The first dental visit should be sometime around your child's first birthday. The first dental visit is usually short and involves very little treatment. We may ask you to sit in the dental chair and hold your child during the examination. You may also be asked to wait in the reception area during part of the visit so that a relationship can be built between your child and the dentist.
We will gently examine your child's teeth and gums. X-rays may be taken (to reveal decay and check on the progress of your child's permanent teeth under the gums). We may clean your child's teeth and apply topical fluoride to help protect the teeth against decay. We will make sure your child is receiving adequate fluoride at home. Most important of all, we will review with you how to clean and care for your child's teeth.
This question is asked frequently. We suggest you prepare your child the same way you would before their first haircut or trip to the shoe store. Your child's reaction to his first visit to the dentist may surprise you.
Tooth decay and children no longer have to go hand in hand. Our office is concerned with all aspects of preventive care. We use the latest in dental sealant technology to protect your child's teeth. Dental sealants are space-age plastics that are bonded to the chewing surfaces of decay-prone back teeth. This is just one of the ways we will set the foundation for your child's lifetime of good oral health.
Most of the time cavities are due to a diet high in sugar and a lack of brushing. Limiting sugar intake and brushing regularly can help.
When chewing, an acid reaction occurs inside the mouth as bacteria digests the sugars. This reaction lasts approximately 20 minutes. During this time the acid environment can destroy the tooth structure, eventually leading to cavities.
Consistency of a person's saliva also makes a difference; thinner saliva breaks up and washes away food more quickly. When a person eats a diet high in carbohydrates and sugars they tend to have thicker saliva, which in turn allows more of the acid-producing bacteria that can cause cavities.
The first baby teeth that come into the mouth are the two bottom front teeth. You will notice this when your baby is about 6-8 months old. These two are followed by the 4 upper front teeth. The remainder of your baby's teeth will appear periodically, usually in pairs along the sides of the jaw until the child is about 2 1/2 years old.
At around 2 1/2 years old your child should have all 20 teeth. Between the ages of 5 and 6 the first permanent teeth begin to erupt. Some of the permanent teeth replace baby teeth and some don't. Don't worry if some teeth are a few months early or late. All children are different.
Baby teeth are important. They not only hold space for permanent teeth, but they are important to chewing, biting, speech and appearance. For this reason it is important to help your child maintain a healthy diet and practice a daily hygiene routine.
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Serving The Following Cities:
Bellingham WA • Ferndale WA • Mt. Vernon WA • Lynden WA • Burlington WA • Blaine WA
Vancouver BC
Address: 2814 Flint Street • Bellingham, WA 98226 • Phone: 360-734-9928
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