Questions parents ask

Pediatric dentists care for children of all ages. From first tooth to adolescence, they help your child develop a healthy smile until they’re ready to move on to a general dentist. Pediatric dentists have had 2-3 years of special training to care for young children and adolescents.

Research has shown that mothers with poor oral health may be at a greater risk of passing cavity-causing bacteria to their children, and periodontal disease can increase the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that all pregnant women continue to visit the dentist for checkups during pregnancy. To decrease the risk of spreading the bacteria, mothers should visit their dentist regularly, brush and floss on a daily basis, and maintain a healthy diet full of natural fiber, and reduce sugary foods. Additionally, increasing water intake and using fluoridated toothpaste helps prevent cavities and improves oral health.

Your child’s first tooth will typically erupt between 6 and 12 months, although it is common to occur earlier. Usually, the two bottom front teeth – the central incisors – erupt first, followed by four upper front teeth – called the central and lateral incisors. Your child should have their first full set of teeth by their third birthday. Permanent teeth start to appear around age 6, beginning with the first molars and lower central incisors. The age of 8, is generally when the bottom 4 primary teeth (the lower central and lateral incisors) and the top 4 primary teeth (the upper central and lateral incisors) begin to fall out and permanent teeth take their place. The rest of the permanent teeth will start to come in around age 10. Permanent teeth can continue to erupt until approximately age 21. Adults have 32 permanent teeth including the third molars (called wisdom teeth).

Baby teeth are temporary; however, if a baby tooth is lost too soon, it can lead to other teeth crowding the vacant spot. This can cause alignment issues when the permanent tooth begins to emerge, and could cause crooked teeth and biting problems. Baby teeth are important to help with chewing and eating leading to proper nutrition.

One of the most common forms of early childhood caries is “baby bottle tooth decay,” which is caused by the continuous exposure of a baby’s teeth to sugary drinks. Baby bottle tooth decay primarily affects the upper front teeth, but other teeth may also be affected. Early symptoms of baby bottle tooth decay are white spots on the surface of teeth or on the gum line, and tooth sensitivity. More severe symptoms can appear in advanced stages of baby bottle tooth decay, and include: brown or black spots on teeth, bleeding or swollen gums, fever, and bad breath. If your child shows any of these symptoms, you need to see your pediatric dentist immediately to prevent further, more complicated problems from occurring. Tips to Prevent Baby Bottle Tooth Decay 1 – Don’t send your child to bed with a bottle of anything EXCEPT water. 2 – Clean your baby’s gums after each meal. 3 – Gently brush your child’s first tooth. 4 – Limit sugary drinks and food.

If your child fractures a tooth, then gather any fragments you can find and store them in a clean container of milk, or saliva of the child that lost the tooth. Never use water to transport a broken or knocked out tooth. It is important that you visit the dentist immediately to prevent infection and other complications that are brought on by chipped or knocked out teeth. If the tooth is knocked out, only touch the crown of the tooth and not the root. Your pediatric dentist will be able to repair your child’s tooth or fix it with a crown.

If your child experiences a cut on their tongue, cheek or lip, bleeding can usually be stopped by applying clean gauze to the affected area. You can also apply ice to the area to help stop the bleed. If you cannot stop the bleeding, call your pediatric dentist or visit the emergency room. If your child has an open oral wound, for a long period of time they can be susceptible to infection.

Start with the simple things: rinse with warm water, floss gently either side of the sore tooth in case food is trapped, and give children’s ibuprofen or acetaminophen at the dose for your child's weight - as dictated on the box/label. Never put aspirin or numbing gel directly on the gum — it burns the tissue. Then call us. A toothache means something, and it rarely resolves on its own. Call us the same day — don't wait — if: There's swelling of the face, cheek, or jaw The pain wakes your child at night There's a fever alongside the tooth pain There's a pimple-like bump on the gum near the tooth Your child won't eat or drink Go to the emergency room if there's swelling spreading toward the eye or down the neck, difficulty swallowing or breathing, or your child seems unwell in themselves. Those are rare, and they're not situations to manage at home.

X-rays let us see what an examination can't: decay between the teeth, infection at the root, permanent teeth that are missing, extra, or stuck, and damage below the gum after an injury. In children, cavities very often start on the surfaces where two teeth touch — completely hidden from view until they're large. On safety: we use digital sensors, which need a fraction of the radiation older dental film required. A set of cavity-detecting x-rays is roughly comparable to the natural background radiation your child absorbs in about a day of ordinary life — less than a cross-country flight. We take them only when there's a reason to, based on your child's age and cavity risk, not on a fixed schedule. You may notice we no longer use lead aprons or thyroid collars. The ADA updated its guidance in 2024 and no longer recommends them. Modern machines aim a tightly restricted beam, so there's very little scatter for an apron to catch — and aprons frequently drifted into the beam and blocked the image, meaning a retake and a second dose. Removing them lowers your child's total exposure rather than raising it. If it concerns you, please ask us — we'd rather explain than have you sit there uneasy.

