Our patients love our practice because we provide high-quality dentistry that is needed for children. Some parents may have the misunderstanding that baby teeth will go, so they don’t need dental care. This couldn’t be further from the truth. With dental care starting from the eruption of the first tooth to adulthood, many severe problems can be avoided. Here at Hillfield Pediatric Dentistry, we are proud to provide the best dental care to your children.
Problems with Baby Teeth
Problems with teeth can start in infancy with sucking on pacifiers and with tooth decay from sleeping after drinking milk or juice. Tooth decay is a serious problem for children under five years old, and many children who are elementary school age have cavities in one or more teeth. If decay in baby teeth is not detected early and treated, it can go deep into the jawbone and affect the waiting adult teeth.
If a child has poor oral health with tooth decay or gum disease, the baby teeth may fall out too early, before the adult teeth are ready to push them out. This may cause the adult teeth to grow in crooked or in the wrong place. When this happens, expensive orthodontic treatment may be needed to straighten the teeth and create a healthy bite.
When to Have the First Dental Appointment
According to the American Dental Association (ADA), a child should visit the dentist when their first teeth erupt or at least by their first birthday. Our pediatric dentist can examine the teeth and identify potential risks such as the first signs of decay. We will show you how to care for your young child’s teeth and how to brush them when they have all grown in.
Our offices are designed to attract children and our staff is trained to interact with children to make them feel happy and welcome. Your child may learn from a very young age to enjoy visits to the dentist and how to create good dental practices that will last throughout life.
Some Tips for Infant Dental Hygiene
Our pediatric dentist will give you tips for taking care of your baby’s teeth before they even erupt. You can keep the gums clean with a clean wet washcloth or piece of gauze. Once the teeth start growing in, you can use special toothbrushes that are very small and soft. We will also recommend the best toothpaste according to the age of your child.
You may be interested to learn nutritional tips for keeping your child’s teeth healthy. This usually includes avoiding eating too much sugar and starchy processed food. Chewing raw carrots and other veggies may help make the teeth and jawbone strong.
Get In Touch with Us to Find Out More
Our patients love Hillfield Pediatric Dentistry because we care for their teeth from infancy to adulthood. When you stay with a dentist throughout childhood and the teenage years, many problems may be identified early and treated before they require expensive dental work. To learn how a pediatric dentist can help your child, we encourage you to reach out and make an appointment with Hillfield Pediatric Dentistry! At our convenient location in Layton, UT, our caring and knowledgeable team of professionals will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Contact us today to set up your consultation!
