children dental care
Why are "baby teeth" so important? Dont they "fall out "?
Primary teeth have been labelled "baby teeth". However the first tooth usually isnt lost until 6 years of age and some primary molars must function until 12 or 13 years of age before they are replaced.
Primary teeth are necessary for proper chewing, proper speech, the proper development of the jaws and for esthetics. Care of the primary teeth is important not only for proper function, but also to avoid a number of unpleasant conditions that result from their neglect.
So the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) and the American Assotiation of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend that children see the dentist six months after the first tooth comes in.
It is important to have this first dental visit because early information about your childs dental care can better prepare you to:
- Clean your childs teeth properly.
- Decide which foods help or hurt your childs teeth.
- Understand the effects of oral habits such as thumb sucking and pacifier use.
- Take positive action if your child has dental emergency.
We believe this appointmentis important because being an informed parent is the best thing you can do for your childs dental health and providing you with this information is the best thing we can do for you.
Our office provides all types of dental care for your child using the most recent techniques and materials:
- Tooth coloured fillings (composites).
- Stainless Steel Crowns.
- Treatment of extensively decayed teeth (Pulpotomy and Pulpectomy).
- Space maintainers.
- Management of emergency cases.
Dental emergencies:
If your child has an accident, please call office as soon as possible. Remember that the first 60 minutes after an accident are the most critical to treatment of dental trauma, so please call us as soon as possible.
Accidents may be:
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Knocked out permenant tooth:
Find the tooth. Handle the tooth by the top (crown), not the root portion. You may rinse the tooth, but DO NOT clean or handle the tooth unnecessarily.
Transport the tooth in a cup containing sterile saline or milk. See the dentist IMMEDIATELY. Time is a critical factor in saving the tooth.
-
Cut or bitten tongue, lip or cheek:
Apply ice to bruised areas. If theres bleeding, apply firm pressure with a clean gauze or cloth. If the bleeding did not stop after 15 minutes, or if the bleeding is not to be controlled by simple pressure take the child to a hospital emergency room.
-
Toothache:
Clean the area around the sore tooth thoroughly. Rinse the mouth vigorously with warm salt water or use dental floss to dislodge trapped food or debris.
DO NOT place aspirin on the gum or on the aching tooth.
Give your child an analgesic (pain killer) to lessen the pain and see the dentist as soon as possible.
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Broken braces and wires:
If a broken appliance can be removed easily, take it out. If it cannot, cover the sharp or protruding portion with cotton balls, gauze or chewing gum. Take the child to the dentist immediately. Loose or broken appliance that do not bother the child dont usually require an emergency attention.
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Bleeding after baby tooth falls out:
Fold and pack a clean gauze or cloth over the bleeding area. Have the child bite on the gauze with pressure for 15 minutes. This may be repeated once, if bleeding persists, see your dentist.
Now you can see that your childrens health starts by keeping healthy teeth and so they can enjoy a lively healthy life.