5 Myths About Pediatric Dentistry
If you are looking for a dentist for your child, you might encounter common myths about pediatric dentistry. These myths can prevent children from receiving the necessary pediatric dental care.
Parents often have questions or concerns about pediatric dental care, so it’s best to clarify these misconceptions. Let’s explore five common myths about pediatric dentistry.
1. Your Child Needs a Pediatric Dentist
This is one particularly common myth about pediatric dentistry. Parents don’t necessarily need to take their children to a different dentist than they themselves see. Pediatric dentists work only with children. But a general dentist who also is trained in pediatric dentistry is equipped to provide oral care for the whole family; from the youngest infants to adult members of the family. This provides a level of convenience for busy families trying to schedule dental appointments for the whole family.
2. Children Don’t Need Dental Care Until All Their Baby Teeth Develop
Many parents assume they don’t need to take their child to the dentist until all their baby’s teeth come in. After all, why would you need to clean only one or two teeth? However, the reality is that plaque and tartar can damage even a single baby tooth.
A dentist trained in pediatric dentistry can provide oral care for children as young as one year old. They will clean teeth, inspect your baby’s gums, and check to make sure that your baby’s teeth are developing normally.
If you wait too long to introduce your child to the dentist, they can sometimes develop a fear of the dentist. A dental office can seem strange, with unusual sounds and sights they might not be familiar with. However, by taking them to the dentist early on, you can help them overcome that fear in strides and start to develop a rapport with the dentist from a young age.
3. You Can Wait to Teach Your Child Brushing
Some parents assume they can wait to teach their children proper brushing techniques until their full set of teeth comes in. Others don’t see the importance of brushing their children’s teeth early on before the child themselves can handle brushing on their own. However, these mistakes indicate a lack of knowledge about how cavities form within a child’s mouth.
Cavities in children typically take a few months to form. A whole new set of teeth can take up to two years to come in. So, by not brushing your child’s teeth, you potentially allow for multiple cavities to form, all before their complete set comes in.
We recommend that you start brushing as soon as you notice a single tooth. Even that one tooth could become infected or suffer from a cavity. It’s best to familiarize your child with a brush, but you should also wipe their gums using a soft cloth after they eat a meal.
4. Children Don’t Need To Floss
This belief remains one myth about pediatric dentistry that many people believe.
Flossing removes hard-to-access plaque and food debris between teeth and reduces the likelihood of cavities or gum problems. Unfortunately, many people fail to incorporate flossing into their dental hygiene routine.
Flossing provides a painless and easy way to clean your teeth when done properly. We recommend that your child floss using FDA-approved floss after each meal. Floss will clean those hard-to-reach spaces between their teeth, protecting them from future tooth problems.
5. Sugary Foods Cause All Cavities
Many parents assume their children won’t have cavities if they limit their intake of sugary foods. There’s a grain of truth here; sugary items do cause many problems if you don’t brush and floss after eating them.
However, it’s not accurate to blame sugar itself for causing cavities. The problem stems from when you ignore sugar buildup on your teeth. At that point, it damages your enamel. When your enamel experiences decay of any kind, bacteria can make their way into the tooth and cause a cavity.
The bottom line is simple: If your child eats sugary food, brush, and floss right after eating.
White Rose Family Dental LLC Is Your Number-One Pediatric Dentistry Clinic
White Rose Family Dental LLC proudly offers a wide range of pediatric dentistry services. As trained, experienced dental professionals, we are passionate about helping kids stay happy and healthy. We work with most major insurance companies to provide affordable, quality dental care.
Contact us at (717) 822-0272 to schedule an appointment today! We’re always excited to see new patients.