Diamons

Children’s Dentistry

Photography by Dr. Padval

Your Child’s First Visit to the Dentist

When should my child first see a dentist, and why? The ideal time is six months after your child's first (primary) teeth erupt. This time frame is a perfect opportunity for us to carefully examine the development of your child's mouth. Because dental problems often start early, the sooner the visit the better. To safeguard against problems such as baby bottle tooth decay, teething irritations, gum disease, and prolonged thumb-sucking, we can provide or recommend special preventive care. How do I prepare my child [...]

By |2024-09-02T14:30:04-07:00November 28, 2023|Children's Dentistry|

Dental Sealants for Kids

Why Sealants are Simply Good Parenting Of course we want the best for our children, and most of us work at good parenting every day: quality schools, solid values, a sense of family. Time and money may put limits on what we can do for our kids’ health and happiness, but not when it comes to sealants. Sealants are, well, a bargain. Sealants are a risk-free, wear-resistant, and painless resin coating that actually bonds to the surface of teeth, sealing out decay. A child’s [...]

By |2024-09-02T14:28:42-07:00November 14, 2023|Children's Dentistry|

Baby Teeth Q&A

Answers to some frequently-asked questions: Q: Why do we have two sets of teeth? A: A child needs teeth long before his or her jaw is big enough to accommodate the full set of adult teeth. Baby, or deciduous, teeth are “starters” in every sense of the word. Q: Why worry about cavities if baby teeth fall out on their own? A: Baby teeth are important “guides” that help frame the development of adult teeth, even the jaw. In fact, the beginnings or “buds” [...]

By |2024-09-02T14:27:41-07:00October 24, 2023|Children's Dentistry|

Take Care of Baby Teeth

Tooth decay is declining everywhere except among preschoolers. Proper care of your child’s first teeth is important to ensure the health of permanent teeth in later years. You won’t see a newborn’s teeth, but enamel and dentin are already forming in the jaw. Teething is just months away. Use a clean dry wash cloth to wipe baby’s gums after every feeding and continue as teeth begin to emerge. Central incisors arrive first, at nine to ten months, with lateral incisors about two months later. [...]

By |2024-09-02T14:21:56-07:00August 8, 2023|Children's Dentistry|

Lend Baby Teeth a Hand

Here today...gone too soon. Don’t neglect baby teeth because the health of their replacements is right beneath the surface. Caring for your child’s baby teeth lays a foundation for a lifetime of oral health, so teach good dental hygiene habits while the child is very young. Before the first teeth begin to surface, rub baby’s gums with a clean, damp wash cloth after every feeding. Continue as the teeth emerge until baby is old enough to hold a toothbrush. Teach your children how to [...]

By |2024-09-02T14:19:58-07:00July 18, 2023|Children's Dentistry|

Dental Sealants: Are They Worth It?

What are dental sealants? Dental sealants are a thin, liquid coating that hardens onto teeth to cover their high-risk, vulnerable areas. Commonly used as prevention in children and adolescents, the sealants are applied to the chewing surfaces of teeth. (Particularly the large, rear teeth called molars.) The sealant itself is a composite resin. We apply a thin layer to the treatment area and then use a special light to "cure" the material. This process hardens the sealants, securely fixing them into place. Are sealants [...]

By |2023-02-21T08:00:01-08:00February 21, 2023|Children's Dentistry|

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

What Causes "Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?" Being mammals, human babies drink milk. It provides all the nutrients they need to grow and thrive. However, as children get older and their primary baby teeth begin to emerge, drinking milk can pose the risk of cavities and "baby bottle tooth decay." In general, milk is very healthy for teeth. It provides the body with calcium, a nutrient essential for the proper development of teeth and bones. And, while not naturally occurring in milk, Vitamin D is [...]

By |2022-11-15T08:00:43-08:00November 15, 2022|Children's Dentistry|

Children’s Oral Health: Developing Positive Habits

Why Children's Oral Health Is So Important We all want the best for our children in all aspects of life. And that applies to their teeth as well! One of the best gifts you can provide for your little loved ones is to teach them proper dental hygiene—right from the very beginning. Developing children's oral health habits early in life will make them more likely to carry it on through adolescence and into adulthood. As a young baby, before the first teeth begin to [...]

By |2022-05-24T08:00:26-07:00May 24, 2022|Children's Dentistry|

Dental Habits… for Kids!

Creating good dental habits can last a lifetime! We all want the best for our children. And that includes their teeth as well! Even though we do get two sets of teeth, it's just as essential to treat baby teeth (also known as primary teeth) as if they were their last. That's because instilling children with good dental habits will carry through into adolescence and adulthood. Indeed, perhaps even the rest of their lives! Think of it this way: good oral health is one [...]

By |2021-09-21T08:00:26-07:00September 21, 2021|Children's Dentistry|

Pacifier Teeth

Babies and Toddlers May Develop "Pacifier Teeth" Problems can result from comforting habits. Pacifier Teeth, a dental condition that affects babies and toddlers, can be the result of either too much thumb-sucking or pacifier use. We all know that babies love sucking on their bottles, pacifiers, and even their thumbs. But, if it goes on too long, it can become a bad habit that threatens the health and development of teeth. How does pacifier teeth happen? The suction creates such a strong force that [...]

By |2021-06-15T08:00:30-07:00June 15, 2021|Children's Dentistry|