Pediatric Dentistry in Diamond Bar, CA
At Furumoto Dentistry, our mission is to help each of our patients achieve a smile they're truly proud of through convenient, comprehensive dental treatment. We're proud to serve as a leading dental practice in the Diamond Bar area, providing top-notch general, restorative, and cosmetic dental treatments to patients of all ages. Dental care should start from an early age, and we're proud to provide expert pediatric dental care to help patients achieve a great smile in the long-term.
When Should My Child See the Dentist?
Most parents aren't exactly sure when to bring their child in for an initial dental visit – and it turns out, it might be earlier than you think! Children should have their first dental appointment right around when they turn 1 year old. Generally, we won't perform any treatments at this appointment. Instead, it's a chance for us to get to know each other, for your child to get accustomed to dental visits, and for your Brea children’s dentist to ensure that your child's teeth are developing correctly.
Are Baby Teeth Important?
Pediatric dental care can seem counterintuitive to some people, as eventually, the baby teeth will fall out and be replaced by the permanent teeth. But even though baby teeth don't last forever, they still play a vital role in dental development and need to be cared for through oral hygiene and pediatric dental care at our Diamond Bar office.
Baby teeth help your child learn to speak, chew, and swallow correctly, which means that dental problems during childhood can have a lasting impact. The baby teeth also help guide the permanent teeth into place when they do erupt, so maintaining a healthy smile as a child is vital to ensuring proper orthodontic alignment as an adult.
Infant Tooth Eruption & the Teething Process
Your child's teeth begin to form even before they are born, and you may see the first primary (baby) teeth erupt as early as four months. The two lower central incisors are usually the first to erupt, followed by the upper pair of central incisors. After that, the remaining teeth will grow in over the course of the next few years, normally finishing by age 3.
During this process, it's normal for kids to be grumpy, irritable, or otherwise upset – teething hurts! If you think your child is in pain from teething, try rubbing their gums with a clean finger, a washcloth dipped in warm water, or letting them chew on a teething ring. Never use teething biscuits, however, as those contain sugar that can damage baby teeth.
You'll likely see the baby teeth start to fall out and be replaced by permanent teeth around age 6. This process will continue until age 21, when the wisdom teeth will grow in – although the wisdom teeth generally need to be removed.
Diet and Pediatric Dental Health
Maintaining a regular routine of brushing and flossing is critical for promoting healthy teeth, but in addition to oral hygiene, diet plays an important role in dental health. In general, try to minimize sugary, acidic, or carb-heavy foods in your child's diet. These can create acids in the mouth that eat away at teeth, causing dental decay and a host of other problems. Instead, opt for healthier options like vegetables, cheese, and low-fat yogurt. In addition to being healthy for a growing child, these foods all help keep teeth strong.
How to Prevent Baby Bottle Decay
One of the most important things for parents to watch out for during a child's dental development is baby bottle decay, a condition in which milk causes dental decay in an infant. Baby bottle decay occurs when the sugars naturally present in milk interact with bacteria, which break the sugars down into acids that corrode tooth enamel.
The most common time for baby bottle decay to occur is while your child is sleeping. Normally, your child's saliva washes away leftover milk and keeps the teeth protected – but during sleep, salivary production drops, allowing milk to pool around the teeth and cause decay.
To prevent baby bottle decay, never let your child go to sleep with anything other than a pacifier or a bottle filled with water in his or her mouth (although it's ok to let your child sleep while breastfeeding). In addition to these measures, take time to examine your child for signs of baby bottle decay at least every two weeks – if you see any dull or white spots or lines, give us a call so we can check it out.
Schedule an Appointment with Your Diamond Bar & Brea Family Dentist
With proper dental care and oral hygiene, we can help your child develop a healthy, strong smile that lasts them a lifetime. At Furumoto Dentistry, we strive to be your partner in protecting your child's dental health, so we encourage you to call us at (909) 861-3515 if you have any questions on pediatric dental care. Alternatively, feel free to request an appointment at our Diamond Bar, CA family dental office. Working together, we'll create a comprehensive treatment plan and help your child achieve a gorgeous, lifelong smile!