As you might have guessed from the name, pediatric dentistry refers to dentistry services provided specifically for children. You could be forgiven for wondering why your child needs a specialist dentist to take care of his teeth. However, taking your child to a pediatric dentist should be a priority for any responsible parent and here is what you need to know about why.
Why Is Pediatric Dentistry Important?
When you have children, you naturally want the very best for them and this includes ensuring that they are as healthy as possible. For this to be possible, you need to actively take significant interest in your child’s dental health.
There is no doubt that the function and appearance of our teeth is extremely important. For a child that is learning to eat and speak, a full set of healthy teeth is essential. Dental problems could cause speech impediments and make it impossible for your child to get the full complement of nutrients that he needs to be healthy. When your child gets older and becomes more aware of the way that he looks, a clean and attractive smile will help to boost his confidence and his self-esteem throughout his adolescence.
However, dental health also directly correlates to our overall wellbeing. Studies have shown that there is an irrefutable link between poor oral hygiene and the development of a range of chronic and potentially serious health conditions including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, liver disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and even cancer. By ensuring that your child’s teeth are as healthy as possible, and by making sure that he gets the education needed for him to also make dental care a priority as gets older and takes responsibility for his own wellbeing, you can significantly reduce his risk of being affected by any of these conditions.
Pediatric Dentists Are Specialists In Caring For Children
You might be interested to learn that a pediatric dentist isn’t just a regular dentist with an interest in caring for kids. Instead, a pediatric dentist undertakes an additional two to three years of specialty training following regular dental school. They also limit their practice to the treatment of children only. It is these two elements that set them apart from regular dentists and that makes them experts in not only understanding every aspect of infant and adolescent teeth but also how to approach children of all ages and both put them at ease and educate them on the importance of proper dental care. They are also trained to perform dentistry for children with special needs and who might otherwise be unable to physically or cognitively cooperate with the instructions of their dentist.
Types Of Treatment Performed By Pediatric Dentists
Pediatric dentists can perform a wide range of different services that will help to ensure that your child’s teeth develop as they should, are as healthy as possible and he understands the importance of taking care of his teeth. Some of the comprehensive services that are typically offered in pediatric dentistry include the following:
- Oral health exams at a frequency recommended by your pediatric dentist
- Preventative dental care including professional cleaning, fluoride treatments and dental sealants
- Nutrition and diet recommendations for dental health
- Repair of damaged or decayed teeth
- Early assessment of orthodontic requirements followed by the appropriate orthodontic treatment (i.e. braces or Invisalign)
- Help with bad oral health habits such as thumb sucking and prolonged pacifier use
- Dealing with failed dental eruptions or associated problems such as retained baby teeth
- Management of gum diseases
- Diagnosis of oral conditions associated with diseases such as diabetes, asthma, hayfever and more
A great pediatric dentist understands that every child is unique and that the approach needed to make your child feel calm and comfortable is very different to the way that someone need approach an adult. Using their experience and office equipment designed specifically with children in mind, they can reassure and relax your child so that visiting the dentist is never an anxious or frightening experience. Instead, your child will learn to think of his dental team as his friends that are supporting him with the very best oral health care.
If you would like more information about pediatric dentistry or any of our own pediatric dentistry services, please don’t hesitate to contact our family dentistry practice in Brigham City, UT today.