When should you take your little one to see the dentist?
There is nothing cuter than a BIG CHEESY smile with a little tooth poking out of the gums. Little teeth are sharp and baby’s will love to chew on things even more than they did before. As with all things, baby’s can vary with teeth eruptions, but usually baby’s first teeth (bottom central incisors) will poke through between 3-6 months, followed by the top central incisors 6-9 months. Typically, by age 3, your child will have 20 pearly whites and a full smile.
Dental hygiene has always been important to me and becoming a dentist was my second career choice had nursing not gone well. I have an aunt who is a dentist in Michigan and a cousin who is currently in dental school in Tennessee. I am a stickler for clean, healthy teeth and gums. As an RN, doula, lactation and parent educator, I frequently get asked about when to take a baby to see a dentist? I love the opportunity to talk about the importance of good oral care. Instilling good dental hygiene at a young age and encouraging kids to keep up with it is necessary as decay in baby teeth can lead to decay in adult teeth.
The American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry say that “the first dental visit should occur within six months after the baby’s first tooth appears, but no later than the child’s first birthday.” http://www.ada.org/en/about-the-ada/ada-positions-policies-and-statements/statement-on-early-childhood-caries
I was fortunate to chat with Dr. Angela Wolfman, DDS and her staff at her office at Great Grins Children’s Dentistry in Tucson, AZ (http://greatgrinsdds.com/). I asked her to share some of her knowledge about the importance of dental care in babies and children.
Colleen: Tell me a little about yourself and your practice
Dr. Wolfman: Great Grins Children’s Dentistry is a practice owned by my husband, Dr. Kedar Lele, and I in Tucson, AZ. We are both board certified pediatric dentists and specialize in the care for infants, children, and teens, including those with special needs.
Colleen: What do you recommend to use to brush with? Finger brush? Soft toothbrush? Paste? Does size of brush matter? How often should it be changed out?
Dr. Wolfman: We recommend a soft, small-bristled toothbrush designed for infants. This can be either a finger or regular toothbrush that should be changed every 3-4 months or immediately after illness. Parents should use a smear of fluoridated toothpaste about the size of a grain of rice for babies and gradually increase the amount as they grow older.
Colleen: What advice would you share about keeping baby’s teeth healthy?
Dr. Wolfman: We recommend that parents establish a dental home for their child by age one. Implement oral hygiene measures at home after the first tooth comes in and identify risk factors that can make your child susceptible to cavities such as, night-time bottle feeding with juice and frequent in between meal consumption of sugar containing snacks or drinks.
Colleen: What does your office do to make babies and kids feel comfortable?
Dr. Wolfman: Our team is specially trained in treating children. We take every measure to make the kids feel as comfortable as possible. We offer the latest technology like dental lasers to minimize dental pain. We also utilize different forms of sedation to help the younger kids tolerate dental procedures. Great Grins Children’s Dentistry is a sports-themed office with movies, books, games and other activities to make the children feel at home. Some patients don’t want to leave our office when they come in.
Colleen: Describe the benefit of seeing a pediatric dentist vs. a general dentist?
Dr. Wolfman: Pediatric dentists are similar to pediatricians, specializing in the care of infants, children, teens, and those with special needs. After dental school, they receive 2-3 years or more of additional training, including anesthesia, pharmacology and child psychology. A pediatric dentist is the best qualified to meet the needs of children. In addition, we are both also board certified pediatric dentists, which required volunteer completion of written and oral clinical examinations. These examinations test the in-depth knowledge of the specialty of pediatric dentistry. We invite you to see what makes our office so GREAT, call us at (520) 325-4746 to schedule your baby’s visit!
I loved my time at Great Grins, from the warm welcome when I walked in, to the vivid colors on the walls, tiny chairs and kid friendly magazines, books and toys in the waiting room. My tour started with watching the staff hard at work. They have a big open room with several dental chairs to provide routine dental care in, televisions on the ceilings and sports themed motifs everywhere. I was then lead back into their private rooms where other procedures are done and listened as they explained all about their practice and shown their lasers. I was intrigued by them and all they can do to make dental procedures more comfortable and less scary for parents and kids alike. I must say that I LOVED the office and staff and would want to go there myself if I was a kid. I have since referred several people to Great Grins and learned that several of my friends take their children there as well.
Educating parents is one of my most favorite aspects of my job. I spend a lot of time getting to know my referral partners because I only want what is best for my clients and their families. I would encourage you to go check out dentists Wolfman and Lele for yourself.