Pediatric Dentistry
Pediatric dentists are trained to treat children and help maintain their oral health. From the age of one year, around which time a baby’s teeth will begin to appear, parents should schedule yearly or biennial dental checkups, which can be just as necessary as general doctor appointments.
What is a Pediatric Dentist?
Apart from providing spectacular dentistry, a pediatric dentist’s job primarily consists of making dental health enjoyable for children. A pediatric dentist can become a partner for parents to help keep their children healthy and offer age-related advice.
What Services Do Pediatric Dentists Provide?
General and Pediatric dentists align on many of the same job responsibilities, including:
- Providing oral cleanings 1-2 times a year
- Diagnosing and fixing dental injuries or diseases, or referring patients to a specialist
- Providing and interpreting x-rays and other tests
- Keeping growth records for mouth, teeth, and gums
- Maintaining proper medical records for each patient, and distributing them to specialists as necessary
- Performing oral surgery
- Offering dental advice including hygiene and disease prevention techniques
Pediatric dentists can guide parents in caring for their children’s teeth at home and offer advice on miscellaneous oral health issues such as:
- Weening children off a pacifier or thumb-sucking
- Preventing and treating mouth trauma common for babies just learning to walk
- The right toothbrush for a child with sensitive gums or teeth
- How to make oral hygiene, like brushing and flossing, fun for kids
Why Choose a Pediatric Dentist?
Think of a pediatric dentist as a general dentist that understands and loves children. Choosing a pediatric dentist is a great way to ensure that your child will have a positive experience at the dentist’s office from a young age, promoting a lifetime of proper oral hygiene.
For more information on pediatric dentistry, contact us at Hinsdale Dental today!