Children's Dental Care in Virginia Beach, VA

What is Children’s Dentistry?

A pediatric dentist is a children’s dentist that treats children from their first birthday up until their teen years. While dentistry for kids is similar to adult dentistry, there are special treatments for children that have a positive effect on their oral health development. A children’s dentist also needs to be a good communicator as parents will have many questions and children are more cooperative then they understand what is going to happen during the visit. If you’ve been searching for an experienced children’s dentist near me, contact our office and request an appointment for your child.

How Often Do Young Children Need to See a Kid’s Dentist?

Baby teeth start coming in at about six months. You should take your child for a checkup six months after you see the first baby tooth, or by age one. Baby teeth, even though they are not permanent, are important as they help your child learn to chew and speak clearly.

What Should I Expect on My Baby’s First Dental Visit?

Our dentist may have you sit in the chair with your baby on your lap while he or she examines your baby’s teeth, gum and jaw. Our dentist will answer any questions that you have, including questions about how to take care of your baby’s oral health at home. A baby tooth can get a cavity, causing your child pain. It’s important to watch your child’s sugar intake at all times, but especially when they are still bottle feeding. Leaving a baby with a bottle of fruit juice is the same as soaking their teeth in sugar.

Children’s Dental Services

Kid’s dental care services that our office offers include:

Teeth Cleaning for Children

Children as young as three years old can usually hold their mouth open long enough for a child-friendly teeth cleaning. Usually, our hygienist won’t need to scale a child’s teeth so the treatment is quick and painless.

Fluoride

A children’s dentist can offer safe fluoride treatments, which are important for children who do not have access to fluoridated water in their community.

Dental Sealants

When the nooks and crannies in your child’s teeth make them hard to clean, dental sealants, which are brushed on the teeth, protect your child from getting cavities. Dental sealants can provide protection for up to 10 years.

Fillings

As part of our dentistry for children services, we fill cavities; untreated cavities in baby teeth can lead to pain and infections. One in four children have a cavity or two before reaching their fourth birthday. We can fill the cavity with a safe amalgam filling or a tooth-colored composite filling.

Pediatric Crowns

If your child has a fragile tooth due to a root canal or an extra large cavity, our pediatric dentist will suggest a crown to restore the tooth’s functionality. We offer white crowns for baby teeth and stainless steel crowns for molars.

Mouthguards

Mouthguards offer protection to your child’s teeth during contact sports. They are also available for children who grind their teeth. Call us for an appointment if you believe your child could benefit from a mouthguard.

When Will My Baby’s First Tooth Emerge?

Primary teeth start emerging at three to seven months, with the two bottom front teeth emerging first. Primary teeth usually emerge in pairs. By age three, children typically have a full set of baby teeth.

When Will My Child Start Losing Baby Teeth?

Any time between ages four and seven, baby teeth begin falling out. The bottom front teeth are the first to fall out. Interestingly, girls tend to lose their teeth earlier than boys.

Why Do Toddlers and Young Children Get Toothaches?

Decay and infection are the most common reasons for a child’s toothache. You can have your child rinse with salt water to ease the pain or you can dab clove oil on the tooth until you can bring your child in for an appointment. The children’s dentists in Virginia Beach happily accept new, young patients. Contact us to arrange an appointment so we can stop your child’s toothache.