty of advice on how\u2014and when\u2014you should begin breaking these habits.<\/p>\n

6. Give advice on how to interest your child in oral hygiene at home.<\/h2>\n

Getting your child to stick to a regular, thorough oral hygiene routine can be difficult, especially as they begin wanting to feel more independent. Your child\u2019s pediatric dentist can give you plenty of ideas to help interest your kids in oral hygiene, from dancing to music while you brush your teeth<\/a> together to starting a chart to keep track of how they\u2019re doing and giving them rewards at the end of each day or week when they\u2019ve done well. Their dentist will also do their best during your child\u2019s regular appointments to encourage them and help them see how important oral hygiene is.<\/p>\n

7. Predict if your child will need orthodontic treatments.<\/h2>\n

Around the age of seven, enough of your child\u2019s adult teeth, including their back molars, have come in to allow their dentist to use modern technology to predict what their bite will look like. This means that their pediatric dentist can predict whether or not your child will need orthodontic treatment, giving you plenty of time to plan and prepare for the treatment. With long-term treatments like braces, it\u2019s always good to have a few years to get your child used to the idea, look into treatment options, and save up a little money if you need to.<\/p>\n

8. Be there for emergencies.<\/h2>\n

No matter how great your child is at staying on track with their oral hygiene routine, dental emergencies can happen\u2014especially as they get older and begin playing sports or rough-housing more. Whether it\u2019s a toothache or a dental injury like a knocked-out or chipped tooth, dealing with a dental emergency can be scary. Your child\u2019s pediatric dentist can help you through dental emergencies, making sure your child gets high-quality treatment right away.<\/p>\n

9. Establish a life-long love of dentist\u2019s visits.<\/h2>\n

A great pediatric dentist will make sure that dentistry for children is more than just an okay experience\u2014they\u2019ll go the extra mile to ensure it\u2019s a genuinely fun experience! Pediatric dentists and their staff know how to handle children of all ages and personality types, so they\u2019re experts at helping kids feel comfortable and excited during their appointment. Not only will this ensure that your child\u2019s dental appointments go a bit more smoothly, but it will help ensure that your child doesn\u2019t suffer from life-long anxiety at the dentist. Instead, they\u2019ll benefit from a love of the dentist that will help them feel comfortable in a dental chair through every stage of their life!<\/p>\n

10. Encourage a love of good oral care habits.<\/h2>\n

If you teach your child about and encourage good oral healthcare habits in a fun way while they\u2019re still young, they\u2019re much more likely to stick to these healthy habits as they grow up and become adults. Similarly, if they had a great pediatric dentist who helped them feel comfortable at dental appointments, they won\u2019t feel tempted to avoid dental appointments as an adult. All of these factors will keep their mouth\u2014and the rest of their body\u2014healthier for their entire life.<\/p>\n

Taking your child to the pediatric dentist is vital for their oral and overall health, and choosing the right dentist will have a lasting impact on your child by helping them build life-long habits that\u2019ll keep their oral and overall health in shape. If you\u2019re looking for a dentist in Waldorf, MD, or a dentist in Frederick, or if you simply need to schedule your child\u2019s next appointment, feel free to call our office<\/a> at any time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Safeguarding your child\u2019s oral health as they grow. Taking your child to the dentist can feel like an ordeal; there are often a lot of factors involved in scheduling the appointment and keeping your child calm through it. Many parents have to work around a busy schedule and worry about arriving on time or how […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":203977,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[48,33,46,51,50,34,49],"yoast_head":"\n10 Wonderful Things a Pediatric Dentist Can Do for Your Child<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A pediatric dentist can give you advice that will help you encourage healthy habits in your child outside of regular appointments.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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