Kids Dentistry Archives - Upbeat Pediatric Dentistry

What are Dental Sealants, and what is their importance in the prevention of children’s cavities?

June 21, 2023 by Silvia Salles

Promoting children’s oral health is vital. As parents, we strive to instill proper oral hygiene habits. However, reaching all the teeth, especially the back molars, can be challenging. Enter dental sealants. In this blog post, we’ll explain what dental sealants are and their importance in preventing children’s cavities. Discover how dental sealants benefit your child’s oral health.

What Are Sealants?

Dental sealants are thin, clear protective coverings applied to the back teeth, especially molars and premolars. These teeth have grooves and fissures that are hard to clean. Sealants act as a barrier, protecting teeth from cavity-causing bacteria and acids. They effectively prevent cavities, keeping your child’s teeth healthy.

Why Do Children Benefit From Sealants?

Children are still learning oral hygiene techniques and may struggle to clean hard-to-reach areas. Dental sealants provide extra protection, sealing off vulnerable surfaces of molars and premolars. By preventing cavities and staining, sealants maintain tooth integrity as children develop their brushing and flossing skills.

Who Should Get This Treatment?

A pediatric dentist determines if your child is a candidate for sealants through a comprehensive examination. Candidates often include children who have difficulty with effective brushing and flossing, as well as those prone to cavities. If your child already has sealants, they can be replaced easily during routine visits.

The Sealant Procedure

Applying dental sealants is a quick and painless procedure done during a regular dental visit. Here’s what it involves:

Cleaning and drying teeth: The dentist thoroughly cleans and dries the back teeth.
Applying the sealant: A clear liquid varnish is carefully brushed onto the chewing surfaces of the back teeth, flowing into the grooves and pits to create a protective layer.
Curing the sealant: A special bright light cures and hardens the sealant, ensuring it adheres firmly to the tooth surface.
Repeating for additional teeth: The process is repeated for other teeth requiring sealant protection.

While dental sealants protect chewing surfaces of back teeth, they don’t shield front teeth or areas between back teeth. Thus, regular brushing and flossing remain crucial for comprehensive oral hygiene.

Choose the Best Option for Your Child!

For any questions about dental sealants or to learn more about their benefits, contact us. At Upbeat Pediatric Dentistry, our friendly staff is here to provide information and help you make informed decisions about your child’s oral health.
Contact us and schedule an appointment or discuss your concerns about your child’s dental care. Together, we can help your child achieve a healthy, beautiful smile for life.

What Treatments Do Pediatric Dentists Provide?

July 6, 2021June 1, 2021 by Pedro Lacerda

Pediatric dentists take an additional two to three years of special training after finishing their dental requirements. These doctors treat infants and children through adolescence. It is important to seek out a pediatric dentist for your child by the age of one, or when their first teeth erupt. Visiting the dentist at a young age sets the stage for the future, and teaches your child how to practice good oral hygiene habits.

At Upbeat Pediatric Dentistry, we welcome all of our pediatric patients to visit our office beforehand and take a tour. We want all of our patients to feel comfortable and relaxed when they visit the dentist for the first time. Our staff is trained to work with children, and we always strive to provide exceptional care.

Pediatric Services

Upbeat Pediatric Dentistry offers many pediatric services to keep your child’s teeth looking great. Visiting our office can help get in front of any issues, and allow us to track their development each time they visit.

Diagnosis and Exams

When your child visits our office, we will complete a thorough exam of their teeth and mouth. We look for things like overbites, underbites, or teeth grinding. Correcting these issues early on is important.

Oral Education

Our team is trained to help teach our pediatric patients how to take care of their teeth, and practice good oral hygiene habits at home. We work with the parents and give them tips on what products to use, as well as diet recommendations to keep their teeth healthy.

Dental Treatments

Preventative treatments are offered such as fluoride or sealants. We watch primary teeth closely, and make sure they do not become misaligned. We offer pulp therapy if your child has had any injury or oral trauma.

