What is a Pediatric Dentist?

A pediatric dentist is dedicated to preserving children’s oral health from infancy through their teen years. 

These dentists have the experience and qualifications required to care for a child’s teeth, mouth, and gums. Parents should take their children to a dentist in Bel Air at six months, the age at which they begin to get their first baby teeth.

At the age of six or seven, children begin to lose their first set of teeth, making way for their permanent teeth to grow. Failure to provide children with proper dental care can increase the likelihood of children experiencing oral decay and disease later in life.  

Did you know that dental caries or cavities, the most common chronic oral health disease in children, is five times as common as asthma and seven times as common as hay fever?

For this reason, parents need to take proactive measures to protect their child’s oral health from an early age by taking them to an experienced and qualified local dentist, practicing pediatric dentistry. Pediatric Dentists complete four years of dental school with two years of residency training performing dental procedures on infants, children, adolescents, and children with special needs. They provide a wide range of dental treatments to their patients.

Pediatric Dentists Provide Different Types of Dental Treatments

Pediatric dentists provide children with the following of dental treatments:

• Infant oral health exams include risk assessment for tooth decay or cavities in mother and child
• Preventive oral dental health care includes cleaning and fluoride treatments, diet recommendations, and nutrition
• Habit counseling for thumb sucking and use of a pacifier
• Early dental health care assessment and treatment for teeth straightening and improper bite correction (orthodontics)
• Repair tooth defects or cavities
• Diagnosis of dental oral health conditions related to diseases such as congenital heart defect, diabetes, hay fever, asthma, and attention deficit or hyperactivity disorder
• Management of gum diseases and conditions such as short frenulum,  mucocele, ulcers, and pediatric periodontal disease
• Care for dental injuries such as knocked out, displaced, or fractured teeth

A dentist with a specialization in pediatric dentistry is responsible for educating both parents and children of practicing good dental oral health at home. A pediatric dentist aims to help their patients from an early age establish healthy habits. For instance, they will instruct children on the proper brushing and flossing teeth techniques they need to incorporate in their regular teeth cleaning routine at home. Regular dental checkups allow dentists to identify a dental issue before it worsens.

How a Pediatric Dentist Identifies a Dental Oral Health Issue

When children are young, cleaning their teeth is difficult, and this increases the likelihood of them experiencing tooth decay. By scheduling an appointment with a pediatric dentist in Bel Air, parents can prevent their children from facing dental oral health issues in the future.

Dentists will provide children with basic dental services such as teeth cleaning, fluoride treatments, and dental sealants to prevent tooth decay. A dentist can also help diagnose future oral health issues that the child may be at risk of experiencing later. When parents take their child to a dentist, they will conduct a multi-faceted comprehensive dental exam.

What a Comprehensive Dental Exam Includes

A comprehensive dental exam includes providing parents and children with crucial information to ensure the child’s teeth remain strong and healthy. A complete dental exam includes teeth cleaning, nutrition information, fluoride treatments, and habit counseling.

• A pediatric dentist may suggest applying sealants on the child’s teeth for additional protection.
• If the pediatric dentist uncovers any cavities or tooth decay during the dental examination, they will suggest dental treatments such as crowns, fillings, space maintainers, and extractions.
• The pediatric dentist will use x-rays and exams to identify the alignment of teeth and if teeth straightening with the help of orthodontic procedures is needed.
• The pediatric dentist will also perform a procedure in the event of a dental emergency such as damaged, lost, or broken teeth.
• The pediatric dentist will also diagnose and treat pediatric gum disease.

Parents need to schedule an appointment with a local dentist in Bel Air, as neglecting to visit one can result in tooth decay. When parents take their child to a pediatric dentist, they will use their extensive training to diagnose the issue.

What Are Pediatric Dentists Trained to Do?

• Identify dental oral health issues causing dental disease.
• Providing tips, suggestions, and advice to both parents and children on how to have healthy teeth and mouths.
• Delivering specialized methods to reduce the anxiety of children, ranging from using special techniques to providing them with local analgesia, dental sedation, and performing dental treatment on children while they are under anesthesia.
• Treating children with all types of medical, intellectual, and physical conditions such as performing dental procedures on children diagnosed with ADHD and autism.
• Working alongside pediatricians, doctors, nurses, health professionals, child care workers, and teachers to ensure that children receive the best possible dental oral health care possible.

If you are a parent of a child between the ages of 6 months and 18 years, you need to take your child to a pediatric dentist in Bel Air. You do not want to delay getting your children proper dental treatment, as children are more prone to tooth decay than adults. By taking your children to a local dentist at a young age, it instills good oral health habits, which they will continue for the remainder of their life.

For comprehensive dental oral health care, you can schedule an appointment with Laurel Bush Family Dentistry. Laurel Bush Family Dentistry offers a family-friendly environment with excellent dental services for both adults and children.