Parent FAQs
What You Need To Know
What is the difference between a pediatric dentist and a family dentist?
Pediatric dentists are the pediatricians of dentistry. Following dental school, a pediatric dentist completes two or three years of specialized training, allowing them to focus exclusively on pediatric dentistry. Pediatricians are medical professionals who specialize in treating infants, children with special health needs, and adolescents.
When should I first bring my child into the dentist?
An initial check-up is recommended with your child’s first tooth or first birthday. This initial exam can give the dentist and parents an opportunity to review some basic aspects of children’s teeth growth and development, check for dental cavities, and review some important procedures prevent the mouth. Early detection and management of oral conditions can improve your child’s oral health and overall health and well-being. Delaying treatment can sometimes result in more extensive and costly care.
What can I expect from the first visit?
Your child will have the chance to meet the dentist in a friendly and non-threatening manner during this initial appointment. We will perform a visual examination of your child’s teeth and gums, observe how they behave, and if necessary, request x-rays to examine areas that are not visible to the naked eye. We aim to keep the child’s appointment brief and enjoyable. This can imply that any necessary dental work or a thorough cleaning won’t be done until the second appointment. In order to foster a relationship between your child and the dentist, we might ask you to wait in the reception area for a portion of the appointment.
How should I prepare my child for their first visit?
Children are frequently far more cool than their parents when it comes to visiting the dentist. Try not to project any anxiety you might have onto your little one. Let your child know that going to the dentist is a good thing; just be honest and let them relax. It will be enjoyable, we’re sure of it. Even “The doctor will count your teeth” is acceptable.
How often should I bring my child to the dentist?
Examinations are usually done every six months to prevent cavities, look for cavities early, and catch any other dental problems, but we recommend when and how often your child should have visits based on your individual oral health.
Do you accept assignment or direct billing?
When you receive treatment, we will file a direct claim with your insurance company and get any remaining funds from you.
Do you accept government social services insurance plans?
Yes, we accept social services including the Alberta Children’s Health Benefit (ACHB) program and First Nations Uninsured Health Benefits (NIHB).
Why should we fix baby teeth if they are just going to fall out?
Your child will keep some of their primary or “baby” teeth until approximately 9 – 13 years old. Primary teeth are important for many reasons. They support children’s natural chewing and speech patterns as well as the development of a path permanent teeth can take when they are ready to erupt. If left untreated, primary teeth can become infected and cause pain from cavities.
How often should I be brushing my child's teeth?
At least twice a day, in the morning and right before bed, teeth should be brushed. The most important time to brush is just before the child goes to sleep for the night.
Toothpaste: When should we begin using it and how much should we use?
One of the most crucial things you can do for good oral health is to brush your teeth. Make sure to select the toothbrush recommended by the Canadian Dental Association, as stated on the box and packaging, when shopping for your child. These toothpastes have been tested for safety.
Using a baby toothbrush, a soft cloth, or water, clean your newborn’s mouth as soon as possible. Start brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and an age-appropriate soft toothpaste as soon as teeth begin to appear. Use toothpaste no larger than a rice grain to brush your teeth if your child is younger than two years old. Give a “pea-shaped” brush or assist the child in brushing their teeth if the patient is between the ages of two and five and is able to spit. Recall that young children are unable to properly brush their teeth. Do not let children scream and swallow excess toothpaste after brushing their teeth.
Should I floss my child's teeth?
Even if your kids are still in the baby tooth stage, you should still be flossing their teeth. Cavities between teeth are common in children. Tooth brushing alone will not adequately clean these spaces, and food and bacteria can build up between those teeth. Parents should start teaching their kids to floss every day as soon as their teeth begin to fit closely together, which is typically between the ages of two and six. You can assist them in learning to floss when their dexterity improves. Around the age of 10, children typically start to floss on their own.
What is a good diet for healthy teeth?
Healthy eating habits lead to healthy teeth. Just like the rest of the body, the mouth’s soft tissues, bones, and teeth require a diet that is well-balanced.
Children who eat most snacks run the risk of developing cavities. A child has a higher risk of tooth decay the more often they snack. Another factor is the duration of food retention in the mouth. For instance, foods that stick to the teeth, hard candies, and breath mints all prolong acid attacks on dental enamel by remaining in the mouth for extended periods. In case your child needs to snack, opt for healthy and tooth-friendly options like veggies, low-fat yogurt, and low-fat cheese.
A range of foods from the five main food groups should be consumed by children. The majority of kid-friendly snacks can cause cavities. A child’s risk of tooth decay increases with the frequency of their snacking. Another factor is how long food is kept in the mouth. For extended periods of time, hard candies, sticky meals, and breath mints remain in the mouth, resulting in prolonged acid attacks on dental enamel. Select healthy snacks that are better for their teeth, like veggies, low-fat yogurt, and low-fat cheese, if your child must nibble.
What is baby bottle tooth decay?
Baby Bottle Tooth Decay (BBTD) is a devastating form of tooth decay that can rapidly destroy a child’s four upper front teeth and lower back teeth by the age of two or three. BBTD develops when the child’s bottle containing milk, juice or sugar-containing liquids is left in the child’s mouth for prolonged periods of time.
How can I prevent baby bottle tooth decay?
START EARLY with good feeding habits. The bottle should only be used at mealtimes, not as a pacifier during the day or night. Do not bottle feed your child soft drinks, fruit juices, gelatin waters or other sweetened drinks.
As long as the infant is healthy and caregivers are ready for two to three nights of crying that will stop once the child gets used to the new routine, you should immediately break the habit of your baby taking a bottle during naps or at night. You have two options: either stop giving your child a bottle right away, especially at night or during naps, or wean them off of it gradually by adding water to the bottle.
Are my child's teeth coming in at the right time?
All 20 primary teeth usually appear by age 3, however the pace and order of their eruption varies. The first baby teeth to erupt through the gums are usually the lower central incisors, followed closely by the upper central incisors. First baby teeth usually erupt in children around the age of six months, though it’s normal for some to erupt earlier or later. Some children don’t get their first teeth until they turn one year old! Permanent teeth usually begin appearing around age 6, starting with the first molars and lower central incisors.
Why does my child grind their teeth? Should I be worried?
Parents are frequently concerned about their children’s nighttime teeth grinding, or bruxism. Often, the first indication is the noise created by the child grinding on their teeth during sleep, or you may notice wear or the teeth getting shorter. Treatment is not necessary for most pediatric bruxism cases. Fortunately, most kids outgrow their bruxism. Between the ages of 6 and 9, children tend to grind less, and between the ages of 9 and 12, they usually stop. Should you suspect that your child has bruxism, speak with your pediatric dentist.
What are sealants?
A sealant is a clear or white acrylic resin material that is applied to the chewing surfaces (grooves) of the back teeth (premolars and molars), where most cavities in children are found. The teeth’s decay-prone areas are shielded from food, plaque, and acid by this sealant. It is an easy, non-invasive, and reasonably priced procedure that has been shown to significantly lower the risk of cavities with pit and fissures.
