Pediatric Dentistry FAQs

First, rinse the irritated area with warm salt water and place a cold compress on the face if it is swollen.

Give the child acetaminophen (e.g., Children's Tylenol) for any pain, rather than placing aspirin on the teeth or gums. Finally, see a dentist as soon as possible.

Thumb and pacifier-sucking habits will generally only become a problem if they go on for a very long period of time.

Most children stop these habits on their own, but if they are still sucking their thumbs or fingers past the age of three, a mouth appliance may be recommended by your pediatric dentist.

A check-up every six months is recommended for most children in order to prevent cavities and other dental problems.

The sooner the better! Starting at birth, clean your child’s gums with a soft infant toothbrush or cloth and water.

Parents should use a tiny smear of fluoride toothpaste to brush baby teeth twice daily as soon as they erupt and a soft, age-appropriate sized toothbrush. Once children are 3 to 6 years old, then the amount should be increased to a pea-size dollop and perform or assist your child’s toothbrushing.

Remember that young children do not have the ability to brush their teeth effectively. Children should spit out and not swallow excess toothpaste after brushing.

Soft plastic mouth guards can be used to protect a child's teeth, lips, cheeks, and gums from sport-related injuries.

A custom-fitted mouthguard developed by a pediatric dentist will protect your child from injuries to the teeth, face and even provide protection from severe injuries to the head.

The most important thing to do is to remain calm. Then find the tooth. Hold it by the crown rather than the root and try to reinsert it in the socket.

If that is not possible, put the tooth in a glass of milk and take your child and the glass immediately to the pediatric dentist.

Teething is the process of baby (primary) teeth coming through the gums into the mouth.

Teething can start before a child is even birthed. On average, teeth begin to emerge in most children around age 6-8 months.

Children should be weaned from the bottle at 12-14 months of age.

We invite parents to accompany their children during regular checkup appointments. As children grow older and gain confidence, we encourage that they learn independence and come back themselves during dental appointments.

For other types of appointments, we would be happy to talk to you about our policy on parents accompanying patients.

Parents often report to us that they have observed their children grinding their teeth during sleep, and that it sometimes is quite loud. This habit is known nocturnal bruxism.

Sometimes, parents also notice some of the teeth wearing down (teeth getting shorter, known as enamel attrition). This is actually quite common in many children and should be considered a ‘normal’ behavior and the vast majority of children grow out of this habit.

Generally, no treatment is necessary, however, there are occasional exceptions. Most children stop grinding between the ages of nine to twelve.

Children who never grow out of the habit may ultimately need to manage the grinding so that the permanent teeth are not excessively worn down.

Thumb or finger sucking is known as a “non-nutritive digit habit.” Sucking is a natural healthy reflex necessary to sustain life early in infancy.

Children may suck thumbs, fingers, pacifiers and sometimes other things such as a comfort blanket. Sucking helps to calm children, and make them feel more secure and relaxed. We are fond of saying, “there is a season under heaven for everything.”

Sucking on a thumb, finger or pacifier is a normal and healthy habit during the early season of infant life. But every season must come to an end.

A habit that was once healthy and essential can become unhealthy and directly cause negative consequences to the developing teeth, jaws, and bite. We encourage parents to help children stop their sucking habit by age three.

Most children will stop without too much struggle. However, some children will continue a sucking habit well into elementary and sometimes even middle or high school.

The longer the habit continues, the more it tends to have negative consequences on the natural alignment of the teeth, alters the bite in an unhealthy way, and negatively alters the growth of the upper and lower jaw.

**Children who continue a sucking habit past age five will usually require intervention from the pediatric dentist or the orthodontist and we encourage you not to delay seeking an evaluation for this. Our doctors will ask you to provide us with information on the frequency, duration and intensity of the habit. We may recommend an oral appliance called a “habit appliance” that is attached to the upper molars and fills the part of the palate where suction is created by the finger or thumb. These appliances are usually left attached in the mouth for 4-6 months.

We believe that it is important not to shame children who continue a sucking habit.

If you notice that your child has a permanent tooth growing in behind a baby tooth, there is no reason to panic. This is quite common in children.

Most children will begin losing their baby teeth and between the ages of five and seven. Normally, a permanent tooth will emerge directly underneath the baby tooth it is designed to replace. This helps to resorb the root of the baby tooth (the baby tooth root slowly dissolves and disappears) and it becomes very “wiggly” or as we say, “mobile.”

The permanent tooth essentially pushes out the baby tooth. However, when the permanent tooth emerges behind the baby tooth, the normal process of the tooth root dissolving away may or may not occur.

The most common area in the mouth for this to occur is the lower front teeth (incisors), followed by the upper front teeth. If you notice this, check to see if the baby tooth is “wiggly” or loose.

If it is, then the baby tooth is likely to fall out naturally and your child’s tongue will most often naturally push the permanent tooth forward over time into the proper position.

If the baby tooth is not at all wiggly or loose, removal of the baby tooth by the children’s dentist may be necessary. Sometimes an early evaluation by an orthodontist will also be recommended because this could be a sign of significant crowding of the teeth.