Around 20% of kids between five and 11 years of age have at least one untreated decayed tooth. 13% of kids between 12 and 19 also have at least one untreated decayed tooth.
And while you can take your children to your dentist, that dentist may not be specifically trained to treat your children. It may make a lot more sense for you to find a qualified pediatric dental group to treat your children.
If you’re wondering why you should visit pediatric dental specialists rather than a general dentist, we can shed some light on that. Keep reading to learn seven reasons to find a children’s dentist near me.
1. A Pediatric Dental Group is Specifically Trained to Treat Kids
Look for a dentist, like Dr. Robert Govoni, who is a member of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry (ABPD). All members have gone through extensive training and education to specifically treat children.
Pediatric dentists go through two to three years of specialty training after dental school. Some may limit their practice to only treat children.
Pediatric dentists perform primary and specialty oral care to infants through adolescence. They are also trained to work with children with special needs.
2. Your Kids Will Have a Positive Relationship With Their Dentist
An estimated 9% to 15% of Americans avoid seeing their dentist. And it’s all due to fear and anxiety.
One way to avoid that happening to your child is by finding dentists who are specifically trained to work with children. At Brushin’ on Belmont, our dentists will take the time to show your children exactly what a typical visit looks and feels like.
They’ll also be happy to answer any questions you or your child might have. This will help your children to develop a positive view of going to the dentist.
This will make them develop life-long healthy habits which will hopefully help them avoid requiring extensive dental work or problems later on in life.
3. Child-Friendly Equipment
Most dental equipment is rather intimidating, even for adults. And while there’s nothing wrong with using standard-sized equipment on kids, that doesn’t make kids feel at ease.
As a pediatric dentist, we often use smaller equipment specifically designed to fit in kid’s mouths. And, most dentists who work with kids are trained to show their patients what instruments they use and what they’re used for to help alleviate any anxiety.
4. Focus on Preventative Care
It’s important to teach your kids healthy oral care habits as soon as possible. The earlier they learn how to brush and floss their teeth, the better experience they’ll have during dental visits.
Having your kids focused on preventative care helps you out because there will be fewer cavities and other dental work needed.
Since they’re trained to work with kids, they know exactly how and when to introduce healthy dental habits to your kids. While the first visit may be geared more towards teaching your child how to properly care for their teeth and gums, as they grow, they’ll learn how to properly take care of their adult teeth.
This will ensure a lifetime of healthy oral health habits.
5. More Fun for the Kids
While some adults love how their teeth feel after a good cleaning, most would never state they have fun visiting their dentist. But pediatric dental associates are more focused on making their office a happy and fun place to be.
They usually take care to decorate their office in bright, fun colors and artwork. They also tend to have toys, games, and fun magazines like “Highlights” to help your kid feel more at home.
Having Fun Means Feeling Safe
Most pediatric dental specialists will even hand out stickers, toys or sugarless candy treats at the end of your child’s appointment. All of these efforts help make your kid feel safe and secure.
And, the more your child sees other kids having fun and enjoying a positive experience at the dentist, the easier it will be for them to enjoy their own dental appointments.
6. Early Detection
Tooth decay is the biggest issue most kids face when it comes to oral care. Thankfully, it’s usually preventable.
Regular dental visits will help ensure your kids enjoy problem free visits. The dentist will also apply sealants and provide your kids with fluoride treatments to help protect their enamel. This all helps minimize the risk of cavities.
Exams and X-Rays
Receiving regular exams and x-rays, along with computer modeling helps your child’s dentist predict future oral problems. The earlier they can detect a problem such as a bad bite (malocclusion), jaw irregularities or problems with griding (bruxism), the earlier than can take measures to help fix the issue.
However, that can only happen if your child receives regular exams and cleanings.
Treatment
Pediatric dentists are trained to handle much more than just preventative treatments such as sealants. They can also treat oral trauma and perform pulp therapy.
If your child loses their baby tooth too soon, the dentist can provide space maintainers to avoid misaligned teeth. That can help your child avoid needing braces in the future.
7. Helps to Educate Your Kids
Some kids develop bad habits such as thumb sucking or teeth grinding. Not only are those habits hard to break but these habits can harm teeth.
As your Chicago pediatric dentist, we can work with you to help you gently break your child’s bad habits before they become real issues.
Latest Advances
Pediatric dentists are also up-to-date about the latest advances in dentistry, especially where it pertains to children. They can educate both you and your child about the benefits of Xylitol.
Xylitol is a natural sugar substitute that studies are now showing can help protect young teeth against harmful bacteria, tooth decay, and cavities.
They also tend to use the latest technology to help spot issues and fix them before they become big problems.
Work With Us
While some pediatric dental groups only work with children, we realize how busy your life is. That’s why we provide general, cosmetic, and pediatric dental care at our office.
We firmly believe that by working with the whole family, we can help instill lifelong healthy oral habits. And we’d love to start working with your family. Click here to contact us to schedule an appointment.