Children's Dental Care in East Brunswick

What Is a Children’s Dentist?

A pediatric dentist has additional years of training in diagnosing and treating dental disease in children. Typically, a child’s dentist has skills to put children at ease and make the visit as pleasant as possible. Our general dentists who treat children and our pediatric dentists excel at parent education and treatments specifically for children.

When Is the Best Time to Bring My Child in for Their First Dental Appointment?

The best time for your child to see a kid’s dentist is six months from when they get their first tooth, which is generally on their first birthday. As soon as children get a tooth, they are at risk of tooth decay. As a parent, you can help reduce the risk by talking to our dentist about how to clean your baby’s teeth and by not letting your child fall asleep with a bottle or sippy cup of milk or juice. If the liquid stays on their teeth all night, it can contribute to decay.

What Happens at a Children’s Dentist Appointment?

Your child’s dentist will examine your baby’s teeth and gums while you hold him or her in your lap. You’ll learn how to brush your baby’s teeth and we’ll answer any questions you have. We’ll make sure the appointment is as pleasant as possible so your child sees visiting a dentist as a pleasant experience. If you’ve been searching online for “a children’s dentist near me,” you’ve found the right place. Please call our office and schedule an appointment.

What Is Dentistry for Children?

Children’s dentistry consists of preventative treatments and services to take care of any dental issues your child is experiencing. We offer the following treatments for our young patients:

Professional Teeth Cleanings for Children: Children need teeth cleanings just like adults. We’ll make the experience pleasant for your child.

Fillings: To preserve your child’s dental health and keep the decay from spreading, our dentists fill cavities in baby teeth. Even though the tooth will eventually fall out, it is still important to have a cavity filled.

Dental Bonding: A tooth chip or crack is easily repaired with dental bonding for children.

Dental Sealants: Dental sealants for kids are a preventative kids dental care treatment. The sealant protects the chewing surface of molars where cavities tend to occur because it is hard for kids to keep the tops of molars clean.

Fluoride: Fluoride treatments are an important preventative measure in dentistry for kids. They can help prevent cavities by strengthening the tooth enamel.

Baby Root Canal: If your child has a tooth where decay has reached the pulp inside the tooth, your childrens dentist will recommend a root canal. It will stop the pain your child is feeling and preserve the tooth.

Pediatric Crowns: We use pediatric crowns to save a badly decayed baby tooth. Pulling the tooth early can cause problems as baby teeth save a space for an adult tooth.

Mouthguards: Our dentists can fit your child for a comfortable mouthguard which they won’t mind wearing. We suggest mouthguards for all sports and outdoor recreational activities to protect your child’s teeth, tongue and jaw.

When Will My Baby Begin Teething?

You should notice the first signs of teething at around six months of age, but it can be as early as three months or as late as seven months. Each child is different, but most children have all of their baby teeth by age three. Your baby may be more irritable, drool more and suck on toys or your fingers to relieve the pressure.

When Will My Child Get Adult Teeth?

Expect your child to get his or her first loose tooth at about age six, although this may vary. Usually, your child’s adult teeth, except for their wisdom teeth, should all have emerged by age 12 or 13. If your child’s baby tooth won’t fall out to make way for an emerging adult tooth, please call our office and request an appointment.

Why Would a Child’s Tooth Hurt?

There could be many reasons for a child’s toothache, but the most common cause is a cavity. Children have a difficult time describing pain, so check to make sure there isn’t food caught between their teeth or that they haven’t wiggled a loose tooth too much. If you don’t see any obvious reason for their discomfort, please call us for an appointment. In the meantime, avoid giving your child salty foods or foods that are too hot or too cold to prevent the pain from getting worse.

If you are looking for a compassionate, patient and gentle children’s dentist in East Brunswick, please call us to make an appointment.