Orthodontic Treatment can be recognized as early as 2-3 years of age. Often, preventative steps can be taken to help reduce the need for major orthodontic treatment later on. From ages 2 to 6, the main concern would be habits such as finger or thumb sucking, underdeveloped dental arches, and early loss of primary teeth. From ages 6 to 12, treatment options deal with jaw and dental alignment problems. This is a great time to start treatment, as your child’s hard and soft tissues are usually very responsive to orthodontic or orthopedic forces.

When adult teeth come in behind the baby teeth can be called “Shark Teeth” It is common, and occurs as the result of a lower baby tooth not falling out when the permanent tooth is arriving. In most cases, the baby tooth will fall out on its own within a couple months. If it doesn’t fall out on its own contact your pediatric dentist.

Those symptoms are worth taking seriously, and we're glad when parents raise them. Here's our role, stated plainly: we screen, we don't diagnose. At checkups we look at tonsil size, palate shape, jaw development, and how your child breathes, and we ask about sleep. If what we see raises concern, the most useful next step is usually an ENT, who can properly assess tonsils, adenoids, and nasal obstruction — in young children a great many airway issues turn out to be ENT issues rather than dental ones. Where sleep symptoms are prominent, a pediatric sleep physician is the right referral. Dr Mindi has a list of recommended ENT’s but your best ask is have your pediatrician refer you to one. Only a physician can diagnose sleep apnea, and any dental office suggesting otherwise is overstepping. What we can do is notice it early, explain what we're seeing, refer you to the right specialist, and keep tracking your child's jaw growth alongside their medical care. Tell us if you've noticed snoring most nights, pauses or gasping, mouth breathing, restless sleep or night sweats, ongoing bedwetting, or daytime trouble with focus.

Yes. Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is a liquid substance used to help prevent tooth cavities (or caries) from forming, growing, or spreading to other teeth. It can also help to arrest the cavities in young kids to hold on treatment until treatment can be done.

Bruxism is more commonly known as teeth-grinding, and a surprising number of children suffer from it – around 3 in 10. Teeth-grinding usually occurs while children are asleep, and it can become a dental problem if left unchecked. Regular teeth-grinding can wear down tooth enamel, reinforce improper bite patterns, and leave teeth more susceptible to cavities and decay. Bruxism can cause headaches, earaches, facial pain, and bite and jaw problems. If your child’s teeth-grinding is ongoing, then their dentist may prescribe a nightguard to protect their teeth and mouth. A nightguard helps ease the pain of tooth grinding and protects tooth enamel from being worn away.

Pacifiers are genuinely useful in the first months of life — they soothe, and they're associated with reduced SIDS risk. So we're not anti-pacifier. And being done with it by 18 months is the MOST ideal but by 3 it absolutely needs to go! The trade-off is time. Sucking habits that continue while the jaws are developing can change how the upper jaw and the front teeth grow — a narrower palate, front teeth pushed forward, an open bite where the top and bottom teeth don't meet. What we suggest: begin easing off after the first year (12-18months), aim to be finished by around age 3, and talk to us if the habit is still going strong by then. Changes caused by a habit that stops early often correct themselves; the ones that stick around tend to be from habits that continue into the permanent teeth. Thumb and finger sucking is the same conversation with one difference: you can't take a thumb away. Come talk to us rather than fighting it alone — there are approaches that work, and shame isn't one of them. Toothpillow functional appliance can also help break this habit and open up an airway affected by the restricted growth from a pacifier

While it can be common for children to breathe through their mouths on occasion (when they are congested, have a cold, or are involved in strenuous activities) breathing through the mouth all the time, including when you’re sleeping, can lead to problems. If your child is suffering from these symptoms, we can help determine underlying causes and may refer your child to an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) doctor for further evaluation. Mouth breathing in children can cause bad breath, crooked teeth, jaw alignment issues, and other orthodontic problems. If your child is suffering from these symptoms, we can help determine underlying causes, and may refer your child to another functional provider such as an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) physician, allergist, myofunctional therapist, chiropractor, or physical therapist for further evaluation.

To prevent cavities, we suggest enjoying a mouth-healthy diet, full of fibrous fruits and vegetables. Drink more water, which prevents dry mouth and naturally cleans teeth. Brush twice a day for two minutes at a time, and floss daily. Visit your dentist every six months for routine checkups and preventative care.

