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Receiving appropriate pediatric dental care from an early age can help avoid many common dental problems. We love establishing relationships with children, treating them as gently as they were our own.
We would love your child to grow up regarding My New Jersey Dentist as their dental home, where they feel safe, relaxed, and able to discuss all their oral health needs with our friendly dental team.
Pediatric dentistry is a recognized dental specialty in the United States. A pediatric dentist has first qualified as a general dentist. They then continue with their education, completing several years more training and a residency program before they are eligible to become board-certified.
There are many reasons why children can benefit from seeing a pediatric dentist.
Everyone needs good dental health, and oral health impacts overall health. The mouth is an entry point to the rest of the body and contains hundreds of strains of bacteria, some of which are harmful. A healthy mouth prevents these bacteria from entering the body, where they can impact general health.
When a child can see a pediatric dentist, we can help them establish good oral care habits early on, such as regular brushing and flossing. These habits help control these harmful bacteria, prevent problems like tooth decay and gum disease, and protect general health.
We prefer a preventive approach to pediatric dentistry as many common dental problems are avoidable with the right oral care. Regular dental checkups with a pediatric dentist help detect small changes to a child’s oral health so we can provide appropriate treatment more quickly.
This approach helps avoid dental emergencies that can be painful and upsetting for children, especially if it is the first time they see a dentist and learn to associate dentistry with pain. A preventive approach ensures that children see regular dental exams and hygiene appointments as a routine part of life and nothing to fear, reducing their risk of growing up with dental fears and phobias.
Regular preventive dentistry gives them the best chance of growing up with strong, healthy, and evenly aligned teeth and a nice facial profile.
We recommend scheduling your child’s first dental visit with a pediatric dentist by age one or soon after they get their first teeth. Early dental care ensures they receive the right examinations and appropriate treatment to help prevent dental problems in the future. It is especially important to look after their baby or primary teeth.
Before your child is born, their first set of teeth, called baby or primary teeth, have already formed in their jaws. They begin erupting around six months, and it’s important to begin caring for them properly.
Although baby teeth are not permanent, they are vital to your child’s development. They act as placeholders for adult teeth and enable your child to begin eating a more varied and nutritious diet. Baby teeth also allow your child to learn to speak clearly so they can start communicating with others.
Without the right care, baby teeth can soon develop cavities. They are covered with a thinner layer of tooth enamel than adult teeth, making them more vulnerable to decay.
A child’s primary teeth are more likely to develop cavities if you send them to bed with a bottle containing a sugary liquid, a problem called baby bottle syndrome. Allowing them to eat lots of sugary foods can have the same effect. Failing to establish a good dental care routine also increases the risk of cavities.
If baby teeth are lost too soon, the remaining baby teeth may drift towards the empty spaces left behind. As the adult teeth try to erupt, there may be insufficient room for them to come through. Your child may need an orthodontic appliance called a space maintainer to hold open the gap until the adult teeth are ready to erupt, or early tooth loss can increase the need for orthodontics later.
Initially, you may only need to wipe them with a clean piece of gauze or washcloth, but as more teeth emerge, you must begin brushing them with an infant toothbrush and a small smear of toothpaste. It’s vital to remember your baby cannot spit out toothpaste at this age, so don’t use too much. If you are unsure how to clean your baby’s teeth, ask us for help and advice.
When children first see a dentist, they are usually curious about a new environment, and our gentle approach to children’s dental care will help them feel relaxed. Hopefully, they will enjoy a ride in the dental chair. We know young children struggle to sit still, and a pediatric dentist specializes in ensuring treatments are more comfortable. The aim is to ensure this and every future visit is a positive and enjoyable experience.
Our pediatric dentist will conduct a short dental exam to check your child’s teeth, gums, and jaws are growing and developing correctly and to assess their oral tissues. We use child-sized dental tools designed to fit into smaller mouths more comfortably. A dental cleaning removes plaque and tartar buildup, leaving your child with beautifully fresh breath.
We work closely with parents and can help create healthy oral habits, such as demonstrating the right techniques for brushing and flossing a child’s teeth. Our pediatric dentist can discuss the importance of diet and how it affects dental health and other matters concerning oral health.
We know that brushing and flossing a young child’s teeth can be tricky for everyone concerned. However, we have some tips that can help make this essential task more enjoyable and fun for you both. We aim to provide parents with all the information needed to look after their child’s mouth until they are old enough to brush and floss independently.
As your child grows up, they will want to begin brushing and flossing their teeth on their own. We can help by working with them directly so they learn the best techniques right from the start. We can also gently explain why good dental care is so important.
Sometimes, it can be easier for a child to learn this from dental professionals rather than parents. We use age-appropriate language and are experts in educating children in a fun yet informative way.
As your child grows up, their facial bones, teeth, and jaws develop quickly and must be monitored carefully. As more teeth erupt, our pediatric dentist will continually check their bite during every dental checkup. If required, we may recommend an early orthodontic evaluation.
An early orthodontic evaluation can take place as soon as age five or six and can be useful because your child’s jaws and facial bones are still developing. If necessary, their growth can be guided using orthodontic appliances. Sometimes, this approach can eliminate the need for braces during their teens or reduce the time needed for orthodontic care later.
As children enter their teens and become more independent, it’s crucial to ensure they continue coming to see us for regular dental checkups and hygiene appointments, even if they are busy. If your teen is wearing braces, we can ensure they know how to clean around them thoroughly.
We can continue providing useful age-appropriate information, such as how to maintain fresh breath and how their dietary choices may affect oral health. For example, busy teens often grab snacks that can be laden with harmful sugars. Our pediatric dentist can explain which foods are better than others and why, helping them make better choices that protect their oral and overall health.
Pediatric dentistry helps children grow up enjoying all the benefits of healthy, confident, and attractive smiles. Our dental office uses the latest preventive dentistry techniques to provide pediatric dentistry safely and comfortably.
We like to begin seeing children while they are still young; if your child is older and has yet to see a pediatric dentist, it’s never too late to establish a regular preventive dental care routine. Please contact us to schedule an appointment with our friendly pediatric dental team. A healthy, attractive smile is a wonderful asset and a great gift to give your child.
