Child Dentistry
Children's teeth go through a number of transitions and challenges, which is why it's important to visit a dental professional regularly. They will make sure your child's teeth are healthy and diagnose disease if present. Early diagnosis and prevention is key. At Refresh Dental, our general dentists and support team love working with children. The dentist, along with our friendly team work very hard to make your child as comfortable as possible during their exams and treatments.
What is child dentistry?
Dentists who treat children take care of children's gums, teeth, and overall oral health. The Canadian Dental Association recommends the assessment of infants, by a dentist, within 6 months of the eruption of the first tooth or around one year of age. The goal is to have your child visit the dentist before there is a problem with his or her teeth. As the children grow, more primary or baby teeth will erupt. These primary teeth are usually fully erupted by age 2-3. Around 6-7 years. children will start to lose their primary teeth and eruption of the permanent teeth occurs.
Proper oral care is important because infectious diseases like childhood dental caries are very prevalent. Dental decay is 5 times more common than asthma and 4 times more common than childhood obesity. Proper dental hygiene, diet, and regular visits to a dentist are essential throughout both their primary teeth years as well as when all their permanent teeth erupt.
Here's a look at the type of services we provide:
Infant oral health exams - Infant oral exams are a preventative measure to help keep track of a child's development. Our dentist will keep an eye out for caries, check for developmental problems, and make sure new teeth emerge properly.
Preventative dental care - Dentists and support staff will help children master brushing and flossing so they can develop good dental hygiene skills. Without this assistance, children might develop poor habits, leading to improper care.
Assessment for teeth alignment - Our dentist will assess alignment issues or improper bite. Without this early assessment, and subsequent treatment if required, your child could experience problems due to improper alignment like speech impediments and improper dental hygiene.
Solutions for poor habits - Thumb sucking or improper tongue position during swallowing/speech can be a serious problem. These habits can cause dental issues in the future so it is best to have them addressed early.
Repairing dental problems - Cavities and defects can occur in children just as in adults, especially those with poor hygiene or diet. The dentist will assess and treat an issues present.
Repairing dental injuries - dental injuries are common in childhood and we can help address the injury and provide any treatment required. We can also see patients on an emergency basis if needed.
We love to see children in our office and we try our best to make the environment is as stress-free and cheerful as possible. If you want to know more about our child dentistry services here at Refresh Dental, give us a call on 780-705-5557. You can also get in touch through our online form and book an appointment.
More Resources
As a parent, you have a big role to play in keeping your child's teeth healthy and clean. You can help prevent cavities. Prevention starts at home, with good eating habits and daily cleaning of the teeth. More resources are available, including how to properly care for primary teeth and new permanent teeth, from the Canadian Dental Association website.