It’s never too early to begin a healthy oral care routine. You should begin caring for your child’s gums long before their first tooth emerges, which is usually around the six-month mark of their life. Healthy gums are an important predictor of healthy teeth and maintaining clean gums will help ensure that your child has healthy, cavity-free baby teeth. You can clean your infant’s gums – or their first teeth – by simply using a cold, clean washcloth. Simply rinse a clean, soft washcloth with cool water and wring it out. After your child has finished eating or drinking a sugary drink, use the damp washcloth to gently wipe out their mouth. This will remove any sugar or acid that is left by their food and help prevent early cavities. Once your child has a few more baby teeth – usually between 8 and 12 months – then you can graduate from a washcloth to a toothbrush designed for toddlers. There are a lot of toothbrushes designed for babies and toddlers from which to choose. Toothbrushes designed for babies have much softer bristles and a smaller head than those meant for older children. Use only a smear of toothpaste – about the size of a grain of rice – to brush their teeth. When they’ve gotten older and have more teeth, use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. Always be sure to rinse their mouth out with cool water after you are done brushing and try to keep them from swallowing any toothpaste. Flossing is also important for baby teeth. Flossing helps remove the plaque and food that can become lodged between teeth. Be sure to floss your child’s teeth daily.

Children should eat a variety of foods including grains, fruits, protein, vegetables, and low-fat dairy, raw vegetables like carrots, celery, and bell pepper are excellent snacking alternatives to unhealthy chips and crackers. Starchy carbs like potato chips and crackers can stick to teeth and cause unhealthy buildup, which can lead to cavities. Fibrous vegetables like celery can clean your teeth as you eat them! That is also true of fibrous fruits like apples, strawberries, and kiwi. So, choose raw fruits and vegetables instead of chips, they are better for your overall health, and they will not stick to your teeth like starchy carbs and sugars.

The chewing surfaces of back teeth aren't flat — they're a landscape of grooves and pits, some narrower than a toothbrush bristle. Food and bacteria settle in there and a brush simply can't reach the bottom. That's why most cavities in school-age children happen on exactly these surfaces. A sealant is a thin protective coating we paint into those grooves. It flows in, we set it with a light, and the tooth is left with a smooth surface a toothbrush can actually clean. The appointment: no drilling, no numbing, no discomfort. We clean the tooth, prepare the surface, paint on the sealant, and set it. A few minutes per tooth. When: usually on the permanent molars soon after they come in — around age 6 for the first set and around age 12 for the second. Sometimes on baby molars with deep grooves in a child at higher risk. How long: they last years, and we check them at every visit. They wear down over time and are easy to touch up. Sealants don't replace brushing, and they don't protect the surfaces between teeth — flossing still matters.

Fluoride is considered to be nature’s cavity fighter. Fluoride is naturally found in all sources of water such as lakes, rivers, and even the ocean. Fluoride is added to most public water supplies, so the tap water in your home has fluoride added to it. Fluoride helps build tooth enamel which helps protect your teeth from tooth decay. For more than half a century, the ADA has recommended using toothpaste containing fluoride to prevent cavities. Fluoridated toothpaste does an excellent job of cleaning teeth, but make sure that your child spits all of it out and rinses their mouth thoroughly after brushing since ingesting excessive fluoride can lead to a condition called fluorosis. Fluorosis is faint white lines on the teeth.

Xylitol has the sweet benefits of traditional sugar, but it does not have negative effects on teeth like sugar. The natural sugar alcohol, Xylitol, helps prevent cavities by inhibiting the growth of bacteria that causes cavities. You can find natural xylitol in some fruits and berries. Xylitol can most often be found in gums and mints. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recognizes the benefits of xylitol for the oral health of infants, children, adolescents, and persons with special health care needs.

Yes, on two fronts. The sugar feeds the bacteria that cause cavities — a single bottle can carry as much as a soda. The acid is the part most people miss. Sports drinks are acidic in their own right, from added citric and phosphoric acid, and that acid softens enamel directly without any bacteria involved. Sugar-free versions are still acidic, so they aren't the fix they look like. What makes it worse is how they're drunk: sipped slowly across a whole practice or game, so the teeth are bathed in sugar and acid for an hour or more rather than a few minutes. What we'd suggest: Water for ordinary sport. Most children playing youth sports aren't depleting electrolytes in a way that needs replacing. If your child does have one, drink it in one go rather than sipping over time. Rinse with water afterward. Don't brush straight away. Enamel is softened right after an acid exposure — wait about 30 minutes so you're not brushing softened enamel.

Mouthguards – sometimes called mouth protectors – work by helping cushion a blow to the face, and minimizing the risk of broken teeth, or lacerating a lip, tongue, or cheek. Did you know that the CDC estimates that more than 3 million teeth are knocked out at youth sporting events? Mouthguards work to prevent tooth loss and other facial injuries. Mouthguards come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and are designed for multiple sports.