Pediatric Dentistry

Assisting Your Child’s Dental Health

Oral care should not be a dreadful experience for your children and we make sure your children come back with a smile. At Smile One, we try our best to keep every child happy by making their dental sessions a fun. Bring your little ones to experience what we call, kids-friendly dental practices. Many studies and our own experience have shown that when a child has a positive experience in their first dental visit, they show less anxiety in the subsequent visits.

Oral Hygiene Starts Early

When your baby is born they would have their full set of 20 milk-teeth or primary teeth beneath the gums. They begin to erupt by six months. This process of eruption is termed “teething”. Even before teething happens you need to ensure proper oral hygiene. You should begin wiping the gums with a wet and clean cloth after they are fed. No need of using toothpaste at this stage.

Oral Hygiene after Teething

You can begin to use toothpaste at this stage when they have their teeth beginning to erupt, though in very small amount. You can also begin to use a soft-bristled toothbrush available just for children. You should remove or wipe off the toothpaste from the mouth of the child once you have gently brushed them.

The First Dental Visit by your Youngest Family Member

It is always better when parents talk positively about dental visits. Parents can also talk about the kid-friendly environment they are about to set foot. This can create a sort of excitement and the child will look forward to a dental visit.

We recommend that babies be brought for their first dental visit before their first birthday. The first visit is always a dental evaluation done by our best pediatric dentist at Smiles One. Any signs of tooth decay are checked for. The dentist then proceeds to check if the teeth are developing properly. Sometimes the dentist may also clean the baby’s teeth if needed. Thereafter you can bring your child every six months for a regular dental check-up. A regular check-up can serve to ease your child’s anxiety of dental visits too.

Dental Sealants after Molar and Premolar Eruption

Dental sealants are coatings that are applied to the surface of the teeth. They fill the crevices and pits that are naturally found on the teeth surface. The sealants effectively prevent the food particles from getting stuck in the crevices. They are a protective shield and they literally provide no footing to the dental bacteria and other pathogens that cause dental caries. Children with molar and premolars are ideal candidates for dental sealants. It may be noted that between the age of five and fourteen, children’s teeth are more prone to decay. Dental sealants are indeed a boon that can safeguard the primary teeth.

Thumb Sucking

This is a natural habit as the baby finds solace in sucking the thumb when they feel anxious, or hungry. It is said that thumb sucking as a habit starts in the womb. When the front teeth have fully erupted, the thumb sucking habit can induce protrusion of teeth to the front. Sometimes they might also cause irregular bites. Hence thumb sucking needs to be addressed. If a child sucks its thumb even after five years of age, the probabilities of all the above problems associated with thumb sucking are very high. Our dentist at Smiles One can advise you on how you can reward your child to stop its thumb sucking habit.