Teaching our children good dental hygiene practices is one of the best gifts we will ever give them, and at General Dentistry for Children in Ewa Beach, Hawaii we pride ourselves on being experts at teaching you and your children how to properly take care of their teeth and mouths. Our goal is to promote healthy teeth and beautiful smiles through education, prevention and good care. We teach parents and children from one year old to 16 how to properly take care of their teeth.
Dr. Neal Timon and his caring and professional staff are part of a unique dental practice that caters solely to children. We know that good dental hygiene habits must begin before your child's first tooth comes in, and we encourage preventative care by scheduling your baby's first visit at one year. After the first visit, we will schedule your child for regular check-ups to ensure continued superior dental health.
Wiping your baby's gums with a soft damp cloth after feeding helps to prevent the buildup of bacteria. When teeth appear, you may start using a soft children's toothbrush twice a day. Most children appreciate routines, so make tooth brushing a part of your child's routine, say after bath and before story time. Brushing teeth together can be a fun family activity for a toddler.
Once your child is preschool-age, you may start using fluoride toothpaste; less than a pea-sized amount is needed. Young children tend to swallow most of the toothpaste, and swallowing too much fluoride toothpaste can cause permanent staining of the teeth.
Fluoride is an integral part of your child's dental health as it helps makes teeth strong by hardening the tooth enamel. Many cities in the United States are even required to add fluoride to tap water. If you live in an area where the tap water does not contain fluoride, daily fluoride tablets may be prescribed for your child when he or she turns six months old. But, just like with toothpaste, too much oral fluoride can cause stains, so following prescribed directions is very important.
Proper dental hygiene will certainly help to reduce the number of cavities your child develops. Cavities are holes that are formed when bacteria in the mouth use the sugar in food to make acid, and this acid eats away at the teeth. Cavities are the most common disease in children, but good tooth care can help keep cavities from developing in your children.
Your child may be at risk for cavities if he/she eats a lot of sugary foods such as cookies, candy, and raisins and drinks a lot of sweet liquids such as fruit juice, soda, and other sweetened beverages. The risk increases if your child gets in the habit of constantly carrying around a cup of soda or juice, so get in the habit of giving your child water to drink other than at specific meal or snack times. Your child may also be at risk for cavities if he/she has any of the following risk factors:
Dr. Timon and staff will work with you and your child and explain the numerous ways cavities can be prevented and teeth can be well-taken care of during the early years.
We offer emergency hours and allow one parent in the exam room with the child to ease your fears and the fears of your child. We will work diligently to provide you with the best dental care and dental education in the area.
If you would like to learn more about how our dental practice can both care for and educate you and your child regarding dental cleaning, please contact our office in Ewa Beach today to schedule your initial appointment.