Pediatric dentistry: specialized care for your children's smiles.

It is recommended that you make an appointment for your child within 6 months of the eruption of their first tooth, or at the latest around 1 year of age.

During this first visit, the dentist and dental hygienist will establish a relationship of trust with your child and examine their teeth, clean them if necessary, and review brushing and flossing techniques with you.

About 50% of the population experiences some fear of the dentist. It is important to avoid passing this fear on to children. Information and a positive attitude will reassure them and be decisive for the future. Your cooperation is important before, during, and after the visit.

• Several books tell the story of a character who visits the dentist for the first time. Read it to your child.
• Explain to your child what the dentist will do.
• The day before, summarize the steps of the visit.
• Never tell your child that it won’t hurt during the dentist appointment.

• Listen carefully to the instructions and suggestions regarding your child’s oral care.
• It is important to maintain a positive attitude about the appointment at all times.
• Ask to schedule the next appointment in six months.

• Ensure your child brushes their teeth at least twice a day or after every meal.
• Floss their teeth once a day.
• Monitor your child’s diet and suggest foods that do not contain too much sugar.
• Until the age of 10, ensure you brush your child’s teeth in the evening before bedtime.

If your child is teething and seems to be in pain, you can:

• Rub their gums with your finger.
• Rub their gums with the back of a cold teaspoon.
• If the pain persists, your dentist, pharmacist, or doctor may recommend an over-the-counter medication to relieve the pain.

Here’s what NOT to do:

• DO NOT use the kind of pain medication that you rub on your child’s gums; they could swallow it.
• DO NOT give them teething biscuits. These may contain added or hidden sugar.
• DO NOT underestimate a fever. Teething does NOT make babies sick or feverish. If your child has a fever, consult your doctor.

All 20 primary teeth will have appeared by the time your child is 2 or 3 years old.

It is normal for babies to suck. It helps them relax and feed. As your child approaches the age of 2 or 3, they will feel less of a need to suck. If this is not the case, using a pacifier is recommended rather than thumb sucking.

Why? Because YOU can control when and how your child uses a pacifier, but not their thumb. Never put sugar, honey, or corn syrup on a pacifier. This can cause cavities. It is best for your child to stop sucking BEFORE the age of 3. If a child continues to suck their thumb or a pacifier AFTER their permanent teeth have come in, the growth of their jaw and the position of their teeth may be affected.

Breast milk, infant formula, cow’s milk, and fruit juices ALL contain sugar.

Babies CAN get cavities because they:

• Go to bed with a bottle of milk, infant formula, or juice.
• Fall asleep while breastfeeding, with their mouths still full of milk.

This type of tooth decay can occur up to the age of 4. Once your child has teeth, check them every month. Watch out for dull white spots or lines that can form on the teeth, at the edge of the gums. Also watch out for dark-colored teeth. If any of these signs appear, see your dentist immediately. Tooth decay in young children must be treated quickly. Otherwise, your child may experience pain and develop an infection. If you give your child a bottle of milk, infant formula, or juice at bedtime, stopping immediately will NOT be easy.

Here’s how to proceed:

• Fill the bottle with water only.
• If your child refuses it, give them a clean pacifier, stuffed animal, or blanket.
• If your child cries, don’t give up.
• Comfort them and try again.

If nothing works, try diluting the milk in your child’s bottle with water over a period of 1 or 2 weeks, until they are drinking ONLY water. If your child falls asleep while breastfeeding, try to remove them from the breast while they are still awake.

Question: Why repair a baby tooth that is going to fall out anyway?

Answer: Primary teeth (baby teeth):

• Promote a beautiful smile
• Enable chewing
• Serve as guides and maintain space for the eruption of permanent teeth (adult teeth)

Some primary teeth will remain until the age of 12. The tooth that needs a filling may very well be one of them. Broken and infected teeth can affect your child’s health and self-confidence. To perform a filling, the dentist removes the decay and “fills” the tooth with metal, plastic, or other material. A filling can be an easy and economical way to fix a problem that, if left untreated, could be painful and costly. It can prevent the decay from spreading further into the tooth.

If no filling is done and the decay spreads, the tooth may need to be extracted. In this case, your child may need a space maintainer to leave room for the permanent tooth to grow in. When a primary (baby) tooth is missing, the surrounding teeth may shift into its place and prevent the permanent tooth from growing in. To maintain the space, your dentist may place a plastic or metal space maintainer on the adjacent teeth to prevent them from closing in.