Dental Care for Children and Infants

At Arlington Dentistry, we enjoy creating gorgeous, healthy smiles for patients of any age. If we find that your child – or you, for that matter – would benefit from seeing a specialist, we’ll refer to a trusted colleague.  As a general dentist office, our preventive, restorative, implant, and cosmetic dental services include treatments suitable for patients of all ages.

Our mission is to provide a dental experience that makes children say, “Going to the dentist was fun!”  Our office provides a safe, relaxing, fun, and educational experience for children and their parents.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that tooth decay is the most chronic disease among children aged five to seventeen. Oral problems affecting infants are no less serious.

What your children eat affects their teeth. Sugars (found in cake, cookies, candy, milk, sodas, juice, etc.) and starches (found in pretzels, potatoes, etc.) can cause tooth decay. Add to this the fact that it is more difficult to clean babies’ and children’s teeth and you can see why debris tends to remain in children’s teeth, resulting in bacteria growth and, ultimately, tooth decay. Although baby teeth are eventually replaced with permanent teeth, healthy baby teeth are fundamental to a child’s overall health and development.

Oral Health Recommendations for Children & Infants

 
  • Teeth Cleaning: Baby teeth should be cleaned as soon as they erupt. Clean your baby’s teeth with a soft washcloth or gauze after every bottle or meal. When more than one tooth erupts, you can soak a small-bristled child-sized (age-appropriate) toothbrush in warm water before using it on your baby’s teeth, as instructed by your dentist. Baby teeth should be brushed using a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. Use water without fluoride until approximately six months of age.
  • Tooth Brushing should commence as soon as your child has the coordination to do so. Replace toothbrushes every two to three months. Children’s teeth should be brushed after they are given medicine. Acids contained in medicines may eat away at tooth enamel, which serves as a natural protective coating for the teeth.
  • First Dental Visit: It is important that your child see a dentist by age one to establish a long-term dental hygiene and professional dental cleaning plan. We recommend a minimum of two visits per year.
  • Dental Sealants are used to protect teeth from decay and are appropriate as soon as a tooth erupts.
  • Fluoride Treatments area major component in the prevention of childhood dental cavities. This is because fluoride alters the molecular structure of the tooth, making it more resistant to acid attack and decay.
  • Dental Flossing: Parent-assisted dental flossing should commence when two teeth erupt next to each other. Independent flossing should occur when children have the ability to do it on their own (often by six years of age).
  • Orthodontics may be appropriate by seven years of age.