Children’s Dentistry Centennial
Gentle Dental Care for Growing Grins
A child’s smile may be young, but that doesn’t mean it’s unimportant. Kids need healthy pearly whites to chew food, speak well, and feel confident. Even so-called “baby teeth” serve these purposes to ensure your little one’s well-being. So, your kiddo should get children’s dentistry on top of their daily brushing and flossing. It’s a good thing Dr. Shroff and our team provide top-notch pediatric dental care. We recommend that your child’s first visit with us is at the age of one. To learn more, just keep reading or book a visit for your child!
Why Choose Shroff Dental Arts for Children’s Dentistry?
- Family-Friendly Dental Office Environment
- Mouthguards Made With Digital Impression Scanner
- Dental Team Dedicated to Educating Young Patients
Your Child’s First Dental Visit
We’ll gently assess your child’s teeth and gums for most (if not all) of the visit. We may even take dental X-rays to that effect. Doing so reveals any decay and checks the status of your child’s permanent teeth. Later, we may perform a brief cleaning of their enamel and apply some topical fluoride. We’ll then make sure your child is getting enough fluoride at home. Most crucially, we’ll share the best ways to clean and care for your child’s teeth with you.
Cavity Prevention
As you may know, cavities mostly stem from a very sugary diet and poor oral care. That means limiting your kid’s sugar intake and helping them brush regularly are good moves. Brushing their teeth is particularly crucial. After all, more brushing gets debris off the teeth faster. The residue that lingers on a child’s enamel is more likely to cause cavities.
When left inside your mouth, sugar attracts harmful oral bacteria. These microbes then digest them and cause an acid reaction on your teeth. During that time, the newly formed acids can erode your enamel. This slow erosion leads to cavities.
Saliva also plays a role in cavity prevention. This liquid breaks up and washes away food, especially when it’s thinner. Meanwhile, those who eat a lot of carbs and sugars tend to have thicker saliva. This increased thickness allows more acid-producing bacteria to cause cavities.
Tips for Cavity Prevention
Given the facts above, various tips can help your child avoid cavities. They include:
- Reduce between-meal snacking
- Encourage more brushing, flossing, and rinsing
- Have your child mostly drink unflavored water
- Restrict your child from sticky foods
- Make treats part of meals instead of snacks
- Choose more mouth-friendly snacks
Your Baby Teeth Primer
The first baby teeth to emerge are usually the two bottom front teeth. All in all, you’ll likely notice their eruption when your baby is about 6-8 months old. The next ones to emerge will be the four upper front teeth. Afterward, the rest of the baby’s teeth will appear sporadically. They’ll appear in pairs along the jaw’s sides until your child is roughly 2 ½ years old.
By the 2 ½ year mark, your child should have all twenty of their baby teeth. The permanent teeth will start to erupt once they’re 5 or 6 years old. Notably, some of these “adult” ones will replace baby teeth, and others won’t. You also needn’t worry if a few emerge a few months early or late; each child is different.
Baby teeth are important for your child despite being temporary. They help your little one to chew, bite, and speak, and they improve looks. Therefore, make sure your kiddo follows a healthy diet and cleans their baby teeth well.