Pediatric Dentistry
Nowadays, what really makes a difference is prevention: prevention so that you don’t have to treat. To do this, it is necessary to establish correct and regular oral hygiene habits, regular visits to the dentist and healthy eating habits. And this work is done with a pediatric dentist, a professional trained to receive children, adolescents and patients with special needs with the utmost comfort, respecting each patient’s time and individualising their work for each family.
Pediatric Dentistry summarized:
- Prevention is the best weapon
- Prevention is the key to success
- Reducing the stress about visiting the dentist
- Fun dentist appointments
- Go to the dentist without fear
Pediatric Dentistry summarized:
- Prevention is the best weapon
- Prevention is the key to success
- Reducing the stress about visiting the dentist
- Fun dentist appointments
- Go to the dentist without fear
The Pediatric Dentistry appointment is not only about teeth: the patient is seen as a whole and, in addition to the teeth, muscle functions, breathing, chewing, nutrition, posture, craniofacial development, among others, are also evaluated, in order to monitor growth and identify habits that may cause future problems. Therefore, it may be necessary to resort to the use of braces at an early age. However, not all alterations in dental position or growth require braces: the pediatric dentist will carry out an individualized treatment plan, explaining it and clarifying all the questions from the parents and patients.
The frequency of dentist appointments depends on each individual and is defined taking into account the risk of caries and the habits of each patient: it can vary from every 3 months, every 6 months or even only once a year.
Pregnancy – Prenatal Dental Appointment
The pediatric dentist also performs the Prenatal Dental Appointment, which should ideally take place in the second trimester of pregnancy. In this appointment, the future mom will be able to clarify all her questions about breastfeeding, pacifiers, bottles, teethers, normal age of eruption of the baby’s teeth, techniques and position for brushing teeth, pastes and toothbrushes, how to relieve the discomfort of the first teeth, in addition to clarifying myths about oral health and pregnancy. This is a preventive appointment that will help you make a conscious and informed choice of what is best for your baby.
Please note: The Prenatal Dental Appointment is carried out by the pediatric dentist, as it is a preventive and informative consultation related to the baby. The monitoring of the dental health of the future mom will still be done by her dentist.
FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the recommended age for the first visit to the dentist?
According to the recommendations of the Portuguese Dental Association (Ordem dos Médicos Dentistas), the first appointment should take place when the first tooth erupts or until the child completes one year. After that, the frequency of appointments is defined by the pediatric dentist taking into account the risk of caries and the habits of each family.
What is the best toothpaste for children?
According to the recommendations of the General Directorate of Health (Direção Geral de Saúde), toothpaste should have between 1000 and 1500ppm of fluoride, since the first tooth. The toothpaste should be chosen according to this recommendation and never by the age indicated on the package.
How many times a day should the child brush their teeth?
Tooth brushing should be carried as soon as the baby has the first tooth and carried out at least twice a day, after meals.
Is it worth it to treat issues in milk teeth?
Yes, milk teeth have a great importance and must be treated. These are the teeth that allow the child to chew, talk, smile and that keep the space for the correct eruption (“birth”) of the definitive teeth.
My child has teeth stains although he/she washes them twice a day. What can I do?
Stains on teeth can have different colours, textures, shapes and can be found in various locations, can be found on one or more teeth and can have different origins. These stains should always be evaluated by a pediatric dentist because they can indicate more serious problems such as changes in the structure of the enamel or cavities.
What is a dental trauma? And what can we do?
Whenever there is a blow to the skull or face (fall, getting hit by a ball or by an elbow, etc.), dental trauma may occur. Even if there is no dental fracture, traumas should not be neglected and should always be evaluated by a dentist in an emergency appointment. If the tooth fractures, you should look for the fragment, store it in milk or saline, and take it to the dentist.
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