What You Need to Know About Pediatric Dentistry
A pediatric dentist (also called a pedodontist) is a dentist who is fully trained to diagnose and treat dental problems. They take care of children, beginning from their infancy years all the way up to their young adulthood.
Usually, they also treat patients with special needs. In general, pediatric dentistry is dedicated to providing oral treatment in such a way that will make children and people with special needs more comfortable during this process. This is why it is common to find tools and even clinic decorations that are considered to be more fun and eye-catching in these pediatric dental clinics.
What Do They Do?
Pediatric dentists are trained to do a variety of treatments for the holistic care of a child or special needs person’s oral health. Listed below are a few of these treatments.
- Oral health exams in infants and risk assessment for dental caries (more commonly known as tooth decay) in mothers and infants
- Teeth cleaning and fluoride treatments as preventative procedures
- Diet and nutrition recommendations for healthier oral health
- Counseling for habits such as thumb-sucking and pacifier use
- Assessment and early treatment for correcting possibly bite problems
- Treatments for tooth cavities
- Providing diagnosis for oral symptoms associated with other diseases like diabetes, congenital heart defect, asthma, and hay fever
- Providing care for dental injuries like knocked-out teeth
How to Take Care of Baby Teeth
What some people might not realize is that children have their own specific set of dental problem.
When a baby is born, they already have 20 primary teeth partially developed. While you might not see them, it is important to know that they’re there in the jaw. This is why it’s good to practice good dental hygiene earlier on.
To properly clean a baby’s mouth at home, parents can gently wipe a clean, warm cloth over their baby’s gums. This is to remove any possible harmful bacteria.