Angie's List: Choosing a dentist for your toddler
LEWISTON, ID - According to the American Dental Association, 75 percent of people have a fear of the dentist, and 10 percent of those fears turn into phobias.
Take your child to the dentist early to ease any fears and teach them good dental habits. When looking for a dentist you want to find someone who relates well to children so whether you are using a family dentist or a pediatric dentist the key here is finding someone that is gentle, relates well to the kids, and even talks in their language.
A pediatric dentist is the best bet for your child's first few dental visit experiences. A pediatric dentist has the training and experience in working with kids. You'll want a dentist who is sensitive to your child's needs and can make the appointment as positive an experience as possible. Remember to schedule your child for an oral health screening by her first birthday.
"The gold standard is 12 months of age," said Pediatric Dentist Dr. Charles Poland. "We also know that there are some kids that are at a very low risk of tooth decay that don’t need to start until their sometime between the age of 16(months), but surely by 19 months. Those are children that the pediatrician has done a tooth decay risk assessment for and found to be at an extremely low risk because of the various preventive dentistry things that are already going on within the family.”
“It may be surprising to many parents, but the American Dental Association actually recommends that the child start visiting the dentist after they receive their first tooth or right after their first birthday. And what is key for parents to understand is that this can create really good healthy habits for their child’s lifetime,” Angie Hicks confirms.
19 month old Reagan Rehme's father, Clark, tells us, "We decided to go ahead and bring her to the dentist at the age of 12-14 months because when we took her to her pediatrician for her yearly checkup they said we might want to look into going to a dentist and told us that there are plenty online that specialize on pediatric dentistry. We found on that we are real happy with and convenient so that’s why we decided to take her into the dentist.”
Angie says, "The vast majority of Americans admit to having some fear of going to the dentist and that is why it’s important to introduce your child to the dentist before they have a chance to develop these fears so that they can get used to going to the dentist and feel comfortable."
When choosing a dentist for your children you want to do your research check their credentials, talk to family and friends, check reviews and what other patients have said about them. Also, visit them and take your child with you to make sure your child is going to feel comfortable when they do actually have their cleaning.
Why are baby teeth important?
Healthy baby teeth:
• Allow your child to chew and eat properly.
• Help your child speak clearly.
• Shape your baby's face.
• Guide adult teeth into place.
Dental decay in baby teeth affects your child's overall health.
• Cavities can be painful.
• Cavities can interfere with your child's ability to eat well.
• Dental disease can affect your child's overall health and development.
Don’t put food, pacifiers, utensils in your mouth and then in your baby’s mouth. Many parents “clean” pacifiers by putting them in their mouths and then giving them back to their babies, but cavity-causing germs are easily passed to infants and toddlers this way. Germs can also be shared when parents test food or share utensils with their child.
No matter how careful you are, your baby will get some of your germs, so keeping the germs down by taking care of YOUR oral health is important.
Clark Rehme agrees, "I think the most important thing for us to was, I didn’t think about this, but a parents dental health is very important too because you can pass things on to her and all of a sudden I find myself carrying around more dental floss and trying to brush a little more then I normally do. Being a first time parent I find myself brushing quite a bit now more than anytime I was just a single guy on my own.”
Get Started with Cleaning
Before teeth begin to come in, gently clean your baby’s gums with a clean soft cloth after each feeding. This will help your baby get used to having their gums (and later teeth) cleaned.
As soon as your baby’s teeth start to come in, begin to clean their teeth and gums with a small soft toothbrush and a smear of fluoridated toothpaste—about as big as a grain of rice.
Tips to Make Cleaning Easier
• Try placing your baby’s head in your lap to make it easier to brush. Gently stabilize your baby’s head. Lift or lightly press your baby’s lips away from the teeth.
• Use a small soft toothbrush.
• Brush every surface of your baby’s teeth. Move the brush in tiny circles. You can use a clean damp cloth instead of a brush if you and your baby prefer.
