At Forni Dental, we believe that every child deserves a great start on having a healthy smile. Our experienced team provides kid-friendly care in a comfortable environment to help children have a great experience in the dental chair from the very beginning. With regular checkups and the right oral hygiene habits, your child can avoid cavities and other problems from early on. If you’re searching for a high-quality children’s dentist for your little one, contact us anytime. We can’t wait to meet them!
When Should I Schedule the First Checkup and What’s Included In That Visit?
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends the first checkup by age one (or within 6 months of the first tooth coming in). These visits set the stage for a lifetime of good oral health and ease your child into routine dental care. They typically don’t include X-rays or a cleaning until kids are 3 to 5 years old.
Dr. Forni or Dr. Pero will start with a thorough visual exam to look for signs of tooth decay and make sure that the bite alignment is normal. Many children feel most comfortable in their parent’s lap for these exams. If we see any areas of concern, it’s always easier and simpler to address it early on rather than waiting until it’s progressed.
After the exam, we’ll discuss our findings and give you personalized information on the following topics:
- Healthy feeding practices for infants and how to avoid baby bottle tooth decay
- Which products to use for cavity prevention and whether fluoridated toothpaste is appropriate
- Teething
- Pacifier use and thumb-sucking
- The best brushing and flossing techniques for your child’s age
Tips To Improve Your Child’s Oral Hygiene At Home
As a kids’ dentist, we’ve found that preventing dental problems is so much easier than treating them. Along with regular checkups, using the following oral hygiene tips is one of the best ways to do that:
- For infants, get into the habit of gently cleaning their gums 2 to 3 times each day with a clean, damp cloth or an ultra-soft teething brush.
- Prior to age 3, use a tiny, rice-sized amount of toothpaste or just a very light smear. After age 3, a pea-sized amount is appropriate.
- Read books or use one of the many apps available to teach kids about the importance of caring for their teeth.
- Kids want to do everything you do, so try to set a good example by brushing and flossing regularly.
Kid-Friendly Services For Every Stage
We provide a wide variety of services for toddlers, kids and teens, including:
- Topical fluoride treatments – Fluoride treatments take just minutes and are highly-effective at strengthening your child’s enamel and preventing cavities.
- Sealants – The deep pits and grooves on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth easily collect cavity-causing plaque and bacteria. Unfortunately, even good brushing habits don’t help because toothbrush bristles are too large to fit into these areas. Sealants are thin, clear coatings that protect the back teeth and have been shown to prevent 80% of cavities in school-aged kids.
- Athletic guards – Custom-made athletic guards are the best way to prevent serious injuries like knocked-out teeth when your kids play sports. They’ve even been shown to reduce the severity of a concussion.
