Pediatric Dentistry FAQs

It’s best to have your child avoid eating anything heavy within 30 minutes before your child’s appointment. Children shouldn’t eat for 30 minutes after fluoride treatments. Following a visit involving the use of Novocain, children should not eat anything crunchy or chewy until the numbness wears off (usually about 2 hours); however, they can eat soft, mushy foods after their visit.

The sooner the better! Starting at birth, clean your child’s gums with a soft infant toothbrush or clean washcloth and water. Parents should use a very tiny smear of fluoride toothpaste (too much fluoride can make a baby sick) to brush baby teeth twice daily as soon as they erupt, along a soft, age-appropriate sized toothbrush.

Although fluoride use has greatly reduced the incidence of cavities in children, its success is limited in the deeper parts of the tooth. Sealants are recommended as a safe, simple way to help your child avoid cavities, especially for molars, which are hardest to reach. They are easily, quickly, and comfortably applied, and they may effectively protect your child’s teeth for many years.

First, rinse the irritated area with warm salt water and place a cold compress on the face if it is swollen. Come see us as soon as possible.

Parents should take their children to the dentist regularly, beginning with the eruption of the first tooth. Then, the dentist can recommend a specific program of brushing, flossing, and other treatments for parents to supervise and teach to their children. These home treatments, when added to regular dental visits and a balanced diet, will help establish a lifetime of healthy habits for your child.

Dentistry for Children is proud to use white, not silver, fillings on our patients. There are a variety of reasons why our dentists choose to use white fillings versus silver fillings. For instance, white fillings are mercury-free, and mercury is viewed by some as being toxic. There is also less removal of the tooth structure when using white fillings. If done correctly, the white filling is less sensitive to hot and cold, making it a better filling for children. Silver fillings tend to weaken the teeth and make them more susceptible to breaking, while white fillings bond to the natural tooth and restore most of its strength. The best thing about white fillings, and why our dental staff choose them, is that they match the natural color of the patient’s other teeth. No one can tell that a filling is even there!