• Use a smear of fluoridated toothpaste—about as big as a grain of rice.
Make brushing a positive
Take your child to the dentist early to ease any fears and teach them good dental habits. When looking for a dentist you want to find someone who relates well to children so whether you are using a family dentist or a pediatric dentist the key here is finding someone that is gentle, relates well to the kids, and even talks in their language.
A pediatric dentist is the best bet for your child's first few dental visit experiences. A pediatric dentist has the training and experience in working with kids. You'll want a dentist who is sensitive to your child's needs and can make the appointment as positive an experience as possible. Remember to schedule your child for an oral health screening by her first birthday.
"The gold standard is 12 months of age," said Pediatric Dentist Dr. Charles Poland. "We also know that there are some kids that are at a very low risk of tooth decay that don’t need to start until their sometime between the age of 16(months), but surely by 19 months. Those are children that the pediatrician has done a tooth decay risk assessment for and found to be at an extremely low risk because of the various preventive dentistry things that are already going on within the family.”
“It may be surprising to many parents, but the American Dental Association actually recommends that the child start visiting the dentist after they receive their first tooth or right after their first birthday. And what is key for parents to understand is that this can create really good healthy habits for their child’s lifetime,” Angie Hicks confirms.
19 month old Reagan Rehme's father, Clark, tells us, "We decided to go ahead and bring her to the dentist at the age of 12-14 months because when we took her to her pediatrician for her yearly checkup they said we might want to look into going to a dentist and told us that there are plenty online that specialize on pediatric dentistry. We found on that we are real happy with and convenient so that’s why we decided to take her into the dentist.”
Angie says, "The vast majority of Americans admit to having some fear of going to the dentist and that is why it’s important to introduce your child to the dentist before they have a chance to develop these fears so that they can get used to going to the dentist and feel comfortable."
When choosing a dentist for your children you want to do your research check their credentials, talk to family and friends, check reviews and what other patients have said about them. Also, visit them and take your child with you to make sure your child is going to feel comfortable when they do actually have their cleaning.
Why are baby teeth important?
Healthy baby teeth:
• Allow your child to chew and eat properly.
• Help your child speak clearly.
• Shape your baby's face.
• Guide adult teeth into place.
Dental decay in baby teeth affects your child's overall health.
• Cavities can be painful.
• Cavities can interfere with your child's ability to eat well.
• Dental disease can affect your child's overall health and development.
Don’t put food, pacifiers, utensils in your mouth and then in your baby’s mouth. Many parents “clean” pacifiers by putting them in their mouths and then giving them back to their babies, but cavity-causing germs are easily passed to infants and toddlers this way. Germs can also be shared when parents test food or share utensils with their child.
No matter how careful you are, your baby will get some of your germs, so keeping the germs down by taking care of YOUR oral health is important.
Clark Rehme agrees, "I think the most important thing for us to was, I didn’t think about this, but a parents dental health is very important too because you can pass things on to her and all of a sudden I find myself carrying around more dental floss and trying to brush a little more then I normally do. Being a first time parent I find myself brushing quite a bit now more than anytime I was just a single guy on my own.”
Get Started with Cleaning
Before teeth begin to come in, gently clean your baby’s gums with a clean soft cloth after each feeding. This will help your baby get used to having their gums (and later teeth) cleaned.
As soon as your baby’s teeth start to come in, begin to clean their teeth and gums with a small soft toothbrush and a smear of fluoridated toothpaste—about as big as a grain of rice.
Tips to Make Cleaning Easier
• Try placing your baby’s head in your lap to make it easier to brush. Gently stabilize your baby’s head. Lift or lightly press your baby’s lips away from the teeth.
• Use a small soft toothbrush.
• Brush every surface of your baby’s teeth. Move the brush in tiny circles. You can use a clean damp cloth instead of a brush if you and your baby prefer.
• Use a smear of fluoridated toothpaste—about as big as a grain of rice.
Make brushing a positive