Other Services

Other services done in our office include fillings and teeth extraction. Pediatric dentists can fix a chipped or broken tooth, and can treat teeth for sensitivity. As your child grows, we will watch their teeth to see if any orthodontics are needed, and ensure their jaw is developing normally. If necessary, we can refer you to our preferred orthodontist.

What Can I Expect During My Child’s First Visit?

Visiting the dentist for the first time can be stressful, and we want your child’s first appointment to go well. When you contact our office for the first time, we always welcome our new patients, and offer you to tour the office prior to your first appointment. This helps the child feel comfortable when they return that day for their appointment.

During your child’s appointment we examine their teeth and take any x-rays needed. Our doctors will check for any developing cavities and recommend treatment if necessary. Our team provides a thorough exam of their teeth and jaws to check their development and to make sure we do not see any concerns.

Talking with the parents during the visit is important, and we always ask if there are any ongoing health issues with your child. This also gives the parents the ability to ask any questions or discuss any concerns they have about their child’s oral health. Our staff will also review oral hygiene habits at home to ensure your child is taking good care of their teeth. Positive reinforcement and encouragement are important at Upbeat Pediatric Dentistry. When your child is finished with their appointment, our staff will provide a prize at the end of their visit as an incentive for good behavior.

Ready to Schedule Your Appointment?

If you are interested in a pediatric dentist, and are ready to schedule your child’s appointment, please contact Upbeat Pediatric Dentistry, and our friendly staff will assist you. We look forward to your visit, and are excited to have you join our dental family.

How Do I Prepare My Child For Their First Dental Visit?

July 6, 2021December 21, 2020 by Pedro Lacerda

Process Of Drying The Dental Seal After Treatment Of The Patient's Tooth In Pediatric Dentistry. Little Girl In Dentist Office.

Planning your child’s first dental visit can be stressful. Many parents wonder when the perfect time is to bring their child in for their first exam. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentists or AAPD recommends that children visit the dentist by the age of one, or when they first notice signs of teeth erupting. Typically, primary teeth do not erupt until about six months of age.

Parents tend to worry how their child will feel or behave at the dentist for the first time. There are many benefits to visiting the dentist starting at a young age, and with positive encouragement and our amazing staff we always ensure your child’s first visit and every visit after will go well.

There are a few things we recommend to parents to help prepare their child to visit our office for the first time. We want all of our patients to feel calm and relaxed and enjoy their visit. Our staff is specially trained to work with children, and they are in good hands while in our care.

Helpful Ways to Prepare Your Child Before Their First Visit to Our Office

We welcome all new patients to schedule a tour of our office and meet our staff. This helps your child get to know where they are going, and when they arrive they will feel more comfortable because they have already been here for a visit.
Talk to your child about how important it is to see your dentist regularly. With positive attitude your child will feel excited and not afraid, and will enjoy visiting our office.
There are dental books and TV shows available that you can show your child so they can get an idea what a dental office looks like, and what we do during a dental exam and cleaning.
During your child’s appointment we recommend bringing in any comfort items such as a stuffed animal or blanket to make your child feel relaxed.
Our staff provides each child with a reward at the end of each visit so they have something to look forward to. Parents are welcome to plan for a reward as an incentive to help the child get through their first appointment.
It is important to talk to your child about how important dental hygiene is. Keeping our teeth and gums clean so we can have beautiful smiles can help teach them good oral hygiene habits at a young age.

Starting your child out right with proper dental care helps to set the stage for later in life and teaches children good oral hygiene. We look forward to establishing a good relationship with each of our pediatric patients, and our staff will help your child understand how important it is to take care of your teeth and visit our office regularly.

Our dental exams are thorough and we can check for any issues as your child grows older. We believe in preventative care to help keep your child’s teeth feeling and looking their best.

Are You Interested in Scheduling Your Child’s First Exam?

If you are interested in scheduling your child’s first dental exam we are here to help. Contact our office and our friendly staff can assist you!

Helping your child take charge of their oral health at a young age is important and our staff is here to support both our pediatric patients and their parents, and provide the highest level of dental care.

We look forward to meeting you and having your child join our dental family.