What dental problems could my child have?Several oral issues can arise at a young age. A major issue is caused by children sleeping with their bottle which can potentially cause tooth decay. Another concern is gum disease. A staggering 40 percent of children age 2 to 3 have a form of mild inflammation of their gum tissues. Other behaviors, such as digit sucking or grinding teeth can be harmful to an individual’s oral health. These can all be determinates of how their adult teeth grow and ignite oral issues far into the future. Early childhood visits to a pediatric dentist can help prevent future dental problems. A healthy smile has many benefits, such as helping your child chew their food, speaking clearly, and allowing them to feel confident about their smile.Should baby teeth be treated the same as adult teeth?Primary teeth (baby teeth) aid your child in chewing and eating, with fundamental skills like speech development, and a beautiful smile can enhance their self confidence.All these attributes assist in you child’s overall health and wellbeing. Healthy and strong baby teeth help jaw bones and muscles to form and help permanent teeth to grow cosily into place. If a child loses a baby tooth too early, their permanent teeth can grow in crooked, leading to costly dental procedures in the future. Decaying in primary teeth can cause discomfort and pain, abscesses, and infections that can extend to permanent teeth. A child’s overall health can be impacted if problemed primary teeth go untreated, especially since some primary molars don’t get removed until the ages of 10 to 14.Should I prepare my child for their first visit?This is a common question we receive. We recommend that you prepare your children for their visit as you did for their first haircut or new experience. Perhaps you remember being terrified of the dentist when you were younger. Not to worry, Dr. Salm’s office is nothing like that. If you are nervous about the appointment, it may be best to not talk about it very much. It’s difficult to hide anxiety from your child, as they oddly have a knack for sensing those kinds of things. We suggest picking up a book or two about the dentist to get your child excited about the experience. Their response to the dentist and Dr. Salm’s friendly staff may have you rethinking everything you once thought about the dentist office being a scary place. Not at Dr. Salm’s office, we are just the opposite of that!Do children need preventative care?With Dr. Salm you won’t have to worry about early child tooth decay. He has the expertise and attentiveness to stop and prevent future oral issues as he focuses on all aspects of preventative dental care. We use the most cutting-edge sealant technology to protect your children’s teeth. A dental sealant is a thin invisible plastic coating put on the grooves of the back teeth to protect them from decay. The sealant blocks dangerous particles from gathering in those locations and creating degeneration. The majority of kids and teens who get cavities at a young age recommended to get sealants to avoid decay in baby teeth or permanent molars. Sealants are but one of the numerous ways we set the framework for healthy dental care for the rest of their life.