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Dental Tips & FAQs
Oral Hygiene
Things to keep in mind when brushing your child’s teeth and teaching them to brush for themselves:
- Brush twice a day (after the first meal of the day and right before bed) as soon as their first tooth erupts.
- Use an age appropriate soft bristled toothbrush along the gumline in soft, circular motions.
- Use a grain of rice sized amount of fluoride toothpaste for children under the age of three, and a pea sized amount for children 3+ years old.
- Floss once per day between all teeth that are touching.
- Make it fun by singing songs, using phone apps or timers, or playing games to ensure brushing lasts for a full 2 minutes.
Diet and Nutrition
Diet, oral hygiene habits, and genetics are all contributing factors when it comes to cavities. Dr. Alison recommends avoiding sticky foods such as gummy vitamins, candy, and fruit snacks. These snacks can get stuck in the grooves of teeth, causing cavities. It is also important to limit processed foods that are high in carbohydrates and sugars because oral bacteria feed on these substances. Instead, whole fruits and vegetables, cheese, nuts, yogurt, and hummus are all great snacks!
Infants
When your child’s first tooth erupts, begin brushing with a soft baby toothbrush. Brush twice daily, with an emphasis on the nightly cleaning. This will familiarize your child with dental care and help establish strong habits for life. If your child is breastfed or bottle fed before bed, it is important to wipe their teeth clean with a wet cloth. This cleans away the milk residue that could cause tooth decay. Infants should not take their bottle to bed.
Children
Between the ages of 4-6, your child will likely want to start brushing their teeth on their own. You can let them brush on their own twice a day with a pea-sized amount of fluoridated toothpaste, but always be sure to follow up their brushing with an adult completing the cleaning to ensure no plaque is left behind. They will need help flossing until they have the manual dexterity to tie their shoes on their own.
Adolescents
As your children get older, they will likely begin choosing their own food and drinks independently. It is important to continue to bring in your children for routine visits to enforce good hygiene habits and ensure their teeth are regularly professionally cleaned. At our office, we encourage teens to ask questions and become active in the discussion of their oral health. At this age, orthodontics and aesthetic treatments are also commonly discussed. Dr. Alison is happy to give advice and recommendations for potential orthodontic or aesthetic treatments with you and your child.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a regular dentist and a pediatric dentist?
Pediatric dentists, like Dr. Alison, focus exclusively on children’s dental issues and must complete an additional two years of pediatric-focused training compared to a general dentist – that’s a total of 6 years of education after college.
A large part of this advanced training is focused facilitating comfortable and safe environments for children through pediatric behavior management techniques. This means they provide more individualized, compassionate, and gentle care for children.
What age should my child start seeing the dentist?
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends your child have their first dental visit by the age of one, or whenever their first tooth emerges (whichever comes first). We will be able to check to make sure their oral health is developing properly and answer any questions you may have about how to care for their teeth.
But don’t worry if your child is a bit older and they haven’t visited the dentist yet, the best time to start is now! The earlier they start seeing the dentist, the more familiarized with the process they will become.
What is a dental home?
A “dental home” is the office where your child will receive most of their dental care throughout their childhood. The AAPD recommends establishing your child’s dental home by age 1.
There are a few key benefits to establishing a dental home:
Track Oral Development
- Regular dental visits ensure that we can keep an eye on your child’s teeth and jaw bones as they grow, so we can identify any potential oral development or orthodontic problems early. It also allows us to reinforce great nutrition and oral hygiene habits to your child.
Build a Relationship
- You and your children will get to know Dr. Alison and the staff at Waterloo Pediatric Dentistry. The process of going to the dentist will seem more familiar, which will help prevent dental anxiety. A dental home also helps provide guidance on every stage of dental development and growth so that you always know what to expect for your child’s oral health.
Encourage Lifelong Oral Health
- Your child will be able to learn everything they need to know to adopt great oral care habits and keep their smile healthy for the rest of their life. In addition to having a friendly dental family to see for your regular check ups and cleanings, it is important to establish a dental home in case of a dental emergency.
Why are my child’s teeth so yellow?
There are several reasons that your child’s teeth may appear discolored or yellow:
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- They could be starting to get new adult teeth in. Baby teeth and adult teeth are actually different colors: baby teeth tend to be a bright white, while adult teeth appear more yellow! So if your child has a baby tooth and adult tooth right next to each other, it may just appear that the adult tooth is a little more yellow than the baby tooth.
- Plaque could be building up and causing a color change. Most children need professional dental cleanings every six months, but if your child tends to “build up” plaque and calculus more, they may need to come in more frequently.
- If the tooth is chalky white or brownish, the color change may be from a cavity starting on that tooth.
No matter the reason, we are always happy to take a look to make sure your child’s smile is as healthy and happy as possible.
How do cavities form?
When plaque bacteria builds up on teeth, it feeds off of sugar and starches from our diet, creating acid that eats away tooth enamel. This weakens the outer enamel layer of the tooth, creating small holes. These cavities must be treated to stop the progression of dental decay.
Why does my child need sedation?
Sedation can be a good option for children who are:
- are anxious about upcoming treatment
- require a large amount of care or complex dental treatment
- have complex health histories or special healthcare needs
- are unable to safely be treated with minimally invasive options
- have severe dental anxiety (afraid of needles, drills, etc.)
Dr. Alison is experienced and skilled in administering sedation for children. With a wide variety of sedation options, we will be able to keep your child comfortable throughout their visit while addressing your child’s dental needs.
Sedation is rarely the only option for a child’s treatment; therefore, Dr. Alison and the team will review all safe and reasonable treatment options with you before we decide what is the right choice for your child.
