FAQs

Pediatric dentists are dentists who specialize in the oral care for young ones, from infants to adolescents. After dental school, additional years of training and qualifying examinations are required to become a pediatric specialist. Tremendous emphases are put on preventive measures, growth and development, oral and systemic health connections.   Dentists who choose to only see children because of their interests in the field have more experience and creative solutions in handling situations unique to children, which traditional treatment for adult dentistry may not apply. 

Baby teeth begin to appear around six months and many of them last until 13 – 14 years of age.  Baby teeth help children eat, speak and grow their adult teeth properly. Even though baby teeth eventually are replaced by permanent adult teeth, the progress comes in phases.    Baby teeth lost prematurely may take many years for the adult successors to grow back, which may cause difficulty in eating and complication in the growing jaws.

Did you know that your baby should visit the dentist when their first tooth appears or when they turn 1? Studies have shown that children who visit the dentist earlier have 40% lower dental costs than children who waited until their 2nd birthday.

Regular dental examinations support good oral health.  Many dental problems are hidden and do not cause pain until it is too late. When dental concerns can be diagnosed early during regular visits, more preventive measures are feasible. With sequential visits over the years, your dentists can better monitor the growth pattern of your child.

Schedule an appointment when your child will be well rested and relaxed

Prepare your child for the visit casually without giving too much emphasis

Bring along something your child is familiar with – a favorite toy or blanket

Avoid scary words like needle, vaccine, doctor, medications, drill 

Roll-play dental appointment

Calmness is contagious (so does anxiety).  Keep your cool.

For more tips for a successful dental appointment, please visit our blog.

You can start using a moist cloth to wipe your baby gums and tongue even they have no teeth.  It helps your baby get used to the oral sensation of brushing.

As soon as the first tooth emerges, you can brush their teeth at least two times a day.  It is important to use a soft bristled toothbrush and toothpaste with fluoride (if drinking water you are using is NOT fluoridated). Best time is after breakfast and their last meal before bedtime.  Children should have clean teeth before going to bed as cavities risk is highest during sleep.

Yes, flossing at least once a day will help prevent plaque buildup between your child’s teeth. 50% of the surface area of your teeth is hidden between the teeth which can only be reached by floss.  Brushing without flossing only gets half of the cleaning job done.

Babies suck their thumbs even before they were born, as seen in many ultrasound prenatal pictures.  While it is very natural for children to suck their thumb or to use a pacifier, it would be good to monitor how this habit is affecting their jaw growth. Most children stop thumb or pacifier use on their own by two years old and changes to the jaw often reverse spontaneously.  If your child still continues this habits by the age of four, it will be a good time to consult your dentists to explore options to prevent some of the jaw changes carrying over to their adult teeth.

Sedation is a safe adjunct when it is too much for your child to cope with their dental procedures. Indications for the use of sedation during dental procedures:

The age of the child – very young children do not have the understanding to cooperate for treatment 

Amount of treatment – young children may not be able to sit still for a long time or endure  multiple dental appointments when their treatment  is extensive 

Invasiveness and complexity of the treatment 

Benefits of sedation dentistry for children 

Provides comfort and safety for your child during treatment

Facilitate treatment to be accomplished in the fewest appointments (often 1 appointment) 

Create positive attitudes and prevent dental phobias as sedation tends to blur the details of the procedures for your children

Various levels of sedation can be employed to take the edge off your child during their dental appointment.   

Breathing in nitrous oxide (laughing gas) is one of ways to achieve some relaxation. 

If your child needs to be a bit more sleepy to let go, combining laughing gas with oral medication can take them to moderate sedation which your child can still respond but will be drowsy enough to tolerate the dental procedure.  They may or may not remember the appointment.   

It is important to note that sedation is different than general anesthesia in which your child becomes totally unaware of their surroundings.  Sometimes, it is necessarily to do dental treatment under general anesthesia in the hospital, for example, in the situation of a medically complex child.