Children’s dentist | Dentistry from deciduous teeth onwards

As parents, we often pay special attention to our children’s milestones: first steps, first words, first day of school, however, one important aspect of their development that sometimes gets overlooked is their dental health. Children’s dentist is the one who notes it especially.

Deciduous Teeth

Many parents wonder when the first dental examination should be scheduled, the International Academy of Pediatric Dentistry suggests that the first visit to the dentist should be 6 months after the first tooth erupts. For some, this recommendation may seem early, but early detection of the cause is crucial for proper treatment.

Although deciduous teeth are temporary, they play a crucial role in a child’s development, contributing to the proper functioning of chewing, speech, and the formation of permanent teeth in the correct position.

Deciduous teeth can develop dental problems such as cavities, malocclusion, or early signs of gum disease, all of which can lead to serious problems if proper treatment is not provided on time.

First dental visit

During the first dental visit, pediatric dentists assess the child’s oral risk factors: cavity, tooth decay and various oral infections. Consideration is given to factors such as diet, child’s habits (eg finger sucking, pacifier) and family history of general dental problems. Based on each of these details, dentists can provide personalized recommendations and prevent future dental problems.

On average, a consultation with a children’s dentist lasts 30-45 minutes, which includes a proper examination and examination of the teeth, jaws, dentition, gums, oral cavity tissues according to the child’s growth and development.

If necessary, the child may undergo a gentle cleaning, during which the children’s dentist ensures that the teeth are polished and plaque is removed. Using an intraoral scanner, the children’s dentist explains and visualizes the condition of the oral cavity to the parent, including the child, in detail, and gives recommendations on the expected treatment or hygiene rules to be followed.

A pediatric dentist helps small patients to develop healthy oral hygiene habits. One of the primary functions of pediatric dentists is to instruct parents on proper oral care practices for infants and teach them how to properly brush and remove plaque before teething. Parental education in this regard lays the foundation for the formation of good dental habits throughout life

Tooth decay prevention

Along with the replacement of baby teeth, we need to take care of its health, the newly cut teeth have many curves, food particles and bacteria can easily penetrate into them, which makes them vulnerable, so problems might appear. Fillings prevents food from getting stuck in the teeth, that’s why in order to protect the teeth, fissures are hermetized and covered with liquid paste. This method is used only on chewing teeth.

During the procedure, the teeth are first thoroughly cleaned before sealing, the pediatric dentist removes all existing bacteria, then treats the chewing teeth with an acidic solution, usually made of phosphoric acid, which creates a rough surface and helps seal the tooth surface reliably. Fissure hermetization is a quick, painless, non-invasive procedure that is usually performed without anesthesia. It is most strongly recommended in children and adolescents, as they are more prone to developing caries. It is recommended to perform on all chewing teeth from the age of 6 years. Using this method reduces the probability of caries / decay development in the oral cavity by 70-80%

Let’s not forget that the prevention of tooth decay in children includes both the development of hygienic habits and diet modification. Encouraging children to brush their teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste will help them develop the right habits. Note that fluoride treatment is used to strengthen enamel and prevent tooth decay. Try to limit sugary and acidic foods, which accelerate the formation of a sticky layer of bacteria on tooth enamel.

A visit to the dentist is often associated with fear and anxiety even for an adult, that’s why the early formed habit of checking the condition of the child’s mouth and visiting the children’s dentist helps children to get to know the environment and children will take further steps related to dental treatment in the future with more confidence and comfort.

Oral health for a child is essential for overall well-being. Poor hygiene can contribute to a variety of health problems, such as infections, including heart disease and diabetes. By starting an early visit to the children’s dentist, the parent ensures not only the child’s healthy smile, but also their overall health and development.

How to prepare a child for a visit to the pediatric dentist?

First, we advice taking child preferably to a pediatric dentist, because they have a more unique approach, a thorough understanding of a child’s needs, and acceptance of various issues.

Pediatric dentists specialize in the management of specific cases, both in infants and adults, and in patients with additional needs.

If you’re not a big fan of dentistry yourself, don’t let your fear show in front of your child.

If the child him/herself is afraid of the dentist and is nervous about the first dental visit, explain that any new experience is accompanied by nervousness and this is normal, praise him for his/her courage.

Explain the expected procedure in as simple language as possible and try to include game elements. which will make your child feel calm. Before the visit, create a dental office at home and use favorite toys to act out what happens during a standard oral examination, switch roles and let your child become the dentist himself for a while.

If your child has a favorite toy, take it with you to the dentist. This will help them feel safe and may want to check the doll’s teeth themselves.

A correctly selected children’s dentist will turn a child’s visit to the clinic into an unforgettable toy adventure, and the positive experience experienced in childhood will follow a person for many years and will help to carry out preventive measures of oral health.

In our dental clinic, we have a professional pediatric (and not only pediatric) dentist – Teona Kelaptrishvili. Also, Emilia, who is well-known to children, visited us. At Richter’s clinic, many children have overcome their fear of dentistry.