The Important Role of Children’s Dentists
Aside from the usual x-rays, cleanings, and other procedures, children’s dentists have skills, such as teaching children good oral hygiene and alleviating fear and anxiety about going to the dentist.
Children
The primary responsibility of a children’s dentist is to teach children the importance of good oral hygiene and how to take care of their teeth.
Teenagers
Most dental services provided by children’s dentists are directed toward young children, however, adolescent patients face unique challenges. Teeth are still growing, and adolescent teeth are especially susceptible to decay.
Pulp Therapy
Children and teens, especially those who play contact sports sometimes need pulp therapy to save a tooth or teeth. The procedure is usually done with a local anesthetic and minimal sedation. In some cases, nitrous oxide can be used to relax the child during the procedure. In others, a stronger sedative may be required. Afterward, the child may be awake and feeling sore for a few days but will likely recover within a week.
Oral Hygiene
A good oral hygiene routine is crucial to maintaining a healthy smile and teaching your child about it at an early age is essential. As an adult, you may remember a dental visit as a frightening ordeal, but these days, modern dentistry focuses on painless, fun visits. Children should see a dentist at least twice a year, and parents should schedule biannual checkups with a trusted children’s dentist.
Bad Dental Habits
A bad dental habit is bad for your child’s oral health, and it can affect their development for years. These bad habits can result in painful or costly dental treatments later in life. To change a child’s bad habits, parents need to educate themselves.
Children’s Dentist Environment
The environment of a dentist’s office can make a big impact on the experience of children’s dentist visits. A friendly and welcoming environment can influence a child and set a positive tone that will foster good dental hygiene well into adulthood. One study examined the preferences of children when visiting their dentist. It aimed to identify which aspects of a children’s dentist’s office make children more comfortable. The researchers used questionnaires to assess the environment for children, which included cartoon characters and toys.
- The study included 50 children, chosen randomly, between the ages of 6 and 10 years old.
- The researchers surveyed both parents and their children to determine what factors most affected children’s first dental experiences.
- The findings suggest that children feel more comfortable with certain environmental features.
- The results indicated that most children prefer listening to rhymes and cartoons during their dental visits.
- The children also responded best to dentist offices with cartoon characters painted on the walls, toys, and pleasantly scented rooms. Most of the children felt most comforted by having their parents present during the treatment.
Children’s dentists specialize in the unique needs of children and can help prevent dental problems and influence children to have a lifetime of healthy teeth
Fun Facts About Dentistry
- Dentistry was one of the first medical professions that began with the Indus Valley Civilization in northwestern Asia around 7000 BC
- The first written documentation on tooth decay was credited to ancient Egyptians around 5000 BC
- The first book on children’s dental health was published in 1784 by British surgeon Joseph Hurlock
- The Babylonians and Egyptians invented the first toothbrushes in 3500 BC, but it wasn’t until 1780 that an Englishman named William Addis designed the first mass-marketed toothbrushes while serving time in prison for inciting a riot. The brushes were made with a bone handle and boar bristles.
- In 1873 Colgate produced the first commercially manufactured toothpaste
- The first dental x-ray was developed in 1896
- The Dupont Company finally developed and patented the first nylon toothbrush in 1938
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