Cosmetic Dentistry

Dallas, TX

214-821-MINT

DENTAL HEALTH

• Oral Hygiene
• Child Dentistry
• Dental Dictionary
• Periodontitis and Gum Disease
• Arestin

Child Dentistry

Your child's first visit to Mint

Mint Dentistry treats dental problems in patients as young as six years old, but Dr Harrison recommends that parents of four-year- olds schedule a brief consultation. We may ask you to sit in the dental chair and hold your child during the examination. You may also be asked to wait in the reception area during part of the visit so that a relationship can be built between your child and your dentist.

We will gently examine your child's teeth and gums. X-rays may be taken (to reveal decay and check on the progress of your child's permanent teeth under the gums). We may clean your child's teeth and apply topical fluoride to help protect the teeth against decay. We will make sure your child is receiving adequate fluoride at home. Most important of all, we will review with you how to clean and care for your child's teeth.

The first baby teeth that come into the mouth are the two bottom front teeth. You will notice this when your baby is about 6-8 months old. Next to follow will be the 4 upper front teeth and the remainder of your baby's teeth will appear periodically. They will usually appear in pairs along the sides of the jaw until the child is about 2 1/2 years old.

At around 2 1/2 years old your child should have all 20 teeth. Between the ages of 5 and 6 the first permanent teeth will begin to erupt. Some of the permanent teeth replace baby teeth and some don't. Don't worry if some teeth are a few months early or late as all children are different.

What should I tell my child about the first dental visit?

We are asked this question many times. We suggest you prepare your child the same way you would before their first haircut or trip to the shoe store. Your child's reaction to his first visit to the dentist may surprise you.

During your child's (under six) first visit to Mint, the dentist will:

• Examine their mouth, teeth and gums.
• Evaluate adverse habits like thumb sucking.
• Check to see if your child needs fluoride.
• Teach you about cleaning your child's teeth and gums.
• Suggest a schedule for regular dental visits.

Baby teeth are important as they not only hold space for permanent teeth but they are important to chewing, biting, speech and appearance. For this reason it is important to maintain a healthy diet and daily hygiene.

Early visits to Mint can help prevent tooth decay and cavities in your child

Tooth decay and children no longer have to go hand in hand. At our office we are most concerned with all aspects of preventive care. Once your child's permanent teeth are in, we can use the latest in dental sealant (or tooth bonding) technology to protect your child's teeth. Dental sealants are space-age plastics that are bonded to the chewing surfaces of decay-prone back teeth. These have proven to be extraordinarily effective in the prevention of future tooth decay and cavities. This is just one of the ways we will set the foundation for your child's lifetime of good oral health.

Cavity prevention

Most of the time cavities are due to a diet high in sugary foods and a lack of brushing. Limiting sugar intake and brushing regularly, of course, can help. The longer it takes your child to chew their food and the longer the residue stays on their teeth, the greater the chances of getting cavities. Every time someone eats, an acidic reaction occurs inside their mouth as the bacteria digests the sugars. This reaction lasts approximately 20 minutes. During this time the acidic environment can destroy the tooth structure, eventually leading to cavities.

Consistency of a person's saliva also makes a difference; thinner saliva breaks up and washes away food more quickly. When a person eats diets high in carbohydrates and sugars they tend to have thicker saliva, which in turn allows more of the acid-producing bacteria that can cause cavities.