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Children should start seeing the dentist as early as 1 year old.
To begin, your child’s dentist or dental assistant will perform a quick oral exam and begin cleaning their teeth. Their teeth will be scaled to remove plaque and tartar, then brushed with a high-powered brush, and flossed to remove any remaining food particles and debris.
X-rays are not required at every dental appointment. We follow the AAPD dental guidelines and the ALARA concept, As Low As Reasonably Achievable, in order to keep your child's radiation dose as low as possible. Dr. Thompson will evaluate your child and determine which x-rays are needed and how often based off individual risk factors.
Your Las Vegas pediatric dentist will use special dental tools to check for cavities, gum disease, and other signs of potential oral health issues. They will also view your child’s x-rays and health history to aid in diagnosis. Then, they will discuss with you any problems or potential issues they may have found during the examination.
If your child has dental issues that need to be addressed, such as cavities, gum disease, or an infected tooth, their dentist will develop a treatment plan and discuss it with you. Once both you and your child understand the issues and how we can fix them, we can schedule your child’s follow up appointment for treatment.
Our team can help you schedule your child’s next cleaning and exam, and also any appointments for additional treatment. It’s important that your child gets the care they need from a dental team they know and trust, so stay on top of their appointments and help us keep their smile strong and healthy.
Routine dental cleanings and oral exams are the most important part of preventive care. With regular cleanings, you can prevent the buildup of plaque and tartar on your child’s teeth and reduce their risk of gum disease and cavities. With routine oral exams from your child’s dentist, you can get insights on their oral health, how to care for their teeth properly, and information about preventive treatments like dental sealants and fluoride, which can help protect their teeth from bacteria and decay.
Digital x-rays are the best choice for kids, since they are very fast, provide high-resolution images, and expose children to less radiation. X-rays will be taken according to the AAPD guidelines and based off of an individual risk basis.
Fluoride treatments consist of a fluoride gel or paste that is “painted” onto your child’s teeth after a teeth cleaning. The fluoride helps remineralize and strengthen your child’s teeth, and can even reverse “soft spots” which are the first stage of tooth decay.
Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) is an alternative to fillings for cavities in baby teeth. It uses a blend of silver, ammonia, water, and fluoride that kills bacteria and seals your child’s tooth, preventing further decay and keeping the tooth healthy until it falls out naturally. It’s mostly used in baby teeth because it will permanently stain the treated area black.
While Silver Diamine Fluoride is mainly used in baby teeth, it can be a beneficial treatment for adult teeth as well. Silver Diamine Fluoride can help decrease sensitivity in adult molars with a severe enamel defect until the tooth structure is ready for a more permanent restoration.
Dental sealants use a transparent liquid resin, which is applied directly to the teeth and is hardened using a UV light. This creates an impenetrable seal on your child’s tooth, which stops bacteria, acid, and food particles from causing cavities. This treatment is usually recommended specifically for the cavity-prone rear teeth.
Kids laugh around 400 times per day.
You should brush your child’s teeth twice a day for two minutes until they’re 6 years old, or are able to tie their shoes on their own. After this, we recommend making brushing a family activity. You can demonstrate proper technique to your children, and make sure they’re brushing regularly.
You will need to floss your child’s teeth for them until they’re about 10, since it’s a lot harder to learn proper flossing technique than it is to learn proper brushing technique.
Flossing your child’s teeth will not be dissimilar to flossing your own. Depending on their age, you may need to find a toy or distraction to keep them entertained while you floss their teeth. Floss holders may be helpful for toddlers so they don’t bite your fingers. Just make sure you’re flossing between every two teeth that make contact and behind their most rear molar.
We recommend flossing your child’s teeth once per day, and having them rinse with water or mouthwash after flossing to remove any food particles that were dislodged during the process.
Healthy baby teeth are essential for your child to eat and chew properly, and damaged or decayed baby teeth can cause them a lot of pain and discomfort. Though they will fall out naturally as your child ages, your child’s baby teeth should remain in place until they fall out on their own. If they lose one or more teeth prematurely, this can affect their future oral development. This is because baby teeth help form the “paths” that the adult teeth follow when they emerge. If your child loses one or more baby teeth prematurely, this can lead to future oral development problems.
Yes. Almost every dental insurance plan covers preventive care, like six-month cleanings and exams, for dependents. Fluoride treatments and dental sealants may also be covered, in some cases. However, coverage for each insurer and dental plan varies, so we recommend consulting directly with your insurer to learn about coverage limits for pediatric preventive care, covered treatments, and other such information.
Around 85% of children see the dentist regularly.
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