Your child’s teeth need regular care in order to stay healthy. Baby teeth need to be brushed, flossed, cleaned, polished and inspected by the dentist on a regular basis. Children who don’t see the dentist or maintain a consistent oral hygiene regimen at their house can develop bad breath, cavities and other problems.
Visits to the pediatric dentist are good for little ones. Seeing the dentist, children learn about how important it is to care for their own teeth. At St. Anthony Park Dental Care, we proudly provide pediatric dentistry services in St. Paul, MN, where we serve patients as young as one-year-old, and older children as well. We believe that the key to ensuring good oral hygiene is in providing good dental care to all our patients, of all ages.
Dental Services for Children In St. Paul, MN
At St. Anthony Park Dental Care, we offer a range of pediatric dental services for our patients including:
- Pediatric dental examinations
- Tooth cleaning and general check-ups
- Emergency care
- Cavity filling
- Patient and parent education and coaching on tooth brushing, flossing and other oral hygiene routines
Why It’s Important to Bring Your Child To a Pediatric Dentist
Pediatric dentists understand the unique needs of children and know how to manage their oral hygiene challenges. A good pediatric dentist will have strategies to help your child understand why dental hygiene is important. Pediatric dentists also know how to show children that seeing the dentist is a positive experience overall. Other reasons why it’s important to bring your child to a pediatric dentist include:
- Good rapport with children. Pediatric dentists know how to develop a good rapport with children, and often have tricks for helping children get comfortable when they’re with the dentist.
- Strategies to keep children calm and entertained. Pediatric dentists often have many strategies to help their patients stay calm when getting their teeth cleaned. They also know how important it is to ensure that their patients stay entertained in the waiting area before the appointment begins. You can expect a pediatric dentist to have items in the waiting area that help keep kids occupied while they’re waiting for their appointment to begin.
- Accommodations to keep children comfortable. Pediatric dentists sometimes have toys, special equipment and accommodations to help keep kids comfortable during their appointment.
- Can educate parents about their responsibilities. It’s important to educate parents about their role in taking care of their child’s teeth. Pediatric dentists have done this a lot and know how to educate parents on matters relating to tooth brushing and other issues.
- Answer questions from kids. Kids ask the most intriguing questions of their dentist – but good pediatric dentists know how to answer those questions so kids can understand.
When To Bring Your Child to the Dentist
When should you bring your child to the dentist for the first time? Experts recommend bringing your child to the dentist within 6 months of the first tooth erupting, or by the time your child is 12 months old.
It may not seem like your child needs to see the dentist when they only have one tooth, but seeing the dentist as soon as possible helps the dentist catch problems early.
Parent Responsibilities to Care for Their Child’s Teeth
Parents have many responsibilities to care for their child’s teeth. Your child’s pediatric dentist can coach you on these issues. Here’s what you can expect your pediatric dentist in St. Paul MN to discuss with you:
- Brush your child’s teeth until they’re 7 or 8.
- Ensure that your child is brushing their teeth.
- Watch your child for signs that they need to see the dentist.
What to Expect From Your Child’s Pediatric Dentist in St. Paul MN
During your child’s first appointment with the dentist, the dentist will spend a little time looking in your child’s mouth, and inspecting your child’s teeth for cavities. Next, the dentist will help you understand the role you must play in your child’s oral hygiene. As your child gets older, visits to the dentist will start to involve cleaning, tooth polishing, examination and x-rays.
Make an Appointment for Your Child to See the Pediatric Dentist
It’s important to bring your child to the dentist from a very early age because your child needs to develop a good rapport with the dentist. At St. Anthony Park Dental Care, we’re honored to care for your child’s teeth. Call today to make an appointment.
