Pediatric Dentistry of Western New York

A pediatric dentist is a specially trained dentist who has the experience and expertise to examine and treat children. It is recommended that children have routine wellness exams to check on developmental milestones for their teeth and gums, similar to wellness checks at the pediatrician’s office.

Tooth decay in children can lead to problems in eating, speaking and learning but a majority of the time this condition is preventable with an effective oral hygiene routine. Flossing and brushing twice a day, steering clear of excessive sugar in-take and drinking plenty of water will help young teeth to stay healthy.

Primary or baby molars are designed to last a long time. Most children begin losing their primary molars between the ages of 9 and 12, and by the time they turn 13 or 14, their permanent adult molars are fully grown.

Did you know studies have shown a link between poor oral health and poor school performance? Pediatric Dentists focus on the importance of preventing tooth decay because studies have shown that poor oral care in children can lead to poor school performance and poor development of socialization.

Pediatrics was developed extensively in the US by Abraham Jacobi, a German immigrant. Due to his various contributions to the study of child health care, he is commonly labeled the "father of pediatrics."

Your child’s baby teeth serve as placeholders for the permanent teeth that will begin to emerge around age 6. A missing baby tooth allows other teeth to shift in the mouth, which can crowd or affect the position and growth of adult teeth.

The baby tooth condition known as "bottle mouth" (where the teeth become pitted or discolored from the baby going to bed each night with a bottle) needs to be taken seriously. Severe cases can result in cavities, and even the need to pull all the front teeth until the permanent ones grow in.

Studies show that children with access to fluoridated water supplies reduce tooth decay by about 50 percent than children in cities that do not add fluoride to the water system. Many pediatric dentists consider fluoride treatments an excellent preventive treatment.

Thumb sucking is a touchy subject among childhood authorities. From a pediatric dentist’s point of view, thumb sucking is normal behavior, but if it persists once permanent teeth erupt, it can cause problems with the mouth and tooth alignment.

One of the more common issues for children is braces, but today's children are very fortunate. Even as recently as the late 1900s, orthodontic appliances could include large headgear, but today's technology is much less painful and much less obtrusive.

It’s true that baby teeth will eventually fall out, but caring for baby teeth ensures that your child will be able to chew properly. Also, a child’s baby teeth reserve space in the jaw for adult teeth to eventually drop down in the proper location.

One way to make oral care fun for your kids is by making a game or a craft out of it. Print out a large graphic of a tooth on yellow construction paper. Tell the kids that it is their job to help make the tooth white again. You could give them white craft materials such as cotton balls and glue.

Have you ever heard that aspirin can help to relieve the pain of a toothache? That's true, experts say, but there's no need to place the aspirin next to the affected tooth. Since aspirin contains acid, that can actually damage your gum.