by googhie

Question by Sheila: Family Dentist vs Pediatric Dentist ?
Our whole family, myself, husband & 4 kids see a “family” dentist. My 3 yr old twins went yesterday for their first full exam. On one son he found 1 cavity and 3 needing to be watched. He feels the 1 tooth with the worst cavity at least needs some work as the tooth it involves will be one of the last baby teeth he will loose and the tooth won’t wait that long, it will develop a spot or hole on it & maybe become painfull. Then we learned he can’t actually do the work but referred us to a pediatric dentist two hours away. I was very disappointed & since yesterday & hours trying to find or even get into a “pediatric” dentist, I’m now almost mad. I don’t understand why my dentist considers himself a family dentist then if he won’t actually do work on small children. I do understand why you wouldn’t want to, but that’s what a family practice to me should do. I finally found a family practice dentist that will do it, no prob. If this guy is good, should we consider switching?
Maybe I should add: Another pediatric dentist closer that our own dental office gave me the number for doesn’t take insurance, requires payment up front and we file ourselves and can’t even get him in for 2 months.
So we were actually given two pediatric referrals, one two hours away, and the other doesn’t take insurance.

Best answer:

Answer by Kiari
I wouldn’t. I would be grateful that I have a dentist who knows his limitations and is more concerned about my child than the money that he would make from working on my child.

They are 3.. you don’t have much more time left before they wouldn’t need to go to a pediatric dentist and with good prevention they shouldn’t get anymore cavities so what would be the concern?

What do you think? Answer below!

Please read other answers to this question at the very bottom of this page, below you will find a video and related articles that will try to answer the question, if you have a proper answer please post it at the bottom.

tinyurl.com Let your children watch this video to calm any fears of visiting their dentist. Pediatric Dentist Michelle To’ Sherman Oaks, CA USC grad. has been in practice over 10 years and makes frequent visit’s to the LAUSD neighboring pre-schools & elementary schools thoughout San Fernando Vally Ca. Training & teaching children good Dental Hygene.

Dentist – Pediatric Care

Title: Choosing a Pediatric Dentist

When you become a new mom or dad, most of us do not think about having to locate a dentist within the first year of our babies life. However, it is very important to begin good oral hygiene immediately. Even before you baby receives their first tooth, you should begin brushing their gums. You can use a toothbrush that is for infants or a soft cloth and water to brush their gums. The milk that they drink needs to be removed from their gums as to not cause possible decay of the incoming teeth.
When they receive their first tooth, you also need to begin brushing it with a toothbrush. At that point, you need to take them to see a pediatric dentist. Most people are not aware that there are pediatric dentists out there, but they are. A pediatric dentist is the pediatrician of dentistry. They receive an extra two to three years of training in study and hands on school to specialize in the pediatric industry of dentistry. When you begin your search for a pediatric dentist, you want to first look at their experience. A more experienced pediatric dentist has already gone through working with young children and is more than likely going to be more patient than someone who has not had much hand on treatment of younger children.
We all want our children to be comfortable with their pediatrician and their pediatric dentist is no different. Look at the environment that the dentist is working in. Is it child friendly? Are the other employees, assistants, etc all comforting to children as well? Most pediatric dentists are kid friendly. They will have a fun, bright, and energetic atmosphere and they make the experience less stressful for children.
Also inquire with the pediatric dentist on whether or not they use age appropriate and size appropriate tools. Children have smaller mouths and smaller teeth so therefore the tools need to be smaller than the size used for adults.
You might also check with your friends, family, or co workers and even your pediatrician to see which pediatric dentist that they would highly recommend.
When your child is becoming more independent, they are going to want to brush their own teeth. I would recommend that you assist them until they are around five to six years old in order to make sure that they are brushing for the right amount of time and the correct way. You might even use a kitchen timer or some kind of fun timer for children to know how much time that they need to brush their teeth. It is recommended that they brush their teeth for approximately 3 minutes. It is also very important that your children brush twice a day once they have more than a few teeth in their mouths. Keeping up good oral hygiene, even through their teenage years is important for lifelong hygiene. Good luck in your search for a pediatric dentist.
For more information please visit www.dallas-pediatricdentist.com.

As a parent, it is very essential to ensure proper oral hygiene for your child. Dental problems are very common in childhood and so it is essential to take measures to prevent them. If right care is not taken at the appropriate time, these problems can have long-term effects on your child. Your child may have to suffer from dental problems for the rest of the life.

Oral hygiene should start from infancy onwards. As soon as the milk teeth emerge, you should start regular brushing and cleaning. Children lose milk teeth after some time. These are replaced by permanent teeth. However, you should not neglect because dental conditions that affect milk teeth can also affect the permanent teeth. For example, infection in the milk teeth can penetrate into the jawbone and affect the permanent teeth residing inside.

The teeth play a crucial role in maintaining the overall health of the body. If the teeth are not healthy, the child will not be able to eat properly and so the body will not receive sufficient quantities of vitamins and minerals. This can lead to deficiency diseases and nutritional disorders. The child’s body grows much faster when compared to that of an adult. For this reason, proper nutrition is essential in childhood. Neglecting the health of the teeth can have long-term effects on child, even into adulthood.

Dental problems are very common in childhood because children usually consume excessive amounts of sugars. The sugars get stuck in the teeth and act as a congenial environment for bacterial growth. Bacteria secrete various harmful acids which cause damage to the teeth.

One of the best ways to prevent dental problems in children is to encourage regular teeth brushing. You should also never allow your child to go to bed with a milk bottle in the mouth. Milk contains good number of nutrients which act as food for the bacteria. This will lead to faster dental decay.

The role of the pediatric dentist is very crucial in maintaining the oral health of your child. You should take your child to the pediatric dentist at least once in every four months. If you’re looking for a dentist, you can start by searching in online databases. You can also ask your friends for recommendations.

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