Dental Care For Kids

Children’s Dentistry

At Kucey Dental Group, serving patients from Lloydminster and beyond, we also offer dentistry services for children. Establishing healthy teeth for children and good oral hygiene habits can help ensure these things continue into adulthood. Learn more about dental health in children below, or contact us to schedule an appointment.

When To Bring Your Child

The first “regular” dental visit should be just after your child’s third birthday. The first dental visit is usually short and involves very little treatment. We may ask you to sit in the dental chair and hold your child during the examination. You may also be asked to wait in the reception area during part of the visit so that a relationship can be built between your child and your dentist.

We will gently examine your child’s teeth and gums. X-rays may be taken (to reveal decay and check on the progress of your child’s permanent teeth under the gums). We may clean your child’s teeth and apply topical fluoride to help protect the teeth against decay. We will make sure your child is receiving adequate fluoride at home. Most important of all, we will review with you how to clean and care for your child’s teeth.

What Should I Tell My Child About the First Dental Visit?

We are asked this question many times. We suggest you prepare your child the same way you would before their first haircut or trip to the shoe store. Your child’s reaction to his first visit to the dentist may surprise you.

Here are some “First Visit” tips:

• Take your child for a “preview” of the office.
• Read books with them about going to the dentist.
• Review with them what the dentist will be doing at the time of the first visit.
• Speak positively about your own dental experiences.

During your first visit the dentist will:

• Examine your mouth, teeth and gums.
• Evaluate adverse habits like thumb sucking.
• Check to see if you need fluoride.
• Teach you about cleaning your teeth and gums.
• Suggest a schedule for regular dental visits.

What About Preventative Care?

Tooth decay and children no longer have to go hand in hand. At our office we are most concerned with all aspects of preventative care. We use dental sealants to protect your child’s teeth. Dental sealants are plastics that are bonded to the chewing surfaces of decay-prone back teeth. This is just one of the ways we will set the foundation for your child’s lifetime of good oral health.

Cavity Prevention

Most of the time cavities are due to a diet high in sugary foods and a lack of brushing. Limiting sugar intake and brushing regularly, of course, can help. The longer it takes your child to chew their food and the longer the residue stays on their teeth, the greater the chances of getting cavities.

Every time someone eats, an acid reaction occurs inside their mouth as the bacteria digest the sugars. This reaction lasts approximately 20 minutes. During this time the acid environment can destroy the tooth structure, eventually leading to cavities.

The consistency of a person’s saliva also makes a difference. Thinner saliva breaks up and washes away food more quickly. When a person eats a diet high in carbohydrates and sugars they tend to have thicker saliva, which in turn allows more of the acid-producing bacteria that can cause cavities.

Tips For Preventing Cavities

A few tips to help prevent cavities include:

• Limit frequency of meals and snacks.
• Encourage brushing, flossing and rinsing.
• Watch what your child drinks.
• Avoid giving your child sticky foods.
• Make treats part of meals.
• Choose nutritious snacks.

The first baby teeth that come into the mouth are the two bottom front teeth. You will notice this when your baby is about 6-8 months old. Next to follow will be the 4 upper front teeth and the remainder of your baby’s teeth will appear periodically. They will usually appear in pairs along the sides of the jaw until the child is about 2-1/2 years old.

At around 2-1/2 years old your child should have all 20 teeth. Between the ages of 5 and 6 the first permanent teeth will begin to erupt. Some of the permanent teeth replace baby teeth and some don’t. Don’t worry if some teeth are a few months early or late as all children are different.

Baby teeth are important as they not only hold space for permanent teeth but they are important to chewing, biting, speech and appearance. For this reason it is important to maintain a healthy diet and daily hygiene.

Baby’s Dental Health

New recommendations suggest that your baby have a dental visit by the age of one. Because the first teeth usually come in around the age of 4-12 months, we want to help you understand the health of the new teeth. You will start helping to clean gums and teeth at very early baby stages. Avoid using toothpaste if possible until the baby can spit it out. A pea size amount is a good measurement. Fluoride is important and you should ensure baby drinks tap water or may require supplements if bottled or well-water are used. Avoid long contact with sugars and acids. Baby bottle syndrome occurs when bottles or sippy-cups are used for long periods of time and decay teeth causing black, unhealthy teeth. Teach your baby to enjoy water after a meal an clean all areas to remove food deposits. We look forward to helping your baby enjoy a lifetime of healthy smiles!